The Púca Gang
Images and Concept Art from Book Two
The púca (Irish for spirit/ghost; plural púcaí), pooka, phouka is primarily a creature of Celtic folklore. Considered to be bringers both of good and bad fortune, they could help or hinder rural and marine communities ~ Wikipedia
I had imagined that the púca be a quite clever individual, and found even before researching, that they tended to "write" themselves into the story with traits and characteristics that matched their lore. Who would have thought about incorporating a rainy setting and then discover that the púca is more likely to show during that time? Why would that be? 'Twould seem their fur would get rather damp if they constantly appeared during a storm. Unless there was a reason for it...
I came up with the idea that there should be two different types of magic. One would exist in our modern day world while the other would be a pure type of magic that exists and is used only by the faerie creatures themselves.
Chaotic Magic: This type of magic exists because of non-believers. As a person grows older, they tend to believe less and less. This causes a type of dust particle to form due to non-belief and is used by those who thrive in our world. The Taker, as described in the first Mierna book, can be any creature that drains mortals of their energy, often times thriving in communities where these particles collect, called Faerie Wilds.
In the coming third book, we'll see exactly how these particles affect Vlanders. Thus, we get to the point of rain. Why is it a big deal for Vlanders to appear during or after storms? This is because chaotic particles can cling to his coat, weighing him down and possibly draining him of his own powers. They may even drain humans if one happens upon a faerie ring or hear a lonely song in the woods.
Beware the woes of faerie foes
With lies upon the tongue.
They lead you astray,
Then beg you to stay
Until your days are done!
Faerie Magic: Vlanders uses pure magic created from belief when born into the Fae. This type of power can yield many different results, but its color will always show up as a blue-green or turquoise, while chaotic magic is a deep purple.
As the plot thickens, things won't be so simple anymore... stay tuned for more to come!
