The Archfey are entities embodying natural aspects. Some believe that they were once Fae creatures who gain access to a huge amount of power and fully embodied their aspects. Others say the Archfey are as old as time itself and have always existed as forces of nature. Either way, they are the focuses of worship among the various peoples of Vespirian. Each are said to grant boons to those who please the aspect that they represent. Though other Archfey may exist, we have records of only 3 major Archfey deities:
The Archfey embody the three primal aspects of Vespirian: Power, Mischief, and Time. Each dwells within a realm removed from our own, rarely stooping to manifest physical form within this mortal sphere. Only three sanctuaries exist where these Archfey realms intersect with ours, known as the Leysprings. Positioned equidistant from one another, they encircle the eternal city of Astel. Guarding these Leysprings are formidable trials, designed to turn away the unworthy. Yet for the few who endure, a Leyspring offers the rare privilege to request a single boon from the Archfey who dwells there. It was precisely through such a trial that I received my own ageless burden from Tempus Aevum.
To the ambitious traveler who seeks these sites, I offer a stern caution. The Archfey share no kinship with our kind. They do not comprehend our morality, nor do they harbor concern for our fleeting plights. They remain as passionless as the mountain wind and as unyielding as a falling stone, dedicated solely to the preservation of their own enigmatic wills. To perish within their trials is a venture you accept entirely at your own peril. However, to ask amiss when granted and opportunity for a boon is a fate far worse, making one wish they had never dared to seek the springs at all.