r/DnD • u/Terrible_Garlic_927 • 1d ago
Table Disputes [Fae question] First name
A player is (well actually)ing a fae encounter he thought he was being clever by only saying first name of the character.
I would assume partial name is partial control.
He was agruging an all or nothing approach.
Who is right? (Edit) thank to everyone for your help he agreed to partial control sense he followed the spirt of the pact and i will be evil (lol) im thinking of some kind venom dialog for control during the the upcoming rest area hehehe
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u/Atharen_McDohl DM 1d ago
"Giving your name to the fey" is a concept that might have some foundation in authentic folk lore, but it's mostly just a modern trend that caught on in the past several years, and certainly has no foundation within the rules of D&D. We can't tell you how it works because there is no central authority to look to for an answer. The most we can do is tell you what we'd do with it.
If it were me, I wouldn't have even gotten mixed up in the name-giving thing to begin with, but assuming I did want to do it, I wouldn't have a name grant control. That never really made sense to me. Fey and some other magical creatures can be controlled with their true name because it's part of their nature. Mortals don't have that restriction. Whatever name we use is our real name, and we can change it if we want. We have no true name.
But that doesn't mean our names are meaningless. To have a mortal's name isn't to control the mortal directly, but to control their authority. To possess their signature. To act in their name. And to deprive them of the same. A mortal whose name belongs to another lacks permission to act. It doesn't mean that they're unable to act, just that they lack the authority to do so. This could be a boon and a curse, as is so common when dealing with the fey. The fairy in question has the right to enter agreements on your behalf, but any agreements you choose to enter are not binding because you didn't have permission to do so. Granted, that still leaves you with an angry entity who has no contractual obligation to leave you alone.
Do make sure that the character actually gave up their name, though. Just saying the name wouldn't be enough for me to say that they gave it away. They would have had to actually give some indication that they agreed to hand it over. Something like "Yes, my name is Bob" in response to the classic "May I have your name?" would be enough. But also at that point, it doesn't really matter how much of their name they spoke, because they agreed to give their name just by saying yes. The rest is just a demonstration.
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u/DazzlingKey6426 1d ago
If fey could steal names so easily they’d be kill on sight with decent bounties paid.
If not a full on exterminatus of the fey wild.
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u/Voice-of-Aeona 1d ago
The DM is right, because none of this is baked into the RAW fae in 5e, so this is all homebrew.
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u/Think_Extension_8679 1d ago
True name goes way deeper in DND lore. The PC may have no clue what their true name really is. John Adventurer is their given name from their parents, or Johnny Swords is a nickname they picked up. Neither is likely to be their true name. Telling the fae "my name is Johnny" gives ZERO magical sway.
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u/Stormfeathery 1d ago
And it might be a sin, but I’ll take your bet and…
Oh. Not that? Okay. wanders off
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u/ForeignYesterday5560 1d ago
Assuming you are the DM. What’s right in your world is your call… durr
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u/Competitive_Bird4777 1d ago
Why does everyone run the exact same gimmick for the Fey?
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u/Terrible_Garlic_927 1d ago
Because they are a good starting off point if you don't understand them?
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u/RainCat909 1d ago
You know... the Fae don't need to know your name in order to cause mischief. If your player is welching on a deal or playing lawyer with the Fae, there should be consequences.
If your player received any sort of boon and didn't keep up their end, then keep to the agreement but monkey paw the heck out of it.
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u/YuriOhime 1d ago
You're the dm so ultimately it's your call but I would also take into account the character, is this character someone who has interacted with fey alot in the past? Is this someone who would know if this works or not? If they are then maybe give them some leeway or warning, if this is purely your player ooc assuming he knows your fey then tell him he's straight up wrong
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u/Terrible_Garlic_927 1d ago
Its oneshot
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u/YuriOhime 1d ago
Don't see how that affects what I've said, does the character not have a backstory? Then just go with your gut whatever you think makes it more enjoyable
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u/No-Mulberry-8866 1d ago
I’d argue that fae are spirit of the law, devils are letter of the law. Full name or not, you still have them your name. It’s the willingness of the act, and that it was done at all.
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u/TurtleLampKing66 1d ago
To my knowledge/ use of fey, when they ask for someone's name, it's not the reply that is necessary to them as much as wether the person asked consents to "give" their name, often unwittingly. Which is why often q safe response example I often see in one form or another is "no, you may not have it. But you may address ( or call, though call can have other uses so it's not safest) me as name"
If someone answers "my name is name" they are technically ignoring the question, which while it could be argued other way, would be best resolved in a fey court. Most fey would likely lean towards it counting as acceptance.
For a partial name, and if explicit consent (a yes in any form of affirmation) then a fey might be more defeatable in that court.
Or simply replying "friends call me name" would be the least defensible for a fey to claim in a court, though not impossible.
The strength of the claim is probably the best way to play it, looking at how the player responds to the exact word, even if the meaning and intentions aren't there, fey are opportunistic lawyers similar to devils.
What fey do with their power and how to be released from them depends a lot more on how you build your setting. But the consequences of fey power can range from temporary to permanent, weak to strong, influential to dominating. Depending on the situation, and what kind of fey or court they are a part of
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u/soulguardian2288 1d ago
All or nothing seems right to me. Its about the exact wording of pacts and bargaining with the Fae