The Fair Folk

That is to say, fairies.  Not Disney fairies, but the ones from old stories that D&D would generally describe as Chaotic Neutral at best.  I feel like they could be a source of origins.  For instance, the term “changeling fantasy” was derived from the superstition that they would switch human children with their own for fun and/or for some reason that makes sense only to them.  That could be an interesting twist on Superman and Supergirl’s background.  In general I just feel like the Fair Folk would make for interesting heroines (like Titania in my unfinished Champion Files series) or villainesses.  Or if nothing else, as an equivalent of Mister Mxyzptlk.

A normal pair of humans get their daughter switched with a 5th dimensional girl that quickly grows in power and believes herself to be human until one day she learns the truth and needs to deal with it: Being the hero she wants to be or the pest the Superfamily fears her to be?

Woodclaw wrote: When my last laptop died about 4 years ago I lost a file with a half story based on the idea of a human having to choose between getting powers from one out of two fairies.
The choice was between one giving her insanely amazing powers (read Kryptonian level or above), but asking for a lifetime of service in exchange, the other would ptovide significantly less spectacular powers, but asking just a single favor in return.
Neither would interfere in the choice... officially.

That sounds really interesting to me!
The question would then be; What would the favor be?

Woodclaw wrote: When my last laptop died about 4 years ago I lost a file with a half story based on the idea of a human having to choose between getting powers from one out of two fairies.
The choice was between one giving her insanely amazing powers (read Kryptonian level or above), but asking for a lifetime of service in exchange, the other would ptovide significantly less spectacular powers, but asking just a single favor in return.
Neither would interfere in the choice... officially.

The Fey and in some canons, Kryptonians, live for a very long time.  So it’d be interesting what “a lifetime” means.  Getting insane power levels and nigh immortality but being forever bound to service ...   Or having the term be “a human lifetime” and therefore ~100 years, and after that you get to be free with your powers...

That makes that choice even more interesting.  As does whatever the “favor” is.  As well as what service requires (absolute obedience, or just following certain agreed parameters for a job (bodyguard)..  Would one trade 100 years of absolute obedience for lifetimes of incredible power?

Generally a bargain with the Fey isn’t ever what you think it is.

I could see a Fey giving you power to save a loved one, and binding you to serve a lifetime.  You get a brief moment of freedom to use your powers to save them, and then ... the life time is “you serve until the loved one dies” (you will never see them again.). And the service is horrible, despicable and soul crushing.  And each moment, you know that if only your lover would die, you’d be free and the torture would end....

TwiceOnThursdays wrote:

Woodclaw wrote: When my last laptop died about 4 years ago I lost a file with a half story based on the idea of a human having to choose between getting powers from one out of two fairies.
The choice was between one giving her insanely amazing powers (read Kryptonian level or above), but asking for a lifetime of service in exchange, the other would ptovide significantly less spectacular powers, but asking just a single favor in return.
Neither would interfere in the choice... officially.

The Fey and in some canons, Kryptonians, live for a very long time.  So it’d be interesting what “a lifetime” means.  Getting insane power levels and nigh immortality but being forever bound to service ...   Or having the term be “a human lifetime” and therefore ~100 years, and after that you get to be free with your powers...

That makes that choice even more interesting.  As does whatever the “favor” is.  As well as what service requires (absolute obedience, or just following certain agreed parameters for a job (bodyguard)..  Would one trade 100 years of absolute obedience for lifetimes of incredible power?

Generally a bargain with the Fey isn’t ever what you think it is.

I could see a Fey giving you power to save a loved one, and binding you to serve a lifetime.  You get a brief moment of freedom to use your powers to save them, and then ... the life time is “you serve until the loved one dies” (you will never see them again.). And the service is horrible, despicable and soul crushing.  And each moment, you know that if only your lover would die, you’d be free and the torture would end....

what a twist!