In a world where ghosts, goblins, and other monsters are real, most people in Greystone Valley don’t feel a need to celebrate Halloween. Still, October 31^st is an important day for inhabitants of the valley, for it marks the Feynight.

For reasons nobody is quite sure of, the fey of Greystone Valley get particularly rambunctious at the end of October. They play pranks, steal bits of clothing (single socks are a particular favorite), and sneak into closets or underneath beds to frighten children. Small fey are more likely to creep into towns and villages, since they can move about almost unseen. Larger fey lurk in the wilderness, making frightening noises and harassing travelers who happen to wander too far from civilization on this autumn night.

For the most part, the fey don’t hurt anybody during this night, but they do become even more prone to mischief than they already are. While most fey like practical jokes as a way of testing travelers or having a little fun, Feynight usually brings out the meaner side of these creatures, with pranks designed specifically to embarrass and annoy. Men wandering the streets at night may find their clothes turned invisible, while children will find creatures under their beds that want nothing more than to hear them scream in terror.

There are ways to keep the fey at bay during this night. Some people rely on iron charms and magical trinkets designed to keep them away, but there tends to be a high amount of fake charms sold around this time of year. Other people put out gifts of candy and baked goods on their doorsteps or near windows. This draws the fey near their homes, but if the creatures like the food they tend to just eat the sweets and then leave rather than causing any mischief.

Some children try to out-trick the tricksters, dressing up as dragons and setting traps for fey. This can be quite a bit of fun, but it also has the potential to be dangerous. Especially when they are driven wild on Feynight, some members of the fair folk tend to react badly when they themselves are frightened or tricked.

Rather than worry about their homes, some people seek shelter from the fey by attending bonfires, parties, and other gatherings. Most people feel that there is safety in numbers, although some sneaky fey have been known to hide magical fireworks in with bonfire kindling.

As a whole, Feynight can be dangerous and wild, but it can also be a time of fun and celebration. It’s all a matter of how people choose to interact with the wild fey pranksters that roam Greystone Valley.

Image: Fairy Lantern, by Larisa Koshkina