Fey Bargains

In many DnD games, bargaining with Fey beings is an option.  Fey being Fey, they have no need or desire for mundane things like gold or mortal magic.  Instead, their prices are more intangible, more meta.  Players being players, they readily accept such bargains, thinking they can weasel out of them or that they will otherwise emerge unscathed. 

The Fairy Market, by Charles Vess

Here are 10 prices for a Fey to ask.  What they need these things for is entirely their business, and prying mortals will regret asking.

1.     Your last breath.  Mechanically, this means your PC now only gets two death saves instead of three.  (I read this on Facebook, so if it is yours, thank you).

2.     Your luck.  Only three times, and only temporarily.  Mechanically, this means your PC rolls at disadvantage for everything for an entire session.  Three sessions, actually.  At the start of each session the DM (or the player under DM supervision) rolls a d6.  On a 1 or 2, this cost is paid.

3.     Your <stat>.  Stats are Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.  Only three times, and only temporarily.  Mechanically, this means your PC loses 2d4+1 in the named stat for an entire session.  Three sessions, actually.  At the start of each session the DM (or the player under DM supervision) rolls a d6.  On a 1 or 2, this cost is paid.

4.     Your innocent rest.  Only three times.  Mechanically, this means your PC suffers nightmares during a long rest, so it has no benefits.  Each time a long rest is attempted, roll a d6.  On a 1 or 2, this cost is paid.  Note that RAW, no more than one long rest can be attempted in a 24-hour period.

5.     Your voice.  For an entire session, your PC cannot speak, sing, or cast spells with verbal components.  Whether or not the Fey chooses to impersonate you with your voice and stir up mischief is entirely up to the DM.  At the table, the player should embrace this role-playing opportunity.  At the start of each session the DM (or the player under DM supervision) rolls a d6.  On a 1 or 2, this cost is paid.

6.     Your memories and experiences.  This Fey is particularly jaded and is looking for some new thrill.  Living vicariously through a mortal will suffice.  Mechanically, this means that whenever experience points are doled out, the DM (or player) rolls a d6.  On a 1, the PC gains no experience points for the session.  This continues until the Fey is satisfied or convinced to stop.  Alternatively, the player throws out the PC’s backstory and plays dumb if encountering someone or something from it.

7.     Your sense of purpose and being.  For an entire session, your PC is afflicted with terminal ennui.  Mechanically, this means making a DC18 (or more or less, depending on the Fey bargained with) Wisdom save to do anything meaningful: travel, cast, fight, use skills, heal someone, heal self, eat, drink. The only things the PC can do without issue is sigh loudly, talk about how pointless everything is, wear black, and write bad angsty poetry.   At the beginning of each session, the DM (or player) rolls a d6.  On a 1 or 2, this session goes goth for the PC.

8.     Your service. At some point, the Fey will need something accomplished, and the PC is contractually obligated to see that task through or die trying. Mechanically, this means that the Fey can summon and command the PC to act for it. If the PC refuses, they act under a Dominate Person spell until the task is accomplished (or they die, which is far more likely). Unbeknownst to the PCs, their own bonds tie them together, so that when the PC is summoned and given the task, the rest of the party travels with him or her. Note that the rest of the party is free to refuse, but the PC that made the bargain must fulfill it. Whether or not this service takes one session or spans several is up to the DM and players.  This happens at the DM’s choosing – probably when nothing else is planned.  If nothing else, the Fey needs an item retrieved from the Gardens of Ynn or the Stygian Library.

9.     Your aggression and desire to harm.  This bargain makes the PC a born-again pacifist for an entire session.  Mechanically, the PC spends the session avoiding combat, or defending self but not striking back.  Running away, surrendering, negotiating, healing, holding torches, and anything else that results in not harming others, to include explanars, undead, constructs, and other such things, is still possible.  If the PC does inflict harm on another (DC18 Charisma to try), that damage is dealt tenfold back on the PC. 

10.  Your magic.  The Fey needs to fill a battery with sorcerous power, and your magic will suffice.  It needs 3d6x10 spell levels to fill the battery.  Mechanically, this means that each time the PC casts a spell, the player rolls a d6, and on a 1 or 2, the spell fizzles and the spell levels go to fill the battery instead. So that Fireball is considered three spell levels, unless upcast to 5^th level, then it is worth five.  The spell slot is regained as normal with a short or long rest.  Once the battery is full, spells stop fizzling.

Whether or not you roll for the price or choose something fitting is entirely up to the DM … and the Fey in question.

Edit: I found THIS d100 table of non-gp payments, and it fits with this post. 

Edit: I also found this d100 table at d4 Caltrops - so you know it'll be good!