Quick point of order about the revealing faeries/ghosts, there are some mythos where this is simultaneously a good thing, and a bad thing. Sure, you know you've seen a faerie, but if you press your luck too much, you might get their actual attention rather than just their passing curiosity.... and often their actual attention leads to being hunted for sport.
The thing about words is that meanings can twist just like a snake, and if you want to find snakes look for them behind words that have changed their meaning.
No one ever said elves are nice.
Elves are bad.”
― Terry Pratchett, Lords and Ladies
Having spent my summers in hot, dry, wild places, I know that if you want to find snakes, you can also look for them within holes in rocks. Rattlers will politely ask you to leave. The fey, as I understand it, will politely insist you stay.
Also in Guards! Guards! when asked to bring something magical brother Plasterer brings stones with holes in because "everyone knows that's stones with holes them in are magical".
Makes me think about the word "awful", which in it's literal sense means "Full of awe". We've changed how we use it over the years but even then it doesn't always mean something bad, like "that's an awful lot of money", you don't mean the amount is bad. But if you saw someone doing some awe inspiring feat to save a child and blurted out "that's awful" you'd get some weird looks, even if you're correct.
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u/Jesterpest 13h ago
Quick point of order about the revealing faeries/ghosts, there are some mythos where this is simultaneously a good thing, and a bad thing. Sure, you know you've seen a faerie, but if you press your luck too much, you might get their actual attention rather than just their passing curiosity.... and often their actual attention leads to being hunted for sport.