The Faery Lineage and Irish Mythology — The Unseelie Court

The Unseelie Court is a deeply routed part of both Irish and Scottish mythology . They are a part of the Daoine Sidhe, and the polar opposite of the Seelie Court. Where the Seelie Court was considered to be holy and blessed, the Unseelie court was better described as unholy. Sometimes, the Unseelie were even referred to as damned.

Characteristics of the Unseelie Court

Often called the ‘Unblessed Ones,’ the Unseelie were depicted as a dark cloud riding upon the wind. Though not necessarily evil, they were far from kind. These unsavory characters tended towards evil and were often malignant. Some legends claim that the Unseelie were fallen Seelie, those who could not live up to the strict standards of chivalry of the shining court.

Unlike the Seelie Court, the Unseelie did not need a reason to assault and harm humans. They would do so purely for entertainment, often just to be malicious. It is impossible to classify the Unseelie as truly evil, however, as they did sometimes offer aid to humans. But when offered a choice between doing good or doing evil, the Unseelie would almost always s choose evil.

The Code of the Unseelie Court

Like many human courts, the Unseelie Court had its own code of conduct, a code which all of the Unseelie had to abide by. The details of this code were:

• Change is Good: The Unseelie firmly believed that security was an illusion. They considered chaos to be the ruling force in the universe, and accepted that they had to adapt and change to survive.
• Glamour is Free: Glamour was the magick of the Daoine Sidhe. Both the Seelie and Unseelie possessed its power. However, the two Courts had differing opinions over its use. The Unseelie believed that to have power and not to use it was near to sin. They used their power for whatever they saw fit.
• Honor is a Lie: The Unseelie placed no stock in the ideals of honor. Instead, they pursued their own self-interests vigorously. The Unseelie felt as if truth could be only be reach through a devotion to self, not a devotion to others.
• Passion Before Duty: Passion was considered to be the truest state of being. The Unseelie acted without thought on pure instinct and passion. They valued fun over all other things.

The Unseelie Court was said to be a dark and frightening place. The people of Ireland and Scotland fled in fear before them. However, as time passed, the power of the Unseelie diminished, the Faery Lineage continued to evolve, and the Daoine Sidhe and their Courts became the Heroic Faery.