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Hey folks,

So, I have an interesting dilemma. How do players treat faeries when it comes to salt water? While faeries (at least in Palladium, I'm not sure about Rifts - but Palladium faeries is what I'm using) are unable to cross a line of salt, do they have similar problems with salt water? In the AtB campaign I'm running one of the characters is a fae, however the major town we're at is on the edge of a huge salt water lake, and the lake plays quite a large part in the daily life in the city.

Regards,
Rainbow Devil

GM's call.
I can see arguments either way.

2nd'ed

"I can see arguments either way."

So, what are both of your arguments for and against then?

Pro: Salt is salt, and fairies have a problem with salt. So if they can't cross salt, they can't cross salt water.

Anti: Salt water isn't salt; it's water. And Faeries don't have a problem with salt; they have a problem with lines of salt. Water is not a line (except perhaps moats and such).

i would say no.
for the same reasoning as how artificial sunlight (or reflected sunlight ala the moon) are not the same as 'true' sunlight when it comes to vampires. because the effect is something more mystical/paranormal rather than scientific. or as i put it with vampires.. it is Alchemical, not chemical.

The 1st part of the anti was my knee jerk reaction.

If the was more information about the why's they have trouble with lines of salt there might be more rational reasoning about what else might be uncrossable. But as it is *shrugs*.

My thinking is that the salt water, even though it has salt, would be to diluted compared to a salt line. So they won't be stopped by it. However, if they should come into contact with the Salt Water, then that is pretty much the same as "sprinkling salt" on them.

Actually, yes you're right, using the sprinkling salt rules would be quite appropriate

My personal take on it would be this.
They do not like it, and it is 'unpleasant' for them. But it does not actually harm them.
The reasoning for this is two fold.
The first is that as previously said it is magic not chemistry.
The second is that there are some historical reasons why salt was effective. Some of which relate to the extraction and such...
The third is that I want to be able to have a faerie cry so that I can send a player off to quest for the "tears of a redcap shed in true remorse" or what ever...
...and if salt water burns them then not only does that not make sense but it opens cans I don't want to deal with (like... how impure can a liquid be and still be salt water. Can I use pickle juice? Its brine after all. What about throwing a piece of salted pork at them. How about if I throw the contents of an MRE or other high sodium food at them... how much salt is enough salt..)
In the end I think it may just be best to say "when it says salt it means salt" to avoid the "well there is salt water in the air...so this wind should melt the fairies right?"...
Just my two coppers.

aren't there water faeries who live in the sea? undines or such...might not be stated out in palladium but at least some faeries historically called the oceans home

Mermaids are Faeries, per Monsters and Animals.

I would rule that the act of making a line of salt to keep faeries out is what keeps faeries out. Even if salt randomly falls in a line-like form off a table that's right next to the door, the faerie is going to be ok with it. This follows along the "it's a mystical process" line of thinking. The force of will and intention of the line-maker, along with mystical properties of salt as it relates to faeries, stops faeries.

I totally did NOT know this...
I am going to use this in my games with this caveat...it is like barbed wire. Dropping some barbed wire isn't really that useful, but if you use it with a plan and string it correctly, then it works. So, salt falling across a table, they can cross it. The same salt scooped into a hand and poured across a door = barrier.

As for salt water...I will say that being doused in it is painful, except for the few fae that have adapted to it (but, breathing air becomes a pain after a while, as well as dealing with drying out). For Fae that can fly, they can fly over it, unless it is meant to be a barrier (adding the intent to the will in "willworker").

Plus, the fact that saltwater is painful for fae to be dipped in gives a good reason why fae in different continents are different and don't travel across the open ocean. Hmmm, now I am thinking the Tenctonese from Alien Nation might be a race of slave fae....

-STS

Thanks!