The fae largely live in an alternate reality that overlaps that of the mortal world.  In many places, the keijuvaltakunta - the fae realm - seemingly occupies the same space as the mortal realm, albeit in another dimension, another reality.  In other cases, there is no mortal equivalent for areas of the keijuvaltakunta.  To mortal perception, there may be no perceivable rhyme or reason as to these connections.

 

Even less understood is the keskiyönvaltakunta - the midnight realm, which is something of a shadow of the fae realm itself.  This realm is viewed with respect and even fear by the fae themselves.  

 

The fae realm exists outside of time and space as mortals perceive these things.  Those forces do exist, but they do not function the same.  Virtually all stories about faeie lands include warnings for mortals to not tarry there, lest they be lost forever.

 

Even so, the mortal world can and does influence the fae - and vice-versa.  For instance, eastern Sendria now occupies what was once ancient Sylvari forest.  During the Anathari-Syvari war, the humans conquered this territory and razed the old forests, then built cities.  This area - where the first forests of the world grew right up against the skirts of the Khordal mountains - was a place of deep and powerful magic.  Now, in the keijuvaltakunta, this land is a barren desert thanks to the destruction wrought in the mortal world.

 

It should be no surprise, then, that few of the varjojenlapsia - the children of the shadows - have positive attitudes towards humans.  Human cities and human "progress" involve ripping out nature and replacing it with stone and steel; the great cities of men are all scars in the fae lands, and the more humans expand, the more the fae are pushed out... not only in the mortal world, but in the fae realm, as well.

 

The shadow path is a world between worlds.  It connects places among the three realms - the miehenvaltakunta (mortal realm), as well as the keijuvaltakunta and the keskiyönvaltakunta.  It can be used to traverse great distances in the mortal realm with less effort; it can also be used to travel from one realm to another, or to travel within places in either of the other realms.  It can be dangerous to those unaccustomed to its use; it is very easy to become disoriented, and some creatures/beings from the keskiyönvaltakunta do prowl for unsuspecting victims.

 

The varjojenlapsia are immortal unless killed.  They have a very interesting relationsip with the deities of Audalis - in that they have little relationship whatsoever.  Fae priests and temples - let alone clerics - are unheard of.  The varjojenlapsia recognize the deities, they respect the divine authority, but they do not worship gods or goddesses.  There are murmurs that the gods do not hold the same influece in the keijuvaltakunta or the keskiyönvaltakunta as they do the mortal world, but this may be more due to common agreement than lack of ability.