Hollows
Likewise, the Hollows that exist throughout the Hedge enjoy a reputation of mixed blessing. These clearings may appear as anything from small animal burrows to expansive clearings built up with elaborate lodges, but just as other aspects of faerie, Hollows are rarely exactly what they seem to be. Changelings may carve these niches into the Hedge, outfitting them as suits their seeming, and use them as a form of sanctuary, bound by the protections of the ancient oaths of hospitality. There, held in place by the changeling’s will and whatever oaths and pledges he inflicts upon the area, he may retreat from the human world and immerse himself in the wonder of fae possibilities in relative safety. Enterprising individuals may even attempt to cultivate what normally only grows wild in the Hedge: goblin fruits that can provide healing or other benefits, semi-sentient servants to cater to the changeling’s whims and needs or animated treasures the likes of which humankind only knows about in fairy tales. But despite the obvious advantages of such locations, they are dangerous as well. Time spent in the Hedge, especially in relative safety, can become addictive to the fae spirit, and some find that they are loath to leave their hidey-holes for the harsh realities of the human world. However extensive time spent in the Hedge, just as with any prolonged exposure to powerful fae-stuff gnaws away at a changeling’s Clarity, leaving him less and less able to discern what is truth and what is fantasy.
