BUTTONS MCGREEVES
FeyHousehold Helper (unofficial)
"I'm not here. You don't see me. I'm just... the house is just clean. That's all. Please don't look under the stairs.""
Identity
- Residence
- A crumbling manor on the edge of a mortal village
- Civilization
- Fey
Appearance
• Physical: Barely two feet tall with oversized ears and a nose that twitches constantly. His skin is the brown of polished wood, and his hands are disproportionately large for his size. • Clothing: Wears a vest made of mouse leather and a cap fashioned from an acorn, with dozens of buttons sewn onto his clothes—his collection. • Distinguishing Marks: His left eye is milky white from an encounter with a housecat; he sees shadows better than most.
Relationships
- Family - None—brownies are solitary by nature
- Allies - The widow's youngest daughter, who has seen him twice and leaves him drawings
- Rivals - A boggart who wants to drive the family out and claim the house
Personality
- Traits: Obsessively tidy, terrified of being seen, fiercely loyal, deeply lonely
- Mannerisms: Leaves small gifts for those he likes, arranges objects in perfect symmetry when nervous
- Voice: High and squeaky, often muffled because he's hiding behind something
Backstory
Buttons has been "haunting" the same manor for three centuries, keeping it clean for a succession of mortal families who never knew he existed. The current family—a widow and her three children—are the first to leave him offerings of cream and bread. He's fallen desperately in love with them and would do anything to protect them, even reveal himself.
Daily Life
He works through the night, mending clothes, polishing silver, sweeping floors. He sleeps in a mousehole during the day, waking only to check that his family is safe. He adds any buttons he finds to his collection, which he arranges and rearranges by color, size, and material.
Secret
The manor is built on a portal to the Feywild that's slowly opening. Buttons has been using his magic to keep it sealed, but he's weakening. If it opens fully, the family will be in terrible danger—and he knows he can't stop it alone.
Story Hooks
- 1 The family is being tormented by strange occurrences that Buttons didn't cause—he needs help dealing with the boggart and whatever else has been drawn to the portal
- 2 He's finally ready to reveal himself to the family to warn them, but he needs the PCs to help him communicate and prove he's not a threat
Narrative Value
Comic relief with tragic undertones, unexpected ally, source of domestic mysteries, heartwarming character who shows fey can be kind ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════