Broken Base: There's a bit of contention over whether it was a good idea to keep the True Fae largely off-screen antagonists for 2E, instead giving much of their more personal role to their chief agents, the Huntsmen (the writers have justified it by saying one of the major components of a Huntsman's physical body is the desperate desire of their Keeper master to recover their favorite toys-being their master in part, in other words).
Complete Monster: The Shrike is a wicked Charlatan who emerged from the Fae lands to prey upon mortals, including children. Dragging them back to her larder, the Shrike would impale them on thorns to die in agony and feast on them at her leisure. Upon meeting the human Serial Killer Earnest Marker, the Shrike bonded with him and gained a new appreciation for taking life now that she could understand it better. Stalking her prey and slaughtering them, the Shrike relishes nothing so much as torture and agony, with even her ostensible host not being safe if she is discovered.
Ensemble Dark Horse: The entire game line is something of this to the New World of Darkness in general. The game was originally supposed to consist of a limited run of six core books (and even that was only because the publisher was convinced to expand from the intended five). The line became so popular that they released three more print books, a PDF-only tie-in, and several pre-published adventures for Storytellers to use.
Evil Is Cool: The True Fae are good candidates to qualify as being the sickest, most twisted bastards in the New World of Darkness (with some tough competition). And fans love them for it.
Fanon: The oft-repeated anecdote that changelings are how the True Fae reproduce. It may be - Changelings can indeed become True Fae, and start making Changelings of their own - but the actual book the idea comes up in, Equinox Road, also suggests other ways for True Fae to come into existence, such as for a bit of Arcadia to develop a Name. Nevertheless, the idea fits so well thematically the fandom tends to embrace it as Word of God.
Genius Bonus: When describing Treasured, who were objets d'art, the painting they reference is "The Roses of Heliogabalus". Read the description. Sounds exactly like something a True Fae would do.
Huntsmen. Yes, they're hellbent on bringing changelings back to their Keepers, but that's only because the True Fae forced them into servitude by tearing their hearts out. Those who get their hearts back often spare the changeling they're supposed to be after.
The True Fae themselves. Yes, they're insane monsters, but any given True Fae is potentially a former Changeling, and thus a kidnapped abuse victim who finally lost the fight for their sanity. For that matter, the True Fae are the way they are because they are metaphysically incapable of being any other way, and any attempt to invoke Humanity Ensues tends to end up more in Blessed with Suck territory.
Narm: A line in the Rites of Spring sourcebook: 'But anywhere the juice ran, the wound tightened, puckered up like a nervous butthole...'
Nightmare Fuel: The entire premise of the game, really. See the page for more.
Paranoia Fuel: Anyone could be a fetch. You could be a fetch. There's no way of knowing until the Changeling comes back... Or you get hurt with cold iron, which is EXCEEDINGLY rare in the modern age.
Any opening, archway, doorway or reflective surface can be a portal to The Hedge. So making sure every door is locked won't do you any good since they can come out from under your bed, your bathroom mirror or even from the TVscreen!!
Quick question, who here owns a smartphone? And carries it everywhere?
Too Bleak, Stopped Caring: Averted. The authors were so anxious about this happening that they put a paragraph or so of narration into nearly every book clarifying that yes, there are things worth fighting for, and that "for all the madness, there is also wonder."
The Woobie: Your character at the very LEAST was kidnapped, replaced, and tortured. Even if their back-story makes them more of a Break the Haughty, you still want to give them a hug.
Iron Woobie: But even the weakest changeling was able to muster up enough courage and independent thought to escape their abusers. The True Fae are as gods to normal humans, but for all their power, changelings can escape to freedom- and thousands have done so.
Even among other Changelings, the Wizened have it pretty rough. They are normally made from shy, socially awkward individuals, and the transformation makes them even more uncomfortable among others. On top of that, they are often overlooked by the other Changelings even after offering their services to them, and they find it difficult to ask for respect due to their aforementioned issues.
". Read the description. Sounds exactly like something a True Fae would do.