The nomadic Nine-Tail coven was composed of nine kistune witches and their families. They were adherents of the fairy path of witchcraft, and traveled the Old Paths, following ley lines tied to Faerie. The Nine-Tail gained their power by serving the whims of fairies, and celebrated their way of life.
While not malicious, the Nine-Tail coven survives through trickery and guile. They use their abilities to deceive others into making unfair deals that benefit the coven. Sometimes the coven outright steals what they need, but only as a last resort. Also, they never take more than they need, nor do they leave those they trick in destitute. Often times, if the other party are honest and sincere, the coven will leave them a gift before they leave, which could be an object, but more often a long lasting service. If the other party was cruel or mean-spirited, the coven instead leaves a curse upon them. In any case, the Nine-Tails never stay too long in one area to avoid trouble, and often get run out of town when they do.
The nine witches of the coven gain their power by tricking a powerful fey into merging with a physical token. Usually, the fairy is so impressed by being tricked that they are willing to serve as that witch's patron, at least until it becomes bored of them. To extend the period of service for as long as possible, the Nine-Tailed witch does whatever she can to keep their fairy patron amused. When a Nine-Tail apprentice-witch tricks a fairy into becoming her patron, then she is considered to have become a fully trained witch.
By esoteric design, the Nine-Tail coven must have only nine full witches, no more, no less. The coven's power weakens when their number is less or more than nine. The children of the coven often grow up into witches themselves. The nine train them, but when they are ready to become a full witch, they have only two options. A newly trained witch may only remain with the coven if their number is less than nine. This could happen if one of witches died or was expelled from the coven. If the coven's number is at nine already, then the newly trained witch is set off on her own in the world, possibly to form her own coven. The coven does its best to make sure their departing family member is ready and supplied to go off on her own, and her departure is marked by a bittersweet ceremony.
Cethin was the latest of the Nine-Tails to become a new witch, and to depart from his only family that he has known. Cethin has successfully tricked Tuck Tootle, they self-style "king of the mockingfey" into merging into his ring and becoming his patron. Tuck greatly enjoys imitating self-important or arrogant folk, often acting as them in an embarrassing or deprecating manner. After he had gained his new patron, the coven celebrated his accomplishment, and mourned his leaving.
The coven was traveling the Old Path between Lurindor and the Viridian Marches. It was in this region where the coven said their goodbyes to Cethin, and wished him the best when he follows his own path.