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Credits
Writers: Christine Beard, Charlie Cantrell, Maggie Carroll, Jackie Cassada, Matthew Dawkins, Shoshana Kessock, Ian Lemke, Jonathan McFarland, Matthew McFarland, Morgan A. McLaughlin McFarland, Krister M. Michl, Nicky Rea, Holden Shearer, John Snead, Vera Vartanian, Amy Veeres, Pete Woodworth Developers: Matthew McFarland Editor: Dixie Cochran Artists: Charlie Bates, Tony DiTerlizzi, Jason Felix, Richard Kane Ferguson, David Fooden, Rebecca Guay, Anthony Hightower, Mark Jackson, Leif Jones, Priscilla Kim, Clint Langley, Jeff Laubenstein, Brian Leblanc, Larry MacDougall, Shea Anton Pensa, Adam Rex, Bryan Syme, Drew Tucker, Kayla Underwood, Melissa Uran, Kieran Yanner Art Director: Michael Chaney Creative Director: Richard Thomas Playtesters: Kristen Barrett, Fletcher Bennett, Anna Matsen Cantrell, Charlie Cantrell, Greg Curley, Katherine Dungan, Sarah Dungan, Sarah Dyer, Glen Gilmore, Jonas Håkansson, Matt Homentotsky, Amy Houser, Matt Karafa, Robert Karlgren, Scott Katinger, Michelle Lyons-McFarland, Matthew McFarland, Krister M. Michl, Luke Platfoot, Ricky Porcaro, Dan Schermond, Dan Smith, Andreas Sjöberg, Meg Woodworth, Pete Woodworth Based on the original work of: Rob Barrett, Bill Bridges, Dierde Brooks, Phil Brucato, Brian Campbell, Jackie Cassada, Sam Chupp, Richard Dansky, Aaron Dembski-Bowden, Bryant Durrell, Beth Fischi, Roger Gaudreau, Carrie Harris, Jennifer Hartshorn, Rob Hatch, Keith Herber, Steve Herman, Stephen Herron, Christopher Hind, Carla Hollar, Christopher Howard, Mark Hunter, Steve Kenson, Ian Lemke, Jennifer Lindberg, Buck Marchington, R.S. Martin, Angel Leigh McCoy, Tadd McDivitt, Dee McKinney, Krister M. Michl, Neil Mick, Jim Moore, Kevin Andrew Murphy, Wayne Peacock, Nicky Rea, Mark Rein•Hagen, Michael Rollins, Matthew J. Rourke, Nancy Schultz-Yetter, Malcolm Sheppard, Ethan Skemp, Cynthia Summers, Joshua Gabriel Timbrook, Allen Tower, Pete Woodworth
Dedication
This book is dedicated to: ¶¶ All of the writers and artists that dreamed Changeling into life. ¶¶ All of the players and Storytellers that kept that dream going. ¶¶ All of the Banal people for reminding us why we dream. And in particular: This book is dedicated to Cyrile Monter, and to all the other Dreamers who aren’t with us anymore.
© 2017 White Wolf Publishing. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the written permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden, except for the purposes of reviews, and for blank character sheets, which may be reproduced for personal use only. White Wolf, Vampire, World of Darkness, Vampire the Masquerade, and Mage the Ascension are registered trademarks of White Wolf Publishing AB. All rights reserved. Vampire the Requiem, Werewolf the Apocalypse, Werewolf the Forsaken, Mage the Awakening, Promethean the Created, Changeling the Lost, Hunter the Vigil, Geist the Sin-Eaters, V20, Anarchs Unbound, Storyteller System, and Storytelling System are trademarks of White Wolf Publishing AB All rights reserved. All characters, names, places and text herein are copyrighted by White Wolf Publishing AB. This book uses the supernatural for settings, characters and themes. All mystical and supernatural elements are fiction and intended for entertainment purposes only. This book contains mature content. Reader discretion is advised.
Check out White Wolf online at http://www. white-wolf.com/ Keep up to date with Onyx Path Publishing at http://theonyxpath.com/
I ran into Changeling at the end of my teen years and, unexpectedly, I ended being the webmaster of the biggest web in Spanish devoted to it during an entire decade. I could write about that, but the only thing I can think about when I remember those days is much I felt my childhood was stolen. And Changeling triggered something in me. And in my twenties I returned to all the fairytales I never read and all the stories that made me happy as a kid. Now, in my early thirties, I write fairytales and work translating World of Darkness RPGs to Spanish. I never recovered my childhood, but I’ve made peace with that, in a way. So thanks Changeling for keep the Dreaming alive inside me. Let’s keep it that way 20 more years! — Héctor Gómez Herrero a.k.a. Eliseo ap Liam Former El Umbral de Arcadia webmaster Madrid, Spain
¶¶¶ Imagination is the source and foundation of all roleplaying games. Changeling: The Dreaming is a game about the power of imagination, dreams and fantasies — the force that makes us better than animals. Mundane life is full of routine, boring jobs, annoying problems and dirt, but CtD gives us salvation — a silver way to the world of unspoken beauty and frightening horrors, realm of ivory towers and forgotten dreams. A child is hidden even in tired and old clerks, and this setting is dedicated to this immortal and almighty child — the part of us that is looking for adventure, that wants to believe in fairies, dragons and unicorns. CtD gives you the ability to enter the world of your favorite books, films and legends — and become part of it, because everything is possible in the Dreaming. But also it demonstrates the pain of being misunderstanded by others. It is very hard to believe in yourself when your neighbours and friends don’t beleive in your true fae nature. So how far will you go in search of wonders? — Serhii “Selerian” Poroshkin Lviv, Ukraine
¶¶¶ My first WoD game was Hunter, I never played Masquerade, but at that time, everyone was a vampire. I liked the setting, but always thought that there was something missing. Too dark, too moody. RPG gamers talked about Changeling as a game for “girls” and, as
a woman in games, I wanted to see what the fuss was about. The first thing that struck me was that marvelous first ed. manual, ALL THOSE COLOURS! The illustrations, the storytelling, the world, the glamour, it was everything I was looking for in a game. Imagination was your limit; the mythos was your stepping stone. But playing it, was another revelation. I’ve been playing the same chronicle since 2008, with people from Spain even, and I think we will still be playing in 2020… — Constanza Díaz Fyfe Santiago, Chile
¶¶¶ Sometime, I told someone “you should grow up” and he, very courteously, answered me “growing is just for fruits”. Changeling showed me that we musn’t forget the naughty kids we are without stopping to be sensible grow ups (of course, the key word is sensible). Life is a wheel, full of ups and downs, but first and foremost letting that banality consume us depends entirely of that curiosity. Each race shows me something different: Trolls show me to keep my word above anything else; Pooka, show me to keep the inherent prank of a little kid. Boggans, to enjoy the small pleasures of life. Role playing games are not just games. If you’re clever enough, and thanks to them, you may learn to live a better life. Each one teaches something. And Changeling takes care that you do not forget seeing life with innocence, sweetness and, of course, a little bit of magic. — Laura Mejía “Bathory” Medellín, Colombia
¶¶¶ The streets of Rome were always strong in magic; I loved this city since I came here, years ago; I always also loved to tell stories (I’m an actor and director, and this’s always been the best part about my job), and at the same time I loved “storytelling” with my friends, particularly in the World of Darkness; when I discovered the Dreaming, a place all devoted to storytelling, magic and the great majesty of imagination, it was so simple to fall in love for it. And so Rome, my city, so easily became the scenery of this magic, the perfect setting to make those stories “real”: to create something that lived in our hearts and dreams. Forever. — Federico Moschetti — Thybris, spirit of the River Rome, Italy
¶¶¶
Changeling to me has always been one of the darkest of games. It gives a happy image — “The World of Balloons” as it were. Underneath that fluffy image was something different. Think about the dreams you remember, the ones that don’t dissipate in the morning light. The ones that stay with you. The frustration, fear, confusion and yes, horror. These dreams also make up the world you inhabit. Imagine a world where the ruling class are actually parasitic souls forced into human form. One where the trappings and structure of society both support and destroy it. A life that is full of contradictions, power plays and nightmares. It’s about slowly losing the war for a part of yourself and there being nothing you can do to stop it. World of Balloons? Maybe. With half deflated, some completely missing and the rest you desperately protect, hoping they don’t go pop. — Kat McIvor Birmingham, England
¶¶¶ A rampant griffin once dared me to open a book of beauty. It challenged me to find magic in the cracks of our everyday world, to have a sense of wonder in an age that enthrones conformity and cynicism. To make a stand, screaming at the autumn skies that our spark would not be surrendered to banality. It dared me to dream. Changeling is about dear friends whose imagination gave color to the Feathered Serpent. It is the Artificer and the Lone Tree, the Childslayer and the Nameslave, the Chronicler and the Knight of Hope. Shards of a worldwide dreaming, shaped by storytellers and players alike. Dreams will always be there when we close our eyes. Some must never end. — Alfredo Garcia Padilla (Wally) Teatro de la Mente N.L., Venue Storyteller Monterrey, Mexico
¶¶¶ It was on coincidence that I got to know Changeling: The Dreaming. For a classic World of Darkness crossover event, nonvampire PCs were needed and so I picked at random one book from all possible core rules. It was love at first sight: the mosaique-like cover. The promise of all those daydreams from
when I was a child not necessarily being only dreams. Fairy tales that do contain a little piece of truth after all. It was like a reunion with a very old friend, almost forgotten and still able to touch my inner self. And then the multitude of possible moods in only one system: From “happily ever after” over intrigues at the court to a dark and hopeless Michael-Ende-like “our world is dying, for people stopped believing in wonders”, you could find it in there. For me, Changeling: The Dreaming is one of the most versatile systems in the entire classic World of Darkness. — Wolfgang Fronius Giessen, Germany
¶¶¶ It’s one of those games that leave a mark in a very particular way. At first, you are not sure whether you should try it or not, but when you finally play it, it leaves a lasting flavour in your mouth called “Arcadia”, which only leaves you longing for more. It’s wonderful! It stimulates the convergence between the needs to explore and exploit the setting, and the search for new and diverse ways to imagine everything inside that flows amongst Seelie and Unseelie. What dazzles me the most from Changeling is the way it submerges you into a sideral journey of duality. We’ve been able
to even include our own Chullachaqui, Yacuruna in our stories. That’s awesome! Sophia Heredia “Lunus Flambeau” Founding Member of WoD Peru Lima, Peru
¶¶¶ Changeling: the Dreaming is the best game I have ever played. It was one year past the end of the world, when a friend’s successful Manipulation + Empathy roll (at a considerably high Difficulty) convinced me to read the Introductory Kit — astride my ‘dark and mature roleplayer’ high horse, I was certain something so light and colourful wasn’t for me. The next day, I bought the 2nd Edition corebook. Fifteen years later, I have every single original book and a House Ailil banner hanging in my bedroom. All because this game taught me the lesson that changed me forever as a gamer — “the greater the light, the deepest the shadows it casts”. It’s deceptive by how bright and happy and colourful it looks on the outside — but, inside, it hides the scariest monsters and the darkest stories. Changeling is the best game I never played because whenever I introduce someone to it, they, like me, fall in love as they learn that same lesson — and, as the weirdo who owns all the books (and all the cantrip cards and a banner), I’m stuck running it. Dammit. — ‘Bookmark’ Ana Silva, aka Lady Anwyeth of House Fiona Changeling: the Dreaming Storyteller @ Immortal Vigilance Porto, Portugal
¶¶¶ My first introduction to Changeling was at the end of the previous millennium, right when the prospect of a new era was imminent. Changeling is the combination of the exotic, fanciful fairy, undercut by the stark realization that they are doomed and trapped in a world that is increasingly alien to them. It is this otherworldliness that fascinates me. How can you play someone whose home is Arcadia, to whom the modern world is anathema? Changeling is ethereal, whimsical but also dark. The Fae — forever on the outside, scratching at the portals to Arcadia and Arcadia always remaining beyond reach, slipping
away like Zeno’s Paradox. It’s a race most can’t win, but still dream about. At best, Changeling is about potential, of striving for the unimaginable, of joyously slipping through the portal or building your own fairy land right here: in your mind, in your room, in your story. At worst, it’s the sound of dreams drying in a hostile world. — Thaleia Flessa Glasgow, Scotland
¶¶¶ After the grim, structured society of the Vampires, Changeling was my venture into the playground of mind and memory, where slides and treehouses were castles and sticks were swords and lances — except the castles now had lords, ladies and spymasters and the blades cut more deeply than mere flesh: they cut into your soul, your innocence and that shred of extraordinary belief in the impossible, desperately fighting against the casually horrid normality we learn to accept as adults. Changeling was and still is about the bullied child who learned to grow a thick skin and suddenly found itself clad in armor. It’s about the frustrated teenager, desperately trying to fit into a world too big or too small and being able to go on the hero’s journey. It is about learning your own story, and growing into an adult who will not forget it, who will reach through the Mists to those braving the same path and say: “Stay strong, for your story will never betray you”. — Andreas Michaelides Athens, Greece
¶¶¶ We all most certainly have at least once in our lifetime tought that our lives already written. I’ve been interested in mythology and folklore since childhood. I remember the day mom bought me first two books of Spiderwick Chronicles; also my insistence on granny to make her tell stories about djinns was potent. I received a message from a stranger on Twitter three years ago, i had no idea about who he is. He said he saw my bio about faerie stuff and invited for his Changeling the Dreaming chronicle. It didn’t take too long to realize he is my “Soul Brother” and game is just a summary of my life. Now we are working on a storyline/LARP project called “Gateway between Legends” based on mostly Istanbul and Anatolian folktales. Our concept maybe not so Celtic (except Galatia) but we are using Central Asian and Middle Eastern cultural references
from books. So we can build a bridge between dream lands... — Salih Bu˘gra Algan Istanbul, Turkey
¶¶¶ I’ve fallen in love with Changeling: The Dreaming from the moment I read about the setting on Wikipedia. For me, Changeling is much more than a game about folklore monsters or magical spirits — it is a game about stories and youth. Everything is part of some story when you are young: the simplest task may become a magical adventure, a trivial problem can turn into a horror story. Nothing is meaningless! And this is what Changeling is about — finding, imagining and
telling wondrous stories hidden in the world all around us. And now, as I slowly turn from a wilder into a grump, I finally understand, how valuable, powerful and inspiring this ability is! — Leonid Moyzhes Moscow, Russia
¶¶¶ I’ve been a Changeling storyteller from the first hour. Got the 1st edition the minute it hit the shelves and hosted the first gaming session a week later. Immediately I fell in love with the unlimited possibilities the game provided. What other game allows a storyteller the freedom of literally throwing anything at her players? I even hosted a Changeling MET game that over the years evolved into a genuine LARP. Our first gaming session was on October 31, 1998. We ended the saga in 2014, 16 years later… When I look back at all the RPG-games I’ve played Changeling is the game that was, is, and always will be the major influence in my gaming. I’ve long since stopped hosting Changeling: the Dreaming stories and moved on to making up and writing my own games and stories, but this game will always occupy a special place in my heart. — Sven ‘Faemaster’ Gerené Ex member of The Fanged Fist (Official Belgium White Wolf Demo Team) Antwerp, Belgium
¶¶¶ Changeling made me a role player. It wasn’t the first rpg that I played, it wasn’t even the second or third, but it was the first to really get its hooks into me. It was the game I *had* to play and since I couldn’t find anyone to run it for me, I had to become a GM. Something I’ve been doing almost every week of my life ever since. Changeling is a beautiful game about hope and loss, dreams and despair, and about the wonder in the smallest expressions of imagination. Games can be as varied as coming-of-age tales with oppressive teachers and school yard bullies to sweeping fantasy adventures where you have tea with dragons and fly airships into perilous lands where rationality holds no sway.
The door to my freehold is always open. Let’s tell more tales by the balefire together. — Thaddeus “Gatharion” Papke (Columbus Ohio, USA) Head Writer of the unofficial Kithbook: Boggan
¶¶¶ That light flooding through stain glass was like water in the desert for me. Years of black and white sourcebooks of vampires looming in the shadows and those iconic images of Ron Spencer’s Garou, and then here comes a goddamn dancing bear in a top hat in full color. I was in. I had enjoyed previous World of Darkness games, but none lured me into the Storyteller seat until Changeling. It inspired me to run games, join the online fan community, build the website The Right To Dream, make my own shirts and costumes, and even adapt the world of Oz. While I had enjoyed playing Vampire, Werewolf, Mage, and even Wraith, I felt like I truly belonged in Changeling. Gaming had always been about escapism for me, but in the other World of Darkness games, it felt like I was just escaping one bleak world into an even darker and bleaker one. The Dreaming could be grim, but it also held adventure, whimsy, creativity, and joy. The very act of playing staved off the banality of my own real world existence. It was like stepping into the Dreaming where anything was possible. —Beau Brown
¶¶¶ When I fell in love with the World of Darkness, it was the bleakness that pulled me in, first with Vampire and then Wraith. I was an angsty young adult with mental health problems, and the nihilistic gothic punk aesthetic spoke to me. For that reason, I underestimated Changeling for years and didn’t get around to exploring it. It didn’t really seem to fit with other
World of Darkness lines because it was too colorful (literally and otherwise), too filled with dancing bears and the power of imagination. Once I finally read the corebook, I realized my mistake. This was not a light game, but a paean to the sorrows of growing up and the challenges of holding onto childlike wonder in the face of the world’s uglier truths. For all of its fantastic elements, Changeling presented a central horror that was almost shockingly real. Even though I never had the privilege of writing for Changeling, it shaped me as an author. I became more fascinated by long-term consequences, both in unintended outcomes and examining how time grinds down even the greatest legends from the snapshot immortalized in their stories. I also realized how important it was to capture the “Oh Wow!” factor that Changeling’s rich imagery and setting evoked. Many years later (and perhaps a Banality point or two higher), I’m still playing with these issues as a writer, game developer, and storyteller. — Michael A. Goodwin
¶¶¶ Changeling had me from the first scene we played, when a pooka hid in my troll childling’s hair. It brought something completely different to our gaming table—childlike wonder slowly eroded away, mixed with a soupcon of unseelie naughtiness, topped off with epic tales of heroism and love gone wrong. When the world was ending—literally—I begged to be a part of it. Writing for Changeling was one of my favorite projects I’ve ever done, and completely worth cutting off my hair to cast that cantrip and befuddle the project team into hiring me. — Carrie Harris, co-author of Changeling section in World of Darkness: Time of Judgment Illustrations by Liana Lavoie.
Contents Dedication 2 Credits 2
Introduction
25
What This Book Is 25 Dream Diary: History of the Game 26 Arcadia and the Dreaming 26 Changelings 27 How To Use This Book 27 Lexicon 27 Inspirational Material 29
Chapter One: A World of Darkness
31
Changelings 32 Chimerical Quality 32 Kithain History 33 The Nature of the Fae 41 Places of Glamour 51 The Dreaming 52 The Courts 56 Changeling Society 62 Kingdom of Concordia 64 Bellatierra (South America) 73 Albion (England) 73 Hibernia (Ireland) 73 Caledonia (Scotland) 74 Kingdom of Cymru (Wales) 75 Neustria (France) 76 Iberia (Spain and Portugal) 77
8
Kingdom of Flowers (The Netherlands) Kingdom of Golden Threads (Belgium and Luxembourg) The Galacian Confederation (Eastern and central Europe) The Isle of Snowflakes (Iceland) The Kingdom of Dalarna (Norway and Sweden) The Kingdom of Jutland (Denmark) The Hellenic Empire (Greece) Empire of the Firebird (Russia, the Ukraine, and Siberia) Empire of the Caucasus (Turkey and Caspian Sea Basin) Caliphate of Cedars (Eastern Mediterranean) Sultanate of Hejaz (Saudi Arabia) Lands of Ancient Tales (Africa) Land of the Wandering Dream (Australia and New Zealand) Land of Eternal Winter (Antarctica)
Chapter Two: The Kithain
77 77 77 78 79 79 79 79 79 79 79 80 80 81
83
Seeming 83 Kith 87 Kith Creation 114 Noble Houses 119 House Aesin 119 House Ailil 120 House Balor 122 House Beaumayn 123
House Danaan House Daireann House Dougal House Eiluned House Fiona House Gwydion House Leanhaun House Liam House Scathach House Varich
124 126 127 128 129 131 132 133 135 136
Chapter Three: Character Creation & Traits 139 Character Creation Chart
148
Personality Archetypes: Legacies 156 Attributes 160 Abilities 162 Backgrounds 168 Willpower 172 Glamour 172 Banality 173 Health 174 Experience 175 Merits and Flaws 176 Book Two: Wilder 190
Chapter Four: Arts and Realms
193
Cantrips 193 Unleashing 196 Arts 197 Contract 203 Realms 232 Seven Dreams Brought to Life 236
Chapter Five: Rules
241
The Golden Rule 241 Rolling Dice 242 Actions 243 Ratings 243 Difficulties 244
Automatic Success 245 Complications 246 Time 248 Examples of Rolls 248
Chapter Six: Systems and Drama
251
Chapter Seven: The Dreaming
299
Dramatic Systems 251 Tempers 257 Oaths 264 Banality 267 Nightmare 274 Combat 275 Example of Combat 288 Health 290 Sources of Injury 291 Bedlam 294 Book Three: Grump 296
The Dreaming 299 Dream Mechanics 300 The Mists of Forgetfulness 303 Near Dreaming 304 Far Dreaming 306 Deep Dreaming 306 Freeholds 311 Chimera 315 Shaping Dreamstuff 316 The Nature of Chimera 318 Treasures 323
Chapter Eight: Storytelling 327 Setting the Stage Character Creation Story Time The Elements of Story The Prelude Running the Game
327 328 331 334 338 339
9
ChapterNine: Nightmares & StrangerThings
345
Appendix I: Gallain
392
Prodigals 345 Nightmare Chimera 356 The Dauntain 359 The Harbingers of Autumn 363 Stranger Things 366 Thallain 368 Thallain Kiths 371 Aithu 371 Beasties 372 Bodachs 373 Boggarts 374 Bogies 374 Ghasts 375 Goblins 376 Huaka’i Po 376 Kelpies 377 Lurks 377 Mandragoras 378 Merrow 379 Nasties 379 Night Hags 380 Ogres 380 Sevartal 381 Skinwalkers 381 Spriggan 382 Weeping Wights 383 Dark-kin 383 Denizen Creation 385 Acheri 386 Aonides 387 Fir-bholg 387 Fuath 388 Keremet 388 Moiræ 390 Naraka 390
Nunnehi
393
Canotili 397 Inuas 398 Kachinas 399
10
May-may-gwya-shi 399 Nanehi 400 Nümüzo’ho 400 Pu’gwis 401 Rock Giants 402 Surems 402 Tunghat 403 Water Babies 403 Yunwi Amai’yine’hi 404 Yunwi Tsunsdi 405 Legacies 405 Menehune 411 History 411 Character Creation 414 Ali’i 415 Kahuna 415 Hana 416 Kokua 416 Glamour and Banality 418 The Spirit World 419 Hsien 421 History 421 Creating a Hsien Character 422 New Traits 424 Fu Hsi 425 Hanumen 426 Heng Po 427 Nyan 427 Tanuki 427 Chu-ih-yu 428 Chu Jung 428 Hou-Chi 429 Komuko 429 Suijen 430 Wu Tan 430 Nei Tan 435 Inanimae 437 Anchors 437 Court 438 Husks 439 Glamour 439 Somnolence 440 Phyla 440
Glomes 440 Kuberas 441 Ondines 442 Parosemes 442 Solimonds 443 Mannikins 443 Character Creation 444 Slivers 445 Other Kiths 446 Ghille Dhu 446 Korred 447
Merfolk 448 Morganed 449 Oba 450 River Hags 450 Wichtel 451 Wolpertinger 452
Appendix II: The Enchanted
454
Index
464
The Kinain and the Enchanted
454
11
Book One: Childling
I LOVE Birthdays!!! Everything is so big and bright, like pink flowers on the side of a tree. Bucky showed me those flowers when we went to the park today, and he said they were just like me. He is silly, but maybe not so silly. Bucky is my big brother, and he knows things. Momma and Daddy had a big party for me. Jeff and Mary and Bucky and his friend Jasmine were all there, and they sang me “Happy Birthday.” We played games until it was dark. Momma put me to bed, but I still felt all bouncy. I COULDN’T SLEEP!!! Bucky came in with Jasmine, and they were very quiet. They said it was time for a secret party. We drove out to the woods. Bucky’s friends had made a big fire, and they were dancing and acting funny. Bucky made balls of light, like sparklers, and he drew pictures in the air. Jasmine grew wings, and Tom got horns, and when I looked at my feet, MY TOES WERE GONE and I had HOOFS like a HORSE! That made me scared and happy, like you feel when you’re on a swing that’s going too high. I started crying, but Bucky hugged me and told me not to be afraid. “Remember the flowers,” he said. “They’re like you. Not dull like tree bark, but bright and special.” I stopped crying, and they sang me a song and called me “Nimue.” It’s a silly name, but I like it. Before we went home, Bucky said to keep our party a secret. I will. I love birthdays. I love songs. And I LOVE secrets!!!
A
glass and steel tower reflected back the early morning sunlight glimmering out on the choppy waters of the bay. High on the 30th story, the lord of the tower stood with his hands clasped together at his back, posture stately and rigid. In the office behind him, vassals quietly filled the coffee carafe and laid out assorted fruit and pastries. The lord of the tower longed for syrniki with jam in lieu of the sticky danishes and too-soon-stale doughnuts, but he kept these thoughts to himself in front of the staff. Wanting was a weakness in and of itself, and one did one’s best to avoid weakness where others may observe it. A few lesser lords and ladies came with paperwork, which the lord of the tower signed it in a neat hand, lacking any flourish. Severance packages, cost breakdowns, and financial reports — dull, dull, and duller still. Dame Amici held out a beautifullyilluminated scroll ceding four blocks around Collington Square Park to Viscount Pomerain de Beaumayne. The lord of the tower wrinkled his nose in distaste as he scrawled his full name and title in the most ostentatious fashion he could manage. “Oh, don’t make such a face, Sevastyan,” came his sister’s voice behind him. She’d been the one who insisted on all the silk rugs. Baroness Zhanna Ved’ma of House Varich preferred to have her presence remain unannounced until she chose to reveal it. “So kind of you to worry about my face, so that I may focus on more important matters, Zhannochka,” said Baron Sevastyan. Baroness Zhanna tsked. “Nevazhno, brother. I can see your deeply important work takes precedence over a conversation with your only sister, whatever the topic.” Baron Sevastyan waved Dame Amici and her scroll away. He briefly pinched the bridge of his nose, cursing their mother for the inconvenience of burdening him with a younger sister. “It is done now, Zhannochka,” he said. “What do you need?” “I thought you might wish to know that the security upgrades on the vault are complete, but if I am taking up too much of your time…” Baron Sevastyan smiled at his sister, thin lips barely revealing his teeth. “My time is yours, sister.” Without turning away from the window and its expanding sunlight, he clapped his hands once and said, “Leave.”
The vassals, Dame Amici, and the other fawning lesser nobles fled the office, leaving Sevastyan alone with his sister. He reached for her with one outstretched arm, pulling her close enough to whisper in his ear if she chose. Zhanna pressed a light kiss high on Sevastyan’s cheek. The imprint of her lips burned slightly, hinting at another night with the Daireann lordling. Sevastyan tightened the arm around his sister. “Tell me,” he commanded, his radiant splendor filling the space around him. Zhanna put her lips to his ear and told him. On the righthand wall of Baron Sevastyan’s office, a screw slowly twisted out of a vent cover and fell silently into the plush rug under the baron’s desk. Neither Varich sibling noted its fall. Behind the vent cover, two small, black eyes twinkled with accomplishment.
L
ong after the custodial staff came through and the lights in the tower turned off for the night, the vent cover above the baron’s desk popped out and fell onto the rug with a muffled thunk. After a few moments, a white mink leapt from the open vent and somersaulted through the air, transforming and landing lightly on two human feet. Tisket von Tasket stood and tugged at her ‘Sarcasm Is Just Another Service I Offer’ T-shirt until it felt like it fit properly again. She tucked the drawing of the building’s vent schematics into a pocket of her yoga pants, swapping it for a small lockpick set. The comm in her ear crackled with static, then blared Gibraltar’s panicked voice. “Tisket, did you make it back in? Are you inside the baron’s office?” Tisket’s pointed nose twitched in annoyance. “No. I fell into an oubliette. I’m still falling. I’m going to be falling forever.” “Can you repeat that?” Gibraltar asked. “Tisket, please report. Have you really fallen into an oubliette? If so, I really need to know details about this oubliette. Does anything stand out?” “Falling forever through darkness and despair,” Tisket said. “She did not fall into an oubliette,” Ranveig’s voice cut in. “That would be improbable. This is more of Tisket’s foolishness.” “This is the deepest oubliette I’ve ever fallen into,” Tisket said. She went to the door of the baron’s office, sat back on her heels, and started dismantling the mechanical lock components, so much nicer to play with than the electrical kind. Something stuck, so she yanked it hard, which made the lock emit a sad grinding noise, like longing or the beginning of winter. “Ranveig, Maarika, do you have eyes on Tisket? Can you confirm the presence or absence of an oubliette?” Gibraltar asked. “If I see a bottle that says ‘drink me’, I should drink it, right?” Tisket said, finally opening the door for Maarika and Ranveig. Maarika had her laptop bag slung over her shoulder, headset canted back and perched like a tiara on her shimmering black hair. Ranveig scowled and hefted her axe, resting the handle against one of her broad shoulders.
“Ranveig? Maarika? Tisket?” Gibraltar sounded even more panicked. “Dammit, this is why I hate being mission control. Nobody tells me what’s happening! Will somebody give me a non-pooka answer, please?” “Time to cut the chatter on the line. Maarika, report,” Dolaidh said, offering his first input. “We’re in, barely. Haven’t had a chance to look for the vault yet. We ran into some trouble in the north stairwell, which slowed us down,” Maarika said. “The last set of schematics I saw suggested the vault would be on the other side of the building, as far from Sevastyan’s office as possible.” Tisket’s nose twitched in annoyance again as she rolled her dark eyes. “Because it’s not like I would know. I wasn’t hiding in the vent all day or anything. Nooo, don’t ask me, the one who doesn’t know anything.” “Tisket von Tasket,” Dolaidh said over the comms, with practiced patience in his voice, “would you kindly share the location of Baron Sevastyan’s vault, so that our team can extract the item without coming to a conclusion involving violence or incarceration?” “Technically, Ranveig has already engaged in violence,” Maarika said. “Excessive violence,” Dolaidh clarified. “Oh, yeah, avoiding violence, like that’s a thing we do,” Tisket muttered under her breath. She looked around the room, slowly scanning each surface. The Varich baroness had said something about that vault, but it had been so quiet, or Tisket remembered it quietly, at least. Something about the vault, something new, something hard to remember, something close. “Gib, Dolaidh, we’re going to head to the other side of the floor and start searching for the vault there,” Maarika said. “Ugh, totally the right thing to do,” Tisket said, starting to anxious pace across the office. “It can’t possibly be in this exact place it feels like it should be, but obviously isn’t.” Ranveig grimaced, but rather than agree with Maarika, she slipped her axe back into the holster on her belt and began to scan the room. “My lady, Tisket may have a point. Something does seem off.”
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“Did I say that? I wouldn’t say that,” Tisket said. She put her hands on the wall across from the baron’s desk, directly opposite the vent she entered through, and started running them along the textured paint, her shrewd face drawn in concentration. The wall began rippling under hands, then a glass and mahogany door appeared. Tisket swung the door open, and the three of the peered inside. The room looked like an executive washroom, with marble floors and countertops, plush but not ostentatious. Maarika frowned and pushed at her headset with the heel of her palm. “It’s just a bathroom,” she said in frustration. “My father has one just like it in his office.” “Lady Maarika, I don’t believe your father’s washroom has a conspicuous electrical closet, however,” Ranveig said, pointing at another door, this one at the far end of the washroom. Even staring directly at it, Tisket still had a difficult time really seeing the door. “Did you find the vault?” Gibraltar asked through their comms. “I hope so. The motion sensors we set up two floors down just tripped. I think you’re about to have company.” “My lady, you and Tisket tend to the vault, and I will assess the situation and engage with any security,” Ranveig said, already unholstering her axe and heaving it up with a powerful arm. Her long braid flapped against her back as she sprinted towards the baron’s office door. “Ranveig, keep us apprised of numbers. G, watch those motion sensors. If we get movement on another floor, you let me know,” Dolaidh rattled off into their ears. “Maarika, Tisket, get into that vault. We’re hitting the end of our time window here.” Maarika rested her hand on the second door. It immediately slid into the wall, revealing a matte silver wall behind it, boasting a large electrical panel with a keypad, what looked like a thumbprint scanner, and probably some kind of device to offer the blood of Sevastyan’s enemies’ firstborn children. As she ran her fingertips lovingly over the keypad, Maarika’s face lit up, a faint silver light glittering around her, and Tisket staggered back involuntarily at the beauty of it. In the hallway outside the baron’s office, Ranveig let out a war cry and the sounds of battle began echoing through the room.
While Tisket braced herself against the wall, Maarika pried off the faceplate of the control panel and quickly started stripping wires, clipping and taping them together in various combinations before plugging the fat bundle into her laptop. Out in the hallway, Ranveig’s axe ricocheted off what sounded a suit of armor with a loud clang. Tisket heard the thump of many booted feet as Sevastyan’s vassals flooded the hall to defend the tower from its intruders. “I’m sure you’re going as fast as you can,” a recovered Tisket said to Maarika, who furiously typed white code onto a black screen. “No reason whatsoever to go faster, when you’re obviously doing everything you can.” “This is faster. I keep telling you it doesn’t look like it does on TV,” Maarika said. “I’m sure doing something with more colors won’t help,” Tisket said. Maarika exhaled through her nose in a frustrated huff. “Aesthetics won’t make it faster, Tisk.” “Yeah, right.” Out in the hall, Ranveig shouted, “By the honor of my lady Maarika, you shall not breach this threshold, you pusillanimous Varich lackeys!” “Yay,” Tisket said, deadpan. “She’s breaking out the thesaurus. The fight must be going so well.” “Did Ranveig just say ‘pusillanimous’?” Gibraltar asked over the comms. “Yes, Gib,” Maarika sighed, typing faster. “It’s never a good sign when she starts getting all erudite,” Gibraltar says. “We’re at 10 minutes and counting, Maarika,” Dolaidh said. “I know, I know,” Maarika said. “I’m going as fast as I — yes! I’m in!” The vault door let out a hiss and then slid into the wall as billows of steam rolled from the newly-opened space. Maarika and Tisket stood in front of the doorway, peering through the steam. They could see the tops of file cabinets. A soft voice said, “Security breach. Please identify.” “Is that the security system?” Gibraltar asked. “I thought you just hacked that.” “I did. This is a… secondary security system, I assume,” Maarika said.
As the last of the steam dissipated, Maarika and Tisket found themselves facing a huge golden cat with folded wings. It sat with its enormous front paws extended, one crossed over the other. The cat’s body was topped by a woman’s head with tawny skin, large golden eyes, and thick hair hanging in plaits on either side of its face. “It’s a sphinx,” Maarika said. “Well, hack it!” Gibraltar said. “We’re running out of time.” “But it’s a sphinx,” Maarika said. “I can’t hack a sphinx!” “Initiating riddle sequence,” the sphinx said, slowly blinking its eyes. “Oh, this is fine, everything is just fine,” Tisket said. The sphinx unfolded its paws and spoke. “The more you take, the more you leave behind. What are they?” “This is not my area of expertise,” Maarika said. “Uh, breaths? No. Time?” More boots thudded down the hallway, and Maarika’s beautiful face brightened. “Footsteps!” “Security code one accepted,” said the sphinx. “What disappears the moment you say its name?” “Silence!” Maarika immediately answered. The sphinx lifted one paw and flexed it to briefly display its claws. “A man jumps off a bridge. What color is the bridge?”
“What?” Maarika asked. “What kind of riddle is that?” “Six minutes,” Dolaidh said. Out in the hall, Ranveig let out a roar of pain and anger. “Ranveig?” Maarika said, turning away from the sphinx and yanking her headset down, mic in front of her mouth. “Incorrect code,” said the sphinx. “A man jumps off a bridge. What color is the bridge?” “Dolaidh! We don’t have time for this,” Maarika shouted into mic. “We need to help Ranveig and get out of here.” “No!” Dolaidh responded, sounding angry. “We don’t leave until the job is done. That’s the deal. That’s the oath we all swore to each other!” “Not at the cost of our lives,” Maarika said. “A man jumps off a bridge. What color is the bridge?” the sphinx repeated. “The same color as it was before he jumped off!” Tisket snapped at the sphinx. The sphinx smiled. “Final code accepted.” With that, the golden chimera backed away from the vault entrance, curling up in a ball in the far corner, eyes closing. Maarika and Tisket bolted into the vault, pulling open filing cabinets and upturning lockboxes in search of the right one. After a few moments, a small white case spilled out of a lockbox. Maarika picked it up and read the tidy handwritten label: 1652 Massachusetts Bay Colony Oak Tree Shilling. “We’ve got it,” Maarika said. “Then get out of there,” Dolaidh said. “Get Ranveig and go. We’ll be out front, waiting.” Before Maarika and Tisket could leave the vault, the white case began vibrating. Maarika looked over at Tisket in alarm. Tisket plucked the case from Maarika’s hand and opened it. Inside, instead of the shilling Dolaidh sent them in after, Tisket found a slim phone, buzzing and lighting up with a call. She put the phone to her ear. “What?” Tisket said into the phone. “Zdravstvuyte,” said Baron Sevastyan’s voice. “Put the phone to your other ear. I wish your employer to hear me.” “I’m on the no call list,” Tisket said, transferring the phone to her other ear.
“Dolaidh, can you hear me?” Sevastyan asked. “I can hear you,” Dolaidh said. “I’m trying to trace the call, Tisket, just keep him talking,” Gibraltar muttered. “If I can just use Maarika’s program to triangulate the signal…” “Dolaidh said he’s sorry, but doesn’t speak dirtbag,” Tisket said into the phone. “Oh, clever, very clever,” Sevastyan said. “You must be the pooka. Delightful. Now, Dolaidh, I need you to listen very carefully. Are you listening?” Dolaidh sounded strained when he answered. “Tell him I’m listening.” “Keep him talking, Tisk. Just keep him talking,” Gibraltar said. “I’ve almost got him.” “He says ‘ew, whatever’,” Tisket said. Sevastyan laughed. It was unpleasant and made Tisket’s skin crawl. “Dolaidh, Dolaidh, Dolaidh,” he said, with a tsking sound after. “I knew you were coming for the coin. I’ve been watching your team since the Art Institute incident two years ago in San Francisco. I’ve watched all the surveillance videos. I even had the pleasure of watching that little antiquities job in Bangor live over the surveillance feed. Excellent work there.” Ranveig shouted again in the distance, immediately followed by a rapid sequence of clangs and crashes. Maarika still stood inside the vault, watching the phone in Tisket’s hand with a growing look of horror. Tisket felt a weird frisson of energy, then the vault door began to snap closed. She corkscrewed her body out of the way, throwing herself away from the door and into the bathroom, dropping the phone onto the floor. As the phone hit marble, the speaker knocked on, and Sevastyan’s voice filled the room. “This was all by design, my greedy clurichaun znakómyj,” the baron said. “I learned what you wanted, how you went after it, and I created this scenario just to get your motley here. Zhanna worked very hard on the vault. You should not have taken my 1800 Draped Bust Dollar, Dolaidh. I liked that coin. I won it at the Preakness several years ago. The bust on the obverse resembles my sister, as well, and I have a variable affection for my sister.” “Tell him we’ll give the coin back,” Gibraltar says into Tisket’s ear, his words overrun by Dolaidh’s immediate “Don’t!”
“By now, Dame Amici and my vassals have deposited your troll in the elevator. You may have your pooka back, as well, but my sister and I believe we shall keep the Eiluned for our trouble. Do svidaniya.” Tisket and Gibraltar’s simultaneous shouts didn’t garner a response. The phone’s screen was dark, the call ended. Tisket brought her foot down on it in frustration, stomping the phone over and over until the fine shards of glass looked like glitter on the cool marble floor. “Tisk, get out of there,” Gibraltar said. “Get to the elevator with Ranveig. I’ll meet you in the lobby. We’ll figure this out. Just move, Tisket. You’ve got to move.” “This is exactly what I wanted from my life!” Tisket said angrily. She wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of one hand, then transformed into an ermine, streaking through the felled bodies in the hallway to the elevator. She leapt up to smash the button with her front paws and then sprang inside the elevator as it opened, doing the same for the lobby button. Ranveig lay slumped against the elevator wall, bleeding and bruised. Tisket transformed back into her mortal seeming, pressing two fingers to Ranveig’s neck to confirm she still had a pulse, all while Gibraltar continued his frantic instructions in Tisket’s ear. “What’s your next great idea, Dolaidh?” Tisket demanded as the elevator quickly sank to the lobby. “I’m sure you have a brilliant plan to get Maarika out of this. You always have such brilliant plans.” “I’ll figure it out, Tisket. I swear to you, I’ll figure it out.” The elevator doors opened, Gibraltar already waiting to help Tisket drag Ranveig out of the elevator and towards the exit. Tisket looked at Gibraltar over Ranveig’s drooping shoulders. She tightened her jaw and hoisted more of Ranveig’s weight. “I believe you, Dolaidh,” Tisket said. “I have all the faith in you in the world.”
Introduction Now my charms are all o’erthrown And what strength I have’s mine own, Which is most faint. Now ‘tis true I must be here confined by you —William Shakespeare, The Tempest Everyone dreams. Everyone looks at the world and thinks about how it could be better. Whether you’ve watched the news and wished crooked cops weren’t so untouchable, or wished you were riding a griffin into battle to save your one true love instead of grinding out some mindless drudgery at work, everyone imagines a better world. Changing the world starts with dreams, with imagining something better, something more. Imagining something that’s not as miserable as what really exists, or imagining something amazing almost entirely divorced from reality gladdens the heart and makes the world a little bit better, even if only for a little while. The world tries to pound away at those dreams and replace them with boring, banal reality. Someone that dreams “too big,” as if there was such a thing, hears that they need to focus on what’s real, and not their fantasies. It’s just as dangerous, though, to dream too little. The world isn’t just a drab mire of darkness and misery, it has hope and love and all the
other things that the best dreams are made of. It’s just a matter of finding it. That’s Changeling: The Dreaming.
What This Book Is
Changeling: The Dreaming is about adventure, romanticism, discovery, dreams, and imagination. It is also about a cynical world that crushes down all good things for the sake of soulless, uniform banality. It’s a game about those concepts colliding. Right now, the smart money’s on the second one. The trick about inspiration and banality is that either can take any shape, even the same shape for different people. One person looks at a subculture, a political movement, or some piece of pop culture, and feels drawn in and loved. Another person could look at this thing, and be completely turned off, drained from mere exposure to it. It’s not just that she doesn’t get it, it’s that she gets it, and hates it. In the modern world,
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it’s all too easy to see more of this cynicism than wonder. No matter where someone draws their joyous inspiration, someone out in the world, some nameless voice in the ether, tells them how boring, insipid, and pedestrian it is. The world tears down dreams and seeks to make them mundane. Changeling: The Dreaming is a roleplaying game, played using the book you’re reading now, a bunch of 10-sided dice (which can be bought at game stores or through online retailers cheaply — it’s best for each player to have a set of 10 or so, but you can by with fewer), and some friends (collectively called the troupe). Together, using the rules and concepts in this book, you’ll create characters for a Changeling chronicle, the overarching tale that the entire troupe experiences. One player has a special role — she’ll be the Storyteller. The Storyteller designs the chronicle, which the other players take part in and advance with the Storyteller’s help, using their characters. The Storyteller describes scenes and plays important supporting characters, and the players describe how their characters react to these events. The Storyteller reacts to that, and so it goes. All games have rules, and Changeling is no exception. The rules in this game help determine whether characters’ actions succeed or fail, and give a Storyteller and her players a framework and system for their chronicles. When a particularly dramatic moment occurs in the story, or it just includes an exciting element of chance, the players and Storyteller roll dice using the rules in this book to determine the outcome. Of course, maybe you knew all this already. The name of this game isn’t just Changeling: The Dreaming, it’s Changeling: The Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition. This game is a love letter to everyone that’s ever played Changeling in the last 20 years, and everyone who will play it going forward, as much a nostalgia piece as a new game. Before we dig too much deeper, it might be good to talk about where Changeling’s gone, so we know where it’s going.
Dream Diary: History of the Game
In 1995, Changeling: The Dreaming was released. It stood as a hard counter to the grim, gothic settings of its predecessors Vampire: The Masquerade, Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Mage: The Ascension, and Wraith: The Oblivion, at least at first glance. Changeling was a modern fantasy game about the souls of fae in human bodies, trying to keep the world magical and full of dreams by going on adventures and exploring... because if they failed, the boring, plain reality of the World of Darkness would unmake them, and humanity might lose the ability to dream forever. The apparent conflict in tone and new concepts such as a CCG-styled card system for powers wasn’t for everyone, and yet the game ultimately found enough fans to produce a second edition. Changeling’s second edition discarded some of its predecessor’s odder rules and filled in holes in the setting and metaplot, bringing the game more in line with other World of Darkness games of the time. Unfortunately, despite the game’s strong,
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Changeling: The Dreaming
dedicated fanbase, the line was first moved to a smaller publishing imprint in 1999, then canceled entirely in 2001. It got a spinoff in 2004 as Dark Ages: Fae, but only one book was released before the classic World of Darkness, and Changeling with it, ended in the Time of Judgment book. The best dreams never die, though, so here we are again in 2016 with a new edition of Changeling: The Dreaming, taking the best from every era of Changeling and tuning it to fit the years of game design evolution it missed out on. While this game is partly a celebration of Changeling, and fanservice for all the dedicated players out there, this is also a new edition of the game, a jumping-on point for players that never got into Changeling the first time around. Whoever you are, wherever you come from, welcome. Let’s tell a story.
Arcadia and the Dreaming
Have you ever had the feeling that your dreams were more than your brain clearing detritus at the end of a long day? The feeling that imagination was really tapping into something great and powerful? That somehow, clapping your hands really did bring back Tinker Bell? Then you’ve got an idea of the Dreaming: A world of hope, fear, fantasy, beauty, and terror where dreams are reality. It’s called the Dreaming because that’s the closest a person can come to truly understanding it. It doesn’t make sense, there’s no internal logic, anything can change in a heartbeat, but when you’re there it feels more real than anything you’ve ever experienced — just like dreams. The Dreaming is in a symbiotic relationship with what we’d consider the real world. Humanity’s imagination gives power to the Dreaming, and in turn the Dreaming inspires humanity towards great things. Deep within the Dreaming lies Arcadia, the home of the Fair Folk. The Kindly Ones. Faeries. These inhabitants of the Dreaming are living stories, creatures of narrative given agency and individuality, acting out great adventures in the Dreaming and Arcadia alike. Nobody actually knows what Arcadia is like, or at least nobody that can be asked, but it’s thought of as an idyllic, perfect world, a paradise for the Fae. At some point in the last 600 years, the doors to Arcadia slammed shut. The Dreaming and mundane reality became more defined, separated but still coexisting. This was bad news for the Fae on Earth at the time, as they couldn’t get back. They were cut off from their homeland, trapped on Earth — a world with dreams, certainly, but not a world of dreams. The Glamour that humans created wasn’t enough to protect them from Banality, the cold, hard fact that sometimes in the World of Darkness, dreams aren’t enough. Banality is poison to Fae, and as the world they were exiled to grew darker and more Banal, the Fae that had not found safety in Arcadia or lost themselves to the madness of the raw Dreaming were nearing extinction. It was then that the Changeling Way was created.
Changelings
Humans are the creatures most responsible for the Glamour that once saturated the world. On the flip side, they can also be boring, cynical, empty founts of Banality. The human body proved to be the perfect shield against the world crushing down on the Fae. Through powerful magics, the surviving Faeries began incarnating in human bodies. A changeling created this way would live much of her life thinking herself an average human, albeit one with more capacity for dreaming and imagination than normal, until one day she undergoes the Chrysalis and awakens to her faerie nature. Rediscovering her lost soul and her lost heritage, she would seek out other changelings, and discover that the Dreaming wasn’t completely gone from the world. A changeling’s true form (her kith), whether it be a lusty satyr or a hulking troll, is hidden from the eyes of the mundane. Only other entities of the Dreaming can see her for who she truly is. Gathering among a vaguely feudal society led by the warring noble houses, and divided into Seelie and Unseelie Courts, modern-day changelings struggle to juggle their human life and all the problems that come with their Fae existence. If she embraces her human side too closely, she risks losing herself to Banality, her soul withering and returning to a semblance of the mundane. If she dives too deeply into changeling matters, particularly exploring the parts of the Dreaming still available to her, Bedlam strikes. Her humanity erodes, and she loses touch with both realities, mundane and Dreaming. That’s the life of a changeling summed up: It’s a narrow road they walk, and far too easy to get lost.
How To Use This Book
Changeling: The Dreaming is a fairly exhaustive work; it covers not only the familiar Kithain that fans of the previous editions of the game know and love, but most of the “secondary” Dreaming-related beings and a whole lot of faerie magic to boot. As such, some guidance in getting around might be useful. This lists the entirety of the book, section by section. Being the huge tome this is, it’s divided not just by chapters, but by books, grouping the chapters by what aspect of the game they cover.
Book One — Childling
• Prelude: Both Sides of the Coin is a short fiction piece to set the mood of the game. • Introduction: You’re reading this right now! This is where you’ll learn about the basic concepts of the game, the setting, the characters, and even some media that make for good inspirational material for Changeling. • Chapter One: A World of Darkness: The book proper begins with an overview of the World of Darkness, the setting of Changeling: The Dreaming, and the specifics that relate to the Fae and their history and society in this world. • Chapter Two: Kiths, Seemings, and Houses: The most basic elements of a changeling can be found here: the story that gives them life, the kind of story they tell, and the noble house
that lords over them (or the noble house that they lord over others, in the case of the sidhe). • Chapter Three: Character Creation & Traits: The rules for creating a character, and the rules that relate directly to how she interacts with the world.
Book Two — Wilder
• Chapter Four: Arts and Realms: The first chapter of Book Two lays out the strange Faerie magic that changelings use, cantrips, the dangerous Unleashing techniques, and Nightmare dice. • Chapter Five: Rules: The core mechanics of the Storyteller system are explained in this chapter: dice pools, difficulty ratings, extended actions, multiple actions, and all the other basic systems you need to know. • Chapter Six: Systems & Drama: More advanced rules are covered in this chapter, including combat and Changelingspecific rules like Banality and Bedlam.
Book Three — Grump
Chapter Seven: The Dreaming: Chapter Seven is about everything that has to do with the Dreaming that isn’t the changelings themselves, from trods to freeholds to the varied types of chimera, not to mention the Dreaming itself as a setting. Chapter Eight: Storytelling: This chapter provides everything a Storyteller has to know to run Changeling: The Dreaming, creating Storyteller characters, compelling settings, and how to run a game that veers between fantasy and tragedy at such breakneck pace. Chapter Nine: Nightmares and Stranger Things: Not all dreams are pleasant. Included in this chapter are the enemies of the Kithain. Monsters, nightmare creatures, and the Dauntain, broken Changelings twisted into corrupting destroyers. Appendix 1: The Gallain: Not all changelings descend from European folklore. This chapter is all about kiths and societies that descend from the Dreaming, but don’t fit the familiar structure. Appendix 2: The Enchanted Here you’ll find rules for Merits and Flaws, further methods of customizing your Changeling characters, and rules for the Kithain’s mortal companions, the Kinain and the Enchanted.
Lexicon
Arcadia — The homeland of all Faeries, lost somewhere within the Dreaming. Arts — Methods of shaping Glamour, the first half of Faerie magic. Autumn — The modern age. Autumn World, the — Mundane reality as experienced by ordinary people. The world of cars and television and nine-tofive jobs, distinct from the Dreaming. Autumn People — Mortals who are so inherently banal that they drag everyone else down with them.
Introduction
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Balefire — The part of a freehold where Glamour is focused and stored. Bedlam — A form of madness that causes disconnection from mundane reality, caused by touching the Dreaming too strongly. Banality — An entropic force that opposes Glamour. While useful to keep them rooted in reality, high levels are dangerous to changelings. Bunk — An action performed to activate or ease the casting of a cantrip. Cantrip — A spell created through Glamour by combining an Art and a Realm. Changeling — A Faerie soul put inside a mortal body to survive in the mundane world. Childling — A seeming characterized by a desire to discover and adventure. Chimera — Dreamstuff. Can be creatures of dreams and nightmares, items, and natural features. The building blocks of the Dreaming. Chrysalis — The moment when a fae soul awakens, transforming a mortal into a changeling. Commoner — Any changeling without a title. Courts — The two largest governing and political bodies of the Kithain, Seelie and Unseelie. Dauntain — Changelings with damaged faerie souls. They carry ancient Brands that twist their natures. Corruptors, tormentors and destroyers of Glamour and the Dreaming. Deep Dreaming, The — The parts of the Dreaming least connected with mundane reality. Arcadia is here, somewhere. Dreaming, The — A world created from the imagination and dreams of the human race. Changelings travel there for adventure and the dreamstuff that can be used in creating chimera. Enchanted, The — Mortals infused with Glamour to grant them special abilities, the most important of which is the ability to perceive the Dreaming. Epiphany — One of five methods of creating or absorbing Glamour available to Kithain. The five methods of Epiphany are: Rapture, Ravaging, Rhapsody, Revelry, and Reverie. Escheat — The highest laws of the Kithain, an agreement sworn between the Unseelie and Seelie Courts. Evanescence, The — An event occurring on or around September 11, 2001, that brought a surge of nightmarish Glamour into the Autumn world and allowed many Thallain access. Faerie, Fae — A lifeform native to the Dreaming. Fae Mien — A changeling’s true appearance, the way she looks to other fae creatures. Mundane mortals cannot usually perceive a mien. Far Dreaming, The — A middle ground between the Near and Deep Dreaming. Fledge — A changeling just out of her Chrysalis. Freehold — A place infused with Glamour that is often used as a meeting spot and home for changelings. Gallain — Any non-Kithain creature of the Dreaming, including the Native American Nunnehi and the elemental inanimae.
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Changeling: The Dreaming
Glamour — The stuff of dreams, inspiration, and pure creativity. Changelings use Glamour to work their magic and remain connected to their fae heritage. Grump — A seeming characterized by a desire to build and protect. House — Families to which most nobles belong. Kinain — Children of changelings that possess a measure of their parents’ magic. Kith — A particular race of changelings. For example, sidhe, pooka, sluagh, etc. Kithain — The self-referential term for changelings. Long Winter — A prophesied time when Glamour is eradicated from the world. Mists — The effect that clouds the minds of mortals that witness the Dreaming and associated magic, making them rationalize and forget it. Mortal Seeming — The human form in which changelings guise themselves. The three seemings are childling, wilder, and grump. Motley — A group of changelings, usually commoners. Near Dreaming, The — The portion of the Dreaming closest to the Autumn world. Nightmare — A chimera that feeds or stems from fear and pain. Also a force that destabilizes a changeling’s magic and pushes them toward Bedlam. Noble — A changeling with a title. Usually sidhe. Oath — A sworn agreement between two or more changelings, backed by the Dreaming. Prodigal — A non-faerie supernatural being, such as a vampire or werewolf. Changelings hold that the Prodigals are long-lost children of the Dreaming who have forgotten their true origins. Realm — Aspects of the world that Glamour can shape, the target of a cantrip. Resurgence — An event beginning on July 20, 1969, that brought a blast of Glamour into the Autumn world and allowed many sidhe to return from Arcadia. Saining — “The Naming,” a ritual that grants a newlyawakened changeling her True Name, after which she is considered a full member of the Kithain. Shattering, The — The time when the last sidhe departed and the last trods to Arcadia closed. Sundering, The — The time when humanity first began to turn away from their dreams. Trods — Magic gateways and roads that lead to other Freeholds and into the Dreaming. Tuatha de Danaan — The mysterious progenitors of the fae. Undoing — The process of taking on too much Banality and forgetting one’s fae nature. Unleashing — A dangerous, but powerful, method of performing magic, based on an Art. Voile — Clothing and personal items made of chimera; most changelings form voile during their Chrysalis.
Wilder — A seeming characterized by a desire to explore and push boundaries.
inspirational material
The following is a list of material that is universally Changeling-related. Beyond this, though, anything from a well-worn collection of fairy tales to Cosmos (either version) to a book about geology can be inspirational for this game, if it’s something that sparks awe and wonder in you. If it’s something that reminds you of what it was like to be young. Yes, even that. If it’s inspirational material for you, that’s really all that matters. For material that particularly suits the themes and setting of Changeling, literature that might help includes the entire body of work of Neil Gaiman, especially Stardust and Neverwhere, the latter of which features a hidden London where urban legends and fairy tales are real, and an average man’s attempt to make sense of the world that has drawn him in. Faerie Tale by Raymond Feist, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, and The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster involve faerie strangeness invading on a plain, banal life. For games involving the Kinain, or that skew further into urban fantasy, the October Daye series by Seanan McGuire is indispensable. If you’d prefer movies, The Dark Crystal (dir. Jim Henson & Frank Oz, 1982), Labyrinth (dir. Jim Henson, 1986), The Neverending Story (dir. Wolfgang Peterson, 1984), The Secret of Roan Inish (dir. John Sayles, 1994), and Pan’s Labyrinth (dir. Guillermo del Toro, 2006) feature children of varying involvement in the world we know setting out on fantasy adventures. Anything directed by Hayao Miyazaki fits, in particular Princess Mononoke (1997), which is about a clash between spirits trying to hold on to the last bits of magic in a rapidly-modernizing world. Television shows that examine the concept of fairy tales existing alongside humans are particularly common, the highlights of which are Grimm, Once Upon a Time, and Lost Girl. For a less literal take on Changeling’s themes, the Japanese show Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger is about social outcasts turning their dreams and obsessions into power. The Akibarangers fight enemies to defend Akihabara, Tokyo’s electronics district and a fandom mecca, from forces that would replace it with something more plain and “acceptable.” Finally, video games that grapple with the contrast of fantasy clashing with “reality” include Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and The Longest Journey. While they don’t necessarily fit the theme of Changeling, games like Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, and NiGHTS Into Dreams are excellent inspiration for the visuals and feel of the stranger parts of the Dreaming.
Introduction
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Chapter One: A World of Darkness “Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.” — Oscar Wilde, Intentions
The world of Changeling is a dreary version of our world. Dreamers are taught that they won’t amount to much, that their creativity is a pale imitation of what came before. In fact, dreams are for hobbies, not for facing the world as adults. Well-meaning, or envious, parents and friends consistently suppress talent in their loved ones, secure in the knowledge that they’re saving them from a huge mistake. Repeated altercations eviscerate creativity until all that remains is overwhelming self-doubt and insecurity. Every day is a struggle. Unstable markets, raging wars resulting in refugee crises, pandemic reports, and media pandering to fear and panic result in short-lived ambitions. Meanwhile the wealthiest of the wealthy remain unable to connect with expressed discontent. Instead, they only look forward to the next profitable acquisition. It’s not that they don’t care, they are just unable to grasp circumstances beyond their own social circle. And so, money becomes the way of life. Sounds a lot like our world, doesn’t it?
In Changeling these elements are greatly enhanced by the suffocating reality that actively dampens humanity’s sprit. Nuances diminish in a world suppressed by darkness. Although people dream, they feel as if everything has already been done, and all that remains is to conform. Daily struggles suppress empathy. Banality is an active and growing force that surges through the world, keeping joy muted, love from reaching truly inspiring heights, and ensuring that humanity is content with what is instead of what could be. Against all odds, true Dreamers, from all walks of life, and in every corner of the world, still thrive. They’re not many, but they’re out there, creating beautiful works of art, music, and literature, inventing new and unique technology that revolutionizes the way of life, or teaching generations of children through memorable and inspiring techniques. They infuse the world with Glamour, the stuff of dreams, that wards off the monotony of Banality and keeps the prophesied Long Winter at bay. Dreamers know, on some level, that they aren’t alone, that the magical
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beings from stories and fables walk among them. They might deny it if someone asks — after all, who wants to be seen as someone crazy enough to believe in faeries — but they cross their fingers behind their backs when they do. They know, and the faeries see them. Changeling: The Dreaming is the story of Kithain, faeries in exile, who’re the only line of defense between a vibrant and creative world, and one ruled by nightmares or stagnation. Adventure, political intrigues, tragedy, and uninhibited excitement fills their lives. They’re myths and legends brought to life, and the Dreaming awaits your tale.
Changelings
Old legends define a changeling as the offspring of mortals and faeries, or a faerie child switched out for a human one. Modern changelings — Kithain — are neither of these, but bear similarities to both.
Two Worlds, One Life
Once upon a time, Dreamers and the denizens of their dreams shared a single world. Among these denizens were the faeries, who ruled the world through both kindness and terror. While the fae went to war, humanity slowly turned their backs on the old ways and embraced disbelief and self-reliance. Through this, Banality, a force manifested by the new order, split the worlds into two — the Autumn world and the Dreaming. In the Dreaming all things remain possible. Ancient curses affect entire landscapes, monsters hide in withered forests, roads made of stardust allows travelers to visit vistas hidden among clouds, and ancient dragons and bygone beasts still roam the skies. In the wake of the Black Plague, however, increasing Banality made it impossible for the Dreaming to maintain connections with the Autumn world, forcing it to close down the majority of pathways. In order to survive this onslaught on their very essence, the fae turned to an ancient ritual which locked their immortal souls in human bodies. This limited access to Glamour — the essence of the Dreaming —forced fae into a cycle of rebirth and rediscovery. This progression continues even today, but every modern changeling believes that these are the final moments of Autumn, and the Long Winter, a period when Banality covers the world and humanity ceases to dream, is soon upon them.
Chrysalis
and the
Dream Dance
Faerie souls remain dormant inside changelings until the Dreaming successfully reaches out and touches them, inspiring their true selves to emerge. Mortals can live and die without having their changeling aspect awaken, especially in the modern, Banal age. Those changelings fortunate enough to awaken find their surroundings gradually changing. Suddenly it’s possible to pierce the dampening cover of Banality and spot the chimerical qualities hidden in the world around them. It may be something as simple as seeing something others won’t perceive, or hearing the conversation of chimerical creatures but being unable to deduce the source of the voices. Unfortunately, many of the
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Changeling: The Dreaming
The Arcadian Dream
According to Kithain memories, Arcadia is the homeland of all things faerie, where Banality and mortal bodies are but horrifying nightmares to scare childlings. All changelings have at least a few memories from having lived there during the previous ages, but no changeling knows how much of this remembrance is real and how much is wishful thinking or fancy. In the end, though, it doesn’t much matter — what is “real,” when discussing dreams? Besides, these memories of Arcadia serve as hope for the Kithain, hope that the Long Winter can be averted, or at least endured, and that the gates to their homeland will open once again.
signs of impending awakening as a changeling are also signs of various mental illnesses, and in years past, these signs were viewed as supernatural interference or demonic possession. For centuries, then, incipient changelings have found it wise to conceal their experiences. Eventually, the visions and odd experiences all climax in a burst of Glamour, as memories of past lives return and the faerie spirit emerges from its slumber. This moment of the Chrysalis (the awakening process), is known as the Dream Dance. For a brief moment the changeling achieves perfect clarity of her past before it fades away, leaving the newly awakened ready to rediscover her true self and accept a place in, or outside, faerie society and the two courts. Other Kithain can sense a nascent changeling in the midst of the Dream Dance from miles away, and tradition demands that they stop what they are doing and help the new fae through the process.
Chimerical Quality
Changelings and mortals live in the Autumn world, but many objects, individuals, and locations have a secondary appearance or function only visible and available to those with faerie sight. Changelings refer to this as having chimerical quality. An old ladle bought at a garage sale, only to end up in the kitchen drawer, may be exactly what it appears at first sight. Nevertheless, if used by a renowned chef creating her pièce de résistance, the ladle may have been in her presence when Glamour surged, thus allowing the tool to absorb enough of the Dreaming to bring forth its chimerical quality. Instead of being tarnished and held together by scotch tape, the ladle appears to be made out of radiant gold, with steam clouds engraved along the handle. Mortals viewing a beautiful umbrella are unaware that they’re actually looking at the local lord’s personal chimerical sword, or that the taxi they’re riding in is really shimmering in various colors, depending on its speed. Locations with chimerical qualities are normally freeholds to Kithain, but may also be places that are well visited for having a specific, and strong, meaning to humanity.
If the mundane ever enters into conflict with chimerical qualities, intent and rationalization determine the outcome.
The Importance
of Intent
Intent and belief matters in the World of Darkness. It brings structure to unfolding stories, making it possible to understand what’s happening before one’s eyes. On her way home, an assassin murders a local troll knight by shooting him in the head with a mundane gun. Due to the disparities between the size of the fae mien and the mortal seeming, it would require the murderer aim above the human head to hit the troll in the forehead. This is not the case. Because the assassin is intent on shooting the victim through the head, the effect manifests that way even chimerically. If the attack is chimerical and the assassin aims directly at the troll’s head, mortal witnesses would describe the murderer as aiming for the human’s forehead. Another example of mundane conflicting with chimerical qualities involves trolls walking through doorways. A normalsized door is smaller than the troll’s frame and should force the person to deny her faerie mien in favor of the mundane, but she doesn’t have to since the intent is to walk through the door. To faerie eyes, the troll bends ever so slightly, while mortals only see a human walking through the door normally.
Chimera
Chimera are magical treasures, items, clothing, or even sentient creatures created, or born, out of pure Glamour. The child talking to her teddy is, in fact, discussing courtly politics with her chimerical bear companion. In the same way, a beast can walk the streets unburdened by the mundane world and only affected through its chimerical quality.
Fragments
of the
Dreaming’s Heart
Items brimming with so much Glamour that they exist in the Autumn world without a mundane counterpart lack description in faerie vocabulary. Changelings often give the items names and apply of the Dreaming’s Heart as an epithet. While scholars of magic and chimera among the Kithain have all manner of theories as to what such objects might portend and how best to create or maintain them, most fae accept them at face value for the wondrous items that they are. What makes them remarkable is that they affect the mundane world, and operate on the same principles that conflicts between the chimerical and mundane do. For example, when the pooka sips away on her tasty soup, using the chimerical-only spoon, her intent is to eat it just like any of the other diners. Onlookers may find her behavior eccentric, but unless they know what to look for, their stifled minds rationalize it, either envisioning a real spoon in her hands, or just glancing away and not thinking about it further. However, if the pooka starts running around, intent on showing everyone her spoon, no one will see it because it has no mundane counterpart.
Kithain History
Much of Kithain history is lost to modern changelings, or at the very least, it is as much myth as fact. Because changelings tend to forget their magical nature as they age, the history of their people is often forgotten as well, and then remembered in bursts during a new incarnation. The most common means of learning about the past, then, is through the traditional art of storytelling. Even with the scarcity of Balefires in modern nights, no freehold turns away a storyteller, for their talents of weaving pre-Shattering tales into life is unmatched by anything an academic historian could present. Long-forgotten acts of villainy and heroism, hope and loss, come to life through their words, leaving audiences captivated with the hope of Arcadia’s recovery, and the idea that perhaps they are the ones to accomplish this epic undertaking. All it takes is the belief that, despite all pain and horrors that have befallen the Kithain, theirs is the story with a happy ending.
Academic History
Despite the thrill and excitement of hearing legends brought to life by storytellers, academic history is an extremely important factor in the pursuit of lost faerie knowledge, turning myth into truth. Many changelings — sluagh especially — lead their lives among vast numbers of tomes and ancient texts, hoping to fulfil their dreams of prestige among their peers, and possibly finding clues to Arcadia in the process. Working with materials predating the Shattering requires a certain type of individual with high endurance and patience. Ancient texts are written in several, often pictographic, faerie languages, and quite often the words seemingly come alive, constantly realigning, rotating, and shifting locations to avoid being decoded. The Dreaming protects its secrets, but there’s no consensus among the Kithain as to why information remains hidden for them as well. Even when enough common denominators exist for a decent decoding, the end results often cause further questions, rather than providing answers. The latest acquisition by Tara-Nar came from a recentlydiscovered freehold in the Near Dreaming close to Brittany and, despite studying it for the past decade, they have only managed to successfully translate a single line: “The truce is falling and the Darkening Sky heralds the end of dreams.”
The Mythic Age
In the beginning, dark fae ruled everything. Born out of the basal dreams of humanity’s primal ancestors, the twisted and malevolent Fomorians strode across the world, wielding the magic of gods through the Dreaming, leaving fear and sadness in their wake. All the lesser creatures bowed before the living shadows, the suffocating winds, and the walking mountains. Fomorians came in all forms and shapes, unified by an appearance instilling horror and obedience in all who witnessed their might. Humanity toiled away in worship, adapting to their masters’ merciless wills, but never receiving anything in return
CHapter One: A World of Darkness
33
but death and destruction, so the mortals sought a sense of control and security in the nature. The mortals slept and the Dreaming listened. It heard the cries of anguish and manifested new, yet primal, life through the waters, earth, winds, and fire around the world, to challenge the rule of the Elder Dark. Enraged and filled with violent feelings of betrayal by the Dreaming, the Fomorians shaped minions of their own dreams and named them the Thallain. They sent their champions across their lands to enforce their dark decrees with blood and forced obedience, but eventually the Thallain came into conflict with the nature faeries, and the forces of darkness and primal nature clashed. In an effort to destroy the world and reshape it more to their liking, without obstructions to their right to rule, the Fomorians assembled and Unleashed all their magic on nature itself. Facing total annihilation by not risking everything, the nature fae responded in kind. As the two massive forces clashed, the world changed for good. Although the Fomorians failed, and the event claimed vast numbers of destroyed faeries on both sides; the aftermath of the Great Unleashing provided the world with true life, and mortals changed along with it, acquiring a sense of order and higher ideals.
The Time
of Legends
Out of the Dreaming new faeries emerged: warriors of light meant to thwart the darkness plaguing humanity’s dreams and preventing it from achieving its full potential. Among the faerie clans, the Tuatha de Danaan, was Daana — a strong and wise woman more in tune with the world’s harmony than the others of her kind. As the clans intermingled with mortals, guiding them towards a brighter future, Daana ventured into the Dreaming and used her magic to birth faeries out of humanity’s nuanced minds. Hiding in shadows, the sluagh and their brethren kept a watchful eye on the Fomorians. Sidhe assumed the roles of leaders and stewards, while trickster clurichaun and pooka engaged humanity’s fickle aspects. With champions at their side, the Tuatha de Danaan shed their mortal disguises and went to war against the Fomorians. As war between the faeries of light and dark raged, the natural fae who survived the Great Unleashing joined the Tuatha cause. Fomorians reached into the minds of their remaining subjects, coaxing them to dream forth new soldiers, the Dark-Kin. Territories changed ownership on an hourly basis, and the ground was stained with faerie blood. Centuries passed and humanity continued to develop, and so too did the Tuatha and the fae relying on their Glamour. Once, in an effort to end the war, both sides sent their armies to clash in nine climactic battles in the Dreaming. During the final conflict, the Red King, leader of the Fomorians and warlord of their unified armies, entered the fray, wielding the Triumph Casque of Sorrows, a magical weapon containing all the world’s nightmares
34
Changeling: The Dreaming
and destructive energies. The Red King refused to unleash the magic contained within, having been warned by its creator that such an act would consume everything that existed, including their own kind. The treasure brimmed with such magic that even while contained it caused rains of fire and acid vapors to consume enemies for miles around and, with a single strike, the Red King shattered mountains. Just as everything seemed lost, a group of Tuathan forces managed to enter the Red King’s encampment and engage the Fomorians’ leader in combat, using every ounce of strength and magic possible to ward off his attacks. Through a stroke of luck, or perhaps through intercession by the Dreaming itself, the Red King fell, but his heart was so full of rage that his dying soul lashed out against his own weapon, shattering it into nine pieces that scattered across the world. With their leader defeated, and the loss of their fearsome weapon, the Elder Dark and their minions surrendered. To prevent their enemies from ever returning among mortals and wielding the direct powers of the Dreaming, the Tuatha de Danaan left three Sacred Oaths to guide the fae, before entering the Dreaming never to be seen or heard from again. Events become history. History becomes legends. Legends become myths, and myths are forgotten. Centuries passed as fae continued the efforts of the Tuatha de Danaan. While humanity continued to develop, adapted new ideals, and built larger settlements, the fae followed suit. Some fae found companions according to magical aptitudes and others gathered over shared interests, but regardless of friends and relatives, the majority paid allegiance to one of their newly-formed courts. Trusting humanity to continue in their set ways as directed by them, the fae turned to their own kind and left mortals to fend for themselves. The brutal nature that gave form to the Fomorians still festered in humans. Without their guides, it surfaced, causing conflicts to erupt. Faerie society was not immune to this either, so when mortals went to war, so did the courts. Modern fae historians disagree as to whether these courts were the Seelie and Unseelie that changelings of today understand, or some primitive versions thereof. Some of the historical references they found seem to indicate four courts, not just two. What is not in question, however, is that these courts spent centuries fighting each other. Though the fae never acknowledged it on the few occasions they took a look at the world around them, humanity continued to develop and grow on its own. By learning to control fire they adapted it to cooking, crafting, and metalworking, until one day someone created the first cold iron object, the very weakness of the Dreaming itself. In the same moment, the armies of the fae engaged in the Battle of Stones, which came to a halt as the world sundered beneath their feet, and separated dream from flesh forever.
The Sundering
It’s impossible to say with certainty what initiated the Sundering, whether it was truly the act of humans discovering cold iron, or if the fae committed some sort of atrocity that the Dreaming saw fit to punish. While it took place over the
course of almost a millennium, the initial blast of the Sundering ripped magic out of the world, separating the Dreaming from the mundane permanently. Religions told mortals to worship new gods and to turn away from old traditions and rules. The fae spent so much time infighting that humanity simply forgot. They forgot their old promises and oaths to the children of the Dreaming and, as their stories faded, humanity’s age dawned. Kithain refer to the following centuries as the Dim Years, a suitable name for a bleak period in their history. Although the worlds separated, trods — roads infused with Glamour — made it possible to travel between the Dreaming and the Autumn world. Fearing that the Sundering meant the end of days, the fae spread across the world using the faerie roads to reach places humanity wouldn’t lay eyes on for centuries. While this exodus meant establishing contact with the Gallain and other faerie creatures far away from the center of Banality, it also weakened the courts centered around Europe and Mesopotamia. Courts turned to using changelings as spies and tools for learning. Some were children of dalliances with mortals, others were babies exchanged (stolen, really) by the fae. Mortal flesh became a shield against the new threat, and the true fae cloaked their souls inside magical copies of human bodies when venturing out into the Autumn Realm. Through these subtle machinations, the courts hoped to find possibilities to fulfill old oaths and stem the tide of Banality. Officially, the war between the courts never ended, but combat was limited, and the fae focused on recovering both from the Battle of Stones, where they lost all their prominent leaders, and Banality’s impact on the Autumn world. However, wherever mortal conflicts flared, the courts saw opportunities to strike at their enemies by using ongoing events as cover for their actions. Without realizing it, the fae worked at the very edge of mortal history, not creating, but following it. In 1230 an eclipse covered much of the Autumn world, but while that would pass unnoticed by fae, this one also blotted out all light in the Dreaming. Panic over further human growth slowly spread in the courts. To protect themselves, many fae moved their holdings into the Dreaming to avoid contact with humanity, and in the process acted to further sever bonds between the dream and the flesh.
The Shattering
While the Sundering occurred over a long period of time, the Shattering happened quickly by faerie standards. Following the increasing stranglehold that Abrahamic religions held on the minds of mortals, the loss of true Dreamers to the stake and gallows, and the seclusion from the Autumn world, the bonds between the planes quickly deteriorated as Banality spread. Over the course of the next two centuries, trods and freeholds vanished, were destroyed, or were otherwise lost to the fae. The courts went to war to determine who would control stable areas of the Dreaming, while freeholds continued to disappear, and it all culminated with the outbreak of the Black Plague, a disease many faerie scholars attribute to a broken oath between humanity and the Dreaming. Death and despair
CHapter One: A World of Darkness
35
fueled the darkest regions of the Dreaming, sending forth vast numbers of nightmare creatures to besiege the fae, who were already focused on their own conflict. In the early 14th century, the Autumn world entered a new era that would eventually transition into the Renaissance. As scientific methods began to explain what mortals previously considered magic, the common folk took to the church’s teachings, foreswearing their old ways in exchange for salvation and a steadfast faith on which to cling in the darkest days. Increasing numbers of gateways shattered, and the fae realized they would have to make one of three choices that would determine their destiny forever. Many retreated into their domains — faerie glens as well as strongholds — in the Autumn world and sealed all connections with the world outside of their own accord. Locked inside their unchanging realms, they grew mad from their own Glamour, transitioning into Lost Ones (p. 314). The ruling fae, with the exception of nobility in Houses Liam and Scathach, fled to Arcadia, the homeland and birthplace of the fae, through the last remaining portal, while forcing commoner fae to wait while the influential secured their survival. These escapes were not orderly, and frantic battles at the gateways delayed departure from the Autumn world, adding to the unnecessary casualties of the Shattering. Fae who realized that they wouldn’t make it through the portal, or who had lost any safe haven within the Dreaming, made the choice to undergo the Changeling Way, a magical ritual that entwined the faerie soul with a mortal coil, transforming their immortality into an endless cycle of rebirth. Now hiding in the veneer of Banality, the Kithain — changelings — awoke to a harsh new world.
The Interregnum
The history of the Kithain is the story of ebb and tide of Glamour and Banality. No period depicts this as thoroughly as the Interregnum. The cataclysmic events initiated by the Shattering continued to decrease the Dreaming’s influence. Many changelings described the sensation as if the Autumn world itself attempted to suffocate their very souls. The church continued its efforts to rid the world of unwanted influence, and vast numbers of changelings attempted to circumvent discovery by hiding in plain sight. Most changelings were furious at the sidhe on the whole, and the Autumn sidhe — those few that stayed on Earth — found themselves the targets of unwarranted attacks. In time, though, their very presence changed the mind of commoners; they had stayed willingly, after all, to fulfill their obligations to their subjects. To avoid further casualties, the Seelie and Unseelie Courts negotiated an indefinite truce in their ancient conflict. This treaty, known to Kithain as the Compact (p. 57), meant that hostilities ceased, making it possible to travel between dominions without fearing reprisals due to court affinity, a tradition that remains crucial to changeling society even in modern times.
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Changeling: The Dreaming
As the 14th century ended, the Renaissance blossomed, bringing a renewed flow of Glamour to the Autumn world. Left with a feudal paradigm they were accustomed to, but that mortals had largely abandoned, commoners and Autumn sidhe decided to fill the void of power by assuming control of empty seats of power. Realizing their precarious situation, the Autumn sidhe made no claims on or attempts to diminish the accomplishments of their fellow Kithain. Nonetheless, changeling society reflected the alterations in the mortal world, and when merchant classes grew in power, many commoners abandoned old titles and customs, intent on modernizing their classical feudal paradigm. Some fae, unable or unwilling to adapt to this shift, took to the road, wandering from location to location, or taking work as caravan guards or travelling artists. The Age of Exploration revived a sense of curiosity in the Kithain, and some joined navies in hope of discovering fragments of the Dreaming in places untouched by Banality. Excitement over and dreams of marvelous discoveries among the mortals were reflected in the Dreaming by the initiation of the restoration of shattered trods, making it possible for the Kithain to once more visit locations inside the Dreaming. Artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo infused the world with Glamour, alongside writers like Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe. The Age of Reason proved a double-edged sword for changelings. While hiding in the mortal guises of soldiers, politicians, artists, and craftsmen, the fae enjoyed Glamour of musicians and poets, while allowing them to secretly move against humanity and guiding them carefully from the shadows. At the same time, many of the new dreams that filled mortal minds left no place for the wondrous and magical, relegating the existence of changelings to fairytale nonsense. Expansive and developing technological achievements proved a powerful lure for nockers and other crafters, and during the Age of Inventions, these changelings increased their influence over other commoners. Villages grew into towns while towns became cities, and farmers turned into workers of the industrial age. At first, Glamour flourished as technological advancements made life easier for the common man. Wondrous new gadgets and objects entered the market in a steady flow, but the downside of these fantastic developments was the smoke, the dreary and difficult lives in factories, and the spreading of diseases as cities continued to expand and attract citizens from across counties and nations. By the turn of the 20th century, late in the Age of Romance, the world shifted again, and slowly, but steadily, in the advantage of Banality. Following the outbreak of the Great War, changelings joined mortals in the battlefield on both sides, and the dark, bitter Glamour born of it briefly surged before Banality drained even the most vicious Kithain of almost all hope. The war brought up old grievances between the courts, briefly increasing tensions, but mortals brokered peace and the survivors returned to rebuild the ruins of their old lives. Although the Roaring 20s gave a brief respite from Banality’s grip, the Great Depression diminished Glamour once again.
Works of art, literature, and poetry emerged during this period, true, but for the changelings trying to find a scrap of Glamour in the blighted wasteland of the American West, the era was especially bleak. The Depression segued into the second World War, and, once again, changelings found themselves pressed into service as soldiers. While propagandists on all sides tried to cast the war as a glorious expression of national pride and duty, the realities of war quenched the spark of Glamour in almost all who fought. Changelings went to battle, Undone mortals returned, little different than their haunted, shell-shocked mortal comrades.
The Resurgence
Following the second World War and the horrors inflicted on humanity, many mortals felt as if the future died on the battlefields. Though there would be a future, it took years before humanity dared to dream again. Following the postwar baby boom, dreams of rebirth and possibilities surged through the Autumn world. Television entered living rooms, allowing humanity to explore worlds beyond imagination. Europe continued to rebuild its ruined cities, and Japan regained independence after American occupation. While the 1950s had its downsides, with the beginning Cold War and fear of communism, or the Soviet Union detonating a hydrogen bomb, the decade laid groundwork for grander visions. Following the Soviet Union’s successful launch of an artificial satellite towards the end of the decade, Glamour slowly trickled from the Autumn Realm back into the Dreaming, as humanity began to envision the possibilities of exploring space. Despite the continuing wars and generational clashes of values and morals, the 1960s steadily renewed the Autumn world’s connection with the Dreaming. As the space race continued to spur the two sides of the Cold War conflict, technological advancements that benefited humanity at large followed in its wake. The new generation’s adherence to the ideals of being free spirits and daring to dream about a different world made it easier for Glamour to amass. Banality’s grip on mortal minds eased as the space race intensified, but it required something truly extraordinary and monumental to ignite the Glamour into an explosive crescendo. On July 20, 1969, humanity witnessed the moon landing live on television, and all of the hope, fear, and wonder of the previous decade burst forth. Across the world, all with faerie sight witnessed ancient trods manifesting on land, on sea, and in the air as the longgone sidhe rulers returned on majestic steeds and in chariots of light and darkness. True Dreamers emerged in all corners of the world, and balefires burnt brighter than since before the Shattering. For a brief moment, everything in the world had a chimerical quality, but centuries of amassed Banality muted it and immediately closed the gateways to Arcadia. Guided by the Dreaming, or perhaps through their own prearrival planning, the first generation of Arcadian sidhe forced themselves into human hosts. Mortal witnesses describe friends or family collapsing for a brief moment, then rising, confused for a short time, but brimming with confidence and an aura of regal quality. It’s also true that some sidhe souls entered the Autumn
Glimmers
Despite that the gates to Arcadia closed due to the amassed Banality, the Resurgence set the return of the sidhe in motion. Whenever massive flows of Glamour occur, such as during momentous events like the fall of the Berlin wall, the overturning of apartheid in South Africa, or the election of U.S. President Barack Obama, trods briefly open to dispatch more souls into the Autumn Realm. Kithain have made some attempts to predetermine where glimmers are going to appear, but so far none have successfully managed to use them to travel into the Dreaming. Sidhe that return through glimmers belong to the Arcadian sidhe (p. 106). Commoners returning must serve one of the Arcadian sidhe noble houses (see Chapter Two).
world in silence and through unseen trods, and those who did inhabited the bodies of newborn babies, waiting to grow up and join the ranks of nobility as, some believe, a contingency plan if something went wrong during the return. However, no matter the chosen human body, they all belonged to someone wealthy and influential, or were members of highly-valued and powerful families in society.
Prelude
to
War
It didn’t take long for the returned nobles to stake their claims over freeholds and territories abandoned centuries ago. Although commoners’ hard work secured the existence of balefires and holdings, the Arcadians refused to give credit for such actions. Although changelings in other countries dealt with the Resurgence differently, the commoners of Concordia refused to hand anything over to those that abandoned them and left them at the mercy of Banality. Minor skirmishes, assassinations, and blackmailing grew increasingly common in Kithain society, and it didn’t take long for the nobility to wield their command of the Sovereign Art (p. 223) to enforce obedience. Despite conflicts, both parties openly declared their intent to find peaceful solutions, regardless of acts of violence intended to derail such hopes.
Caught Between Two Worlds
Recognizing the haughtiness and disregard for others they once had, sidhe of Houses Liam and Scathach sensed the escalation in conflicts earlier than any other Autumn fae. Not wanting to wage war with those who they remained with during the Interregnum, nor their brethren, the houses adopted an official neutrality policy, promising to act as mediators and messengers if requested. However, this decree didn’t prevent individual members of the houses to cast their allegiance with the side for which they felt an affinity.
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37
The Night
of Iron
Knives
Though disputes were common, they rarely turned to open violence between the Arcadians and commoners. However, a clandestine group of Arcadian sidhe invited the most prominent commoner leaders to a Beltaine masquerade to initiate peace talks in earnest, and to celebrate achievements preformed during the Interregnum. Though distrustful of invitations, the commoners felt secure in the honor of sidhe. While waiting for their hosts to arrive, the commoners gathered in the dining hall of the estate to which they were invited, only to be slaughtered by masked assassins wielding cold iron knives. News of the Beltaine Massacre quickly spread on both sides of the conflict and, as commoners prepared for revenge, the demands of House Fiona to investigate and punish guilty parties went unheard. The time for discussions ended with blood on the walls, and only war remained.
The Accordance War
10 days after the Beltaine Massacre, the returned nobility gathered beneath the banner of High King Lord Dafyll, First Lord of War of House Gwydion, who wielded the legendary symbol of leadership, Caliburn of the Dreaming’s Heart. Under his command, the Arcadian forces initiated the first act of the Accordance War, a historical event known to changelings as the Battle of the Bay in San Francisco. Dafyll’s reputation as a skilled leader proved true as the sidhe conquered the city in less than a week. Once the city was secured, Dafyll ordered his troops to conquer the nation, following a northeast-bound pattern. While mortals fought in Vietnam, so too did the Kithain go to war. Increasing amounts of disturbances during demonstrations, gang violence, and riots occupied mortal police departments, while fae fought to determine the future of their kingdoms. War crimes took place on both sides, and commoners didn’t restrain themselves from using cold iron weaponry as a reminder of the Beltaine massacre. What the Arcadian sidhe lacked in modern weaponry, though, they quickly made up with access to forgotten Arts and powerful Unleashing. Refusing to surrender in the face of their magically superior enemies, commoners continued the war, making the Arcadian sidhe pay for every freehold and inch of territory they occupied. Along the road, their bond with the Dreaming led returnees to rediscover lost trods and balefires, on which they then constructed freeholds from which to rule their courts.
The Battle
of
Manhattan
In December of 1973, the High King’s forces surrounded New York City by taking out vital commoner holdings to the north and south of the city. The city’s commoner general, a renowned and honorable troll strategist named Lyros, saw through the sidhe’s tactics, and realized that the plan was to gather the commoners in Manhattan before making one final, assertive strike to end the resistance. In response, General Lyros ordered commoners to withdraw to the island while leaving enough defenses to convince the Arcadian forces that their strategy
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Changeling: The Dreaming
worked, and to make them pay for every inch of territory with Glamour and blood. Once the Battle of Manhattan commenced in earnest, the High King ventured out onto the field, hoping to face General Lyros in honorable combat. While land traded masters rapidly, the sidhe had the upper hand and slowly encircled Lyros’ headquarters. In a final effort to catch the nobility off guard, the troll general ordered all his forces to disperse and engage in street battles rather than organized war. His decision to do so changed the tide of the war, and battles raged across the entire island. Despite failed attempts to establish the exact events leading up to the High King’s demise, only a few facts are certain. Dafyll, and his personal guards, encountered a superior commoner troop consisting of sluagh and redcaps. While his guard fought the attackers, giving the High King time to flee, Dafyll sought refuge in the subway tunnels beneath the city. His body was found a short time later, with a knife of cold iron in his back. Despite frantically searching for Caliburn, neither nobles nor commoners were able to find it. As the symbol of leadership vanished, the Dreaming invaded the minds of soothsayers across the nation, leaving a mysterious prophecy with them.
David Ardry, High King
In an effort to spare some of the younger Arcadians the horrors of a prolonged and bloody war, the returned houses appointed the famous Grand Bard of the Fae, True Thomas, as guardian for a small group of sidhe. Over a year passed, and the bard and his wards led a quiet but comfortable life at his home in upstate New York. Following the High King’s death, Lyros had difficulties controlling the most violent changelings in his army. On New Year’s Eve, 1973, Thomas learned that a motley of redcaps were making their way towards his home, intent on slaying all Arcadian sidhe there. Hoping to rescue his wards, Thomas saw only one way out of the situation and brought them into New York to hide in plain sight behind enemy lines. Despite being a sound plan due to the vast number of mortals celebrating New Year’s Eve, a redcap patrol spotted them among the revelers in Times Square shortly before midnight. Using his Arts, the Grand Bard called for his wards to hide behind him while he fended off their attackers. Unnoticed by both sides of the conflict, one of the Arcadian sidhe, a young teenaged boy named David Ardry, snuck into an alleyway. As the battle commenced moments before, David sensed an immense surge of Glamour, and when he realized it went unnoticed by everyone else, he heard a voice calling out for him. He went after the source of the Glamour, and as the final bell tolled and the new year dawned, David returned to assist his guardian, with Caliburn in hand. True Thomas turned to the assailants and exclaimed, “Behold! You do look upon your king!” Frightened by Caliburn’s reappearance, and awed by the sight of the new High King, the redcaps quickly dispersed into the crowd.
Concordia
Following their encounter with destiny, True Thomas quickly brought the young sidhe, David’s sister Morwen, and the other wards to the safety of Queen Mab’s Court in the
Kingdom of Apples. Thomas knew it was necessary to secure support from an influential noble respected by the Seelie and Unseelie Courts and, as one of the most skilled politicians in the land, Mab’s acknowledgement would be invaluable to ensure David’s right to rule. However, Thomas found out that the Queen already knew about David and Caliburn, but refused to acknowledge that the future of their rule belonged in the hands of someone so young. She ordered her guards to dismiss them from her presence. As guards closed in on David, a shining griffon materialized before their eyes, shielding the young boy’s body with its wings. Thomas cried out with the words of the dreamed prophecy to Mab and her courtiers: “The son of the griffin and the sword that was lost shall come together in the apple bower!” Knowing his words to be true, Queen Mab acknowledged David by proclaiming him the new High King of the fae. David displayed an innate acumen for politics, and this pleased Queen Mab, who took it upon herself to further his skills. He also proved compassionate and empathetic towards commoners, for he had listened carefully to Thomas’ stories of the Interregnum. David truly desired to unify all Kithain in peace and, in his efforts, he sent emissaries asking commoner leaders to join him in negotiations. The commoners’ memories of the Beltaine Massacre proved too hard to overcome, however. Three years of unanswered invitations went by until a group of trolls met with David and confirmed his intentions, thus making discussions a real possibility. Their acceptance of the young king spread like wildfire throughout the nation, leading more prominent commoner leaders to follow suit and accept the invitation. David’s first war was one of diplomacy. With the aid of Mab and Morwen, the king met with the leaders of both sides before eventually bringing them together for joint discussions. His trials at the negotiating table are those of political legends, much to Mab’s pride. While commoners demanded the return of conquered territory and for David to make formal restitutions, as well as apologize for the events of the war, the Arcadian sidhe relentlessly dismissed all requests, referring to the Dreaming’s acknowledgement of the right to rule. In time, David slowly convinced both sides to concede as he explained his vision for a new kingdom. Though many of the Arcadian sidhe saw his treaty as a betrayal of their kith, the years of warfare and bloodshed swayed enough influential nobles to David’s cause. The Treaty of Concord’s terms confirmed the sidhe right to rule, and decreed that changelings would live by the medieval paradigm that they preferred. It also recognized the huge efforts that commoners performed in service of the Dreaming throughout the Interregnum, and made it possible to grant them ennoblement in service of the kingdom. Furthermore, by creating an advising body, known as the Parliament of Dreams, the treaty granted commoners unprecedented influence under sidhe rulership. Finally, the agreement ratified the Seven Kingdoms and united them under the name Concordia, which David felt honored the treaty itself and the spirit of unity that it represented.
The Calm Before
the
Storm
Following David’s ascension to High King, his name became synonymous with ferocity in battle, and legendary compassion and wisdom. During his final years as a resident of Queen Mab’s palace, David ordered the construction of a grand castle to act as the seat for his power and a symbol of Concordia. He named the stronghold Tara-Nar and moved there with his sister, who continued to act as his advisor. Life under High King David was not easy, with Banality constantly threatening chimerical life, but under his rulership, Kithain society flourished. Freeholds lost in the war were rebuilt, motleys ventured out into the Dreaming in hopes of finding a way to Arcadia, and the commoner and noble relationships improved by working together in the Parliament of Dreams.
The Evanescence
The 1990s initially made access to Glamour easier for changelings of all social standing. Technological advancements entered into a cycle, propelling contenders to build on discoveries more quickly, granting the public access to new objects that made life easier for both mortals and fae. Mobile phones, computer advancements, and internet access became household staples, while international travelling increased, especially in Europe following the Schengen Convention. EU citizens received free movement and the membership states that signed the agreement abolished systematic internal border controls while adapting a common visa policy. Where the freedom of mind worked to the Dreaming’s advantage during the 1960s, the early 1990s aided in fueling Glamour by increasing a sense of unification among mortals. Yet, it didn’t take long before the darkness of the decade reared its ugly side and fueled the Dreaming with Glamour from more sinister and malevolent forces. The Gulf War, the Yugoslavian Civil War, the Kosovo war, and the Rwandan genocide are but a few of the many events that nurtured nightmares and horrors. In the same way that the space race affected humanity’s mind, the perceived closeness and repeated conflicts within short periods of time fueled the darkness from the Dreaming. It looked like the end of the millennium would be a happy one for Concordia’s subjects when High King David met the beautiful Faerilyth of House Eiluned. Theirs was a passionate, whirlwind romance, but one that ended in tragedy. Upon embarking on their grand tour of Concordia, David disappeared without a trace while staying with King Melige, Faerilyth’s uncle and guardian, in the Kingdom of Willows. Immediate accusations of assassination and kidnapping spread across the realm. Some blamed the new High Queen, others secret organizations, and a few even Regent Morwen. However, amidst chaos, hope appeared in the form of an eshu storyteller called Seif. The same night that the High King vanished, Caliburn materialized in Seif’s possession, communicating its wish to be reunited with its master. Bound by love and loyalty for his egalitarian king, Seif met with the High Queen and her advisors, who acknowledged the task the Dreaming set upon the eshu. Faerilyth ennobled Seif and charged him with locating David
CHapter One: A World of Darkness
39
and solving the mystery of his disappearance. Afterwards, she completed her tour of Concordia, but instead of returning to Tara-Nar, she established her court in the Kingdom of Willows, where she felt safe. With David missing, the nation entered a tumultuous period that threatened to cast Concordia back into civil war. Numerous minor factions promoted largely unknown individuals, and in some instances even commoners, to take the throne. Princess Lenore, a House Dougal noble that David named heir apparent in the late 1980s, received support from Queen Mab, who feared that years at David’s side made Regent Morwen unwilling to surrender the throne to the young ward. Both Morwen and Mab refused to acknowledge Faerilyth as High Queen, and Mab insisted that Faerilyth was involved with David’s disappearance. Morwen, on the other hand, refused to surrender the throne to Lenore because of her fierce love for her brother, stating that there would only be a new ruler when, and if, David was proven dead. With three queens and one throne, the nation splintered within both Seelie and Unseelie Courts. Numerous debates followed in the Parliament of Dreams, but the more they discussed, the more fragmented the political body became. For a time, the commoners and nobles successfully held the Parliament together, but the increasing number of physical conflicts in the chamber, and fewer members attending sessions, eventually led High Lord Ariadne to dissolve the institution for an indefinite amount of time.
40
Changeling: The Dreaming
In an eerie mimicry of the Resurgence, when the moon landing inspired hope around the world, came the horrifying events of September 11, 2001. In their wake, the Dreaming echoed with nightmare magic, washing over realms with the power of a massive tide, unlocking gateways and pathways to ancient prisons unseen and unvisited since before the Sundering. Trods once again opened across the world as waves of Thallain, Dark-Kin, and their minions entered the Autumn world to prepare it for the return of their masters. Without warning, the sky seemingly ripped open and, to those with faerie sight, a red sun appeared, bathing the world in a sinister scarlet light reminiscent of blood. Scholars named it the Eye of Balor, recorded in a few tomes as belonging to one of the Fomorians imprisoned in the Dreaming. Fearing that the Elder Dark would return, or that the eye did in fact herald the Long Winter, panic erupted among the Kithain. Though this second sun vanished a week later, its presence scarred changeling society as the most violent among them adopted a vicious, devil-maycare attitude. Redcaps and Unseelie fae of all kiths bore down on Arcadian sidhe as if the Accordance War still raged. Others fought to establish friendly contacts in the face of grave danger, but no matter what, civil war seemed unavoidable as the throne of Tara-Nar remained empty. During the early autumn of 2005, High Lord Ariadne, following a request by Sir Seif, convened the Parliament of Dreams for the first time in years. All contenders to the throne arrived,
knowing that their safety was guaranteed by oaths and permanent applications of Sovereign in the building. Though cordial at first, the session quickly escalated into a raging shouting match, threatening to escalate to a true war. Suddenly, the doors to the chamber flew open and a gateway from the Dreaming appeared, and Sir Seif’s voice echoed in the Parliament, “Such as it was in our time of need, so it is again. Behold! Your true king returns!” Escorted by the eshu knight, an older, still regal, David strode across the floor to the speaker’s stand, but before he could reach it, Faerilyth cast herself into his arms. In a moving scene that silenced all present, the two declared their love for each other. Following his speech, in which he asked all Kithain to come together and fight the returning nightmares, the High King quickly left the chamber. Faced with questions about the quest and David’s disappearance, Sir Seif declined, stating that that tale would remain secret until the Dreaming gave the sign to reveal it all. While the assembled delegates argued amongst themselves, Seif vanished, and has yet to be seen again. Initially, the High King met with the public, but as time passed, he withdrew into the sanctuary at the heart of his stronghold. His strong and regal appearance upon his return proved a façade, and despite his wife’s love and support, David was a broken man, plagued with chaotic dreams and imagery that made no sense to him. In his absence, the conservative Arcadian sidhe bribed and threatened their way to more influence, despite prevention attempts by both Princess Lenore and Regent Morwen. To avoid a possible conflict of the throne, Lenore remains heir to Concordia, until the day that David and Faerilyth have a sidhe child of their own.
Starvation
of
Dreams
Where the early 90s worked in favor of Glamour, the late part of the new millennium’s first decade saw an increase in Banality. Not only did changelings find themselves at war with dark fae, but they also had to fend off increasing stagnation and disbelief. Even balefires that survived the Shattering slowly burned less brightly until only embers remained. Entire changeling communities fell asunder under bickering and physical conflicts over how to best handle what little Glamour an area produced. Trusting their sovereigns to do the right thing by the Escheat and the Treaty of Concord, commoners turned to the Parliament of Dreams for help. In turn, the Parliament sent a request to the High King’s court at Tara-Nar, but received a reply stating that the sidhe would investigate the matter further, while also suggesting austerity measures and the unification of local freeholds to better withstand Banality. When massive numbers of changelings turned up at the seats of power in their kingdoms, the nobility felt compelled to act, and decreed that commoners were trespassing and that to ease their fears, they would contact Tara-Nar on their behalf. In response to this, David sent a proclamation throughout Concordia, stating that there was no need to worry since there was ample supply of Glamour to sustain them. The High King acknowledged that the times were difficult, but said that he would alleviate their worries by arranging mediators that would assist and make sure that all received their due. In despair, the commoners hoped
that the past they shared with many commoner nobles would make those members of the houses inclined to help others, but they were met with the same ignorant replies Tara-Nar provided.
Present Day
The dwindling balefires in Concordia have changed both the political and social landscapes more than any noble is willing to acknowledge. Changelings that returned during the decades following the Resurgence (and that have not succumbed to Bedlam or Undoing) are blessed by having built foundations to fall back on when Glamour supplies diminish. Meanwhile, others have to resort to extremes to survive Banality’s growing influence on the world. Looking for change, but receiving no solution from their leadership, sinister organizations such as the Shadow Court continue to grow steadily by promising a new world in return for sacrifices and commitment in the name of their cause. The massive rift between faerie nobility and commoners threatens more than the stability of changeling society by drawing attention from where it is needed. Increasing number of Thallain and Dark-Kin enter the Autumn world alongside monstrous chimera and nightmare monsters in order to prepare the world for the Elder Dark. At the same time, some find it easier to cast their lot with the Fomorians in order to avoid meeting their end, with “Better a nightmare than dreamless sleep” as their motto. Nonetheless, the nobility is not immune to the changes in the world. Fear of losing standing and influence in the faerie community spreads throughout the houses. The practice of applying Sovereign in order to ensure loyalty to the court is increasing and has even spread to ennobled commoners. Conflict exists within houses on a larger scale than before, forcing the nobles to look for enemies where there were once brothers and sisters. Insecurity and fear among nobles further escalates the tension with commoners, as freehold trods become focal points of increased military activity, and as refugees from fallen freeholds seek new sources of Glamour to sustain them. The Parliament of Dreams endlessly discusses possible solutions, but leaders of both courts delay, prevent, and sabotage agreements in order to maintain full control of their own power. With another civil war threatening to break out, nobility looking for threats among their own, minions of the Elder Dark stalking the Kingdoms, and decreasing amounts of Glamour, the belief that these are the final days of Autumn and that the Long Winter is around the corner gains strength.
The Nature of the Fae
From one corner of the earth to another, one fact unites all fae that walk through the mortal world. All changelings have two halves, two natures that exist as a single whole. The true form of a changeling is called their fae mien, the fae form made of Glamour that can be seen by other fae and creatures of Glamour. That half of themselves is hidden away, protected from the harsh Banality of the Autumn world by their mortal seeming. Which one is viewed entirely depends on the person
CHapter One: A World of Darkness
41
doing the perceiving and how close to the Dreaming the fae is at the time. Both exist together rather than shifting back and forth, a shared existence that begins the moment the fae and the mortal body become one.
The Chrysalis
Changelings are as old as time, older than the stories of faeries and mortals interacting in cultures across the world. The initial changelings were born of the relationships between mortals and fae, in a time before Banality turned the world dark and cold. Modern changelings, by contrast, came about when the fae realized that they could not survive the Banality of the mortal world without some kind of protection. Most chose to engage in a ritual known as the Changeling Way, which cloaked their fae selves in mortal bodies that would allow them to hide in the Autumn world. When this first generation passed on, their fae souls were reborn into the bodies of mortal children, and changelings began to be born all over the mortal world. While some fae, like the Arcadian sidhe, choose to take mortal form in other ways, this is the primary way the fae have survived the dwindling of Glamour in the world for generations. A child harboring a fae soul can grow for years, even into adulthood, without ever knowing the truth about her dual nature. No matter how well hidden, however, the child’s true nature marks her as different. Hints might leak out, marking the child as unusual, the odd one out, or else simply the weirdo in the class. These children grow up fascinated with things most people relegate to flights of fancy, like dragons or monsters, fantasy lands, and amazing stories. They look for the unbelievable in their everyday world as the fae soul inside yearns inside to reach the Dreaming and its wonders. Still, the child will remain unaware of the fae slumbering inside her until the time to awaken occurs. This awakening, when the Dreaming within manifests in the child, is a dramatic and often traumatic experience called Chrysalis. The Chrysalis is a moment of revelation when the fae self inside a mortal bursts forth in an explosion of Glamour. It’s a tumultuous, overwhelming experience, as the mortal becomes not only aware of a reborn other self within her body, but of an entire world of Glamour and fantastic, wondrous, terrible things around her. She is violently inundated with sights and sensations from a world that lies just alongside, over, and beside the mortal one, where unbelievable things are real. This violent explosion is preceded by small events, tiny outpourings of Glamour, as the Dreaming tries to reach out and awaken the fae inside the mortal. It may start small, with a mortal witnessing strange occurrences no one else sees. A teenager sees a crow sitting on his teacher’s shoulder, a crow no one else notices. A child sees a stuffed T. Rex sit up in the sandbox and begin chewing on a cigar. She has visions, flashes of glorious vistas and breathtaking wonders, that she believes to be real, and even experiences vivid hallucinations in which she lives through the life experiences of a person from long ago and far away. These flashes are the fae-to-be’s first look at the Dreaming, or even memories from past lives trying to remind her of who she is. These visions can
42
Changeling: The Dreaming
be disturbing to mortals, who may seek out psychiatric help. Many concerned parents will try and intervene to help their children, who struggle to reconcile their wonder at the things they’re seeing with the reality of the mortal world. These early warnings increase in frequency and intensity and, unless impeded, end in the forceful emergence of the fae inside.
The Dream Dance
When the time is right, the warning visions stop and the Changeling enters the dream dance. The dance heralds the arrival of the new fae, broken from the shackles of the icy Banal world. It’s a titanic explosion of power, a riot of magic and the unreal made real, as the new changeling is engulfed in the power of the Dreaming, infused with Glamour, and sees for the first time the magic that has always been around her. Nothing could have prepared her for the sensations of seeing the world without mortal blinders, as she embraces a world brighter and more intense than she could have imagined. She plunges headlong into this new experience, lost in the furious chaos of a new world unfolding around her. The Mists that shrouded her view of the world are gone and the new changeling sees herself and her fae mien for the first time. She is bombarded with images of her past lives, of Arcadia and the Dreaming, of friends and loved ones and enemies long gone, and even glimpses of the future to come. All of it passes before her eyes so quickly that only fragments remain. The changeling in the Dream Dance battles this tide of power, overwhelmed, as Glamour pours from her and creates chimera out of her dreams, fears, hopes, and nightmares. These chimera can run rampant, attracting local fae as word spreads of flocks of baby dragons flying over Jersey City, or a haunting band of clockwork musicians wandering Golden Gate Park. Those fae nearby can recognize the flood of Glamour and the chimerical activity for what it is — a new member of their people coming into herself — and may seek to help the emerging changeling. Those that are found are the lucky ones. A changeling is never as vulnerable as during the Dream Dance. As she spews Glamour in every direction, the changeling may attract the attention of less savory chimerical creatures that could harm the new fae. Other supernatural creatures might see the confused changeling as easy prey, and many fae are picked off before they can ever fully realize themselves fully. Still others fall to madness, unable to handle the disconcerting shift in their reality. That’s why all changelings in the area of a person going through the Dream Dance have a duty to find the emerging fae and help her through the process. In exchange, they drink deep of the overflow of Glamour the new fae exudes, while they introduce their newest cousin to their lives as changelings.
Fosterage
Upon surviving the Dream Dance, the fully emerged changeling must now make her way in a wholly new magical world. Other Kithain who discovered the changeling during the Dream Dance usually bring the new fae, called a fledgling, to the nearest large gathering of fae or to a freehold. There, the changeling has a chance to learn about the Dreaming, fae
The Changeling versus The Arcadian Way
During the Sundering, fae left behind in the mortal world took on the Changeling Way rite as a way to survive in an increasingly Banal world. They understood that without a mortal body to shelter them, their fae soul would eventually wither and die in the face of the chains of mortal fear and stagnancy. The Changeling Way allowed fae souls to also be reborn again and again, an unbroken chain of magic through the generations, preserved by their bond with humankind. When the doors burst open from Arcadia once again, the sidhe who came back to Concordia discovered that they too would have to face a thoroughly Banal Autumn world by taking on mortal bodies. Yet instead of embracing the Changeling Way, these Arcadian sidhe refused to bond with a mortal body like their commoner cousins. Instead, the Arcadians chose to seek out mortal hosts and rip out the mortal souls inside. This marks them as wholly different from the sidhe of Houses Scathach and Liam, who stayed during the Shattering, and instead are reborn alongside the other kiths. Many newly-returned sidhe have also chosen to take up the Changeling Way rite, and a generation of newl-dubbed Autumn sidhe have been reborn in the mortal world. This has led to harsh criticism of the Arcadians, whose potential destruction of the human soul has been seen as unnecessary, a product of the nobility’s inability to change.
society, and everything else she needs to know to survive. She also learns more about her kith (or faerie race), and explores her true nature surrounded by her fellow Kithain who can understand what she is going through. During this time, an older changeling with more experience may offer to foster the new fledgling, offering to become their mentor, guardian, and teacher during the early learning period of the changeling’s new life. The term fosterage comes from the medieval practice, where nobles would take on the children of another family to cement alliances or to build connections between noble children for the next generation. The mentor and fledgling swear the Oath of Fosterage, introducing the new changeling to the power of the oathbond in fae society, and linking the two together in this crucial period of growth. Since the changeling’s mortal family couldn’t possibly understand what the changeling is going through, fosterage offers guidance that is key for new fae in their early days. Often, the nobility or local leadership assigns a mentor they believe has the wisdom and experience, should the fledgling be brought to the nobility upon discovery. Should a group of commoners, known as a motley, find the new fae, they might keep the changeling and handle the fosterage themselves,
picking a mentor from among their ranks. This mentor acts less as oathbound ward and foster and more like a big brother or sister, teaching informally as they go. Should a changeling be discovered later in life, having gone through the Chrysalis in adulthood, the fostering period is a little different. The adult changeling becomes less of a ward and more like a guest, with her mortal life experience taken into account during her education. A mentor or several friendly teachers during this period are also key for the new adult changeling, as the radical shift from adult mortal to newly-discovered fae can be even more jarring. The bond between the mentor and the new changeling during this time period is one of the most important in a fae’s life. Fosterage at this vulnerable stage in a fae’s life influences the way the changeling sees and interprets all of Kithain society. Lost in this new world, a changeling may cling to her mentor’s lessons and pattern herself after them, creating a close bond that can last a lifetime. She can also rebel depending on her own nature, causing strife between the two. As the fledgling learns more about herself, a Seelie mentor might find himself teaching an Unseelie, and perhaps unruly, pupil. Still, unless major strife occurs, the bond of fosterage represents a chance for the new changeling to begin again in her new life with some stability, even family. It isn’t uncommon for mentors to take in a fledgling who has had to leave her mortal kin, or for a mentor to make her ward the heir to whatever he owns. It’s for this reason that the Oath of Fostering should be carefully considered by both potential mentor and student before the decision is made, as the responsibilities may last more than just one lifetime. The term of fosterage, while important, is not long. It is important for a new changeling to learn the ropes quickly and adapt to her new power as fast as possible. Too much can go wrong should a fledgling stay out of control in her early days, and the responsibility to keep a fledgling in check is a great burden on a mentor. Once a fledgling has adapted, however, she passes from her fosterage into the next period of her fae life. She will take the lessons from her mentor forward, spending the rest of her days honing what she has learned.
The Saining
New Kithain are given a period of adjustment during which they have time to learn their role in fae society. Under the direction of their guardian or a motley, the changeling spends this period learning about her kith, her place in court structure, and the ways of the Kithain. The period usually lasts for a year and a day, split into the time of warding and the time of watching. In the first half, the time of warding, a new fledgling is given more leeway in her actions, as guardians teach her while taking responsibility for any accidents or mistakes the fledgling makes. The fledgling has the room to learn about customs and traditions without reprisals should they err. That changes during the time of watching, when the fledgling must apply the lessons she’s learned and take responsibility for her own actions. Adult fledglings are held to an even higher standard, as it is expected
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that their mortal life experience should lead to them making better, more responsible choices. After the year and a day, the fledgling undergoes the Saining (literally, naming) ritual. This rite initiates the changeling into Kithain society, as seers use their command over the Arts to part the Mists and seek out the fae’s true name. Should no one have strong enough mastery over the Naming Arts, a changeling may take upon themselves the responsibility to Unleash the Naming untrained, and risk what unpredictable power the Dreaming might impart. A True Name is the very heart of a changeling, the name that connects her essence to the Dreaming. True Names are highly-guarded secrets, shared only with a changeling’s most trusted allies and friends, as knowing a creature’s True Name gives someone the power over that creature. Children of the nobility undergo a slightly different ritual than their commoner cousins, known as the Fior-Righ. This secret ordeal, attended only by members of the noble house that sponsored the fledgling, tests the sidhe’s physical, social, and mental capabilities to determine what noble house the changeling will join and at what rank. Nobility have a vested interest in assessing their future members early, and therefore often track down and watch potential new sidhe or noble children before their Saining. When possible, nobles may even track these fledglings to their mortal homes to review their capabilities before their training begins. Once the Saining is complete, a changeling may choose to swear an Oath of Fealty to the freehold, lord, or motley that took them in. There she may take on responsibilities to the household or her motley depending on the skills she’s shown during her fosterage. The Chrysalis truly ends with the Saining, as the newly-named changeling emerges as a fully-accepted member of Kithain society, ready to embrace her life as a child of the mortal world and the Dreaming.
Banality
The greatest threat to a changeling is the force of disbelief, stagnation, and confining reason that threatens to choke human ingenuity and creativity. The rationalization that humanity has clung to in an effort to chase away its fears also wears away at the spark of imagination and creation that connects the mortal world with the Dreaming. This grinding, oppressive force is known as Banality, and it is the leading cause of destruction for all denizens of the Dreaming. Banality seeks to explain away the fantastic and categorize, empiricize, contain, and render mundane anything outside of the scope of accepted mortal understanding. Older Kithain call this force the Endless Night or the Long Winter, as the encroachment of Banal thought on society renders the world colder to changelings with every passing year. Banality, while itself not a sentient thing, is a force nonetheless, perpetuated by the press for normalization, sameness, and wearisome acceptance of the status quo that is so part of mortal life. Wherever a teacher stamps out the spark of creativity in a young artist, or a parent demands their child give up on
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Changeling: The Dreaming
foolish dreams to “be more practical,” there Banality flourishes. For every musician forced to give up on her dreams to take up a nine to five, for every scathing review of that wacky play that makes the writer give up the pen, for every additional week of standardized testing that drives children to frustrated tears, the world becomes a little colder for changelings and mortals alike. Banality makes the mortal mind unable to think beyond the boundaries of its understanding and curbs the creative spark that yearns inside to blaze to life. The World of Darkness is infused with Banality, frozen in the grip of its power. The pall it throws over everything is reflected in the helpless weariness of its mortal citizens and the stagnating powers that hold its infrastructures in place. For every time a changeling reaches for Glamour and fails to call forth its power, it triggers a response and Banality floods in instead. The Dreaming fades with every moment that Banality tightens its grip, its fierce, uncontrolled beauty catalogued, packaged, and slapped on a factory-stamped lunch box. Banality is the force that is driving the Dreaming and all of its children to extinction, the Long Winter haunting the steps of every Kithain in the mortal world.
Glamour
Glamour is the shining opposite of Banality, the spark of hope that burns bright against the oncoming Endless Night. Glamour is the very stuff of creative life and hope, shining wherever artists work at their passion and mortals battle away the doldrums to dream. Glamour is the basic building block of all fae reality. It powers the Dreaming, makes up every particle of chimerical creatures and creations, and powers all faerie magic. Glamour gives changelings the ability to call up whirlwinds or whisper to trees, create magical flying ships, or allow mortals to see or touch the Dreaming by infusing them with just a touch of power.Glamour is also the basic energy that keeps changelings from losing their fae mien and power. Glamour fuels their cantrips (spells) and without a constant stream of Glamour, a changeling forgets her connection to the Dreaming and fades back into her mortal seeming. Though it is vital, the force of Banality in the world has made Glamour scarce. Changelings spend their time finding new sources of Glamour by cultivating mortals that produce it or discovering new locations where natural Glamour flourishes. These locations become a precious resource that must be protected, or the Kithain risk the world becoming that much colder. Glamour can’t be seen in any physical form in its rawest state, as it is a type of energy. Mortals cannot sense Glamour or anything created by it that doesn’t have a physical, mortal world counterpart. Because of their connection to the Dreaming, changelings can sense the presence of Glamour. All changelings have at least a little of the faerie sight, called kenning, which allows them to see through mortal seemings to the fae mien underneath, and also perceive things infused with Glamour. Glamour can also be collected and pressed into a physical form by changelings to either infuse power into an object, or else to create dross, bits of material that store Glamour for use or consumption at a later time. Many a changeling has been saved
from the cold press of Banality by a timely bit of Glamour, as they cling to its warm spark in the oncoming darkness.
The Undoing
The force of Banality in the mortal world is so strong that, if a changeling is not careful, it can separate a fae from his mortal self. As a changeling is worn down by Banality, he starts to forget his connection to the Dreaming. Memories of his fae selves disappear and a fae may fall into the Undoing, a time when a changeling forgets his time as a fae and instead is subsumed into his mortal seeming altogether. Should the process not be halted or at least slowed, the changeling loses touch with his fae half entirely. What is left behind is the hollow mortal half, living his life alone in the dull, Banal world. This process doesn’t happen all at once. Changelings weather the forces of Banality every day, buffered from its harshest effects by their mortal seemings. By taking that bit of Banality into their lives, changelings can build up a tolerance and use the mortal half to shelter them from the worst that the cold Autumn world has to offer. A changeling’s fae mien may dig down deep below her mortal shell to endure the most trying parts of her everyday life, from paying bills to dealing with tax officials. Prolonged contact with Banal influences can wear down even the toughest changeling and send her in a slow spiral towards the Undoing. Fae have been using the trick of hiding behind mortal seemings for as long as memory stands. Faeries would wear
mortal disguises to walk among humanity, even going so far as to take the appearance of mortals to hide from those that might enslave them or destroy them with cold iron. This tactic was later used when the Shattering threatened to crush the fae left behind when the gates to Arcadia swung shut. Those who stayed in the mortal world used the trick of taking mortal form to create the Changeling Way Ritual that allowed the fae to be reborn in mortal bodies, protected (at least in part) from the Banal world. This transformation by the fae into changelings didn’t come without a cost. Changelings lose the memory of their fae selves when utterly subsumed into their mortal seemings. It’s for this reason that, until Chrysalis, a mortal does not remember her fae self fully. It’s possible that some fae souls never awaken from their slumber, their mortal seemings so buried in Banality that they cannot be reached by the Dreaming. They remain, tragically, lost to Banality’s Undoing and the Mists.
The Mists
Once, long ago, the fae created barriers that would protect themselves and the wonders of the chimerical world from the prying eyes of humanity. Over time, the Mists merged with the rising Banality and transformed from a protection against mortal intrusion into a barrier between Kithain and the Dreaming. While this unseen cloud of disenchantment keeps mortals from recognizing fae magic and faerie miens when they see them, it also helps to cloud the mind of changelings while in their
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mortal form. Because of the Mists, changelings cannot draw upon the full knowledge of their fae selves, or their past-life memories of Arcadia and generations of immortal life. So much of the fae self is lost to hazy recollection or fragmented dreams thanks to the Mists’ influence. The Mists also wear down the changeling’s connection to the Dreaming and keep them from naturally gathering Glamour from the world around them. Over time, a changeling runs out of Glamour unless she can find more from external sources. Eventually, she begins to lose touch with her own fae self. The changeling loses touch with not only her fae mien, but the memories of her fae lives, her memories stripped away by the Forgetting. The process of recapturing lost memories can seem like an impossible struggle against Banality itself, as the changeling is trapped within a nightmare of half-remembered visions and puzzling yearnings. Should the changeling not receive the Glamour she needs to recover from her slide into Forgetting, she may be wholly subsumed by the Mists and Undone. This process speeds up should the changeling be harmed by anything that damages her fae mien, such as weapons like cold iron. Yet even those fae who have lost their way in the Mists may recover bits and pieces when the Mists part, and allow them a glimpse of their true selves. For changelings, that allows them tiny fragments of their past incarnations or even of Arcadia itself before the Mists lower again under the crushing weight of the world’s Banality. The Mists do offer one benefit to mortals by hiding the Dreaming and its children. The force of Banality in most mortals keeps them from perceiving anything outside of what they believe can exist. Should they spot anything that they cannot immediately explain, the Mists press them to rationalize it away as a temporary hallucination or trick of the mind. A mortal must be deliberately enchanted to pierce through the Mists to see the world of the Dreaming, lying hidden right before their eyes. It’s into those very Mists that all changelings might go, if — or when — they lose the battle with Banality.
How Changelings Age
Since a changeling’s life span is tied directly to her mortal body, a changeling is born, goes through Chrysalis, and grows older and dies, only to be reborn and begin the process again. The cycle of death and rebirth assures that a fae soul may pass down through the generations, a shadow of the immortality that the fae once possessed. Yet during her lifetime, a fae ages from Chrysalis to the end of their lives based more on their exposure to Banality than mortal age. Changelings emerge from the Chrysalis as fledglings, though their mortal forms may be already grown. A changeling’s fae mien reflects that youth and vitality, as she has yet to truly feel the ravages of Banality’s touch. Her apparent age or stage in life, known as her seeming, advances based upon her perception of the world and the way she resists the Banality all around her. Although most changelings pass through the three seemings linearly — childling to wilder to grump — seeming represents more than just the physical age of a changeling’s mortal form.
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Changeling: The Dreaming
Violent Ends
and
Cold Iron
To a changeling, the world is already a cold, Banal place, slowly sinking further away from the Dreaming. Yet with each changeling who is Undone, the world gets a little darker and a little more Banal. The act of taking a changeling life is an act of Banality, and changelings that slay one another are helping the Autumn world grow colder. This goes even more so for any changeling that chooses to use a weapon made out of iron to harm a changeling or denizen of the Dreaming. Iron is deadly to changelings and an affront to the Dreaming itself. No one is sure entirely why, but legends hint that long ago, perhaps before the Sundering, the fae made a deal with iron itself. While the exact nature of the bargain is lost to time, it is said that iron became enraged when the fae did not uphold their part of the bargain. From that point on, iron became the eternal enemy of all fae, and when carried in the hands of an enemy, a changeling’s deadliest foe. Most freeholds and parts of fae kingdoms make owning cold iron weapons illegal, and being caught with such a weapon is an open declaration of murderous intent.
It represents her outlook and approach to the Dreaming, as well as reflecting how she processes Banality. It is even possible for a changeling to change seemings “out of order” with time, moving from grump to childling or wilder and back again. None of this, however, does anything to prevent the changeling’s physical body from aging. Indeed, all changelings know that they will more than likely be Undone before ever reaching a ripe old age. Undoing reigns as the leading cause of death for changelings (along with violence at the hands of enemies). The loss of even one fae life is a horrible blow, as it marks another win for the Autumn world against magic, the fae, and the Dreaming itself. The fae soul that is Undone lies resting inside the mortal body it once inhabited, waiting for that mortal shell to die. Only then can the fae soul reincarnate into a different form to return to the mortal world. Yet that Undoing is not the worst fate that can befall a changeling. Few fae fear the specter of death like the sidhe. Though some sidhe did take on the Changeling way and began the stages of being reborn on earth like the other Kithain, Arcadian sidhe have maintained their traditions of being untainted by the death-rebirth cycle of mortals. Instead, by choosing to steal mortal bodies, the Arcadians have left their future after death uncertain. No one is sure if Arcadian sidhe reincarnate, and those who have chosen to eschew the Changeling Way are frightened by the mystery of death that now stalks the once-eternal sidhe. House Liam presented the scandalous notion that nobles are indeed reborn, but as commoners, but that idea was shouted down or wholly ignored by most nobility. Still, Autumn sidhe
stand as reminders that rebirth is possible, if only the old ways will be set aside in favor of the death-rebirth cycle that has served the commoners for the long years of the Interregnum.
Preventing Aging
Since the fear of death looms large for so many of the formerly-immortal fae, quite a few take steps to try and prolong their lifespans. Many legends and epic stories came from the search for extended life, with outcomes ranging from sad hilarity to outright horror.The only tried-and-true method to prolong the life of a changeling is to spend time in a freehold. Changelings who have regular access to a freehold live longer than a mortal ought, and maintain their hold on youth and vitality for longer as well. Staying too long in a freehold, however, has its downsides. Changelings that spend too much time that close to the Dreaming will begin to lose connection to the mortal world outside and become overwhelmed by their fae natures. The changeling drifts further into her fae self until she enters Bedlam, a madness driven by a lack of grounding in the mortal world. The oldest changelings walk a dangerous line, trying to balance how much Banality they accrue simply by going out into the mortal world with how long they can remain in a freehold without slipping into Bedlam. Every changeling knows that sooner or later they can misstep and, should that happen, they face either Undoing or the slippery slope of Glamour-fueled madness. This practice of spending more time in freeholds than out is common to the nobility. In recent years since the Resurgence and well into the Evanescence, Arcadian sidhe who have lived in the mortal world for many years have become known for spending perhaps too much time in their freeholds. As a result, they have been accused by commoners of drifting out of touch with the ongoing problems of the outside world to extend their own lifetimes. A dangerous example is High King David himself, who has spent more time in freeholds than out among his people in recent years. Commoners and progressive nobles alike have petitioned the King to step beyond the borders of his
The Legend
of
Sí ochá in
Legend speaks of faerie nobles that have achieved the impossible and found the delicate balance between their mortal selves and the fae souls within. The Síocháin, as they’re called, are thought to have discovered the balance between Glamour and Banality and have therefore found true immortality. Though many question whether the Síocháin even exist, commoners wonder whether or not they’re just happy stories to give desperate nobles hope at the end of their lives. How the Síocháin achieved their immortality is unclear, and wherever they are, they do not seem keen on sharing their secrets just yet.
freehold to see the troubles outside, only to have their pleas fall on deaf ears. The court remains within their freeholds, some say afraid of being Undone by the cold hand of time as it marches on outside the walls. Legends speak about treasures that can extend youth or grant immortality once more, like the fabled Fountain of Youth, but so far none have been recovered. That doesn’t stop many intrepid young changelings from questing to solve the puzzle of fae immortality. In the meantime, the cycle of death and rebirth marches on.
Mortal Seeming & Fae Mien
Changelings face the rigors of age both in their mortal bodies and in changes that happen to their fae selves. This twofold process can be disconcerting for a changeling, whose mortal seeming might not match the age and capability of her fae self, and vice versa. A changeling’s mortal seeming is the body that hides her fae self from mundane perception. The fae is either born into this mortal body and emerges during Chrysalis as a changeling, or (for sidhe) takes over the body upon exiting Arcadia. Though the mortal shell may hide the fae self underneath, that mortal body always bears the hallmarks of the fae hiding inside. A cat pooka’s mortal seeming may seem lithe, graceful and a little ferocious while an Autumn sidhe’s mortal form might bear some of the striking beauty and poise of her fae counterpart. Still, mortal forms do age and though the changeling inside might hold onto their youth and power, unless the process is held back by time in a freehold, the mortal body will eventually die. Those that do stay within freeholds to hold back the march of time can end up spending more time as a child, or a teenager, than they intended. The effects of this extended time in a freehold will eventually become obvious to mortals as a child doesn’t grow older, or coworkers spot an adult that seems to never look a day over twenty. Often that can mean changelings need to abandon their mortal lives, or in the case of children their mortal families, when people begin to notice something is wrong. During fosterage, understanding older fae can take in these young changelings to prevent the attention of mortal authorities. Bedlam might be a terror for all Kithain, but so is exposure to Child Protective Services or well-meaning but stifling stints in mental health facilities. Hidden beneath the changeling’s mortal shell is her true self, her faerie soul or fae mien. Anyone who can see through the mortal disguise sees the immortal child of the Dreaming, the fae soul that has lasted through the centuries. Changelings and other denizens of the Dreaming can always recognize one another for what they are. Only within a faerie trod, freehold, or any Glamour-infused place can a changeling’s fae mien surge to the forefront and be freely seen. Still, a changeling’s fae mien is always present just under the surface, ready to be spotted by any other changeling or Dreaming denizen unless actively hidden. The fae mien can be pushed aside by renouncing one’s fae self, but doing that invites the coldest touch of Banality.
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A changeling’s body ages chronologically alongside her mortal seeming. However, a changeling’s appearance is dictated by the stage of her life, or seeming, that she is in at the time.
Seemings
A fae’s seeming is a reflection in her fae mien of her state of mind and how she perceives and interacts with the world. Though a fae ages chronologically, a fae’s stages of life are informed by the state of mind she embraces. A changeling transitions through three states: childling, wilder, and grump. For a childling, the world is a source of endless wonder to be embraced. A wilder then takes those moments of wonder and the experiences learned there and seeks out new adventures, eager to discover and explore everything she can. Once the wilder has learned much and gained experience, she then becomes a keeper of the knowledge she’s achieved and prepares to pass that knowledge on to others as the cold of Banality wears her down. While the length of time the fae spends in the mortal world might change his appearance and age him, it is his experiences and perception that shuttles him from one stage of life, and one seeming, to another. A childling may spend a long time in his wonder-filled state, entranced with the awesome and beautiful fae world, only to transition into his wilder years in his teens when he’s finally let go of childlike things to seek out new adventures.
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These seeming states are not entirely linear, as a changeling on the cusp of becoming a world-weary grump can discover something that leads her back to the wonder of her childling years. However, this backwards path is rare, and difficult to achieve. Though a fae’s spirit is fluid and changeable based on her mindset, the influence of the mortal world impresses the idea of linear time, always moving forward, towards an inevitable end. That mindset and the march towards mortal death can wear down a changeling and drive her towards the grump mindset, and eventual Undoing. A fae’s different seemings directly affect his fae mien. While a childling may have all the sparkle and innocent appearance of a naive young squire, a wilder takes on the appearance of a more seasoned, ambitious, and perhaps hungry young fae, out looking for adventure. Grumps are marked by their past experiences, scarred from battle and world-weary from years fighting the grip of Banality. A transition back, then, from grump to wilder would not mean a reversal of their apparent physical age. Instead, a previously worn old troll might find himself standing tall once more in battle, reinvigorated to his duty by new inspiration and purpose. Each transformation would depend largely on the changeling’s view of the world and his appearance, which is based on what kind of fae he is.
Kiths
Ancient stories recount that fae were created from the dreams of the world. Those long-ago dreams have shifted and
changed with the influence of humanity’s imagination to create the kiths of fae that exist the world over. A changeling comes out of his Chrysalis knowing that he belongs to one of those kiths, and bearing the hallmark physical traits of his people. As a changeling ages, his mortal body takes on more of the physical traits that mark him as a member of his kith, until mortal death drives the fae spirit into the cycle of reincarnation to begin things all over again. There are 12 kiths prevalent across Concordia (13 if one counts the two distinctly different kinds of sidhe that now exist in the mortal world). They are: ¶¶ Boggans: Practical and hardworking, boggans are the keepers of households and industrious homemakers. Boggans can’t help but get involved in the business of others, and for that reason always seem to know what’s going on. Trusted with keeping the hearths of many freeholds and nobleman’s keeps, boggans are the bedrock of a stable fae court. ¶¶ Clurichauns: Fun-loving and charismatic, these Kithain are the origin of the stories of leprechauns. They love life and revelry, as well as collecting objects. Clurichauns are prone to bouts of depression or rage, unleashing their fantastic tempers and tearing through anyone in their way. ¶¶ Eshu: The ultimate wanderers, eshu are consummate storytellers and explorers. Originating in Africa, these Kithain were once rulers in their own lands and now can be found across the globe. Known for arriving just where and when
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they need to, eshu are quick-witted bargainers and explorers, and perfect companions for any adventure. Nockers: These foul-mouthed curmudgeons might be small and strange to look at, but their need to craft and build makes them the ingenious inventors of changeling society. Nockers often prefer their own company (provided they’re allowed to create), and fall easily into profanity-laced frustration when finding imperfections within their own designs. Piskies: Piskies are an innocent, wide-eyed kith, made up of natural wanderers that seek the beautiful and awe-inspiring beauty of the world. Useful messengers and guides, these industrious and friendly changelings can’t resist taking something they fancy, even if it doesn’t belong to them. Pooka: Pranksters at best and terrors at worst, these changelings each share an affinity with a particular animal and adore practical jokes. These rogues are known for never being able to tell the whole truth, and often act as the not-so-innocent jesters who can get away with nearly anything. Redcaps: These hideous changelings are monstrous eating machines, terrifying to behold and full of bad attitudes and violence. Redcaps can ingest nearly anything and live for the chance to stir up trouble and buck authority, making them an often friendless and unwelcome addition to changeling society. Satyrs: Satyrs are the spirit of pleasure and passion given form. Sensualists of the highest order, these goat-legged
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Kithain are known for their boundless energy as well as their musical talent. Though they are known for their hedonistic ways, satyrs also serve as fierce warriors, lovers, and wise councilors. ¶¶ Selkies: These skinchanging Kithain straddle the worlds of land and sea, capable of slipping on a seal skin to swim the oceans, or taking off their skins to walk on land. Playful but also cautious, these attractive fae must keep their sealskin pelts close by even when in mortal form, or risk having them stolen and destroyed. ¶¶ Sidhe (Arcadian): The noble and beautiful rulers of faeriekind, the sidhe are the otherworldly beautiful leaders of the classic faerie lords. These sidhe left for Arcadia during the Shattering, only to return to assume their rulership once more. Unlike the commoners they seek to rule, Arcadian sidhe never took up the Changeling Way and instead steal the bodies of mortals to walk in the Autumn world. ¶¶ Sidhe (Autumn): Unlike their Arcadian counterparts, Autumn sidhe consist of all the sidhe who chose to stay and bond themselves to mortal bodies through the Changeling Way either during the Shattering or later during the Resurgence and Evanescence. These sidhe embody the boundless beauty and grace of their Arcadian cousins coupled with the complex beauty of mankind. Natural leaders, Autumn sidhe believe they have earned their right to rule. ¶¶ Sluagh: These dark and secretive fae are the best at collecting information and guarding secrets. Sly and withdrawn, sluagh are only able to speak at a whisper, and loathe loud noises and losing their well-protected knowledge. ¶¶ Trolls: These powerful giants embody the loyalty, honor, and strength of the fae. Staunch defenders and guardians, trolls prize honor above all. Once they’ve given their word, they will not break it on penalty of sickness and even death. These are by no means the only kiths that exist in the world, as some Kithain are rare or local only to certain regions or parts of the world. Yet these 13 groups make up the majority of Kithain society, and the court system that makes up its structure.
The Houses
Upon awakening to their faerie selves, all Kithain understand that they belong to a society that is ruled by a very rigid and well-defined court system, ruled by noble houses that go back generations. These noble houses are largely made up of sidhe, who rule with natural confidence. These noble sidhe come from both the sidhe who arrived during the Resurgence and the sidhe who have only recently arrived from Arcadia. It’s said that those sidhe who left Arcadia during the Resurgence may have been exiled, or else returned to reestablish the noble houses’ control over Kithain society in the mortal world. Either way, the houses only saw significant representation after the return of the sidhe began in 1969, and ever since the returned nobles and the commoners have been in conflict. The Accordance War raged when the nobles attempted to reassert their houses as the dominant ruling factions and faced commoners who had long since learned to rule themselves. Since the Treaty of Concord and the rise of High King David
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as supreme ruler of Concordia, these houses have gained overall control of Kithain rule and politics. The power structure of what once was, however, has been shifting since the Resurgence. Autumn sidhe who remained behind after the Shattering to become bound into mortal bodies have stepped out of the shadows to counter their Arcadian cousins’ assumptions about their natural right to rule. The surges of Glamour that ripple across the world often trigger glimmers, temporary openings in gateways to Arcadia. These bridges to the lost home of the fae disgorge more sidhe every time, leaving many to wonder whether there is any rhyme or reason to the opening of these doors, and the arrival of the nobility. Though initially only eight noble houses arrived from Arcadia to join House Scathach in the mortal world, four more houses have since come through from Arcadia to bring the number to 13 in total. These are: ¶¶ House Aesin: These Scandinavian sidhe were once guardians of the north and still see themselves as masters of mortals, just as they did when they bestowed their blessings on the Vikings long ago. These Unseelie nobles are bonded heavily with nature and prefer the solitude of forests, and live in constant disgust at the mortal bodies they must inhabit. ¶¶ House Ailil: Expert strategists and politicians, this Unseelie house sees the art of politics as a perfect game to be mastered. Known as Dragons by their fellows, House Ailil is a competitive powder keg of intrigue and manipulation, who will stop at nothing to distinguish itself as the most savvy and powerful politico in Kithain society. ¶¶ House Balor: Brutal and cunning, House Balor is an Unseelie house that rules through strength and domination through force. The Blooded have long since embraced the idea of themselves as the living embodiment of the terrible power of the sidhe. Each Balor is deformed due to a dark taint in their blood, though they bear their mark proudly for all to see. ¶¶ House Beaumayn: These Seelie prophets and esoteric researchers make up a house dedicated to cultivating and understanding the secrets of the occult and those supernatural creatures that exist in the world. Close knit and secretive, this smaller house has a knack for sticking their nose where it might not belong, yet lead with the insight that comes from being able to glean wisdom from the past, the future, and that which is unseen. ¶¶ House Daireann: This Unseelie house is known for their three major tenets: Honor, Vengeance, and Hospitality. Daireann sidhe shun cowardice and painfully punish their enemies, but surpass all other fae in terms of hospitality. Woe betide anyone that crosses a Daireann, and the stories of these boastful but loose-lipped nobles spread far and wide. ¶¶ House Dougal: One of the original five Seelie houses that came through the gates during the Resurgence, House Dougal is known for their no-nonsense attitude and wise planning. They eschew manipulation and intrigue in favor of building solid structures within sidhe society. Each member of the house bears a deformity they seek to hide.
¶¶ House Eiluned: This Seelie house is known as the House of Secrets, as much for its focus on intrigue as its mastery of faerie magic. Its members are often looked upon with distrust since their return in 1969, and yet their subtlety and power is a dominant force in changeling politics. ¶¶ House Fiona: The most rebellious and headstrong of the houses to return from Arcadia, House Fiona is known as the sensual and hedonistic house, dedicated to love, passion, and impulsive behavior. These Seelie sidhe are known for their hospitality and total dedication to whatever cause has caught their eye. ¶¶ House Gwydion: House Gwydion believes that if the sidhe are meant to rule changeling society, then it is the best able and is meant to lead the sidhe to their destiny. Dedicated to defending the Dreaming, these Seelie nobles are known for their tendency to fall into maddened rages. ¶¶ House Leanhaun: Patrons of art and beauty, this Unseelie House is known for supporting mortals and fae alike that create and shape art in this world. Known for their debauched ways, the Muses, as they’re known, are said to raise up artists to greater and greater heights through their inspiration before ripping out all their Glamour and leaving them to suffer. ¶¶ House Liam: Quiet sages and knowledge keepers, House Liam is one of the returning Seelie houses dedicated to protecting mortals against the dangers of the chimerical world, including the abuses of other changelings. Often sought out as advisors by other noble houses, Liam labor under a stigma of disgrace that is attached to their name. ¶¶ House Scathach: This outcast house is an anomaly among sidhe houses. A mostly Seelie warrior house, the Scathach chose to remain in the mortal world after the Shattering and remained close to the commoners, earning them outsider status among the sidhe. In modern day they are uneasy leaders among the Autumn fae, and remain solitary walkers where others fear to tread. ¶¶ House Varich: House Varich are masters of the frozen Russian north, where they were once worshipped as gods by the locals. Brilliant codebreakers and information brokers, this Unseelie house has an ongoing feud with the sluagh over who is better at discovering secrets. Members of the house are known for their frozen hearts and their inability to love. It’s important to note that while these houses in the past may have represented the stranglehold on Kithain politics, the tide has been shifting in recent years. With Glamour growing scarcer and the forces of Banality growing stronger, commoners who were long since frustrated with sidhe rule have grown tired of their aloof leadership. While the Arcadian sidhe remain locked away in their freeholds, afraid of the oncoming Endless Night, the commoners have recognized the dangers facing their kind and have started pushing back. They are searching for leadership that recognizes their troubles and truly represents and serves them, and not the ruling class. How each house will fare in the face of this upheaval, only time will tell. But the issue each must address at the very heart of the crisis is the dwindling state of
the Dreaming in the mortal world and the lack of Glamour for Kithain everywhere.
Places
of
Glamour
To stay alive and maintain her fae soul, a changeling must find sources of Glamour to keep herself alive. One way to seek out Glamour is to find mortals whose creativity and dreams naturally create Glamour and gather it from them. Another possibility is to find places rich with the stuff to stay protected from the Banal world. Such locations include glades, freeholds, and trods.
Glades
Glades are naturally-occurring wellsprings of Glamour, places of wild natural beauty that can serve as secluded pockets of paradise for Kithain. Glades can come in all sizes, from tiny thickets to mountains, and rushing rivers that lead into pristine lakes. At the heart of the glade is a sacred stone from which it derives all its magic and which offers up its Glamour to whoever comes to visit. A glade is less often claimed and serves more as an open place for any Kithain in need, though power struggles over the fate and control of the Glamour it produces are known to happen. As the natural world has become ravaged by the spread of mortal civilization, these natural glades have become polluted and corrupted until they are few and far between. Kithain who are aware of a glade work ferociously to protect it from the encroachment of any who mean their sanctuary harm.
Freeholds
As Banality closes in on the remaining locations touched by the Dreaming in the mortal world, locations survive that still burn bright with Glamour. While enchanted forests and many glades have been destroyed, and the massive holdings of fae lords and nobles have dwindled away to nothing but memory, some places have survived. These gathering places, called freeholds, have retained enough of their original Glamour to create a safe space in the Autumn world. Within a freehold’s walls, Kithain can gather safe from Banality’s touch while still keeping one foot in the mortal world. Freeholds have a mundane identity and exist within the physical world, though many are shielded from prying eyes by faerie cantrips and enchantments. A broken-down tavern might discourage the idle group of drunk tourists out for a night on the town, while inside an entire changeling household feasts in celebration. The mortal seeming of the freehold may not appear as glamorous and impressive as its fae counterpart, but to enchanted or changeling eyes, it is a castle set in the middle of an urban sprawl. Still, much like how a changeling’s fae mien may influence their mortal seeming, a freehold’s appearance in the Dreaming may influence how the location appears in the mortal world. A stylish townhouse may appear to bear a paint job that matches the colors of the noble house whose coat of arms flies over the freehold’s battlements, while a forbidding
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lord’s occult lair may have strange breezes and the chatter of unearthly voices in the mortal world as well. One of the oddest problems of a freehold is the issue of being bigger on the inside, which happens when the freehold on the fae side is much larger than its mortal side’s interiors. It often takes time for a new fledgling to understand the “physics” of a freehold, and the connection between its Autumn world space and its corresponding pocket in the Dreaming. The Glamour provided by freeholds allows Kithain to survive in the Autumn world. For that reason, freeholds are the cornerstone of Kithain society, as those that control these important places of power become themselves important. Noble houses build their structures around maintaining their freeholds and guard them zealously, while commoners do the same for their gathering places. More than acting as simply gathering places, freeholds can become the only homes for many Kithain who must abandon their mortal lives when they go through their Chrysalis. Older changelings seeking to stave off old age and Banality’s effects spend more and more time inside the freehold, partaking of its font of Glamour. Because freeholds are so important, Kithain become ferociously protective of them. Anyone challenging the ownership of a freehold or found endangering it will find themselves on the receiving end of a vicious dispute. Protection of freeholds in danger of destruction is one of changeling society’s highest-held accords. The heart of a freehold, much like the sacred stone at the heart of a glade, is the bale re, or the Ignis Vesta, the freehold’s balefire. As long as the balefire continues burning, the freehold remains in existence and produces Glamour for its inhabitants. But should the balefire ever go out, the freehold might crumble under the force of Banality. During the Shattering, many freeholds were left abandoned by the fleeing nobles with their balefires yet lit. These embers, left untended, may have gone out, but many remain smoldering, waiting to be rediscovered. In North America, the source of all balefires is the Great Balefire that burns in the stronghold of High King David at Tara-Nar. It is possible to create more freeholds. The creator of the freehold must bring balefire from another freehold and offer up their own Glamour as a permanent sacrifice to create the space. Most changelings instead seek to find abandoned freeholds in the hope that they can create new homes for themselves. When a changeling does find a freehold, she must swear an oath and invest Glamour into the site to reawaken and claim it. Once she does so, no one else may claim it until the guardian dies or gives it away. The guardian of the freehold receives Glamour from that freehold and may also grant permission to others to receive the freehold’s Glamour. Should any changeling attempt to steal from the freehold’s Glamour supply, a process called Reaving, the freehold may be damaged or even destroyed. All changelings of a freehold are dedicated to its upkeep and defense. Freeholds fall into several different categories, which are discussed in Chapter Seven (p. 312).
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Trods
A web of magical paths crosses both the mundane world and all points in the Dreaming. These pathways have existed for centuries, and though they have degraded and some branches have become lost over time, the system of trods that branch throughout known (and unknown) space are an important transportation system for changelings everywhere. During the Shattering, many of the trods that led to locations in the Dreaming, as well as the primary ways that led to Arcadia, slammed shut. The Interregnum saw more and more of these gates fade away, until few trods functioned. With the return of the sidhe during the Resurgence, and with the constant mini-explosions of Glamour driving more doorways open, changelings have taken to the trods to see where they might lead. So far, none of them have led back to Arcadia. Many, though, have led seekers into deeper parts of the Dreaming, and into adventures and dangers they could never have imagined. Trods allow changelings to travel from place to place without the fear of Banality. They may use their arts freely without expending Glamour and can travel from one freehold to another without stepping into the mortal world. Yet, after 600 years of erosion and disrepair, many trods no longer go where they used to, and many dead end in parts of the Dreaming. Trods also don’t always take a direct route to their destination and can lead changeling travelers on long journeys before they emerge at their intended location. Some may arrive quickly and simply, but others may emerge with tales of long adventures and harrowing escapes in places unknown. Time is not reliable while traveling by trod, and some trips may stretch out time within the trod, or else make an extended trip through the Dreaming last only the blink of an eye in the mortal world. Along the way, changelings may discover new and as-yetundiscovered parts of the Dreaming, the realm from which they were born. It certainly isn’t a tame place, but no changeling can escape stepping out of the mortal realm and into its borders for long. Yet as long as travelers follow the Silver Path, the silvery lifeline that connects one end of the trod to the other, Kithain can always find their way home. Of course, predators within the Dreaming know this, and often devise traps and obstacles along the paths that a changeling must face if they wish to escape unscathed. And though they may leave, no one who enters the Dreaming truly comes back unchanged. The adventure might be worth it, though.
The Dreaming
The Dreaming is a realm created by the creativity, fantasies, and revelries of humanity, a realm of infinite possibilities outside and separate from the mortal realm. A boundless space outside of the rules of physics, time, and known reality, the Dreaming is a place where anything can happen and probably has already. It is a place woven into the fabric of the mortal world, hidden behind and without, though its magic and influence can affect the physical world and those that live in it.
The Dreaming was once the home of all faeries, but since the Shattering, the Dreaming has become a wild, unknown place to those that once lived there. The Dreaming and the mundane world were separated during the Sundering, but once the Dreaming was cut loose completely from the fae during the Interregnum, its secrets were lost and its borders became more dangerous. Those changelings that try to explore it find it full of bizarre, undefinable dangers and wonders that can destroy them as quickly as Banality. In fact, the Dreaming brings with it its own dangers, as changelings who enter are faced with a place that can overwhelm them with Glamour. A changeling must struggle to maintain equilibrium while in the Dreaming or risk falling into Bedlam and becoming lost to the Dreaming forever. The boundaries of the Dreaming have yet to be identified, if they even exist at all. Changeling scholars who seek to study the Dreaming come away with conflicting conclusions, but most agree that shrugging and saying “it’s very big” might be the closest correct answer. Scholars have created several designations for different sections of the Dreaming for easy reference. The three divisions of the Dreaming are known as the Near Dreaming, the Far Dreaming, and the Deep Dreaming.
The Near Dreaming
The Near Dreaming is the part of the Dreaming that lies intertwined and alongside the mundane world. Its reality is influenced by mortal structures and locations, and while its magic leaks into the physical plane, its landscape often mirrors known areas in the mortal world. Those mirrored locations always come with an exaggerated twist, as impressive mountains in the physical world might become death-defying peaks, and sprawling urban housing developments may become a warren of imposing, claustrophobic dwellings. The Near Dreaming responds to the influence of mortals in the area as well, spawning chimerical locations created by the thoughts and feelings of the mortals that live there. Just like the Dreaming can take its cues from the mortal landscape, the power of a strong changeling ruler can influence the area as well. Freeholds often have pockets of space within the Near Dreaming, and the Near Dreaming often reacts to the moods, needs, and experiences of the changeling community within the freehold by changing the landscape and structures around them. The influence of changelings on the
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Near Dreaming helps keep the locations more stable, but one should never mistake the Near Dreaming for the mortal world. It would be hard to do so, since the Near Dreaming is a place of heightened sense, color, and feeling. Smells are more vivid, while colors that once seemed mundane become richer and new. Emotions are also more powerful within the Near Dreaming, and pleasure, happiness, or excitement more intoxicating. Unfortunately, that also means that fear, rage, and sadness are equally as strong, and it’s as possible that a slight gesture can lead to an outbreak of violence as to bonds of new friendship. Kithain may enter the Near Dreaming through trods that connect one freehold to another along the Silver Path. These trods are often the easiest and safest to traverse, and only the paths furthest out in the Near Dreaming have begun to degrade and fail.
The Far Dreaming
Beyond the borders of the Near Dreaming, beyond the more reliable trods and the familiar landscapes, a traveler reaches the Far Dreaming. Here the Silver Path can become difficult to follow and even fade away altogether, leaving travelers lost in increasingly-unfamiliar territory. Travel in this area is dangerous because of the ever-shifting, unpredictable nature of the area. Only very powerful trods can go directly into this part of the Dreaming, and many let off in areas where they weren’t intended initially to go. The experience of traveling into the Far Dreaming is like falling off the map into the ocean where “Here Be Dragons” is written. The Far Dreaming is full of creatures that passed deeper into the Dreaming to escape the encroachment of the mortal world’s influence on the Near Dreaming. Creatures from Arcadia that escaped through the gates may have found themselves trapped once those gates swung shut, and now exist, lurking in the reaches of the Far Dreaming, waiting for travelers to happen by. These creatures and the chimera that make up the Far Dreaming are alien and unpredictable, and might as easily reward an intrepid explorer as enslave them or engage them in a battle for their lives. Many see the Far Dreaming as a challenge to be conquered, and lead expeditions into the space to discover what secrets it may hold. This can often backfire as explorers encounter dangerous obstacles or horrific creatures, or else lose their grip on their mortal side and tumble head over heels into Bedlam. None but the most powerful changelings and chimera can stay long in the Far Dreaming, but those who do make an indelible impact on the landscape around them. The land responds to the thoughts and deeds of the creatures that live there and adapts to their every whim. The shifting landscape is so unpredictable as to throw off any seasoned traveler. Yet, a changeling can rely upon his Arts to work in the Far Dreaming, and with even more ease and dramatic results than in the Near Dreaming. Travelers who attempt to use the Far Dreaming to go from place to place report that one can get to their destination in record time, provided they don’t get lost. Time during travel can completely warp on itself, extending trips in the Far Dreaming for years, only to return a traveler to the mortal world the same
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instant they left. For any who wish to travel further into the Dreaming, they must first seek out the Far Dreaming before taking the next step deeper into the unknown.
The Deep Dreaming
The lands of the Deep Dreaming are largely cut off from the mortal world. Only a few trods lead to this wholly unpredictable and constantly-shifting landscape. Travelers who have reached the Deep Dreaming report a realm untouched by the ravages of Banality, and therefore the Deep Dreaming maintains itself as a place of pure imagination and expression. Anything can happen in the Deep Dreaming. The space is influenced by the strong dreams of mortals and the expression of powerful mortal feelings and creativity. Dream logic rules in the Deep Dreaming, and travelers must set aside all preconceived notions of reality while within its borders. Additionally, changelings that travel to the Deep Dreaming may often find themselves confronted with whatever ideas, dreams, or fears they have brought with them, manifested in chimerical form. The most terrifying part of the Deep Dreaming is that while it may spawn chimerical creatures or transform its landscape when influenced by travelers or powerful dreamers, often those manifestations take on a mind of their own. The Deep Dreaming does not always reflect what the changeling consciously wants, but instead manifests their deepest desires and innermost thoughts for them to experience firsthand. This is the nature of the Deep Dreaming, where the essence of dreams can run wild away from the influence of Banality.
The Populations of the Dreaming
Changelings are not the only children of Glamour walking around the mortal world or in the Dreaming. The enchanted eyes of a changeling can spot remnants of the Dreaming’s children, denizens of times long ago and dreams long since dead, hiding throughout the mundane world. These wild creatures are the reflections of the stories and dreams of both mortals and changeling alike, manifested thanks to the power of Glamour. And, more so, they are capable of creating such creatures and items themselves by shaping the very fabric of the Dreaming with the power of their imaginations and will. The most common of those creatures are the chimera. Chimera are the creative thoughts and ideas of a changeling or enchanted being that take solid form, shaped into service in the mortal world. Some are deliberately created, but others are simply birthed from an errant, if not powerful, thought. Once given life and form, chimera often have minds and wills of their own, acting outside the control of their creators. While some are crafted as inanimate chimera, such as items to be worn or used, or even locations for a changeling to inhabit, animate chimera can run the gamut from friends and allies to twisted and dangerous monsters.
Inanimate Chimera
Inanimate chimera are objects created by a changeling, either in the mortal world or within the Dreaming. A changeling
may create clothing, jewelry, or weapons and armor to adorn herself, or else forge entire homes and freeholds within the Near Dreaming for her use. While some of these inanimate chimera exist purely in the Dreaming, many objects are tied to mundane reality by being fused with an object in the mortal world. A terrifying vorpal sword that sings as it cuts through the air might only appear as a humble walking stick. Changelings with the power and skill to craft such chimerical objects can make sure the object has a mundane counterpart so it might be used without attracting too much notice from mortals, thereby inspiring their disbelief and attracting the force of Banality down upon their heads. Since chimera are the magical output of the changeling’s imagination, the sky is really the limit for what can be designed. Faerie garb is usually an important part of a changeling’s chimerical creations. Changeling will create any raiment they need, in designs that often harken back to their memories of their past lives, or whatever glimpses they might have held onto from Arcadia. This clothing and jewelry is known as voile. A changeling may emerge from the Chrysalis wearing chimerical clothing, which can indicate a mark of who they were in a past life or their fae mien’s particular skills. Those that emerge wearing chimerical armor can rest assured they have spent at least a little time in their past lives fighting as a soldier or guardian of one cause or another. Changeling who do awaken in garb from their past may choose instead to update their voile, and some changeling fashions can become outré, or even futuristic. While chimerical clothing is apparent to other changelings, mortals do not see any of the voile. Instead, changelings advise their fledglings to continue to wear mundane clothing, as naked people attract a good deal of attention. Once a changeling has outfitted themselves with voile, they can reach out and create more objects for themselves. Entire homes, luxury items, and weapons can outfit a changeling with everything they need to be safe and comfortable in the chimerical world. Each changeling’s chimerical objects are as unique as their own dreams, their homes and hideaways tailor made to their imagination. For the sake of avoiding undue attention, many changelings will overlay chimerical objects onto mortal ones, so that their chimera have a corresponding material component in the mortal world. This keeps changelings from attracting the attention of mortals around them when trying to use their chimerical objects. A mortal who notices a changeling riding in a chimerical flying car will only see a person flying through the air unaided if the chimerical conveyance doesn’t have some kind of understandable and believable mortal component. Without that cover, the mortal will automatically disbelieve what they’re seeing as outside of what they know to be real and the backlash of Banality triggered by that disbelief could crash down and harm the changeling, if not wreck that amazing flying car. Inanimate chimera are created to be either short lived or long lasting, depending on the skill of the craftsperson and the amount of Glamour and work put into the creation. Most of these objects never have the possibility of establishing sentience,
but the longer lasting ones have a better chance to gain a mind of their own and escape into the Dreaming.
Animate Chimera
While inanimate chimera rarely achieve sentience, animate chimera are another story entirely. Animate chimera are creatures of imagination created to be playmates, friends, retainers, and confidants for a changeling. These chimera don’t take human form, but many are created to look humanoid, or at least familiar, to the changeling that created them. Unlike deliberately-crafted inanimate chimera, animate chimera almost always spring from the changeling’s unconscious mind. Fueled by the need for a counterpoint, a friend, or a guide, animate chimera are created and offer aid, comfort, or companionship to a changeling in need. Animal companions are popular, as are faerie steeds or mounts, bedecked with all the finery a questing fae can imagine. Other changelings create more complex creatures, ones that can speak or even fight. These constructs can be as simple as sparring partners or as complex as fully sentient and realized advisors to help a changeling sort out their thoughts. The more complex the chimera, however, and the more independent thought it has, the more chance that the creature can develop sentience and go rogue. The danger rogue chimera pose to both changelings and mortals is real. Though mortals cannot see chimera, chimera can interact with the mundane world to do things like open doors or steal things, as long as a mortal is not looking. Chimera live on Glamour just like changelings and can even appear in the mortal world around powerfully creative humans, just like a changeling when revealing her true nature. It’s for these reasons that rogue chimera, and especially monstrous chimera set loose on the world, can become so dangerous. The monster’s claws can rend away pieces of a fae’s mien and Undo a changeling if she isn’t careful. More dangerous than rogue animate monsters are the terrifying nervosa. Created by madness, nervosa appear like animals, weird creatures, or even humans, or can have no bodies at all. Like the madness that made them, these chimera are insane and utterly unpredictable. Nervosa come in an innumerable number of permutations, each one different then the last, and can develop from simple creatures into complex and intelligent dangers. Some of the most dangerous chimera are the noctnitsa, born from the nightmares of changelings. They purposefully take the form of the changeling’s worst phobias and, though they are mostly mindless, the noctnitsa’s intent is to torment and destroy its creator and others it comes across. Other monsters take on more common forms, like fantastical creatures such as dragons, that break loose of their creator’s controls to wreak havoc. Some of these creatures escaped ages ago and fled into the Dreaming to become ancient and truly terrifying spirits that torment, hunt, and can even destroy changelings. A chimerical monster’s claws and teeth can rip into a fae’s mien as badly as any weapon and can Undo a changeling just as quickly.
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Rare Children
of the
Dreaming
The chimerical world of the Dreaming can also harbor strange and unusual creatures, as well as supernatural beings that can see and interact with changelings and chimerical beings. Those creatures include Bygones, powerful monsters and fantastical beasts that have escaped into the Dreaming to become powerful and wild away from the crushing hands of the Banal world. These creatures may once have been chimera, or else were something else entirely. Regardless, they represent creatures from a time long ago when monsters strode the earth, their very presence striking fear into the hearts of humans and fae alike. Many questing motleys leave freeholds to tackle the threat of a chimerical monster such as a dragon, only to find they are facing a Bygone dragon hundreds of years old instead of some child’s imaginary playmate gone wrong. While many changelings give the other supernatural beings of the World of Darkness, known to changelings as Prodigals, a wide berth, outliers from groups like House Beaumayn and House Scathach are known to interact with them. Changelings must remain wary, however, as their very Glamour-fueled essence, as well as their bodies and blood, are rare treats for the more predatory Prodigals out there. One legendary group often sought in the Dreaming is the Síocháin, comprising changelings who have managed to achieve balance between Glamour and Banality, and have therefore achieved immortality. Though long since considered a myth, the impending fear of a rapidly-dwindling supply of Glamour and a colder, more Banal world has sent people seeking the Síocháin’s aid. Nobles have sponsored great searches, to no avail. The Síocháin have remained elusive, enigmatic, and solitary, unwilling to share their secrets no matter the reasoning or the cost. Still, their presence is a comforting reminder that perhaps changelings can transcend their mortality even when locked into the bond with their mortal forms. Additionally, rare kiths of changeling from opposite sides of the world may find themselves drawn together within the Dreaming, for reasons that only the Dreaming itself could answer. The more populous kiths can find themselves alongside fae they may not have known existed, such as the alien merfolk or the Hsien of the East. These Gallain can have much to teach a curious changeling, but they bring with them cultures and traditions that are unfamiliar, but ought to still be respected. And in the shadows stalk the Thallain, twisted nightmare versions of Kithain. These terrifying dark versions of trolls, sidhe, and more are as much equal children of the Dreaming as the Kithain themselves, and stand as a harsh reminder of the dangerous dance to stay ahead of their dark side.
Dangers In A Darkening World
The natural forces of a quickly-darkening world are not the only challenges a changeling faces. Though changelings must struggle to find and nurture the creative spark in the world, the chill of Banality pales in comparison to the dangers of changeling society or enemies in the Dreaming.
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First is the natural infighting that turns changeling against changeling. The ongoing conflict between the nobility and commoners takes its toll, and many changelings are Undone — or even destroyed — with horrific cold iron, just like in the ancient wars of the courts. With so many leaders locked away from their people, unaware of how bad things have gotten in Concordia, commoners mutter about the Accordance War and the lives they lost as perhaps a better alternative than slowly freezing to death under the weight of the Endless Night. As changelings struggle to find an accord among themselves, enemies from within are joined by horrors from without. Wild chimera can wreak disasters upon unsuspecting changeling. Prodigals encroach on changeling territory, and even hunt Kithain for their power or their blood. Even more sinister are the Dauntain, Kithain who embrace Banality and dedicate their lives to stamping out the fae wherever they are. They join the Thallain, as well as dark kin called Adhene and even mortal authorities who are aware of supernatural beings, as forces that can destroy a changeling, or even an entire freehold.
The Courts
Duality is core to the Kithain experience — Earth and the Dreaming, Glamour and Banality, dreams and nightmares. Duality is at the heart of their philosophy both on an individual and societal level. The twin pillars of Seelie and Unseelie support and influence the actions of all changelings regardless of kith or station. The tension between the two is the tension between light and shadow, summer and winter, and hierarchy and individuality. These twin ideologies, and by extension all Kithain, are caught in a neverending struggle for dominance. The concepts of Seelie and Unseelie have their own dichotomy in changeling society. Every Kithain has both a Seelie and an Unseelie Legacy within her. These Legacies are archetypes that serve as the core of her personality. One is dominant, while the other subconsciously influences her. The Seelie and Unseelie Courts are external political philosophies. Each court has a code — its statement of beliefs. While all changelings are drawn to a court thanks to their Legacies, a court’s code is not innate. Every changeling has her own personal interpretation of her court’s code. Rarely does a changeling claim membership in a court that doesn’t match her Legacy, but cases exist of a changeling following an Unseelie Legacy while attempting to uphold the Seelie Code, and vice versa.
Through
the
Ages
The courts have been established for longer than the Kithain have records. Even in their most ancient legends of the Mythic Age, the courts play a prominent role. Scholars of faerie history debate how the courts were originally founded. Some believe the codes of the two courts were handed down by the Tuatha de Danaan themselves. Others claim a great gathering of fae convened to determine stewardship of the Dreaming shortly after the Tuatha departed the world. Driven by their Legacies, two irreconcilable views emerged. Eventually, these
incompatible differences became formalized into the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. They held nothing but hatred and contempt for one another. The Seelie Court accused the Unseelie of lawlessness and treachery while the Unseelie Court charged that the Seelie were despotic tyrants. Neither court had enough power to gain advantage over the other, so stalemate reigned. Unimaginably powerful oaths were crafted to end the impasse and force the two sides to share power. For countless centuries, the courts existed in a state of balance. The Seelie Court was given rulership over the spring and summer months, beginning with Beltane. From Samhain on, the Unseelie Court held dominion over the autumn and winter months. This exchange ensured the turning of the seasons and infused the world with aspects of both courts in equal measure. The Seelie Court brought germination, warmth, and new growth. The Unseelie Court provided harvest, frost, and decay. Through their combined efforts, humanity thrived, providing both courts with ample Glamour. Banality’s first toehold in the world brought with it the Sundering. The fae could feel their power weakening as Glamour began to wane. The two courts fundamentally disagreed on how to address the problem. The Seelie Court felt the solution was to continue what worked for ages. They thought the fae simply lost their focus and needed to redouble their efforts. The Unseelie Court believed the Kithain needed to confront Banality head on, and fight it wherever it may lie. The annual exchange of power prevented either court from fully enacting its solution. Glamour continued growing more scarce, with neither court able to act to staunch its withdrawal. Eventually the situation grew to be intolerable, and the High King refused to step down. The identity of the court that actually broke the oath is lost to the mists of time. Whichever it was, instead of stepping down, he ordered his court’s plan into action. Whether on the order of their High King or as an act of rebellion against a Seelie Court that overstepped its bounds, no one knows — but the Unseelie Court declared war on all Banality.
War
of the
Courts
The Unseelie were relentless in their purge. They destroyed entire villages to eliminate a single Autumn Person. It was justified, they claimed. Banality was like a gangrenous limb. The only way to stop its spread was to cut it off. Instead of ripping out Banality at its roots, the only thing the Unseelie Court accomplished was wantonly murdering Dreamers and driving the survivors to hopeless despair. To stop the mindless destruction of Glamour, the Seelie Court declared war on the Unseelie. Chaos reigned. The ensuing war was unlike any seen on Earth since the War of Trees. Great beasts — terrible wyrms and horrors slumbering just beneath the skin of the world, dormant since the time of legends — were summoned. Battles raged across the entirety of the Kithain’s known world. As weakened as the fae of the Sundering perceived themselves, they wielded the power of gods when compared to changelings of today. As the conflict raged, the cycle of life grew ever more out of balance. Winter lasted nearly whole years, and floods drowned crops in their fields. The twin terrors of famine and freezing left noth-
War
of
Seasons
Dismissed as conspiracy theorists by most of changeling society, a handful of historians claim to have uncovered a shocking revelation — the Seelie and Unseelie Courts are not the ancient institutions the Kithain believe them to be. Through a combination of piecing together fragmented sources and new translations, they concluded that four courts predate the Seelie and Unseelie Courts: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. These scholars say there was never any sharing of power between the original four courts. Instead, tensions only grew until a massive War of Seasons broke out. Casualties in this war were so heavy, there weren’t enough Kithain left to support four courts by the time fighting ceased. The survivors consolidated themselves into the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. According to proponents of the four courts theory, the founders of the two courts spread propaganda that they shared power in antiquity as an attempt to ensure nothing like the War of Seasons ever happens again.
ing but death and suffering in their wake. Today, those early years of the 14th century are known to mortals as the Little Ice Age. The Kithain’s story might have ended with their own eradication in the War of the Courts, but the Shattering put a premature end to their fighting.
Truce
As the Shattering severed the connections between Earth and the Dreaming, the courts’ leadership fled to Arcadia, desperate to escape the rising tide of Banality. Each court blamed the other for the Shattering, and the War of the Courts continued even without their former leaders. With Glamour dying all around them, however, it was only a matter of time before the remaining fae had neither the strength nor the resources to continue their war. They signed a temporary cessation of hostilities, known as the Compact, and the two courts pooled their dwindling resources in the interest of mutual survival. Only by working together did the fae discover a method to adapt the old practice of the Changeling Way in a manner to survive the toxic environment of Banality during the Interregnum. Despite being designed to last only “for the duration,” the Compact remained in effect for centuries. The Resurgence brought Glamour and the nobility back to Earth. It also threatened to bring a return to the War of the Courts. The sidhe of both courts were all too happy to pick up the old animosities and accusations right where they left off. The commoners, however, grew accustomed to working together in the intervening centuries. Many changelings left behind during the Interregnum even counted members of the opposite court among their closest friends. When the sidhe
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attempted to reassert their rule, the commoners of both courts banded together in resistance. The Accordance War was as much an effort to prevent a return to the War of the Courts as it was a movement for commoner independence. When High King David negotiated an end to the Accordance War, he recognized the strength the commoners gained by working together despite their court differences. He made sure the Compact remained in effect for all changelings, even those newly returned from Arcadia. While by far a better solution than open warfare, the Compact does not bring true equality to the courts. Jealousy still lurks just beneath the surface in some quarters. Currently, the Seelie Court holds more territory throughout the world. Even the High King of Concordia, in place since the Resurgence, is himself a member of Seelie Court. The Unseelie Court, and a few members of the Seelie Court, say the current situation is unsustainable. They point to global warming and the rise in extreme weather — droughts, wild fires, unprecedented numbers of hurricanes — as evidence that the world is growing increasingly out of balance. Changelings in power dismiss these claims as baseless fearmongering. After all, they say, the current environmental disasters were caused by human actions that began well before the Resurgence. Besides, the Seelie Court insists, Banality is too entrenched, and the Kithain’s situation is too precarious, to risk the chaos that might follow radical changes in leadership right now.
Attitudes
and
Society
The barriers between the courts are lower today than at any other time in the history of the Kithain. Members of one court may travel freely through the territory of another court while freeholds are open to shelter all changelings regardless of their court. The preservation of the Dreaming and the cultivation of Glamour are the highest priorities for both courts. History has taught them through many a hard-earned lesson that they are able to accomplish these tasks much more effectively when they work together than when they’re at each other’s throats. Households, motleys, and oathcircles almost universally have at least one member from an opposing court. Just as all Kithain have a secondary Legacy that influences them, nearly all changelings have adopted a concept or behavior from an opposing court after so many years of interaction. An individual’s court marks her in a myriad of ways as she follows her chosen code. Her code guides her in all aspects of her life from her approach to problem solving, to her methods of cultivating Glamour, to even how she interacts with her friends and loved ones. While it’s unusual for changelings to physically mark themselves as a member of one court or the other, a changeling’s court affiliation is rarely a secret. So thoroughly is her identity wrapped up in her court’s values that changelings can usually determine one another’s court by appearance alone. The way she carries herself, her word choice, and certainly her reaction to opposition are clear markers of her court to other Kithain. Despite working together so closely since the Interregnum, millennia of prejudice and hostility is difficult to overcome — especially for the sidhe who have only
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recently returned. The first reaction between two changelings of opposite courts meeting for the first time is almost always distrust. They can overcome this feeling with time, but it does take getting to know each other before they become truly comfortable with one another.
Court Membership
Before the fae underwent the Changeling Way, court was determined entirely by Legacy. Thanks to the influence of his adopted humanity, a changeling may attempt to follow the code of a court opposite of his Legacy. This is an extremely difficult path for a changeling to walk, and individuals who choose this route are exceedingly rare. The Seelie and Unseelie codes were established in the service of the Seelie and Unseelie Legacies. They are codes of conduct that all members of a court can agree on. For a changeling attempting to follow the code of an opposing court, it often feels like a struggle against the core of his very being. He must be constantly aware of even the smallest of his actions, otherwise habit will invariably cause him to violate a tenet of his chosen code. Somewhat more common are changelings sworn to a noble house aligned to a court opposite the individual’s Legacy. Every house is dedicated to the cause of the Seelie or Unseelie Court. To swear membership to a house is to swear to uphold the house’s goals. In this case, the changeling usually follows the code of the court aligned with his Legacy, but he acts on the code in such a way as to further the interests of his house. The different houses have different degrees to which they tolerate a member out of step with the house’s court. House Daanan welcomes Seelie changelings in its ranks. However, House Gwydion has very little patience for any member who would claim to be Unseelie. Switching courts is never undertaken lightly. It almost always means the changeling is also switching his Legacies and, in doing so, changing his identity on a deep and fundamental level. Changing Legacies is always caused by a great transformation in a changeling’s life, generally due to a major trauma or his worldview being shattered. If the changeling is only switching courts and not Legacies, it’s because his former court is no longer able to support his new revelation. In either case, the changeling finds his place in Kithain society completely transformed. He will probably find that those closest to him view him differently even if they remain friends. Because it is such a profound change, an individual who switches courts usually tries to tie the change to a symbolic time of the year, such as during the Beltane or Samhain festivities. This tends to ease the transition for the changeling and those who know him.
The Seelie Court
The Seelie Court is the embodiment of the unrelenting heat of summer combined with the rejuvenating growth of spring. The court exemplifies light, new life, and order. It sees itself as the protector of Kithain society and the guardian of Glamour. Above all, the Seelie Court values community the most.
Community is the bedrock of the Seelie Court. Its code grows out the Seelie need for harmony and the rule of law. Without a solid foundation, society would crumble to anarchy. The Seelie Court, with its emphasis on tradition and love, provides that foundation. Upon it, they plan to build a grand edifice to raise the Kithain and the Dreaming back to their former glory. A typical Seelie changeling would be fine with history never knowing her name, as long as she knows she contributed to something grander than herself. That’s not to say a Seelie changeling doesn’t have personal desires; she’s just willing to make sacrifices for the greater good. Tradition is the framework upon which Seelie society rests. The pageantry and rituals serve as thread that runs through the ages, tying the generations together. They form the basis of fond memories for a changeling of experiences shared with her parents that she can’t wait to share with her children. Tales of legends and glorious deeds show a member of the Seelie Court her place in the grand tapestry of Kithain history. Their customs and lore serve as the glue that binds each individual to one another. If tradition is the structure, stewardship is the spirit of Seelie society. Lord and vassal work together to foster and protect the community they so lovingly built together. Her subjects tend to the balefires, build necessary infrastructure, and man the defenses, while the leader herself organizes everyone to best leverage their abilities for the community and ensure they blossom into their full potential. A Seelie changeling’s highest calling, though, is stewardship over Glamour. As long as Glamour exists, Kithain society will endure. She’ll work tirelessly to find and cultivate any potential Dreamers, planting the seeds that will grow into a wellspring of Glamour. When Glamour is threatened, she erupts with all the fiery intensity of summer, willing to fight until her last breath in defense of any freehold or Dreamer. While Seelie changelings admire their Unseelie brethren’s passion, the Seelie feel they can be dangerously reckless. Often, the Unseelie seem unstable or untrustworthy — too willing to throw away society’s structures without enough consideration for why they were established in the first place. At their worst, the Unseelie are seen as deadly anarchists, eager to tear asunder every scrap of Glamour for some selfish, wasteful flight of fancy.
The Seelie Code
The Seelie Code is the philosophy that underlies the Seelie Court. It is more than a simple adage. It directs the thoughts and actions of all Seelie changelings. The four tenets of the Seelie Code are “death before dishonor,” “love conquers all,” “beauty is life,” and “never forget a debt.”
Death
before dishonor. Everyone, from the lofty noble on his throne to the lowly chambermaid, has their duties in a well-organized society. Without everyone working together, doing what’s expected of them, society would not be able to support itself. Honor represents a changeling’s standing in his community based on his ability to fulfill his expected role. If he fails or shirks his duty, he doesn’t just disappoint herself — he disappoints everyone who relies on him. To be dishonored is to call his value to society into question. Without purpose, what is the point of life for a Seelie changeling? He would rather die, upholding the health and safety of those around him, than live with the destruction of his community because he was too weak or cowardly to stop it.
Love
conquers all. Love is considered the greatest virtue among the Seelie. Love underlies every aspect of a changeling’s life — love of lord, love of subordinates, love of household, love of family. It is the bond that holds a community together. It provides strength when a changeling is at her weakest and comfort when she’s at her lowest. While all Seelie changelings participate in courtly love, true love is the most sacred form of love to the court, and all within aspire to it. True love embodies the core of their philosophy: two incomplete individuals joining together into one unified whole. When the Kithain act as one through love, no force on Earth or in the Dreaming can stop them from achieving their goal.
Beauty is life. The Seelie Court sees beauty everywhere, permeating every facet of existence. On the surface level, beauty is an aesthetic. It manifests when an individual is true to himself and his being. A pooka taking pride his animalistic features and a sluagh embracing the darkness each have their own grace. Even a lifetime of tragedy and loss has its own poignancy. The act of creation holds an inherent beauty. Each new work of art, new performance, and new thought is a unique manifestation of creativity undreamed of in the world before. Its fleetingness and fragility is the basis for all Glamour. Underlying everything is the beauty of transcendence. The whole of the world, Earth and the Dreaming, is but a flawed reflection of Arcadia’s perfection. Beauty must be preserved because it is the basis for all life. Never
forget a debt. Society cannot operate effectively without an inherent fairness. In order to keep their interactions fair, Seelie changelings give back in equal measure to anything they use. A favor is always paid back with a reciprocating favor. An object or service given is returned with something of equal value. Any-
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one who goes the extra mile for a changeling is owed just that much more in return. Loyalty deserves fidelity, and acrimony deserves hatred. Likewise, Seelie changelings have an expectation of justice. If something is stolen from someone or she is harmed, she expects redress through the Kithain legal system. Barring that, the Seelie Court will make no official moves to stop her in a quest for vengeance, as long as she seeks to merely balance the scales and nothing more. The greatest debt a Seelie changeling feels is to the community that fostered her and gave her the opportunity to come into her own.
The Unseelie Court
The Unseelie Court is the embodiment of the icy chill of winter combined with the bountiful harvest of autumn. The court exemplifies night, culmination, and chaos. It sees itself as the liberator of individuals and the eternal enemy of Banality. Above all, the Unseelie Court values independence the most. Individuality is the core of Unseelie philosophy. Each tenet of the Unseelie code was born out of a desire for freedom and the need to be true to oneself. Identity does not originate in obligations or society’s dictates. The self comes from within. It is the basis of being, granting the ability to reason, to question, to strive for improvement. To know oneself is to make life worth living. Identity requires freedom — the freedom to buck trends, to say no, and to try new things. Society tries to drown out the individual by forcing upon him what to do and whom to hate, but an Unseelie changeling rejects those notions. No one can tell an Unseelie what to feel or what to think. He forges his own path instead. He isn’t constrained by prejudice. He doesn’t mindlessly repeat some pointless ritual just because a grand high muckety-muck did it a couple of centuries ago. Instead of just going with the flow, an Unseelie changeling determines for himself what he believes and what is important. He opens up new perspectives and new avenues of creativity. While his Seelie brothers and sisters bury their identity in a vain effort to fit in, an Unseelie changeling explores all possibilities to find out exactly who he is. With his identity firmly in place, an Unseelie refuses to compromise himself or his principles. No matter who or what tells him to disregard his conscience, he won’t violate his core being. What’s the point of existing if he doesn’t exist as himself? Most Unseelie changelings would rather die than conform to anything that erases their sense of self. An Unseelie’s greatest threat, however, is Banality. Not only does it destroy any Glamour it comes in contact with, not only does it kill any creature of Dream it touches — it is the antithesis of all Unseelie philosophy. Banality forces a changeling to give up
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and follow the path of least resistance. It calcifies thoughts, dulls emotions, and cancels out all traces of individuality. An Unseelie changeling confronts any Banality he finds. Not content to merely stop its spread, he pushes back to reclaim that which was lost to mediocrity. He fights until his last breath to eliminate any Banality that dares threaten him. Unseelie changelings find their Seelie brothers’ willingness to cooperate and work together inspirational. However, they often take it far past the point of comfort for an Unseelie. He sees the Seelie as putting everyone in neat little boxes, forcing them to suppress their sense of self. The Seelie can seem overbearing, forcing their views on everyone else. The worst of the Seelie rule as tyrants, forcing their subjects to endlessly toil while the rulers themselves live in opulence, all the while letting Banality strengthen its grip on the world.
The Unseelie Code
The Unseelie Code encompasses the heart of the Unseelie. It is the rallying cry they gather around and the creed they all hold sacred. The four tenets of the Unseelie Code are “change is good,” “glamour is free,” “honor is a lie,” and “passion before duty.”
Change
is good. The only things that remain eternally unchanged are those that are dead. The Unseelie are too busy living to even think about dying. Change is the essence of Glamour. What is creativity if not change — new ideas, new perspectives, new emotions? Without change, the Kithain and even the Dreaming couldn’t exist. The Unseelie Court celebrates change in all forms. Some changes may be difficult, sad, or painful, but even those bring vitality to creatures of Dream and must be embraced. The alternative is nothing but stasis. Even at its most benign, stagnation leaves people woefully unprepared when everything they know eventually gets upended. The vast majority of the time, though, a rejection of change is nothing more than an invitation for Banality.
Glamour
is free. Just as plants require sunlight, fish must have water, and animals need food to eat — so too do changelings need Glamour to survive. Access to water is considered a basic human right. Shouldn’t access to Glamour be considered a basic right for all Kithain? Hoarding Glamour does no one any good. Glamour is vital in the fight against Banality. Squirreling it away, hiding it from those who need it the most, only enables Banality to spread throughout the world. The most it accomplishes is condemning countless other, less privileged changelings to be Undone. By their birthright as children of the Dreaming, the Unseelie consider it their duty to liberate Glamour from those
who squander it by keeping it under lock and key and to make sure it is put to more productive use.
Honor
is a lie. Honor is a cage that traps the Seelie. An Unseelie might have a personal code or her own standards of behavior, but she will not tolerate any system that serves no purpose other than to enforce the status quo. She does what she feels is right without the need for society or a lord’s approval. Once outside rewards are involved, whether tangible or simply accolades, the concept of honor twists people, making them do monstrous things. It has no room for nuance or subtlety. It makes no distinction based on circumstance. Honor forces people to commit suicide over a single error with no regard for a lifetime of achievement. It drives parents to murder their children over events beyond anyone’s control. When a person needs compassion and understanding most, all she receives is heartless rejection. Honor is nothing more than an ugly little lie told by tyrants designed to keep their slaves docile and obedient.
Passion
before duty. The Kithain are more than simple cogs in a machine. They are individuals with agency. They have their own desires, their own hopes and aspirations. They need the ability to pursue that
which makes them unique. No one can follow his dream when an overlord is standing above him, micromanaging his life. Sure, important things need to get done. Everyone has responsibilities, but if given the freedom to be themselves, people will find ways to do the necessary things in their own way that doesn’t prevent them from doing the things that make life worth living. Beyond that, emergencies happen. Sometimes a changeling must drop everything to take advantage of a once in a lifetime opportunity or help someone he loves. As a creature of Dream, his passion should be celebrated, not punished.
The Shadow Court
The Shadow Court is not a true Court in the sense of the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. It was founded during the Interregnum by disgruntled members of the Unseelie Court as a way to mock the Seelie Court’s refusal to cede rulership during the winter and autumn months. Each year during Samhain, the Shadow Court assembled to rule for one night of revelry. It bestowed honorary titles on everyone who attended the celebration. Pranks were played, sometimes in jest and at other times scathing, at the expense of those in power. Tournaments were held, and feasts were provided. A merry time was had by all while allowing the disenfranchised a chance to air grievances and have an outlet for their frustrations.
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The Shadow Court’s tradition of Samhain revelry — and mockery — continued even past the Resurgence. Since the Evanescence, however, the Shadow Court has taken on a new purpose. As Glamour withdrew from the world and freeholds collapsed, the leadership of both courts did nothing. Changelings without the luxury of a freehold or access to reliable Dreamers couldn’t scrape together enough Glamour to keep from being Undone, and still those with the most resources offered no relief. When changelings, facing the icy winds of Banality with no protection, demanded answers from their superiors, they were met with only silence. Commoners and landless nobles banded together under the banner of the Shadow Court to make their voices heard. Rank and file members don’t know if the inaction from the highest-ranking Kithain is due to malice or if — insulated in their freeholds with a limitless supply of Glamour — they’re completely out of touch with the hardships faced by the average changeling. Frankly, those who count themselves among the Shadow Court don’t care. Their only goal is to force a response from those capable of alleviating some of the suffering. They take inspiration for their tactics from, and inspire in turn, the protests of similar groups in human society — the Occupy movement, the Arab Spring, and Black Lives Matter to name a few. Whenever the Shadow Court discovers a high-ranking noble will make a public appearance, they gather in numbers impossible to ignore to disrupt the proceedings. The aim is to show the elites of Kithain society that they exist and that they will not submit to their circumstances quietly. The Shadow Court’s famous Samhain celebrations continue every year. They have taken on a Mardi-Gras-like quality. All who attend come costumed as someone of importance. This allows the assembled changelings one night of the year when they can indulge in their fantasies and forget their troubles, if only briefly. Shadow Court organizers use the night to plan their strategy for the coming year, and to check on everyone in their
The Black Court
The rumors about the Shadow Court are not far from the truth. While it wasn’t founded by the Thallain, it was soon taken over by them. The Thallain were invited to join by the Shadow Court’s Unseelie founders who thought the Thallain were so few and so mindless they would make useful, if crude, tools. The Thallain, while rare at the time, were not as stupid as the court’s founders thought. They quickly recognized the Shadow Court’s potential to destabilize the Kithain. They usurped the original founders but made sure to keep their existence hidden from the rest of the Shadow Court. They adopted the name of the Black Court in honor of their absent Fomorian masters. Today they direct Thallain activity across the world while fracturing Kithain society from their place atop the Shadow Court.
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community so they can make sure whatever little aid they receive gets to those who need it most. Rumors are whispered by some who refuse to join the Shadow Court that other, more sinister proceedings happen each Samhain. They say the true masters of darkness come out that night, shrouded by the safety of the mists, to direct the Shadow Court to its original purpose — the downfall of Kithain society. The leaders of the Shadow Court dismiss these allegations as obvious propaganda from the leaders of the Seelie and Unseelie Courts, who are terrified they might be forced to relinquish a small portion of their amassed Glamour.
Changeling Society
Changeling society worldwide has certain similarities, mostly having to do with commonalities of Kith and culture. What follows presents a picture of many changeling political groupings. Though not comprehensive, this summary should present material for players and Storytellers alike. Newly-awakened changelings not only discover they have taken on new individual identities, but also that they belong to a society made up of several types of fae. Changeling society operates under its own structures, laws, and customs. Each new changeling must quickly incorporate and understand these aspects if she plans to coexist with her Kithain fellows. Left to themselves, new fae almost invariably fall to Banality. A loner just can’t stand up to the constant barrage of denial that surrounds him in the mundane world. Basic groups of the changeling world are the noble households (different from the noble houses) and commoner motleys. Households and motleys both seek out new changelings to incorporate into their group, as each represents a new part of the Dreaming. Members of both groups usually swear an oath (p. 264) to the household or motley, promising loyalty and assistance, if not outright friendship. Usually centered around a freehold, both households and motleys obtain their powers and influence from these pockets of the Dreaming that shelter changelings from the Banality of the mundane world around them. Providing protection for a freehold is often the primary duty of each changeling group.
Households
A household encompasses a group of changelings who all live together in a freehold and serve the noble lord there as vassals or retainers. Households exist under the feudal system imposed by the Resurgent sidhe. They align themselves with the noble hierarchy and are the backbone of the Kingdom of Concordia and its subject kingdoms. Each household displays the coat of arms of its lord or lady, who must hold at least the rank of knight. Most such rulers are of baron or greater rank. Those within a household take pride in their holding, finding opportunities to enhance their successes and elevate their reputations. These reflect well on each member of the household just as great deeds reflect glory on the house as a whole. Most households have rivals and try to outdo them at everything from reputation to confrontations on the battlefield, or at jousting tourneys, in courtly romance, or hosting fine parties.
Liege & Vassal Sources
This section incorporates information from earlier editions of Changeling: The Dreaming and its sourcebooks, including The Book of Lost Houses: The Second Coming, Fools Luck: The Way of the Commoner, Immortal Eyes: Court of All Kings, Immortal Eyes: Shadows on the Hill, Immortal Eyes: The Toybox, Isle of the Mighty, Kingdom of Willows, Noblesse Oblige: Book of Houses, Pour Amour et Liberte: Book of Houses 2, and War in Concordia. Some of the material is new to this edition. While there exists room for customization in which to fit your Changeling story, you can find many stories already waiting to unfold in the material that follows as well as in the books listed above.
While sidhe rule most households, a few are overseen by ennobled commoners. These are usually just as loyal — if not more so — to the social structures that elevated them as any sidhe-run house.
Motleys
Groups of commoners form motleys rather than households. Many commoner motleys live outside the feudal paradigm, and some actively oppose the nobles’ rule. Offering an alternative to a ruling lord who controls everything about his household, motleys often have an elected leader or switch off so all have a say so in what they do. First formed in the Interregnum after the sidhe vanished, commoners formed groups for protection. To fit in as part of the mundane world they became traveling circuses, freak shows, or other transient groups. This helped to solidify their independence. When some traveled to the New World, their presence helped spark dreams of rebellion from European control. Most motleys do establish themselves in freeholds where they work to maintain and protect them from enemies and greedy sidhe alike. Motley freeholds are called mews. Some retain some of their nomadic beginnings by taking up residence for a while, then moving on to another – usually by being forcibly evicted. Relationships vary between motleys and their local nobility. Nobles often consider motleys little more than rowdy gangs and thieves. Some nobles may try to gain control of the motleys in their areas and use them as catspaws or pawns. Few motleys have any real political power or standing among the noble courts. Still, they stand as the commoners and serve to act as a check on noble power. Further, they provide visible proof, simply by existing, that the commoners do not need nobles to thrive and prosper. For this, some conservatives feel motleys are dangerous; perhaps they are, as their influence among commoners grows daily.
The Seelie Court (and even much of the Unseelie) follows a medieval or feudal state akin to 14th century Europe, the idea of a hierarchy that determines every changeling’s place in the community. Those of higher rank are respected by those of lower rank and are also expected to meet their obligations to the less fortunate. Within the feudal structure, almost every noble owes fealty to a more highly-placed noble. The higher noble is called a liege, the lower one a vassal to that liege. Commoners fall outside this strict hierarchy, and real traditionalists regard them as peasants. In those cases, the nobles consider all commoners to be their subjects. Many nobles see their main business to be that of gaining — or retaining — power. Others take the bonds between liege and vassal to be the most important duty they fulfill. They see the sacred oaths between liege and vassals as the outward manifestation of the continuity and stability that allows changelings to harvest and protect the Glamour that is the lifeblood of all fae. Alliances may shift between the nobles and circumstances may change, but all try to expand their holdings and rise higher up the social ladder. Vassals are expected to work on behalf of their liege. In return, a noble liege has duties she owes her vas-
Modern Feudalism
It might seem strange, to a modern reader, that changelings — most of whom were raised human and have the full context of the Autumn world behind them before the Chrysalis — might accept a notion as backwards and outdated as feudalism once they discover their true, Glamourous nature. In truth, changelings rarely have a problem understanding it (accepting is another matter), and the reason is that many of them live with something akin to it already. In the United States alone, wages haven’t meaningfully increased in decades. Some fae scholars trace this trend of the ultra-wealthy consolidating their fortunes to the influence of the returned sidhe. They claim that the dreams of the nation were slowly moving towards true equality when the “nobles” returned, but with that extra burst of noblesse oblige that the Shining Host bestowed, the nation is seeing a new feudalism emerge, in which the masses are bound in servitude not by martial force, but by debt, lack of employment options, and cultural norms. Commoner fae wonder what exactly would have to happen for the pendulum to swing back towards equality, now that their “masters” are actively holding it back. They notice, though, that many mundane people wonder much the same thing as they look to the politicians who grow rich making laws to benefit those even richer. Something has to give.
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sals: protection and sanctuary against outside threats. Whatever their house, court, or personal proclivities, almost all changelings abide by the set of basic fae laws known as the Escheat.
The Escheat
The traditions called the Escheat are the basic laws of Kithain society. They were recorded after the Sundering as a means of preserving and protecting fae, helping them survive the changes all around them. They have been passed down and enforced by the nobility. Both the Seelie and Unseelie Courts respect the tenets that comprise the Escheat, though each court tends to have variations on their interpretation of each principle. While Seelie tend to follow the letter of the law, the Unseelie most often find loopholes to slip through. Unlike oaths, the Escheat is not enforced by Glamour, but by tradition and custom. Occasionally, however, the Dreaming subtly steps in and works to enforce its rules, or weaves consequences for those who break its tenets too egregiously. The six basic rights of the Escheat are: ¶¶ The Right of Demesne — A lord is the king of his domain; he is judge and jury over all crimes, rendering judgment for all under his purview. A noble expects obedience from his vassals and respect from all others. In return, the noble respects those superior to him. Reality: Whether they like it or not, the nobility has had to concede that modern ideas of democracy and popular rule are realities now. Still, most nobles rule through force, cunning, personal magnetism, and custom. ¶¶ The Right to Dream — Mortals have a right to dream unhindered by fae needs. The Dreaming will die if we steal directly from the font. No one is allowed to use Glamour to manipulate the creative process. We may inspire creativity, but it is forbidden to give direct instructions or infuse a human with raw Glamour. Reality: Most changelings see this as a prohibition against Ravaging. Many, particularly Unseelie, ignore this and seek a quick fix or a way to more power. Since this tends to permanently drain the mortal of Glamour, convicted Ravagers suffer harsh penalties. Rhapsody (p. 263) is much more clearly a violation of this tenet… but it happens. ¶¶ The Right of Ignorance — Changelings are forbidden to betray the Dreaming to Banality. They must never reveal their true natures to humanity. Not only will humankind hunt fae down for our power and wisdom, it will overwhelm us and try to destroy our places of power. The more humanity knows, the more they will seek us, draining our souls of Glamour and trapping us in a petrifying morass of Banality. Reality: Most changelings, whether Seelie or Unseelie, obey this as it provides protection against Banality. Glamour is difficult to find, and expending it on mortals so they can witness the Dreaming is wasteful. That said, bringing mortals into freeholds as retainers or lovers, but disenchanting them to erase knowledge of fae existence when they are sent home, is a long and glorious tradition.
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¶¶ The Right of Rescue — All Kithain have the right to be rescued from Banality. All changelings are in danger from this threat and none can be left behind. All Kithain are required to rescue other faeries or creatures of the Dreaming trapped by those who serve Banality. Reality: Most changelings adhere to this as they might need rescuing themselves one day. Seelie and Unseelie forget their differences and extend aid to any Kithain when one is in the hands of the Autumn People or another agent of Banality. While many fae try to rescue griffins or unicorns and other powerful creatures of the Dreaming, most don’t risk themselves for minor chimera. ¶¶ The Right of Safe Haven — All places of the Dreaming are sacred. Changelings cannot allow those places to be endangered. All who seek refuge in those places must be admitted, Freeholds must be kept free of worldly violence and Banality. Reality: Competition for the few freeholds to survive the Shattering make this law difficult to administer. Rival claims for the same area may lead to warfare, though combat on the actual grounds is usually restricted to chimeric combat. Some lords also bar their freeholds to outsiders, fearing they will drain the Glamour of the location needed to keep a supply for its residents. Despite the traditions of hospitality and courtesy, many nobles find that the demands are too heavy on them. Commoner freeholds are more likely to admit those seeking refuge. ¶¶ The Right of Life — No Kithain may spill the lifeblood of another Kithain. No Kithain has the right to take one of its own from the Dreaming. Death is anathema. Reality: This law is almost universally upheld. The Dreaming itself enforces it by inflicting Banality on any changeling that takes another changeling’s life. When two changelings battle or duel, they usually wield chimerical weapons which don’t deal “real” wounds. If the loser is “killed,” he doesn’t really die. He simply slips away from the Dreaming until reawakened by an infusion of Glamour. Some battles are fought to first blood. Anything more than this requires the permission of a king or queen since the death of any Kithain is a wound on the Dreaming itself. That said, changelings murder each other unofficially just as frequently as mortals do.
Kingdom
of
Concordia
The Kingdom of Concordia comprises all of the North American continent. Taking its name from the great dream that the changelings of the Interregnum and the returning sidhe could learn to coexist in a world of reawakened dreams, Concordia consists of eight kingdoms (and two territories of questionable allegiances) ruled over by a High King. Formed out of the shattered pieces left by the Accordance War, Concordia tries to combine the best of the medieval paradigm so familiar to the changelings of old with the new dreams forged during the long years between the Shattering and the Return. The quality of its success changes from day to day. The political boundaries and freeholds described below can serve as a Storyteller’s aid to provide physical structure to the
changeling world. Many more freeholds and other locations of note exist for Storytellers to create. In a world of changeling dreams, everything is subject to change.
Tara Nar: Capital of the Western World
David Ardry of House Gwydion, the High King, rules Concordia from Tara Nar, its capital, nestled in the Catskill Mountains of New York state. Located within the Kingdom of Apples, Tara Nar’s “mortal” seeming resembles one of the grand lodges tucked away amid the breathtaking mountain vistas beloved to both environmentalists and ski buffs. King David’s creation, to the eyes of the Kithain, evokes the splendor of Europe’s historic castles and the fairytale palaces of the Brothers Grimm. The palace of Tara Nar rests upon an island of the same name, surrounded by the crystal clear waters of Kingslake. Occupying its own smaller island not far from Tara Nar, the Hall of Advocates houses the Parliament of Dreams, where nobles and commoners have a voice, through their representatives, in Concordia’s rule. It is connected to the island of Tara Nar both by a causeway connecting the shores of the two islands and via a carved wooden bridge that connects with the Hall’s second floor balcony, which overlooks the parliamentary hall. King David used to divide his time between Tara Nar and
Homefires, his Winter Court, which occupies a brownstone in downtown Manhattan. Of late, however, he remains in Tara Nar, brooding on the meaning of his dreams (see p. 41). His sister, Lady Morwyn, and his ward and heir, Princess Lenore of House Dougal, also spend part of the year at Tara Nar, and his wife, Faerilyth, lives there full time.
Kingdom of Apples (Northeast)
The Kingdom of Apples includes the New England states (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island) as well as the upper Mid-Atlantic states (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware). Queen Mab, of House Fiona, rules her kingdom from her freehold of Caer Palisades. Because Tara Nar lies within the borders of the realm, Queen Mab’s subjects see themselves as key players in Concordia’s future. A number of duchies and smaller holdings make up the Kingdom of Apples.
The Duchy of the Golden Sigil (New York State)
The Duchy of the Golden Sigil, which comprises the state of New York, falls under the leadership of its elected ruler, Duke Kelodin of House Fiona, a troll grump who is one of the few commoners ennobled after the Accordance War. Duke
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Kelodin’s freehold, Wintersnow, lies in Buffalo. Like the High King, he also has a winter home in Manhattan. While most of his subjects wholeheartedly support him, a significant portion of the Kithain, led by Count Maldiset of House Dougal, resent his leadership, feeling that one of the sidhe, preferably a Gwydion, should hold power in the duchy.
The Duchy of Gardens (New Jersey)
The Duchy of Gardens covers the state of New Jersey. Its name alludes to the lush and fertile rural areas of the state, usually overshadowed by the sickly green, smog-filled skies of the cities along its eastern seaboard. Duke Marcurian, of House Dougal, rules the Gardens from his freehold, a lush garden and greenhouse realm called The Greenery. Queen Mab’s freehold, which occupies the grounds near the former recreation center of Palisades Park, lies within Marcurian’s holdings. Above all, he strives to keep relations with Apples’ queen on a friendly basis.
The Duchy
of
Maples (Vermont)
Vermont houses the Duchy of Maples, ruled by Duchess Carendlith of House Gwydion from her freehold of Greenbranch. Located near the Green Mountain National Forest, this rural and idyllic mountain lodge provides many isolated areas in which Kithain of all persuasions can congregate. Duchess Carendlith tries to lead by example, with varying degrees of success. Also notable is the Mountain Dreams Stables, a freehold held by Sir Evern ap Scathach and his Kinain family, known as the Evans family in the mortal world. Besides providing weekend horseback excursions to tourists, Mountain Dreams shows, breeds, and sells a variety of purebred horses, including the shaggy, rugged Icelandic ponies beloved by cross-country riders. To fae eyes, the freehold resembles an Icelandic great hall and its environs. There, the family breeds and houses faerie steeds used by the Riders of the Midnight Trods, who operate from a nexus of trods that connect all parts of the Kingdom of Apples. These trods are jealously guarded by Sir Evern’s Scathach line and are made known only to the Riders and others who need to know of them.
The Kingdom
of
Apples
In addition to the places mentioned above, this kingdom also includes: The Duchy of Fairwinds (Delaware) The Duchy of Freewill (New Hampshire) The Duchy of Stone Coast (Maine) The Duchy of Liberty’s Heart (Pennsylvania) The Duchy of Sails (Rhode Island)
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The Duchy of Pewter (Massachusetts)
The Duchy of Pewter, otherwise known as Massachusetts, houses the only openly Unseelie ruler in the Kingdom of Apples. Recently appointed to the duchy, Duchess Peraniya of House Ailil struggles to consolidate her rule from her freehold of Oldenwaye, in the town of Ipswich. Her sovereignty constitutes a grand experiment by the High King with the reluctant consent of Queen Mab. Time will tell whether it succeeds in the face of the traditional Seelie sidhe with strongholds in Boston (most notably that of House Gwydion’s Duke Tymon) and other parts of the state.
The Commonwealth of Hope’s Boundary (Connecticut)
Connecticut’s Commonwealth of Hope’s Boundary represents a daring and, possibly short-lived anomaly — an elected commonwealth born of a grassroots revolution. Once known as the Duchy of Mirrors, this bastion of traditionalism fell to an uprising of dissatisfied commoners. The rebels deposed the unpopular Duke Rialdo of House Gwydion and replaced him with satyr grump Zharkis. Now ruled by a representative council elected through town meetings, the commonwealth waits anxiously for either approval from the High King or for the axe to fall on their common dreams.
Kingdom of Willows (Southeast)
The Kingdom of Willows consists of most of the American southeastern states, with the exception of Florida. It includes Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. King Meilge of House Eiluned rules his lands like a benevolent dictator, his iron hand just showing from beneath his velvet gauntlet. While the various duchies that make up the kingdom enjoy varying degrees of political latitude, Meilge’s own freehold and its environs mirror the overtly gracious, yet subtly sinister, nature of its overlord. Like the mortal South, the Kingdom of Willows lies on the verge of change, caught between tradition and the pressures of a new awakening of consciousness.
The Duchy (Georgia)
of
Willows Heart
Consisting of the state of Georgia, with a few exceptions, the Duchy of Willows Heart belongs, heart and soul, to King Meilge. Though technically the Duke of Willows Heart, Meilge ignores that title in favor of the more prestigious one of “King,” and allows no other sidhe to take on the role of duke or duchess in his lands. The closest to a worthy opposition that exists within Willows Heart is Wisteria Hall, located in Savannah, Georgia. Ruled by Count Morrig of House Gwydion, this graceful freehold serves as a center for Seelie grace and culture. The small but thriving freehold of Whitehall Keep forms the center of the Barony of
Vellumton, ruled jointly by Baron Arawn and Baroness Ellonwy, both of House Fiona. Including the University of Georgia and the nearby towns of Athens, Jackson, and Watkinsville, Wisteria draws artists, musicians, and many medieval recreationists. The changelings of Wisteria Hall oppose King Meilge but cannot yet act directly against him.
The Duchy of Palmetto (South Carolina)
The fae of South Carolina’s Duchy of Palmetto follow, to varying degrees, the rule of Duke Antoan of House Liam, who resides at Palmetto Court, in Charleston. Born into a Vietnamese refugee family, the Seelie duke has raised many eyebrows at faerie courts throughout the Kingdom of Willows due to his unusual parentage, and has tested the innate assumptions of many of the sidhe. Taking on the title of acting Duke when Duchess Mischala of House Fiona started to slip into Bedlam, he demonstrated such a talent for rulership that when the duchess returned, she insisted he retain the title. Not yet confirmed by King Meilge, however, Duke Antoan’s rule still rests on eggshells. The Home Place, located in Beaufort, near the Sea Islands, serves as a gathering place for the fae born into the Gullah people who live on the islands. Cientilla, a tiny eshu grump, has ruled for decades as the “Mistress of the Gullah Free Lands.” While acknowledging the Kingdom of Concordia, the Gullah fae hold themselves separate and independent from Concordia’s Kithain politics. The preservation of the Gullah heritage remains her main concern, and she willingly shares her lore and knowledge with those who show an interest.
The Duchy of the Triangle (Central and Eastern North Carolina)
The state of North Carolina contains two duchies due to the vast differences between the fae of the western mountains and those of the rest of the state. The Duchy of the Triangle, the larger of the two, centers on the three cities of RaleighDurham-and-Chapel Hill. From his freehold, Trinity Manor, near Chapel Hill, Duke Murdoch of House Dougal (“The Professor”) enjoys the support of his people and the friendship of King Meilge. Relocated to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from his native Glasgow, Murdoch displays a distinctly unsidhelike interest in mechanical engineering and theoretical sciences. His best friend and assistant, the nocker Richard “Rooster” Langolier, works with him on their common love: antique and race cars. Both gain Glamour from attendance at NASCAR and other racing events.
The Duchy of Appalachia (Western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and southeastern Kentucky)
The Duchy of Appalachia consists of parts of three states and contains their common focus — the Blue Ridge, Cumberland, and Great Smoky Mountains of the Appalachian Mountain chain. Many commoners and only a few sidhe live in this magi-
cal region. Whether commoner or noble, the Appalachian fae feel closer to one another than to those of their Kith or house in other parts of Concordia. Orchard Castle, near Jonesborough, Tennessee, forms the seat of the duchy. Ruled by Duchess Dianan of House Fiona, this small palace, with a mortal seeming of a run-down shack, sits within an idyllic glade. The duchess, along with her troll guardian, Count Bjorno, hold court events outside among the lush mountain greenery. The duchess makes money in the mortal world by writing romance novels The Court of Balsam, also called the House of the Black Dome, occupies a campsite near the top of Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak in the eastern US. The Countess Toireasa holds court here in a charming wooden hunting lodge filled with her own paintings of mountain scenes. She has made a point of allying with the native Nunnehi in the area, which guarantees her a great degree of safety and security. Near Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Lord Gadiel of House Balor has claimed a ruined mansion near a gnarled and twisted oak tree as his freehold of Twisted Oak. Very few fae visit this eerie place; the ones who do come there do so by night. Rumors of twisted goings-on within the confines of the freehold have never been investigated. The twin peaks of Chimney Top, in the Great Smoky Mountains, still serve as a dancing ground for the local Nunnehi. Due to its popularity as a hiking destination, the Nunnehi have learned to hold their meetings when no hikers are nearby.
The Duchy of Blue Grasses (Most of Kentucky)
The Rose Garland Stables, near Lexington, Kentucky, produces fine thoroughbred racing horses. It also houses a freehold, accessed through a nearby rock grotto, ruled by the Kinain Duke Araby of House Gwydion. The child of a sidhe mother and her mortal husband, Araby’s mortal guise and fae mien differ only in the lush decadence of his fae side. In the Near Dreaming, Araby raises faerie steeds, popular among some sidhe who enjoy racing them. Araby receives handsome payments of dross for his steeds, though he keeps the best for himself. His own steed, the black stallion Glamour’s Beauty, stays hidden from most of the fae, because this horse is the mount for none other than “Lord Justice,” a fae vigilante who visits retribution upon the corrupt fae, whether Seelie or Unseelie, for deeds that might otherwise go unpunished. Some of the duke’s subjects feel that Lord Justice would make a better ruler than the effete, horse-crazy duke. The Freehold of the Mammoth exists amid the complex system of underground caverns and tunnels that make up Kentucky’s Mammoth Caves. A motley of sluagh, led by the matriarch Jiruna, discovered stores of Glamour deep within the caves and portioned out a section of caverns not visited by tourists as their freehold. Lit by a Balefire stolen from the Duchy of Blue Grasses, the freehold provides an ideal refuge for the dark-loving kith, its vast rooms carrying the soft whispers of the sluagh without harming their sensitive ears. Here, the sluagh
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Kingdom
of
Willows
In addition to those places mentioned above, this kingdom also includes: The Duchy of Cotton (Alabama) The Duchy of the Ozarks (Arkansas) The Duchy of the Delta Crescent (Louisiana) The Duchy of Magnolia (Mississippi) The Duchy of Graceland (most of Tennessee) The Duchy of Winterhold (West Virginia)
make hand-thrown pottery to sell along with the information for which they are so widely valued.
The Duchy of Dogwood (Virginia, District of Columbia, and West Virginia)
The freehold of Dogwood, near Richmond, Virginia, now belongs to Duke Cormac of House Eiluned, a wilder duke who inherited the duchy after the retirement of Duchess Meregrinne. The more conservative of Virginia’s sidhe resent the rule of a wilder, especially one with modern political ideas. Count Rual of House Gwydion occupies the freehold of Jamesriver, within the Hunt Club outside Richmond. The count keeps his pack of faerie hounds there and holds hunts for some of the sidhe in the area. He is one of the major opponents of Cormac’s rule. A pair of secret freeholds lie near Washington, D.C. A garden in the heart of Washington, D.C. holds the Court of Mirrors, the High King’s secret court, a place where David Ardry and his closest advisors can meet privately, and which might one day serve as a refuge for the young king. The basement of a book bindery turned rock club holds the Shadow Duchy, where the true Shadow Court meets. Duke Siva of House Balor and Duchess Kali of House Ailil, twins of a Mumbai-born immigrant family, hold claim to this freehold and make sure it remains a closely-kept secret.
Kingdom
of
Grass (Midwest)
The Kingdom of Grass includes the Midwestern states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. This sprawling land enjoys the conservative, traditional rule of Queen Mary-Elizabeth of House Dougal. She rules from Caer Palatine, not far from Chicago.
The Duchy
of
Buckeye (Ohio)
Originally settled by the French, the Duchy of Buckeye, named for the buckeye trees that flourish throughout the state,
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Changeling: The Dreaming
has become a focal point for returning members of House Beaumayn in the years since they re-entered the Autumn World. Duke Gerrard d’Ivoire inherited the prestigious Freehold, the Arches, located in the capital city of Columbus, when its former lord, Andres McCarty of House Dougal, met his Undoing and wandered away from his home to take up residence elsewhere in the city. He left no heir, and Gerrard’s timely appearance seemed a sign that the freehold should pass to him. Other members of his House find hospitality with him while they decide where they will make their new home. Some remain in the duchy, while others travel elsewhere in Concordia. The Freehold of Fontainebleau, in Cincinnati, named for the French palace as well as the city’s (“The Fountain City”), belongs to Marcella Sourania, a satyr of House Fiona. Many changeling artists and artisans gravitate to this center of creativity, located in a wooded part of the city.
The Duchy of the Four Winds (Illinois)
This Midwestern duchy derives its name from both its Autumn world designation as a melting pot of American cultures and its fae position as a gathering place for changelings of all kiths and houses, a place where the “four winds” meet. Caer Palatine is the freehold of Queen Mary-Elizabeth, ruler of the Kingdom of Grass. Located on the shore of Lake Michigan, on land owned by Northwestern University, just north of the city, Caer Palatine embodies neo-classic lines that match, in their elegance and grace, the personality of its ruler. All changelings find welcome and hospitality in Caer Palatine so long as they forswear violence and abide by the laws of Concordia. In Chicago itself, Millennium Park serves as a gathering place for commoners, both Seelie and Unseelie. Chicago’s sizable German and Scandinavian population has drawn members of House Aesin to establish a base there. Sir Gunter Sorenson
The Kingdom
of
Grass
In addition to the places described above, this kingdom contains the following: The Duchy of Steel (Michigan) The Duchy of the Hawk (Iowa) The Duchy of the Frontier Dakotas (North and South Dakota) The Duchy of the Open Range (Wyoming and Montana) The Duchy of Hawthorne (Missouri) The Duchy of Bright Peonies (Indiana) The Duchy of Gemstones (Idaho) The Duchy of Galena (Wisconsin) The Duchy of Agate (Nebraska) The Duchy of Sunflowers (Kansas)
claims the Freehold of Heartsong in Chicago’s theatre district. Here, he hopes to gather skalds and folklorists of his house to form a cultural center in Concordia’s heartland. The state capital, Springfield, contains several freeholds that take advantage of the city’s rich culture and support of the performing arts. The changeling rock band, Free Spirits, featuring its charismatic vocalist, Enchanté, of House Leanhaun, occupies the Freehold of Muse’s Haven in a 19th-century mansion near the Hoagland Center for the Arts. Some of the house’s most noted performers, including the Leanhaun-affiliated satyr, Dame Izzy Tot, and Baroness Robin, the prima ballerina, have stayed there briefly to refresh themselves.
Kingdom of the Burning Sun (Southwest)
The Kingdom of the Burning Sun coincides with the Southwestern part of the United States. It includes the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada. Its ruler, Chief Greyhawk of House Gwydion, has reputedly “gone native,” adopting many customs of the Nunnehi native to the region. His home is Caer Blacksalt, in the Arizona desert. The changelings of this region, on the whole, tend to have fewer ties with the mainstream of Concordia.
The Duchy
of
Copper (Arizona)
Home to the Grand Canyon, the Painted Desert, the Petrified Forest National Park, and the Barringer Meteorite Crater, this duchy contains some of Concordia’s most dramatic scenery. Chief Greyhawk, the Gwydion sidhe who has, for all practical purposes, renounced his house in favor of adopting the lifestyle and customs of the local Nunnehi population, has his freehold, Caer Blacksalt, in the middle of the Painted Desert, concealed by towering rock formations that give it the appearance of a natural structure. As changeling politics grow more and more problematic, he has closed off the borders of his freehold and has tried to limit access to the duchy to only those fae who receive an express invitation from him. While he can keep Caer Blacksalt free of undesirables, closing off the entire duchy has proven impossible. The city of Phoenix, known as the Valley of the Sun, has recently come to the attention of some members of House Varich who migrated from San Francisco’s Russian Hill district. Phoenix Hold, ruled by Baron Vasily Arpelov, occupies a grand house built in the style of former resident Frank Lloyd Wright. Here, the Baron has collected a private “think tank” of changeling scholars from many kiths and houses. He hopes to study the emerging patterns of Kithain politics and current events in order to determine the best course of action for the children of the Dreaming.
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The Kingdom of
the
Burning Sun
In addition to the places described above, this kingdom also contains the following duchies: The Duchy of the Lone Star (Texas) The Duchy of Storms (Oklahoma The Duchy of High Mountains (Colorado) The Duchy of Bees (Utah) The Duchy of Good Fortune (Nevada)
The Duchy of Turquoise (New Mexico)
Known for its dramatic desert rock formations, as well as the magnificent limestone structures of the Carlsbad Caverns, the Duchy of Turquoise also draws artistic changelings from throughout Concordia. The capital city of Santa Fe boasts many buildings constructed in the Spanish Pueblo Revival style, with adobe walls and the curving style of the Spanish missions. Lord Gustavo de la Rosa of House Eiluned and his consort, Lady Mantilla of House Fiona, hold the pueblo-style freehold of Las Dos Palmeras (Two Palms) near the New Mexico Museum of Art. Many of Santa Fe’s changelings have involved themselves in the doings of the Meow Wolf art collective, whose mission is to spread art education throughout the state. Notable among the collective’s supporters is piskie contemporary artist Aleesha Why, who enjoys involving herself in the many projects carried out by Meow Wolf. Known as a popular gathering place for artists, the city of Taos contains many historic houses and attracts many changelings who prefer it to the larger city of Santa Fe. Dame Eleanora Mendez, of House Scathach, the noted Thallain hunter, maintains a freehold in Taos. Currently she seeks to impress on other changelings the importance of protecting themselves from the unwanted influx of Thallain. A colony of nockers, led by nocker grump Ezekiel Stone, loosely affiliated with House Dougal, has gathered near the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (a.k.a. New Mexico Tech) in Socorro. Here, these mechanically-minded changelings attempt to learn new methods of immersing themselves in the work that they love.
Kingdom of (Florida)
the
White Sands
The Kingdom of White Sands consists solely of the state of Florida. Queen Morganna of House Gwydion rules her small realm from Caer Flamingo, in Florida’s southern tip, near Miami. She faces a constant struggle with raiders from the Fiefs of Bright Paradise as well as the Nunnehi who claim the Everglades as their land (or what’s left of it).
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Duchy
of
Sun
Duchy
of
Duchy
of the
and
Sand
Southern Florida, including the Miami metropolitan area, has one of the most diverse changeling populations in the kingdom. A considerable number of commoners, displaced from other parts of Concordia (and, indeed, other parts of the world) migrate here, drawn by the area’s reputation for a carefree, relaxed atmosphere and the warm climate. To the fae residents of this place, the Long Winter seems very far away. Fiona sidhe Duchess Carmen Juarez, the oath-sworn friend of Queen Morganna, rules this duchy from Caer Biscayne, a Spanish-style mansion in Coconut Grove. Caer Flamingo, the flamboyant residence of Queen Morganna, features pale coral adobe walls, an inner courtyard and pool, lush gardens, and some resident flamingos from which the freehold takes its name. A number of commoner motleys have holdings on or near the beaches and in the inner city. Regardless of their politics or courts, nobles and commoners alike assist when they can in protecting their lands from the Glamour raiders of Paradise.
Sea Breezes
Centered around the state capital, Tallahassee, the Duchy of Sea Breezes combines populist leanings with gracious living, and attracts many commoners to its mild climate, college town sensibilities, and rich culture. The eshu storyteller, Johnny Mango, frequently visits this college town during his travels. He usually stays with the clurichaun Duchess Mairead Galway, who exercises her benign rule from her small freehold, Palmetto Grove, near the campus of Florida State University. A “scientific collective” of nockers, boggans, and a pair of redcaps occupy a small building they call Wizard’s Shed near the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, where the boggan, Lili Saltpeter, works as a lab technician.
First Coast
The Duchy of the First Coast takes its name from the nickname for Jacksonville, northern Florida’s largest city. The municipality of Jacksonville lies just across the state line from Georgia. Duke Tremore Halsey of House Gwydion rules his realm from his freehold of Seven Bridges, another name for the city. The sidhe lord takes advantage of the excellent military and civilian deep water ports to exercise his love for the ocean. He is in the process of negotiating a treaty with a nearby colony of selkies.
Land of Mangroves (the Everglades)
and
Cypresses
This region belongs to the native Nunnehi and to the Seminoles who occupy much of its lands. Only a few changelings have visited the region and those remain closemouthed about what they have found.
Kingdom
of
Pacifica
Consisting of the states of Washington, Oregon, and California, the Kingdom of Pacifica covers the west coast of the United States. Queen Aeron of House Fiona rules from her
seat in Caer Angeles. Although Aeron is, herself, a member of the Seelie Court, her halls are open to all fae, whether Seelie, Unseelie, commoner, noble, Kithain, or Gallain.
Duchy
of
Golden Gate
Ruled by House Fiona’s Duke Aeon, a rock star whose career has endured for three decades, the Duchy of Golden Gate has played a pivotal role in the search for a way back to Arcadia.
Royal Barony
of
of
Goodwine
Located in the fertile Sonoma Valley, the Duchy of Goodwine attracts satyrs and other pleasure-loving changelings, drawn to its fine wine and glamorous parties. Ruled by the Duchess Aoibhell of House Liam from Caer Lunara in Sonoma, the duchy exists in a wine-soaked world of its own.
Arcadian Freeholds
Located in the Napa Valley, these freeholds belong to the Brotherhood of the Barrel, a group of genial and wine-loving satyrs dedicated to the perfection of the grape’s fruit, not to mention the prophesies that sometimes come from successfully partaking of the best wine of the season.
Duchy
of
Finvarr (Berkeley)
Another region claimed by Duchess Aoibhell, the college town of Berkeley, home of free speech, love, and revolution in the 1960s, which continues to live in the glory of its notorious past, is her dearest possession. From her mansion, Caer Llanwedd, the duchess rewards her friends with the joys of her moss-carpeted, flower-bedecked freehold.
The County
of
Oakhold
Comprised of the industrial city of Oakland, the Seelie eshu Count Elias rules this realm of iron from his freehold, Caer Ogun (Castle of Iron). Within this triumph of fae engineering, the count’s personal dwelling, Ironheart, provides him with a safe place from his enemies.
The County
of
of
Pacifica
Duchy of Evergreen (Washington State) Duchy of Sunstone (Oregon)
Muirwood
Consisting of most of Marin County, excluding Mount Tamalpais, the Baron Harold diMarcos of House Gwydion, castellan of Caer Redwood, rules here. Nearby Mount Tamalpais belongs to the native Nunnehi, thanks to a treaty granting the land to them by the Queen.
Duchy
The Kingdom
In addition to the places described above, this kingdom also contains the following:
Selkrest
This picturesque realm includes the land from the shore to Seal Rocks, the area around San Francisco, going out as far as San Jose. From her freehold in Año Nuevo, the Countess Evaine of House Eiluned rules with little care for politics. Instead she prefers to spend time with her selkie friends, in the waters off the shore of her realm. The nearby Rocky Shores Freehold, just off Point Reyes, houses a group of selkies who make their home in some caves. They look to Ondine, the wisest of their group, as leader. One of their duties is to preserve the lives and culture of selkies.
Kingdom (Canada
of the Northern Ice and Alaska)
This vast, subarctic and arctic realm consists of the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon Territory, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and the state of Alaska. Queen Laurel of House Fiona rules this land from Caer Frost, an ice palace in Saskatchewan.
Duchy
of
Duchy
of
Duchy
of
Plenty (Saskatchewan)
Located in west central Canada, this duchy takes pride in the rich agrarian culture. Caer Frost, home of the kingdom’s ruler, Queen Laurel, has the appearance of a gigantic ice palace. Within, the contrasting warmth of its welcoming interior marks the freehold as true. With the second arrival of sidhe from Arcadia, members of House Aesin have come here to pledge their loyalty and now have their own fiefs. Prominent among them is Caer Swift Reindeer, a rustic manor in the sparsely populated northern part of the duchy. Lord Leif Mikkelson and Lady Ygrinne Asinsdottir rule here, where they can steep themselves in the natural world they crave. They have become the protectors of a small herd of reindeer who make their home nearby. The Nunnehi who dwell near and among the many First Nations people of Saskatchewan also hold lands near their Dreamers. Queen Laurel respects their boundaries and a state of peace currently exists between indigenous and European fae.
Many Rivers (Quebec)
Rulership of this duchy has undergone a recent and dramatic change. Duke Granville de Corby of House Fiona, a true dreamer, resigned his position in favor of the newly-made Duchess Eloyse Capetienne of House Beaumayne. Duke Granville claims that the duchy rightfully belongs to the house whose origins reflect the history of the region. From her Quebec City freehold Le Mont d’Argent (Silver Mountain), Duchess Eloyse exercises her authority with an eye to encouraging cooperation among her new subjects. Duke Granville continues to live in his freehold, Heart’s Light, located in the city of Montreal.
White Trillium (Ontario)
Duke Stephen Brunswick of House Dougal rules over one of the most beautiful duchies in Concordia. His formal freehold,
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Kingdom
of the
Northern Ice
In addition to the places described above, this kingdom also includes the following: Duchy of Violets Duchy of Red Oak (Prince Edward Island) Duchy of the Great Grey Owl (Manitoba) Duchy of Salmon (Alaska) Land of the Gyrfalcon (The Northwest Territories) Duchy of Fireweed (The Yukon Territory)
The Fiefs of Bright Paradise (Caribbean)
Brilliant blue waters, sparkling sands, lush palms, and an easy way of life characterize the dreams of the fae in the lands of the Caribbean Sea. Although Concordia has tried repeatedly to claim these lands, they manage to elude the rule by a continent-based government. Only the larger islands of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic) have governments of any recognizable nature. Many of the smaller islands have set themselves up as pirate republics, with no rulers except for the captains of chimeric (and sometimes real) pirate ships. These pirate lands enjoy raiding adjoining islands, tourist vacation centers, and the shores of Concordia, particularly near the Kingdom of White Sands.
Maple Home, appears as a magnificent castle made of stone and graced by stands of towering maple trees. In the Autumn World, Maple Home stands as one of the city of Toronto’s oldest houses. While Duke Stephen receives visitors and holds court in his castle, his heart remains in his private holding, Caer Cascadia, a cabin with a stunning view of Niagara Falls. Lady Serena of House Dareann occupies Caer Des Trois Rivières, a picturesque townhouse in Ottawa. She busies herself with the affairs of the duchy while, rumor says, she remains inconsolable over a love lost in the crossing from Arcadia. From his freehold, The House of Scrolls, the scholarly satyr grump Standish Piraeus heads a study group of younger commoners intent on taking advantage of the city’s reputation for scholarship and education.
Republic
The Land of Purple Saxifrage (Nunavut)
The Island
This newest part of Canada (separate as of 1999 in the Autumn World) belongs to the Inuit people and the Nunnehi who inhabit it. Few changelings enter these lands without invitation. Those who do find themselves in one of the adjoining duchies with no memory of what happened to them. Queen Laurel is currently trying to establish relations with the locals.
Free Realm
of
British Columbia
Count Gut Splicer, a redcap ennobled by Queen Laurel and affiliated with House Fiona, rules a motley of unruly commoners from the Freehold of Scarlet Rain about 200 miles north of Vancouver.
Kingdom of the Feathered Snake (Mexico)
Ruled by Duke Topaz, a troll affiliated with House Gwydion, the Kingdom of the Feathered Snake encompasses the land of Mexico, home of the Aztecs and Maya, and land of the lost dreams of Spanish empire. The native changelings, descendants of the dreams of the pre-Columbian civilizations that fell to the Spanish conquest, provide a constant challenge to Concordia’s influence.
72
Changeling: The Dreaming
of
Abundance (Cuba)
Until recently, most sidhe who lived in Cuba left after the rise of Fidel Castro’s strongly proletarian government. The fate of commoner changelings changed only slightly, as they incorporated new cultural influences that reflected their socialist society. Since the relaxation of tensions between the mortal governments of the U.S. and Cuba have eased travel restrictions and bode for a more harmonious coexistence, some ex-patriot changelings have returned, while others have decided to move to the still beautiful island. From her freehold of Las Palmas (The Palms) in a ruined mansion outside Havana, Isabela Dulce, a Seelie eshu, has claimed the position as Primera (meaning “first”), and has attempted to create an atmosphere that will draw other changelings to a land that needs new dreams.
of
Riches (Puerto Rico)
Originally a colony of Concordia under the rule of Duke Danon ap Liam, the duke came to sympathize with many of his commoner subjects, who chafed under even the benign rule of the High King. He eventually declared his fief to be an independent entity, with no allegiance to Concordia. Though the nobles of Concordia may consider him an oathbreaker, he has no intentions of ever returning to the continent and is content to rule his subjects with an ear to their needs. Concordia has not acknowledged him one way or the other, but he enjoys the support of local fae so long as he has the island’s interests as his first priority.
Kingdom of Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic)
The changelings of Hispaniola live almost exclusively within the Dominican Republic, which occupies most of the island. Don Enrico Fernandez, a troll born in the Dominican Republic, inherited the rule of the kingdom after the death of his father. He rules a group of native-born and émigré commoners and nobles in relative peace. They guard their border with Haiti for fear of the strange chimera that often try to cross into the Dominican Republic.
Land
Springs (Jamaica)
of
Although the country of Jamaica is a commonwealth of Great Britain, the Land of Springs is an independent monarchy. Ruled by Queen Magdalena de las Flores, a sidhe of House Liam, the many commoners and relatively few sidhe who live there practice a relaxed lifestyle, influenced greatly by the music-soaked dreams of many of the land’s mortal Dreamers. Eshu, satyrs, and pooka are especially drawn to the island’s mild climate.
Bellatierra (South America)
Called “the beautiful land” by early explorers and modernday adventurers, the lands of South America have not proven altogether friendly to changelings. Only a few areas have come to the attention of the fae of Concordia and of Europe. The rest of the countries, particularly those in the vast jungle interior, remain places of caution. Changelings have heard of the Kingdom of Amazonia, which encompasses the vast country of Brazil, and the Mountain Kingdoms, which include Chile and Peru.
Albion (England)
The land of Albion, the faerie name for England, includes five kingdoms: the Kingdom of Roses, the Kingdom of Chalk, the Kingdom of Mist, the Kingdom of Smoke (formerly Wool), and the Kingdom of Heather. Currently, the five kingdoms lack a single ruler, or high king, to unite them. While the War of Ivy, their version of the Accordance War, knew less bloodshed and turmoil than the battle for sidhe supremacy in Concordia, the land of Albion in no way represents a united front. Ruled for centuries by King Albion, a commoner, the return of the sidhe brought about changes in rulership throughout the land, changes that still reverberate in the half century since the return.
Kingdom
of
Roses
London, East Anglia, the “Home Counties,” the Thames Valley and much of the land that includes the “Heart of England” makes up the Kingdom of Roses. Currently, Lord Edgar Whitestone, a troll knight, rules the Roselands as Lord Chancellor. The region’s sidhe make up Lord Edgar’s Privy Council, meeting regularly to offer him advice on how to run the land. Truthfully, most of the counselors maneuver behind the Lord Chancellor’s back to place themselves in positions to overthrow him and return the land to sidhe rule. The Kingdom of Roses contains such noteworthy sites as Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, Oxford and Cambridge colleges, and Windsor castle. The long history of England meets with modern-day technology and decadence in this troubled land.
Kingdom
of
Mist
Known variously as the Summerlands, the Land of Apples, the Kingdom of Scrumpy, Glastonia, and the West Country, the Kingdom of Mist’s strong ties with Camelot and Avalon place
Albion (England)
In addition to the places listed above, this realm includes the following: The Kingdom of Chalk (Southern Counties) The Kingdom of Smoke (Midlands)
it firmly in the context of legend in the minds of both mortals and fae. Named for the mysterious mists that arose at the time of the Shattering, The Kingdom of Mist includes the resort town of Bath, Glastonbury of Arthurian fame, Stonehenge, and Avebury. This realm observes the traditional dual court of the fae, with Seelie childling Queen Karolinda of House Liam ruling during the spring and summer, and Unseelie nocker childling King Morwydd taking charge during fall and winter.
Kingdom
of
Heather
Combining the lands of the North Country with the onceindependent Lake Country (formerly the Kingdom of Tears), the Kingdom of Heather falls under the rulership of Sir Lawrence Ormond, a troll grump now feeling the effects of Banality on his changeling spirit. The realm includes the walled city of York, the town of Whitby, the Lake Country so beloved by Wordsworth and the other Lake Poets, and the picturesque town of Keswick, with its nearby stone circle, Castlerigg. Now known as the Principality of Tears, the realm consisting of the Lake Country owes fealty to Lady Ellyndil of House Fiona, who contents herself with acting as an advisor rather than attempting to challenge the rule of Sir Ormond.
Hibernia (Ireland)
The four kingdoms of Hibernia correspond to the four provinces of Ireland: Connaught, Leinster, Munster, and Ulster. In ancient times, the four provinces, each with its own king or queen, came together under an Ard-Rí, or “high king” (or queen). The return of the sidhe to the places of their old power brought about a rebirth of the kingdoms, but as yet, no one has dared claim the position of Ard-Rí na hÉireann (High King of Ireland). Rumors exist of a Hidden King, one of the ancient sidhe who remained behind in a pocket of Glamour and whose influence over the land itself has held the Dreaming intact during the Interregnum. Ireland is the ancestral home of several kiths, including both pooka and clurichaun.
Kingdom
of
Connaught
Made up of the western part of Ireland and noted for its wild beauty, the Kingdom of Connaught includes the counties of Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Roscommon, Leitrim, and the Aran Islands. The current ruler, King Fiachra ap Dougal, walks a fine line between his house’s affinity for things technological and his desire to preserve as much of his kingdom’s unspoiled beauty as possible. He currently fosters Princess Bethany, of House Gwydion.
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Kingdom
of Leinster
Kingdom
of
The Kingdom of Leinster includes the eastern counties of Louth, Longford, Meath, West Meath, Dublin, Offaly, Kildare, Laois, Wicklow, Carlow, Kilkenny, and Wexford. Known as the cradle of Irish civilization, Leinster boasts varied vistas of pastures, lakes, bogs, rivers, modern cities, and timeless villages. King Bran ap Gwydion, who led the sidhe in their conquest of Hibernia, rules his kingdom fairly, with concern for commoners as well as nobles. Sir Odhran ap Liam, a veteran of the war to take Concordia who then moved to Ireland, serves as King Bran’s archivist, indulging his love for history in a valued court position.
Munster
The southern counties of Cork, Waterford, Tipperary, Clare, Limerick, and Kerry make up the Kingdom of Munster. Known not only for its scenic beauty, but also for its tradition of rebellion against England, Munster also contains the centers for Waterford crystal and Irish lace, not to mention an abundance of castles, magnets for tourists. Queen Nuala of House Eiluned, who lost her beloved sister during the Accordance War in Concordia and relocated to Hibernia, rules Munster with a distant but fair hand, finding it difficult to forget her sister’s death at the hands of commoners. She created the Duchy of Cashel for her lover, the Unseelie Duchess Lenore of House Leanhaun. When House Daireann entered the Autumn world with the Second Coming, Ard-Bantiarna Fiadnait ni Strachan, the high lady of Daireann, established her base in county Clare. Here, her followers have begun their campaign to have their lady claim the title of Ard-Rí of Hibernia, a seat that has remained vacant since the Shattering.
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Changeling: The Dreaming
Kingdom
of
Ulster
Containing the six counties that make up Northern Ireland: Armagh, Derry, Antrim, Down, Tyrone, and Fermanagh, as well as the counties of Donegal, Monaghan, and Cavan, which were part of the original province, The Kingdom of Ulster occupies the northeastern corner of Ireland. Combining areas of dense industrialization as well as picturesque villages and dramatic landscapes, this area still bears signs of the Troubles that complicated life for both changelings and mortals in the latter part of the 20th century. King Finn of House Fiona, once thought to be the reincarnation of Irish hero Finn MacCool, changed from Seelie to Unseelie in response to the complex politics of Northern Ireland.
Caledonia (Scotland)
Caledonia, known as Scotland to the mortal world, contains three kingdoms: Dalriada, Alba, and Three Hills. These kingdoms wrap around the Scottish Highlands, which remain the province of a number of strong and often warring faerie clans.
Kingdom
of
Dalriada
The largest and most powerful of Caledonia’s three kingdoms, the Kingdom of Dalriada extends from the lands around Edinburgh in the east to the Isle of Lewis in the north, excluding the Highlands. It consists of three tuaths (duchies) that account for Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Skye and the Hebrides. King Ross ap Gwydion intends to rule all of Caledonia, and he as well as his courtiers scheme toward that end.
The Tuath
of Iron
The Tuath
of
The Tuath
of
This duchy includes Glasgow, Argyle, and the industrial lands around the river Clyde. Duke Leyden of House Fiona rules the duchy, but has aims on claiming the Kingship for himself. Since becoming a grump, he has changed from Seelie to Unseelie out of anger at his impending separation from the Dreaming.
The Troissachs
Dew
From Falkirk to the Firth of Forth, the Tuath of Dew includes Edinburgh and the Moorfoot Hills. Ruled by an ennobled boggan, Duchess Flora (Flora Sinclair), this tuath tries to remain aloof from politics.
Shadows
The Isle of Skye and the Inner and Outer Hebrides make up the Tuath of Shadows. Ruled by the Countess Bethag of House Scathach, one of King Ross’ warlords, this tuath remains loyal to King Ross.
Kingdom
of
Alba
This kingdom includes Aberdeenshire, Central, Tayside, Fife, and Grampian — the Lowland areas. The cities of Inverness, Perth, Dundee, and Aberdeen comprise the largest cities in the kingdom. King Niall ap Dougal rules his land with fairness, but lately has become obsessed with the creations of his nocker engineers, who engineered the voice box that replaces the vocal chords he lost to cancer.
The Tuath
of
Chronos
This tuath exists entirely within a faerie mound preserved from the ravages of the Shattering. Usually, both fae and mortals enter this font of Glamour only through happenstance, or through the machinations of those who dwell within it.
The Kingdom
of
Three Hills
Though this kingdom contains no major cities, it holds much of the primal beauty associated with romantic Scotland. It includes Dumfries, Galloway, parts of Strathclyde and Borders, and northern England up to Hadrian’s Wall. Queen Glynis of House Eiluned rules Three Hills. Despite her appearance of aloof diffidence, she is generous to both commoner and sidhe alike and hold the loyalty of both.
The Cridhe (The Untamed Lands)
This unclaimed part of Caledonia includes The Highlands, Troissachs, and Shetland Isles. Though changelings certainly dwell within these parts, none of them recognizes or owes fealty to the feudal structure of changeling society since the return.
The Highlands
prevent any of the returning sidhe from gaining a foothold. This area also includes the mysterious Loch Ness. The boggan Seamus and his sons Hugh and Rory lead Clan Wrath, and are among the most outspoken of the clan chiefs. Glen Coe, in the Western Highlands, is a favorite meeting place for the Shadow Court, though even they do not linger there.
A number of fae clans occupy the Highlands, close-knit communities of blood kin who owe allegiance to none but themselves and the other clans. The lairds of the clans control the known trods in the Cridhe, or “heart” of Caledonia, and
Including parts of central Caledonia and Fife, this realm consists of the meeting place between the Highlands and the Lowlands and the land of Rob Roy. It is also the place where the Kingdoms of Alba and Dalriadha cross territory with the fae clans of the Highlands. Volatile with long held passions, the land seems eager for something.
The Isles: The Orkneys
and
Shetlands
These islands, with their windswept beauty and harsh living, now enjoy the prosperity of the offshore oil business. Dominated by trolls, who answer only to their own thanes and jarls, they support the Kingdom of Alba in gratitude for the gift of a magic boat which was crafted for their acknowledged leader, Asa, by one of King Niall’s artificers.
Kingdom (Wales)
of
Principality
of
Principality
of
Cymru
A land of remarkable beauty, the mountains and valleys of Cymru still bear much of their pristine quality. Inevitably, the world of commerce and technology continues to make inroads, claiming parts of the land for its narrow-sighted focus on progress. Six principalities, each divided into cantrevs (provinces), make up the kingdom: Clwyd, Gwynedd, Dyfed, Gwent, Powys, and Glamorgan. The last two, sadly, have succumbed to the pull of Banality: Powys, due to the lack of fae, and Glamorgan, due to the nature of its present ruler. The fae of Cymru, who call themselves “Tylwyth Teg,” dream of finding someone strong enough to restore the lost principalities to the world of the fae.
Clwd
Also called The Land of Two Valleys, the Principality of Clwd occupies most of the northeastern part of Cymru. It shares a border with Albion’s Kingdom of Smoke. Countess Gwrly of the Birds, a Seelie sidhe of House Liam, rules Cantrev Gwrly from her home in Caer Adern, Keep of the Birds. Comprising most of Clwd, the cantrev’s leadership is a responsibility given to her by Dyfed’s Prince Dylan in order to keep her from obsessing over a personal grudge she has with her former friend, Angharad ferch Mynydd, harking back to their time in Arcadia. Angharad rules the smaller Cantrev Brenig, in western Clwd.
Gwynedd
The Land of Mountains and Meadows, the Principality of Gwynedd consists of most of northwestern Cymru. Known for
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75
its striking scenery, Gwynedd claims not only the snow-covered Snowdonia Range, but also the Cambrian Mountains to the south. It contains many popular coastal towns, such as Bangor and Conwy, as well as smaller inland towns, such as Dolgellau and Llandudno, tucked away in the valleys. The closest to a “prince” that Gwynned has is the ancient boggan Gwilym Pugh, last in the line of commoner seneschals of Cymru’s last high king, He desperately clings to life and his fae seeming as he waits for a successor. Sadly, his choice, his daughter Susan, is Kinain rather than Kithain.
Abergavenny. Known for its rich farmland, the region also contains important historical locations, among them the Roman excavations at Caerleon, and Tintern Abbey, immortalized by Wordsworth’s poem. The satyr grump and former actor Nestor Evans and his pooka friend Derwyn ap Allyn have been the most influential changelings in the realm. Both are on the verge of losing their fae seemings forever, and now search for worthy successors.
Principality
The land of Neustria serves as a stronghold for the dominion of the sidhe in Europe. With a four to one ratio of nobles to commoners, most of the sidhe favor the old feudal system and a monarchic government. The ruling sidhe consider commoners without an oath of fealty to link them to a noble as suspect, perhaps even anarchists. Neustria is ruled by Queen Margarette of House Gwydion, along with her consort Prince Eugene of House Beaumayn.
of
Powys
Now lost to Banality, the Principality of Powys occupies central Cymru, from Cardigan Bay in the west to the Kingdom of Albion in the east. The trod called Gwyddno’s Track, said to lead at one time to all the cantrevs (or provinces) in Cymru as well as to Hibernia, now lies lost somewhere within Powys. A place of few towns, Powys contains a few spectacular spas and resorts. It also has the lowest human population in Wales and no known fae. At one time, a ghille dhu named Vaughn Davies watched over the realm from a distance, afraid to interact with the outside world and lose himself to Banality. Presently, none know if he has a successor.
Principality
of
Dyfed
Known as The Land of Seas and Shores, the Principality of Dyfed occupies a peninsula, with Cardigan Bay, the Bristol Channel, and St. George’s Channel surrounding it on three sides. Prince Dylan ap Gwyned rules Dyfed, though he tends to avoid making decisions. He believes himself cursed to ruin the land of Cymru should he attempt to rule as High King, a conviction that has tainted his self-confidence in his own ability to rule at all. Prince Dylan rules from his manor home, Dinas Cleddau, only a few hundred feet from the sea. Outwardly a whitewashed cottage, the inside combines the modernity of a fine manor with the prince’s passion for sea life, as befits his mortal position as a marine biologist.
Principality
of
Glamorgan
The Land of Black Rowan, the lost Principality of Glamorgan consists of south central Cymru. Once one of the most pristine spots in Cymru, the land now holds many noteworthy (in mortal terms) cities: Cardiff, Newport, Caerphilly, Pontipridd, and Rhondda. The land is ruled by Lloyd Morgenstern, a former nocker hero who, long ago, suffered a curse that transformed him into one of the Dauntain in all his successive lives. Now he dedicates himself to the eradication of Glamour in his bailiwick.
Principality
of
Gwent
Gwent, the Borderland, lies south of the Principality of Powys and northeast of the Principality of Glamorgan. Like Clwd and Powys, it shares a border with the Kingdom of Albion. Gwent includes the towns of Monmouth, Usk, Chepstow, and
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Changeling: The Dreaming
Neustria (France)
The Duchy
of
The Duchy
of
Bayeaux
The provinces of northern France fall under the rule of the Conte Hillaire du Lille, of House Eiluned. He values power above all and has lately been courting some of the sidhe of House Beaumayn, one of the late-arriving houses, in an effort to draw approval from his queen.
Burgundy
Comprising the provinces that make up the South of France, with the exception of the independent Aquitaine, Lord Guy de Cheval of House Gwydion rules his realm with strictness and an attention to detail. Commoners who do not hold to the many forms of etiquette he deems necessary meet penalties as light as a donation of dross and as harsh as exile.
The Duchy of the Sapphire Seas
Consisting of the provinces of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Languedoc-Roussillon, along the Mediterranean Coast, this duchy is ruled by Lady Genève of House Fiona. Though strictly a monarchist, her pleasure-loving nature allows her to cast a blind eye at the many commoners who visit the pleasure resorts of Cannes, Monte Carlo, and Nice in search of summer sun, beautiful beaches, and the allure of the dice.
The Aquitaine
High Lord Rathsmere uses the Freehold of the Questing Blade, his holding in the south of France, as a training ground for Fiona knights from all over the changeling world. As an independent demesne, this duchy owes no allegiance to the other French holdings and draws many commoners, discontent with the tight laces of the nobility elsewhere. His realm includes the original French province of Aquitaine.
Iberia (Spain
and
Portugal)
Four kingdoms comprise the faerie realm of Iberia: Navarre, Aragon, Leone, and Castille. Although they often act as allies to their neighbor, Neustria, the sidhe who rule Iberia have a much more relaxed attitude toward commoners, welcoming them into their freeholds whether or not they are bound by oaths. They particularly appreciate boggans and eshu, the one for their practicality and no-nonsense approach to enchantment, and the other for their ability to weave elaborate tales of wonder from a few rags of facts. Ruled by King Lorenzo of House Eiluned and Queen Elizabeta of House Gwydion, the land enjoys prosperity and peace, so far.
Kingdom
of
Navarre
This land located along the Pyrenees Mountains has long been a place of contention. The native Basque population has maintained a strong sense of independence, though first France and then Spain laid claim to the land. The changelings of Navarre, likewise, are an independent group. Their King, Balendin of House Scathach, welcomes commoners to his land, particularly trolls whose strength might someday mean the difference between retaining his independence and being subsumed by a king to whom he owes only lip service fealty.
Aragon
Kingdom of Flowers (The Netherlands)
Ruled by King Picolette of House Gwydion, the Kingdom of Flowers includes all of the Netherlands. Commoners find a welcome here from the court of King Picolette so long as they have only peaceful intentions.
The Duchy
of
Tulips
This duchy includes the city of Amsterdam, with its rich heritage and cosmopolitan atmosphere. Duke Gwilliam of House Liam rules the Court of Tulips, the city’s largest freehold. He particularly welcomes commoners, especially those who are disenchanted with the complex politics of Concordia.
Kingdom of Golden Threads (Belgium and Luxembourg)
Commoners and nobles share alike in the fortunes of the Kingdom of Golden Threads. Many commoners find their particular skills appreciated and well rewarded: Boggan cooks, nocker crafters and engineers, and troll dockworkers and guards find respect for their work.
Kingdom
of
Kingdom
of Leone
Situated in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, the Kingdom of Leone also includes the nation of Portugal. King Atilio of House Eiluned rules his land with an easy hand, encouraging a combination of monarch and republic, not unlike the government of Concordia. His realm enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with great contrasts between the cold, arid northern part in winter and the milder southern region bordering the Atlantic.
This large territory covers much of Europe and contains 90% commoners. In stark contrast to Neustria, the changelings of the Confederation make up most of the rulers of the lands, which include: the Elbian Protectorate (northwest), The Bavarian League, The Thuringian-Saxon Union, the Pomeranian Alliance (north), The Council of White Mountains (Switzerland), and the Province of Venezia. The current head of the Confederation is the satyr Willie Ems, who makes his freehold in Bern, Switzerland.
Kingdom
of
The Elbian Protectorate
This kingdom in eastern Spain enjoys some independence in keeping with its status as a “nationality” of Spain. Ruled by Queen Maria Teresa of House Liam, the nobles and commoners enjoy a pleasant, low-stress lifestyle in keeping with the philosophy of “mañana” (tomorrow).
Castille
Located between the Kingdoms of Leone and Aragon, the Kingdom of Castille also claims much of the land south of it, in lieu of anyone else taking charge of that region. Queen Inez Torres of House Dougal encourages nockers to come to her land, where they can enjoy court sponsorship that allows them to create freely. The queen expects that eventually some new arrivals will challenge her for the right to rule the lands of southern Spain.
The Galacian Confederation (Eastern and central Europe)
Comprising the Czech Republic, Central Bohemia, Saxony, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg, and Hamburg, the Elbian Protectorate follows the Elbe River basin and contains some of Europe’s most fertile farmlands. Much changeling traffic is by river boat, rather than auto or train. Ruled by an elected counsel headed by Ludvig Magnus, a troll educated in law and economics, this land enjoys an openness lacking in many places ruled by nobles. Any nobles who visit must be on their best behavior. Ludvig’s freehold, Trollhaven, is in Hamburg, Germany.
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The Bavarian League
Located in the southeastern part of Germany, noted for its beautiful forests (the Bavarian and the Bohemian), as well as the Bavarian Alps, this beautiful land offers much for commoner changelings and is wary toward visiting sidhe. Governed by a congress made up of every commoner kith, the League answers to a Prime Minister, currently the satyr Lorelei Gutwald.
The Thuringian-Saxon Union
Called the “Green Heart” of Germany, Thuringia is a land of mountains and splendid forests. Saxony, which borders Thuringia, has many mountainous regions. The two areas have found common interests in both dramatic environments and growing technologies. Nockers interested in microchip technology flock to this region. While changelings of all commoner kiths live here, nockers have a little more say than most. The current ruler of this parliamentary government is Gustav Mach, a wilder nocker whose dreams are very modern.
The Pomeranian Alliance
Located on the southern shore of the Black Sea, the Pomeranian Alliance rules much of northern Germany and the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. A loose confederation of realms that caters to boggans, nockers, and trolls, with some redcaps, the Pomeranian Alliance has tried to ban sidhe altogether, but has not been entirely successful. Few nobles visit, however. The boggan Josef the Worthy currently holds the leadership of the Alliance. The elected representatives meet monthly at his freehold in the city of Gdansk.
The Council of White Mountains
This land consists of the Alpine regions of Austria, Switzerland, France, and Italy. Changelings from all over the world come here yearly for the skiing, and this is the only time nobles are tolerated. The troll Benito Franci currently heads the council, which consists of representatives from all the Alpine regions.
The Province
of
Venezia
This realm includes the city of Venice and surrounding areas. While commoners rule here, sidhe are welcome as visitors, but rarely as residents. Drawn by its annual Carnival, its picturesque scenery, and the phenomenon of a city of islands with canals as its roads draw many changeling and mortal tourists. Currently a nocker, Julieta di Falco leads the ruling council.
The Isle of Snowflakes (Iceland)
Icelandic changelings enjoy a representative government, with a “figurehead” monarch who has very specific social and ceremonial duties, and The Parliament of Snow, which contains both commoners and nobles. The ruling monarch is Queen Freydis Gefndottir of House Gwydion. The Speaker of
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Snow is the boggan Henning Henningson. Both volcanically and geologically active, Iceland has a natural Glamour that encourages a creative and active lifestyle. Several horse pookas come there to roam with the shaggy and sturdy Icelandic horses.
has established itself in Moscow, where Tzar Ivan and Tzarina Ekaterina rule from their Kremlin-style freehold, the Winter Dream. Whether or not they succeed in bringing other Russian changelings into their dream remains undecided.
The Kingdom of Dalarna Empire of the Caucasus (Norway and Sweden) (Turkey and Caspian Sea Basin) Comprising the countries of Norway and Sweden, the Kingdom of Dalarna boasts majestic scenery, from Norway’s dramatic fjords and crystal clear lakes to the towering forests and elegant mountains of Sweden. Currently, King Nils Molander of House Aesin rules from his ice castle freehold just outside Lillehammer in Norway. Here, as well as in The Isle of Snowflakes and the Kingdom of Jutland, Seelie fae refer to themselves as lios alfar (faeries of light), while Unseelie fae call themselves svart alfar (faeries of darkness).
The Kingdom of Jutland (Denmark)
The Kingdom of Jutland also includes the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The current government, a monarchy, also includes an active parliament. The current King of Jutland, Harald Knudson, of House Aesin, welcomes commoners and sidhe equally. The head of parliament, an outspoken horse pooka named Sachi Jensen, spends her time outside parliament hiking the volcanoes.
The Hellenic Empire (Greece)
The changelings of Greece have sought to recreate the glory of the ancient Greek Empire as well as the epic nature of Greek mythology. The satyr Demetrios Maragos, an actor and poet, claims the title of Emperor. His freehold, the Garden of Olives, hosts changelings from all over the world. He regularly directs and acts in performances of the classic Greek dramas.
This vast area includes Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan. The changelings of this region, in their mortal form, strive to conform to current social mores to avoid calling attention to themselves. When they gather together in their freeholds, often spots visited by European tourists where they do not stand out so much, they interact with the Dreaming in ways familiar to most of the fae. The current Padishah (or emperor), Karim ibn Hassan ap Gwydion, has chosen to model his rule after the romantic trappings of the Arabian Nights. Courtiers wear elaborate clothing in the style of ancient Turks. Nobles rule the commoners, although occasionally a commoner may distinguish herself and join the ranks of the nobility.
Caliphate of Cedars (Eastern Mediterranean)
The Caliphate of Cedars includes the countries once known as the Levant, or “The Land Where the Sun Rises”: Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Israel. Many changelings have come from Europe, drawn by the mild climate and beautiful scenery. The political turmoil of the region feeds the Glamour of some of the Kithain, notably the redcaps and some of the trolls. Most, however, strive to maintain a graceful lifestyle, with touches of Arabian and Turkish influences in dress and manners. The current caliph, the pooka Mahbub ibn Iqbal (“Beloved Son of Fortune”) keeps his court and any visitors entertained with stories equaled only by those of the legendary Scheherazade. The frequent unrest in the region has driven many changelings back to Europe, but some stubborn few have vowed to preserve the dreams of the region’s ancient cultures.
Empire of the Firebird (Russia, the Ukraine, Sultanate of Hejaz and Siberia) (Saudi Arabia) Before the fall of the Soviet Union, contact with changelings in those lands did not exist except for rumors, few of them good. Since the demise of the Soviet state, those lands have opened up to communication with the west. Recently, a contingent from House Varich has traveled to the homeland of their dreams, determined to reawaken the silenced voices of the leshi, vodyanoi, berenginy, bannik, kikimora, domovoi, dvorovoi, polevik, and other native spirits, and to restore Glamour to a barren land (or so they see it). The Empire of the Firebird
The changelings of Saudi Arabia combine desert chic with the romantic tales of the Bedouin tribes. The current ruler, the Sultana Talitha of House Leanhaun, dwells in her freehold, the Oasis of Lingering Dreams, located in the desert outside the capital of Riyadh. The Kithain of the region include most commoner kiths as well as a few noble houses. All behave with the greatest discretion when interacting with the mortal world.
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Lands of Ancient Tales (Africa)
Little is known of the changelings of Africa except for those who dwell in the Kingdom of Nubia. Rumors exist of strange beasts and dark dreams that come from the jungles of Africa, and even stranger stories circulate about the changelings of “the Empire of the Sphinx,” which most fae believe refers to Egypt and perhaps Northern Africa in general. Few changelings have traveled there to confirm any of the stories. Many eshu claim knowledge of those lands but will say little as a certainty. The Kithain that may dwell in those hidden places have not yet made their presence known to the outside world. Tales of a revival of the ancient city of Great Zimbabwe tell of fabulous palaces of gold and exotic woods, while other stories hint of new kiths. Some also believe that the Thallain have havens in parts of Africa. Another, sinister rumor, says the conflicts that will bring about the Endless Winter will begin in the Land of Ancient Tales.
Kingdom of Nubia (Sudan and Ethiopia)
King Biniam Desta (Fortunate Son of Joy), an eshu wildling, rules the changelings who dwell in the Sudan and Ethiopia. From his freehold, the Eternal Story, near the outskirts of Addis
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Ababa, he orchestrates a sizable collection of eshu, satyrs, and pookas. They have minimal contact with the changelings of Europe and America but that may change.
Land of the Wandering Dream (Australia and New Zealand)
In many ways, the changelings of Australia and New Zealand share a common experience with those of Concordia. The European Kithain settled a land already occupied by native fae and promptly ignored them, claiming the lands as their own. The return of the sidhe upset the commoner balance of power, and now the sidhe control three of the four major duchies. They answer to no central leadership.
The Duchy of the Blue Mountains (Sydney)
Duke Edward McLaren of House Fiona rules the changelings of Sydney from his freehold New Albion, harking back to the name originally proposed for Sydney. The proliferation of kiths reflect the city’s multicultural population. Any conflicts among groups find their settlements on the fields of sports of various kinds. Most of the changelings of New South Wales gravitate toward Sydney, at least for a time.
The Duchy of the Swan (Perth) Land of the Rainbow Serpent The capital city of Western Australia contains the region’s (The Outback) largest changeling population, most of them commoners. The current ruler, Duchess Leona Villiard, a boggan grump, spends most of her time in her freehold, Black Swan Landing, where she raises the black swans native to the region. Her subjects appreciate her lighthanded rule and, on the whole, cause little trouble, except for a few instances of sidhe baiting by the local redcap gangs.
The parts of central Australia known as the Outback and left to the original aboriginal peoples have their own connection to the Dreaming. The Land of the Rainbow Serpent keeps its secrets and few western changelings know anything about it other than its name.
The Duchy of the Winding River (Brisbane)
Aotearoa (New Zealand)
The capital city of Queensland has a justified reputation for beauty, both because of its graceful architecture and because of the Brisbane River, which winds its way through the city. From his freehold, Mountain Dream, located on Mount Coot-tha, Duke Lester Shaunnessy of House Daireann leads an independent-minded group of changelings.
The Duchy of Gold (Melbourne)
Victoria’s capital, Melbourne, takes its fae name for the gold rush which brought many settlers to the region in the 1800s. Today, Duchess Sabrina Northrup of House Gwydion rules her realm with an eye to maintaining a high cultural standing in a region known for its arts festival and other cultural activities. Some differences exist between sidhe and commoners, but so far no major disruption has hampered the Victorian dreams.
The land of Aotearoa, the Maori word for New Zealand, has few European changelings. Instead, the native Maori fae have dominated the land in a rare case of native supremacy. Part of the submerged continent of Zealandia, New Zealand has many animals and plants unique to it. Likewise, its native changelings maintain their privacy and separateness, awaiting the inevitable approach of the outside world.
Land of Eternal Winter (Antarctica)
Although Antarctica has no native human population except for scientific researchers and the occasional explorer, rumors of pooka penguins and selkies continue to circulate among the changeling communities, and provide for endless amusement during storytelling festivals.
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Chapter Two: The Kithain “It’s like everyone tells a story about themselves inside their own head. Always. All the time. That story makes you what you are. We build ourselves out of that story.” — Patrick Rothfuss, The Name of the Wind Humans define themselves by more than just species. They identify with certain races and cultures, separate themselves by generation or ideology, and express individuality while simultaneously looking for ways to connect with others like them. How they look, who they love, where they live, what they believe — these are all building blocks of identity. Changelings, likewise, define themselves and their identities in many ways, layered on top of who they are in their mortal life. Many still embrace the ties of their mortal seemings, but their faerie selves bring with them additional traditions, abilities, and communities. This chapter explores the building blocks that come together to form a changeling. These aspects of a changeling’s identity — her seeming, kith, and house — are not the only important elements in her life, but they provide a vital framework through which to understand her and her place in the world. The descriptions of the mortal and fae seemings, the many kiths that people the realm of the Kithain, and the noble houses to which changeling may swear fealty
will give you the information you need to create a dynamic character to play in this game.
Seeming
Though a changeling’s body ages at the same rate as her mortal companions, her fae nature isn’t held by such things as linear time. It’s a changeling’s mindset that dictates her seeming — the way she views the world around her, and her connection to Glamour and the Dreaming. A changeling moves between three seemings: childlings embrace the wonder and unlimited possibilities of the world, wilders confront it with reckless abandon, and grumps have settled into roles as teachers and guides for new changelings. With their varied perspectives, the different seemings are likely to react to Banality triggers (p. 269) in markedly unique ways. Childlings attempt to avoid them at all cost, viewing the invitation to such mundane forces an affront to their very nature, wilders are more likely to invite them sparingly, as tools, weapons, or last-ditch defenses, and grumps
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tend to see the Autumn nature of these Banal actions as a grim inevitability to be called upon only in the direst circumstances. Of course, a changeling isn’t locked into one frame of mind once she enters it, nor must she progress strictly from childling to wilder to grump. A sudden spark of inspiration or infusion of Glamour can move a grump to a wilder or even a childling again, reopening their eyes to awe and wonder. Similarly, a childling particularly devoted to a certain task or dream may shut out other influences and become a grump for a time, dedicated to one purpose at the expense of other, more extravagant experiences. While a changeling’s adjusted attitude is not uncommon, it is always something of note, especially if the shift brings more Glamour into the world. Progressing forward is seen as the natural order of things taking effect, but a wilder or grump moving backward is a rare and celebrated experience.
Childling
It is a brave and rare soul that can fend off the forces of Banality as effectively as a childling. These precious changelings still know wonder and awe. The world around them is a magical playground full of adventure and mystery. With their fantastic dreams and boundless imaginations, childlings are virtual magnets for Glamour, and as such are fiercely protected by other changelings in their community. Typically, the first seeming of a changeling’s life after she emerges from her Chrysalis is the childling. A childling is in awe of the magical world around her. The Dreaming is closest to these changelings, and the influx of Glamour that carries them into their new world keeps Banality at bay. Fairy tales they have heard all their lives are suddenly coming true, and they star in their own story, sometimes discovering that the people around them are also characters. A childling might find that the teacher who encouraged her artistic talents or the eccentric aunt that always told the most magical stories are privy to her new world as well, there to lend a sympathetic ear and a helping hand to the transition. These older changelings are invaluable to blossoming childlings, the rare forces in the world to embrace the magic that is so apparent instead of stamping it out in favor of logic and reason. In such a mundane world, a childling’s claims of having a tiny dragon for a pet, or fairy friends that sing her to sleep every night, are often dismissed. As she grows older, those around her often discourage these claims and insist that such things aren’t real. The most mundane authorities in her life may even begin to punish her for these wild notions; in such a Banal atmosphere, most changelings eventually run away, fleeing their homes or schools and hopefully finding a freehold to take them in. This early introduction to Banality is all most childlings need to decide to never grow up, lest they lose the magic in their lives. However, if a changeling truly does refuse to face maturing, she faces other risks. The naïve mindset that protects her from Banality can also begin to set her apart from the mortal world, preventing her from relating to her mortal friends and family as they leave behind the things of their childhood. Of course, the changeling herself may consider “settling down” and “growing up” the harbingers of Banality, and may very well begin to resist
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even more. Luckily, in this day and age, with adolescence prolonged and the need to “grow up” put off for a time, it is easier than ever for a changeling to remain safely adrift in the sea of late bloomers before her attitude is truly considered problematic. With their unique points of view, some changelings can even manage to live their entire lives as childlings. To the mortal world, these folk are the eccentric innovators, able to conceive of and create things no one had dared to dream of yet, but are usually a bit… off, by mortal standards. This desperate aversion to moving on does have its own consequences. Childlings are the most likely of all changelings to succumb to Bedlam (p. 294). Too much time spent in the Dreaming and surrounded by Glamour is just as bad as too little, and a changeling that finds herself meeting this fate lets her mortal self slip away entirely in favor of her fae half. With the inevitable march of time staring them down, few wish to hasten the process of becoming Undone. Balancing Banality and Bedlam is not the only problem childlings face. Even one that has moved past mortal childhood might not be taken seriously, due to her flighty nature and idyllic outlook. While she may have led countless previous lives and recall her past experiences as time moves on, she is still regarded as immature or unseasoned and can run into difficulty trying to gain respect or credibility. Commoners and nobles alike run into this problem, and even those that have moved back to this mindset find that their peers suddenly consider their ideas lofty and inconsequential, despite being tempered by years of experience and wisdom. Sometimes, this is for good reason. A childling’s outlook may bring out the sudden desire to create something enormous and wonderful, without considering any possible consequences. Though the wisdom to temper the idea is sometimes there, the sheer excitement can sweep anyone off their feet quickly enough to disregard it. While these impulses aren’t usually much of a problem, it’s easy to forget that not every dream is a sweet one — nightmares can come to life, too. Every teddy bear protector is there to fight something, after all. Courts: Childlings are perhaps the most fluid in their changing allegiance to courts. As the least likely to consider the consequences of their actions, the line between Seelie and Unseelie can be as thin as a prank gone too far or a “harmless” creation put into greater context. In certain contexts, the line is more distinct; a Seelie childling revels in the beauty of the world, and is easily excited by all the wonderful things around them. These things can be distracting at any age, especially for someone working in a dreary office or in a highly repetitive job. Seelie childlings will find as much magic as they can, even in these less-than-ideal circumstance, and strive to remain positive and help those around them. Unseelie childlings, on the other hand, can be complete nightmares. With little care for consequences or thinking through the details, they don’t consider the harm that will come to others, intentionally or unintentionally, in their pursuits. As Glamour is usually easy for childlings to come by, those that are Unseelie seek to obtain as much as they can. While they don’t have an inherently negative outlook, they are more likely to put their personal interests over those of others.
Tempers: Childlings are receive a +1 to Glamour at character creation. Triggers: A childling risks Banality when she denies a novel idea. Becoming jaded and unwilling to take risks is the death of childhood. Along those lines, failing to overcome Banality does not trigger them. For childlings, it’s better to try and fail than not try at all.
Wilder
Wilders are exactly that — wild. They embody the space between the wide-eyed innocence of childlings and the more grounded view of grumps. The essence of being a wilder is that of being trapped between two worlds; the inexorable pull of Glamour and magic is strong as ever, while the practicality of the mortal world reveals a quiet, inviting reprieve from the whirlwind of fae society. Sliding too far one way or another leaves half a wilder’s soul aching, and many changelings walk a wobbly path between their two worlds. Creatures of passion and spirit, wilders fully embrace every path they pursue, no matter how brief the journey. Too often their flames burn bright and fast; there’s a reason there are fewer grumps in the world than wilders, as many would rather go out in a blaze of Glamour than live to forget magic exists at all. Yet, all the same, for wilders their next big adventure is always just around the corner. Something may captivate them for a time, but once all the mystery is gone from it, they’ll just as easily drop one pursuit for another that still has questions to answer.
Changelings as a whole are drawn to the arts, and wilders especially often fling themselves headlong to music, film, literature, or any other creative field. With recent developments in technology, some changelings have even gone into more scientific fields, discovering new truths of the universe. While less dictated by muse and whimsy, these realms are no less magical. Wonder lies in the discovery of a new species or an unexplored biome, and beauty in chemical bonds or lines of code. Most frequently changelings are attracted to more handson fields of research, or projects that allow their imaginations to run free and look at problems from new angles. Though they may rise quickly in any of these fields, the risk of settling into a routine is a real one. The Dreaming is a fickle mistress, and many wilders quickly learn that simply doing what worked before is not guaranteed to work again. Repetition can quickly become a rut, and make even the most wondrous work commonplace and mundane. If a changeling finds something she particularly enjoys, she may for a time pursue it past the initial burst of passion, but upon realizing she is on her way to becoming a grump, it’s likely she will look for her next inspiration and start from scratch again. Despite this hopping from one pursuit to another to stave off the mundane, wilders have begun to accept that living entirely surrounded by Glamour is impossible if they want to fit in with mortal society. Even though their aspirations may be impractical and unsustainable, they are grounded in the knowledge that Banality finds its way in eventually, and reaching for
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such fantastic goals is their way of keeping it at bay just a bit longer. The longer they are successful, the more their sense of invulnerability sets in. Wilders have fully embraced being the protagonists in their own story, and no one is more untouchable than a hero. As the stories of the underdog and the immortal action hero are told again and again in hundreds of permutations, wilders are drawn more and more into increasingly dangerous situations. They are more prone than any others to take risks, assuming there will be no negative outcome, and the idea that no harm could possibly come to them leaves them most open to premature death or Undoing. But really, what would make a cooler story than taming a manticore with nothing more than wits, a chair, and a chimerical whip? If they’re not off chasing dreams or chimera, wilders are trying to influence the political matters of changelings. As the most populous group, they see themselves as natural leaders; childlings can hardly be expected to understand the complexities of it all, and someone has to step up when the grumps in power are gone. With their fleeting attention, the hardest part of holding a noble title for a wilder is ensuring that they can uphold the duties and trappings of their station. Getting too bogged down in serious issues and too busy to chase their fancies means a short path to a grump future. Nonetheless, they approach their stations with the same vigor and enthusiasm as everything else, certain their views are the most important and their ideas are the best. Seelie and Unseelie wilders alike share this mindset, and their rebellious natures sometimes see them pushing back against the rigid, feudal society that has been the way of changelings for so long. Whether they fight to preserve or subvert the ruling class as it stands, they all long to make their mark in one way or another. Courts: With their tendencies toward adventure, Seelie and Unseelie wilders can easily gravitate toward hero and villain types, but it does the subtlety of many kiths disservice to put it so plainly. Those that fall more under the Seelie Court follow their passions without a second thought, be that adventure, a paramour, or a personal ideal. Nothing gets in the way of a wilder long enough to discourage him — only distract him for a time. Unseelie wilders are among the best when it comes to “good intentions” turning out just a little bit wrong. The more patient and malicious wilders can be the biggest source of bad luck someone can have, and they seek constantly to challenge most everything around them. Even when caught, they are unlikely apologize for their actions, and instead have a dozen ways to justify them. Tempers: Wilders receive +1 Glamour or +1 Willpower at character creation (player’s choice). Triggers: A wilder invites Banality when he denies an opportunity for adventure. Given a choice between going on an epic quest — or even a road trip — or going to work the next morning? That’s not even a choice. Wilders do not risk Banality for turning down an adventure while already embroiled in one, however. Unlike other changelings, wilders do not risk Banality for chimerically killing changelings and chimera — as long the violence occurs during a quest or an adventure. A military campaign certainly counts, but a random street fight probably doesn’t.
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Grump
If a changeling has left behind the fanciful notions of dreams never ending and grown tired of chasing such a fleeting mistress as inspiration, he has most likely settled into life as a grump. Grumps as a whole have faced the knowledge that no matter how hard they try, no sensible being can keep Banality at bay forever. Having accepted this, they are comfortable taking roles as leaders and guides for younger changelings, knowing that if the young at heart can keep the Dreaming alive, they will have the chance to come back around and live it all again. With all their knowledge, grumps see themselves as sources of wisdom and experience. Wilders and changelings, however, see grumps as stubborn and unmoving in their ways. It’s this common perception that earned them their name in the first place; grumps prefer the more respectful term graybeards, but wilders and childlings had other ideas. The “adults” of changeling society, they have been subjected to the workings of the mortal world enough that it is no longer something from which they can easily extract themselves. This helps them focus on projects and see them through to completion, but most other changelings see their slower pace and practical ideas as an unfortunate tradeoff. Immersing themselves in the foundation of changeling society is both a way for grumps to find beauty and Glamour in the world and to ensure that it continues to function smoothly. More patient and thorough than their younger-minded companions, grumps see plans through and figure out the details that childlings and wilders overlook. Understandably, a lifetime of picking up the pieces others have left behind, and cleaning up the aftermath of sudden inspiration wears on anyone’s patience, and the attitude many grumps develop is precisely what earned them their nicknames. Glamour is harder for a grump to come by than anyone else, and the way Banality surrounds them can drive other changelings away. This can be difficult for newer changelings taken under a grump’s tutelage; grumps follow rules, and insist on logic and consequences. These are the things that keep changeling society together, but while a grump might be able to wax poetic on the relations of the fae houses, they might have a difficult time finding an audience. Sadly, a childling has no great interest in the “normal” side of things, and wilders are sure that they must know more than these out-of-touch elders. Though they may be dismissed by the younger seemings, it’s these duties, trappings, and relations of the nobles, houses, and courts that fascinate grumps. With a diminished connection to Glamour and, by extension, most things chimerical, politics is a place they can begin to come alive again, and maintain their connection with the Dreaming. They have had more time to not only observe the court, but fully develop a set of social skills. All the Art and Glamour in the world can only do so much if someone well and truly hates you, but knowing how to woo and persuade without leaning on magic is an art in and of itself. While wilders are constantly trying to elbow their way into politics and become what is surely the best leader the freehold has ever had, a grump knows that a word in the
right — or wrong — ear can either make a dream come true or leave the person struggling for it forever… or until something else catches their attention. Grumps, the same as the others, can be swept up and carried by an idea and back into a more active lifestyle. A sudden infusion of Glamour can bring a grump back from the edge of becoming Undone, but if a project or quest catches and consumes them, it’s very possible for a grump to move back to a wilder’s lifestyle. A sudden revelation that changes the way they see the world can even bring them back to an awestruck childling. It takes more than a simple break from an established routine to change the way a grump sees the world, but breaking that routine is a good first step to bringing Glamour back into a grump’s life. Some grumps may initially resist such changes out of the comfort of the familiar; Banality has a habit of breeding itself, and many grumps have stared it in the face without flinching. While some slip quietly into Undoing, others attempt to cling to the scraps of Glamour that connect them to the magical world. Freeholds, especially those with more impressive Balefires, are a haven for those clinging to their fae selves, but isolating themselves from the mortal world they have been a part of for quite some time can be difficult. Courts: Grumps, being less active than childlings and wilders, can be both more insidious and more inspirational. An Unseelie grump has mastered the subtlety necessary to weave the court’s plots, and Seelie grumps know how to inspire the fancies and whims of their successors in the changeling world. Seelie grumps typically do their best to learn about and preserve the courtly ways and help others understand why they’re necessary. Some enjoy collecting art and creating galleries to inspire others, or amass vast libraries of literature or music to the same purpose. Unseelie grumps still champion the change they wish to see in the world, but their own hands are nearly invisible in the plot. Stirring up the wilders enough to give those currently in charge a headache is a favorite pastime for some, while others will orchestrate other forms of chaos and sow discord, sitting back to enjoy as the show unfolds. Tempers: Grumps receive a +1 to Willpower at character creation. Triggers: Grumps risk Banality for failing to provide what their charges require. Some grumps have roundabout or unorthodox methods of “providing,” of course, particularly those of the Unseelie Court. One thing that all grumps, regardless of court, agree upon is that their mature status makes them best suited to endure the unpleasant realities of the Autumn world. A grump may spend as much time around high-Banality people or places as needed without accruing Banality.
Kith
The fae were born from the ancient dreams of mortals, and dreams takes many forms. A changeling’s kith defines his faerie appearance and the ways in which he connects to the Dreaming. While every changeling is her own individual
person, she will still be somewhat defined and constrained by her kith and its unique aspects. Each kith has its own special affinity, birthrights, and frailties, as well as a history, culture, and traditional roles it plays within larger fae society. The following kith descriptions provide an overview of each kith’s background, physical appearance, lifestyle, affinity, birthrights and frailties, and their views of other kiths. Each of the following kith descriptions is broken into several sections. This is a brief outline of what type of information you will find in each section. ¶¶ Name: The name of the kith. ¶¶ Quote: A quote from a member of this kith that typifies the kith’s personality or behavior. ¶¶ General Description: A short history of the kith, the roles the members play in changeling society, and commonly held beliefs and outlooks. ¶¶ Appearance: A description of the changelings from this kith’s most common appearance in their fae miens, including such details as stature, skin and hair color, preferred manner of dress, and any other notable features that stand out. Individual fae of each kith vary in appearance, but this section provides a baseline for what is considered typical of the kith. ¶¶ Lifestyles: How this kith commonly lives day to day, including the type of homes they prefer, whether or not they are nomadic, and what kind of companionship they often seek. ¶¶ Seemings (Childing, Wilder, Grump): A description of common outlooks, behaviors, and actions for each of the three fae seemings. While individual fae can certainly have one seeming but share traits with another, these are general guidelines of what others might expect from a member of a kith in a given seeming. ¶¶ Affinity: Each kith has an Affinity for a particular Realm. When a member of the kith casts a cantrip involving that Realm, the difficulty is lowered by one. ¶¶ Revelry: The common ways this kith gathers Glamour by playing to its nature. ¶¶ Unleashing: When a changeling from this kith channels a torrent of Glamour through an Art, those around him experience effects on their senses and emotions. This section describes common sights, smells, sounds, or feelings a witness to this kith’s unleashing may encounter. ¶¶ Birthrights and Frailties: Every kith has inherent strengths and weaknesses. Birthrights are the strengths possessed by the kith, and often tie into the kith’s history, role in society, or appearance. Frailties are the kith’s weaknesses, challenges or difficulties they must consciously struggle to overcome. This section includes the game mechanics for birthrights and frailties. ¶¶ Stereotypes: The way a typical member of this kith views the other kiths. Keep in mind that these are just one changeling’s opinion, and while they may be shared by other members of her kith, they are prone to bias. A kith’s outlook on other kiths may be flattering or quite unkind.
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“I’ve cleaned up the freehold, fed the menagerie, and mended the Duke’s favorite robe. Just a few more things to take care of! I should be ready to leave for the quest by noon!” Boggans value hard work and hospitality above all things. They also take great delight in simple earthly pleasures such as good food and drink, a warm fire, and a comfortable chair for sitting and reading. They have well-established reputations for their hard work and integrity. It is said that a boggan is as honest as the callouses on his hands. They are also known to be busybodies. If you need to know what’s going on at court, ask a boggan; he will almost always be up to date on the current gossip and intrigue. Born of dreams of charity, service, and vengeance, boggans embody all these things. Their tales originate in early stories of earthly angels who worked miracles on behalf of the poor and virtuous. Darker stories feature malicious spirits that exacted outrageous prices for services rendered. Yet others speak of small house faeries who helped families with household chores and tended to farm animals. Boggans usually fall into one of two camps: those who prefer the comfort and security of their own homes and those who humbly integrate themselves into other households. Those who prefer their own homes are rarely without guests. They keep the larder full, the drink cabinet well stocked, and the guest bedrooms fresh and clean. They are not overly picky about who they invite as guests, and anyone in need of shelter is welcome at a boggan’s home. Boggans themselves are the consummate houseguests and boarders, and most Kithain consider themselves fortunate to have a boggan move in with them. Of course, boggans only show up where welcome and would not dream of living where they are not wanted; they work extra hard to make sure their presence is appreciated. They dutifully take care of any cleaning and repairs and do anything possible to make sure their host is happy and well taken care of. Even Unseelie boggans make welcome guests in this regard, though their presence may also come with a price. Boggans have turned gossip into an art form. They have an innate knack of deciphering relationships and picking up “overheard” tidbits of information. Seelie boggans rarely use this information in any nefarious capacity, and claim they are only curious. The secrets they “happen to overhear” are just rewards for their hard work. Unseelie, on the other hand, horde their secrets to use for blackmail and even more nefarious purposes.
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Appearance: Boggans tend to be short and plump with large noses, and are distinctly earthy in appearance. They often have thick, bushy hair with matching eyebrows that hover over small, bright eyes. They have large, calloused hands with long, nimble fingers. Their skin is usually tanned, and darkens and wrinkles with age. Despite their somewhat stout appearance, they move with a spritely gait. Whether tightening a screw or tamping a pipe, their hands are constantly in motion. If left with nothing in their hands they fidget and instinctively seek out something that needs to be fixed. Lifestyles: Comfort is of utmost importance to boggans; a well-stocked pantry, comfortable furniture, and an assortment of favorite drinks are essentials to a boggan home. Boggans are famous for their talents in the kitchen and they often find work as chefs or brewers. In these modern times they can also be found working as graphic designers, landscapers, fashion designers, house cleaners, carpenters, and jewelers — anything that involves working with the hands. Childlings: Boggans in this stage of life exhibit a powerful curiosity about everything in the world. They take delight in meeting new people, learning new things, and exploring
new places. They want to know everything about everything and everyone. They explore the world with wonder in their eyes and will talk to anyone who will sit still long enough to listen and put up with the incessant questions. While most boggans are notorious homebodies, childlings are commonly found out and about in the world, often poking their noses into places they shouldn’t. Wilders: All boggans are perfectionists but wilders take this to the extreme. Every task must be completed to perfection and they must always do more than anyone else, a goal made somewhat easier by their Birthright. However, if two boggans wilders get into a competition they may need someone to step in and tear them apart because they can become fiercely competitive. Normally mild-mannered boggans can even become violent if provoked while in a competitive frenzy. Grumps: Boggans who have entered the grump stage of life have seen it and heard it all, but they still maintain a desire to know more. They usually lose their competitive edge and prefer to settle in one place, often a freehold or other place where they believe they can be of the most service. Gathering and compiling information is of the utmost importance to them and they often keep a great store of knowledge about the local Kithain. They usually maintain vast libraries of stories and journals they have collected during their lives, all neatly organized and carefully indexed. Affinity: Actor Revelry: Helping people with tedious and odious tasks is the boggans trademark, especially if they can do it without the person knowing. The chore can be just about anything: cleaning the house, repairing a broken faucet, mending clothing, or weeding a garden, but it should be something that requires at least a little bit of time and elbow grease (of course it takes the boggan a lot less time than it would take anyone else). The boggan cannot accept payment or thanks for work and preferably the person helped shouldn’t even be aware that the boggan was there. Unleashing: Cantrips cast by boggans are often accompanied by pleasant scents of hearth and home and the field: baked bread, mulled cider, fresh-mowed grass, tobacco, and wood smoke.
Birthrights
Craftwork — Boggans enjoy nothing more than good, honest work. Their reputation for being consummate craftspeople is well earned. While unobserved, boggans can accomplish any task involving physical labor or craftsmanship in one third of the time. Other boggans can be present, but they cannot be observed by anyone else. Boggans can never botch a Craft roll. Social Dynamics — Boggans are keen observers of social interactions, and their inherently unobtrusive nature allows them to witness things that might otherwise remain hidden. A successful Perception + Empathy (or Subterfuge) roll allows a boggan to puzzle out a group’s social dynamics. The difficulty can range from 5 (for a small dinner party) to 9 (for a ducal freehold). This might result in lower difficulties on future Social rolls or additional pieces of information that the player would find useful.
Frailty
Call of the Needy — Boggans are inherently helpful, and cannot resist offering aid when it is needed. When they encounter someone who is legitimately in need of help, the player must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 8) to resist helping them in some way. This does not apply to a sworn enemy.
Stereotypes
Brandon Goldworth, a boggan chamberlain, ruminates: On Clurichaun — Rowdy fools, the lot of them. Still, they can be quite entertaining… so long as you keep them from breaking the china. On Eshu — They make wonderful guests and tell the most delightful tales, but they never stay for long. Pay heed to their stories and you may learn something. On Nockers — They are consummate craftsmen, but they tend to get caught up too much in the details. Their obsessions tend to make them boring conversationalists. On Piskies — Never leave them alone in a room if you want to be able to find anything afterward. On Pooka — They are quite entertaining at parties, but never stick around to help clean up. On Redcaps — Foul mouthed and rude beasties, they are. And they have atrocious table manners. And tend to eat the flatware. On Satyrs — Be careful how much wine you offer them. They can become quite… err… enthusiastic. Not that that’s always bad. Ahem. On Selkies —No place on land, no friendship, and not even love can hold them. A selkie’s heart belongs to the sea and to the sea they will always return. On Arcadian Sidhe — They, perhaps more than any other, appreciate our service, and they have been here throughout the Interregnum. I respect them for that. On Autumn Sidhe — They still understand the old ways but they do not always understand our ways. Things have changed and they are going to need to learn to adapt. On Sluagh — Much can be learned by listening to the whispers of the sluagh. Many loathe them, but they are always polite, if a little moldy. On Trolls — It seems that they value little other than honor and duty. They are strong, yes, but they are more than simple brutes. They are perhaps second only to the sidhe in understanding the intricacies of the courts.
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“And there we were, me with a steak on my eye and Lady Marisol with an ice pack on her lip, and the pack of redcaps at the back of the room were — oh, you’ve heard this before? Well, I’ll tell it again for the folks in the back, as there’s a lesson in this one.”
The story of the leprechauns — little green-clad fairy folk hoarding gold at the end of the rainbow — comes from mortals’ distorted tales of the clurichaun. Some kiths pity the clurichaun, seeing them as victims of hundreds of years of bad PR, but others suspect that’s exactly how the clurichaun want it, seeing it as a tremendous joke they’re playing. Clurichaun l i v e p r i m a rily in Ireland, though they also traveled to the United States along with Irish immigrants, making new homes in cities like Boston and New York City. Whether in Ireland or abroad, clu richaun share a love of music, both listening and playing. Most clurichaun play at least one instrument, and many possess the famous Irish tenor voice as well. They enjoy telling stories through song, though they’ll also spin a tale in prose. These jacks-of-all-trades are equally comfortable as bards, comedians, and oral historians, and have a certain dash of the Irish blarney. They don’t lie outright, but they do love to tell a tall tale, often embellishing the story for the sake of humor or to build excitement. Their natural knack for reading a room lets them know which little details or changes would best entertain, which gives clurichaun a reputation of never telling the same story twice. Along with storytelling, clurichaun love a good-natured brawl, and believe a fistfight can be an avenue to fast friendship. A
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good donnybrook clears the air, breaks the tension, and reveals hidden passions and personality traits. Trust a clurichaun to know exactly what to say to get the most reserved sluagh or dignified sidhe to throw a punch, but also trust that when the dust clears, the clurichaun will be there with a hearty pat on the back, a stiff drink, and a clever joke to lift the spirits of those she’s just incited to fisticuffs. Should a friendly fracas escalate to real violence, clurichaun have a knack for disappearing before they have to answer for any property damage or missing teeth. More than anything, even music, stories, and fighting, clurichaun love their collections. Each clurichaun has at least one item he hoards and cherishes above everything else, the basis of the mythical pot of gold. Some clurichaun collect vinyl albums or porcelain statuettes, while others might have more expensive tastes, pursuing all the works of a particular artist or searching for rare stamps or coins. Clurichaun go to great lengths, even great personal risk in some cases, to add another item to their collection. They remember every detail of how they acquired each of their treasures, too, and gladly tell those stories to revisit the fond memories of prior adventures. Appearance: While certainly taller than the tiny leprechauns of Irish folktales, clurichaun tend towards shorter stature, rarely topping 5’ 5”. Clurichaun are stocky and compact, with a solid build hinting at their strength and reliability. Their delicately-pointed ears are less noticeable than those of the sidhe. Clurichaun typically have red or russet hair, regardless of their skin tone, and bright, twinkling eyes with upturned corners, typically blue, green, or light hazel in color. Clurichaun walk with a spring in their step, and often wear conspiratorial smiles that make others feel like they’re all sharing a joke. They frequently sport a black eye, busted knuckles, or other evidence of one of their friendly little scuffles. The little green coats and buckled shoes of cartoon leprechauns don’t usually crop up in their wardrobes, but clurichaun do trend toward shades of green in their clothing choices, as well as grays and browns that allow them to blend in with natural surroundings. Clurichaun demonstrate practicality in their dress, with a preference towards the functional and durable. They prefer clothing that lets them move freely and comfortably, with nothing encumbering to slow them down. Crafting aprons, work coveralls, jeans, and sturdy shoes all find their place in the clurichaun wardrobe, and they usually carry a small first aid kit, or at least a few plastic bandages and a tube of ointment. Lifestyles: Some clurichaun prefer a nomadic life, traveling with other musicians or craftsmen to various fairs and music festivals. Other prefer a more stable home, as long as they’re within walking distance of a pub or bar, preferably one with live music. Whether they live in
a caravan trailer or a little cottage, clurichaun’s homes are simultaneously cluttered and tidy. Their collections become the focal point of their living space, displayed where the clurichaun can see them all and take joy in their presence. Because these collections are so cherished, clurichaun rarely bring others into their homes, preferring to do their entertaining in a more public venue, where a raucous celebration or fisticuffs won’t inadvertently damage one of their treasures. Those invited home by a clurichaun should feel lucky indeed, because this is a sign of the clurichaun’s deep affection and trust. Childlings: Clurichaun childlings brim with humor and passion for life, not yet bridled by social constraints or tempered by experience. Their jokes are cruder, their stories less nuanced and lacking embellishment, and they’re far better as starting fights than they are at resolving them. In this seeming, clurichaun worry less about mastering any one craft and focus more on trying a little bit of everything. Childlings dabble at collecting, but their hoards haven’t developed into the full-blown obsession of wilders and grumps. Wilders: Natural musical inclination gives way to genuine skill in clurichaun wilders, who now have the patience to hone their abilities. Many master at least one instrument, sometimes several, and the stories they tell have greater depth as well. A clurichaun wilder’s twinkling eyes and charming personality draws the attention of others, who easily get caught up in his clever, often bawdy tales. Clurichaun wilders are often described as the life of the party, and are prone to party a little too hard, often picking fights for the sheer joy of it. They’ve begun to collect the treasures they will accumulate throughout their lives. Grumps: Clurichaun grumps value comfort and camaraderie. A socially deft clurichaun grump seldom starts a fight he knows won’t end with a closer connection and a good laugh, and he’s a master at putting people at ease, weaving engaging tales that last for hours, or singings songs that hit just the right tone for the occasion. Their comfortable, if cluttered, homes are lined with shelves and cases displaying their treasured collections, and they’re loath to leave their precious hoards behind for any length of time. Affinity: Actor Revelry: Clurichaun usually gather their Glamour from their fellow collectors. They revel in the accomplishment a curator feels in assembling a collection of beautiful glass statues, the satisfaction a bibliophile experiences when finally finding a long-desired rare volume, or the joy of a child unwrapping the one card he was missing for his collectible game deck. They can also gain Glamour from a good brawl, of course. Unleashing: Cantrips cast by clurichaun bring with them the sweet scent of grass and the bite of whiskey. The air itself takes on a bright green tinge, and tiny shamrocks have been known to spring up from the clurichaun’s footprints. Those present may experience a rush of exhilaration or the sensation of having just heard a hilarious joke, and may even find themselves laughing without knowing why.
Birthrights
Twinkling of an Eye — Now you see them, now you don’t. Look away for only a moment, and a clurichaun can disappear into her surroundings, completely undetectable. Unless the clurichaun is bound with iron, she can vanish in a blink, even from someone’s physical grasp, reappearing within the same area but out of her observer/captor’s line of sight. If someone is physically touching the clurichaun, or she is tied up or otherwise restrained, disappearing costs one point of Glamour. Fighting Words —After only a few moments, a clurichaun can get a read on a person or group, knowing exactly what to say to provoke a
fight. Clurichaun view fighting as an ice breaker and a form of roughand-tumble bonding. The clurichaun can prod anyone into throwing the first punch, which the target can resist through a Willpower roll (difficulty 8). This birthright can be used to incite a fight between the clurichaun and the target, or between the target and another person.
Frailty
Hoard — For clurichaun, collecting isn’t a mere hobby, but a consuming obsession. They must spend time with their collection frequently to satisfy this aspect of their nature, an easier task for a clurichaun with a smaller, more portable collection than for one whose hoard is large or unwieldy. Spending more than a week away from her collection triggers Banality.
Stereotypes
Micah “Goldknuckle” O’Malley, a clurichaun bartender, shares: On Boggans — Great appreciators of fine craftwork and good company, though they can be a little uptight. Nothing wrong with cutting loose a bit now and then! On Eshu — The only storytellers better than us, though they’re not exactly what you’d call reliable. Better get that tale from them while you can, because tomorrow they’ll be gone. On Nockers — Feed a lemon to a badger and then set it loose inside a tool box, and that gives you a good idea of what to expect from these cranky crafters. On Piskies — Every story needs an ear to hear it, and piskies are great listeners. Don’t leave them alone with your prize possessions; you’ll never know what’ll come up missing. On Pooka — Never boring, that’s for sure, and possessing a good sense of humor, but they tend to take their pranks to uncomfortable extremes. They don’t understand limits — their own or anyone else’s. On Redcaps — I’ve yet to meet to a redcap who understands the difference between a friendly fight and full-on violence. What a bunch of bullies! On Satyrs — Don’t underestimate them. No other kith could match us drink for drink and punch for punch and still quote the erotic poems of Ovid after. On Selkies — Graceful, beautiful, mysterious, and always just beyond reach. On Arcadian Sidhe — Fine lords and ladies with their fancy ways and courtly rules. They do think highly of themselves, not that they don’t have a reason for it. On Autumn Sidhe — They stayed by us and fought. That’s worth something. On Sluagh — Hard to get to know, but worth it for the stories alone. Little too timid for their own good. On Trolls — Maybe not the most fun, but always steady as a rock. Earn their trust and you’ll have a loyal friend for life.
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“What we do today will live long after us, carried in the stories told by our children and our children’s children. As my grandmother used to tell me…” Eshu take their name from the Yoruba trickster spirit, which also served as a messenger. They first sprang into being from the dreams of the nomadic people of Chaldea, spreading across the African continent, through Mesopotamia, and into India. Eshu are the true wanderers, unable to resist the call of the open road. Their wanderlust carried them across the globe, where the naturally-adaptive eshu adopted elements from the many cultures they encountered. Intelligent and intuitive, eshu remember every story they hear, weaving it into a tapestry of complex oral history and a record of myths and legends from countless civilizations still living or long dead. Though curious about other cultures and their practices, eshu guard their own secrets closely, veiling their personal lives and rituals from any outside their kith. People often believe themselves closer to an eshu than the eshu actually feels toward them, and are surprised to discover how little they truly know this enigmatic kith. Conversely, even the wariest troll and most taciturn sluagh may realize — only after the fact of course — that they have inadvertently confessed their dearest secrets, only to later find them spun into tales the eshu shares over the fire. Eshu are born wanderers, nomadic at the core, and seldom stay in one place for long. Eshu keepers may limit themselves to a few favorite spots, but continue to travel long into their later years. For an eshu, dropping anchor is tantamount to losing herself entirely, so those looking to befriend or romance an eshu should prepare to either uproot themselves as well or to make the most of an eshu’s company for however briefly she stays put. Eshu parents often homeschool (or “unschool”) their children so they can continue to travel. Eshu children enrolled in schools typically seek out the new kid to learn all about him, though they often lose interest and move on to a newer friend once they’ve exhausted their old friend’s stories. Gifted storytellers, singers, and performers, eshu are well suited for lives as traveling entertainers. Because they have seen mortal history unfolding for thousands of years, many eshu develop a fondness for tugging on a single thread of a story and following it from its beginning to the role it plays in current events. Eshu seekers often find themselves swept up in movements dedicated to social and political justice, though they don’t always stay long enough to see those movements to fruition. An eshu can make posters in the morning, march in a protest in the afternoon, then be two cities over by dinner, sharing the story with yet another
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audience. In this way, eshu actually help to spread awareness of important social issues and the techniques used to pursue justice. Appearance: Eshu’s millennia of travel means they can possess nearly any racial or ethnic heritage, but their strongest mortal ties lie within the black, Arab, Persian, and Indian communities. They tend to have dark skin, with black or dark brunette hair, worn loose and natural or braided, twisted, or locked into intricate styles. They are typically tall, with long, graceful limbs, and have dark eyes that hint at the wisdom within. Eshu change their dress as they travel, either to blend in or make a statement, but are always carefully clothed in flattering, well-maintained styles. Lifestyles: This wandering kith seldom stays in one place for long, but their method of travel and their living quarters vary based on the individual and the path they are currently traversing. An eshu may live in an RV for several weeks as he travels with a band across the Pacific Northwest, only to continue on foot, staying in cheap motels along the California coastline, then boarding a Greyhound to Las Vegas to stay in the penthouse of one of the finest casinos. The one constant is that all eshu are subject
to their wanderlust and that wherever they go, they collect and share stories. Childling: Eshu childlings have just started building the volume of tales that they will carry for their lifetime, often beginning at home by collecting the stories of elders or important community members. For the young eshu childling, or for the eshu who awakened to his fae nature much later in life, the stability of family or community tempers the need to travel far and wide. They feel the call of the road, but haven’t disconnected themselves from all their mortal ties, as eshu wilders often do. They still value the feeling of having a “home base” to return to after each journey. Wilder: An eshu’s wanderlust reaches its peak in her wilder seeming. No longer satisfied with hearing stories, she begins to seek out new sources and adventures, beginning a lifetime of travel. Eshu wilders seldom stay in one place for long, though they make their most of the time spent in any location, building as many connections as possible and learning all they can about local people and culture. Eshu wilders join social justice movements and sometimes even start them, using their innate storytelling ability to write speeches and protest songs that inspire others to join the cause. Grump: Eshu may move more slowly and deliberately, but they never really stop. An eshu grump places more value on the connections he forms, understanding that truly knowing someone’s story takes time. While grumps share the wilders’ social flexibility, they are less likely to incite a movement and more likely to support and encourage those already involved. No one’s stories match those of an eshu grump who has lived a long, rich life, and the wisdom in songs can move even the hardest heart to tears or jubilation. Affinity: Scene Revelry: Eshu gather their Glamour from the storytellers and performers they encounter, finding intense joy in each new tale or song. Public performances like flash mobs or staged protests —particularly when the eshu has been pivotal in the planning process — provide a veritable feast. Unleashing: Cantrips cast by eshu bring with them the chiming of bells and the echo of chanting or singing, as well as the faintest hint of spice in the air. Gleaming threads of golden light may briefly connect the eshu to the target of the cantrip, reflecting the eshu’s place in the great tapestry of history.
Birthrights
Serendipity — Eshu somehow always end up in the right place at the right time. The path she follows to arrive at this destination is equally fortuitous, winding her way through adventures and important meetings. When faced with a crossroad, she always knows which way to go. Her internal compass guides her where she needs to be, never bringing her to a terminus until the time is right. Eshu can never become lost under normal circumstances. If the eshu becomes lost through magical means, the player can spend a point of Glamour to reorient the eshu on her physical (and often figurative) path. Talecraft — Stories are the heart of the eshu, and as such, they gain something tangible when they learn a fantastical new tale or perform their own feats worthy of legend. Eshu gain an additional experience point from each adventure that yields such a tale, such as finding their way through a winding and dangerous
labyrinth or coaxing a secret from a secretive countess.Eshu never botch rolls involving Empathy or Performance.
Frailty
Recklessness — Eshu can’t resist a gamble or a dare, not if the payout is a new story for their repertoire. Their curiosity and confidence in their ability sometimes leads them to take risks that a less adventurous kith might not take. Turning down a bet, dare, or call to adventure triggers Banality in eshu.
Stereotypes
Dice, an eshu storyteller in search of heroes, says: On Boggans — Dull and inflexible, they’d never leave home if they could avoid it, but their hospitality can provide needed, if brief, respite. On Clurichaun — Always a source for stories, though often hard-won through an exchange of goodnatured blows! On Nockers — Lost in their tinkering, they fail to see how the world is changing around them. On Piskies — Our little friends are always welcome on our travels, though watch your tongue and your treasures when you cross paths with them. On Pooka — They don’t take life too seriously, and many a story in my repertoire begins with the twinkle of a pooka’s eye. On Redcaps — Nothing new to learn here. Anger and foul language doesn’t make for a very good tale. On Satyrs — There’s joy to be found in their revels, but take care! Even the wisest eshu can be swept off their path by the lure of a satyr’s party. On Selkies — A lifetime spent trying to understand them would be a life well spent, but we’d have to start by being able to follow them. On Arcadian Sidhe — They think themselves the kings and queens of this world, but they’ve never walked its many paths. How can they rule what they don’t understand and have never really valued? On Autumn Sidhe — I’ve heard it said that the real hero is the one who stays. The Arcadian sidhe could learn a little something about heroism from their Autumn brethren. On Sluagh — If you can coax a secret from them, you’ll cherish every whispered word. On Trolls — A rock in your path can make you stumble or give you a better vantage point, so tread lightly and give them no reason to see you as a foe.
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“I know I know… I’ve worked on the damned thing all week and it’s still not right. Maybe if you stop breathing down my neck, or better yet, just leave me the fuck alone and I’ll get it done.” Nockers are as well known for their cynicism and bitterness as they are for being master crafters. They are also fiercely individualistic and belittle anything that does not match their own ideal of artistic perfection. They prefer to create and surround themselves with treasures of mechanical wonder, rather than interact with “imperfect” people. When they are forced to have social contact they are eminently sarcastic with everyone around them, and blazingly critical of anyone in charge. The bone-trembling nervousness of beginning a new project, the unbridled joy of completing the work of art, and the heart-wrenching angst of suffering through criticism — of all these things are intrinsic to the nockers. Artists, builders, crafters, and even writers all know the torment of “knowing” that their work is not good enough, that it will never be understood. And yet, they toil on, day after day, seeking perfection that they will never find. Early legends speak of goblins and kobolds who endlessly toiled deep beneath the earth, mining, smelting and crafting, and of other diminutive beings who made toys to leave for children who were good and kind. It is from these legends that nockers were born. Nockers are innovators to the extreme, always seeking out the newest and edgiest feats of engineering and craftsmanship. A younger nocker may explore many different styles and techniques before settling down and finding her niche, at which point she becomes known as an eccentric genius in her field. Sometimes other Kithain seek out such a master, hoping to learn from her artistry, but they must be strong of will to withstand the maestro’s insults and withering criticism. Nockers have developed a complex ritual of insults and disparagements that constitute greetings and familiarity. Between nockers this is as natural as two businessmen shaking hands. For nockers, people are a mystery. People are mercurial, have feelings that can be easily hurt, and once broken they cannot be repaired in the same way as a tool or device. Truth be told, the soul of a nocker is as poetic as any of the Kithain. Perhaps their deepest secret is that they are, at heart, romantics. They deeply long to escape their flawed and obsessive lives and are drawn to music, art, and even courtly love, though of course they will never admit it. Unfortunately, nockers cannot help but
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treat romantic relationships like everything else and will poke and tinker until they are broken. Appearance: Though not as hideous as the goblins of legend, nockers are nonetheless grotesque in their own right. They tend to have thick, reddish skin and elongated arms and legs. Their long, spindly fingers have thick, knotty knuckles and sharp black talons. They have hatchet faces that appear mask-like and are pasty white with red noses and cheeks. They often paint swirls or patterns around or under the eyes or on their cheeks. They usually have stark white hair with large busy eyebrows above their rat-like eyes. A nockler’s rare smile reveals a row of sharp pointed teeth. In the workshop they prefer heavy overalls, often adorned with large brass buckles and buttons. At court, they are second only to the sidhe in fashion and complexity, favoring spiral and swirling patterns. Even when at court a nocker wouldn’t be caught dead without a few favorite tools on his person.
Lifestyles: Nockers often find other people to be enigmas, with complex, fragile feelings that are easily offended by nocker sensibilities. This does not mean that they avoid people, but rather approach them as puzzles to be solved. However, they do prefer homes and workplaces where they can practice their craft in solitude. Machine shops, engineering, body shops, and programming are all ideal occupations for nockers. Childling: Nockers in this stage are curious about the inner workings of everything. They would rather take things apart than put them together. The need to understand how things work can become an obsession and, left to their own devices, their tinkering may lead to trouble when they take apart the dukes chimerical, stream-powered vehicle. Understanding people is also a pastime for childlings — they pick and poke, trying to decipher what makes people tick. Wilder: Nocker wilders are wildly creative innovators. They spend hours and days on end in the workshop honing their craftsmanship, to the exclusion of everything else, often even forgetting to eat. The latest tech, the newest design — these are the things that interest them. They are willing to take chances in order to come up with the newest and most fantastic design, often resulting in catastrophic (and sometimes humorous) failures. But sometimes they have incredible successes as well. Grump: Absolute perfection of their skills are of the utmost important to nocker grumps. These nockers are often master craftspeople who have a great store of knowledge. Rather than seeking the newest and most innovative designs, they have a deep desire for perfection — which, much to their chagrin, they can never attain. This often leads to bouts of deep despair. They often take on apprentices and pass on their knowledge, while making the life of the poor apprentice miserable. Revelry: Tinkering and mending things is what gives a nocker joy. To achieve Revelry, a nocker might spend some time in her shop repairing or creating a non-chimerical device that does not belong to her, or might work with other engineers or inventors to brainstorm a new device. Unleashing: Cantrips cast by nockers often leave a traces of the byproducts of their craft: grease stains and the smell of burning sulfur or other unpleasant chemical smells are often common, as well as wisps of foul-smelling smoke. A rapping or knocking sound is often heard; the greater the power of the cantrip, the louder the sound. Affinity: Prop
Birthrights
Make It Work —Nockers are masters of whipping up items on demand with little more than random materials, some Glamour, and a highly cinematic and honestly self-serving appreciation of “science.” A nocker can improvise all manner of temporary, but useful, chimerical items from apparently improbable materials, such as creating a crude firearm with little more than a light bulb, a water pistol, and a handful of nails. Such items require an Intelligence + Crafts roll, with a variable difficulty, and cost between one and three points of Glamour depending on the materials available as well as the complexity of the item. A nocker must have some degree of privacy when working on chimerical items. Kithain can be present, as long they do not disturb the nocker, but chimerical materials cannot be worked in the presence of mortals.
Fix-It — Nockers can fix just about anything, chimerical or mundane. Sometimes all it takes is a kick and a few harsh words to scare a machine into working again. To fix a device the nocker’s player must make a successful Intelligence + Crafts or Manipulation + Intimidation roll. The difficulty can range from 5 (for a simple problem in a simple device) to 9 (for a difficulty problem in a complex machine).
Frailty Perfect is the Enemy of Done— Nockers strive for perfection in everything they make, and yet they can never succeed. No matter how many successes a nocker rolls when creating something, it always has a minor (but irreparable) flaw. Whenever a nocker-made device is used in a stressful situation the Storyteller can ask the player to roll one die. If the die shows “1,” the device fails or breaks in a particularly spectacular fashion.
Stereotypes
Gretchen Steelworth, a nocker bike mechanic, grumbles: On Boggans — They’re fast, so they’re either cheap or good, too. You don’t get all three. On Clurichaun — Drunks and power tools don’t mix. Sorry, was that insensitive? Bite me. On Eshu —They just don’t know when to shut up. They go on, and on, and on.... Sometimes they have something important to say, but you have to sift through the meandering drivel to find anything useful. On Piskies — Unruly and reckless children. Don’t ever let one into your workshop or you’re likely to find your best tools glued together. On Pooka — Useless furballs! They waste their lives playing tricks and pranks. On Redcaps — Dangerous folk, but sometimes useful, especially if you want to dispose of some unwanted evide…err…garbage. Just don’t piss them off. On Satyrs — Let’s party all night and on into the day, never mind that world is slipping into Winter. Hedonistic freaks, the lot of ‘em. On Selkies — Don’t fall in love with one. Ahem. Damn dusty in here. On Arcadian Sidhe — They think they’re hot stuff, but they don’t understand this world and its workings as we do. On Autumn Sidhe — They want to rule, and who are we to say no. They pay well and I’ll happily take their commissions. On Sluagh — Buncha creepy a-holes, if you ask me. Skulking around, up to no good, I’m sure of it. On Trolls — They are the strongest and toughest of us all, but their hearts can be surprisingly tender.
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“Oops! Is this your thimble? I don’t know how it found its way into my pocket. Of course you can have it back… unless you don’t need it right now. I’d be happy to hang onto it for you until you do.” Nimble, quick, and able to blend in with any group, piskies have a reputation among the other kiths as being friendly and attentive, but difficult to get to know well. Piskies serve as the couriers of the Dreaming, carrying missives, packages, and secrets back and forth between noble courts and commoners alike. They provide transportation and delivery services for hire, and occasionally operate as spies for those to whom they swear fealty. Other fae say that once a piskey has tucked something in its pocket, be it a treasure or a secret, no one but the piskey can ever remove it again. Piskies are a nomadic and solitary kith, usually preferring the company of mortals or other changelings to their own kind. They can integrate themselves into any migrant population, from a traveling theatre troupe to seasonal farm workers. They pick up new languages easily and enjoy exploring new cultures and traditions, fitting in quickly and effortlessly. They aren’t afraid to work hard to earn their keep, for even physical labor can be an exhilarating new experience, though few activities can hold their attention beyond a month or two. Piskies are always ready to move on to the next town, the next job, and the next face. While most kiths share a strong sense of identity that binds them together, piskies are seldom tied to one identity for very long. Piskies do have a natural appearance they revert to when not in the company of a group, but few people ever witness it, as the piskey’s features subconsciously shift to those most comfortable and familiar to the viewer. The traits they do share include kindness, compassion, a willingness to listen to any story, and an uncanny knack for locating and pocketing items of value, even those which outwardly appear innocuous or worthless. Once this item makes its way into the piskey’s pocket, she’s gone, blending into the crowd and impossible to find. Piskies love children, and go without food or warmth themselves to tend to the needs of a child. They become quite protective of their young friends, and woe to those who hurt a child who calls a piskey their friend. Piskies always look for the best in those around them, though the Unseelie piskey whose trust is betrayed can quickly turn bitter. Seelie piskies, however, are more forgiving of life’s small disappointments, always hopeful that the next adventure will bring excitement and opportunities to learn and change. Those lucky enough to have a piskey traipse through their lives always remember the wonder shining in the piskey’s eyes and the sense that something new and amazing waited just around the corner, even if they have difficulty remembering his face. Appearance: A piskey’s most notable feature is their lack of notable features. A piskey’s face never stands out in a crowd, because he always looks like he belongs to the group he’s traveling with. Their
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skin tone, facial features, and build change with their travels. Certain characteristics remain familiar, and someone who comes to know a specific piskey well can usually identify her, but those who view the piskey for only a moment are unlikely to recognize her if they encounter her again. They are, in this respect, the perfect spies or couriers for sensitive materials. Piskies do have a natural appearance, though few ever see it, and it even begins to fade over time. In isolation, with no group to mimic, a piskey’s skin defaults to a warm olive that grows creased and weathered with age, and his hair to a soft silver. Even younger piskies’ faces carry lines from frequent smiles and crinkles at the corners of their large, luminous eyes. Piskies have long pointed ears and a solid build. Their height ranges from only four to five feet, and they tend towards sturdy, muscular builds. Piskey grumps with a long lifetime of travel may lose the details of their facial features entirely to their creases and wrinkles. Lifestyles: Piskies are born to wander, and seldom settle in one place for any length of time as they discharge their duties as couriers and sate their endless curiosity. They prefer companionship on the road, but never stay with one group for long. While a piskey may not want to be center stage, he’s a great friend to have in the wings. Unlike the eshu, who are constantly seeking new tales and adventures, piskies find their happiness in new friends and simple pleasures. Though piskies are often alone, they are seldom lonely. They view any time spent without company as a brief pause between friendships. Piskies rarely swear oaths of fealty, which makes those few who do such a precious commodity. Piskies are a secret weapon in a noble’s arsenal, able to cross enemy lines or move through hostile groups without receiving a second glance.
Childling: Piskey childlings have the strongest sense of individual identity of their kith. They have limited experience in the world and have worn another face only a scant few times. Childlings tend to be more trusting, forming friendships easily and discarding them less lightly. Piskey childlings can be slightly flighty and unreliable, which makes them less desirable couriers. Their light fingers are also less discerning, and the items they pilfer and hide are often less valuable and more purely interesting. Wilder: While the seeker years make some kiths cynical and wild, most piskey seekers retain much of the sweetness of their childling years, coupled with a newfound desire to discard their old identities and try on something knew. Like the seeds of a dandelion, piskey wilders take to the wind, leaving their birthplace behind them as they search for new experiences and fresh faces. Piskey seekers make friends wherever they go, particularly among the young and the indigent, whom the piskey embraces without judgment or criticism. Only in the Unseelie piskey does the slight bite of sarcasm begin to inject itself into their humor. If this early hint of bitterness can be met with affection or ingenuity, however, the piskey’s buoyant nature reasserts itself. Piskey wilders are sought after at court by those who wish to pass secret missives or gifts. While a piskey would never steal an item she has agreed to deliver, piskey wilders have fully developed their compulsive and intuitive thievery. Grump: Thought most would not admit it, piskey grumps make people uncomfortable. A lifetime of changing faces as easily as they change clothes gives piskies a disconcerting anonymity. Even those who think they know the piskey well would, when pressed, have a difficult time describing him. He always fits in, but he never really belongs. His friendships are peripheral and fleeting. Other kiths might find this sad, but piskies see it as freeing. They have their own legends about piskey grumps whose mortal forms disappeared entirely, their essence dispersing and merging with that of everyone around them. Affinity: Actor Revelry: Piskies find their inspiration in complete immersion within a group. In the euphoria of new sights and sounds, of total acceptance into a group, piskies find their delight. As the group experiences joy, so does the piskey, and as they experience loss and sorrow, the piskey drinks in this new sensation as well. Piskies witnessing births, deaths, and other rites of passage within their current group experience the purest Revelry. Unleashing: Just as piskies are constantly changing and blending in, their unleashing is always evolving and changing. When a piskey travels across California with a group of migrant workers, their unleashing may bring with it a blast of heat and the smell of earth and spices. Piskies traveling with a carnival may unleash with a burst of confetti, the scent of grease paint and fried dough, and the distant sound of a carousel. Should someone ever witness a piskey unleashing in her natural form, they will never be able to describe what they felt, or what it sounded or smelled like, but they’ll feel fresh and new afterwards.
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Nimble — The slender, agile bodies of piskies were meant to twist and turn their way out of trouble. Unsurprising that this kith often finds itself in a traveling cirque or as part of some avant-garde group of street performers. Piskies add 1 dot to Dexterity, even if this brings that Trait above 5. Blending In — No matter where they go, piskies always look like they belong. Their skin color, hair and eye color, facial features, and clothing all appear to belong to the group with which they’re traveling. Any changeling or supernatural entity’s player can roll Perception + Kenning (difficulty 8) to see through the illusion.
Frailty
Light-Fingers — Piskies aren’t exactly thieves, but somehow items of great value somehow always end up in their pockets. When a piskey sees something she desires, she can’t help but swipe it, often without consciously making the decision to do so. To resist this compulsion, the player must make a successful Willpower roll (difficulty 8). Piskies are not necessarily subtle in their pilfering, and may very well be seen stealing, though their Nimble Birthright makes discovery somewhat less likely.
Stereotypes
Tisket Featherfair, a piskey spy to Her Majesty Queen Aeron of the Kingdom of Pacifica, confesses: On Boggans — I can’t imagine being tied down like that. Always in one place and one face for always and forever? Goodness me! On Clurichaun — Oh, they’re fun enough, but once I made the mistake of ever-so-accidentally relocating a certain snow globe into my pocket, and let’s just say that my nose will never be the same. On Eshu — They’re like older, slightly more enigmatic siblings. We’ll wander many paths together, but in the end, they are who they are, and we never really are anything quite that specific. On Nockers — Hmph. Who put the pin in their cushion? Still, follow the child who discovers the nocker’s work, for what they find they is nearly always a new experience. On Pooka — Childlike wonder? Yes, certainly, until the pranks start. On Redcaps — Avoid at all costs! If kindness ever existed in this kith, they probably chewed it up and swallowed it long ago. On Satyrs — When they break out a flute or clear their throats to sing, gather close, for those that hear their song usually experience something truly unique. Just take care to bow out before the party gets too wild, because satyrs never quite know when to quit! On Selkies — What I wouldn’t give to spend a few weeks among them! Sadly, no matter how I try and try, I never seem to be able to look like I belong with these lovely cousins of ours. On Arcadian Sidhe — Beautiful, but somewhat sad, tied to their duchies and baronies and identities. Don’t they know that a great, wide world awaits them beyond their castle’s walls? On Autumn Sidhe — We should all be so committed to joining a people as these sidhe were. On Sluagh — They have such glum exteriors, the poor dears. Not the warmest friends, but one day you’ll be grateful for them, I should think. On Trolls — I’ve traversed many a road, but the friendship and loyalty found here can’t be surpassed. Make yourself worthy of a troll’s devotion, and you are a worthy soul indeed.
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“What is truth, but something we all agree upon? So, if we all agree upon a lie, isn’t it then truth?” Jester, rapscallion, fool, annoying brat, ne’er-do-well, and even philosopher have all been terms used to describe pooka. They can also be among the most charming and congenial of the Kithain and, ironically, the most truthful. They wear their hearts on their sleeves; with a pooka what you see is what you get. They love pranks and play, and they hate hard work and meanness. They play the part of the court jester, poking fun at authority figures and tearing down the walls and facades we all build to separate ourselves from one another. Every pooka has a close bond with a particular animal, and this kinship expresses itself both physically and through the pooka’s personality. In early tales, the pooka was a carefree spirit who enjoyed playing minor pranks and teasing mortals. Christian dogma later changed the pooka into a servant of the Devil — a lazy ne’er-do-well, full of lies and treachery, sometimes leading the unobservant and slow-witted to their deaths. Humans have always dreamed of a better, more carefree life. They envied the animals who could spend the day in seeming leisure, sleeping in the sun, grazing when they wished, and prancing and romping through the fields and trees, with nary a care in the world. The pooka do their best to bring wonder and joy to the hearts
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of mortals and changelings alike. They do whatever they can to dispel sadness wherever they find it, usually through jokes and tomfoolery. On the surface, it may seem that a pooka’s life is nothing more than a blur of happy chaos. The truth is often something very different. Despite their hijinks, they often see the world more clearly than others and they can harbor a deep melancholy they find hard to shake. Pooka fear Banality and the mundane even more than other changelings. They are acutely aware of the pain and suffering that surrounds them and want nothing more than to make it all go away. Their pranks and eccentricity are their ways of dealing with this, so for them, no joke is too low, no gag too crude, as long as it gets a laugh. Wherever they go, they bring laughter and confusion. Truth is a curious thing to pooka. Anything they say is likely to be peppered with lies, half-truths, and misinformation. Their inability to speak the truth is well known to all Kithain. It is the primary weapon they use to combat Banality. Truth, after all, is often not very exciting or happy, therefore pooka lie. They mean no harm by it. They simply can’t help themselves. Every word a pooka speaks is not always entirely false, and they often bury deeper truths within their deceptions. Most pooka do not use the same method of telling falsehoods, but rather mix it up, making deciphering pooka-ese all the more difficult. A pooka may speak in opposites, or exaggerate, or mix in outright falsehoods to anything he says. Appearance: Nearly all pooka have physical traits relevant to the animal they share kinship with: tails, ears, beaks, whiskers, or feathers, and many have a fine layer of fur or feathers on their hands, faces, and body. Pooka care little for social conventions, except perhaps to break them. Style for a pooka can almost always be said to be… unique. They are just as likely to show up at court wearing pajamas as they are courtly garb. And even their courtly wear is often exaggerated, loud, and ostentatious. Lifestyles: Living a life of freedom and choice, most pooka manage to eke out a living doing whatever it is that they most enjoy. They can often be found as entertainers: actors, street performers, magicians, jugglers, fire-spinners, and so on. They prefer to live in funky, bohemian neighborhoods where their eccentricities are not condemned. Artistic communities and “up-and-coming” neighborhoods are common. Though some perverse pooka prefer to dwell in uptight and even banal places, where their presence breaks up
the social norm and causes a disturbance on an almost daily basis. These pookas prefer gated communities in the suburbs or wealthy high-rise apartments. Of course, they usually don’t last very long. Childling: These pooka know no bounds, no limits. They are, in a sense, truly wild, almost feral. They are constantly frolicking, playing pranks and telling jokes. Their falsehoods are often flagrant and they are often completely self-absorbed. They have a difficult time taking anything seriously. On the other hand, pooka in this state often have a “best friend,” someone who is the center of their universe. A childling pooka will do anything for this person, and they can sometimes ground the childling and convince him to take something seriously for a moment — but probably only a moment. Wilder: The world is a wide and wonderful place and wilder pooka want to experience it all. They seek to understand the nature of “humanity.” What is it that makes someone tick? They are notorious for playing drawn out pranks that expose a person’s character flaws or weaknesses. Wilders can become reckless in their thrill seeking, sometimes pushing a little too hard or taking extreme risks. Some of them even become addicted to the rush and need to be pulled back before someone gets hurt. Grump: Subtle forms of humor and pranking are the hallmarks of grumps. They know exactly which buttons to push, but rather than playful pranks just for the sake of whimsy, grumps often use their playful sense of humor to great effect. They play the role of the fool at court, pointing out the lord’s or lady’s character flaws in ways that only a pooka can get away with. They also use their playfulness to defuse tense situations, or to bring a little light to a dark situation. There is no situation so dire that a pooka can’t brighten the room, at least a little. Affinity: Nature Revelry: Pooka absolutely adore pranks, and pulling jokes on others — especially if it takes someone self-important down a peg — is a classic way they experience revelry. Pooka might also regain Glamour by spending time in an open and wild place, relaxing and being free from care. Unleashing: Animal sounds and bright flashing colors are the hallmarks of pooka cantrips. They also often have unintended side effects, which leave egg on the face (sometimes literally) of the target or even the pooka.
Birthrights
Shapechanging — All pooka have an affinity with a particular animal. This is always a natural animal, never a mythological one. This animal affects her appearance and personality, and she is able to shapeshift into the animal at will. If completely alone, a pooka can shapechange for free, but if another changeling or enchanted mortal is present the change costs one Glamour. A pooka can never shift into an animal when being observed by a mundane mortal. Shifting back from animal form is always free and can be done at any time (again, as long as the pooka is unobserved by mortal eyes). Confidante — Even complete strangers often spill their guts to a pooka. This ability of getting people to open up and talk, even about their darkest secrets, is an innate talent common to all pooka. Each has his own way of going about it, but the end result is the same. Some put people off balance with mixed insults and compliments, others rapid fire questions so fast that the target
loses track of what is being said, and some are just so darned cute that no one can resist them. Once, during a conversation, a pooka’s player may make an opposed Perception + Empathy (or Subterfuge, player’s choice) roll resisted by the target’s Willpower, to get the answer to a question. The number of successes determines how many questions the pooka can have answered. The target can also spend Willpower to resist this effect; each point of Willpower cancels one of the pooka’s successes.
Frailty
Untruths: Perhaps the greatest con the pooka have pulled is making everyone believe that they never tell the truth. Under most circumstances a pooka can speak the truth as long as its mixed with lies, half-truths, and exaggerations. The trouble comes when a pooka is asked a direct question. A pooka who is asked a direct question must answer with a falsehood. If he wishes to answer truthfully the player must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 8) and spend a point of Willpower.
Stereotypes
Ryan Darktail, a weasel pooka, chatters: On Boggans — Lazy and reckless. And they keep all of the cake to themselves! On Clurichaun — Drunken reprobates, every last one of them. On Eshu — Surely the most boring traveling companion you can ask for. On Nockers — Such caring and polite folk. If you want praise and subjective criticism, they are the ones to go to. On Piskies — And you thought we were the pranksters? They’re the ones never to be trusted. On Redcaps — Not exactly the most even tempered folks. Playing pranks on them can be a lot of fun though. On Satyrs — Never give a satyr your heart — he’ll most likely eat it. On Selkies — Their hearts belong to the sea. Just be sure to ask them about their coats. On Arcadian Sidhe — One has to wonder why they chose to return? I’m sure nothing bad has happened in Arcadia. On Autumn Sidhe — Being so noble and regal comes so easily for them. It must be wonderful to always be at the center of every political intrigue. On Sluagh — They have the sense of humor of a... well... umm... a dead fish? On Trolls — Boooring! Who needs a brick wall that can pound your enemies to dust?
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“What size are those boots, hmm? Go on, tell me. Or I can snap your foot off at the ankle and find out.”
The Dreaming is full of nightmares, but redcaps are what fae children fear. Named for the bright red caps they used to dip in the blood of their enemies, redcaps long ago gave up such quaint beginnings. Instead, they embrace their heritage as the kith born out of nightmare itself to become the most terrifying, disgusting, fiercest fae around. At their hearts, redcaps are rebellious and headstrong, and vicious to anyone they perceive as the ruling body they must oppose. A redcap is only happy when she is making mortal and Kithain alike recoil in terror or digust, and while a single redcap can be a disruptive presence in any court, a group of them can become a violent tide not even the wisest ruler can stop. Redcaps only feel understood among their own, and gather in gangs called corbies. Each corby carries its own name, and redcaps spread the symbol and name of their gang far and wide to strike fear in their enemies. Come nightfall, anyone in the way of such a nightmarish host ought to get out of the way, unless they’d like to find out what being digested feels like.
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Considering their reputations and natures, it’s a wonder redcaps haven’t overstayed their welcome in changeling society. Yet despite their brutal nature, redcaps are as much a part of fae life as any other kith. They serve as terrific fighters with a dedication to freedom and independence that makes them ferocious allies against common enemies. Those who can stand to get to know redcaps often find that beneath that grotesque exterior beats the heart of an oft-misunderstood redcap, simply seeking a place to belong among others like them. Still, getting beneath their exterior is difficult, and many redcaps embrace their darker natures, becoming the shadow counterpoint to the Seelie Court’s noble warriors. Their vicious and upstart nature keeps redcaps out of the politics of court life, but they’re widely known for sowing dissent and unrest in the name of standing up for themselves and their kith. Only the most patient redcaps work within the system, and often end up destabilizing things from within, just on principle. Only the strongest of fae can keep a redcap down, and never for very long. Eventually, a bound redcap shakes itself free, and then the true mayhem begins. Appearance: Redcaps come in all shapes and sizes, but all share the same gray, rubbery skin, blood-shot eyes and yellowing, uneven teeth. Their bodies are often thick, with stocky shoulders and legs. And who can forget their signature mouth, full of blood-red gums and razor-sharp teeth, ready to rip apart flesh and grind bone? Redcaps dress in rough and ready clothing, and always sport a splash of that terrifying red in their wardrobe. Lifestyles: Anything tough and dangerous is a good job for a redcap. Many live and work in the worst parts of cities, and stick with their corbies for maximum terror in one place. Redcaps look for work anywhere they can throw a couple of elbows and create mayhem, as bouncers, private security, gang members, and hired muscle. The Unseelie pays well for leg breakers and, though it’s not an exclusive arrangement, many redcaps survive thanks to busting heads for the Unseelie. Childling: Redcap childlings are the horrible tiny terrors, the young misanthropes that try and gross out the other kids by eating something they shouldn’t. While a childling, a redcap learns just how far she can push her luck before both mortals and
fae alike get angry. She also learns the most important lesson: nobody trusts a redcap, and so she can trust no one in return. These childlings often delight in picking on other Kithain to test them, seeing how much they can take before being utterly disgusted or terrified. Wilder: Once the relative innocence of the childling period wears off, a redcap who has come into her wilder years is a nightmare in the making. Redcap wilders come together to build up their gangs and start to raise hell. These redcaps graduate from antics that push the borders of good behavior right into horrifying acts of violence and distaste. Whatever place the redcap has carved out for herself in fae society will be tested here, and she rebels, attacks, and destroys unless contained, curtailed, or defeated. Grump: A veteran redcap who survives long enough to become a grump is either a respected member of the community or a nightmare given form. A grump’s den is littered with whatever she couldn’t be bothered to consume, and anyone seeking her advice or aid might come away a limb, or a life, short. Affinity: Nature Revelry: Nothing gets a redcap going faster than a new taste experienced for the first time, or the sweet horror on someone’s face when they’re scared, disgusted, or unnerved by surprise. They feast on the discomfort of the just-over-the-line horror film, the bar room brawl gone too far, or a brutal hunt celebrated in bloody, delicious flesh. Unleashing: A redcap letting loose and Unleashing is accompanied by the stench of all the things they’ve eaten, rotted together inside them, and the metallic tang of the blood that once stained their headgear red. Anyone present might feel the urge to be sick, or else just find something to hide under and quake.
Birthrights
Dark Appetite — Redcaps can eat anything. Full stop. Their horrific jagged teeth are hard as metal and their digestive systems are best left up to the imagination. A cross between a shark and a Kithain garbage disposal, redcaps can eat anything they can put their mouth around, and chew larger objects down into smaller pieces to ingest. Tough or toxic materials (waste products, jagged metal, wood, etc.) take a point of Glamour to keep down. Redcaps prefer meat, animal or human, but once the hunger gets going, they will eat anything. Do not ever place anything in front of a redcap’s mouth you wouldn’t mind losing. Should a redcap attempt to use his Birthright in combat, the player must spend a point of Glamour. The base damage for the bite is Strength + 2 (difficulty 5). A redcap may also try to sever a limb in a fight, which requires five successes on a Dexterity + Brawl roll (difficulty 8), or three successes if the victim has already been grappled. If successful, the attack inflicts a minimum of three health levels of damage in addition to any damage rolled, and the redcap comes away with a mid-fight snack.
Bully Browbeat — Redcaps are so frightening they can Intimidate anything, from mortals and unenchanted supernatural beings to imaginary or chimerical creatures. The difficulty of all Intimidation rolls is reduced by two, and they can never botch Intimidation rolls.
Frailty
Bad Attitude — Nobody likes a redcap, just on general principle. Whether it’s their eating habits, their issues with authority, or just their tendency for destruction, redcaps are often targeted by nobles for exclusion from freeholds. If something goes wrong, the redcap is the first suspect. This stigma comes with a +2 difficulty (or greater) penalty on any roll involving social situations other than Intimidation.
Stereotypes
Myra O’Malley, redcap bartender and glass eater, chats: On Boggans — Want to make a boggan blush? Tell ‘em what you ate for lunch. Want to see ‘em faint? Tell ‘em it was still moving when you ate it. On Clurichaun — They start the shit that we have to finish. On Eshu — For when you just need to get there to kick some ass in 20 minutes or less. Just don’t get them started on how they’re royalty or some crap. On Nockers — Whine whine, moan moan. One of these days, I might take it personal-like. On Pooka — Little bunny foo-foo, hopping through the forest, stepped in a spike-trap, now everybody’s mad. On Piskies — A what? I’m sorry, you want me to take that seriously? On Satyrs — You want to pound back a drink or wild out on the town, they’re the place to be. On Selkies — Mmm, seafood. On Arcadian Sidhe — You’d think such pretty folks would be easy to intimidate, but make that mistake and you’ll bite off more than even you can chew. On Autumn Sidhe — Yeah, yeah, they stayed here in the shit instead of scampering home to fairyland. What have you done for us today, “sir?” On Sluagh — I’ve coughed up nicer-looking things than a sluagh. On Trolls — Dumb as a bag of hair, but all about that honor. Surround it on all sides and see how the mighty can fall.
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“Eat, drink, and be merry, because tomorrow we also eat, drink, and be merry.”
Some fae live by the sword, some search for stories, and some spend their lives building and creating. For satyrs, however, the truest passion in life is passion, and they devote themselves to the pursuit of pleasure. Whether they lust for food or drink, dancing and revelry, or something more carnal in nature, satyrs pursue their desires with wild abandon. Satyrs’ appetites are tremendous, and they have the stamina to match, able to make parties, raves, or sexual encounters stretch across multiple days. They lack restraint in all things, indulge in blunt or bawdy humor at every turn, and never lack for lovers. Satyrs charge into battle with the same fullycommitted passion that they devote to their revels. They throw themselves into the study of poetry, philosophy, and other academic pursuits with fervor, are both patrons and practitioners of music and art, and form extremely close bonds with their extended family bands (called tragos). The loyalty within a tragos is nigh absolute, and only the most heinous and extreme of circumstance could separate a satyr from this family.
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Indulging in life’s finer pleasures doesn’t mean satyrs are materialistic. They give gifts freely, happily sharing their possessions with others. Satyrs seldom experience romantic jealousy, believing love should also be shared. Romantic or sexual partners looking for commitment should look elsewhere; satyrs quickly bore of relationships and want to move on to the next companion (or companions) and a new set of experiences. While Seelie satyrs at least try to let their former partners down gently, they can’t quite understand why ending a relationship could cause so much pain. Unseelie satyrs anticipate the inevitable end of their relationships and may exploit their partners as much as possible while they’re together, Ravaging them for their Glamour while sharing passion. Appearance: Satyrs may be among the most distinctive kiths in appearance. Their most notable features include fur-covered legs with cloven hooves and horns growing from their foreheads. These horns grow throughout their lives. Male satyrs’ horns are slightly larger than those of the females. Their horns are a huge source of pride and vanity, as well as the subject for many bawdy jokes. Satyrs trend towards lean, though a life of overindulgence can lead to a heavier build, especially in later years. Most satyrs prefer not to shave, and both males and females wear their hair long and wild. They dress sparsely, favoring light, gauzy articles that can be quickly shed. Lifestyles: A tragos of satyrs typically shares a living space, preferably one with plenty of room for dancing and partying, but also filled with private nooks for more intimate entertaining. A satyr’s home is always filled with music and has well-stocked larders and wine cellars. Though much of a satyr’s life is devoted to physical passions, she also has regular periods of quiet introspection, with her primary focus her intellectual pursuits. Satyrs produce volumes of poetry, write philosophical treatises on a wide array of topics, and compose music for instruments like the panpipe and the lute. Unlike the wandering kiths, satyrs enjoy staying in one place and having the excitement come to them. Childling: Satyr childlings find their enjoyment in music, singing, and physical competition like races and wrestling matches. Their precocious humor entertains and delights their peers and elders. Childlings depend on their tragos for instruction and encouragement as they explore the world around them and the many delights it holds for them. They often form close friendships
with one or two other satyrs of a similar age, relationships that will become central as they form their own tragos branching off from the larger family group. Wilder: As wilders, satyr fully explore the many pleasures of the flesh and mind. A satyr wilder spends his days in constant motion, bounding between sexual partners and wild raves, sometimes partying for days without sleep. Even a wilder’s quieter leisure activities lean towards the extreme – she reads an entire series of novels in two days, writes hundreds of pages on the history of classical sculpture without a break, or bakes an entire banquet of exotic, rich foods. Satyr wilders are thrill seekers, drawn to extreme sports, dangerous love affairs, and anything considered taboo. Wilders within a tragos exist in a state of perpetual one-upmanship, pushing each other to more extreme behavior. They often act brashly, placing themselves and their companions in compromising situations, but typically can sweet-talk their way out of trouble. Grump: Satyrs are sometimes said to be among the kiths most vulnerable to the passing of time, struggling to maintain their hedonistic joy as Banality slowly creeps in. Their passions often shift more towards intellectual studies, but leaving behind their years of wild partying, sex, and drinking takes its toll. After decades of chasing thrills, satyr grumps often become jaded. Satyrs do not go gently into that good night, however, and many spend their last days in a final great hurrah of celebratory passion. A grump’s tragos is his lifeline, and as he mentors younger satyrs, he may find himself rejuvenated, once again able to see the world as new and exciting. Affinity: Fae Revelry: Satyrs find their Glamour in shared passion. This could be a sexual encounter, an exquisite bottle of wine paired with a rich meal, an impassioned poetry reading, or wild dancing in a night club, as long as their partners experience pleasure and intense emotion. Unleashing: Satyrs imbue their cantrips with the same carnal intensity as they do the rest of their lives. Cantrips cast by satyrs fill the air with the heady scents of musk and wine. Those nearby may experience a brief frisson of pure lust.
Birthrights
Gift of Pan — When a satyr thoroughly indulges herself in one of her passions — often sexual, but also artistic and creative — those around her are also caught up in the frenzy. Fae and mortal alike join her in her dancing and debauchery. The Gift of Pan doesn’t force anyone to partake in sex or any other activity, but removes inhibitions that might normally keep someone from indulging. Rather than creating a new passion, the Gift of Pan removes the barriers of social convention that might otherwise prevent someone from being able to completely surrender to an action of passion or revelry. Those failing a Banality or Willpower roll (difficulty 8) find themselves helpless to resist indulging their secret desires. Physical Prowess — Satyrs add one dot to their Stamina, even if this raises it above 5. Satyrs can use their powerful goat legs
to move with great speed and agility, and thus can never botch an Athletics roll.
Frailty
Passion’s Curse — A satyr’s intense passion also has a darker side. Prone to mood swings and wild fits of temper, especially while intoxicated, satyrs may exhibit violent emotional outbursts, fall into uncontrolled weeping, or be otherwise unable to rein in their temper. Near-perpetual indulgence also means that satyrs struggle on the rare occasion they must resist temptation, triggering Banality.
Stereotypes
Willow Agapetos, a satyr poet and spoken-word performer, shares: On Boggans — How can such a simple life be a truly satisfying one? On Clurichaun — They know how to party, but they need help directing their passions. A fight’s only as good as the kissing and making up after. On Eshu — Their keen minds and quick wit make them lively companions. Talking with them for hours can be as pleasurable as a fine meal. On Nockers — Such dedication to their work is admirable, but all work and no play makes nockers dull company. On Piskies — So sweet and innocent. Cover their eyes before they see something naughty. On Pooka — They have their uses, but their pranks are crude and they always seem torn between their fae and animal natures. On Redcaps — Their passions are too dark and frightening. On Selkies — Melancholy and untouchable, but so beautiful. If only they would stay and play so I could learn more. On Arcadian Sidhe — The world of the nobles revolves around intrigue and political gain. They need to find a way to enjoy the world around them. Someone so beautiful should never want for passion. On Autumn Sidhe — They embody some of the best aspects of this stately kith, but they still need to loosen up a bit more. On Sluagh — They wear sadness like a veil, always separated from the carnal joys the world can offer them. On Trolls — Loyalty beyond measure, honor above all else, but even these stalwart fae give themselves permission to indulge in food or drink every once in a while.
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“The sea is calling to me my love, and I must heed its call. I will return… one day… I promise.” Selkies are both seal and human, and are creatures of contradiction, at once playful and practical, shy and outspoken, loving and distant. They fall deeply in love, spending nearly every waking minute with their beloved and then disappearing to spend long months frolicking in the sea. They may be the life of the party, talking and dancing with everyone, but they can just as quickly become secretive and reclusive. Perhaps it is their intimate connection with their seal coat, and the need to keep it safe at all costs, that causes them to keep a certain amount of distance and prevents them from ever truly trusting another. Sailors, dreams of lost loves and broken hearts, and all of those who have lost a loved one to the sea gave birth to the selkie. The sea gives and the sea takes away. Anyone who has lived along the coast can attest to the wonders the sea gives to us: delicious seafood, beautiful shells, and the delights of swimming and sailing. But the sea is fickle, and where one day it gives us pleasure, the next it drowns a loved one or sends terrible waves that destroy homes and property. Those who truly love the sea describe an inexorable pull that pulls them back just as surely as the undertow pulls under the unwary swimmer. A selkie’s skin contains her faerie essence and her Glamour — it is what makes her fae. Selkies are skinchangers, so unlike pooka or other shapeshifters such as werewolves, a selkie must physically wear her skin in order to change form. In order to take human form again she removes her skin. If a selkie’s skin is lost or stolen, she cannot use her faerie magic until she regains it. If the skin is destroyed, the selkie’s faerie self dies along with it (see below), though fortunately a selkie’s skin is quite difficult to destroy. The mortal seeming of a selkie’s skin can take many forms. Some appear to be traditional seal skins, though they can also appear to be wet suits, long coats, or any other item of apparel. When a selkie is not wearing or touching her coat she does not have access to any of her faerie abilities. This includes her Birthrights as well as the ability to cast cantrips. She does, however, retain all of her faerie memories; she is still a changeling, just a greatly weakened one. Selkies do not undergo Chysalis in the manner of other changelings. When a selkie dies, or is near death, her skin is
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passed on to another human with selkie blood running through her veins. This honor is usually given to a Kinain with a love for the sea, who is often one of the selkie’s own descendants. A selkie who gives up her coat still retains her memories of being a selkie for a time, though the memories fade over the years. Appearance: Selkies are always sleek and attractive, with large, dark, liquid eyes and a light webbing between their fingers and toes. Even when far from the sea, they drip chimerical salt water, and they have a faint scent of the sea just after a storm. They tend to dress in loose-fitting garments that are easily removed to allow them to return to their seal form. Lifestyles: Much of a selkie’s life is spent frolicking in the waves as a seal, so their life in the mortal world must be able to accommodate. They always live near the sea and traditionally take jobs as fishermen and sailors. Beachcombing and surfing have become popular in modern times. Childling: These selkies are full of wonder and joy. They take delight in frolicking along the
beaches and shorelines, sometimes taunting mortals. They care little for the doldrums of day-to-day life and view every day as an adventure. Childling selkies have less of the deep-seated sadness that more mature members of the kith display, but they are prone to poetical and whimsical displays of passion. Wilder: Seekers in their wilder stage travel the coastlines in search of new friends and new experiences. The often have romantic relations with those they encounter, though unlike satyrs these tend not to be one-night stands, but rather deep relationships — at least until the selkie hears the call of the waves and must move on. Grump: Rare among selkies, they enter this stage when they feel the encroachment of Banality. They use this time to tidy up affairs and ready themselves to pass on the seal skin to another. Grumps can be found spending their days sunning on the rocks, enjoying the sound of the pounding waves. They often undertake one last adventure before succumbing to Banality. Affinity: Nature Revelry: The ocean is the center of a selkie’s existence, and everything to do with the sea gives them joy. Selkies often experience Revelry by swimming in the ocean, though they can also do so by spending time with lovers and indulging in deep, sad, and tempestuous passions. Unleashing: Mists, the scent of the sea, and the sound of crashing waves often accompany selkie cantrips. Sometimes pools of saltwater are left in their wake.
Birthrights
Seal’s Beauty: All selkies have an inherent beauty and charm that affects all who interact with them. They gain +1 to Appearance and +1 to Charisma. Ocean’s Grace: Selkies reduce the difficulty for all rolls involving Dexterity by two while in the water. This applies either in human or seal form. Also, they can never botch a Swimming roll. Finally, selkies can hold their breath for hours, whether in water or out of it.
Frailty
Seal Coat: A selkie’s coat is his greatest weakness. If it is destroyed, his fae self is destroyed forever. Fortunately, seal coats are difficult to destroy. They are resistant to fire and require a successful Strength roll (difficulty 9) to damage, and at least
three successes are needed to tear it in half. Casual contact with flame does not damage it and small rips and punctures heal over time. The coat is only considered to be destroyed if it is completely burned, or shredded with cold iron.
Stereotypes
Genesis Bell, a selkie painter, expresses her feelings: On Boggans — Friendly enough folk, and skilled crafters, but they gossip more than fishmongers. A person’s secrets should be their own. On Clurichaun — Our landlocked cousins share some of our tastes for earthly delights, though in different ways. On Eshu — Wonderful storytellers and they have seen much of the world. But very few of them have witnessed the wonders of the sea kingdoms! On Nockers — They can fix just about anything, but it’s not worth putting up with their bad attitudes. On Piskies — They have the insight of children, but also the temperament. On Pooka — They’re shapeshifters. We’re skin changers. There’s a difference. On Redcaps — Sharks that walk on two legs. Trust them at your own peril. On Satyrs — For all their passion, they nothing of true love or romance. On Arcadian Sidhe — They can have their fiefs and kingdoms. We have the sea. On Autumn Sidhe — They too are gifted with great beauty, but they wield their allure like a weapon. On Sluagh — I swear I saw one of them scuttling along the sea bed like a crab. That can’t be right. On Trolls — They have a strong sense of honor. Too bad most of them are under the yoke of the sidhe.
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(Arcadian) “You think nobility a privilege, and you envy and resent us for it, but you cannot see that it is also a burden few would truly wish to bear.” The commoner kiths were long ago trapped in the mortal world, left behind in Concordia while the nobles fled to Arcadia during the Shattering. When the sidhe emerged from Arcadia during the Resurgence, they expected to return to a world similar to the one they left behind. What they found was drastically different. The commoners had actually thrived without them, developing their own leadership or eschewing it all together. This first generation of returned Arcadian sidhe struggled to once again become a part of Concordia. They were a fragile race compared to the commoner kiths, more prone to the ravages of Banality and too reliant upon old customs. Arcadian sidhe were capricious and often volatile, with wildly fluctuating moods and fits of deep depression, which only served to further alienate them from the commoners. Some sidhe attempted to overcome this by retreating deep into the Legacies. The hopeful idealism of the Seelie sidhe became almost manic, while the darker Unseelie sidhe sank into the depths of depravity and corruption. Their loss of dominance left them desperate and frightened, and as they saw themselves becoming more obsolete, they also become more ruthless. When the Evanescence brought a new wave of Acadian sidhe to Concordia, more turmoil followed. Some of these houses adjusted quickly to their new lives, but others held more extreme views about their role in relation to commoners and humans, which cause further divisiveness. The Arcadian sidhe’s grabs for power gave way to betrayal, bloodshed, and finally war. Instead of using their time to find new ways to adapt to life in Concordia, the sidhe have doggedly held on to the fantasy that they could restore the great fae society they continue to believe they rightfully rule. The houses returning in the Resurgence have had almost half a century to reestablish dominance and adjust to the new technologies and politics of the mortal world, while those who returned in the Evanescence have still had more than a decade. On the whole, Arcadian sidhe have begun to adjust. Sidhe continue to return to Concordia, slowly trickling in through trods temporarily opened by Glimmers. They have some advantages over the first two waves of Arcadian sidhe to return, as many of the old traditions and courts have already been restored, and a new balance of power has been established with the commoners. These latecomers haven’t suffered the same culture shock as their predecessors. In the wake of the Evanescence, many Arcadian sidhe closed ranks, consolidating power in their freeholds again in a way they
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hadn’t since the Resurgence. Class tensions, which had eased somewhat in the 1990s, intensified. New social and political movements threaten the power and security the Arcadian sidhe have established in Concordia, and they increasingly find themselves being unfavorably compared to the Autumn sidhe. Appearance: Sidhe resemble humans, but are more beautiful and flawless than any human could be. Their features are even and balanced, from their large eyes of striking colors like silver and amethyst to the tapered points of their ears. The stand tall and slender, their hair shining and silken, often brightly colored. They walk with grace and a noble bearing, and the golden bells of their laughter carry a hidden sadness that hints at the constant pain of being severed from the Dreaming. They dress, almost without exception, in the finest materials, or in chimerical gowns that defy the laws of physics. Lifestyles: The sidhe typically hold positions of power in both the fae and mortal worlds. Used to reigning over their vassals and commanding fiefdoms, sidhe apply these skills with precision in the mortal realms of business and politics. They shine on film and stage when they turn their interest to these pursuits. In the rare case where money and luxury do not come easily to the sidhe, their bitterness often drives them towards the Unseelie Court. Childling: Beautiful and ethereal, sidhe childlings are inheritors of great privilege. Like mortal children whose every desire is met, they can easily become spoilt. They learn courtly ways early, which often helps to channel their entitlement into grace and dignity, but some childlings still experience an insatiable hunger for more, throwing magnificent tantrums when they cannot have their way. Wilder: Sidhe wilders play a more significant role in governance. They are carefully schooled in chivalry, courtly behavior, and in the obligations a noble has to her vassals and the lands over which she reigns. At best, sidhe wilders exhibit overconfidence and a slightly inflated sense of grandeur; at worst, they become enmeshed in the deception and intrigue of politics, learning to manipulate others to their advantage. Arcadian sidhe sometimes struggle with humility in their wildling seeming. They must learn that respect must first be given in order to be received. Grump: Sidhe grumps are dignity and nobility embodied. They fully embrace their obligations and expect obeisance and loyalty in return. A wise grump runs her fiefdom with grace and dignity,
giving the commoners a voice and helping maintain the balance between Bedlam and Banality. A grump who has been seduced by his own power can lead his people to ruin, inviting chaos into his court. In their later years, the weight of memories of the exile presses down upon the sidhe, sending them deeper into their Legacies and causing them to lose touch with the mortal world. Affinity: Time Revelry: Arcadian sidhe see themselves as the purest embodiment of the Dreaming. As such, they gather Glamour through inspiring adoration and admiration in others. Attending a party and simply being visible, performing in public (whether or not the performance is actually good), and acting in some leadership capacity are all possibilities. Unleashing: Seelie cantrips are accompanied by a shimmering aura of light (or darkness, for the Unseelie) too beautiful and painful to look at directly. The sidhe appears bedecked in full courtly regalia, and those who witness her unleashing may briefly feel as though they are standing in the halls of a great palace
or make them look foolish automatically fail (that does not prevent cantrips from harming them, of course, they just don’t lose their poise when it happens). Sidhe cannot botch Etiquette or Politics rolls.
Frailty
Curse of Banality — While the commoner kiths have learned to make their peace with the mortal world and live within it, the Arcadian sidhe still live with their minds and hearts in the Dreaming. As such, they are even more susceptible to Banality. Each point of Banality a sidhe would receive becomes two.
Stereotypes
Countess Regan ferth Cwenthryth, a sidhe noble of House Eiluned, declares: On Boggans — Honest and reliable, their service is always welcome, but their tendency towards gossip means watching your tongue at every turn. On Clurichaun — Their fantasy of forging bonds through base violence rings almost as false as their tall tales. On Eshu — They style themselves the “princes of the road,” a great offense, yet the court would seem empty without their tales. On Nockers — A necessary frustration. Their curtness can be forgiven in light of their unmatchable skills.
they almost remember, before it finally dissipates into a lingering sense of bittersweet nostalgia.
Birthrights
Unearthly Beauty — Sidhe stand out in a crowd due to their beauty and regal bearing. Sidhe receive two additional dots of Appearance, even if this brings that rating above 5. When they invoke the Wyrd (p. 259), this beauty becomes overpowering. If a sidhe invokes the Wyrd in the presence of a character, the player must roll Willpower (difficulty 8). If that roll fails, the character can only stare in awestruck wonder at the sidhe for one turn for each dot of the sidhe’s Appearance. Noble Bearing — Sidhe carry a quiet dignity at all times. Cantrips designed to humiliate them
On Piskies — Tremendously useful and occasionally even trustworthy, but beware what you allow them to slip into their pockets. You may never see it again. On Pooka — Of all the Kithain, they are the most vexatious, for no matter how many times they fail to make fools of us, they always try their juvenile pranks again. On Redcaps — The Unseelie among us may value their services as henchmen, but they are loyal to nothing but their hunger. On Satyrs — We have all had our dalliances in our youth, but the great folly would be to place too much importance on their opinions. On Selkies — Who are these strange creatures? I barely remember them from the Dreaming. On Autumn Sidhe — Of course, being left behind in the cold affected them deeply, but must they be so very common? It’s almost as if they believe they’re better than us, simply because they stayed. On Sluagh — What they know is invaluable, but can you really be certain they are sharing their knowledge with you alone? On Trolls — The most faithful of subjects. The loyalty and fidelity of this kith make them a staple at court. Their allegiance lasts generations, or so I’m told.
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(Autumn) “You may think that all of us fled when the gates closed, but we have built and toiled shoulder to shoulder with the commoners. We have earned our right to rule.” Fae history talks about the Shattering, when the gates to Arcadia slammed shut and the sidhe fled Concordia, leaving the commoners behind. When those gates reopened on July 20, 1969, the sidhe that returned to the mortal world thought that all those nobles left behind perished in the cold winds of Banality. They thought they were the only members of the Shining Host in the mortal world. They were wrong. Nobles from Houses Scathach and Liam chose to remain behind and take on the Changeling Way so as to survive the harsh centuries of Banality. Upon the Shining Host’s return, these sidhe of the mortal world emerged to greet their Arcadian cousins and offer assistance in adjusting to their new circumstances. Instead of being accepted, the sidhe of the mortal world were greeted by the Arcadians with distrust and fear. Dubbed Autumn sidhe, they were judged by many Arcadian nobles to be flawed, tainted by their long centuries of death and rebirth. In return, Autumn sidhe embraced the name with pride and became the shining examples of the synergy between true fae brilliance and the perfection of the mortal condition. Autumn sidhe are markedly different than their Arcadian counterparts. While Arcadian sidhe are noted for their inhuman splendor, the grace and power of an Autumn sidhe lies in her more down-to-earth beauty. Autumn sidhe appear to be the pinnacle of human beauty with all its foibles, oddities, and asymmetry. These sidhe are stunning in a human way that makes them more approachable and understandable then the alien glory of the Arcadians. Being born and raised in the mortal world also gives these sidhe the grounded perspective their cousins lack. Autumns believe they are not owed power only through noblesse oblige, but by right of their time facing the Autumn world side by side with the commoners. That does not mean that they are always accepted by the commoners, and often find themselves trapped between the disdain of their fellow sidhe and the distrust of the commoners they wish to embrace. The Autumn sidhe have a significant advantage to their Arcadian brethren in their understanding of the mortal world. Autumn sidhe are more in touch not only with the needs of the commoners but with mortal society and technology, giving them an edge when maneuvering through culture, industry, business, and society. Their sidhe beauty is seen as the pinnacle of human charm, charisma, and affability, a benefit that opens many doors for them in the mortal world. It’s not unusual for Autumn sidhe to gain celebrity status easily, and mortals flock to them. Despite their grounding in the mortal world, the Autumn sidhe are as powerful as any of their cousins and are not to be underestimated. In fact, their success in merging with the rest of the changeling population and modern society has convinced many
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Arcadian sidhe to take up the Changeling Way to join the Autumn sidhe in adapting to the mortal world. Ferocious pride bonds these changelings together. They have survived in the Autumn world through dedication, perseverance, wisdom, and hard work, earning them the right to rule their Arcadian cousins so often take for granted. These sidhe straddle the line between the inborn otherworldliness of Arcadia and the earthy, complex beauty of mankind. Appearance: Autumn sidhe have been changed by the act of taking on the Changeling Way. Not as flawless as Arcadian sidhe, these changelings instead embody the wild beauty of human complexity. Their features may be asymmetrical, their bodies of all types and sizes, their eyes all possible colors. Yet Autumns walk with the same noble bearing, their power apparent from the tips of their pointed ears to their impossibly graceful feet. Autumn sidhe dress as they like to fit their changeling lifestyle, always cutting a beautiful figure among the fae, a mixture of old-world beauty and stylish new evolution. Lifestyles: Autumn sidhe are just as dedicated to the notion of power and rule as the Arcadians, but in a more down-toearth way. They are more likely to apply their skills as organizers and thoughtful leaders, grounded in mortal world and commoner concerns alike. Childling: Marked by their striking beauty and charm, Autumn sidhe childlings are constantly reminded that though they are privileged,
they are born to responsibility. Schooled in the ways of the court, an Autumn childling is often taught to roll up her sleeves and pitch in to earn her power. Those early lessons in humility can often temper a childling’s knack for haughtiness, though they can also breed resentment and rebellion. Wilder: When an Autumn sidhe becomes a wilder, she enters the world of court and governance alongside her Arcadian counterparts. Armed with the lessons of her childling years, the Autumn is taught not only the rules of the nobility, but is urged to keep good contact with the commoners and to maintain a connection to the mortal world. This can lead to a delicate balancing act for the wilder, who can become overwhelmed by the pressure or flip back and forth from one extreme to another in search of her place in the world. Grump: An Autumn grump has walked the balance of the wilder years and come out a grounded noble, full of grace and hard-earned experience. She has embraced her inherent power and tempered it with thoughtful consideration for the changed mortal world around her. The best grumps lead by example in the battle to maintain the spark of Glamour in an ever-colder Autumn world. Those who lose themselves to Banality are too soon Undone, while those who hide away in their freeholds lose sight of the mortal world and sink further into Bedlam. Affinity: Fae Revelry: Autumn sidhe find inspiration among those thoughtful leaders and creators who search for new solutions and think outside the box. They breathe in the energy and power of creative problem solving and drink in the Glamour of someone reveling in their true potential unleashed. Unleashing: Autumn sidhe unleash their cantrips in passionate waves of Glamour, tied deeply to their personalities and the mortal world around them. Each Autumn’s Unleashings are as unique as a fingerprint, easily recognizable as their own. Seelie Autumns may let loose beautiful music, cleanse the dirt from around them, or cause rosy lights to dance. Those Unseelie Autumn, on the other hand, can cause rot to erupt along stone walls or cracks to appear in sidewalks, or call up blustering winds to batter those around them. Much like their Arcadian counterparts, Autumn sidhe unleash their cantrips in waves or bursts of light if they are Seelie, or else a terrible darkness if they are Unseelie, terrifying to behold.
Birthrights
Unearthly Beauty — Sidhe stand out in a crowd due to their beauty and regal bearing. Sidhe receive two additional dots of Appearance, even if this brings that rating above 5. When they invoke the Wyrd (p. 259), this beauty becomes overpowering. If a sidhe invokes the Wyrd in the presence of a character, the player must roll Willpower (difficulty 8). If that roll fails, the character can only stare in awestruck wonder at the sidhe for one turn for each dot of the sidhe’s Appearance. Noble Bearing — Sidhe carry a quiet dignity at all times. Cantrips designed to humiliate them or make them look foolish automatically fail (that does not prevent cantrips from harming them, of course, they just don’t lose their poise when it happens). Sidhe cannot botch Etiquette or Politics rolls.
Frailty
Adoration — Autumn sidhe are better with mortals than their Arcadian cousins, but that carries problems of its own. Any time an Autumn sidhe successfully enchants or even meaningfully interacts
with a mortal (successful use of Intimidation, Expression, Leadership, etc.), the Storyteller should roll the mortal’s Willpower against a difficulty of the sidhe’s Glamour rating. Failure means that the mortal takes an extra interest in the sidhe, which can manifest as anything from persistently offering favors or discounts to asking personal questions or sharing unwelcome confidences, or even asking for pictures or autographs. It also means the mortal has no trouble remembering every word and detail of the interaction, which can be a problem for sidhe trying to remain inconspicuous. A botch on the roll indicates the mortal either develops an unhealthy fascination with the sidhe in the case of a positive interaction, or an obsessive hatred in response to a negative one.
Stereotypes
Sir Lelio, a sidhe barista, explains:
On Boggans — A household with a Boggan at the helm won’t ever fail or fall apart. Just watch your tone. Insult their work and you’ll never find your shoes again. On Clurichaun — In rage or sadness, the clurichaun reminds us about the glory we lost. But let’s be fair, as a whole, they’re one big hot mess. On Eshu — Some might be insulted to hear the eshu call themselves nobles; we’re not bothered. You’d be an idiot not to recognize the power of stories, and those that spin ‘em. On Nockers — Power means a lot of different things to different people. The power of a nocker is in their harnessed creativity. You put up with the foulness that comes with their genius. On Piskies — It is unusual to see true wonder cherished and kept for so long in a lifetime. Pretend not to notice when they steal trinkets. On Pooka — The pooka remind us not to take ourselves too seriously. What’s the point of being dignified all the time if it means giving away your joy? On Redcaps — Beauty and grace have their place, and so do terror and voraciousness. The Unseelie treat them as thugs, but mistake crudeness for stupidity at your own risk. On Satyrs — You can get lost in a satyr’s smile, and he’ll promise you the stars with a song. They’ll remind you about the beauty in life even in the most desperate of times. On Selkies —If you anger one, never swim again. On Arcadian Sidhe — Our noble cousins forgot that greatness is earned, not inherited. We’ve done the hard work. Let’s see them do the same. On Sluagh — Garner their trust and you’ll know any secret you need. Lose that trust and you’ll end up regretting your rebirth. On Trolls — Everyone says that trolls make the most stalwart allies; without trolls, the very backbone of the changeling world would collapse.
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“I know many secrets… the secrets of the living and of the dead… and maybe even some of yours.”
Dark and mysterious, the sluagh are little understood, and truth be told, they prefer it that way. Many call them the underfolk, and rumors persist of vast catacombs where they perform hideous rituals or sacrifice and carnage, but these are just wild suppositions… at least for the most part. Some do make their homes in abandoned tunnels and sewers beneath the city streets, but most sluagh prefer crumbling Victorian mansions or ancient stone buildings. They are alternately mistrusted and feared, taunted and ignored. The sluagh ignore the taunts and indignations and go about their business of collecting secrets and lost lore. They are by their very nature collectors, gathering things left behind and thrown away — broken toys, curious knickknacks, ancient manuscripts, worm-eaten books, and discarded correspondences are all fodder for the sluagh’s thirst for knowledge. Outsiders are often mystified by the sluagh’s penchant for collecting these apparently useless things, but then again, perversity is the sluagh’s trademark. Mortals have always feared the dark and the slithery things that live beneath the earth. Perhaps the only thing humans fear more than the dark is the dead. Death and decay are reminders that we all must one day return to the soil. It is from these dreams or, perhaps more accurately, nightmares, that sluagh are born. While it is true that sluagh prefer the quiet and spending time alone, some of the more adventurous sluagh do spend time in the surface courts, usually loitering around the edges. They have also been known to cultivate friendships with changelings and other beings, and even enter into oathbonds or join motleys. They also go out of their way to aid or protect an outsider who shows them respect or friendship. Still, even sluagh who find a clique they can trust need to have a secret place to which they can retreat. Their penchant for pursing secrets often takes sluagh to dark and mysterious places. Of the Kithain, they are among the most likely to interact with other supernatural beings, especially vampires and wraiths. They often find acceptance among these others that they cannot find among the Kithain, and much lost lore and many secrets can be learned from them.
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Appearance: Sluagh are slender and pale and move in an unsettling manner, as if they have cartilage rather than bone. The lack teeth, their lips are black, and they have small, tired-looking eyes. They rarely look anyone in the eye, instead usually staring off at something that no one else can see. The scent of the grave lingers about them like a heavy perfume. They favor antique clothing, usually black and always ornate. Lifestyles: Hermits and recluses by nature, sluagh do not fit in well with mortal society. They struggle to find a means to survive. The most civilized of their kind find employment in book stores, occult shops, and as antique dealers. The rest eke out an existence in sewers and abandoned buildings. They are shy, yet territorial, adhering to extensive codes and rules of etiquette that are unfathomable to other Kithain. Childling: These sluagh are in awe of the sunlit world, yet they fear it as well. They are intensely curious about those who live in the light and can be found lurking in the shadows, watching and listening. They only rarely leave the darkness, and when they do they usually find one changeling to whom they cling. They enjoy gathering in small groups, whispering for hours, and sharing secrets and stories. Wilder: Wilder sluagh are always digging, scratching, and searching for lost and forgotten lore. They haunt libraries and delve into ancient ruins, ever seeking new tidbits of knowledge. Most of a wilder’s time is devoted to the uncovering of hidden wisdom and secrets. Wilders are the most sociable of the sluagh, though this is not saying much, and are the most likely to be found out and in the company of other changelings, but even then it is most often because they are hoping to uncover some dark secret. However, it is not uncommon for wilders to form friendships with other fae and even spend a great deal of time with them. Grump: Holders of many dark secrets, grumps cling onto their knowledge with a death-like grip. Convincing a grump to leave her lair is no easy task. They prefer dark places where they can pore over their libraries of ancient and forgotten manuscripts and examine their collection, constantly arranging and rearranging these treasures. Affinity: Prop
Revelry: Sluagh find Revelry in slinking through forbidden tunnels, learning new secrets, and otherwise playing to their reputation as scholars and recluses. A little-known fact about sluagh, though, is that they also regain Glamour for scaring wicked or selfish people “straight” — the dreams that spawned them were cautionary tales of the things in the dark. Unleashing: Silvery wisps of chimerical spider webs often accompany cantrips cast by the sluagh. The pungent scent of grave mold or the reek of rotting flesh is also common.
Frailty
Curse of Silence — No matter how hard they try, Sluagh cannot speak above a whisper. Even a scream only comes out as a soft sigh. They are very awkward in social situations and must add two to the difficulty of any Social rolls when interacting with anyone other than other sluagh.
Stereotypes
Birthrights
Squirm — Confining or restraining a sluagh is almost impossible because they are able to contort their bodies with ease. They cannot change their mass, but can contort into almost any shape. The player must roll Dexterity + Athletics, with the difficulty ranging from 6 to escape from ropes to 9 to worm through the bars of a locked cell. A sluagh cannot use this Birthright
Elsa Mandrake, a sluagh lorekeeper, mutters: On Boggans — Their talent for picking up secrets is admirable. If you want to learn the secrets of court, talk to the boggan chef, not the sidhe courtier. On Clurichaun — They bury their anguish in violence and ale. Harken to their stories and you will hear their truth. On Eshu — Travelers and storytellers. Their stories are light and life and contain much wisdom. They also always manage to find their way into our private rooms, damn it all. On Nockers — Wonderful artisans. They are so terribly insecure though. On Piskies — I find a light coating of poison ivy oil deters their tendency to steal. On Pooka — They find truth through lies. They hide truth behind pranks and foolishness.
when restrained or confined by cold iron. Sharpened Senses — Sluagh reduce the difficulty for all Perception rolls by one. They can also see through any illusory magic; this requires the expenditure of a point of Willpower and a successful Perception + Alertness roll (difficulty 7). Sluagh are also capable of seeing lurking ghosts. This requires the player to make a successful Perception + Kenning roll (difficulty 7). By spending a point of Glamour, the sluagh can also converse with these spirits (see p. 352 for more on wraiths).
On Redcaps — Theirs is a bloody, base kind of terror. I know secrets that would turn their bones to jelly. On Satyrs — Like many mortals, they are loud in their revels because they fear silence. On Selkies — A restless and tragic people, torn between two worlds — they will never be whole. No matter how close they grow to someone on land, the sea always calls. On Arcadian Sidhe —They try to hold onto the reins of control even harder than their Autumn cousins. The harder they pull, the more it will slip through their fingers. On Autumn Sidhe — They believe they have control, but it’s all a facade... crumbling even as they try to hold onto it. On Trolls — So stoic and strong. They harbor a deep, hidden pain. Their pain is different than ours, but it is something that we understand.
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“Draw your blade. Call your friends. Bring ax, sword, bullets. I’m not moving.” Honor. Duty. Strength. Vigilance. These are the cornerstones of the life of every troll. Born of the dreams of warriors and guardians, trolls are the dauntless and dedicated stalwarts of the fae courts. Honest to a fault, trolls dedicate their lives to the service and protection of other fae. Once she takes an oath to support someone, a troll will go to any lengths to protect her charge. That dedication is the most fundamental part of a troll’s being, so much that if a troll breaks that word she begins to sicken until she has redeemed herself from dishonor. Patient, chivalrous, and dependable, many see these “giants” as naive and too trusting. Yet anyone who betrays a troll discovers the violence and rage that lurks beneath that restrained exterior. Powerful, impressive, and handsome in their mortal forms, the bravery of Seelie trolls is legendary. Trolls are also dedicated to chivalry and courtesy, using formal titles and following courtly rules as a matter of course. Legend says that trolls were once the first nobles until they lost a great war to the sidhe and bowed a knee in fealty. Now they uphold the courtly life, preferring simple living and recognition for their fidelity as reward enough for their service. Still, even the stoicism of a troll has a limit. Trolls are stubborn and resist change, and though they are slow to anger, their tempers can explode if their honor is impugned. Push a troll long enough, and she may begin to descend into her Unseelie side. Trolls resist this slide into their darker nature, as Unseelie trolls, known as ogres, are largely mistrusted and avoided by other changelings. Knowing all this is what makes other kiths look at the trolls and their dedication to honor with admiration. In resisting their darker halves, trolls are the bedrock of a freehold, staunch defenders of fae society and its often uncertain future. Appearance: Though trolls range in appearance, they have one thing in common: they’re large. Ranging from seven to nine feet tall, these Seelie giants have thick hair, slate-gray skin and pale blue or green eyes. Every troll sports a pair of ridged horns that sprout from their foreheads, and prefer warrior garb, often in Nordic styles. Unseelie trolls are terrifying dark shadows of their Seelie brethren, sporting greenish skin, thicker, more brutish features, and a generally wild, unkempt appearance.
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Lifestyles: The natural athleticism and strength of a troll gives them plenty of opportunities for employment in their mortal lives. Seelie trolls choose Spartan lifestyles and enjoy hard work in professions that allow them to serve. Police work, professional sports, or even private security are perfect opportunities for a troll. Unseelie trolls often find employment in criminal enterprises as ruthless knee breakers, corrupt police officials, or uncaring bodyguards. Childling: Trolls at this stage of life are just learning the building blocks of what chivalry and honor mean. A troll’s innate sense of fairness makes her earnest, if not sometimes stubborn, as a pupil. These childlings are often fostered to older trolls or nobles to learn more about their future place in the courtly system. Other childlings must be wary of violent outbursts as the young troll learns to control her temper. Wilder: Once her feet are set upon the honorable path, a wilder troll goes out into the world to search for her purpose. A trolls at this stage will throw everything she has into a cause, sometimes even to the detriment of herself. It often falls to others to pull the troll back, or risk seeing the noblest of warriors fall to their Unseelie side. Grump: A grump troll has weathered many storms and served as the rock upon which many endeavors were built. Trolls at this stage may become reclusive, focused on a single task they may serve while becoming more stubborn and set in their ways. These trolls recede back into their lairs, lured out only to complete their sworn tasks or else to impart the wisdom of an experienced warrior to those they deem worthy. Affinity: Fae Revelry: Trolls gain Glamour from tending to their oaths, but also from protecting and maintaining what they have. A troll might achieve Revelry in some very boggan-like ways: painting a house, tending a garden, or teaching her children. Trolls also find Revelry in feats of athleticism and battle. A troll in need of Glamour might challenge her motley to a game of football — her against the lot of them. Unleashing: Cantrips cast by a troll come with a blast of cold arctic chill, a byproduct of her ancestry as a warrior of the northern places. Should one listen hard enough, one might hear the ring of steel on steel, or the cries of battle engaged by valorous trolls long dead.
Frailty Stereotypes
Gwynn Foster-Hale, a troll soccer mom, explains: On Boggans — After battle, I want to return to a home, a hearth, and a hot meal. I protect a boggan and get all three? Wins all around. On Clurichaun — All sound and sudden storm, and then they fold. Their sadness haunts all their kind and robs them of their strength. On Eshu — You’ll always find your way into a story when you’re with an eshu. It’s kind of gratifying. On Nockers — Genius means they’re allowed to gripe, but only a little. On Piskies — Tiny, pesky creatures. Still, they hold innocence in their eyes we sometimes forget. On Pooka — What’s the point of talking if no one can believe you?
Bond of Duty — A troll’s integrity is as much a part of her as her strength of arms. Should a troll break an oath or sworn contract, she loses her Titan’s Power Birthright and begins to sicken. The only way to regain her strength and vitality is to atone for her broken promise, which can involve fulfilling a new oath or making restitution to the aggrieved party. Because of how integral a troll’s word is to her very being, a troll chooses her oaths — and those to whom she becomes oathbound — very carefully. Should a troll be betrayed, the player must roll Willpower (difficulty 8) to restrain the troll’s rage. Should she fail, the troll attacks the betrayers until restrained by others or the player succeeds at another Willpower roll (difficulty 8); she can attempt this roll after a number of turns equal to the troll’s Glamour.
On Redcaps — The best they can do is bully me and take my arm off. What will they do when I keep coming? On Satyrs — They claim there is wisdom in the bottom of their cups. They claim. On Selkies — Slippery, playful, frivolous. On Arcadian Sidhe — The truth of a leader’s character is in looking at who they lead. I’ll stand behind a sidhe that’s an honorable leader. Otherwise, I’ll look elsewhere. On Autumn Sidhe — They stuck around to weather the storm with us. I won’t forget that. On Sluagh — Brilliant, but sometimes in the heat of the moment it’s hard to hear the wisdom they’re bringing to the table.
Birthrights
Titan’s Power — A troll grows most in power when they’re out fulfilling their duties. A troll gains an additional Bruised health level and dot of Strength when they take up their first oath, even if that takes the Trait above 5. Upon their second oath, the troll gains two extra dots of strength and two additional Bruised health levels (with a maximum total of nine health levels). See p. 264 for more on oaths. Strong of Will and Body — When a troll is at her duty, nothing can stand in her way. A troll gets an extra two dice to rolls to resist being seduced, persuaded, or even magically commanded away from her cause. Trolls also cannot botch Athletics or Alertness rolls.
Chapter Two: The Kithain
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Kith Creation
Changeling includes 13 “primary” kiths for players to choose from, plus several more “minor” kiths in Chapter Ten. In addition, players can take on the roles of the inanimae, the Nunnehi, and the Menehune. Surely that’s enough options for players? No, it’s not. The kiths and Gallain presented in this book are extensive, but they don’t begin to scratch the surface of the depth and variety of mythological beings that could conceivably count as Kithain, not to mention that players might come up with their own faerie beings. Hence, we present this section on creating new kiths. Creating a new kith is a six-step process. It should involve the player creating the kith with the Storyteller — no point doing a lot of work on an amazing new kith if the Storyteller wants an all-boggan chronicle! Likewise, the Storyteller should tell the player up front if she has particular restrictions. For instance, she might decide that magic that affects time is the sole province of the Chronos Art, and therefore require that original kiths avoid Birthrights that include such magic.
Step One: Concept
First, conceptualize the kith. If you’re taking inspiration from mythology, literature, film, or some other media, take some time to think about what it is about the presentation of the potential kith you find compelling. Is it the visual effects surrounding the character in film? The clever way they put nosy mortals in their place? You might feel that a fairy creature from a legend should, by rights, be represented in the world of Changeling: The Dreaming, without having a specific “hook” — that’s fine, too! Try and nail down, though, your reasons for wanting to bring this new kith into the Dreaming. The concept for your new kith doesn’t have to be coherent, and it doesn’t have to be playable or “balanced” or even include any mechanics at all, at this point. For now, just write
Dreams Do Not Follow Rules
“A foolish consistency,” wrote Emerson, “is the hobgoblin of little minds.” The process that we set out here to create new kiths can, in most cases, be used to “reverse engineer” the existing kiths… but exceptions exist. The very last step in the kith creation process is not “make sure everything is perfectly balanced with regards to game mechanics and that no kith is more powerful than any other,” but rather “make sure the kith represents your vision for it, and will be interesting and fun to play.” Throughout this process, please remember to mentally append “unless breaking this rule makes for a more interesting character” to anything that seems to apply as a blanket statement.
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down the things you think are awesome. If some things on the list contradict other things, that’s perfectly acceptable. Dreams don’t make sense without some greater context, most of the time, but they can be great inspiration. Think of concept in terms of: ¶¶ Appearance: How does the kith appear, chimerically speaking? What nonhuman features does it have, if any? What challenges do those features suggest? Be careful of suggesting that all members of a kith belong to a particular ethnicity or nationality, but if the kith only has a few members, it’s by no means unreasonable to suggest that they are concentrated in a given region. ¶¶ Magic: What kind of magic does the creature or being use in the inspirational stories or media? If you’re making up this kith out of whole cloth, what kind of magical talent seems cool to you? Don’t try and think in World of Darkness or Changeling terms yet, just note what the creature is capable of. If you’re taking inspiration from a beach-dwelling being that can summon hurricanes, go ahead and write that down. Yes, a playable character probably can’t summon such storms, but it’ll give you a direction. ¶¶ Dreams: What kind of dreams inspired this being? Some Kithain resonate with nightmares, some with dreams of freedom and bliss, and some with dreams of a more carnal nature. Thinking about the dreams that led to this kith’s genesis can influence Birthrights and Frailties, general temperament, and court predilection (no one says redcaps have to be Unseelie, for instance, but most of them are). ¶¶ Human Life: Remember that all Kithain begin life as human beings, and become changelings via the Chrysalis. What kinds of people might emerge from the Chrysalis belonging to this new kith?
Step Two: Role in the Dreaming
The next step is to bring your new kith into the world of Changeling: The Dreaming. To do this, you need to think not only about the mythology behind the kith (or whatever you are using as inspiration), but how the kith will fit into the World of Darkness as a whole. The first and probably most important question is: How long has this kith been around? If your inspiration is from mythology or folklore, it makes sense that the kith have some history. That doesn’t mean that the changelings need to be especially numerous. They might be confined to a particular region, or have once been more common but stopped undergoing the Chrysalis until recently, for whatever reason. They might, however, be just as common as eshu, pooka, or any other kith — you just need to talk with your Storyteller and make sure that adding a new “core” kith into Kithain society isn’t going to throw a wrench into the chronicle’s works. Look through the history of the Kithain (described in Chapter One), and imagine how the kith might have fit in. If the kith was around during the Accordance War, what role did it play? It’s not reasonable to think that every member of the kith chose one side or the other, but you can draw some
general trends. Overall, was the kith loyalist? Did they side with the rebels? Did they, like the sidhe, reappear on Earth after a long absence and have to reintegrate, or were they right there alongside the commoner kiths during the Interregnum? Think about the role the kith plays in changeling society, and what kind of reputation the members have. When changelings need something fixed, they seek out a nocker. If they needed to learn ancient, forbidden lore, they could do worse than a sluagh or eshu. What is this kith known for? In a game of Changeling, without allowing for concept or specifics, what would this kith do? Consider this question on multiple levels: courts, freeholds, and motleys. Within the two courts, how does this kith approach the problem of obtaining Glamour, inspiring Dreamers, and the other sticking points between Seelie and Unseelie? Does the kith have a presence in the Shadow Court? For that matter, does it have a Thallain equivalent? (You may feel free to leave this question to the Storyteller and be surprised and horrified in play.) In a freehold, what is the kith’s function? Does the kith, on the whole, take part in the neo-feudalism of Kithain society, or, like the selkies, do they largely opt out? If the latter, why and how? More to the point, if they don’t choose to take part in changeling society, what role is there for them to play in a chronicle? Finally, within a motley, what social role do members of the kith fulfill? Sidhe can be leaders, but they can also be romantic figures. Trolls are strong, steady, and loyal. Pooka lie, yes, but they also make superb confidantes (as do boggans, for different reasons). Don’t feel that your kith needs to find a completely new and untouched niche; that would be difficult anyway. Instead, think about how members of the kith interact with the others and try and find some interesting combinations.
Stereotypes
Looking at the kith writeups in the last chapter, you’ll notice that each one has a set of stereotypes — what the given kith thinks of the others. These are obviously meant to portray generalities and broad strokes, with a bit of flavor. The piskey’s stereotype of redcaps begins with “Avoid at all costs!” — but that doesn’t mean that in your chronicle, the piskey and the redcap can’t be friends. It just gives players a jumping-off point for their interactions. You can make up these stereotypes, too. You don’t need to write them down, necessarily, just think about how a member of your new kith would react when asked “what do you think about trolls?” At the same time, describe the kith — again, broad strokes — to a player in your troupe and ask what her character would think about this kith. The stereotypes can’t hope to cover all the peculiarities, but they should contain at least a hint of truth and logic.
Step Three: Birthrights
All kiths have two Birthrights, chosen from three categories. When choosing and creating Birthrights, consider the following points: Engaging the Mythology: Choose something about the existing mythology of the kith (if any) that interests and inspires you. You don’t have to fit an entire myth into the kith — the existing Changeling kiths certainly don’t! Consider the pooka, for instance; their Birthright allows them to change into a particular animal, but does not restrict them to black rabbits, goats, or horses, which would have been in keeping with many of the Irish folktales surrounding them. Likewise, the trolls of Changeling: The Dreaming aren’t hideous or evil, but are strong and hardworking (note that the “hideous/evil” side of the kith does emerge in their Thallain counterparts, which is a perfectly acceptable tactic to take here). Dealing with Mortals: Kithain come from the dreams of mortals. Boggans not only excel at performing household tasks, they enjoy doing it — it is, in a very real sense, what they were made to do. Think about the kinds of dreams that spawned the kith, and then consider how that might translate to a Birthright. Tell a Good Story: A game of Changeling isn’t one character walking into the scene and “winning.” It’s a tale of a group of characters experiencing and triumphing over adversity (or succumbing to it; tragedy can be just as satisfying as victory for the right troupe). A new kith’s Birthrights should lend themselves to making interesting and exciting things happen in the story, not resolving the story quickly. This is the real meaning of game balance: not that all Birthrights are inherently equal (they’re far too subjective and diverse for that), but that all Birthrights can give the character a way to push the story in new and creative ways. The four categories of Birthrights are as follows:
Acuity
Acuity Birthrights enable changelings to perform mundane tasks with amazing precision. In game terms, they modify Abilities (or occasionally Attributes), either by ensuring that the changeling cannot botch a particular Trait roll (a botched roll counts as a normal failure) or that rolls on the given Trait enjoy a reduced difficulty. The player has some wiggle room as to exactly how these systems are applied. For example, the kith might be supernaturally gifted at healing — all Medicine rolls enjoy a –1 difficulty. Or, the kith might be exceptionally gifted at one particular application of an Ability. For instance, a brutal kith that specializes in breaking bones might apply a –2 difficulty to any attacks meant to do so. A single Birthright can combine multiple applications of Acuity, provided they work together thematically and that the Storyteller doesn’t feel that the player is getting out of control. Selkies, for instance, enjoy a –2 difficulty to all Dexterity rolls, and cannot botch Athletics rolls, as long as the character is in the water. In general, the more widely applicable the Acuity is, the less inclined the Storyteller should be to let a player
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include it in a “bundle.” Granting an Acuity to an Attribute with no conditions attached should probably be the whole of the Birthright, particularly for Physical and Mental Attributes (as they are rolled more often).
Magic
The most common form of Birthright, a Magic Birthright grants the members of the kith a special trick or feat that they can accomplish. Many of the existing Birthrights, including a pooka’s ability to shapeshift, a piskey’s talent for vanishing, and a sluagh’s prowess for slithering into tight places fall into this category. This type of Birthright is also the most challenging to design and for the Storyteller to adjudicate. Consider the follow design principles: • Make it Magical: The Birthright should allow the changeling to do something that human beings either cannot do or cannot do without extensive work. A boggan can analyze the social dynamics of a group with a glance and some quick conversation. Even an adept mortal would require hours of conversation and careful observation to do this. • Expenditure? Some Birthrights require the expenditure of a point of Glamour; most do not. It’s not impossible for a Birthright to necessitate spending a point of Willpower or even to cost the changeling a Health level! Expenditure should be reserved for special, impressive Birthrights. Using them in play is an investment in the story on the player’s part, so the reward should be commensurate with that expenditure. • Dice Pool? Most Magic Birthrights require a roll of some kind (though not all; pooka can change shape without a roll, and the redcap’s Dark Appetite never fails the kith). In general, the more closely the Birthright resembles a mundane action, the more likely it should have a dice pool. • Bundled with Acuity: If a Magic Birthright is fairly minor or narrow in scope, the Storyteller might allow the player to include an Acuity Birthright with it. The Acuity must make sense as a natural extension of the Magic. For example, the sidhe cannot be made to look foolish, ever (clearly a Magic Birthright), and as a result, they are immune to botches on Etiquette rolls.
Advantage
Advantage Birthrights are the rarest, but also the simplest, type. They simply bestow additional dots in a Trait, usually an Attribute. Players should consider that adding dots to an Attribute makes a statement about the character’s prowess, particularly compared to mortals. The “ugliest” sidhe is attractive by mortal standards. The weakest troll is still as strong as an average mortal. If the kith as you’ve envisioned it is meant to be truly superlative in a given area, it makes sense to give the kith an Advantage Birthright. Advantage Birthrights shouldn’t exceed one extra dot for Physical and Mental Attributes, and two extra dots for Social Attributes. Advantage Birthrights can also add Health levels (as with trolls) or even dots of Willpower. It’s recommended, however, that if a kith is meant to be particularly
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strong willed, the Birthright allows the kith to regain Willpower in certain adversarial circumstances, rather than adding Willpower outright. Remember, a point of Willpower can be spent for an automatic success, which reduces the chance of a botch(see p. 258). Likewise, Advantage Birthrights shouldn’t add dots of Glamour without heavy restrictions, perhaps even a second Frailty.
Step Four: Frailty
Mythological creatures almost always have some weakness. It might be a compulsive behavior, a substance or food that drives them away, an aversion to hearing their own name, or a way to trick them into servitude. When designing your kith, you must design a Frailty, some part of that kith’s story that restricts or harms it in some way. When designing a Frailty, consider the following principles: • Story Possibility: Pooka have to lie when asked a direct question. That means that when a pooka receives such a question, the story is about that pooka and his inability to give a straight answer. Yes, he can tell the truth with some effort, but remember that doing so requires a Willpower point — if the player makes the expenditure, she is invested in the character being honest in that moment and that should carry resonance, too. When designing a Frailty, think about what it does to the story when that Frailty comes into play. It should also allow interesting, challenging things to happen. • Applicability: Frailties that are obscure, obtuse, or extremely hard to enact aren’t good enough. A Frailty should come up in play at least once every chapter, even in a minor way. Some Frailties (like the sluagh’s inability to speak above a whisper) are constant, but relatively minor. Others, like a selkie’s vulnerability upon losing the seal skin, won’t cause problems often, but when they do they can drive a whole story. Either is fine, but the Frailty shouldn’t be something the player can just pay lip service to and then ignore. • Avoid Direct Damage: It can be tempting to say that the kith suffers physical damage from a particular source; perhaps a certain plant is poison, or perhaps a nocturnal kith suffers damage from sunlight. These kinds of Frailties are hard to use in play, however, because if the Storyteller employs them, she reduces the character’s effectiveness considerably until the damage heals. The threat of such damage can be motivating, but it still acts as a limiter on the character’s actions rather than as a way to spur interesting scenes. Taking damage is not, in itself, a very interesting event in a game; the context for the damage is what brings the drama. Frailties fall into three general categories:
Compulsions
Most existing Frailties are Compulsions. They require that a character perform a particular action. In some cases, this is a full-time behavior (sluagh always whisper, pooka always lie), while in other cases the character must perform a particular action under certain circumstances (boggans must help people in need, piskies must try to steal objects that catch their fancy). Often, characters can resist these Compulsions if the player
rolls Willpower (difficulty 8); sometimes, as with pooka, this also requires spending a point of Willpower. Remember that if the expenditure is necessary, then it sends a message to the player that avoiding the Frailty is possible, but only when it’s truly significant to the plot of the story.
¶¶ Choose Prop if the kith works with objects or crafting, or is prone to theft. ¶¶ Choose Scene if the kith is focused on travel or movement. ¶¶ Choose Time if the kith has a mythological reputation for immortality or eternal youth.
Curses
Step Six: Adjust
Curse Frailties are supernatural weaknesses. Trolls grow sick and weak if they break their word. Selkies can be controlled or even killed if their seal coats are destroyed. If the Frailty involves the character suffering some mechanical penalty or consequence as a result of breaking a taboo or being outwitted in some way, it’s a Curse (note the essential difference between a Curse and a Compulsion: Compulsions generally don’t have consequences, and characters can usually get around them, at least temporarily. Curses don’t come up as often, but when they do they’re important and dramatic). Curses don’t necessarily have to cause Health levels of damage (and in fact they probably shouldn’t; see above), but they can reduce a character’s efficacy or make the character sick or weak for a time. If you choose to use this kind of Frailty, it’s best to give the character a way to avoid it or cure it — succumbing to the Frailty shouldn’t be something that the Storyteller just has happen to the character.
Ineptitude
Ineptitude Frailties are rare; much like Acuity Birthrights, they affect the character’s acumen at certain tasks. Redcaps just aren’t very good in social situations, and they take penalties to navigate them, for instance. Ineptitude Frailties can reduce dice pools, increase difficulties, or, in extreme cases, cause the character to automatically fail at certain actions. Ineptitude Frailties should be used carefully; by themselves, they don’t lend much to drama. Instead, they tend to highlight types of actions the kith should just avoid. A skilled Storyteller and a brave player can get some interesting scenes out of the character trying to deal with situations for which she is categorically unfit, but that’s unsatisfying over repeated chapters and it’s probably depriving some other character of a chance to shine. An Ineptitude can, however, be an interesting addition to an otherwise mild Frailty.
Step Five: Affinity
Choose a Realm to act as the kith’s Affinity Realm. This means that the player receives a –1 to the difficulty of any cantrip using this Realm as the primary Realm. Choose whichever Realm feels appropriate, but here are a few guidelines: ¶¶ Choose Actor if the kith is highly tied in to mortal communities, or if one of its Birthrights involves mortals or Dreamers directly. ¶¶ Choose Fae if the kith is overtly and obviously magical, or if it has a specific historical tie-in to Kithain society. ¶¶ Choose Nature if the kith is clearly tied to the outdoors, to animals, or to classical elements.
as
Necessary
The last step in creating a new kith is in many ways the most important. Look over all the work you’ve done, all of the history you’ve created, and Birthrights and Frailty you’ve designed, and ask yourself: Is this right? Is this what you wanted? Is this kith going to be fun to play? The Storyteller should have some input here, but you’re the one who’s going to be responsible for bringing the kith into the world of Changeling, so the final decision rests with you: Do you need to adjust anything to make the kith work as you envisioned? If you need to adjust something, do it. Don’t be afraid to break the rules as we’ve defined them here (they’re more like guidelines, anyway). If you’ve designed a Frailty that you really like, but you picture the kith as starting to bleed when it comes into play, maybe it inflicts a Health level of chimerical damage. Yes, the advice says to avoid direct damage, but like all of the rules in Changeling, it’s a suggestion. If you’ve come up with a Birthright that uses a system that takes elements of Magic and Acumen, use it! Just clear it with your Storyteller and make sure you’re not breaking anything she’d prefer to leave intact, and you’re ready to go.
Example
of
Kith Creation
Matt is getting ready to play in his brother’s Changeling game, and is considering his options for a character. Knowing that the game is going to focus on the relationship between changelings and mundane people, he wants to play a character with a strong connection to humanity. In particular, he’s interested in boggans, but their focus on mundane tasks leaves him a little cold — his tastes run to more visceral, magical characters. He asks the Storyteller if he can create a kith instead.
Step One: Concept
Doing a bit of research, Matt discovers the domovoi, protective house spirits common to Russian and Slavic myth. Domovoi have a number of different stories attached to them — they sometimes did housework or mundane tasks for their adopted families, like boggans, but unlike boggans they watched over people as they slept and acted as oracles for them. If they became angry with their family, they were also said to lash out like poltergeists. Matt enjoys this dichotomy and gets to work bringing the domovoi into Changeling. Domovoi are described in folklore as being small, stunted, and hairy. Matt decides that in Changeling, that should still hold true — the domovoi kith are short, and tend towards having dark, profuse body hair. They aren’t ugly, necessarily, but are definitely swarthy and somewhat coarse. For all that, they move with grace and deftness, and Matt feels they should walk almost silently (since they need to creep around houses at
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night without waking people up). Before the Chrysalis, domovoi should be people with strong senses of family; they might not all be parents, of course, but they bond with the people around them. Domovoi make good housekeepers, teachers, counselors, and security guards. Finally, Matt thinks about the magic of the domovoi, with an eye toward what might make for interesting Birthrights. Their oracular ability is one idea, though Matt would have to be careful not to tread on the toes of the Soothsay Art. Their proclivity for stealth and silence is another possibility, as is their propensity for protecting sleeper Dreamers.
Step Two: Role
in the
Dreaming
Clearly, domovoi stem from some of the same dreams as boggans (having a helper around to take care of some of the housework), but also a deeper fear of protecting one’s family. The domovoi, after all, watched over sleeping people, and therefore come from dreams of safety and guardianship. That’s the easy part; the more challenging question is how the domovoi fit into Kithain history. They’re pretty obviously commoners, after all, so where were they during the Accordance War and other recent events? Matt decides that they adopted the Changeling Way easily and willingly in the wake of the Shattering, and weathered the Interregnum the way they always had — sticking closer to their adopted mortal families and being helpful. When the Resurgence happened, some domovoi welcome the sidhe back (they’d never had any particular conflict with their “leaders,” since their focus was generally on humans) while others were largely indifferent. Few domovoi, though, were passionate combatants in the war. This led to a reputation for being neutral (at best) and cowards (at worst) in the eyes of other Kithain. With regards to the two courts, Matt decides that Seelie domovoi are gentle teachers and helpers, much more prone to protecting sleepers and cleaning the house up than to making their presence known. Unseelie domovoi, on the other hand, are the ones more likely to send obtuse warnings in the form of omens to their families, and if the families can’t figure them out, well, that’s hardly the changeling’s problem. What about in mortal society? Domovoi obviously don’t have to spend every waking moment in their family’s house; if they did, they wouldn’t be suitable characters. Matt decides that a changeling domovoi adopts a given family and ingratiates himself as a friend, neighbor, and confidante. The domovoi then swears an oath to the family, which the family seals (often unknowingly) by offering the domovoi a gift or a meal. The domovoi is then bound that family as long as it lives in that dwelling. Matt figures the domovoi could draw Glamour from the family’s house like a freehold, but that’s probably a Birthright. A domovoi’s role in a motley is probably best served in navigating mortal society. Domovoi understand it because they’ve watched that society change over the centuries. Domovoi could also be good watchdogs for nascent changelings about to enter the Chrysalis.
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How
Use This Process: Storytellers
to
The kith creation process is geared toward creating a kith that is playable — that is, that works to make player-controlled characters. As such, using it to make new supporting cast beings (Thallain, for instance) works, but the priorities need to be slightly different with regards to mechanics. A Storyteller character is a plot device, a method for the troupe’s characters to endure challenges, to engage in stirring dialog, and ultimately to tell their story. As such, a Frailty for such a character shouldn’t be a roleplaying challenge so much as a motivation for their actions. Consider, for example, the Brand of the Iconoclast (p. 359), a type of Dauntain that must destroy some piece of the Dreaming every day. Since they’re not designed as characters for players, you’re not going to run stories in which the Dauntain has to decide which Treasure to break or tries to find some acceptable piece of magic to ruin. Instead, that need to destroy the Dreaming informs the character’s actions and brings him into conflict with the players’ characters. Likewise, if you’re designing Birthrights, using Advantages and Acumen over Magic can make less work for you; it’ll make the characters tougher in terms of their Trait ratings, but the players’ characters have plenty of other advantages (the story is about them, which makes a huge difference) to offset the numbers. And, in play, it means you don’t have to worry about remembering what the system is for a particular Birthright. Finally, this process works very well if you decide you want to allow a player to take on the role of a reformed Thallain, or Dauntain, or dark-kin. Just consider the character’s “kith” through this lens, as though you were creating a new type of changeling. Use the mechanics that work, and tweak the ones that aren’t geared toward player-controlled characters. Mostly it’s a question of changing focus and priority; Storyteller characters are meant to be challenges for players’ characters, so the shift just needs to recognize that the story is now about this character, rather than happening around him.
Step Three: Birthrights
Matt already has one idea for a Birthright: Adopted Family. He wants each domovoi to be able to draw on its family’s dwelling like a freehold. The Storyteller agrees, and says that the domovoi can regain Glamour (up to three points in a story) by spending a night with the family and performing some service for them. This is obviously a Magic Birthright.
For the other Birthright, Matt decides to fall back on his idea about the domovoi being nearly silent. He decides to give the kith an Acuity Birthright — domovoi receive a –1 difficulty to all Stealth rolls, and cannot botch Stealth rolls. He asks the Storyteller if domovoi can also gain some kind of bonus when in their family’s home. The Storyteller suggests that if the domovoi is in the house, sleeping family members don’t wake up until sunrise unless the domovoi wishes them to. Matt likes that idea — it means that, if necessary, his domovoi character can bring the motley to the family’s house in the middle of the night to reconnoiter. He calls this Birthright Silent Protector.
Step Four: Frailty
For the domovoi Frailty, Matt wants to fall back on their propensity to throw things around if they are treated badly, but he doesn’t want to give them some kind of “fit of rage” Frailty, since he finds that a bit cliché. Instead, he thinks about the bond between family and domovoi, and what would happen if it was broken. He decides that this Frailty is called Bonds of Family. If a domovoi breaks his oath to the family — allowing it to come to harm, refusing to help the family members, and so on, the domovoi cannot regain Glamour until he makes restitution. If the family breaks the oath (rejecting the domovoi, for example), the domovoi simply loses access to his Adopted Family Birthright until he can find a new family or patch things up with the original one.
Step Five: Affinity
As domovoi are so closely tied to humanity, Actor is the obvious choice for their affinity Realm.
Step Six: Adjust
as
Necessary
Matt looks over everything he’s decided about the domovoi, and checks with his Storyteller. He thinks that the kith looks pretty well constructed — it’s true to the mythology about the domovoi, but very appropriate for Changeling: The Dreaming. With the Storyteller’s approval, Matt moves on to the character creation phase (which you can read about in Chapter Three).
Noble Houses
The Shining Host long ago divided itself into great houses, who in turn represent different elements and interests of the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. Though the sidhe returned to a world that had all but abandoned such feudal concepts, the fact remains that the dreams of monarchy and idealized nobility remain, and none can deny that the Dreaming itself backed their claims. Like it or not, the houses rule the political landscape of the Kithain, and so understanding them is critical for any changeling who hopes to make an impact on fae society. Each noble house is a culture unto itself, with rites and traditions going back centuries. Those who seek to buck the established order thus face stiff opposition, though mavericks feel the reward of changing house practices can be worth the risk. Internal house politics are the epitome of ruthless courtesy,
as it is seen as poor form to openly go against one’s “relatives,” and yet there is often little alternative for those who wish to climb the ladder. Given that Arcadian sidhe currently control a large part of the nobility, it is perhaps unsurprising that bias against titled commoners and even Autumn sidhe runs deep in all but the most unorthodox houses. Of course, internal struggles are set against the backdrop of politics between houses, and since open warfare is frowned upon among the nobility, that only makes the intrigues and backstabbing even more ruthless. Nor is all politicking across the court divide, though that certainly is a big arena; conflicts between houses of the same court are common as different values and philosophies collide. Add personal elements like unlikely friendships or old grudges into the mix, and it all makes for an ever-shifting array of alliances, betrayals, favors, gossip, duels, parties, and conspiracies that can raise a savvy noble to the heights of power — or tear her down just as fast. What follows is a brief overview of each of the great houses of Kithain society, providing a look at their history, their role in the political landscape, how they came to return to the Autumn world, and some of the common habits and traits of their members. The house’s Boon and Flaw, special traits acquired by all nobles of the house, are also detailed, and should be carefully noted by players of noble characters. Lastly, a gallery of famous members showcases noteworthy political players and rising stars, as well as provides the Storyteller with potential supporting characters to use when dealing with that house. It is also worth noting that while rank terms have been standardized for simplicity’s sake, nobles often receive alternatives or additions to the standard titles, ones that better reflect a noble’s specific duties as well as a house’s unique culture and perspective. A Gwydion investigator might receive the formal title of Lord Inquisitor ,rather than simply “Baron,” for example, while a ruthless Balor leader may hold the rank of “Lieutenant General” instead of “Countess.” At formal events or in settings where this might cause confusion, the standard title is used first, followed by the house-specific one: “May I present Lord Bayard Tyrael, Storm-Champion of House Eiluned.”
House Aesin
(EE-sin) My eternal soul now lies with House Aesin. I swear by the forests and mountains of my home that I will uphold the traditions and customs of House Aesin. Knowing I reach safety, I seek shelter beneath the wings of the owl. If my oath is broken, may the Dreaming strip me of all privileges and never let me forget who I was and what I have become. Court: Unseelie Nickname: Northmen, Beasts (vulgar) The Guardians of the North, hailing from Scandinavia, once gifted the Vikings with their knowledge in order to stave off the tide of Christianity and the Banality they feared it would bring. They prefer the forests and mountains of their native lands to cities, finding respite and normalcy in nature. They look upon the mortal bodies they were forced to claim as
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in battle. Berserkers are terrible to behold, as they will fight violently and mindlessly until the obliteration of their foes or their own death. While House Aesin views itself as largely being above the matter of courts, it is typically perceived as Unseelie due to the more bloodthirsty elements of its members’ natures.
Boon
House Aesin’s bond with nature is strong. Members of Aesin can speak with forest animals (non-domesticated wildlife like squirrels, bears, deer, etc.). To understand an animal, the player rolls Intelligence + Empathy (difficulty 8).
Flaw
Aesin fae have not adjusted well to the life of mortal flesh. They view humans as servants, though loyal ones occasionally worthy of the Aesin’s defense, and cannot reconcile themselves with the unpleasant reality of their own human bodies. Because of this disconnect between their fae and mortal natures, fae from House Aesin are unable to gain Glamour through Rapture.
Exile clothing, something they must dress themselves in as protection against the elements, for otherwise the disgust at their mortal flesh would drive them mad. Nature and their bond with it defines House Aesin, and members of this house possess the ability to speak with animals. Many members of this house identify strongly with a specific animal from whom they believe they draw strength, which has led some outside their house to believe Aesin are bestial savages. In fact, the opposite is true, and House Aesin see themselves as the last true bastions of fae society, the guardians of the Dreaming itself. They are highly capable of navigating the complex social situations of court, but they have little patience for superficial politeness. They view small talk and other shallow niceties as human nonsense at best, blatant dishonesty at worst. Members of House Aesin are battle-hardened and uncompromising. They know the forests of Scandinavia intimately, making them mighty hunters, but they also have a rich scholarly tradition still carried out through the singer-poet skalds. They pride themselves on their forthright honesty and adherence to the nine virtues: courage, truth, honor, fidelity, hospitality, discipline, industry, self-reliance, and perseverance. House Aesin holds fast to its ancient legends, preparing itself for what it sees as an inevitable battle with creatures known as the Jotunns, twisted nightmares that must be kept at bay to protect Concordia. When they first returned from Arcadia, fae of House Aesin attempted to adhere to old practices of a gender-divided society, but have found that such a system benefits no one, particularly not the house as a whole. Men and women both hold positions as hunters, skalds, and warriors, even berserkers, the elite force of 13 warriors given magical armor that makes them unstoppable
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Something happened within Arcadia, which the Aesin call Alfheim, which forced the Aesin back into the mortal world to occupy mortal flesh. Most Aesin believe the Dreaming sent them to Concordia to restore fae society, a duty they take strongly to heart.
Factions
and
Societies
The Virtue Council is a group of nine Aesin that acts as judges in trials, and which advises and oversees important decisions. The berserkers, a vanguard of 13 warriors, wear enchanted armor granted to them by the head of the house.
Notable Members
Queen Ragnelf, the ruler of House Aesin, disappeared when they returned to Earth from Arcadia, High Lord Magnhildr currently rules House Aesin in Queen Ragnelf’s stead, Jarl Brondolf, a warrior who sits on the Virtue Council, Baron Bjorn, who became maddened by his time spent in mortal flesh and attacked his own house, known as “commoner lover,” King Nils Molander of Dalarna, and King Harald Knudson of Jutland.
House Ailil
(Ay-LEEL) By the scales of the silver dragon, by the light of the fourfold stars, by the blanket of darkest night, I deliver my body, heart and will into the keeping of House Ailil. May its aims guide my vision, its hopes direct my aspirations, and its purpose inspire my actions. Let all my ambitions crumble in the dust should I betray the words I have spoken this night. Dragon beside me, stars above me, night behind me, witness my oath. Court: Unseelie Nicknames: Dragons, Liars (vulgar) While other houses use politics to push their agendas, House Ailil views politics as a perfect end unto itself. Gifted
their superiority can be demonstrably measured, such as politics, investigative journalism, law, high-level athletics, or corporate leadership. Despite their winner-take-all reputation, Ailil are quite content to take on advisory roles when it suits them; being able to shape policies and organizations without incurring the added risk of a higher profile has its own appeal to them. Seelie members of House Ailil are rare, but not unheard of, and tend to focus more on oaths and loyalties than their fellow Dragons. However, even demonstrably Seelie Ailil must fight an uphill battle to gain acceptance, not just because of the house’s reputation, but also because Seelie members have turned out to be agents of their Unseelie kin. Still, having an Ailil advisor or strategist is a fearsome enough advantage that many Seelie courts will hazard the risk…but the Dragon can be sure she’s being watched carefully by her “friends.”
Boon
Even the noblest members of House Ailil still have a way with words, and their politicians and deceivers never seem to be caught out like others of their kind. Dragons subtract 1 from the difficulty of all Manipulation rolls, and can never botch a Subterfuge or Politics roll.
Flaw leaders, strategists, and manipulators even among the sidhe, the Dragons demonstrate a mastery of political maneuvering that makes other houses wary of entering alliances, but even more afraid of crossing them. When you’re dealing with the Ailil, you had best think three steps ahead — that way you’re probably only two steps behind. House Ailil sees itself as the head of the Unseelie Court, just as House Gwydion heads the Seelie, and justifies many of its actions as necessary for restoring the balance between Seelie and Unseelie. While the common belief that every member of House Ailil is involved in the Shadow Court certainly isn’t true, the Dragons are heavily invested in the Shadow Court’s activities, and even if an Ailil isn’t a member herself, it’s a safe bet she knows someone who is. Although the Dragons are regarded with suspicion by their rival houses, in fairness, their reputation for dishonesty is not completely deserved. Ailil place great stock in oaths and the house boasts some of the greatest oathcrafters among the fae, and members freely enter into oaths when required. (Though those swearing with them are advised to check the language of the oath carefully, just in case.) The Dragons are well aware of the power of genuine honesty, especially in politics, and use it like any other tool at their disposal; the fact that it keeps their rivals guessing is just a lovely added benefit. Life within House Ailil is intensely competitive, with constant jockeying for position and games of one-upmanship both grand and petty. Every member is keenly aware of their standing, and alert for any chance to climb the ladder — and keep those below them from doing the same. Even before their Chrysalis, future Dragons are often drawn to professions where
Ailil believe that they are the smartest ones in the room. A Dragon must make a Willpower roll, difficulty 8, to directly admit being wrong or let someone else have the last word in a heated situation. If an Ailil admits he is wrong, loses a contest of wits or skill, or backs down from a heated confrontation, he cannot regain Willpower points and suffers a +1 penalty on the difficulty of all Social rolls until he restores face somehow. This can mean getting revenge on his opponent or simply (unfairly) berating his lessers until he feels better.
Exile
It’s widely claimed by the other houses that the Dragons were exiled after getting caught orchestrating some massive political crisis in Arcadia, resulting in their summary banishment. Surprisingly, House Ailil does not deny these rumors — in part because some of their own memories seem to confirm them — but insists that the crisis was the result of the Dragons moving against Arcadian leadership for not recognizing the need to prepare for the coming Long Winter. Some of the Ailil even hint that the house’s founder and namesake has been operating on Earth this entire time, waiting for his family to join him.
Factions & Societies
The Guardians of the Silver Dragon, disciplined warriors and bodyguards who protect Unseelie nobles and their domains. Les Amoureux, hedonists and sensualists who love mixing business with pleasure. The Disinherited, nobles who have broken oaths and sworn to regain their honor through battle or great accomplishment. The Lock-Keepers, a society of mysticallyinclined Ailil who monitor forbidden places and cursed items.
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Notable Members
High Lord Erdath, consummate politician and the driving force of the Unseelie Court in the Parliament of Dreams, Count Declan, warrior, military genius and leader of the Guardians of the Silver Dragon, Count Clou Argent, real estate power broker in charge of freehold acquisitions across Concordia, Baron Richard September, Seelie “freelance diplomat” and half of a famed Thallain hunting duo, Princess Jessamy, child prodigy and rumored heir apparent to the leadership of the Shadow Court, Squires Sal and Torg, the house’s go-to team for quick and dirty weaponsmithing, mayhem, and sabotage, and Lady Sláine, protégé of High Lord Erdath and frequently his proxy at court, often considered to be the true mover behind House Ailil.
House Balor
(BAY-lor) By the serpent that twines around the golden tower, by the crimson beam that streams from Balor’s Eye, by the blood that runs like fire through my veins, I pledge my heart, mind, and body to the will of House Balor. Let the challenge that marks my body as different from all others serve as a constant reminder of my birth and my destiny. May I suffer the agony of a thousand flames if I betray my house. This I swear, by the blood and the eye, before the Dreaming itself. Court: Unseelie Nicknames: Blooded, Monsters (vulgar) If the sidhe were born of dreams of power and beauty, then House Balor traces its roots to dreams of the terrible wrath that power could unleash. Ruthless generals, savage warriors, and relentless hunters, the Blooded emulate their legendary namesake, Balor of the Baleful Eye, in demonstrating why mortals once feared the fae as gods…and might again one day. House Balor may not be the subtlest house, but what it lacks in nuance it more than makes up for in brute strength and vicious cunning. Relations between the Blooded and members of the Seelie houses are strained at best; even putting aside their fearsome reputation, the house’s Fomorian blood makes their Seelie counterparts deeply uneasy. For their part, the Balor see politics as a necessary evil, and tend to play the game defensively, slowly taking and fortifying territory rather than flitting about from court to court. As a result, the house holds a surprising amount of territory, especially for one that is often absent from the whirl of court events. Despite their aggressive reputation, Balor are not mindless brutes, nor are they always quick to turn to violence — any action taken is always a means to an end, not simply an end in itself. There are bullies and sadists in their ranks, to be sure, but they do not tend to rise far as their enjoyment of pain is too personal and self-interested to be of much use to the house in general. Likewise, the Blooded tend to seek out mortal occupations where their direct manner and propensity for action serves them well, and if they get to bloody their knuckles occasionally, too, well that’s just a bonus. Balor is home to the fewest Seelie of any Unseelie house, as the traditionally-minded Blooded view Seelie concepts like love
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and honor as weaknesses to be exploited rather than virtues to be celebrated. Members discovered to be Seelie find themselves challenged or even assaulted by their fellow members at every turn. For what it’s worth, however, those that can weather such constant abuse are some of the toughest individuals of any house; they might even win a measure of grudging respect from their peers for their fortitude, if not their affiliation.
Boon
The Blooded’s willingness to accept even the most unpleasant tasks without complaint is made manifest in their house boon, along with one of the prime reasons they are so widely feared by other fae. While touching cold iron causes a Balor mild discomfort, she does not lose Glamour from handling it, nor from being struck by it. Members even have a slim chance to soak damage from cold iron sources (difficulty 10). However, cold iron still inflicts aggravated damage on the Blooded, and death by cold iron destroys a Balor’s soul the same as any other changeling.
Flaw
All members of House Balor are marked by sinister deformities, and wear them proudly. Balor fae tend toward freakish traits such as forked tongues, glowing eyes, over-long limbs, scales or fur instead of hair, and other markedly unnatural characteristics. A Blooded’s deformity might be temporarily concealed, but can never be permanently corrected, not even with magic. Sidhe of House Balor are born with these traits, displaying mortal versions of them even before their Chrysalis, while other fae who take titles in the house later on in life inevitably develop them as part of the Blooded’s secret initiation rites.
Despite appearances, these deformities never offer any mechanical advantages on their own, though they could perhaps be used to justify purchasing certain Merits (or Flaws). These deformities also carry over to the mortal seeming in a non-paranormal but still memorably unsettling form — instead of looking outright reptilian, a Balor with patches of lizard scales might appear to “merely” have a strange skin condition in his mortal guise. Investigators trying to track one of the Blooded receive a –2 on the difficulty of rolls related to witnesses remembering, describing, and identifying the noble unless the Balor took special pains to conceal his abnormality. Due to their savage Fomorian blood, members of House Balor also have a maximum Willpower rating of 6. Kithain who take titles later on and have a higher Willpower rating find it reduced during their initiation into the house’s mysteries.
Exile
While the specifics remain frustratingly vague, House Balor has no illusions about what likely led to their exile — they backed the losing side, and paid for it. Rather than scheme about ways to re-enter Arcadia, however, the Blooded have a different plan. They intend to conquer the Autumn World and thereby cut off its supply of Glamour to Arcadia. House Balor will not grovel and beg to be taken back; the Blooded will force Arcadia to its knees.
Factions
and
Societies
The Eyes of Balor, spies and assassins who use the house’s reputed lack of subtlety to their advantage. The Old Firm, members who coordinate jobs across a dozen different organized crime families and underworld syndicates. The Masters of the Dance, envoys and scholars who deal with various Prodigal allies. The Guardians of the Gates, trod-walkers and monster slayers who sometimes conspire with some of the more intelligent creatures they battle. The Riders of the Fell, brave (or foolhardy) risk-takers who seek to prove their worth through spectacular feats and harrowing battles. Scarlet Eye Solutions, a global private military contractor and security consulting firm with a fearsome reputation for getting results at all costs.
House Beaumayn
(BEAU-main) This day I swear loyalty to the Book and the Blade, to the future that is my destiny, the present that is my duty and the past that is my treasure. I swear loyalty to the members and goals of House Beaumayn, and may the dreams of the damned haunt my mind should I ever break this trust. As the dark star burns above, so does my heart burn in service to thee. Court: Seelie Nicknames: Dark Stars, Hopeless (vulgar) A house of prophets, occultists, and monster hunters, House Beaumayn is infamous among the nobility for its reluctance to participate in traditional politics, preferring to occupy a niche as Thallain hunters and keep a watchful eye out for Shadow Court extremists. Combined with their perceived aloofness and often cryptic manner, this self-appointed role does little to endear them to either Court, and so the Beaumayn are one of the most solitary noble houses, second only to House Scathach in that regard. For what it’s worth, the Dark Stars are generally content with this role. Their gifts of prophecy place them in situations where they are needed, and while hunting Thallain and other creatures of darkness may not be the safest vocation, it is hard to argue that it doesn’t do real good. While it pains them to be so misunderstood by the rest of their kind, it’s not exactly unfamiliar territory. When a Beaumayn does make friends, though, she stands fast by them regardless of what it costs her; she simply doesn’t have so many that she can afford to lose a single one.
Notable Members
High Lord Li-Tilli, raised among werewolves and a consummate strategist, though now whispered to be sliding into Bedlam, The Mercy of Balor, a scarred and fearsome troll who acts as a sanctioned executioner for the Blooded, Countess Anne Blackwell, charming hostess, criminal mastermind, and ruthless Ravager from the Old Firm, Lord Raghnall, leader of the Masters of the Dance and expert on matters Prodigal, Sir Garreth Petrov-Smythe, sluagh terrorizer and top agent of the Eyes of Balor, and Doctor Jacknife, crazed goblin weapon designer and “combat prosthetics” developer for Scarlet Eye Solutions.
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Dark Stars are often fringe types from an early age, drawn to the occult and its associated close-knit groups of believers. Many become obsessed with the “secret history” of the area where they reside, digging into local records and legends, not really knowing what they’re looking for but needing to feel as if they know the area inside out. Quite a few Beaumayn experience prophetic dreams even before their Chrysalis, and struggle with a sense of eerie certainty that “monsters” are real even though it flies in the face of science and conventional wisdom. Unseelie members of House Beaumayn are a rare lot, typically finding little more welcome in their new Court than they did in their old. Those that do switch courts are typically rebels who dislike their gift of prophecy, seeing the idea of any sort of predestination as stifling. Given the house’s predilection for hunting Thallain and Shadow Court members, however, the more hardline members of the Unseelie Court rarely trust Beaumayn “converts.”
the fae from their earthly bonds, and urged him to do the same. Needless to say, the sidhe of Arcadia took no chances with such dangerous heresy, and imprisoned the entire house. They remained imprisoned until the recent rise in Thallain activity, when they were finally released to resume their duties once more.
Boon
Notable Members
Dark Stars have uncanny senses, particularly when it comes to the nuances of the enchanted world. Beaumayn receive a free dot of Perception, even if it takes them above 5. In addition, they receive –1 to the difficulty of Kenning rolls, –2 if they involve Thallain, and cannot botch a Kenning roll. Additionally, once per story the Storyteller may decree that a Beaumayn receives a prophetic vision or dream. The exact nature of these prophecies varies, but as the house’s reputation suggests they typically focus on dark or disturbing events — deaths, betrayals, disasters, and so on. While they can be symbolic or represent multiple possible outcomes, these visions are never outright deceptive, and always contain some useful information. Interpreting these dreams for maximum benefit requires an Intelligence + Enigmas roll, with a difficulty equal to 9 minus the Beaumayn’s Remembrance rating.
Flaw
It’s said that the abyss gazes back if you stare into it too long, and House Beaumayn is living proof. Thallain and members of the Shadow Court can sense the presence of members of House Beaumayn with a Perception + Kenning roll (difficulty 7), with success indicating that they are aware of the noble’s presence. This will not reveal the exact location of a hidden Beaumayn, though it could definitely prompt a search. Unless given compelling and immediate reasons otherwise, Thallain and Shadow Court members instinctively go out of their way to harass, torment, and even outright harm Beaumayn members whenever possible. As a rule of thumb, this animosity should come up at least once per story, if not more often.
Exile
House Beaumayn is unique in the fact that they were not exiled as other houses were, but rather imprisoned due to an infamous heresy. Legend tells that one of the house’s great heroes, Duke Geremin, supposedly lost a lover to cold iron and wandered into the Dreaming in grief, only to later reappear claiming that his lover’s soul spoke to him. She told him that cold iron freed
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Factions & Societies
The Harbingers of Exodus, outlawed fanatics who believe in the cold iron heresy and seek a supposed Iron Road in the Dreaming to escort fae souls to their “true” reward. Enchanted Star Realms Online, an indie sci-fi/fantasy MMO that also serves as an online gathering place for changelings, with private servers for Kithain players and guild hangouts where Beaumayn members meet and share information. The Knights of the Good Hand, a warrior society that offers its services to fight off Thallain and vicious chimera to anyone who needs them, and trains others to do the same.
High Lord Jeremy Beaumayn, ruler of the house and a famous blues guitarist from the Principality of Jazz in New Orleans, Duke Brendan Beaumayn, younger twin of Jeremy, blogger, white hat hacker, and creator of Enchanted Star Realms Online, Baroness Tamora Hale, swordswoman and captain of the Knights of the Good Hand, Lord Edgar Vandermere, turncoat sorcerer and leader of the Harbingers of Exodus, Lady Anne Ladybird, sluagh historian, loremaster, and noted house archivist, Baroness Jesenia September, freelance seer and half of a famed Thallain hunting duo, and Sir Eduard Galliard, cult horror author and expert on matters Prodigal, particularly vampires.
House Danaan
(Da-NON) For every star in the sky, there is a path to be walked. For every dream in the night, there is a journey awaiting. I swear by the stars above and the dreams within to serve House Danaan, to guard the ways of the Dreaming and blaze new trails where none exist. I will guard the travelers, guide the Dreamers, and go on until there are no paths left to follow. This I swear, and may the dragon devour me in my dreams if I fail to keep my pledge. Court: Unseelie (nominally) Nicknames: Pathfinders, Lost (vulgar) When the gates of Arcadia opened and the Arcadian sidhe returned at the head of their great host, banners flying, both nobles and commoners assumed that the exodus had been bound for the mortal world. Recent years, however, have proved the existence of one significant exception, a house that remained almost entirely in the Dreaming, reopening ancient pathways and claiming long-lost strongholds there while the rest of the nobility returned to Earth. House Danaan has only recently made contact with the earthbound Kithain in any significant way, and as a result the house’s existence is still considered little more than a rumor by many fae. Even among those that know the truth, few can claim to have met a Pathfinder in person. Often contact is
no danger of Bedlam from simply living in the Dreaming, even for extended periods of time. They are also experts at finding and navigating trods. Danaan members can never botch a roll involving locating, opening, or navigating a trod. A player may also spend one point of Glamour to have her character locate the Silver Path after a full minute of contemplation, provided it has not been magically concealed. Once per session, a player of a House Danaan character may spend one Glamour point to invoke the Oath of the Dragon for a scene, allowing the player to add the character’s Title rating to all Social rolls related to chimera and other inhabitants of the Dreaming. While under this effect, a Pathfinder may converse normally with such beings, even feral chimera (within the limits of their intelligence). By ancient and sacred oath, chimera and natives of the Dreaming will not attack a Danaan under this effect, even if magically commanded, though this effect is immediately and permanently broken for any witnesses if the Pathfinder breaks faith and attacks, abuses, or trespasses against such beings, or orders others to do so. Cantrips and Birthrights count as attacks for the purpose of this effect, unless specific consent is granted for their use.
Flaw conducted by chimerical messengers or other intermediaries. Part of this is simple practicality — the house is relatively small and scattered across multiple worlds, making direct contact taxing. Another part, however, is that the Pathfinders find the mortal world distasteful. Although Arcadian sidhe still occupy many prominent positions in the house, Danaan is the only noble house with a nonsidhe serving as High Lord, and so it is perhaps no surprise that the Pathfinders see no problem with inducting commoner Kithain into their ranks. Eshu, satyrs, piskies, nockers, and other curious and itinerant fae are natural candidates for recruitment, though any changeling with a passion for exploration and an interest in the realms of the Dreaming is welcome within this house. Being inducted into this house often begins with a prospective member being taken on a tour of the Dreaming while their guide carefully gauges their reactions; those who cannot handle the realities of such a life are gently steered back to their old lives, while recruits are taken to a Danaan stronghold for further training and initiation. Politically speaking, House Danaan is part of the Unseelie Court, but as with House Scathach the association is currently nominal at best. The Pathfinders believe their duty is to serve as heralds of change, seeing the opening of relations with their earthbound cousins as necessary to stave off calamity for both the Autumn world and the Dreaming. Beyond that, the Danaan have thus far shown little interest in the intrigues of the Unseelie houses, much less the Shadow Court, though that could change as connections deepen.
Boon
House Danaan members can withstand the rigors of life in the Dreaming far better than most Kithain. Pathfinders are in
Due to their deep ties to the Dreaming, Danaan suffer from a curious version of the Mists when it comes to the Autumn world. Any dramatic moment where a Danaan must remember an important detail about her mortal life or the mundane world in general, from where she left her keys to where she works to her girlfriend’s name, the player must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 8). This difficulty may vary based on factors such as the obscurity of the information and how much pressure the Pathfinder is under. A botch on this roll means the information is lost completely, and must be relearned anew. In addition, a similar Willpower roll must be made each full week the Danaan spends in the Dreaming, with failure meaning some memory of the mortal world slips away until properly refreshed (or relearned outright). This memory loss does not cause a Danaan to lose Abilities or Backgrounds — she won’t forget how to Drive, for instance, though she might not remember who taught her — but could impact difficulties on relevant rolls at the Storyteller’s discretion. A player may choose to add her character’s Banality rating to this roll, at the cost of accepting one Banality point.
Notable Members
High Lord Dice, an eshu said to be one of the elusive Síocháin and versed in paths and realms of the Dreaming long lost to the Kithain, Duke Basil Blackthorne, veteran explorer and hunter of exotic chimerical beasts, Countess Aksharra, a fortune teller who specializes in arriving just in time to deliver warnings to endangered freeholds, Baron Fiorello Fiore, a satyr seemingly unstuck in time, Lady Kyra, a pooka guide who sneaks Dreamers out of the Autumn world to inspire them, and Dames Meabh, Corrie, and Órlaith Morgan, a trio of selkie sisters who watch over the mysterious trods, sunken cities, and lost islands of the oceans.
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House Daireann
(Dar-RAWN) Brothers and Sisters, by the edge of the sword and the bond of blood do I swear the strength of my arms and the courage of my heart to defend you and our cause from the might of our foes. Never shall you stand alone on the battlefield as long as breath remains in my body. Should I break my oath, may a rain of iron daggers pierce my breast and send my soul forever into darkness. Court: Unseelie Nickname: Hosts, Cauldron-keepers Daireann, the founder of House Daireann, was a skilled herbalist and healer, as well as former lover of Fionn macCumhaill. She was granted lands by High King Adwyr ap Gwydion in return for her service in healing him of a painful wound. Feeling unworthy beside the lords and ladies who won their lands through glory on the battlefield, Daireann became determined to bring greatness to her house in her own way. Her son, Conchobhair, because a mighty warrior of great renown and unimpeachable honor. Daireann prided herself on her house’s hospitality, which surpassed even the most righteous of Seelie Houses. A member of House Daireann never denies shelter or food when requested honorably, not even to her greatest enemy. Likewise, poisoning or harming guests would be most inhospitable, bringing dishonor to any Daireann who did so. Daireann may request a story or song in recompense for their hospitality, but nothing beyond the guest’s ability to give. Even during the Sundering, when Daireann’s warriors battled constantly, the sight of Daireann’s banner promised rest and refuge. From such bright beginnings, however, House Daireann took a darker turn, which made them the house they are to this day. During the Shattering, Conchobhair did not flee to Arcadia. He stayed behind and held the line while house after house fled, vowing that he would see them all through the gate and then follow behind. Like a captain on a sinking ship, Conchobhair saw his fellow sidhe, including his mother and the other members of his house, to safety. As the heads of each house passed through the gates into Arcadia, they swore that once they had ushered their people through, they would return and pull Conchobhair in behind them. When the gates to Arcadia closed, however, Conchobhair was left behind in Concordia. Daireann grieved the loss of her son, and she swore she would exact vengeance on anyone else who abused the hospitality and aid of her house. The sidhe of House Daireann live by three laws: Honor, Hospitality, and Vengeance. Honor they hold dear because Conchobhair stayed true to his word, even in the face of betrayal. Hospitality they still offer to all who seek it, as long as they obey the house’s three simple rules: never ask for more than is offered, bring no harm to your hosts or anyone else under the host’s roof, and always make a fair offer of reciprocity. As did their founder, many members of House Daireann still practice herbalism. While their brews can be used for healing, they are far better known for their use as poisons. Daireann
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vengeance is slow and painful, exacted through sinister poisons that can take days, even weeks, to kill their victims. Those who violate Daireann rules of hospitality are often still allowed to stay, but only because it’s easier to poison someone under one’s own roof. House Daireann still provides respite and hospitality to all in their freeholds and their cauldronhouses throughout Concordia, but a good host need only be as honorable as her least honorable guest.
Boon
House Daireann dedicates itself to the laws of Honor, Hospitality, and Vengeance. Members of this house receive a minus one difficulty to all rolls specifically pertaining to protecting someone under their hospitality, or when enacting vengeance against someone who has violated their hospitality.
Flaw
Members of House Daireann cannot turn away someone seeking shelter or asylum, even a mortal enemy, unless the person violates Daireann’s rules of hospitality.
Exile
Daireann’s son Conchobhair remained behind when the sidhe fled to Arcadia. When the rest of House Daireann returned, they claimed they had taken the first opportunity available to seek out their lost brothers, and reclaim the lands and titles they had stayed behind to protect. Some doubt the veracity of that claim, suggesting instead that Daireann, like other houses, was exiled. While no one knows for certain if this is true, rumor hints that a prominent noble shared a secret that was not hers to confess, which gives this story some credence.
Factions & Societies
Belladonna’s Chalice is a cabal of skilled herbalists and poison makers who meet seasonally to carefully plot and plan their brews. The Companions of the Oaken Cudgel, a group of oathbonded fae skilled in weaponry, exemplify Conchobhair’s Three Laws. The Stewards of Cauldronhouse maintain the cauldronhouses, wayhouses that offer hospitality to all, and best embody House Daireann’s custom of hospitality.
Notable Members
Ard-Bantiarna Fiadnait ni Strachan, the high lady of House Daireann, who acts as a steward of the house’s affairs, Eoghan ap Derryth, one of the few male members of Belladonna’s Chalice, Iobhar and Sibeal, twins and members of the Companions of the Oaken Cudgel, and the sisters Ó Donndubháin, who between the five of them maintain stewardships of several cauldronhouses.
House Dougal
(DOO-gul) My heart is Dougal’s heart. My arm will take up his hammer. My body will take on his burden. My heart will take on his will. I will work until the end of my days, doing his work. Court: Seelie Nicknames: Smiths, Broken (derogatory) Some fae believe the sidhe are allergic to hard work, but only if those changelings have never met a member of House Dougal. This ancient house finds Glamour in craftsmanship of all kinds and prides itself on its willingness to get its hands dirty in its endless quest for mastery of its many trades. They are also consummate patrons of craftsmen, doing their best to seek out talented new Dreamers and support them as they literally forge a brighter world. It’s said that the Smiths are as honest as a hard day’s labor, and while Dougal are certainly no strangers to politics and diplomacy, there’s still a lot of truth to that stereotype. After all, craftsmanship doesn’t lie — you either have the skills or you don’t. It’s an attitude that shapes a lot of the house’s philosophy, and gives them a reputation for gruff honesty. Either you’re the kind of person who does what you say you’re going to do, or you’re not. And they don’t have much time for the latter. Often called “Gwydion’s right hand” due to the close ties between the two houses, House Dougal remains a steadfast ally of the leaders of the Seelie Court, though in recent years a rift of sorts has started to develop over the Smiths’ increasing involvement in the Autumn World. In particular, the house has made concerted efforts to popularize science and invention in an effort to turn humanity away from a cold, sterile future and back toward one of wonder and imagination. It’s a cause the Dougal have rallied behind — as the Smiths like to point out, it was the moon landing that sparked the return of the sidhe, not a renaissance faire. With that in mind, the Smiths have embraced the DIY revolution and emerging maker culture that puts production
in the hands of local crafters as opposed to relying on massproduced factory goods. More than one popular instructional video series has a Dougal patron, and they are also fascinated by the possibilities of 3D printers and other home fabrication devices. The potential dangers of such technologies are not lost on the Smiths, but they strongly feel the possibilities are worth the risks, and are working hard to try to steer their development in the right direction. While staunchly Seelie in outlook from a political standpoint, the Dougal still have their share of Unseelie members. Perhaps the best way to sum up the design philosophy of these outliers is “could, not should” — while other Smiths respect how a little chaos fosters innovation, their Unseelie members are also notorious for inventing without regard to the larger consequences of their creations. They are thus watched carefully to make sure their designs don’t cause a great deal of damage, but so long as they avoid too much collateral damage, they are left to work in peace.
Boon
House Dougal members inherit some of their founder’s iron resolve, as well as the legendary talents of their ancestors. Once per story, a Smith may convert Glamour points to Willpower points, or vice versa, provided they are engaged in some difficult and consuming creative or physical endeavor — forging an item, carving a sculpture, locked in battle, shut away painting, enduring a grueling athletic contest, etc. In addition, once per session a player may spend a point of Glamour to subtract 2 from the difficulties of all Crafts rolls for the rest of the scene, as her Smith channels the skills and insights of her forbears.
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Flaw
Craftsmanship is so much a part of the Smiths that their own bodies gradually change to incorporate it. For each level of the Title Background a member purchases, a part of her body is replaced with a fully-functional artificial component: a clockwork eye, a stained-glass heart, a steam-powered brass hand, etc. Many Smiths forge and replace their own components, while others simply find their bodies changing over time. Acquiring these replacements is part of assuming a title in this house and does not require a roll or pose a threat to the Dougal. As they are fully-functional components, these replacements are not necessarily evident in a Dougal’s mortal seeming, unless the mortal seeming has need of a prosthetic. A Smith who loses a hand in a car accident, for instance, might have a mundane prosthetic as well as a chimerical replacement. In game terms, these replacement parts provide no innate mechanical benefits, though they could potentially be used to justify purchasing related Merits or even Treasures. However, for every two replacements a character possesses (round up), she suffers a –1 penalty to all dice pools related to Animal Ken, Empathy, and Subterfuge, as her increasingly artificial nature makes it harder to relate to others. In addition, a replacement part stops functioning if it comes in direct contact with cold iron; such failures inflict penalties or even damage as the Storyteller feels appropriate. A hand that stops functioning would inflict dice penalties on tasks requiring manual coordination, for example, while an iron collar around an artificial throat might inflict damage as the character begins suffocating.
Exile
Technological progress is alien to the nobles of Arcadia, or at least so it would seem to House Dougal, who recall being exiled for their interest in human technology — and perhaps more importantly, their insistence that the “perfect” beings of Arcadia could learn from it. Darker legends tell of devices that went catastrophically wrong; one such story about a siege engine haunts the house’s current leader, High Lord Donovan, much to his chagrin.
Factions & Societies
The Discordian Engineers, hackers who believe strongly in the “information should be free” doctrine and sabotage security networks. The Epicurean Caravan, roving foodies dedicated to the blossoming food truck world and pop-up restaurant scene. The Temperance League, hooligans who “temper” the passions of Smiths whose aspirations are getting out of control. The Fabrication Society, patrons who find and cultivate local and online crafters alike, with a special eye toward high tech and innovative talent. Serious Business, a tongue-in-cheek group of costumers and cosplayers who compete to have the most striking props and outfits. The Antiquarians, scholars who seek to study the past and collect important treasures related to the house’s history. The Loricas, sorcerers who seeks to forge peerless works of chimerical craftsmanship with skill and potent Arts.
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High Lord Donovan, a taciturn machinist with a love of siege engines and thoughtful silences, Duchess Prya, a boggan with a rare affinity for kindling and cultivating balefires, Countess Volk, fae cyberneticist advocate of the Fabrication Society, Baron Weyland, the appointed Mentor of the house and archivist of its history, Baron Ben “Eyepatch” West and Baroness Trisha Newton, cosplayers extraordinaire and de facto leaders of Serious Business, Squire Greg Gannaway, milkshake truck entrepreneur and the unassuming voice of the Epicurean Caravan, and Dame Oona Kinane, a seasoned nightmare stalker who specializes in hunting gear and improvised traps.
House Eiluned
(El-EE-ned) Today I pledge my loyalty to the Black and Silver, through my liege. I will grant my betters the respect they have earned and work to guide those younger than I to the path of understanding and wisdom. Each day I shall strive to learn more of the world and my own heart, to better enrich both Eiluned and myself. Above all, I pledge to House Eiluned myself as vassal, and I hope I may serve with honor and distinction. Court: Seelie Nicknames: Sorcerers, Sneaks (unflattering) Known as the “House of Secrets” — an epithet not always intended to flatter — House Eiluned understands better than most the way of magic and sorcery. They understand that nobility and secrecy are intimately linked; few in power arrived there without skeletons in their closet, and Eiluned understands that controlling their secrets is necessary for maintaining that power. Eiluned, founder of the house, grew up as the sickly younger sister of the powerful Ailil. The two shared a close bond, and
as Eiluned’s skill in prophecy and divination developed, she cautioned her brother and the other noble sidhe to be wary of an oncoming storm, which would usher the fae into a dark time. Sadly, Ailil dismissed his sister’s words, which caused a rift between the siblings that would never be healed. Eiluned founded her house, training those who joined her in the ways of magic. House Eiluned prepared well for the Sundering, fortifying freeholds throughout the land where they could shelter from Banality. Many of these freeholds were torn from the mortal world during the Shattering, others collapsed from the sheer weight of Banality, but some still stand, remaining among the most powerful freeholds to this day. In these freeholds, many of House Eiluned weathered the Shattering, while other members returned to Arcadia, divination giving them enough forewarning to carefully select the seneschals who would guard the land in Eiluned’s absence. Sadly, the Eiluned did not foresee how long they would be absent from the mortal world, so long that the oaths sworn by their seneschals no long held firmly, and the Eiluned left behind were largely drawn into their Unseelie natures as a means of survival. Eiluned played a role in deposing the commoners who had risen to power during the sidhe’s absence, and even in kingdoms where they do not rule, they often serve as advisors. Those who had turned Unseelie found it difficult to reclaim their Seelie nature, and other Eiluned chose to intentionally become Unseelie in order to achieve certain goals. Due to the secretive nature of the entire house, court alliance can be difficult for others to detect. In the modern world, House Eiluned maintains its reputation as sorcerers, though they have also turned their great intellect and intuition to technology, finding many of the same mysteries in the world of computers as they did in the world of magic. Though many sidhe sneer at technology as being inherently banal, the Eiluned understand that as much magic lies within a keystroke or a piece of code as in a moldering text. They have a particular fascination with cloud storage, implementing their own mystical version as a way to store lore and confidential information so that other Eiluned may access it from anywhere. Some particularly passionate Eiluned become deeply involved in hacking, especially when it involves uncovering the secrets of others. House Eiluned has had a small hand in at least some incidents of exposing important figures in hate groups or exploitation organizations.
notorious meddlers, eager to put their fingerprints on everyone else’s business. If a member of this house comes across a locked door, password-protected system, or something else being kept hidden, they must try to discover the secret. If they choose not to investigate, the player gains one point of Nightmare.
Boon
House Fiona
Magic comes naturally to the members of House Eiluned. Players can roll Perception + Kenning to not only identify the Art and Realm of a cantrip or Unleashing, but also to determine the identity of the caster. They can pick the source of the magic out of a crowd or, if they are familiar with the caster, recognize the “signature” of the cantrip. House Eiluned also enjoys a –1 difficulty for all Gremayre rolls.
Flaw
House Eiluned thirsts after mystery and intrigue, and their curiosity often leads them into dangerous situations. They’re also
Exile
House Eiluned’s exile to Earth may be the darkest secret they hide. Some believe that Eiluned herself or one of her followers committed a heinous crime and accepted banishment in exchange for the truth being kept secret. Others think that House Eiluned came into possession of a cursed artifact, or that they made a pact with an order of mortal warlocks. Still others believe the pact was not with mortals, but with an exiled Unseelie High King. Whatever the truth, Eiluned’s not-inconsiderable powers have been turned towards making sure none recall the details.
Factions & Societies
Rothman & Associates is an international law firm that assists the Kithain in dealing with matters of mortal law. The Knights of the Silver Key, a scholarly order of chivalrous knights, maintain extensive libraries of esoteric knowledge. The Knights of the Silver Web have a similar function to the Silver Key, only instead of maintaining hard copy libraries, they maintain the servers, data clouds, and other digital repositories of information. The Order of Moonfall, an order dedicated to divination, has served as advisors to kings and revolutionaries alike…all for a cost.
Notable Members
Countess Anne, once a spirited young debutante, and now a wise (and still spirited) ruler of her own fiefdom, King Meilge of Willows, who rules his kingdom through a combination of strict rule and a fortuitously-timed blind eye, Duchess Ylenaria of Stone Coast, Sir Davis Rothman, a founding partner at Rothman & Associates, whose network of contacts spans the globe, PepperZ, whose “real world” identity remains unknown, but whose hacking skills have gathered her a wealth of private information and sensitive secrets, which she trades for favors for herself and her friends, and Countess Natalya, who hosts an annual Country Music Glamour Jamboree from her freehold near Opryland.
(Fee-OH-nuh) Lady/Lord, to you I give all the affections and warmth of my heart that these may ease you across miles and years to come. I will be your friend, your companion, and your mate as you desire. In desolate hours shall I keep you company and on the field of battle bear your token with pride and honor. Never shall you be lonely; never shall your tears go untouched by my hand. Ere my bond be broken, no longer shall my loins find pleasure; no longer shall my heart find gladness in carnal pleasure. May the teeth of Fiona’s silver lion tear me asunder if I betray your trust!
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Court: Seelie Nickname: Lions, True Hearts, Gossips (vulgar) House Fiona does nothing by halves. Fierce and intense in both love and loyalty, the sidhe of Fiona revel in the pleasures of food and drink, sex, battle, and anything else designed to stimulate the senses. They love deeply and absolutely, valuing true love in its many forms above all else, particularly when that love comes at a high cost. Courtly love plays a central role in their games and challenges. They engage in activities with reckless abandon, not just ignoring the risks, but actively embracing them. In fact, the greater the danger, the greater the thrill, as the nobles of House Fiona continually search for an even bigger rush. The fetes thrown by Fiona rival the wildest satyr bacchanalia, lasting for days and sometimes sweeping entire fiefdoms into the merrymaking as noble and commoner alike indulge their darker lusts and wildest fantasies. For this reason, and because they seldom brandish the power of their station, the nobles of House Fiona tend to be well-regarded by the commoners. Fiona fiefdoms may not be run in the courtliest fashion, but their open-door policy towards their vassals minimizes political unrest and fosters mutual affection between the lords and ladies of House Fiona and their subjects. This relationship is best exemplified by the events of the Shattering, when some members of Fiona were welcomed to shelter from encroaching Banality within the freeholds of commoners, and others turned their sovereignty over to trusted commoners to rule in their stead. House Fiona still has a high number of commoners holding titles. Members of House Fiona swear by complex codes of honor, but these codes are theirs alone, with rules that fluctuate wildly from individual to individual, limited by the Fiona’s own passions and values rather than by antiquated conceptions of what nobility should be. They have handled the transition into the modern world better than some other houses for that reason. They embrace technology for its entertainment value, with a particular love for reality TV, tabloid new shows and websites, and any other programming that delves into the titillating private lives of individuals, and sidhe from House Fiona often have a difficult time resisting the desire to document their own passions. More than one Fiona has found himself involved in a sex tape “scandal” as well, not that House Fiona necessarily finds such things scandalous. The sidhe of House Fiona fight with the same passion as they love. Warriors of great renown, Fiona battle fearlessly and recklessly. Lady Fiona founded this noble house after she and three of her loyal knights battled the fearsome beasts, the Fachan and the Each-Uisge, which were terrorizing Arcadia. Lady Fiona and many of her house chose to stay behind during the Interregnum, rather than flee to Arcadia with many of the other sidhe. Here, she took a mortal lover, a relationship fabled to have ended with her tragic death.
Boon
Those swearing fealty to House Fiona are truly courageous, and fear holds no power over them. Even in the face of certain defeat, Fiona’s legendary reckless bravery continues to shine. As
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such, any attempt to generate fear in them, magical or natural, automatically fails. The only thing that can truly inspire fear in a member of Fiona is a direct threat to the life and safety of her lover; these attempts are not subject to automatic failure.
Flaw
Fiona’s passions easily become obsessions, and their recklessness in the face of peril quickly transforms into seeking out danger for danger’s sake. A sidhe of this house finds ways to make even the more mundane passions, like food or drink, into hazardous activities — she’s the one eating the deadly fugu sashimi or challenging the troll twice her size to a drinking contest. In romance, especially, Fiona’s passionate nature attains lofty heights, with epic love affairs that often end in tragedy. When a member of House Fiona backs down from a challenge in order to avoid risk, they lose one Willpower.
Exile
The common Fiona belief is that their house was not truly exiled, but that they chose to leave Arcadia to attend Lady Fiona’s wake after her tragic death. This particular legend is certainly in keeping with House Fiona’s celebration of passion and love, even of the tragic variety. The details of Lady Fiona’s death tend to change from one retelling to another, however, and the wake itself may be more apocryphal than historical. Other possible scenarios include the Fiona nobility accompanying their liege lord or lady into banishment after the liege’s misdeed, or that they voluntarily left Arcadia to swear fealty to one of the Fiona nobles who stayed behind during the Shattering. Portraying themselves as celebrants of tragic love or loyalty certainly feeds into the Fiona ethos.
Factions & Societies
The Knights of Sathar are a chivalrous order founded during the Accordance War and comprised of both sidhe and commoners. The Boytoys, a group of beautiful Fiona of all kiths (and genders, despite the name), began as an excuse for drunken orgies and dangerous activities, but evolved into a high-end fae dating service that stages extravagant erotic events for its clientele to meet and mingle. Loki’s Brood are an assortment of sidhe politicos devoted to intentionally creating political unrest through opposition of majority viewpoints. Maker’s Markers is an artistic crafting guild whose finished works are displayed in annual art galas that attract the who’s who of fae and mortal society alike. Silver Lion Productions is a small production company that develops reality shows focused on romance, cooking, and any other Fiona passion, and whose participants provide an amenable source of Glamour.
Notable Members
High Lord Rathesmere, the liege to whom many exiled Fiona flocked, and possibly a key reason for their exile, Queen Aeron of the Kingdom of Pacifica, Lady Julia Spencer-Drake, a Kithain historian, Duke Selim, the enigmatic leader of Loki’s Brood, Queen Laurel of the Kingdom of the Northern Ice, Count Gut Splicer, a redcap ennobled by Queen Laurel, Lady Finnula Finnegan, a poet and emissary to the Fianna, Sir Sathar, founder of the Knights of Sathar, Baron Winston Dorsett and Baroness Gala Dorsett, siblings who run Silver Lion Productions from their co-ruled barony, and King Finn of the Kingdom of Ulster, once thought to be the reincarnation of Irish hero Fionn macCumhaill.
House Gwydion
to their lieges. House Gwydion fought at the forefront of the Accordance War, attempting to return the world to some semblance of order again, and it was one of their own, David Ardry ap Gwydion, who took on the mantle of High King and united Concordia, ending the bloodshed. From this time forward, House Gwydion have truly been the most noble of nobles, both great warriors and wise rulers. Known for their openness and honesty, these sidhe view ruling as an obligation, one they are duty bound to carry out fairly for the benefit of their subjects. Most Falcons are conservative, placing value on ceremony, tradition, and oaths. Now a house of great power and privilege, Gwydion sees its share of infighting. In a house where all are considered fit to rule, determining the most fit to wield power becomes a major conflict. Rivalry within Gwydion only goes so far, however, as even the most contentious of lords band together when the house as a whole is threatened. Few wish to invoke House Gwydion’s legendary anger. Enraged, Gwydion will fight beyond reason and their own physical limitations until their foe is vanquished. House Gwydion has not adapted to the passing years as easily as some other houses, but individual members have begun adjusting their rule to keep peace within their fiefdoms. Giving commoners a voice in how they are governed hasn’t come easily to the arrogant Gwydion, but those who ask the opinions of their subjects are rewarded with even greater loyalty. Vassals brave enough to speak the truth to their lieges find them surprisingly amenable, willing to implement changes that benefit nobility and commoners alike.
Boon
House Gwydion holds itself to a high standard, striving to be open and honest in its reign. They expect no less from
(GWID-ee-ohn) Lords and Ladies of the Falcon, I do swear fealty unto thee and to the noble House of Gwydion, from this day until the sun burns no longer. I shall never fail to defend my charges, nor the honor of my brothers and sisters. I shall be gracious in peace and unyielding in battle, and I shall bring the House of Gwydion honor by my deeds. In the name of Lord Gwydion the Gray and Lady Keredwyn, I swear it. Court: Seelie Nickname: Falcons, Proud (unflattering) House Gwydion first came into power shortly after the Sundering, claiming lands and titles abandoned by the sidhe returning to Arcadia. In this period of chaos and fear, the strong guiding hand of Gwydion reassured its subjects, who looked to the honesty and dignity of their new lieges for guidance. House Gwydion ruled wisely and fairly until the Shattering, when they heeded the High King’s orders to retreat from the rising sea of Banality. While many noble houses remained behind in part or in full, House Gwydion returned to Arcadia in near totality, forced to abandon the lands they once protected. With the Resurgence, Gwydion returned to the mortal world to reclaim their lands and titles, only to find that the subjects they had left behind were unwilling to cede these properties
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those around them. Members of House Gwydion can sense whether someone is speaking the truth or telling a lie with a successful Perception + Kenning roll vs the liar’s Manipulation + Subterfuge. House Eiluned, the House of Secrets, is immune to this power.
Flaw
House Gwydion has clung to the Dreaming and the society that used to be more dearly than any other house that returned to Concordia during the Resurgence. A Gwydion’s honor is paramount, and she will not forget a slight, nor will she forgive it. If anyone insults the honor of a Gwydion or her house, the Gwydion must take revenge commensurate with the slight before the next sunrise or suffer a Banality trigger.
Exile
House Gwydion would never admit to any failing great enough to justify their exile, and thus, insist that they chose to return to the mortal world voluntarily out of obligation to their vassals, rather than by force. Their enemies say otherwise, claiming that Gwydion’s exile was a result of their arrogance and self-righteousness. That a member of this arrogant house could have insulted a king or queen of Arcadia with the power to banish the entire house is certainly not outside the realm of possibility.
Factions & Societies
The Iron Paladins are a group of merciless Unseelie knights who remain loyal to House Gwydion. The Red Branch is an order of knights known for their bravery and honor. The Beltane Blade is a secretive group devoted to redistributing power into the hands of those closer to their subjects, and away from the High King and other powerful nobles. The People’s Voice is a small but vocal group, that actively encourages discourse between nobles and commoners, and a shift towards something closer to a constitutional monarchy.
Notable Members
David Ardry of House Gwydion, the High King of Concordia, Duke Allenion of the Duchy of Liberty’s Heart, Duchess Carendlith of the Duchy of Maples, Duke Tymon, Duke Rialdo, deposed ruler of the Commonwealth of Hope’s Boundary, Count Morig of the Duchy of Willows Heart, Duchess Igrania of the Duchy of Magnolia, Duke Araby of the Duchy of Blue Grasses, Count Rual of Jamesriver, Gwyhyr, founder of Winterhold, Queen Morganna of White Sands, Baron Harold diMarcos, castellan of Caer Redwood, Duke Topaz of the Kingdom of the Feathered Snake, and King Bran ap Gwydion of Leinster.
House Leanhaun
(Lee-ANN-an) By the elements and the essence of Dreams, I declare before witnesses that I am ready to take up my duties within House Leanhaun. I will remain true to my house, keeping its secrets, assisting all fellow members, and guarding its treasures. If I fail in any of my
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duties, or should I betray my house, let my name be stricken from the histories and erased from the minds of Dreamers. Let my story be unfinished, my purpose unfulfilled, and my essence scattered by the winds. Let no Kithain recall there ever existed such as I. Court: Unseelie Nicknames: Muses, Incubi/Succubi (vulgar) While the Ailil scheme to bring about the supremacy of the Unseelie Court, and the Balor work toward the dark ends ordained by their ancient forbears, the third of the greatest Unseelie houses busies itself tending the garden it has been given. Members of House Leanhaun take great pride in their reputation as patrons of the arts, and the roll of artists and Dreamers they claim to have inspired since their return is a veritable who’s who of a dozen entertainment industries. Combined with their reputation for debauchery, this perception has led more than one Seelie noble to dismiss Muses as serious rivals. It’s a common mistake. House Leanhaun is justifiably well-known as patrons and muses, but it’s what they do with that influence that makes them just as dangerous as an Ailil schemer or Balor swordsman. Perhaps better than any other house, the Muses understand that whoever directs art directs culture, and so they tend their garden carefully, encouraging some voices while stifling others. They bestow fame and wealth in return for favors and oaths of service, creating worldwide sensations overnight and a legion of influential artists who owe the Leanhaun favors. Of course, culture is a fickle mistress, and many of the artists burn brightly but a little while before fading back into obscurity. The Leanhaun are likewise known for their capricious love lives, equaled only by the Fiona among the nobility, often attaching themselves to a chosen artist for the duration of their
meteoric rise and always seeming to step away right before the inevitable crash. And while others are distracted by their love lives and famous friends, the Muses play the longest game of all, that of shaping culture itself — one book, one song, and one movie at a time. When it comes to mortal society, the Muses invariably find a position where they have access to a large number of potential Dreamers, preferably one that also sees a fairly regular turnover, in order to better disguise their more unsavory appetites. Agents, talent scouts, entertainment reporters, and art teachers are all common professions for the Leanhaun, though some content themselves by being groupies and super fans. It is also very common for the Muses to be accomplished artists in their own right, who draw Dreamers to them as colleagues and peers. Seelie Leanhaun tend to be relegated to “front of house” roles by their comrades, helping put a good face on the house and its activities, and are rarely invited to the exclusive parties and retreats where the real business is conducted. This can lead to a strange state where a Seelie member has a privileged mortal life — famous friends, plenty of cash, accepted in high society — while holding little to no authority in Kithain society.
Boon
The Muses are unnaturally charismatic. Leanhaun receive a free dot of Charisma, even if this takes them above 5. A Muse can also focus the full force of her charms on one person; all Social rolls involving that individual are at –1 difficulty, as are any rolls to gather Glamour involving that person. A Leanhaun can only target one individual this way per scene.
Flaw
House Leanhaun members age rapidly when denied access to fresh mortal Glamour. Each week a Leanhaun does not gain Glamour from a Dreamer, she effectively ages one year. Glamour gained from Reverie or Rapture reverses such aging at a rate of 1 year for every 5 points gained, while Glamour from Ravaging cancels one year per point gained, and Glamour from Rhapsody restores 5 years per point. Revelry does not restore youth at all. Note that a Muse cannot become younger than her actual age by infusion of Glamour; any “excess” rejuvenation is lost. This aging carries over to the mortal seeming, meaning Leanhaun must monitor their Glamour acquisition carefully to avoid arousing suspicion. This unnatural aging toll is suspended for Leanhaun living in freeholds or the Dreaming, and does not apply to those who have yet to experience their Chrysalis or whose fae seemings are currently slumbering (such as from chimerical death or being permanently Undone). Of course, spending a lot of time in freeholds or the Dreaming holds problems of its own, but sometimes a desperate Leanhaun finds it necessary to stave off advancing age.
Exile
House Leanhaun members don’t believe they were exiled, though they happily repeat that story if they think it’s what the others around them want to hear (particularly nobles). No, the
Muses believe that they chose to return to the Autumn World for a very specific purpose — because they believe Arcadia is already locked in a Long Winter, and so they must venture forth and find new ideas, new visions with which to restore its glory. Of course, if this means eventually taking the mantle of the Unseelie Court in the process, well, they’ll take that honor too.
Factions & Societies
The Eternal Order of Dreams, who kidnap mortal Dreamers and put them in freeholds so their talent will never die. The Revelers, spies and seducers for the house posing as debauched dilettantes. The Finders, talent scouts who also seek out likely targets for Ravaging or Rhapsody. The Keepers of the Rose, seekers of treasures to place in Leanhaun’s vaults for the coming Long Winter. The Idols, a female-led society of musicians, actors, and other superstar performers. The Knights Protector, the militant arm of the house, who are led by a cadre known as the Midnight Pact. The Revisionists, elite “cleaners” who bury evidence of the house’s abuse of Dreamers.
Notable Members
High Lord Eleanor, sorceress, peerless patron of the arts, and beloved of commoners for her populist views in the Parliament of Dreams, Countess Alayne Grace, famed sidhe prima ballerina and darling of high society, Baroness Robin, the elusive hostess of notoriously decadent “White Wraith” parties catering to exclusive fae and mortal clientele, Countless Glynann Jones, music producer to the stars and leader of the Finders, Sir Strallach, Shadow Court mastermind and captain of the Knights Protector, Dame Izzy Tot, satyr rock star and voice of the Idols, Sir Tairngrim, tireless bodyguard, champion, and lover of High Lord Eleanor, and Lady Gentian, highly placed Reveler masquerading as a humble eshu bard.
House Liam
(LEE-um) May the light of the Sun burn my skin, May the light of the Moon bring me fear, May the food of the Earth bring me hunger, May the waters of Life parch my throat Should I forego the compass of my journey, Should I neglect the care of the Dreaming, Should I be blind to the needs of my charges, Should I ignore the purity of my duty. Court: Seelie Nickname: Monks, Oathbreakers (vulgar) Criticized for speaking out on behalf of mortals, House Liam were shunned by the rest of the noble houses long before the Shattering. Many sidhe chose to view humans as little more than a source of Glamour, nuisances at worst and pets at best. House Liam insisted mortals had rights and value, just like the fae, a stance which made this house wildly unpopular among the sidhe nobility. The sidhe preferred to blame humans for the Banality encroaching upon the world, believing that culling
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moners, and with mortals. Their relationships with commoners tend to be positive, though few commoners swear allegiance to this house. House Liam’s love of humans, while well known, is widely misunderstood. Rather than seeing humans as above reproach or superior to the fae, House Liam recognizes and values the flaws in humanity. They fiercely believe humans should be able to live free from the influence of the fae. While Seelie houses all frown upon Ravaging on principle, viewing it as wasteful and ignoble, House Liam actively loathes this brutal means of forcefully harvesting Glamour. Liam’s fondness for humans may hamper them in fae society, but it serves them well in other areas. More than any other house, the members of Liam are able to integrate into human society, gently guiding artists and performers down the most creative paths, defending the young and old, and making lasting connections that provide a continuing source for Revelry.
Boon
all but the few true Dreamers would restore balance and push back the tide of Banality. By placing itself between the mortals and the rest of the sidhe, House Liam unwittingly orchestrated its own exile. Some point to more specific incidents as examples of why House Liam’s exile was warranted. The house’s founder, King Liam, once believed that the coming of Christianity was not the death knell for the fae, as the other houses thought. He saw in the faith and devotion of these humans the same spark of creative passion found in other art and music. While visiting religious orders throughout Europe, he became enamored of a young novice nun named Melisande, whose melodious singing voice promised a source of all the Glamour Liam believed faith could provide. When a noble from House Gwydion learned of Melisande, however, he abducted the girl. Liam’s subsequent rage resulted in the utter destruction of the convent where Melisande had once lived, and the few surviving nuns carried with them the memory of Liam’s terrible splendor, which other sidhe point to as the basis of the Christian church’s hatred of the fae. Worse still, Liam’s anger led him to slay two retainers of the Gwydion lord. King Liam was put on trial, and in the end, his love and defense of humanity over the lives and rights of his fellow sidhe cost him his place within noble society. Liam and his house were banished at that moment, never to be allowed to return. Though House Liam holds few lands — and those they do hold tend to be small and relatively barren urban fiefdoms, rather than the sprawling estates of other Houses — the sidhe swearing fealty to this House are among the most widespread. Liam hide in plain sight, mingling with other courts, with com-
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House Liam holds a particular affinity with mortals and those in pain, taking on burdens others cannot bear. If a member of House Liam lays hands upon a mortal, his player can spend one Glamour to reduce the mortal’s Banality by one. Likewise, if he lays hands upon another changeling, his player can spend one Glamour to reduce the changeling’s Nightmare by one.
Flaw
House Liam’s ties to mortals carry a price. Liam characters begin with one additional dot of Banality. Members of House Liam are also unable to Ravage for Glamour.
Exile
The sidhe of House Liam were exiled before the Shattering took place, shunned by fae society for their fascination with mortals and the ire the other sidhe felt Liam brought upon them all through his meddling with the Christian church. When the other Houses fled to Arcadia during the Shattering, House Liam not only stayed behind, but a good many of them chose to surrender to Banality and remain among the mortals. The few members of House Liam who managed to retreat to Arcadia lived in ostracism on the edge of society, and were expelled at the first opportunity.
Factions & Societies
The Knights Templar are a group of fanatical Traditionalists functioning covertly to defend House Liam, particularly against courts that treat its members badly. The Gray Monks live amongst religious orders in hopes of gleaning Glamour from true believers. The Midnight Mummers are an Unseelie secret society that mocks self-righteous or hypocritical members of House Liam. Just Cause, a social work/community outreach group, serves extremely low-income mortal populations, providing impoverished children with toys and art supplies while quietly cultivating them for Revelry.
Notable Members
Duke Gwilliam, a major noble seeking a new place for House Liam within the world, Ellen Rynson, a former eshu commoner who works as a photojournalist, chronicling broken families, victims of abuse, and other dark images to bring awareness, Harlequin, a member of the Midnight Mummers, High Lord Noman, the ranking noble of House Liam, who travels the words disguised as a beggar, Sir Odhran ap Liam, a veteran of the war to take Concordia, Countess Gwrly of the Birds, Queen Maria Teresa of Aragon, and Duke Benjamin Connor, an attorney whose firm defends imprisoned Kithain pro bono.
House Scathach
(SKAH-huh) Today I make a vow of blood and steel, and pledge my life to House Scathach. I shall heed the words of the oracles, and pledge my blade to no cause that invites dishonor. I shall tend my own steel, keep my own counsel, and walk my own path until the day I cast no shadow. Thus I swear, by bright moon and blooded blade. And so my long walk begins. Court: Seelie (nominally) Nicknames: Gray Walkers, Killers (vulgar) Even among the Shining Host, there are those who walk apart, preferring the deep shadows that accompany such dazzling displays. House Scathach has always worn the mantle of leadership uneasily, preferring the battlefield to the throne room, and seeing themselves as a warrior elite more than a ruling class. Like their legendary namesake and founder, the Gray Walkers try to lead by example and always fight at the front, in the process forming close bonds with many of the commoners they fight beside. Scathach even reached out to Prodigals, seeking to learn their battle tactics and share intelligence on common threats. While Scathach was not the first house to elevate commoners into its ranks, their level insistence on merit as a determining factor set them apart from most of their fellow nobles. Of course, bucking tradition does not come without cost, especially among sidhe traditionalists. For daring to become close to commoners — and asserting that they had much to learn from them — House Scathach became a pariah among the nobility, sparking an enmity with the more traditional houses that persists to this day. Many “proper” sidhe look down on the house as spoiled runaways who couldn’t make it in politics, and so chose to quit the game entirely. For their part, the Gray Walkers embraced their roles as knights-errant, as it allowed them more latitude to patrol the borders of the Kithain world and battle the dangers that stalked the fae from the shadows. They turned inward, trusting a council of their own mystics to guide them and developing complex fighting techniques. Never a particularly large house, over time their numbers dwindled until sighting a Scathach was a rare occurrence indeed, though they retained a great deal of love from commoners as tales spread of mysterious Gray Walkers leaping from the shadows to save fae in danger, only to vanish soon after.
In the modern age, Scathach tend toward professions that allow them to move around often and work on their own for long periods of time; despite their fearsome reputation, though, very few Gray Walkers actually make their living as mercenaries or hired killers. Instead, they often find themselves in jobs that offer a lot of autonomy and territory to cover such as private detectives, park rangers, long haul truck drivers, etc. Not coincidentally, these jobs also tend to take the Scathach to the sorts of places where terrible threats lurk in wait — back alleys, dark forests, deserted roads, downtrodden slums — and that is exactly how they like it. While the Gray Walkers are technically a Seelie house, they hold few lands and rarely get involved in politics beyond a local level. House Scathach declines to put forward a head of house as the others do and stands only a handful of representatives in the Parliament of Dreams, none of whom claim to represent the house as a whole. Individual Scathach are nearly as likely to be Unseelie as Seelie, and suffer no particular scorn from their fellow house members if they are. For what it’s worth, efforts by other Seelie houses to get the Gray Walkers more politically involved are politely but firmly rebuffed, as are entreaties by the Unseelie Court to change sides.
Boon
The Gray Walkers excel at all forms of close combat, and seem to have a preternatural skill at going unnoticed. They make no sound when fighting unless they choose to do so, and receive a –1 difficulty on all Stealth rolls. A Scathach can never botch a Stealth roll. In addition, due to their intense combat focus, all Gray Walkers receive +1 die on all Brawl and Melee rolls, as their perception of time seems to slow down, making it easy to land hits and avoid return strikes.
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Flaw
All Scathach suffer from a bad reputation with most of their fellow nobles, as well as commoners with royalist sympathies. All Social rolls with other nobles or royalist commoners are made at a +2 difficulty; nobles from houses Liam and Danaan are exempt from this rule. By ancient pact, Gray Walkers who are Autumn sidhe or members of other kiths are also forbidden to use Sovereign, a ban backed by the full weight of the Dreaming. In general, known Scathach are typically the first investigated if notable thefts or deaths occur among the nobility, particularly if it appears to be a sophisticated or polished job. Arcadian sidhe do not suffer the Sovereign restriction, but have trouble tempering their battle lust, requiring six successes on an extended Willpower roll (difficulty 7) to break off from combat once engaged. A botch on this roll wipes away all accumulated successes and delays a new roll for one round, and a player of a Scathach may only spend Willpower for an automatic success on this roll once per combat. While she will not blindly attack friends or bystanders in this state, she is otherwise wholly fixed on her enemies and her objectives, and will do her utmost to prevent being removed from the field until her work is done.
Exile
House Scathach was not exiled for the simple reason that only a small number of its members ever went to Arcadia in the first place. Most remained outside the gates, fading into the shadows of fae society. Unless a changeling had direct contact with them, the Gray Walkers were little more than urban legends until the Resurgence. Those few Scathach who returned from Arcadia found the house already humming along nicely in their absence, and aside from some necessary differences in philosophy and experience, there has been little friction between the two groups.
Factions & Societies
The Morphean Oracles, a secretive council of talented prophets and seasoned sorcerers whose words guide the house. The Eventide Society, warrior-diplomats who maintain contacts with various Prodigal communities in order to fight common threats. Dark Horse Investigations International, a private investigation and security company. The Seven League Knights, wanderers who protect travelers on trods and blaze new trails in the Dreaming. The Natives, a loose association of Gray Walkers who spend more time with an adopted Prodigal group – a werewolf pack, a mage cabal, etc. – than they do with other changelings.
Notable Members
As befits a small, largely apolitical house, there are few well-known Scathach, and if there is a true High Lord that stands above the Morphean Oracles, none can say. Still, even in a secretive house there are some that have made names for themselves, for better or worse. Duke Valentine, an itinerant vigilante and famed debunker of fraudulent psychics, Lady
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Grear, a notorious one-eyed Shadow Court assassin, Dame Elenora Mendez, a valiant Thallain hunter from the Kingdom of the Burning Sun, and Kit, true rank unknown, a pooka of the Seven League Knights with a knack for using trods to make surgical strikes on corrupt political systems.
House Varich
(VAH-rik) One pattern I started, now I end it to begin anew in the name of Varich, founder of the house I take as my own. May I never leave the threads of a pattern unread. May I never let a challenge go unanswered. May I never give a vow of true love to another. I give honor to House Varich and serve it with my mind, my heart, and my actions. If I forswear my oath, may all hands of my house rise against me and may the pattern of my beating heart fall to stillness forever. Court: Unseelie Nickname: Weavers, Puppetmasters (vulgar) The sidhe of House Varich hail from Russia, where they were once worshipped as gods by the mortals who Dreamed and shed blood for them. Masters of pattern recognition, they followed the threads of their fellow sidhe’s actions and, through that design, foresaw the Shattering. Long before the other houses had begun to flee the Earth, Varich had already returned to Arcadia with many of their vassals. For centuries, they thrived in the long Arcadian winter, finally returning to their old homeland to find it a barren waste of Banality. They immigrated to America, where they found a new home in San Francisco’s Russian Hill. Varich changelings are known for their frozen hearts and inability to love. The founder of House Varich was once betrayed in love, fooled by a sluagh sorceress into loving a magical construct made of snow. When the maiden melted away in Varich’s heated embrace, Varich’s parents set a curse upon the sluagh. The enmity between the sidhe of House Varich and the sluagh exists to this day, and members of House Varich vow never to give their heart to another. Varich’s standard became a rallying point for the broken-hearted and betrayed, with bitterness as their banner. House Varich doesn’t fret and wait. They search for meaning in everything around them. When observing a series of seemingly-unrelated events, Varich can see the small threads that connect them, quickly learning an opponent’s battle strategy, and predicting changes in politics or even the stock market, which has given Varich a great deal of financial power in the mortal world. House Varich also excels in all areas of gambling, from cards to sports betting, able to note subtle patterns in play, distinguish tells, and successfully predict outcomes. This talent also plays out in battle, though members of this House would rather orchestrate the battle than fight it. House Varich stations officers at several key points around a battlefield to observe their foes. Once they discern the patterns governing their strategy, they reconvene and plan their attack. Those aware of Varich’s ability seek to thwart it by initiating attacks before their observant enemy has a chance to learn their
that specific type of competition. While in that conflict with the target, all rolls against the target pertaining to the specific challenge have a –1 difficulty.
Flaw
Broken-hearted Varich vowed never to love again, and his house followed suit. Their perspective allows them to see the entire pattern and to manipulate it, but forces them to remain outside of it themselves, disconnected from others. They can never swear an oath of love to another, and the difficulty of Empathy rolls increases by one.
Exile
House Varich was not exiled, but carefully orchestrated both their entrance to and exit from Arcadia based on the patterns foretold through signs and portent. Even if they had been exiled, this situation would have resulted from the careful manipulation of the pattern by Varich nobility.
Factions & Societies
strategy, and by hiding key training and planning from sight, beyond Varich’s prying eyes.
The Obtenyani, a group dedicated to disrupting or deviating from the pattern, are ruled by passion instead of careful planning. The Notchnytza, an elite group of all-female assassins, have mastered hand-to-hand combat, weaponry, and poisons. The Players, a ring of bookies operating out of Russian Hill, prey upon mortals and fae like, sometimes Ravaging hopeful humans dreaming of their big payout.
Boon
Notable Members
House Varich’s greatest strength is their ability to discern patterns and make predictions. They can look at a week’s worth of stocks and predict the market, observe a game of cards and predict who has what hand, watch a duel and predict the outcome. They require time and preparation, but once the Puppetmasters see the pattern, manipulating it comes easily. If the character has an opportunity to analyze his opponent in advance of a competition or conflict (such as fighting, sports, chess, etc.), the player can roll Perception + Kenning (difficulty 8) to successfully analyze his target’s pattern of play in
Varich, Child of the Sun and Moon, the founder of this house, who claimed the body of a dancer in a San Francisco theatre group upon his return, Rytsar Wila Irynocha, founder of the Obtenyani, who once stood in active opposition to Varich but whose views have mellowed somewhat in the decade and a half since her return, Darya Vetrov, a key figure amongst the Players, known for her particularly vicious treatment of those who fail to pay their debts, and Tzar Ivan and Tzarina Ekaterina, rulers of the Empire of the Firebird.
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Chapter Three: Character Creation & Traits I am the one thing in life I can control, I am inimitable, I am an original! —Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton: An American Musical
When you play Changeling, you take on the role of a fictional character, much like a character in a film or a novel. However, part of the beauty of roleplaying is that unlike most other storytelling mediums, you get to create the character whose story will be told, building her from the ground up to be the protagonist you want to portray. You control everything, from her backstory and personality to her powers and capabilities, and the more detail you put into each step of the process, the more rewards you reap in terms of how fully realized she’ll become.
This chapter guides you through the character creation process, going step by step to explain the choices you’ll make as you design your character. All you’ll need is a character sheet, some scratch paper, and something to write with in order to get started. It’s also a good idea to bookmark this chapter, especially if you haven’t made a Changeling character in the past, as some steps may send you to other chapters to look up more detail on specific Traits you’re selecting.
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The Storyteller’s Role
Whether the troupe makes characters together (which is recommended), or players make characters on their own, it’s usually a good idea for the Storyteller to be there, whether digitally or in person. This is particularly true for new players who have never made a Changeling character before, of course, but is still valuable even for veteran players. Players often have questions about the setting that only the Storyteller can answer, such as whether particular Traits are likely to be useful or if certain other Traits are restricted, not to mention narrative questions such as who the local nobles are or whether it is acceptable to have a family friend who knows about the character’s true nature. Storytellers, for your part, don’t feel as though you have to answer all of these questions on your own! It’s perfectly acceptable to turn questions back on the player or field them to the group as a whole if you don’t have an answer. For example, if a player asks who the local nobles are, you could always ask the group, “Who do you guys think would be in charge around here? What are they like?” Even if you decide to go in a slightly different direction than the players suggest, the brainstorming can be a real help during the character creation process. It’s also a good idea to refrain from trying to teach a player all of the rules in detail as they go through character creation. While it’s born of good intentions, it often just winds up bogging down the process and making things more complicated. Answer simple questions to avoid confusion, but save detailed overall rules and systems explanations for later, when they can be addressed in one fell swoop. If players decide they don’t want certain Traits after learning more about how they work, it’s acceptable to swap them out provided the Storyteller approves.
Getting Started
As you prepare to design your character, there are a few solid guidelines to keep in mind. ¶¶ Your character is a changeling, a fae soul housed in a human body who must balance living in the world of mortals with existing in the enchanted world of the Kithain. It’s okay to play a character who doesn’t know much about changeling society or the enchanted world; that’s actually how many characters begin! Don’t worry about not knowing enough “lore” about the setting, as it can be a lot of fun for both player and character to learn about this new world simultaneously. ¶¶ That said, it’s still advisable for new players to read Chapter One: The Dreaming, Chapter Two: Seemings, Kiths & Houses, and Chapter Three: Character Creation & Traits in order to learn some of the basics of the game and its setting.
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Not only is it useful information to know, it can also ensure that players don’t create characters with false assumptions about the setting. ¶¶ Changeling characters can be of any age, race, culture, and gender identity. ¶¶ All characters are unique. While certain norms and even stereotypes exist as part of the setting, that doesn’t mean your character must conform to them. So long as the Storyteller feels a departure from the norm is warranted by your character’s backstory, he may allow it. The Storyteller has the final word on what is permitted in his chronicle, but as a rule of thumb, the more your justification is based on a good narrative reason as opposed to a purely mechanical benefit, the more likely it is that the Storyteller will grant an exception. ¶¶ Changeling is a game, and as such, it has rules in order to prevent confusion and adjudicate the success or failure of certain actions in the narrative. As part of character creation, you will be assigning numerical values to different Traits to represent your character’s prowess and capabilities. You may find that you are not able to have every Trait that you want right away. That’s fine! Characters are intended to grow and change as the game goes on, and having goals to aspire to can make for excellent motivation. The method for assigning values and tracking Traits will be explained throughout this chapter.
Step One: Character Concept
The very first step of character creation is coming up with an idea of the role you wish to portray, the persona you will adopt as the story unfolds. At this point it’s best to pick a few central ideas you like but to keep the rest fluid, as you may find elements changing while the process goes on. Don’t fret if you change your mind or double back, as nothing is set in stone until character creation is over, and even then many Storytellers allow players to tweak their characters for the first session or two if certain choices don’t turn out to be what they imagined. Examples: ¶¶ A brilliant orphaned immigrant who speaks out against the injustices of Kithain society, and views his revolutionary motley as the family he never had. ¶¶ A priest whose sluagh nature leads him to try to reconcile the lingering departed with their loved ones, and help conclude their unfinished business. ¶¶ A photojournalist whose award-winning work has taken her all around the globe, but who is secretly worried that she’s missing out on too much with all her traveling. ¶¶ A struggling college student trying to balance his studies with a chaotic family life and his responsibilities as the local noble’s new chancellor. ¶¶ A classically-trained artist who opens a tattoo parlor in order to pursue her new passion, to the dismay of her traditional parents and disapproving fiancée.
¶¶ An impulsive high school genius, whose frustration over being treated like a child leads to rash decisions in a selffulfilling cycle he longs to break. ¶¶ A dogged scholar whose interest in lost civilizations and secret societies has only grown now that she has entered the enchanted world.
Kith
The most fundamental choice involves what type of changeling you want your character to be. Many elements of your character, both mechanical and narrative, will be influenced by this choice. Even if your character goes against kith stereotypes and expectations, it’s still good to know what those are because other changelings may judge your character by them anyway. A list of kiths is provided in Chapter Two; select the one you feel will be most fun to portray.
Court
Another fundamental aspect of a changeling, the choice to be Seelie or Unseelie, influences personality as well as politics for the Kithain. Chapter One has an in-depth examination of the Courts, but for now the Seelie are best summarized by tradition, honor, and romance, while the Unseelie are change, freedom, and passion. A character may switch Courts during
play, but this typically involves a major event or a great deal of personal soul searching, so choose carefully.
Legacy
Each changeling has two Legacies, one Seelie and one Unseelie, which serve as personality guides as well as providing incentives for certain behavior (and costs for others). Your dominant Legacy is determined by your current Court, though your other Legacy might still influence your behavior in other ways. More on Legacies can be found on p. 156.
Seeming
Your character’s seeming reflects her outlook on her life as a changeling and the Dreaming in general. While often tied to her mortal age, changelings can be any seeming at any age. Childlings view the world with wide-eyed wonder, wilders are seekers of adventure, and grumps are builders and keepers of tradition. Seemings get a full writeup on pp. 83–87.
House
All sidhe characters are part of a noble house unless they have chosen to forsake their title, while some commoners receive titles as rewards for great deeds or loyal service. The great houses are divided by court, with seven Seelie and seven Unseelie, and collectively they drive the engine of Kithain
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politics around the world. Each house confers unique strengths and weaknesses on its members, which are magically bestowed by initiation into its ranks, and each possesses its own values, culture, and expectations for its members. Full writeups of each house are provided in Chapter Two. You do not need to be of the same court as a house’s affiliation to be a member — there are Unseelie Gwydion, for instance, as well as Seelie Ailil — though life can be difficult for such mavericks. If your character does not have a title, simply write “unaffiliated” in this space. Note that playing a noble requires the Title Background; see Step Three for details.
Step Two: Traits
This step of character creation involves assigning values to Traits, which reflect a character’s innate capabilities as well as things she has learned over time. At each stage you are allocated a certain number of points to spend, which means you will have to prioritize what is most important for your character. It is very likely that you may not be able to purchase everything you want right away, but don’t worry! Later on you will be able to spend freebie points to purchase more Traits, and of course you can also purchase them with experience points during play. Focus on what is most essential first, and worry about other elements later.
Attributes
A character’s Attributes measure her innate characteristics; while they can be improved with effort, they reflect a baseline level of aptitude. Attributes are divided into three categories: Physical, Social, and Mental, reflecting three different core aspects of a character. Physical: These Traits measure a character’s raw power, agility, and toughness. A character who excels at athletics, combat, or the performing arts is likely to have good scores in these Traits. Social: Social Attributes determine how magnetic, expressive, and attractive a character is. If you want your character to talk her way out of trouble, play political games, or just turn heads wherever she goes, these are the Traits to focus on. Mental: Your character’s Mental Attributes govern how intelligent she is, how much she notices about her surroundings, and how quickly she reacts to changing events. Scholars, investigators, and tricksters alike find focusing on these Traits a necessity to get ahead. Before allocating points to Attributes, you must prioritize the three categories, selecting one to be your strongest, another to be your next strongest, and a third category to be your weakest. This is an important decision, as Attributes form the foundation of many rolls in the game as well as reflect where your character’s natural strengths and weaknesses lie. This priority reflects how many points you have to spend in a particular category. One you have prioritized your Attribute categories, you may begin spending points to purchase “dots” in the Traits listed in each category. Each point buys one dot.
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Attribute Points
Primary: You may allocate 7 points among the Traits listed under your primary Attribute category. Secondary: You may allocate 5 points among the Traits listed under your secondary Attribute category. Tertiary: You may allocate 3 points among the Traits listed under your tertiary Attribute category.
Every character receives one dot in each Attribute for free, representing the minimum level most characters can possess. A character cannot have a rating of zero in an Attribute unless powerful magic or extreme circumstance somehow utterly removes that capability, such as a paralyzed character losing all Dexterity. Note that you can go back and change your Attribute allocations later on during character creation if your image of your character changes, but for now it’s good to have something to go on as you go forward in the process.
Abilities
If Attributes are innate characteristics, then Abilities measure skills and aptitudes a character has picked up over her life. Abilities are further divided into Talents, Skills, and Knowledges. Talents: These Abilities are largely intuitive, and usually cannot be formally trained beyond the most rudimentary understanding. They are simply something a person possesses, though experience can certainly help refine their technique. Skills: In this category you can find aptitudes based on hands-on training and technical knowledge, which are typically improved through applied use and simple practice. Knowledges: Abilities in this category most often reflect classical “book learning,” whether through formal instruction or a casual mentor relationship. Some can be self-taught, but most require extensive mental ability, resources, and instruction to acquire. Just as with Attributes, the three categories must be prioritized. You must select one category to be your strongest (primary), your average (secondary), and your weakest (tertiary). After priority has been assigned, you may begin spending points in
Ability Points
Primary: You may allocate 13 points among the Traits listed under your primary Ability category. Secondary: You may allocate 9 points among the Traits listed under your secondary Ability category. Tertiary: You may allocate 5 points among the Traits listed under your tertiary Ability category.
each category, purchasing dots in the Traits associated with each one. One point buys one dot in a Trait. Unlike Attributes, however, you do not begin with one dot in each Ability; you must purchase them from scratch. In addition, you may not purchase more than three dots of an Ability at this time — if you want to be a true master of an Ability, you will have to purchase more dots with freebie points (or experience points during play). You may otherwise allocate your Ability points as you see fit within a category.
Step Three: Advantages
A character’s Advantages can represent a wide variety of things, from the Backgrounds that help define her life, to the magical Arts she can draw upon to wield fae magic, and the Realms that dictate upon what she can work her magic. Unlike Attributes and Abilities, you do not prioritize in these categories; you simply receive a set amount of points for each one and spend them as you see fit to realize your idea of your character.
Backgrounds
Every character receives five points to allocate among different Backgrounds. One point buys one dot of a Background, and you may buy up to five points right away; they are not limited to three points at this stage as Abilities are. Backgrounds are a very broad category, with some representing elements that are external to the character, such as friends, special locations, or even magical items, while others are internal and represent unusual innate qualities a character possesses. Some Backgrounds require additional details or rules adjudication, such as magical Treasures or clever Chimera companions, to determine how they interact with game mechanics; this can be worked out later with the Storyteller. Depending on the nature of the chronicle, the Storyteller may limit or even forbid particular Backgrounds, so make sure to check to see if any such restrictions are in place before purchasing them. For instance, if the characters are all supposed to be down on their luck circus performers, the Storyteller may declare that no one has more than one level of Resources, if any, reflecting their hand-to-mouth lifestyle.
Arts
and
Realms
All Kithain possess some measure of magical ability after their Chrysalis, and while learning new cantrips is both difficult and time consuming, those that dedicate themselves to the study of changeling magic can become formidable and unpredictable foes. Arts determine the broad type of magic your character can wield. You have three points to spend on Arts. While a quick reference table is provided later in this chapter, it is a good idea to at least glance at the full descriptions
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provided in Chapter Four; even if not all of the game mechanics make sense right away, having at least a rough idea of what each power is about can make the decision much easier and avoid confusion about what you can and cannot do. If Arts determine what kind of magic your character can do, then Realms determine how you use it. More Realms give you more flexibility in how you can use your Arts, by giving you a broader range of possible targets for your powers. You have five points to allocate to Realms. As with Arts, while a quick list is provided, it is recommended that you take a look at p. 232 to see what each Realm does in more detail.
Step Four: Tempers
Three important Traits make up the Tempers category: Willpower, Glamour, and Banality. These represent three fundamental aspects of your character’s relationship between the Dreaming and the Autumn world, and interact with the rules a bit differently than the Traits in the first three categories. All changelings start with the same base rating in these traits, modified slightly by your choice of seeming. There are no points to spend here, you simply need to record the ratings as determined by your seeming and any associated choices.
Willpower
This Trait measures your character’s self-control as well as her overall drive to carry on despite hardship and setbacks. Willpower may be required to activate certain special powers, as well as to retain self-control in the face of temptation or provocation. It can also provide an extra boost to an especially important roll, representing a character giving her utmost to succeed. You begin with a Willpower rating of 4. Your character’s permanent Willpower rating cannot exceed 10. See p. 258 for more on how Willpower works.
Freebie Point Costs
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Traits
Cost
Abilities
2 points per dot
Arts
5 points per dot
Attributes
5 points per dot
Backgrounds
1 point per dot
Glamour
3 points per dot
Merits
Merit rating in points
Realms
2 points per dot
Willpower
2 points per dot
Changeling: The Dreaming
Glamour
Your character’s Glamour trait measures the overall strength of her Kithain nature as well as her raw magical potential. Glamour is most often spent to power cantrips, enchant mortals, activate Treasures, or use certain Birthrights and house Boons. It is refreshed through a variety of means, whether gathered from mortals, soaked up in the presence of a freehold’s balefire, or acquired through physical tokens of solidified magical energy known as dross. While largely a positive Trait, exposure to high levels of Glamour without some corresponding grounding in Banality can lead to a dangerous condition known as Bedlam. You begin with a Glamour rating of 4. Your character’s permanent Glamour rating cannot exceed 10. See p. 259 for more on Glamour.
Banality
The Banality Trait measures how much the Autumn world has weighed down a character’s fae soul, and represents both the accumulated damage a character has suffered at the hands of humanity’s disbelief as well as her own inner doubts and fears. Though changelings rightly fear Banality as the harbinger of their undoing, it can also be employed as a last-ditch measure to help defend against cantrips or avoid detection, albeit at a cost. You begin with a Banality rating of 3. If your character’s permanent Banality rating ever reaches 10, she is Undone, and effectively ceases to be a changeling. See p. 267 for more on Banality as a Trait.
Step Five: Birthrights and Frailties
Every kith has unique benefits, known as Birthrights, as well as inherited drawbacks, known as Frailties. You should look over these Traits carefully, as they often add new systems to your character, or change existing Trait values. For instance, sidhe characters receive a bonus to their Appearance Trait to reflect their otherworldly beauty, while boggans cannot botch any rolls involving the Crafts ability. Bonuses gained from Birthrights may take your character over five dots, granting truly superhuman levels of that Trait.
Step Six: Freebie Points
At this stage you probably have a pretty good idea of who your character is, but it’s also likely that you didn’t have quite as many points as you wanted in a few categories. That’s where freebie points come in! These are points you can spend to purchase new dots or raise existing Traits. Freebie points do not have the same value as the points you were spending before, however; the accompanying chart shows the freebie point cost of different Traits. Remember to consult the Storyteller to discuss if any Traits are restricted or prohibited for the chronicle. While useful, freebie points do have limits. You cannot raise any Trait above five dots, increase Glamour or Willpower above 10, or raise your Banality rating. The only exception to the five-dot maximum is if a Trait receives a bonus as the result of a
Birthright or house Boon; this increases a character’s maximum rating accordingly. For instance, the satyr Birthright of Physical Prowess bestows a free dot of Stamina, so satyr characters have a maximum of 6 for that Trait.
Step Six (Optional): Merits and Flaws
During the freebie points stage, you also may have the option of selecting special Traits called Merits and Flaws. As the name implies, Merits provide benefits to your character, while Flaws impose certain penalties or difficulties. While useful tools for customizing characters, these are also optional Traits, and the Storyteller may choose to restrict or disallow some or all Merits or Flaws as part of his chronicle. Make sure to consult with the Storyteller before selecting them. Merits have a listed cost in freebie points, with the more powerful or universally applicable Merits having higher costs. Provided you justify it in your character’s backstory and can pay the freebie point cost, there is no limit to how many Merits you may select for your character, so long as you remember to check with the Storyteller for approval before finalizing your choices. Flaws work a little bit differently. Selecting a Flaw gives you extra freebie points equal to the listed value of the Flaw; unlike Merits, however, you may only take a maximum of seven points’ worth of Flaws. Generally speaking, taking more than that results in a character with too many Flaws to be playable, or invites abuse by having so many Flaws that some will not come up in play. Even if the Storyteller allows going over this maximum, in order to keep the game balanced for other players it is still advisable that no more than seven points of Flaws be counted toward receiving extra freebie points.
Step Seven: Specialties
After freebie points are spent, a character’s Traits should now be set. At this time, any Attribute or Ability rated 4 or above receives a specialty, reflecting an area or aspect of that Trait where a character is especially gifted. Some suggestions for possible specialties are listed in the relevant Trait descriptions, though players are encouraged to come up with their own specialties as well, subject to Storyteller approval. In addition, certain Abilities, such as Crafts and Performance, require a character to declare a specialty even if they are not rated four dots or higher, reflecting a character’s particular area of expertise in such a broad field.
Step Eight: Threshold & Antithesis
While all changelings can gain Glamour from a variety of sources, most find one form or style that calls to them more than others. This is called a Threshold, with more benevolent forms known as Musing and harsher forms known as Ravaging. Though it is true that in general Seelie fae tend to have Musing Thresholds while Unseelie favor Ravaging Thresholds, this does not mean your character must follow those trends. You also do
not have to decide on one now, but may choose a Threshold during play if you prefer. Lists and descriptions of Thresholds can be found on p. 261. In addition, every changeling has an action that she views as the epitome of Banality, something so soul-crushing and stifling that it curdles her faerie soul. This action is her antithesis, and while other changelings might find it only distasteful, to the character it is a Banality trigger. Work with the Storyteller to come up with an antithesis for your character.
Step Nine: Spark
of Life
Once all the points are spent and Traits decided, the character creation process returns to a more narrative, descriptive stage designed to take all those numerical values and translate them back into a living, breathing character. There are no set rules or requirements for this process, but it is highly recommended nonetheless, as it will provide a lot of the fine details that make your character a real role to be played instead of just numbers on a character sheet.
Motivation
Figuring out what drives a character involves asking some of the simplest-seeming and yet often most complicated questions to answer: Why does your character do the things she does? What motivates her? What keeps her going when things get difficult? How does she feel about what she does on a daily basis — is she inspired and eager, simply slogging through another day, or actively ashamed or disgusted at the role she’s forced to play? Understanding the basic instincts or ideals that keep her going can reveal a lot about who a character is, whether she hides them deep down or wears them proudly on her sleeve. After all, even an apparently aimless hedonist who never settles down, but drifts from town to town seeking only pleasure and excitement still has motivations, if very simple ones; and what’s more, understanding what in her life put her on that path can be quite a revealing exploration. Goals are another aspect of character development worth exploring. In Changeling, characters may actually be sworn to complete great quests or could be under a magical compulsion to perform certain deeds, which can certainly be tremendous motivating factors for a character’s actions. Not all goals need to be quite so grand, however — a character who simply wants to avoid failing out of school and keep her girlfriend happy while balancing her duties as a courtier in the local noble household is definitely just as motivated in her own way as any hero on some epic journey. It’s also not unusual for characters find themselves deciding between goals for the changeling world that conflict with mundane aspirations; in fact, it’s part of the essence of the setting. As a player, you may find it useful to think of a daily goal, a short term goal, and a long term goal for your character. The daily goal expresses a character’s day to day motivation, whether it’s finding enough food to get by, taking care of his kids, or trying to climb the corporate ladder. The short term goal is something that can be accomplished in a few chapters,
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like training a new Ability or searching for the answer to a relatively straightforward question. The long term goal is a big target that will take most of a story, if not the chronicle, to achieve, such as crafting a legendary Treasure or bringing down an entrenched Shadow Court mastermind. When a goal is met, simply replace it with another. Doing so ensures that a character always has something to do or seek out, and isn’t always waiting for the action of the story to come to her. Not to mention that goals provide angles on why she cares about current events, or what she feels she might gain from participating in dangerous quests or epic journeys.
Identity
Changelings are by nature beings of two worlds, and most must find a way to balance the reality of living in the mortal world with the demands of existing as a changeling in the enchanted one. While some characters abandon the Autumn world and give up any pretense of a mortal life, doing so can easily lead to the terrible condition known as Bedlam, and so most fae try to find some way to satisfy both parts of themselves. Striking a true balance is difficult, but such conflict lies at the heart of Changeling, and the reward for doing so can be a character truly at peace with herself and her seemingly contradictory nature. Mortal Identity Establishing your character’s mortal history and identity is a crucial part of understanding how he sees himself fitting in to a world that isn’t quite his anymore. Even if he’s known about his changeling nature from a young age, unless he fled immediately into the depths of the Dreaming he still had to uphold at least some pretense of a “normal” life. Where did he grow up? What’s his family life like? Did he drift away when he realized he wasn’t really part of it, or cling even harder because of it? How did he do in school? What mortal friends did he have, and does he still keep in touch with them? Did he ever enchant anyone he knew, or otherwise try to let them in on her secret? Did he ever use his powers to try to help a mortal? What about using them to get even with a bully or a rival? How did that go? Of course, a character’s current mortal life and identity is also worth examining — after all, one main theme of Changeling is that even valiant knights and cunning sorcerers still need to buy groceries and pay rent. Does your character have a job? If so, what is it, and how does she feel about it? If not, how does she make ends meet? Where does she live? Does she have any mundane hobbies or interests she indulges? Does she have a social life with her mortal friends and coworkers? What about a lover? Children? How does she explain things like sudden absences, broken promises, or missed occasions due to events in her changeling life? Is there anything in her mortal life she’d prioritize over her changeling one? If so, what is it, and why? What do her mortal friends and relatives honestly think of her? Does she care? Changeling Identity While understanding your character’s mortal identity is important for having a grasp on who he is and how he relates to that part of his life, most stories will naturally focus on his
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changeling identity, and therefore it’s important to understand his place in Kithain society and his perspective on his magical existence. While a prelude session may cover some of this territory, it’s usually best to begin at the Chrysalis. What event caused his Chrysalis? Was it traumatic, transcendent, or maybe a bit of both? Did anyone guide him into changeling society, or did he somehow find his own way there? What were his first impressions of Kithain life? When did he first encounter the nobility and changeling politics, and how does he feel about it? Assuming your character isn’t coming into the chronicle entirely new to Kithain life, she probably has some role or niche to occupy in the changeling community. What does she contribute to Kithain society? Is she well known to local changelings? If so, what’s she known for? Does she deserve her reputation? Who’s her local liege, and how does she feel about their rule? If she is a noble, what are her obligations and ruling style? If she’s a commoner, is she politically minded or does she accept the status quo? Does she attend large changeling gatherings and festivals, or does she mostly keep to herself apart from seeing her motley? Has she sworn any oaths? Visited the Far or Deep Dreaming? Does she view her new existence as a blessing, a curse, or a puzzle to be figured out?
Appearance
Along with establishing her identity, it’s important to get an idea of what your character looks like in order to communicate her image to the Storyteller and the other players, as well as to better visualize the events taking place in the story. Changelings are unique in that they have both a mortal seeming and a fae mien to describe. The mortal guise is what all mundane beings perceive, including Prodigals, unless they possess a special sense or affinity for the fae. A changeling’s guise often hints at elements of her fae seeming, though she still appears to be a normal, if possible quirky or eccentric, human being. A sluagh’s guise is usually pale and on the thinner side, for instance, while a redcap’s is often stocky and menacing. Pooka often have features that recall elements of their animal selves, such as a badger with white streaks in his hair, while nockers tend toward colorful language and a slightly disheveled look. In addition, some chimerical items and treasures have mundane guises as well — a mighty chimerical blade might look like a humble wooden sword to mortal eyes. Describing the guise and any items carried is important because it affects how mortals react when they encounter the changeling; a police officer is going to react very differently to what he perceives as man waving a wooden sword compared to someone wielding a real one, or seemingly carrying nothing at all. A changeling’s fae mien, by contrast, is a chance for players to get really creative. So long as you respect the boundaries of your character’s Traits — a character with a low Appearance
rating can’t be described as flawlessly beautiful and alluring — a changeling’s fae mien is a place for you to run wild creatively. The Kithain are fantastical beings brought to life, after all. The Storyteller has the final say on what is acceptable for a character’s fae mien, but is encouraged to allow a healthy amount of leeway provided that elements of the character’s appearance are understood to be purely cosmetic, and cannot replace or augment actual game mechanics. With that in mind, take some time and really dig into an interesting and fantastic appearance for your character. A sidhe doesn’t just have bright red hair, she has shimmering hair that flickers and shifts like a roaring fire in a hearth. A troll’s skin is marbled like granite and always feels a little cool to the touch, like a rock face in the shade. A sluagh’s shadow sometimes moves when it thinks no one is looking, glancing side to side as if watching out for someone. A nocker’s clothing whizzes and clicks, sometimes making its own alterations or little repairs as if guided by unseen mechanisms. A changeling who’s mastered Summer magic seems to always have just a hint of the scent of freshly-cut grass and ice-cold lemonade lingering around her. So long as the Storyteller approves, your fae mien description is a place to really make her unique and memorable. Don’t forget to describe her voile, or chimerical clothing, as well as any significant treasures or chimerical items she’s carrying (and if they have mundane counterparts). A changeling who appears to be wearing casual street clothes in his guise but is decked out in a full suit of plate armor forged from magical stained glass is going to make a statement, after all, especially if he normally appears in noble finery. If an item has game statistics attached to it, such as weapons, armor, or magical treasures, this is the time to record those mechanics. Bear in mind that beyond clothes and very basic necessities, unless she also has the appropriate Backgrounds to possess them — Resources for mundane items, Chimera for chimerical ones, or Treasure for items with magical properties — your character may not be allowed to own certain items, subject to the Storyteller’s approval.
Quirks
Although these sometimes arise naturally during play, quirks can certainly be devised during character creation as well. Essentially, quirks are little gestures and mannerisms a character displays that make her distinctive and express her personality. A quirk does not have to be something grand or particularly eccentric; if your character is constantly chewing gum or has a habit of humming show tunes, that’s just as memorable as a character who insists on referring to himself in the third person or who is always wearing ludicrous hats. Good quirks are not about simply displaying strange or irritating behavior for its own sake; they are representations of a character’s habits and personality traits.
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Character Creation Chart Character Creation Process Step One: Concept
Choose concept, kith, court, Legacy, seeming, house (if applicable)
Step Two: Traits
Prioritize the three Attribute categories: Physical, Social, Mental (7/5/3) Choose Physical Traits: Strength, Dexterity, Stamina Choose Social Traits: Charisma, Manipulation, Appearance Choose Mental Traits: Intelligence, Perception, Wits Prioritize the three Ability categories: Talents, Skills, Knowledges (13/9/5) Choose Talents: Alertness, Athletics, Brawl, Empathy, Expression, Intimidation, Kenning, Leadership, Streetwise, Subterfuge, Hobby Talent Choose Skills: Animal Ken, Crafts, Drive, Etiquette, Firearms, Larceny, Melee, Performance, Stealth, Survival, Professional Skill Choose Knowledges: Academics, Computer, Enigmas, Gremayre, Investigation, Law, Medicine, Politics, Science, Technology, Expert Knowledge
Step Three: Advantages
Choose Backgrounds (5), Arts (3), Realms (5)
Step Four: Tempers
Record starting Willpower (4), Glamour (4), Banality (3) Adjust temper rating based on seeming.
Step Five: Birthrights & Frailties
Record Trait adjustments and special systems from Birthrights & Frailties.
Step Six: Freebie Points Spend freebie points (15) Optional: Select Merits and Flaws
Step Seven: Specialties
Record specialties for Attributes or Abilities rated 4 or higher.
Step Eight: Threshold & Antithesis
Select a Musing/Ravaging Threshold, or leave blank for now Musing: Inspire Creativity, Create Hope, Create Love, Create Calm, Foster Trust, Help Those in Need, Foster Dreams Ravaging: Exhaust Creativity, Destroy Hope, Destroy Love, Create Anger, Break Trust, Exploit Dependence, Destroy Illusions Select an antithesis (see p. 174)
Step Nine: Spark
of Life
Describe character’s backstory, motivation, appearance, identity.
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Legacies
See also Legacies, pp. 156–160.
Seelie Legacies ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶
Bumpkin: Common sense and plain dealing are your way. Courtier: The whirl of politics and intrigue excites you. Crafter: Making something you’re proud of fires your heart. Dandy: You love setting trends and getting attention. Hermit: A recluse at heart, you’d rather be left alone. Orchid: Purity and delicacy have a beauty all their own. Paladin: You live for the challenge of proving your skill. Panderer: Making others happy brings you joy. Regent: Some are born to rule, and you always take charge. Sage: Wisdom is good, but it’s even better when it’s shared. Saint: You seek to alleviate the suffering of others, even when it costs you. Squire: You are a natural sidekick, the perfect right hand. Troubadour: Life is an art form, and love is its practice. Wayfarer: Why stay put when there’s so much to see out there?
Unseelie Legacies ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶
Beast: Nobody ever disobeys you twice. Fatalist: Nothing matters; why can’t anyone else see that? Fool: Don’t take life too seriously, no matter what. Grotesque: You love the thrill of shocking and appalling others. Knave: A pusher to the end, you love to see how far others will go. Outlaw: Rules only get in the way of getting what you want. Pandora: You live to uncover secrets, even if it’s a dangerous idea. Peacock: As long as everyone realizes you’re the best, everything will be fine. Rake: Your appetites will never be sated, but you do love to try. Riddler: Wisdom easily earned isn’t worth anything, so you tease and test others. Ringleader: You’re the boss, and you make damn sure everyone knows it. Rogue: Chaos is your favorite tune, and you love to play it. Savage: The natural order reveals who is truly worthy. Wretch: You find a certain comfort in knowing you are the lowest of the low.
Seeming ¶¶
¶¶
¶¶
See also Seeming, pp. 83–87. Childling: You view the world with a deep sense of childlike wonder, and are bursting with new ideas and enthusiasm. Temper Modification: +1 Glamour Wilder: You never sit still, but are constantly braving danger, seeking new adventures and new horizons to explore. Temper Modification: +1 Glamour or +1 Willpower (your choice) Grump: You look to the long term, building and sustaining in ways that will last. Temper Modification: +1 Willpower
¶¶
Kith ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶
¶¶
¶¶ ¶¶
See also Kiths, pp. 88–113. Boggan: Industrious, down-to-earth fae who are swift workers and incurable gossips. Clurichaun: Boisterous fae whose legendary carousing masks fierce loyalty. Eshu: Storytellers, explorers, and adventurers who always seem to show up just in time. Nocker: Eccentric, foul-mouthed inventors who can make whatever they imagine. Piskey: Friendly and likeable, if light-fingered, fae with a soft spot for mortals. Pooka: Animal shapeshifters and tricksters who never quite tell the whole truth. Redcap: Menacing and ferocious fighters who can devour literally anything. Satyr: Hedonistic free spirits who love a good party as well as a good debate. Selkie: Beautiful and charming seal shapechangers who are closely tied to the waters. Sidhe (Arcadian): Recently arrived from Arcadia, these regal fae bring insight and authority from the Dreaming but struggle with the Autumn world. Sidhe (Autumn): Natural leaders who stayed behind when their cousins fled, and now occupy an uncomfortable place between the common folk and their Arcadian kin. Sluagh: Eerie whispering fae who speak with the dead and adore learning secrets. Troll: Stout warriors and tireless protectors who will suffer anything for those they love.
Houses
See also House, pp. 119–137.
Seelie Houses ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶
Beaumayn: Haunted seers and monster hunters plagued by an old crime. Dougal: Stoic inventors and craftsmen whose bodies become one with their trades. Eiluned: Talented magicians and investigators whose curiosity often causes trouble. Fiona: Fearless adventurers and romantics with notoriously stormy personal lives. Gwydion: Renowned leaders gifted at detecting lies but possessed of fearful tempers. Liam: Political outcasts determined to speak up for commoners and mortals. Scathach: Mysterious warriors who avoid politics and associate with Prodigals.
Unseelie Houses ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶
Aesin: Domineering lords of the wilderness who rule over mortals like nobles of old. Ailil: Master politicians and manipulators, if sometimes too clever for their own good. Balor: Ruthless warriors and implacable foes marked by freakish Fomorian blood.
¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶
Danaan: Walkers of the Dreaming, recently returned to herald a great change. Daireann: Consummate hosts and renowned poisoners, prone to ill-timed boasting. Leanhaun: Peerless artists and patrons with a vampiric hunger for mortal Glamour. Varich: Cold and calculating strategists who will bet everything on the right risk.
Backgrounds ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶
¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶
See also Backgrounds, pp. 168–172. Chimera: Items or companions of yours that only exist in the chimerical world. Contacts: Trusted informants who give you useful information for a price. Dreamers: Inspired mortals whom you patronize for Glamour. Holdings: A faerie freehold that you claim as your own. Mentor: Another changeling that teaches and advises you. Remembrance: Your intuitive link to the Dreaming and the collective knowledge possessed by all fae, possibly even your own past lives. Resources: Mundane wealth and possessions as well as income. Retinue: Enchanted mortals who assist you in your endeavors. Title: Your rank in the Kithain nobility. Treasure: An item of yours that has magical powers of its own.
Arts ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶
See also Arts, pp. 197–232. Autumn — Fear, shadows, and decay. Chicanery — Perception, memory, and trickery. Chronos — Tempo, history, and time control. Contract — Oaths, deals, and fae bargains. Dragon’s Ire — Superhuman feats of physical prowess. Legerdemain — Illusion, sleight of hand, and telekinesis. Metamorphosis — Shapeshifting and transformation. Naming — Mastery of the fundamental essence of things. Oneiromancy — Dreams and slumber. Primal — Mastery of the elements and the natural world. Pyretics — Fire, heat, and purification. Skycraft — Weather manipulation and control. Soothsay — Clairvoyance, prophecy, and fate. Sovereign — Leadership, command, and obedience. Spring — Growth, life, and protection. Summer — Energy, passion, and light. Wayfare — Movement, freedom, and journeys. Winter — Cold, ice, and the death of emotion.
Realms ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶
See also Realms, pp. 232–236. Actor — Affecting mortals, Kinain, and Prodigals. Fae — Affecting changelings, chimera, and all things of Glamour. Nature — Affecting animals, plants, and natural phenomena. Prop — Affecting devices and man-made items of all kinds. Scene — Affecting large areas or multiple targets at once. Time — Affecting the duration or triggering of cantrips.
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Example of Character Creation
Meg’s gaming group — her friends Amy, Dan, Ricky and their Storyteller, Pete — is getting ready to start a new Changeling chronicle. After tussling with schedules, everyone gathers one night to sit down over dinner to discuss the types of stories they want to tell, hash out setting details, and make characters. Pete tells them he has some ideas for a basic setup he’d like to use as a backdrop, and with nothing else in mind the group agrees that sounds good to them. They just have one request — they just got out of a Vampire game and don’t want any high-level politics. Pete says that’s fine with him, and he tells them that the game is going to take place in modern-day Philadelphia, in a blue collar neighborhood that’s now also the home of a thriving new art scene. He wants to focus on the tension between the area’s rough and tumble roots and the new bohemian element that’s mixing in, and asks the group to use that as a starting point. Meg and the other players take a few minutes to think on the basic setting. As they’re pondering, Amy speaks up, saying she’d like the group to be centered on a small bar, a place that used to be a local dive but has now become a gathering place for the new artist community in the area. That should go nicely with Pete’s theme of the tension between the blue collar and bohemian elements of the neighborhood, and he goes one further to suggest that the place could actually be a brand new freehold, one struggling to establish itself as a faerie sanctuary just as it’s also making a name for itself in the local artistic community. The group likes the idea of building up a freehold as they tell their stories, and settle on the name Kraftwerk for the bar. If they want to make it an official freehold, they’ll have to purchase the relevant Backgrounds during character creation, so they make a note to put points in it individually as they go on. Now they have a setting around which to center their concepts, but Meg is still a little uncertain about what she wants to play, so she decides to wait and help the others with their characters, then see what comes up as they’re brainstorming.
Concept
Amy asks if the rest of the group would be okay with her playing a sidhe as the owner of the bar and the leader of the freehold. She describes her potential character, Harper, a local girl who grew up in the neighborhood and who is also an Autumn sidhe of House Liam. The group agrees that a blue collar character who’s now deeply invested in the arts seems perfect. In addition, Harper has little interest in local politics and, as a member of House Liam, isn’t likely to be invited to a lot of high society meetings anyway, so the group’s wish to avoid heavy politics stays intact. Harper is approved. Using Amy’s idea as a base, Ricky asks if he can play one of her employees, a satyr barback named Colin. Relatively new to his faerie nature, Colin was drawn to the freehold as a way of settling into his identity, and now uses his Birthright to help get the crowd going when there are live bands or special events on site. Ricky also thinks that Colin will have local
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music connections, and helps book acts for the bar as they try to raise its profile. Amy asks if these parties sometimes get out of control, and Ricky just smiles. Amy groans but says “You’re hired” and Colin is underway. Dan asks if Meg has a concept, but hers is still coming together, so he describes his character: Lucky, a fox pooka and successful local entrepreneur who still hasn’t forgotten his roots as a small-time con man and hustler. He sees Lucky as a regular of the bar rather than an employee, somebody who steers business their way from time to time, and intends to take some serious Resources and other Backgrounds to reflect the pooka’s status as a wealthy patron. Lucky may also serve as a narrative way to pool Backgrounds later on, since he’s the wealthiest and most established of the characters, as well as bring in some interesting underworld subplots if his past comes back to haunt him. With the rest of the group feeling confident in their concepts, Meg finalizes her character. Sure, Harper is the owner and the face of the operation, Colin handles the talent, and Lucky brings in customers (while running up a tab), but they need someone who makes all these grand ideas actually work. Meg says that she’ll play Saffron, Saffie to her friends, a boggan grump who balances the books, supervises the supply orders, manages the staff, and otherwise finds joy in keeping the place running day to day. It may not be the most high-profile job, but that’s exactly how boggans like it! When it comes to picking seemings, Amy and Dan both feel their characters are wilders, always looking for the next challenge (or the next score). Meg settles on grump, feeling it reflects Saffron’s steady personality and love of creating and sustaining projects. Everyone expects Ricky’s character Colin to be a wilder as well, given his hard-partying persona, but he decides that childling actually suits the character better — Colin has a wide-eyed innocence about the world and especially his changeling nature that informs his behavior. Courts and Legacies are the last element at this stage. Amy, Ricky, and Meg are all leaning toward the Seelie Court, though Ricky decides that Colin began as Unseelie but shifted after a major event early in his changeling life. To no one’s particular surprise, Dan announces that Lucky is definitely Unseelie, which Pete feels adds a fresh perspective and a nice element of unpredictability to the group. As far as Legacies are concerned, Meg immediately hones in on Sage for Saffie’s Seelie side, as she feels the boggan is especially at home giving advice and enjoys helping others succeed. An Unseelie Legacy proves a bit trickier, as she is torn between Pandora and Riddler, but ultimately decides that Pandora is a bit more appropriate given Saffie’s curious nature. Given how many secrets people share with Saffron, the idea of her Unseelie nature coming to the fore can unleash serious relationship chaos, which Meg finds a wonderful roleplaying opportunity.
Attributes
With basic concepts handled, everyone settles in to start selecting Traits on the character sheets to flesh out how their characters are realized in the game world. Seeing that the
group has a strong social base, but not seeing Saffie as being particularly physically inclined, Meg decides to prioritize her Attribute categories as follows: Mental, Social, Physical. As a bookkeeper and organizational whiz, Saffie will need a solid Intelligence score, so Meg puts two of her seven points there. Like a lot of boggans, Saffie is good at picking up subtle cues and hints, so Meg puts three points in Perception. She toys with putting another point in Intelligence, but ultimately decides that Saffie is well-rounded intellectually, so her final two points go into Wits. Not much gets past this boggan! While she might not be a party animal like Colin or a skilled schmoozer like Lucky, Saffie is still good with people in her own way, and the group decides that the staff adores her because she is good at noticing when they need help and is sympathetic to their problems. Meg has five points to put in this category, so she decides to put two points each into Charisma and Manipulation. Saffie is naturally charming and good with words in her own quiet way. Her final point goes into Appearance — Meg declares that Saffie is pretty cute but doesn’t put much effort into her looks, despite Harper’s best efforts to style her and update her wardrobe. Physical Traits are the last category, and with only three points to allocate here, Meg decides to go with one point each for Strength, Dexterity, and Stamina. Saffie is in average shape, her morning workout offset a bit by being behind a desk a lot in the back office.
Abilities
As Meg moves on to Abilities, she asks around to see what the rest of the group is thinking. Dan says that Lucky is going to focus on a “criminal” skill set, while Colin has a mix of athletics and socializing, and Harper is going for a leadership role with a background in hands-on technical skills. Given her role as the organizational glue of the group, and Meg’s vision of Saffie as a bit of bookworm, she decides to prioritize her Abilities as follows: Knowledges, Talents, Skills. With 13 points to distribute, Knowledges seems like a deep field, but Meg knows those points will go quickly. She allocates two to Academics, reflecting Saffie’s classical liberal arts education. Meg also decides Saffie’s curiosity make her a puzzle enthusiast, so three points go into Enigmas, and since her Chrysalis she’s studied a bit about Kithain lore as well, earning two points of Gremayre. She toys with putting points in Computers, but decides that Saffie is pretty traditional and uses old-fashioned ledgers and paper records, sometimes to the frustration of the staff and the bar’s vendors. Meg asks Pete if Expert Knowledge: Finance would be acceptable, and he agrees, so she puts three points into it, making Saffie quite talented at managing money. Two of her remaining points go into Investigation, reflecting her research skills, while her final point goes into Law, mostly gained from hanging around Lucky (and cleaning up after Colin’s parties). Talents come up next, with nine points to allocate. Even though the group is already leaning heavily into social skills, Meg asks the others what they’re planning and finds there’s still room for Saffie to be distinctive here. She puts three points into
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Empathy, as Saffie is definitely the sort of person other people come to with their problems. Two points go into Expression for her solid communication skills — she may not dazzle anyone but she can certainly hold her own in a conversation. Alertness and Kenning also get two points each, reflecting Saffie’s knack for noticing details both mundane and magical. Meg would like to purchase some Subterfuge, and perhaps a bit more Expression, but she’s out of points for now, so she makes a note to maybe come back later and spend some freebie points here. With only five points to allocate, Skills don’t take long. Saffie is good with social graces, so two points go into Etiquette. For her other three points, Meg decides to have Saffie take Crafts (Sewing), figuring that it was once a hobby but now has become a serious passion of hers. Pete interjects, asking if maybe the Hobby Talent would be more appropriate, but after some discussion he’s satisfied that her level of sewing involves enough work with her hands and knowledge of various machines to qualify as Crafts. Once again, there are some Abilities she’d like to take, but that will have to wait for now.
Backgrounds
At this stage the group waits until everyone is caught up so they can discuss how they want to spend their points. As Backgrounds can have a big impact on setting and backstory elements, the group puts their heads together again, with Pete taking notes and answering setting questions as needed. Amy figures that she’s spending most of her points on Title and Retinue for Harper, with the latter representing the enchanted bar staff, while Dan is investing heavily into Resources and a criminal Mentor for Lucky to be fleshed out later. Ricky wants Colin to have a lot of Contacts and Dreamers, reflecting his “guy who knows everybody” neighborhood party animal concept. For her part, Meg’s thinking of investing a bit in Remembrance, as she’s getting a picture of Saffie as someone who’s extremely curious about her fae side, and having strong past life memories could definitely be a big reason why. She also sees Saffie as having a bit of Resources, reflecting her skill with money, and maybe a Chimera companion of some kind since she’s so interested in the enchanted world. Before everyone spends their points, however, Pete reminds them that they need to decide what they want to do with Kraftwerk as far as making it a Holding. After some discussion, the group agrees to have everyone put a point into Holding as a pooled Background, reflecting that everyone is equally invested in it at this point in time. The players record this on their character sheets as Holding ¶¶¶¶ * to reflect that while they have each spent one point on this Background, its overall rating is four thanks to their pooled points. A four-point Holding isn’t exactly a struggling new freehold, though, so Pete asks the group how they want to handle that. The group asks if maybe the freehold counts as a one or two point Holding mechanically, but in exchange for more power it has a minor protective ward where nobody ever seems to get too hurt from drinking or fighting, and if the cops are called it almost always ends with a warning or a ticket rather than a raid or an arrest. This helps keep the regulars happy and the
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bar friendly with local law enforcement. Pete likes the idea and approves it, though he cautions that this protective aura won’t stop determined enemies, or prevent the consequences of deliberate actions that go against it. Everyone agrees this is fair, and now it’s time to spend the rest of their Background points. With four points left, Meg puts three into Remembrance, giving Saffie a regular source of additional insight into the chimerical world and further boosting her role as the group’s researcher and intellectual expert. With her last point, Meg purchases a Chimera, which she decides is named Brum and resembles a small stuffed bear that she had as a little girl. The chimera keeps her company and helps around the office. She’d like to make him a little more powerful and capable, not to mention pick up some Resources, but that will have to wait for now.
Arts
and
Realms
Now it’s time to decide what kind of magic Saffie knows. Once again, the group talks over some of their ideas; it’s okay if more than one member has the same powers, they decide, but they also want to make sure nobody feels useless or redundant. Meg has a clear idea what she wants to do this time, and tells everyone that she wants Saffie to specialize in Soothsay — she’s gotten very good at using magic to help satisfy her curiosity. As for the rest of the group, Amy is planning on focusing on Sovereign, Dan is looking at the shady side of Contracts, and Ricky is investing in Summer and Wayfare. It looks like the group will have a lot of bases covered! Meg puts all three of her available Arts points into Soothsay, giving her potent tools to ferret out all kinds of useful information. She toys with the idea of picking up a point of Contracts, to play up Saffie’s business sense, but decides that she wants to stay focused for now. Soothsay goes on the list of possible purchases for later. With five points of Realms, Meg wants to focus most on using magic in conjunction with mortals and changelings that she knows, which makes sense given her interest in people. She puts two points into Actor and two points into Fae, giving her a range of possible scrying targets for her magical senses. Her last point goes into Prop, since Saffron is a seamstress and occasionally likes to use jewelry as a focus for her cantrips.
Tempers
It’s time to record Saffie’s starting Glamour, Willpower, and Banality totals. All changelings begin with ratings of 4 in both Glamour and Willpower, as well as three Banality dots. As a grump, Saffie’s Willpower score increases by one, giving her a total of five dots there.
Birthrights
and
Frailties
Meg takes a moment to look over the boggan kith entry again, taking down the relevant game mechanics. She notes the game effects of her Craftwork Birthright as well as the roll required for the Social Dynamics Birthright. Meg also notes that Saffie’s Frailty compels her to help others unless she succeeds at a Willpower roll, and sighs as she figures a lot of employees
have probably come to her with sob stories since she started working at the bar.
Freebie Points
At this stage, Meg has 15 freebie points she can use to purchase dots she couldn’t afford earlier, allowing her to round out some of Saffie’s capabilities the way she likes. She consults the freebie point table for relevant costs, then looks over list of things she’s been noting for possible improvement during character creation. Right away she decides to spend five of her 15 points to purchase a dot of Intelligence, making her mind as keen as her senses. She puts two more points into her Chimera Background, substantially increasing Brum’s abilities, and Pete makes a note to talk to Meg more about her companion and his personality as well as flesh out exactly what he can do in terms of game mechanics, using the system in Chapter Seven. Inspired by this decision, Meg spends two points to purchase another level of the Fae Realm so she can affect Brum and other chimera with any magic she learns. Four of her remaining points go into purchasing another dot of Kenning and a fourth dot of Empathy. She notes that this means she will get to choose an Empathy specialty later on in character creation.
Merits
and
Flaws
At this point Dan reminds Meg that she can also purchase Merits and Flaws, as Pete has already told the group these Traits will be permitted in this chronicle. She only has two of her fifteen initial points left, but can earn more freebie points by taking Flaws. She immediately selects two one-point Merits: Lightning Calculator, reflecting Saffie’s affinity with numbers, and Good Listener, reinforcing her empathetic nature. That exhausts her freebie points, but she can take up to seven points of Flaws to gain more freebie points on a one-for-one basis. Looking over the lists of Flaws, she selects Bad Sight at one point, meaning Saffie wears glasses out of necessity. She also takes Curiosity, netting two more points, and giving her an irresistible story hook that Pete can’t wait to use. Lastly, she decides that Saffie suffers from a mysterious “bad moon” Curse, perhaps related to a past life — if moonlight touches her bare skin, she temporarily assumes her Unseelie Legacy for the rest of the night. She asks Pete how much this Flaw is worth, and he decides that since it’s a short-term problem and only takes effect when she’s out in bare moonlight without artificial light diluting it, it’s only a one-point curse. Now with four more freebie points to spend thanks to her Flaws, Meg picks up a dot of Subterfuge and two points of Resources, addressing some earlier notes she had about things she wanted to purchase but couldn’t afford at the time. Meg notes the effects of her various Merits and Flaws on her character sheet, and the freebie point phase is finished.
Specialties
Looking over her sheet, Meg sees that she has three Traits over four dots: Intelligence, Perception, and Empathy. That means she gets a specialty for each of them, subject to Pete’s approval. For Intelligence, Meg suggests System Analysis,
explaining that Saffie is especially good at figuring out how systems organize and operate, whether it’s streamlining bar deliveries or figuring out the proper method of advancement in a redcap gang. Perception is a tough one, but she settles on Detail-Oriented, which makes sense given her occupation and hobbies. Empathy is another tough one, as so many ideas might apply, but ultimately Meg selects Private Conversation, making Saffie especially good at reading people if she can get them alone. Pete looks over the specialties and approves them, and Meg moves to the next step.
Threshold & Antithesis
Meg takes a copy of the rulebook and flips to the Thresholds section; while she doesn’t copy down the game mechanics just yet, she wants to see if any of the Thresholds jump out at her as being especially well suited to Saffie’s personality. As a member of the Seelie Court, Saffie is more likely to have a Musing Threshold than a Ravaging one, but that is not an absolute guideline. However, looking over the Ravaging Thresholds quickly proves that none seem to line up with Saffie’s personality, so Meg switches to the Musing list. Help Those In Need is an obvious choice, given Saffie’s boggan nature, but thinking about her history Meg decides that Foster Dreams is actually closer to the mark — as evidenced by helping Harper build up the freehold and encouraging the bar staff to pursue their passions, Saffie is definitely someone who encourages others to chase what’s really important to them in life. Meg marks down Foster Dreams as Saffie’s Threshold. For Saffie’s antithesis, Meg tries to think of something that Saffie would find completely banal, but that she still might be called upon to do in her adventures. Meg decides that Saffie really hates telling people that their art is bad or even unsatisfactory — criticism is just too much like rejection for her. It’s not something she normally has occasion to do, but sometimes the bar hosts live music acts, and it might fall to Saffie to hold auditions. Meg notes “being critical towards art” as Saffie’s antithesis.
Spark
of Life
At this point the mechanical aspects of character creation are complete, but there are still plenty of details to consider that will help Meg bring Saffie to life during play. One thing that comes to mind is figuring out some details of her appearance. While Amy is sketching Harper and the guys are coming up with detailed descriptions for Lucky and Colin, Meg wants to keep some of the details of Saffie’s appearance undefined for the time being, at least until she feels she’s gotten more of a feel for the character during play. She settles for more impressionistic descriptions of Saffie’s mortal and fae forms instead: Mortal: Saffie is small but possessed of a surprisingly loud voice and an air of busy energy that makes her seem to take up more space than she actually does. She tries to dress in a more businesslike manner at work, but it usually winds up looking more casual than not, as she goes for comfort over style. Outside of work she usually wears clothes of her own design and is always toting a book or two in a worn messenger bag as well as some piece of her latest sewing
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project. She’s got a great smile and a better laugh that makes you want to trust and confide in her. Fae: In her fae mien, Saffie has much the same air of energy that belies her stature, though her casual mortal clothes are replaced with voile that’s a mixture of Renaissance and Edwardian pieces. It shouldn’t go together at all, but somehow it does, in a charming, if sometimes a little delightfully chaotic, way. Her boggan extra eyebrows are highly expressive, often accenting her emotions in a way that makes her easy to read for those who know her. A small brown chimerical teddy bear with a deep voice, sarcastic demeanor, and surprising strength for its size is never far away from her, helping with one thing or another, and they banter constantly. With a sense of how to describe Saffie to the others worked out, Meg moves to the quirks and mannerisms that will help bring her character to life. She decides that Saffron has a notebook she brings with her everywhere that’s full of doodles, sewing diagrams, and little bits of poetry, and that she brings out whenever the group is sitting still for any length of time. Meg also figures that Saffron tends to chew on her pens and pencils while she’s thinking, and that her friends can often tell how worried or deep in thought she is by counting the number of chewed writing implements in her vicinity. As far as goals and motivations go, on a basic level Saffie wants to keep the bar running and hopefully help expand it. She believes in her motley and loves helping them realize their dreams, and that keeps her plenty busy most of the time. In the longer term, she wants to delve into Kithain lore and maybe discover more about these past lives she’s been remembering, especially as they pertain to the curse she’s under. Lastly, she wants to research the occult history of Philadelphia and see what she can learn about its mysteries, and maybe even see if she can make contact with some Prodigals to learn what they’re like. The rest of the group groans but Pete just points out Saffie’s Curiosity Flaw and Meg smiles at the wonderful trouble it’s likely to cause. Speaking of the group, it’s time to talk about character relationships a bit. Meg and Amy decide that Harper and Saffie have been close ever since they both went through the Chrysalis around the same time, with Saffie functioning as Harper’s steady right hand and occasional voice of conscience, while Harper inspires Saffie to apply her mind to larger problems. After talking to Ricky, Meg figures that Saffie sees Colin as a sort of adorable younger brother, while Ricky teases that Colin is always trying to get Saffie to let her hair down and indulge more. As for Lucky… Dan tells Meg that having seen Saffie’s Unseelie side before, probably due to her moonlight curse, Lucky is determined to bring it out more, while Meg feels that Saffie probably feigns exasperation at Lucky’s sly manner but secretly loves gossiping and pulling pranks with the debonair pooka. With all these factors in place, Meg takes a moment to sketch out Saffie’s mortal life, noting that it will likely develop much more in play but wanting to have at least a basic sense of where she came from and who’s still in her life. She decides that Saffie grew up in a quaint old small town in a rural area upstate and still is a bit of a country girl at heart, but came to the city for college and has since come to love city life after being shown around by locals like Harper and Lucky. She has a large family back home
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in Newton, and still loves to go a few times a year to be out in the wilderness a bit and enjoy the quiet. Meg notes that it might be good to take a little bit of the Nature Realm at some point in the future to reflect Saffie’s love of the countryside, while Pete privately thinks it might be fun to have the group take a field trip to Saffie’s small hometown at some point, to provide a change of scenery and contrast the urban setting a bit. He writes down “trip to Newton” in his notes to revisit later. At this point Meg feels that while she’s certainly got more she can flesh out and detail, Saffie is ready for her prelude. Just for logistical purposes, Pete asks her to make a few notes about the any weapons or armor Saffie has, as well as what sort of items she routinely carries with her. With that last little bit of bookkeeping out of the way, Meg turns Saffie over to Pete for approval, and gets ready to begin her story.
The Prelude
A prelude is a special sort of personal session, often handled one on one between a player and a Storyteller. As the name implies, it covers events that happened before the opening of the chronicle, and is used to flesh out a character’s backstory, establish foreshadowing for later events, and otherwise introduce plot hooks for possible future exploration. Sometimes a prelude may include more than one character, especially if two characters are close, but usually it’s best to do them solo so that each character gets a time in the spotlight. Many Storytellers like to cover a character’s Chrysalis during the prelude, as it is a pivotal moment in a changeling’s life and often colors their perceptions of other Kithain and the Dreaming in ways large and small. In addition, establishing what a character’s life was like before she learned her true nature can provide a sense of contrast to the changeling existence that helps remind a player how magical and different a character’s life is afterward. A prelude is also a good time to test out certain traits and concepts, as well as make adjustments to a character before actual play begins. A player might be interested in a particular Art, for instance, but find out during the prelude that it doesn’t work quite the way she wanted, and so trade it for a different Art before the chronicle gets underway. So long as the Storyteller approves of any mechanical changes, it’s fine to move points around and change a few decisions. Storytellers can find more information on running the prelude in Chapter Eight.
The Motley
Although ideally the players will have communicated a lot about their characters and possible ties between them during character creation, it’s still a good idea to establish some basic facts about how the characters are connected. Are they a noble household that operates as a unit in Kithain politics? An oathcircle sworn to back each other? Or just a motley of changelings brought together by chance and opportunity? Some groups will want to establish firm connections before the chronicle begins, while others are content to have a few basic ties and then see how relationships develop during the game.
Regardless of whether it’s a household, an oathcircle, or a motley, however, there are some basic questions that a group should at least consider before the chronicle begins. Even if they won’t be answered right away, it’s good to have them in mind as the story unfolds. Where does the motley get together? Is there a specific place that the group tends to gather? Is it a mortal spot, a changeling freehold, or a realm in the Dreaming? Is it a private spot, or is it known to outsiders? Does the motley generally stay in one place, or do they travel on a regular basis? If so, what do they do to support themselves on the road? How do the characters justify getting together to the people in their mortal lives, or do they just leave it a mystery and hope no one investigates? Does the motley have a freehold? A magical base of operations is not just a wonderful place to help bring the chronicle to life, it’s also a source of nearly endless story hooks. Do the characters own or run the freehold? If so, how do they hold onto it, particularly if it’s a powerful site? If not, who controls it, and what are relations like between the owner and the motley? Where is the freehold located? What does it look like in the mortal world, and how does it appear to the fae? What are the motley’s goals? While some motleys may just be groups of friends who hang out simply because they’re friends, the nature of the Dreaming often leads to quests and oaths that can bestow a higher purpose on a group, and some motleys come together in the first place precisely because of such obligations. Even a group with no “official” goal or quest often has a purpose of some kind, even if it’s as simple as “have fun” or “go on the best road trip ever.” Does the motley have any stated goals? Unstated ones? Are there any oaths or bans directing them? If so, what are they? Who are the motley’s enemies? A motley’s enemies help define it as much as its allies do, if not moreso. Who has it in for the group, and why? Does the group know about this animosity, or is it going to surprise them when it finally boils over? Is it a vindictive noble, rival commoner, a marauding chimera, a terrifying Dauntain, or a mysterious Prodigal? Remember that enemies don’t have to be “evil” in a purely villainous sense — a concerned mortal parent who’s worried about her teenage wilder son staying out all night and hanging with the wrong crowd can cause a lot of serious headaches for a motley without starting a single battle or casting any magic spells. Who are the motley’s allies? Even the most nomadic group of rootless loners makes connections, sometimes despite themselves. Who does the motley turn to when they need information? A favor? A place to lie low? Who can they count on, and why do they trust them? And if they don’t trust them, what is it that keeps the relationship between them productive?
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Personality Archetypes: Legacies
Myths and fairy tales are populated with characters in archetypical roles. Likewise, Legacies are the archetypical roles a changeling plays in the narrative of her life. Choosing Legacies is a vital part of creating a character. They help guide the player as to her character’s nature. Is the changeling a hero or a coward, selfless or selfish? Her Legacies answer these questions. All changelings have both a Seelie and Unseelie Legacy. Her current court usually determines which one she follows, her primary Legacy. Her secondary Legacy can influence her actions and add nuance to the character, but it never overrides her primary Legacy. Occasionally, a changeling may change courts. If this happens, her primary and secondary Legacies almost always also switch. Most changelings cannot purposefully switch courts. The change may be gradual or sudden, but is always the result of a profound insight or a major, often traumatic, experience. If a player believes a court change is appropriate, she and her Storyteller should decide if it’s warranted and agree on the circumstances.
Quests
and
Bans
A changeling who exemplifies his Legacy finds it easier to live out his personal narrative. All Legacies have a Quest and a Ban. Quests are behaviors that model a changeling’s archetype. Whenever he accomplishes his primary Legacy’s Quest, he receives a point of Willpower at the Storyteller’s discretion. Bans are actions that run counter to the Legacy’s archetype. If a character violates his primary Legacy’s Ban, he forfeits a point of Willpower. A changeling can go against his primary Legacy’s Ban without penalty if he can justify it using his secondary Legacy. However, if the changeling invokes his secondary Legacy too frequently, he might be on the verge of trading Courts.
Seelie Legacies
Known for the vibrancy of spring and the searing heat of summer, followers of the Seelie Legacies tend to put an emphasis on groups and community. They feel the needs of society outweigh the needs of an individual. Unseelie Kithain often see their Seelie brethren as strict and unyielding, but the Seelie see themselves as serving the greater good.
Bumpkin
Solid and practical, the Bumpkin is happiest when she is solving problems. Common sense, pragmatism, and preparation are the tools of her trade. Her logic and uncanny ability to always ask the right questions refocuses any off-topic discussion. The only thing that catches a Bumpkin off guard is how no one else thinks as logically as she does. Quest: When you overcome adversity with a practical solution, regain Willpower. Ban: Never pass up an opportunity to use logic or common sense.
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Courtier
Dances, parties, and courtly gatherings are the lifeblood of the Courtier. He is endlessly fascinated by the use of politics and etiquette as social glue between disparate people. His wit, charm, and well-timed flirtation make everyone feel welcome or defuse explosive situations. The Courtier often finds himself in the role of a diplomat entrusted with the preservation of order. Quest: When you successfully maintain social peace and harmony, regain Willpower. Ban: Never purposefully cause disharmony.
Crafter
The world is made of imperfections crying out for a skilled hand to mend them, and the Crafter is happy to heed their call. For her there’s no greater joy than turning the worthless into the indispensable. While she almost always has an in-progress project going — be it mechanical, artistic, or even molding someone else through training — she loves the results more than the process. Quest: Regain Willpower when you build something that will endure. Ban: Never pass up an opportunity to improve something with your personal touch.
Dandy
The Dandy is a master of etiquette, but only as a means to an end. Acutely aware of the social hierarchy and his place in it, he knows he must climb higher. He wields gossip and intrigue as weapons in the fight to the top. While he appears outgoing and gracious, he is constantly on the lookout for opportunities to impress his superiors. Though contemptuous of his inferiors, he won’t immediately dismiss them. Helping them often adds shine to his rising star in the eyes of those who matter. Quest: When you solidify your social standing or rise higher, regain Willpower. Ban: Never pass up the chance to make yourself look good or impress a superior.
Hermit
Reclusive and introspective, the Hermit is most comfortable in the company of her own thoughts. She is not intimidated by or afraid of crowds — but when in the midst of a gathering, she prefers to listen and observe. She only speaks when spoken to unless she has a deep, new insight to contribute in a matter of utmost urgency. Because of this, the Hermit is usually seen as a wise sage whose few words best be heeded. Quest: When you discover the solution to a problem through thoughtful introspection, regain Willpower. Ban: Never chat idly. Assert yourself only if you have unique insight and the situation is dire.
Orchid
At home, the Orchid lives a pampered, sheltered life free of suffering — but circumstances always seem to yank him from his place of comfort. When forced into the harsh realities of the
world, he is woefully unprepared. Unaccustomed to deception, the Orchid cannot tell lies from truth. Paralyzed by insecurity, he hides his true self and doesn’t trust anyone, yet lets others make his decisions in the hopes a hero will protect him. Quest: Regain Willpower when you keep your innocence and sense of wellbeing intact through a frightening situation. Ban: Never reveal yourself to anyone or trust anyone except your closest friends.
Paladin
The Paladin lives for the thrill of challenge. Monsters to slay, enemies to wrestle, causes to champion — these are her life’s blood. She is brave, stalwart, and ready to triumph over anything. Constantly on the lookout for worthy challenges, when she overcomes one adversary she moves right on to the next. The one thing the Paladin can’t do is sit idle. Without opposition to define her, she becomes listless, hardly able to carry on. Quest: Regain Willpower when you overcome a truly challenging obstacle. Ban: Never refuse a fair challenge.
Panderer
The Panderer desires nothing more than to make people happy. He works tirelessly to foster joy, whether playing matchmaker or offering a glass of water to a guest. Preferring anonymity, the Panderer considers his best accomplishments those achieved with a subtle hint here or a gentle nudge there. Onlookers who notice his efforts tend to mistake him for a doormat, catering to every whim and flight of fancy. In truth, he only desires to see faces brightened by smiles. Quest: When someone achieves happiness due to your efforts but is unaware of the part you played in it, regain Willpower. Ban: Never purposefully do anything to make someone unhappy.
Regent
Noblesse oblige incarnate, the Regent is equal parts judge and lawgiver. Others look to her for wisdom and guidance. With equal fairness, she rewards loyalty and skill and punishes treachery and lawlessness. The Regent often feels isolated and alone without any peers, but she knows she must
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never shirk her responsibilities or let personal feelings interfere with her duty. Quest: When a situation is resolved due to your strength of leadership, regain Willpower. Ban: Never avoid your duty or compromise the laws by which you live.
Sage
The Sage has traveled far, experienced much, and gained invaluable insight. Ever-willing to share his learning, he is devoted to the quest for knowledge and the spread of wisdom. Though the Sage does not force his advice on anyone, to those who seek him he gladly provides counsel, recounts sought-after stories, and asks penetrating questions. He savors playing the role of guru, pointing out the path to understanding. Quest: Regain Willpower when someone heeds your advice to succeed at his task. Ban: Never impede anyone’s chosen course of action. Everyone follows a unique path to wisdom.
Saint
The Saint always strives to ease the burden of others, for she feels their pain as her own. She does not hesitate to give her time, money, or even the shirt off her own back if it helps even one soul in need. She often finds herself in a position of martyrdom, but doesn’t mind. Her own comfort is secondary to that of others. The Saint is willing to put herself in danger, but would never consciously risk harm befalling anyone else. Quest: Regain Willpower when you protect another from harm or alleviate someone’s suffering. Ban: Never knowingly cause distress or harm to anyone.
Squire
The Squire is the exemplar sidekick. Though no less skilled than his chosen hero, he never seeks the spotlight. He cares not for glory or recognition, only the opportunity to help improve the world. The Squire is devoted to his hero. No task is too demanding, no deed too menial, if his hero requests it. Quest: When you are vital to an accomplishment, but take no credit for your role, regain Willpower. Ban: Never contradict or undermine your hero.
Troubadour
The Troubadour seeks ideal beauty in all facets of life, for only in purity of form is the essence of truth. When in love, she loves with abandon. When sad, she weeps an ocean. When angry, she is a raging inferno. The Troubadour believes that the world hides a singularly perfect person, place, or situation that will reveal the truth of existence to her. To find it, she explores all of life with uncompromising faithfulness to her own powerful feelings. Quest: When you achieve a goal in the name of a higher ideal (love, friendship, romance, etc.), regain Willpower. Ban: Never hide your feelings.
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Wayfarer
The endless wanderer seeking the unknown, the great explorer who’s seen the ends of the earth, or the dashing rogue with a love in every port; the Wayfarer never stays put for long. Inherently impulsive, he acts first and thinks later. His reactionary nature often lands him in the most improbable, dangerous situations. Clever like a fox, or perhaps just lucky, he always manages to extricate himself. Of course, out of the frying pan and into the fire – the Wayfarer’s next adventure begins! Quest: When you survive a truly dangerous situation by your own wits, regain Willpower. Ban: Never plan for the future.
Unseelie Legacies
Colorful as an autumn harvest and chaotic and isolated as a winter ice storm, followers of the Unseelie Legacies tend to be passionate individualists. They follow their hearts wherever they lead, even if they do have to break a few rules on the journey. Seelie Kithain often see their Unseelie brothers and sisters as irresponsible and untrustworthy, but the Unseelie believe they are being true to themselves.
Beast
The Beast lives to conquer her foes. Everyone falls into two categories: those who bow before her and those destroyed for refusing. If something exists, it exists for her pleasure. If it displeases her, it didn’t deserve to exist. The Beast isn’t mindless fury, however. To achieve her ends, she’ll play the long game, manipulating her enemies against each other. Little is as entertaining to her as watching her adversaries dance to a tune she orchestrated. Quest: Regain Willpower when you remove significant opposition to your goals. Ban: Never retreat; never forfeit that which is yours.
Fatalist
The Fatalist knows that the world is deeply flawed. He expects things to fall apart and counts on the center not holding, but isn’t a pessimist. Pessimists worry about disaster. The Fatalist doesn’t panic or run flailing about. When the ground falls out from under him, he rides it to the bottom. He tries to warn others so they’ll share his calm, but they never listen. Nothing is funnier to the Fatalist than people who are surprised when things go wrong after he explained why their plan was doomed. Quest: Regain Willpower when your warnings of doom come to pass. Ban: Never laugh except in bitterness, sarcasm, or schadenfreude.
Fool
The Fool is the divine trickster who laughs last and loudest. She knows there’s no underlying purpose to the world, so she can’t stand anyone so arrogant they actually believe a higher power is guiding them to some destiny. The only true duty is to confound plans, knock heroes off their pedestals, and force-feed them their
own words. The Fool’s favorite pranks are ones that maximize the humiliation of her target, resulting in a very public fall from grace. Quest: When you deflate an overblown ego or knock the self-righteous down a peg, regain Willpower. Ban: Never search for the “whys” in life; there are none.
Grotesque
The Grotesque is a disgusting freak who loves to push people’s buttons and to savage the sensibilities of polite society. A blush, shocked gasp, or stern rebuke is his applause. The more extreme the reaction, the more triumphant he deems his performance. A master of insults, he cuts right through propriety to the heart of outrage. Nothing is too base for the Grotesque if he’s the center of attention. Quest: When someone falters or loses his composure because of you, regain Willpower. Ban: Never willingly conform to polite society.
Knave
The Knave is a guide to forbidden pleasures and dark desires. She encourages, tempts, or tricks her targets into indulging in their hidden fantasies. For her, nothing is as delicious as transforming the sweet into the sordid, the innocent into the depraved. Still, the Knave doesn’t compromise people just for fun — and make no mistake, it is fun — rather, she’s revealing what base and feral creatures lie in the heart of everyone. Quest: Regain Willpower when you convince others to do something they oppose and they enjoy it. Ban: Never shelter anyone from the harsh truths of life.
Outlaw
Take what you can, give nothing back. The Outlaw is a brigand, a highwayman, or a con artist. To him, the world is a dollhouse inhabited by mindless automata deluded by society’s rules. He takes what he wants without a shred of guilt. For the Outlaw, rebellion is the ultimate act of freedom against a stifling society. Most people, he reasons, would do the same if only they saw that their oppression is self-imposed. Quest: Regain Willpower when you commit a selfish act that shakes up society’s status quo. Ban: Never do anything that helps others more than it helps you.
Pandora
The Pandora just can’t leave any box shut. She is insatiably curious, but more than that, she realizes that secrets always reveal themselves at the most disastrous time. She reveals what’s hidden at the earliest opportunity, for a shock of pain is better than drawn out torment. To her, rules are just another kind of secret. The more forbidden something is, the more necessary it becomes. The Pandora knows secrets never keep forever and prohibitions must be disobeyed. Quest: When you overcome a situation you created by doing what you were warned against, regain Willpower. Ban: Never keep a secret.
Peacock
The Peacock is the loveliest, smartest, and best person in the whole world, and he knows it. Everyone else should, too. As long as he’s being showered with praise, he’s the picture of kindness. But woe be to the usurper who dares steal his spotlight! Tantrums and violence are fine to the Peacock as long as they attract public attention. Occasionally he finds time for generosity, but only if it makes him look good. Quest: When you conclusively prove you are the best at something, regain Willpower. Ban: Never admit failure or fault.
Rake
A miserly hedonist, a decadent hoarder, a glutton for all that glitters — the Rake cares not what she’s called so long as she’s finely adorned. Her extravagances range from the pretty little someone-or-other on her arm to the flashy import she drives. She revels in private congeries of material gratification, which she never shares except to vaunt her good taste. Others may naturally be jealous, but she can’t help if they lack her skill for acquisition. Quest: Regain Willpower when you succeed in your pursuit of pleasure. Ban: Never part with anything without either hope of reward or a hard fight.
Riddler
The Riddler is an enigma. Everyone seeks his advice, but no one can decipher his words. Is his wisdom just too far above their ability to understand? Of course not! It’s all an elaborate ruse. Double entendres, arcane diction, and outright lies are the Riddler’s trade. He relishes feeling superior to the many who keep coming back for more. He is careful to shroud his own psyche, for his greatest fear is someone discovering his deception. Quest: Regain Willpower when you confuse or mislead someone. Ban: Never allow anyone to discover the truth about you or your origins.
Ringleader
Among her crew, the Ringleader’s rule is undisputed. With brutal expertise, she instills in her subordinates submission to her and loyalty to her cause. If any underlings dare step out of line, they become a harrowing example of what not to do. The Ringleader wields her group as a weapon honed to further her own agenda. They are the collective expression of her will. Quest: When you use your followers to accomplish your goal, regain Willpower. Ban: Never allow any one person to threaten your organization or goals.
Rogue
The Rogue doesn’t understand the desire to expend effort. With so many worker bees already, why shouldn’t he indulge? While laborers harangue him, he’s picking their pockets; while
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champions quest gallantly, he’s gallivanting; while innovators blaze new trails, he strolls the path of least resistance. By the time the hero swoops in to slay the beast, he’s already called dibs on the reward. (Hey, he never asked anyone to help him.) Quest: When you achieve something others think you don’t deserve, regain Willpower. Ban: Never choose work over pleasure.
Savage
Predation, reproduction, and the laws of the wild — these are what drive the Savage. Whether in a forbidding forest or an urban jungle, she eats what she catches, mates when she desires, and dominates her world combatively. Polite conversation and etiquette are masks people wear to disguise their true natures. Culture, art, and honor are illusions that hide their essence. The Savage sheds all veneers to satisfy the primal instincts of her soul. Quest: Regain Willpower when, through your own cunning and might, you conquer foes who believe their culture is superior to wildness. Ban: Never indulge in civilized folly.
Wretch
The Wretch is the outcast no one relates to, the wallflower never asked to dance, the loser never picked for the team, the freak never invited to a party. Everyone assumes he hates himself as much as they do, but they’re wrong. What he abhors are the smug presumptions of phonies and the thought they could ever “understand” him. The few who pity him are those he hates most. It is the Wretch’s delight to punish would-be saviors for using him to feel better about their shallow, paltry lives. Quest: Regain Willpower when others vilify you as worthless or despair of ever getting through to you. Ban: Never accept praise.
Attributes
All Changeling: The Dreaming characters have Attributes — the basic, inherent Traits of all people and creatures of dream. Most Attributes have ratings from 1 (poor) to 3 (good), although some exceptional individuals or powerful chimera may have ratings of 4 (excellent) or 5 (peak human capacity). A few changelings and other beings from the Dreaming may have ratings higher still, such as a sidhe’s unearthly beauty or a troll’s godlike strength.
Physical Attributes
Physical Attributes represent the qualities of the character’s body. They measure how strong, nimble, and sturdy a character is. Action-oriented characters should have Physical Attributes as their primary focus.
Strength
Strength represents a character’s ability to lift, jump, carry heavy loads, and inflict physical punishment. Characters
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Specialties
When a character is especially skilled in a particular Trait (meaning, one of their Attributes or Abilities is rated 4 or higher), the player can choose a Specialty for it. This is essentially an expertise they’ve developed that suits the overall character design. For example, a craftsman might build exquisite clockwork devices, a stunt driver might have an affinity for vintage muscle cars, or a performer might be gifted in traditional oral storytelling. More specifically, a character with Wits 4 might be adept at improvisation, while one with Performance 5 might play the violin the world over. Any time a player makes a roll involving her specializations, all dice that come up “10” count as two successes instead of one.
with higher strength are typically larger and bulkier, but not always — some are pure lean muscle. In hand-to-hand combat, a character’s Strength Trait is added to his damage dice pool. ¶ Poor: You can lift 40 lb. (about 20 kg). ¶¶ Average: You can lift 100 lb. (around 50 kg). ¶¶¶ Good: You can lift 250 lb. (a little over 100 kg). ¶¶¶¶ Exceptional: You can lift 400 lb. (close to 200 kg). ¶¶¶¶¶ Outstanding: You can lift 650 lb. (nearly 300 kg). Specialties: Long Jumping, Vice Grip, Broad Shoulders, Reserves of Strength, Mighty Blows
Dexterity
The Dexterity Trait is a character’s physical speed, agility, and precision. The Trait governs a character’s reaction time, efficiency in combat, and grace while performing. Dexterous characters are light on their feet and have a high degree of control over their bodies, able to manipulate objects and themselves with needle point accuracy. ¶ Poor: You are clumsy enough to trip on air. ¶¶ Average: You can make your way in the world without hurting yourself. ¶¶¶ Good: You’re not an expert, but you show potential when holding a sword. ¶¶¶¶ Exceptional: You could be a professional dancer. ¶¶¶¶¶ Outstanding: You hold your own against Olympic gymnasts. Specialties: Catlike Reflexes, Preternatural Grace, Swift, Steady Hand, Sure-Footed
Stamina
Stamina reflects a character’s health, pain tolerance, and endurance. It indicates how long she can endure physical and mental punishment before suffering trauma. A high Stamina Trait allows a character to keep exerting herself long after others have collapsed from exhaustion.
Poor: You get winded from a trip to the mailbox and back. Average: You’re moderately healthy. Good: You could go mountain biking, rock climbing, or backpacking. ¶¶¶¶ Exceptional: You’re ready to take on a triathlon. ¶¶¶¶¶ Outstanding: You could complete the 12 labors of Hercules. Specialties: Unyielding, Tireless, Resilient, Do-or-Die, Vigorous ¶ ¶¶ ¶¶¶
Social Attributes
From a rowdy Redcap corby to high courtly intrigue, the Kithain are naturally social creatures. Even the most reclusive changeling must interact with humanity to inspire Glamour. Social Attributes demonstrate a character’s ability to do that through his looks, charm, and persuasiveness.
Charisma
Charisma reflects a character’s ability to entice others on a purely emotional level. Perhaps she radiates an aura of truth, perhaps she is a glib liar, or perhaps she is simply physically persuasive. No matter the source, her magnetic charm comes into play when she wishes to win another’s sympathies or encourage others to place their faith in her. ¶ Poor: Others find a reason to avoid you. ¶¶ Average: You are generally likable and easy to get along with. ¶¶¶ Good: People trust and confide in you. ¶¶¶¶ Exceptional: Others are drawn to you like a moth to a flame. ¶¶¶¶¶ Outstanding: An entire kingdom would gladly follow you. Specialties: Silver-Tongued, Eloquent, Captivating, Infectious Humor, Outgoing
Manipulation
Manipulation measures a character’s effectiveness at convincing others to share his perspective or do his bidding, be it by trickery, bribery, sweet talk, or a show of force. The other person need not trust the changeling in question, though outright contempt can easily cause Manipulation to backfire. People are manipulated every day without realizing it; but if it attracts their notice, they may become defensive or irate. ¶ Poor: You’re a person of few words and for good reason. ¶¶ Average: Sometimes you can get others to believe you. ¶¶¶ Good: You could be an ace attorney. ¶¶¶¶ Exceptional: You’d thrive in politics. ¶¶¶¶¶ Outstanding: You could talk a member of the Shadow Court into becoming Seelie. Specialties: Cunning, Seductive, Well-Reasoned, Glib, Fast Talker
Appearance
Appearance is more than physical beauty. Expressiveness, body language, fashion sense — anything striking contributes to a character’s Appearance. Subconsciously and instinctually, a character’s looks have a profound impact. When first impressions are vital, or in situations where Appearance is valued, a character can have no more dice in a Social dice pool than her Appearance Trait. ¶ Poor: People tend to avoid you and try not to make eye contact. ¶¶ Average: You easily get lost in a crowd. ¶¶¶ Good: People find an excuse to talk you, such as buying you a drink. ¶¶¶¶ Exceptional: People will cross the street just to meet you. ¶¶¶¶¶ Outstanding: Your first impressions are extreme. No one forgets meeting you. Specialties: Exotic, Commanding, Unconventional Looks, Captivating, Style
Mental Attributes
Mental Traits represent a character’s total cognitive capacity. Encompassing memory, observation, logic, reaction time, and his ability to learn, they are the character’s awareness of the world around him.
Perception
Perception is a character’s ability to observe her world. This may be a conscious effort, such as studying the detail in a work of art to discover its meaning, but more often it is subconscious. The character might not be certain why, but she knows something is wrong. Perception allows a character to avoid ambushes, spot clues, and read body language. ¶ Poor: Whether you’re self-absorbed or just oblivious, good luck avoiding that car! ¶¶ Average: You tend to see the big picture, but subtly eludes you. ¶¶¶ Good: You can tell the mood of a crowd as soon as you enter. ¶¶¶¶ Exceptional: Rarely surprised, nothing escapes your notice. ¶¶¶¶¶ Outstanding: Like Sherlock Holmes, others are speechless at your eye for detail. Specialties: Vigilant, Clairvoyant, Discerning, Insightful, Detail-Oriented
Intelligence
Intelligence represents a character’s raw mental capacity. Whether it’s memorization, critical thinking, logical reasoning, problem solving, or evaluating a situation, mental feats fall under this Attribute. Characters with low Intelligence aren’t necessarily vacuous; they may have lacked an opportunity to learn or be simplistic thinkers. Likewise, a character with high Intelligence might not be a genius; she might just excel at rote memorization.
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Poor: Not the brightest crayon in the box, riddles soar over your head. ¶¶ Average: You’re smart enough to know when to seek help. ¶¶¶ Good: Given enough time, you can work though most problems that stump others. ¶¶¶¶ Exceptional: You can easily synthesize disparate information to draw new conclusions. ¶¶¶¶¶ Outstanding: You have the wisdom of Solomon; no subject is beyond your ken. Specialties: Scholarly, Creative, Subject Expertise, Trivia, Logical ¶
Wits
Wits governs a character’s ability to think on his feet in stressful and quickly-shifting situations. It reflects his cleverness and adaptability. A character with low Wits is gullible and perpetually caught off guard. A character with high Wits always has a plan and can easily roll with whatever life throws his way. In court or on the battlefield, he is sharp and not to be trifled with. ¶ Poor: Go see what the redcap wants for dinner. ¶¶ Average: You can handle polite conversation, but don’t go into politics. ¶¶¶ Good: You can hold your own in a debate and are rarely left dumbfounded. ¶¶¶¶ Exceptional: You’re known for your sharp tongue; no one can get the drop on you. ¶¶¶¶¶ Outstanding: Like Sinbad or Odysseus, you can overcome any obstacle. Specialties: Instinctive, Clever Retorts, Pre-Emptive, Change of Plans, Cool Headed
Abilities
Abilities are Traits that represent what a character knows and what she has learned to do. If Attributes are raw potential, Abilities are how a character harnesses it. A character only needs Dexterity to flail to the beat of the music. She needs Performance to dance the waltz. Most actions that require a dice roll will use an Attribute paired with an Ability to create the total dice pool. There are 30 Abilities separated into 10 Talents, 10 Skills, and 10 Knowledges. Each Ability normally represents a broad range of subjects. Certain Abilities, such as Crafts and Performance, have a Specialty even if a character’s rating is not 4 or higher. For example, she might be versed in all forms of Performance, but be especially practiced in dance.
Talents
Talents represent innate Abilities every character possesses without instruction. The only way to improve Talents is through practice. If a character attempts an action using a Talent she does not possess, she uses her full Attribute rating. Talents are so intuitive almost anyone can try them.
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Alertness
Alertness indicates a character’s attention to the world around him, even when he’s not actively looking or otherwise distracted. It measures how connected he is to the tangible surroundings — anything he can see, touch, taste, or smell. Alertness allows the character to notice the subtle details and changes in his environment. ¶ Novice: You are alert and pay attention more than most. ¶¶ Practiced: You are attentive and keep an eye out. ¶¶¶ Competent: You keep a sharp eye on your environment. ¶¶¶¶ Expert: You rarely let your guard down. ¶¶¶¶¶ Master: Nothing escapes your eagle eyes. Possessed by: Detectives, Journalists, Security Guards, Hunters, Thieves Specialties: Eavesdropping, Danger Sense, Fine Details, Wilderness, Streets
Athletics
Athletics represents a character’s basic physical prowess, as well as any experience she has with sports or exercise. Climbing, running, leaping, swimming, and throwing, as well as the rules and play of sports, are all encompassed by Athletics. This Ability does not include activities covered by other Abilities, such as Brawl or Melee. ¶ Novice: You were always picked first for teams in primary school. ¶¶ Practiced: You were on your high school football team. ¶¶¶ Competent: You probably had a college sports scholarship. ¶¶¶¶ Expert: You could be a professional trainer or athlete. ¶¶¶¶¶ Master: You compete at the Olympic level. Possessed by: Athletes, Gymnasts, Jocks, Kids, Dancers Specialties: Acrobatics, Parkour, Mountain Climbing, Track & Field, Swimming
Brawl
Brawl is any kind of fighting without a weapon. From street fighting relying on punching and kicking to formal martial arts training, a character uses this Trait when he finds himself in a tooth-and-nail situation. Brawling is up close, personal, and messy. To be the last one standing, anyone in a fight must be able to take as much punishment as he gives. ¶ Novice: You’ve been in a fight or two. ¶¶ Practiced: You could hurt someone in a bar room brawl. ¶¶¶ Competent: You know how to take down an opponent quickly. ¶¶¶¶ Expert: The MMA is trying to recruit you. ¶¶¶¶¶ Master: Your hands are considered deadly weapons. Possessed by: Bouncers, Cops, Thugs, Martial Artists, Soldiers Specialties: Any Martial Arts Style, Dirty Fighting, Wrestling, Boxing, Warrior’s Halo
Empathy
Empathy is a character’s understanding of the emotions and feelings of others. She may form a genuine connection with people or feign sympathy to manipulate them. Particularly intuitive characters can discern when someone is lying. A highly empathetic character must be careful: Her own feelings may be affected by others’ emotions. ¶ Novice: Your shoulder is available to cry upon. ¶¶ Practiced: You may uncover the feelings someone is trying to hide. ¶¶¶ Competent: You glean insight into another’s motivations. ¶¶¶¶ Expert: You are particularly sensitive to lies. ¶¶¶¶¶ Master: You know a person’s emotional state before they do. Possessed by: Psychologists, Con Artists, Social Workers, Actors, Best Friends Specialties: Desires, Falsehoods, Emotions, Motives, Matters of the Heart
Expression
Expression allows a character to convey his message to an audience in any medium — whether conversation, song, story, or SMS message. When people hear a character with high Expression, they sit up and take notice; his words carry weight. Even if the character is factually wrong, he cannot easily be dismissed. Nonverbal forms of communication are the domain of Performance. ¶ Novice: You have attended a poetry slam. ¶¶ Practiced: You enjoy debate and could lead a team. ¶¶¶ Competent: Your op-ed submissions are never rejected. ¶¶¶¶ Expert: You have won awards for your writing. ¶¶¶¶¶ Master: Poet, politician, and author: The world is your oyster. Possessed by: Journalists, Poets, Rabble Rousers, Bloggers, Courtiers Specialties: Inspiring Speeches, Fiction, Poetry, Rhetoric, Social Media
Intimidation
Intimidation measures a character’s ability to pressure someone into doing what she wants. It ranges from subtle threats to physical violence or the mere force of one’s presence. Intimidation need not be cruel or vicious. When applied judiciously at the appropriate time, it is often called “diplomacy.” ¶ Novice: Your threats work on those who won’t fight back. ¶¶ Practiced: You can win a stare down. ¶¶¶ Competent: Your presence gives people chills. ¶¶¶¶ Expert: Your air of authority commands respect from bystanders. ¶¶¶¶¶ Master: You could cow a redcap. Possessed by: Bullies, Gangsters, Businesspeople, Officers, Nobles Specialties: Veiled Threats, Pulling Rank, Violence, Blackmail, “The Look”
Kenning
Kenning is faerie sight. It allows a character to sense Glamour in all of its forms. He can recognize the power of cantrips and freeholds, identify “slumbering” changelings, and even discover the elusive prodigals and their magic. This insight is usually an impression. Gremayre is required to know specifics about what the changeling senses. ¶ Novice: Glamour tickles your senses. ¶¶ Practiced: You get impressions from locations that house freeholds. ¶¶¶ Competent: You can recognize an Undone changeling. ¶¶¶¶ Expert: Even the faintest traces of Glamour are clear to you. ¶¶¶¶¶ Master: The world of the supernatural is laid bare before you. Possessed by: Powerful Chimera, Psychics, Changelings, Kinain, Some Paranormal Researchers Specialties: Cantrips, Oaths, Enchantment, Trods, Hidden Magic
Leadership
Leadership is a character’s ability to organize and inspire others to her cause. She does not manipulate; she projects an aura of authority that people want to follow. She knows what to say, when to say it, which tasks to delegate, and how to lead by example. She is confident, assertive, and decisive. ¶ Novice: You’re the one your group of friends looks to for guidance. ¶¶ Practiced: When you see a need, you step in and take charge. ¶¶¶ Competent: You could guide a large enterprise. ¶¶¶¶ Expert: You could run for senate, parliament, or other national office. ¶¶¶¶¶ Master: Becoming a beloved king is well within your grasp. Possessed by: Officers, Executives, Nobility, Gang Leaders, Politicians Specialties: Compelling, Military, Oration, Friendly, Dictatorial
Streetwise
Streetwise is a measure of a character’s comfort dealing with the streets. He knows who’s who and the right words to fit in with the wrong crowd. He can blend in with the scene, dig up information, or find the muscle for the next job. A streetwise changeling is helpful when dealing with criminals, gangs, and other lowlifes who distrust outsiders. ¶ Novice: You know the pushers. ¶¶ Practiced: You’ve earned a measure of respect. ¶¶¶ Competent: You could organize a gang. ¶¶¶¶ Expert: Your connections give you an all-access pass. ¶¶¶¶¶ Master: Nothing happens without your knowledge.
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Possessed by: Homeless People, Reporters, Beat Cops, Criminals, Redcaps Specialties: Fencing, Gangs, Drugs, I Know a Guy, Information
Subterfuge
Subterfuge allows a character to project a facade while concealing her true motives and feelings. Through intrigue, deceit, and double-dealing, she can use people’s motives against them. A character skilled in subterfuge can divert blame and adjust situations without others spotting her influence. ¶ Novice: You’re rarely caught lying. ¶¶ Practiced: Diverting attention comes naturally. ¶¶¶ Competent: You don’t even need to lie to conceal the truth. ¶¶¶¶ Expert: You can keep a con going as long as it suits you. ¶¶¶¶¶ Master: No one even suspects you. Possessed by: Pick-Up Artists, Lawyers, Con Artists, Spies, Pooka Specialties: Diversions, Seduction, The Long Con, Little White Lies, It Wasn’t Me
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Hobby Talent
This category encompasses anything self-taught. It tends to be more active than intellectual. Before allowing a Hobby Talent, the Storyteller should first determine if it would fit better as a specialty under an existing Talent (for example, Search and Eavesdropping would be specialties under Alertness). ¶ Novice: You know the basics. ¶¶ Practiced: You have a good grasp on the hobby. ¶¶¶ Competent: Other practitioners regard you as competent. ¶¶¶¶ Expert: You know your Talent’s subtleties. ¶¶¶¶¶ Master: Others seek you out for your expertise. Suggested Hobby Talents: Artistic Expression, Carousing, Fortune-Telling, Negotiation, Style
Skills
Skills require instruction or some form of training period. If a character attempts an action that requires a Skill for which he has no rating, his difficulty is increased by one. A person with no experience in the Skill will never be as effective as someone with even basic training.
Animal Ken
Animal Ken is understanding an animal’s behavior and the ability to work closely with them. A character with this Ability understands how an animal will react in a variety of situations, knows what to do to gain a creature’s trust, can train a domesticated pet, and possibly even calm an enraged wild beast. ¶ Novice: You can convince a cat or dog to let you pet it. ¶¶ Practiced: Basic obedience training is easy for you. ¶¶¶ Competent: You train service animals. ¶¶¶¶ Expert: You win awards for your routines at animal shows. ¶¶¶¶¶ Master: Even wild creatures understand and follow you. Possessed by: Farmers, Zoo Keepers, Veterinarians, Pet Owners, Wilderness Survivalists Specialties: Falconry, Big Cats, Attack Training, Sea Creatures, Farm Animals
Crafts
Crafts is the art of building or repairing things with one’s hands. It includes carpentry, mechanics, masonry, sculpting, and painting. Skilled crafters can build items of lasting value or beauty. The Crafts skill is necessary for any changeling who creates chimera. A character must have a specialization in this Skill even if she works in a variety of areas. ¶ Novice: You can build something functional. ¶¶ Practiced: Your creations have your personal flair. ¶¶¶ Competent: People wish to buy your creations. ¶¶¶¶ Expert: You wrote the book on your area of expertise. ¶¶¶¶¶ Master: Your insight is nearly without equal. Possessed by: Artists, Mechanics, Designers, House Dougal, Nockers Specialties: Metalworking, Leatherworking, Sculpture, Machinery, Home Repair
Drive
Drive allows a character to operate motor vehicles, but his knowledge is not universal. Driving a performance Mustang is worlds apart from driving an 18-wheeler. The Storyteller may adjust the difficulty depending on the terrain and the character’s familiarity with the vehicle driven. ¶ Novice: You can drive an automatic. ¶¶ Practiced: Curvy roads are your best friend. ¶¶¶ Competent: You could be a professional trucker or chauffeur. ¶¶¶¶ Expert: You usually win races. ¶¶¶¶¶ Master: You’re at home as stunt or test driver. Possessed by: NASCAR Drivers, Chauffeurs, Drug Runners, Truckers, Weekend Warriors Specialties: Off Road, Heavy Traffic, Curves, Muscle Cars, Like You Stole It
Etiquette
Etiquette is understanding the nuance of proper behavior both in mundane social functions and changeling courts. It measures how well-mannered a character is and if she can remain in good standing among polite society. Knowing the proper way to raise an issue is as important as its content. Etiquette ensures she’ll be heard. ¶ Novice: You know when to stop talking. ¶¶ Practiced: You have a suit for formal occasions. ¶¶¶ Competent: You know exactly which utensil to use when. ¶¶¶¶ Expert: You can get the Duke’s ear. ¶¶¶¶¶ Master: Tea with the sluagh, dinner at the troll lodge, then off to the High King’s ball. Possessed by: Courtesans, Diplomats, Executives, Debutantes, Sidhe Specialties: High Society, Boardrooms, Particular Kiths, Seelie or Unseelie Courts
Firearms
Firearms conveys a general operating knowledge of guns, the ability to clean almost any sidearm, and the skill to shoot a wide range of guns, from a hold-out pistol to an Uzi. Firearms does not, however, encompass heavy artillery or mortars. ¶ Novice: You’ve been to the shooting range a few times. ¶¶ Practiced: You’re a hobbyist who has a membership to the local gun club. ¶¶¶ Competent: You could survive a firefight. ¶¶¶¶ Expert: You win trick shooting competitions. ¶¶¶¶¶ Master: Cool and steady, you are a true marksman. Possessed by: Cops, Criminals, Hunters, Militia Men, Survivalists Specialties: Quick Draw, Gunsmith, Fast Reload, Pistols, Rifles
Larceny
Larceny is experience with the tools and techniques of criminal activity — picking pockets, breaking locks, forgery, basic hot-wiring, safe cracking, and even some sleight of hand. Larceny also covers evading or improving security measures. The inner workings of advanced systems such as video surveillance and alarm systems fall under Technology. ¶ Novice: You can overcome a simple lock. ¶¶ Practiced: You can make money off of card tricks in a back alley. ¶¶¶ Competent: Locked cars are no obstacle. ¶¶¶¶ Expert: Your counterfeit bills could even fool the treasury. ¶¶¶¶¶ Master: Opening a vault underwater while manacled and surrounded by sharks? Child’s play. Possessed by: Burglars, Security Consultants, Con Artists, Street Magicians, Car Thieves Specialties: Pickpocketing, Misdirection, Hot-Wiring, Forgery, Sleight-of-Hand
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Melee
Melee represents a character’s ability to use hand-to-hand weapons of all forms, from saps to swords to specialized weapons, like nunchaku and tonfa. While such weapons might seem archaic in the face of modern firearms, a simple gun is rarely a match for a skilled changeling wielding a Treasure sword. ¶ Novice: You know the stance and how to hold your weapon. ¶¶ Practiced: You have won a few fights. ¶¶¶ Competent: You fence at the collegiate level. ¶¶¶¶ Expert: You keep order in the Duke’s court. ¶¶¶¶¶ Master: Your reputation with a blade is known throughout the kingdom. Possessed by: Fencers, Martial Artists, Assassins, Thugs, Knights Specialties: Disarming, Improvised Weapons, Riposte, Rapiers, Blessed Opa
Performance
Performance covers a wide range of artistic expression, including singing, dancing, storytelling, and musical instruments. Beyond simply technical skill, this Trait also measures stage presence and the ability to captivate an audience. She knows the history of her art and can draw upon a broad repertoire. A player must choose a specialty for Performance. ¶ Novice: As an amateur, you attend jam sessions, but still get nervous in the spotlight. ¶¶ Practiced: Your YouTube channel has a dedicated following. ¶¶¶ Competent: You have steady work, and the labels are interested in you. ¶¶¶¶ Expert: You’re a regional celebrity on the cusp of making it big. ¶¶¶¶¶ Master: Your work will be the gold standard even long after you’re gone. Possessed by: Actors, Musicians, Comedians, Mimes, Eshu Specialties: Dancing, Acting, Specific Instrument, Evoke Emotion, Storytelling
Survival allows a character to survive in unfamiliar and hostile environments. She knows how to track, acquire shelter, find safe passage, and defend herself from danger. Note: Some urban environments are bleaker than deserts. ¶ Novice: You can camp out for an evening. ¶¶ Practiced: You can tell the difference between edible plants and deadly poison. ¶¶¶ Competent: You acclimate quickly to any environment. ¶¶¶¶ Expert: You could live off the land indefinitely. ¶¶¶¶¶ Master: You could thrive even in the Sahara. Possessed by: Explorers, Park Rangers, Survivalists, Soldiers, Hunters Specialties: Foraging, Specific Environments, Tracking, Hunting, Urban Exploration
Professional Skill
This category may be anything the Storyteller agrees is a taught Ability and is primarily active in nature. Storytellers should first examine all of the existing Skills to see if the task already fits under one (Lockpicking and Pickpocket are specialties of Larceny). ¶ Novice: You’re trained. ¶¶ Practiced: You have the basics down. ¶¶¶ Competent: You could make a living at your activity. ¶¶¶¶ Expert: You know the obscure applications of your Skill. ¶¶¶¶¶ Master: You are a renowned authority in your field. Suggested Professional Skills: Brewing, Disguise, Escapology, Storytelling, Traps
Knowledges
Knowledge Abilities stem from the mind. Expertise in Knowledges comes from study and research, often after years of devotion to the subject. If a character does not have any rating in a Knowledge, he cannot attempt a roll with it. However, matters considered common knowledge do not require a roll.
Academics
Stealth
Stealth is being able to sneak about or hide without being discovered. Sticking to the shadows, hiding in a crowd, trying to lose a tail, and concealing other people or items are all done through Stealth. Stealth is usually resisted by Perception + Alertness. ¶ Novice: You can hide in darkness. ¶¶ Practiced: You can shadow someone at night. ¶¶¶ Competent: You can lose a tail in a crowd. ¶¶¶¶ Expert: You move silent as a ghost over dried brush. ¶¶¶¶¶ Master: Sluagh are jealous of your ability to slip away. Possessed by: Spies, Assassins, Reporters, Burglars, Sluagh Specialties: Hiding, Shadowing, Crowds, Urban, Silent Movement
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Academics is a character’s grasp of the humanities: literature, history, philosophy, rhetoric, and other subjects under the umbrella of the liberal arts. He is generally considered well rounded in all of these fields, but must have a chosen Specialty in one. ¶ Student: You know Benjamin Franklin was fond of the ladies of Paris. ¶¶ College: You enjoy casual intellectual discourse. ¶¶¶ Masters: You have had papers published in academic journals. ¶¶¶¶ Doctorate: You didn’t just write the book on the subject, you’ve written volumes. ¶¶¶¶¶ Scholar: In your field, you are one of the foremost experts of your time.
Possessed by: Professors, Historians, Topical Bloggers, Students, Scientists Specialties: Linguistics, Ethics, Teaching, Clovis Culture, Music Theory
Computer
Computer is a measure of how well a character can use and program a computer, including cell phones and tablets. It also conveys knowledge of Internet forums, wikis, and general webbased research. At higher levels she can create fake websites and exploit software vulnerabilities. ¶ Student: You’re familiar with touch screen and pointand-click interfaces. ¶¶ College: You are comfortable using a wide range of software. ¶¶¶ Masters: You are can use a command line interface and develop custom software. ¶¶¶¶ Doctorate: You can live comfortably as an IT consultant. ¶¶¶¶¶ Scholar: You are on the cusp of creating the replacement for Google and Facebook. Possessed by: Hacktivists, Black Hats, Office Workers, Developers, Tech Support Specialties: Zero Day Exploits, Specific Programming Languages, Internet Research, Database Administration, Hacking
Enigmas
Enigmas represents a character’s ability to solve logic problems, puzzles, and mysteries. With it, he can create or break ciphers, utilize puzzle boxes, or match wits with a particularly confounding nemesis. Enigmas is essential for divining hidden trods, deciphering dreams and prophecy, and answering riddles of the Dreaming’s guardians. ¶ Student: You enjoy the occasional sudoku puzzle. ¶¶ College: You always know whodunit before the big reveal. ¶¶¶ Masters: You can find multiple correct answers to most riddles. ¶¶¶¶ Doctorate: You can reliably discover the secrets to opening trods. ¶¶¶¶¶ Scholar: You understand the deepest mysteries of the Dreaming. Possessed by: Mystics, Zen Enthusiasts, Detectives, Oneironauts, Soothsayers Specialties: Cryptography, Ancient Mysteries, Riddles, Lateral Thinking, Logical Leaps
Gremayre
Gremayre is a character’s understanding of magic, lore, and the ways of Glamour. She uses it when creating an oath, weaving an enchantment, forging a treasure, and understanding faerie history. Gremayre is essential for comprehending all things related to the Dreaming, including mortal and Prodigal magic and mystic practices.
Student: You grasp the fundamentals of faerie magic, such as oaths. ¶¶ College: You are able to differentiate between similar Arts in use. ¶¶¶ Masters: You have an in-depth understanding of the ebb and flow of Glamour. ¶¶¶¶ Doctorate: You know lost secrets that predate the Shattering. ¶¶¶¶¶ Scholar: You understand the inner workings of the Dreaming. Possessed by: Sorcerers, Occultists, Scholars, New Agers, Fortune-Tellers Specialties: Faerie Lore, Enchantment, Tarot, Prodigals, Glamour ¶
Investigation
Investigation gives a character an eye for details. It represents his ability to perform forensic analysis, procure records, and follow leads. He can recognize relevant clues and piece evidence into a picture of what actually happened. Investigation is rooted entirely in evidence and sequential reasoning. The leaps of logic often found in crime dramas fall under Enigmas. ¶ Student: You can narrow down a web search. ¶¶ College: You can spot inconsistencies in a witness’s story. ¶¶¶ Masters: You could make a living as a private detective. ¶¶¶¶ Doctorate: The FBI wants to recruit you. ¶¶¶¶¶ Scholar: Even Sherlock Holmes is impressed. Possessed by: Detectives, Reporters, Mystery Buffs, Intelligence Agents, Knights Specialties: Forensics, Internet Research, Search, Shadowing, Criminal Psychology
Law
Law represents a character’s knowledge of legal statutes, rights, enforcement, and jurisprudence both among humans and the Kithain. If she is in trouble with the police, this Ability helps her get out of jail. If she crosses the local Baron, she’ll need this Knowledge to defend herself against a faerie legal system stacked against her. ¶ Student: You know when to plead guilty or not guilty and have the Escheat memorized. ¶¶ College: You could pass the bar exam. ¶¶¶ Masters: People want you at their side if they’re in trouble with the law. ¶¶¶¶ Doctorate: You could sit on the judicial bench. ¶¶¶¶¶ Scholar: You can find a loophole even in the most airtight oath or Geas. Possessed by: Police, Judges, Legislators, Nobles, Knights Specialties: Courtroom Protocol, Police Procedure, Criminal, Kithain Law, The Escheat
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Medicine
Medicine is the study of the human body, how it works, and how to cure its ailments. This ability encompasses first aid procedures, as well as the diagnosis and treatment of infirmities and injuries. It also covers pharmaceuticals, both legal and illegal, and how they may be used to help or harm. ¶ Student: You know CPR and can perform first aid. ¶¶ College: You could work as a paramedic. ¶¶¶ Masters: You could make a living as a general practitioner. ¶¶¶¶ Doctorate: Even brain surgery is routine for you. ¶¶¶¶¶ Scholar: You are a respected pioneer in your field of medicine. Possessed by: MDs, Registered Dieticians, Hypochondriacs, Pharmacists, Paramedics Specialties: Emergency Care, Pathology, Recreational Pharmaceuticals, Neurology, Nutrition
Politics
Politics is an understanding of the political structure of the day, including the people in charge and how they came to power. A character can utilize this Ability to navigate bureaucracies. Familiarity of Kithain politics is essential in faerie courtly proceedings, for “labyrinthine” is an understated description of fae power structures. ¶ Student: An activist, you know how to make a petition. ¶¶ College: You know how to file a request for information. ¶¶¶ Masters: You could be an effective campaign manager. ¶¶¶¶ Doctorate: The Duke relies on your advice. ¶¶¶¶¶ Scholar: Known as a kingmaker, you could choose the next President. Possessed by: Politicians, Lawyers, Protesters, Courtesans, Sidhe Specialties: Congress, State, Neighborhood, Parliament of Dreams, Unseelie Court
Science
Science is a character’s knowledge of mathematics and basic sciences — chemistry, biology, astronomy, and so on. He knows the scientific method, and applies it in his day-to-day life. A character must always have a Specialty for this Knowledge. ¶ Student: You know the basics and can make a smoke bomb out of household items. ¶¶ College: You understand the major theories in your field. ¶¶¶ Masters: You could teach high school science. ¶¶¶¶ Doctorate: You’re a vital researcher in your field. ¶¶¶¶¶ Scholar: The Nobel Prize committee would like to speak with you. Possessed by: Researchers, Inventors, Engineers, Teachers, Technicians Specialties: Experiments, Theory, Mathematics, Geology, Relativity
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Technology
Technology is a character’s aptitude with computer hardware, robotics, and circuitry. She can build a computer, repair a cell phone, modify a video game console, or even crack an electronic security system. If a device has a processor or an integrated circuit, it falls under Technology. The Crafts Skill governs mechanical devices. A character must have a specialty. ¶ Student: You can make simple modifications or repairs. ¶¶ College: You could make a living as a computer technician. ¶¶¶ Masters: You can design new equipment to meet your needs. ¶¶¶¶ Doctorate: With a screwdriver and soldering iron, nothing is impossible. ¶¶¶¶¶ Scholar: You create new ways for people to interact with the world through their devices. Possessed by: Engineers, Scientists, Makers, Electronics Hobbyists, Nockers Specialties: Telecom, Computers, Jury-Rigging, Robots, Security
Expert Knowledge
This is a catch-all category like Hobby Talent and Professional Skill. Expert Knowledge is anything the Storyteller agrees is primarily intellectual or mental in nature and requires a degree of study to learn. Storytellers should first check to make sure the field of expertise wouldn’t fit better under an existing Knowledge (Cosmology and Astrology would be specialties of Gremayre). ¶ Student: You’ve read up on the subject. ¶¶ College: You took a few classes in the field. ¶¶¶ Masters: You probably have a degree in the subject. ¶¶¶¶ Doctorate: You regularly publish your findings. ¶¶¶¶¶ Scholar: You know the hidden mysteries of your field. Suggested Expert Knowledges: Demolitions, Finance, Area Knowledge, Theology, Media
Backgrounds
Background Traits are special advantages a character gains from her environment, including her station, possessions, social network, and influences. When choosing Backgrounds, the player should always consider how her character came to possess them. How did she become the keeper of her Treasure? What did she do to earn her rank in Title? A character can use her Backgrounds to obtain information, items, or favors. While they mostly stand alone, sometimes they’re used in combination with an Attribute. She might roll Manipulation + Mentor to assert standing in changeling society she doesn’t actually possess. Charisma + Title might inspire someone to follow her orders. Backgrounds fluctuate as the events of the chronicle unfold. They might rise or fall as a character gains a new Dreamer or loses a chimerical item, but they cannot be raised by experience
points. Some Backgrounds may be pooled among changelings in a motley. For more information, see “Pooling Backgrounds” on p. 171.
Chimera
Chimera includes both chimerical items and chimerical companions. The player must designate one or both of these variations on the character sheet. This Background may have up to five dots in both versions. For more information on chimerical items, creating a companion from the points provided by the Background, and examples, see Chapter Seven: The Dreaming.
Chimerical Items
Every changeling’s voile, his chimerical clothing, forms to suit him upon his Chrysalis. The Chimera Background represents any chimerical items in his possession beyond this. The item’s usefulness and power determine the rating for this Background. Each dot represents one rank on the threshold chart under “Creating Chimerical Items” on p. 317. ¶ You own a chimerical memento or conversation piece (Basic crafting). ¶¶ Your chimerical item conveys some useful benefit (Advanced crafting). ¶¶¶ You have a moderately powerful chimerical item (Complex crafting). ¶¶¶¶ You own a powerful chimerical item (Masterwork crafting). ¶¶¶¶¶ Your chimerical item is legendary (Legendary crafting).
Chimerical Companions
Companions are living chimera either born of unconscious dreams or sculpted into existence from raw dream stuff, then breathed life by a changeling. While the character has either befriended or bound the chimera, powerful ones have motivations of their own that may occasionally conflict with those of their companions. The higher a changeling’s rating in this Background, the more points the player has to build the companion, using the system on p. 320. ¶ You have a simple chimerical pet (20 points). ¶¶ Your chimera is semi-intelligent and able to communicate (25 points). ¶¶¶ The chimera is able to speak clearly and often has a mind of its own (30 points). ¶¶¶¶ You have a highly intelligent chimera that is often a great help (40 points). ¶¶¶¶¶ Your friend is an ancient and/or powerful chimera that is a legend in its own right (60 points).
Contacts
Contacts are the people a character can call upon for information and assistance. While Contacts might be friendly, they will not exert their influence or give up their knowledge without a quid pro quo or expectation of a future favor. The
player should describe his major Contacts in some detail, such as their professions or sphere of influence. In addition to his major contacts, the character also has a number of minor contacts. To get in touch with them, the player rolls his Manipulation or Wits + Contacts rating (difficulty 7). Each success allows the character to speak with one minor contact. He can then bully, bribe, or deal with the contact to get what he is after. The Contacts Background may be pooled among characters in the motley. ¶ One major contact. ¶¶ Two major contacts. ¶¶¶ Three major contacts. ¶¶¶¶ Four major contacts. ¶¶¶¶¶ Five major contacts.
Dreamers
Changelings primarily gain Glamour by inspiring Dreamers. This Background represents the number of Dreamers from whom the character draws Glamour. Cultivating a Dreamer is an intimate experience of psychological bonding, whether through trust or fear. A Dreamer is usually willing to perform services for her changeling, but isn’t as loyal or efficient as Retinue. The player should describe details such as how the changeling inspires the Dreamer and what form the Dreamer’s Glamour takes. Because of their unique bond, the changeling already knows how to inspire her Dreamer. Each dot of the Dreamers Background provides one automatic success on the initial Perception + Kenning roll when initiating Reverie. For more unsavory changelings, this Background provides a ready pool of Dreamers on which to Ravage. ¶ You benefit from one Dreamer. ¶¶ You benefit from two Dreamers. ¶¶¶ You benefit from four Dreamers. ¶¶¶¶ You benefit from six Dreamers. ¶¶¶¶¶ You benefit from eight Dreamers.
Holdings
Freeholds, no matter the size, are extremely rare, valuable commodities in faerie society. Though being the keeper of a freehold provides a steady supply of Glamour, responsibility for it comes with a number of obligations. He must maintain it each year to keep its balefire burning. If he’s a noble, modernist commoners might see his Holding as a symbol of oppression and seek to liberate it. If he is a commoner, traditionalist nobles might see it as an affront to the natural order and seek to restore the freehold to its proper owners. If he holds it in secret, changelings who get wind of it might jealously seek it for themselves. The Holdings rating determines the amount of Glamour the freehold produces and its physical size. For more information about freeholds and examples, see Chapter Seven: The
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Dreaming. This Background may be pooled among the characters in a motley. ¶ You preserve a spark of a freehold that produces one point of Glamour. ¶¶ You take care of a small freehold that produces two points of Glamour. ¶¶¶ You are the keeper of a medium sized freehold that produces three points of Glamour. ¶¶¶¶ You are in charge of a large freehold that produces four points of Glamour. ¶¶¶¶¶ You oversee a huge freehold that produces five points of Glamour.
Mentor
When a Chrysalis is discovered, other fae move quickly to protect and educate the new changeling before Banality can claim her. Like a parent and child, the bond between Mentor and fledgling often lasts a lifetime. A Mentor can be an invaluable guide to Kithain society, defending the changeling and informing her of advancement opportunities. Some Mentors expect something in exchange, such as assistance with menial tasks or guarding the freehold from rampaging nightmares. ¶ Your mentor is earnest, but either knows little of import or is not well connected. ¶¶ Your mentor knows some noteworthy information or people. ¶¶¶ Your mentor has significant secrets and knows wellconnected changelings. ¶¶¶¶ You mentor has extraordinary knowledge and has the ear of the Duke. ¶¶¶¶¶ You mentor knows the secrets of the Dreaming and can arrange an audience with the High King.
Remembrance
A character’s current life as a changeling is not his first lifetime. All who’ve undergone the Changeling Way have experienced a multitude of lifetimes. An Arcadian sidhe new to the Autumn Realm lived an eternity as an ageless faerie before exchanging his soul with that of a mortal. The Mists normally wipe a changeling’s mind clean between lives but a character with Remembrance occasionally has a flash of insight gained from a previous life’s experience. Any time the character interacts with changelings or other creatures and locations of the Dreaming, the player may roll Intelligence + Remembrance to recall details about the subject at hand. The difficulty varies based on the obscurity of the information. Something commonly known would require a difficulty 6, while remembering the location of a freehold lost since the Shattering would require a difficulty of 8. Additionally, the player may substitute Remembrance for an Ability on any roll involving a mundane task. This substitution may be made a number of times per story equal to the character’s Remembrance rating.
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Your memories are hazy when they’re triggered by an event. ¶¶ You gain accurate information with a reminder. ¶¶¶ You experience relevant flashbacks even without a reminder. ¶¶¶¶ You remember remarkable information, including major events. ¶¶¶¶¶ You clearly remember large swaths of your history including entire lifetimes. ¶
Resources
Resources are a character’s financial resources, her net worth and her monthly income. These assets may be cash, but as the Background rating rises, the less likely the Resources are to be liquid. They may be stocks, bonds, land or other property, or even criminal infrastructure — anything the character can cash in or sell off to raise money, even if doing so takes weeks or months. Lacking a Resources rating doesn’t necessarily mean the character is destitute; all of her income may go straight to food and bills. Players may purchase this Background with pooled Background points. ¶ Sufficient. You have a working-class residence as long as you’re careful with money. ¶¶ Moderate. You are a member of the middle class, and can afford to splurge occasionally. ¶¶¶ Comfortable. You are a prominent member of the local community and have a generous line of credit. ¶¶¶¶ Wealthy. You are wealthier than most of your peers and rarely use cash, preferring other assets that accrue more wealth than paper money. ¶¶¶¶¶ Extremely Wealthy. You are the one percent. Your assets are vast and widely distributed, possibly tied to the fates of nations.
Retinue
Retinue are the Kinain, enchanted humans, and other retainers under a character’s sway. They answer to him due to loyalty, magical control, or mundane manipulation. They’ll follow his command to the best of their ability, though some would betray him if the opportunity presented itself, especially if he mistreats them or if they are bound to him against their will. While those who make up a character’s Retinue are his highly-skilled honor guard or personal attendants, they are not infallible. Nor are they nameless, disposable fodder. The player should define each member of his Retinue, their strengths and weaknesses, and how they came into his service. Players may spend pooled Background points on Retinue. ¶ Your retinue consists of one member. ¶¶ Your retinue consists of two members. ¶¶¶ Your retinue consists of four members. ¶¶¶¶ Your retinue consists of six members. ¶¶¶¶¶ Your retinue consists of 10 members.
Title
Title denotes a character’s rank within Kithain society. Not all changelings possess a title, and few attain a station above esquire. Title by itself imparts little tangible power. The majority of nobles have no holdings. However, even a landless baron or duke wields tremendous social influence. Changelings are far more willing to trade favors with those in power, whether to further their own social mobility or because most titles, especially knighthood, are earned through skill and accomplishment. Sidhe are the most common kith to be awarded titles, but since the Treaty of Concord, it is not uncommon to see members of other kiths attain rank, usually as squires and knights. Any commoner inducted into the sphere of nobility gains the Boon and Flaw of the house that takes her in. ¶ You are a squire, squiress, or esquire. ¶¶ You are a knight or lady. ¶¶¶ You are a baron or baroness. ¶¶¶¶ You are a count or countess. ¶¶¶¶¶ You are a duke or duchess.
Treasures
A Treasure is a mundane item imbued with Glamour. Like changelings, Treasures exist simultaneously in the Autumn Realm and the chimerical world. They are capable of specific magical abilities based on the Glamour fused within them. Usually, this is an Art bound into the Treasure, but occasion-
ally a Treasure will form due to the overwhelming emotions connected with the object. A changeling cannot forget herself due to Banality as long as she is holding a Treasure. Likewise, mortals become enchanted when touched by a Treasure. For more information about Treasures, their creation, and examples, see Chapter Seven: The Dreaming. ¶ Common, rank one of an Art. ¶¶ Uncommon, rank two of an Art. ¶¶¶ Rare, rank three of an Art. ¶¶¶¶ Unique, rank four of an Art. ¶¶¶¶¶ Legendary, rank five of an Art.
Pooling Backgrounds
Pooled Backgrounds are shared resources — they are the motley’s communal property. Members of the motley may wish to pool their Contacts, Holdings, Resources, or Retinue ratings in order to achieve greater things than they could individually. Anyone who contributes to the pooled Background points, whether a single dot or five, has equal access to the pooled Backgrounds.
The Anchor
The players must choose one Background to anchor all of their pooled Backgrounds together. The anchor forms the
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nucleus to which all of the players’ other shared Backgrounds are tied. No secondary pooled Background may have a higher rating than the anchor. For example, the members of a motley wish to have a shared household and all the benefits that go along with it. As such, they designate Holdings as their anchor Background. Between the players, they have enough Background points to gain 4 dots in Holdings, giving the motley a large, moderately powerful freehold. The group then decides that it must have an equally impressive staff, so they pool Retinue at 4 dots to match Holdings. The group cannot give Retinue 5 dots because their anchor Background, Holdings, is 4 dots. The motley enjoys its freehold until a Dauntain attacks. The players fend off the assault, but not before the freehold’s balefire is partially extinguished, reducing the group’s Holdings to 3. Because Holdings is the anchor Background, the other shared Background, Retinue, can no longer be rated at 4. It must also be reduced to 3. The Storyteller rules that the group’s freehold no longer produces enough Glamour to keep everyone enchanted, so some staff must be let go.
Upper Limits
By pooling Backgrounds, they may surpass the normal 5-dot limit. Though there is no absolute upper limit, to prevent things from spiraling out of proportion, the Storyteller might impose a 10 limit on the anchor Background. The Storyteller should consider adjusting how the Backgrounds scale. Instead of following the progression, she may increase the Background’s reliability. For example, if the motley has a freehold with a rating of 8, it doesn’t make sense for their freehold to put Tara-Nar to shame. Instead, the freehold may be much more difficult to capture. It’s important to balance player expectation with the needs of the chronicle.
Willpower
Willpower is a character’s determination in the face of hardship or discipline against temptation. When external forces threaten to overwhelm her or when she is about to lose control of herself, Willpower allows her to steel herself and hold on to her personal narrative. On the character sheet, permanent Willpower is recorded using dots, while temporary Willpower is tracked using squares below the dots. Spending a Willpower point removes one from the temporary pool, not the permanent rating. A character’s permanent Willpower is the upper limit to her temporary pool. If a character spends all of her Willpower, she becomes too physically and mentally exhausted to push past her limits. Willpower Ratings ¶ Spineless ¶¶ Weak ¶¶¶ Unassertive ¶¶¶¶ Diffident ¶¶¶¶¶ Certain ¶¶¶¶¶ ¶ Confident
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¶¶¶¶¶ ¶¶ Determined ¶¶¶¶¶ ¶¶¶ Controlled ¶¶¶¶¶ ¶¶¶¶ Iron-Willed ¶¶¶¶¶ ¶¶¶¶¶ Unshakable
Using Willpower
Some uses for Willpower include: ¶¶ Automatic Success ¶¶ Overcoming Compulsion ¶¶ Clearing Bedlam ¶¶ Ignoring Injury Chapter Six: Systems and Drama contains more details about using Willpower.
Recovering Willpower
If a character fulfills his primary Legacy, he may regain Willpower. The Storyteller may award the player up to 5 Willpower points depending of the magnitude accomplishment. The character may also regain a point of Willpower after a restful, uninterrupted sleep in which he dreams. If his sleep is troubled, the Storyteller may choose not to award any Willpower. Characters may completely regain their Willpower at the end of a story. If the characters end the story defeated or demoralized, the Storyteller may restrict how much, if any, Willpower they regain. If a character’s temporary Willpower is depleted, he may convert one permanent point into a number of temporary points equaling his new permanent Willpower.
Glamour
Glamour is raw dream-stuff: passion and tragedy, hope and fear, joy and sorrow. It is anything that drives a person to experience intense emotion, break out of her daily drudgery, and fulfill her potential. It is seen in the artist who forsakes a safe career to realize her vision. It radiates from the astronomer who works to unlock the secrets of the universe. It reveals itself in the devout believer inspired to bring her community social justice. The Glamour Trait represents a character’s connection to the building blocks of the Dreaming. The higher the permanent Glamour rating, the more control she may exert over the chimerical world. Like Willpower, temporary Glamour may not exceed permanent Glamour.
Uses
for
Glamour
A few uses for Glamour include: ¶¶ Casting Cantrips ¶¶ Calling the Wyrd ¶¶ Enchanting a Mortal ¶¶ Sealing an Oath Chapter Six: Systems and Drama contains more information about using Glamour.
Gaining Glamour
Changelings have a variety of ways to gather Glamour, called the five paths to epiphany: ¶¶ Revelry: A changeling may recharge her glamour by acting according to her fundamental nature. The method varies from kith to kith. ¶¶ Reverie: Changelings can inspire mortals to staggering feats. The fruit of the dreamer’s labor provides the inspirational changeling with Glamour. ¶¶ Rapture: Through introspection, imagination, and great difficulty, a changeling may unite his faerie and human halves in inspiration and refresh his Glamour reserves. ¶¶ Ravaging: Using a brutal psychic assault, the changeling channels her Banality into a mortal to force all of the Glamour out, stealing it for herself. ¶¶ Rhapsody: Forbidden by the Kithain, a changeling may imbue a mortal with so much raw Glamour he explodes in one final burst of creativity, never able to create again. Additional sources of Glamour include dross and spending time in freeholds. For more information about gaining Glamour and the five paths to epiphany, see Chapter Six: Systems and Drama. A changeling may sacrifice a dot of Glamour to regain a number of temporary points equal to the new permanent rating.
Banality
Banality is disengagement, existence by rote with no aspirations and nothing to lose. It saturates the world, suffocating everyone. It can be seen in the minimum wage worker holding down three jobs, living off food stamps, and still unable to make ends meet. He is too busy just surviving to dream. Banality also infects the corporate executive working for less than a year, fired for incompetence, and awarded a golden parachute in the tens of millions. She has no desire to dream and take risks, so she wanders aimlessly through life. The Banality Trait describes the extent to which Banality has tainted a character’s outlook on life and ability to feel passion or aspire to something beyond his day-today routine. Like Willpower and Glamour, Banality has both a permanent rating and a temporary pool. Banality’s temporary pool is not limited by the permanent rating.
Effects
of
Banality
Once inside, Banality slowly snuffs out a changeling’s spark of Glamour. A young changeling who becomes permanently Undone can usually rebuild a life for herself, albeit without her full potential. A changeling Undone after living a full life is often mistaken for a senile geriatric in the throes of dementia.
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To affect anything with her Glamour, a changeling must overcome Banality. If a changeling attempts to cast a cantrip, enchant a mortal, or take any other action that involves Glamour, the target’s Banality affects the difficulty of the roll. Likewise, a changeling may use her own Banality to negate Glamour, countering cantrips targeting her or summoning the Mists to escape chimerical reality temporarily. This is called “Invoking the Autumn,” and is described on p. 271.
Gaining Banality
A changeling’s adopted humanity is an imperfect shield against Banality. Certain situations and actions may trigger a moment of apathy, causing her faerie half to disengage. A moment is all it takes for Banality to enter her soul. When a character is triggered, the player rolls her Glamour at a difficulty of 8. If the roll fails, the character gains a Banality point. If the roll is a botch, the character gains a point of Banality for every one rolled (see Botches, p. 245). For severe triggers, the difficulty can go higher. In egregious cases, such as killing a changeling with cold iron, the Storyteller may rule that the character takes Banality automatically. If a character’s Banality points exceed 10, all points are removed and the character gains a Banality dot.
Triggers
The Banality triggers affect all changelings, for the most part. However, the mindset of a changeling, his seeming, protects him from certain triggers and opens him up to new ones. If an event isn’t listed but seems like it should be a trigger, the Storyteller has the final say if a trigger occurs. All changelings also have one unique trigger, their antithesis (discussed anon). ¶¶ Invoking the Autumn to resist a cantrip or chimerical effect. ¶¶ Failing to overcome a target’s Banality while enchanting them (this does not apply to childlings). ¶¶ Willfully destroying a Treasure or any other irreplaceable faerie artifact. ¶¶ Killing a changeling’s chimerical self (wilders are immune to this trigger under most circumstances). ¶¶ Ending a changeling’s mortal life. ¶¶ Killing one of the enchanted, a mortal Dreamer, or Kinain. ¶¶ Wielding cold iron. ¶¶ Ravaging or Rhapsodizing a mortal. ¶¶ Breaking an oath.
Childlings
Trigger: A childling risks Banality when she denies a novel idea. Immunity: Nothing can stop childlings from trying new things. Failing to overcome Banality does not trigger them. For childlings, it’s better to try and fail than not try at all.
Wilders
Trigger: A wilder invites Banality when he denies an opportunity for adventure.
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Immunity: Conflict is part of any adventure. A wilder is not triggered by chimerically killing changelings and chimera as long as it occurs in service of his latest escapade.
Grumps
Trigger: When a grump fails to provide a necessity for someone or something in her care, she is triggered. Immunity: Sometimes unpleasant things must be endured. A grump may spend as much time around high Banality people or places as needed without gaining Banality (p. 268).
Antithesis
All changelings have an antithesis, something that runs counter to the core of their being. Each antithesis is deeply personal — no two are exactly alike. Any time a changeling encounters her antithesis, it triggers her. The player and Storyteller should discuss what would be an appropriate antithesis. Her antithesis may change as she changes seemings. Chapter Six offers additional details about triggers and a character’s antithesis.
Removing Banality
A changeling may stave off Banality with Glamour. Whenever the changeling gains a point of Glamour, she may spend it to remove one point of Banality. This may only be done at the time the point of Glamour is gained. It is possible to remove Banality dots by embarking on a difficult and dangerous quest: ¶¶ Quest of Deed: The changeling recovers something vital to the Dreaming. ¶¶ Quest of Inspiration: She inspires a mortal to such heights he becomes an inspiration himself. ¶¶ Quest of Dreaming: She guides a mortal consumed by Banality to touch the Dreaming. The changeling must swear an oath to undertake the quest. If successful, the player removes one Banality dot. If the quest fails, the character gains one Banality dot. These quests are described in greater detail in Chapter Six (p. 271).
Health
Changelings are half faerie and half flesh. While their faerie side is immortal, their human half very much isn’t. A changeling can shrug off most chimerical sources of damage — and if they do manage to injure him, he’ll soon be back on his feet. Mundane injuries are another story. Something that wouldn’t scratch his faerie side could lay him for out a week or more if it harms his mortal half. Health measures how injured a character is, with separate ratings for his mundane and chimerical halves. Each wound level applies a penalty, though he only suffers whichever wound penalty is highest — chimerical or mundane. As he accumulates wounds, his ability to act is diminished. For example, a character who is Hurt loses a single die from his dice pool. If Crippled, he loses five dice from his dice pool. He cannot attempt an
action with no dice in the dice pool. For more information about health, healing, and sources of damage, see Chapter Six: Systems and Drama. Bruised: (0) The character is only bruised and has no action penalties. Hurt: (–1) The character is mildly hurt, and his movement is unhindered. Injured: (–1) The character has a minor injury and little hindrance to his movement. Wounded: (–2) The character is seriously wounded. He can walk but not run. Mauled: (–2) The character has substantial damage and can barely hobble. Crippled: (–5) The character is severely injured. He can no longer stand, only drag himself on the ground. Incapacitated: The character is unconscious and incapable of any actions.
Experience
During the course of a chronicle, characters — much like players over the course of their lives — learn from their mistakes and grow. Change is inevitable, especially for the mercurial and dreamlike fae. The most important changes to a Changeling character aren’t reflected on the character sheet (or, if they are, they don’t cost points to notate). Characters learn, love, suffer, and (perhaps) triumph over the course of a chronicle. Indeed, the chronicle is about those changes. In addition, though, characters improve themselves in skills magical or mundane. A system of rewards, called experience points, is used to reflect these more quantitative changes. Experience points reflect the Traits that a changeling hones as time passes. At the end of each chapter, the Storyteller awards experience points to each character. The players then write down how many experience points the character earned. Between stories (or, if the Storyteller agrees, between chapters), players may spend their characters’ experience points to purchase or increase Traits. Experience points can be used to improve Attributes, to acquire new Abilities or enhance ones the character already has, to raise existing Arts and Realms or purchase new ones, or to increase Willpower and Glamour. Backgrounds may not be purchased through experience points, though they may be acquired through roleplaying if, for example, the character makes a new friend, acquires a windfall, or steals a Treasure. The costs for all of these different changes vary greatly, as shown on the chart on p. 176. Experience points are spent to increase Traits (most of them, at least; see below). The chart in the sidebar shows the various costs for each kind of Trait. Most costs are based on the Trait’s current rating multiplied by a particular number. If, for example, a player wanted to increase her Kenning from 3 to 4, it would cost six points. Gaining the first dot in a new Trait has a flat cost. If the player wants to gain a new Ability
the character doesn’t currently possess, she pays three points to get the first dot. The Storyteller is the final arbiter of how many experience points each character receives, as well as which Traits may be raised. Accordingly, the Storyteller should oversee where experience points are spent. Players may wish to put points into areas that don’t honestly reflect what the character has learned during the story or chronicle, in which case the Storyteller can veto their actions. For example, if a character did not use his Melee Ability at all during a story, he could not have improved it, and thus the Storyteller should not allow him to increase the number of dots in that Ability. Note that a character does not have to use his Traits successfully to be eligible for an increase. We often learn more from failure than from success, and the fae are no different. As Storyteller, try to be fair about experience-point expenditure, and never take things to the point at which the player feels he has no control over the character any longer. Ask the players what they feel their characters learned before awarding any points, and use that as part of the basis for giving them experience points. These limitations are put forth to add a level of reality to the game. If the changes in the character are completely random, the impact is lost. Weave the changes into the course of events, and make the changes reflect what has occurred. No Trait may be increased by more than one point during the course of a story. Vast changes in Traits take time, and the game should reflect that limitation.
New Traits
Increasing existing Traits can be done fairly readily, so long as the character uses or practices the Trait in question. Learning new Traits, however, is a little more difficult. Learning an entirely new Skill, Knowledge, Art, or Realm requires some tutoring and study, in addition to the required experience-point expenditure. This study can be simple (a few days training with a friend to learn the basics of Melee) or brutally difficult (a quest into the Near Dreaming to discover the principles behind the Oneiromancy Art), but it must always be accomplished. Having the Mentor Background helps, but even a mentor can teach only what she herself knows. Storytellers: Do not allow players to neglect this requirement! Particularly for more esoteric Traits such as Arts, pursuit of new knowledge — and payment for the same — can lead to all manner of incredible stories.
Awarding Experience Points
Awarding experience points is a double-edged sword. As a Storyteller, you can hurt your chronicle by giving away too many as well as too few. If you give more to some players than you do to others, you might seem as if you’re playing favorites, and you also risk unbalancing the game. However, the characters who do the most, who take the risks and learn from their mistakes instead of simply sitting on the sidelines, deserve the experience points to reflect the changes they’re going through. The rules
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below should help you avoid most problems, but you should feel free to experiment and fine tune them to fit your needs.
End
of
Each Chapter
At the end of each game session, or chapter, you should award the characters between one and five experience points. One point is awarded automatically, simply because the character experienced the chapter’s events. Despite ourselves, we tend to learn from the follies of others as we do from our own. One Point — Automatic: Each player gets one point at the end of each chapter. One Point — Learning Curve: Ask the player what his character learned in the course of the night’s events. If you agree with the answer, give the player one experience point. One Point — Roleplaying: The player carried out the role of her character well, not only entertainingly but appropriately. The player performed as the character should in the circumstances. Truly inspired roleplaying might merit two experience points. One Point — Heroism: Changeling is a game of heroism, of holding fast to ideals and vows in the face temptation or, worse, Banality. Changelings risk all to let friends or Dreamers escape from disaster or death. If a character acts heroically and manages to survive, he should be rewarded. Some players might try to take advantage of this idea. Don’t let them. Stupidity and suicidal behavior should not be mistaken for heroism.
The End
of the
Story
The Storyteller should also give out extra experience points at the end of a story, if the players have done their part and the characters have faced down substantial trials. Only a few points should be given this way, as they are effectively “bonus points” for a job well done. One Point — Success: The characters achieved all or part of the goals they set out to accomplish. Even minor victories can be rewarded if they pushed the game forward. One Point — Danger: The characters survived against harsh odds and grave dangers. One Point — Wisdom: The player, and thus the character, came up with a brilliant plan or even a spontaneous strategy that enabled the troupe to survive when it would likely have failed otherwise. More points can be awarded if the Storyteller decides they should be, or if she wants the characters to advance more quickly than they currently are.
Merits
and
Flaws
Merits and Flaws are Traits used to further customize characters in both advantageous and detrimental ways, adding new layers to a game. The Storyteller should agree to using these Traits — or not — before the character creation stage concludes,
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Experience Point Costs Trait
Cost
Attribute
current rating x 4
Ability
current rating x 2
New Ability
3
Art
current rating x 4
New Art
7
Realm
current rating x 3
New Realm
5
Willpower
current rating x 2
Glamour
current rating x 3
as while some Merits and Flaws adjust concepts and mechanics at a character level, others can influence the entire chronicle. Merits and Flaws must be chosen during character creation and are purchased using freebie points. Merits have individual point costs, while Flaws generate additional freebie points. The number of Merits a character can receive is only limited by the number of freebie points a player has to spend. Characters are limited to taking up to seven points’ worth of Flaws, as too many can debilitate a character to a degree where play becomes difficult. If the player takes seven points of Flaws, a character will have 22 freebie points in total at the character creation stage, to spend among the array of options detailed on p. 144 as well as on Merits. Merits and Flaws fit into four categories: physical, mental, social, and supernatural. Physical Merits and Flaws deal with a character’s appearance and physical abilities. The mental category addresses intellectual aptitudes and limitations. Social Merits and Flaws encompass the reputations and relationships changelings possess in different circles and circumstances. Otherworldly abilities possessed by changelings are covered in the supernatural category. Storytellers are encouraged to read through the Merits and Flaws in advance of the chronicle so they can note any that may need to be restricted. Some Merits and Flaws will not fit in with all chronicles or for specific characters. Storytellers can create their own to reflect unique elements within their games, add restrictions to existing ones, or enhance them along with increasing the point value.
Physical Acute Sense (1pt. Merit)
You have one exceptionally sharp sense: hearing, touch, smell, vision or taste. The difficulties for tasks involving the sense in question are decreased by two.
Wheelman (1pt. Merit) Gifting Merits
and
Flaws
While players can choose Merits and Flaws during character creation, don’t fear awarding particularly good roleplay with these Traits. The heroic sidhe who passionately eliminates a gang of malicious Thallain as they attempt to slay her injured duke earns the Boon Social Merit, for a rating of anywhere up to four points if the threat was true and the duke particularly important. Similarly, the eshu who in the same battle had a cold iron blade run across his face may conclude the conflict with the Bad Sight Physical Flaw. A permanent scar is left as a reminder of the cost of defending the changeling’s liege. Flaws provide players new opportunities for roleplay, and experience points should be awarded alongside to remove the sting if the Flaw is particularly crushing. The Storyteller should keep in mind the negative impact a Flaw will have on a character, and arrange for a Merit, or some other reward, to follow later in the chronicle. This karmic cycle in the background of a chronicle leads to rewarding arcs for characters as they suffer tragedy one day, only to receive their just rewards later in the story. Of course, the reverse is also true.
Ambidextrous (1pt. Merit)
You have a high degree of off-hand dexterity and can perform tasks with the “wrong” hand at no penalty. The rules for taking multiple actions still apply, but you do not suffer a difficulty penalty if you use two weapons or are forced to use your off hand.
Double-Jointed (1pt. Merit)
You’re unusually supple. Reduce the difficulty of any roll involving body flexibility by two. Squeezing through a tiny space is one example of a use for this Merit.
Friendly Face (1pt. Merit)
You have a face strangers are inclined to trust. The effect doesn’t fade even if you attempt self-deprecation, leaving you at –2 difficulty on all appropriate Social rolls (yes for first impressions, no for Intimidation, for example) when a stranger is involved. This Merit only functions on a first meeting.
Poison Resistance (1pt. Merit)
It could be you’ve a natural resistance, or perhaps you’ve built up your defenses against all known types of poisons. Any time you need to make a soak roll against the effects of a poison or toxin, reduce your difficulty by three.
You have a natural affinity for driving motorized wheeled vehicles. The difficulties of all rolls requiring risky or especially difficult driving maneuvers are reduced by two.
Crack Shot (2pt. Merit)
Whether pointing a gun, arrow, or dart, you hit your target with great accuracy. You receive no increased difficulty when targeting any specific location and reduce the difficulty of rolls not involving specific targeting by one.
Dexterous Toes (2pt. Merit)
Anything you can do with hands (firing a gun, drawing, playing a musical instrument, etc.) can be done just as well using your feet. Polite society tends to frown on such behavior, but sluagh and pooka laugh at such prissiness.
Granite Skin (2pt. Merit)
A Trait held most commonly by trolls and redcaps, Granite Skin is quite literally an epidermal layer of thin, hard stone. You’re a great deal tougher than you might be normally, but have the undesirable effect of leaving small flakes of stone behind every time you bend or flex. You possess the equivalent of chainmail armor at all times (see p. 285). Granite Skin does not cause a Dexterity penalty, but does impose a +1 difficulty to all rolls involving moving quietly.
Murderous Mien (2pt. Merit)
Something about your mien screams danger. Previous infamies mark your appearance like open wounds. With a look or gesture, you can terrify another changeling into obedience. Any rolls you make to threaten or coerce changelings and faetouched humans have their difficulties reduced by three. Other beings find you unsettling, imposing a +1 difficulty to attempts at charming.
Nightsight (2pt. Merit)
Night blinds many eyes, but not yours. Regardless of the lighting conditions, your eyes adjust automatically, so you can see equally well at high noon, midnight, or entering pitch darkness. The adjustment is instantaneous, so if you are standing in a dark room and someone lights a candle, you’re not blinded.
Surreal Beauty (2pt. Merit)
You possess a beauty far beyond that of normal mortals, unsettling in its perfection. People stand in awe of your ideal, yet alien, form while an inexplicable nausea subconsciously rises to the fore. Reduce the difficulty by three on any roll in which you try and acquire a changeling or faetouched individual’s attention, or win them over with your looks. Other beings find your beauty unnatural, imposing a +1 difficulty on attempts at winning such a person’s trust.
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Increased Pain Threshold (3pt. Merit)
You feel pain as much as others; it just doesn’t affect you to the same degree. Legends are rife with tales of heroes who fight on, even while mortally wounded, only collapsing into death once the battle is won. The dice penalty for each of your Health Levels is reduced by one level. For example, a troll who is Hurt reacts as if Bruised, and is only incapable of action when killed.
Perfect Balance (3pt. Merit)
Whether through constant training or inherited skill, your sense of balance is akin to that of a circus performer or bird on a wire. It’s very unlikely you’ll ever fall during your life. You may trip, but you’ll always catch yourself before you fully lose your footing or handhold. This Merit functions for such actions as tightrope walking, crossing ice, and climbing mountains. All difficulties involving such feats are reduced by three.
Prehensile Tongue/Tail (2 or 4pt. Merit)
An additional prehensile limb is a useful, yet potentially disgusting, feature to possess. At two points, your tongue acts as a two-foot (60cm) long limb, capable of grasping and wielding objects. While not the best of weapons, it can be used for a poke in the eye or revolting slap. When the tongue is extended, speech is incomprehensible. In order to use a prehensile tongue successfully, you must roll Dexterity + Athletics (difficulty 7). A success allows full control of the extra limb for the scene. A failure indicates the specific attempt fails; a botch leaves the protruding tongue hanging disgustingly limp down your front. At four points, you possess a tail like a monkey’s. This tail is two feet long (60cm), and can perform simple manual tasks such as pushing buttons and lifting objects with a Strength equal to half the changeling’s rating (rounded up). A prehensile tail can wield a weapon with a Melee rating equal to half the changeling’s rating (rounded up). You may use a prehensile tail with the same dexterous capability as any of your other limbs.
Sex Appeal (3pt. Merit)
You put it down to your looks and charm, but the dark truth is you have a dangerous, and perhaps unconscious, level of control over your pheromones. Your sexiness and sensuality attracts lovers to you like moths to a flame. You are the irresistible center of attention at any gathering. All rolls where sexual attraction matters have the difficulty reduced by three. This Merit cannot be used to seduce someone lacking a baseline of sexual attraction to the character.
Huge Size (4pt. Merit)
Your mortal seeming is abnormally large in size, over 6’10” and 300 pounds in weight (well over two meters tall and over 130 kgs). You are extremely noticeable in public, but gain one additional Bruised Health Level.
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Eidetic Taste (4pt. Merit)
Possessed most commonly by redcaps, Eidetic Taste allows you to remember the taste of everything you’ve ever eaten, and be able to identify it instantly if you taste it again. Furthermore, you’re granted the ability to sense where the nearest supply of that taste might be. If you’ve ever had a bite of someone, it serves as an excellent way to track that meal. Creative changelings have found other uses for this power, including tracking down poisons.
Blessing
of
Atlas (5pt. Merit)
Remarkable among trolls and seen as a true miracle among other kiths, the Blessing of Atlas permanently raises your Strength by one, and raises the potential maximum Strength rating by one. You’re only slightly larger than your fellows, but defined as if carved of marble. Should it become known by others you possess this Merit, you’ll be expected to act the hero or be feared as a budding warlord.
Addiction (1-3pt. Flaw)
You suffer from an addiction to a substance or experience. If the addiction is to something sedative and a fix cannot be obtained, you should roll to avoid triggering a gain of temporary Banality, as the mists of fugue gnaw at you. If the addiction is to something stimulating and a fix cannot be obtained, the Storyteller can choose to give you a point of Nightmare or even an Imbalance. For a one-point Flaw, the addiction must be satiated weekly; for a two-point Flaw, the addiction must be satiated daily; for a three-point Flaw, the addiction must be satiated after an hour of sobriety.
Allergic (1-4pt. Flaw)
You’re allergic to a substance. For one point, you get hives, sneeze or become dizzy upon prolonged contact with your bane, for two points, you swell up uncomfortably in the affected area, increasing all difficulties by one, and for three points, your reaction actually incapacitates you, increasing all difficulties by three. If the substance is really common in your chronicle, add an additional point to this Flaw. A redcap who accidentally eats something he’s allergic to is in trouble. A Stamina roll is required, otherwise he’ll immediately vomit everything in his stomach. Furthermore, any time he wants to do anything more strenuous than walk for the next half hour, a Willpower roll is necessary to see if another attack of nausea hits.
Asthma (1pt. Flaw)
You have difficulty performing strenuous tasks because you cannot breathe properly. With asthma, your lungs only pull in a fraction of the air lungs require. Any time you exert yourself, you must make a Stamina roll or be unable to perform any action on the next round while you catch your breath.
Bad Sight (1, 3,
or 6pt.
Flaw)
Your sight is defective. The difficulties of any die rolls involving the use of your eyesight are increased by two. As a one-point Flaw, this condition can be corrected with glasses or contacts, as a three-point Flaw, the condition is too severe to be corrected, and as a six-point Flaw, you are blind and difficulties of all Dexterity-based rolls are increased by two with Perception rolls based purely on eyesight failing automatically.
Impaired Hearing (1, 2, or 4pt. Flaw)
You have flawed hearing. The difficulties of any die rolls involving listening are increased by two. As a one-point Flaw, this condition can be corrected with a hearing aid or ear implant, as a two-point Flaw, the condition is too severe to be corrected, and as a four-point Flaw, you are completely deaf and all hearing based rolls fail.
Short (1pt. Flaw)
You are well below average height, and find this world is not built for changelings of your stature. You suffer a difficulty penalty of +2 to all pursuit rolls, and you and the Storyteller should make sure your height is taken into account in all situations. In some circumstances, this will give you a concealment bonus.
Twitch (1pt. Flaw)
You’ve some sort of repetitive motion that manifests in times of stress, and it’s a dead giveaway as to your identity. Examples include a nervous cough, constantly wringing your hands, cracking your knuckles, and so on. It costs one Willpower point to refrain from engaging in your tic.
Deformed (2-3pt. Flaw)
A disfigurement makes your appearance disturbing and memorable. When in the presence of those who judge based on appearances, the difficulties of die rolls relating to social interaction are increased by two. You may not have an Appearance rating greater than 2. As a three-point Flaw your deformity also raises the difficulty by two for rolls of one chosen Physical Attribute, as your deformity afflicts your mobility.
Too Human (2
or 5pt.
Flaw)
Your fae side struggles to penetrate that of your mortal seeming. As a two-point Flaw, this makes all changelings view you warily. Social rolls increase in difficulty by two until you make an action inarguably proving your fae nature. As a five-point Flaw, the wariness other changelings feel towards you becomes antipathy, as you also lose one of your kith’s Birthrights. You choose which one to sacrifice.
Lame (3pt. Flaw)
Your legs are injured or otherwise prevented from working effectively. Difficulties of all dice rolls related to movement increase by two. A character may not take this Flaw along with the Merit Double-Jointed.
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Parfum
de
Goat (4pt. Flaw)
The goat musk is a unique, horrific scent that makes the eyes water. You are a walking, breathing sachet of smelly goat. This Flaw isn’t restricted to satyrs, but is most common among them. Satyrs and redcaps are not bothered by your musk. Other kiths must be convinced against maintaining a distance from you, no matter the situation. This hinders your chances for romance, titles, and even simple chats. The difficulty of all social rolls involving any beings with sense of smell other than satyrs and redcaps is increased by three.
Mental Common Sense (1pt. Merit)
You possess significant practical, everyday wisdom. Whenever you’re about to act in a way contrary to common sense, the Storyteller can make suggestions or warnings about the implications of said action. This is a very useful Merit for beginning players unfamiliar with the game.
Mechanical Aptitude (1pt. Merit)
You are naturally adept with all kinds of mechanical devices. The difficulties of all dice rolls to understand, repair, or operate any kind of mechanical device are reduced by two. This Merit doesn’t help you drive. This Merit affects your aptitude with chimerical mechanical objects as well as the mundane.
Specific Interests (1pt. Merit)
You are specialized in an obscure or arcane field or niche interest and on this subject specifically you are an encyclopedia. Choose one rare area of knowledge. In this field, reduce the difficulty for all mental rolls by two. Example fields include the study of a dead language, a culturally-specific hobby, expertise in mythical demon names, and in-depth biographical knowledge of one celebrity.
Eidetic Memory (2pt. Merit)
Concentration (1pt. Merit)
Nockers have an uncanny way of shutting out distractions, but this Merit isn’t limited to that kith. You’re unaffected by any penalties stemming from distracting circumstances (e.g., loud noises, strobe lights, or a troll holding you upside down).
You remember, with perfect detail, things you see and hear. Documents, photographs, conversations, etc., can be committed to memory with minor concentration. If you as the player forget an important piece of information the Storyteller believes your character would recall, the Storyteller will jog your memory. Under stressful conditions involving numerous distractions, you must make a Perception + Alertness roll to concentrate and absorb what your senses detect.
Higher Purpose (1pt. Merit)
Loyal Heart (2pt. Merit)
All changelings have some vision of their path, but you’ve a special commitment to it. You don’t concern yourself with petty matters, because your higher purpose is everything. Though you sometimes behave in ways contrary to the needs of survival, your purpose grants you great personal strength. The difficulty of any roll that has something to do with this higher purpose is reduced by two. Decide what your higher purpose is, and make sure you discuss it with the Storyteller.
Introspection (1pt. Merit)
You routinely meditate on your own ulterior motives, applying them to others like you. Through this nightly exercise, your incredible insight reduces the difficulty by two when you use a Perception-based action against someone in your Court.
Language (1pt. Merit)
You know a language in addition to your native one. You can take this Merit multiple times, each reflecting a different language.
Lightning Calculator (1pt. Merit)
You are a savant when it comes to mental arithmetic, making you a natural when working with computers or betting at the racetracks. The difficulties of all relevant rolls are decreased by two.
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Changeling: The Dreaming
While all fae are conscious of the bonds of oaths, for you it’s almost of a religious nature. Whenever you’re overwhelmed, the thought of your duties is enough to give you the strength to persevere. In game terms, you reduce the difficulty of rolls pertaining to the fulfillment of your oaths by three. Similarly, the power of your sense of duty may be sufficient to allow temporary immunity to other supernatural effects (Storyteller’s discretion). No Willpower may be spent on actions having to do with the breaking of oaths. This is not cumulative with the effects of the Merit True Love (see p. 186), though it can be combined for purposes of roleplaying.
Natural Linguist (2pt. Merit)
The well-travelled changeling knows the use of being able to comprehend many languages. You may reduce the difficulty of any task involving the study of written or spoken languages by three, and each purchase of the Language Merit gives you two languages instead of just one.
Iron Will (3pt. Merit)
To your detractors your head is full of rocks. In truth, your determination and stubbornness makes you unshakable once your mind is set. Characters attempting any mind-altering magic against you are at +3 difficulty, up to a maximum difficulty of 9. This Merit does not affect powers dealing with emotions. Characters with Willpower scores below 5 cannot take this Merit.
Master Craftsman (3pt. Merit)
When designing, building, or repairing something, the difficulty of your rolls is reduced by two. Additionally, you require three fewer successes on any extended rolls required when working on large or complex projects.
Gut Instincts (4pt. Merit)
You’ve got a direct line into the more primal of your instincts, and benefit from the ability to act without thinking first. You may not always know why you do what you do, but once the dust clears, you realize the correct move was made. This Merit nullifies the effects of surprise and permits you to act normally, though you may only defend. In cases where you’re not surprised, you may preempt your opponent’s action.
Jack-Of-All-Trades (5pt. Merit)
You’ve a large pool of miscellaneous skills and knowledge obtained through extensive travels, the jobs you’ve held, or all-around know-how. You automatically have one dot in all Skill and Knowledge Dice Pools. This is an illusory level, used to simulate a wide range of abilities. If you spend experience in any untrained Skill or Knowledge, you must still pay the point cost for the first level.
Because I Think I Can (6pt. Merit)
When you declare you are using a point of Willpower and roll for successes, your self-confidence may allow you to gain the benefit of that expenditure without losing the Willpower point. You do not lose the point of Willpower unless you fail your roll. This also prevents you from botching. This Merit may only be used when the difficulty of your roll is 6 or higher.
Impatient (1pt. Flaw)
Action always trumps inaction, and standing around is for grumps. Once per story, if you’re forced to wait around instead of acting, make a Willpower roll (difficulty 5). Failure makes you repeatedly insist on action, to the likely annoyance of your motley. If they do not follow your advice, you likely act no matter their attempts to stop you.
Nightmares (1pt. Flaw)
You experience dreadful nightmares whenever you sleep, your consciousness touching some forbidden part of the Dreaming. Fractured recollections haunt you during your waking hours. Upon awakening, you must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 7) or add two to the difficulty of all actions until you sleep again. A botched Willpower roll indicates that, even when awake, you believe you are locked in a nightmare.
Amnesia (2pt. Flaw)
Your life is a blank slate. However, your shadowy past may someday come back to haunt you, and the Storyteller is under no obligation to be merciful. You can, if you wish, take up to five points of other Flaws, leaving the Storyteller
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to eventually specify what they are. Over the course of the chronicle, you and your character will slowly discover them.
Curiosity (2pt. Flaw)
You’re a naturally curious person, your curiosity easily overriding your common sense. To resist temptation, make a Willpower roll. The difficult varies based on the temptation; difficulty 5 for simple things like, “I wonder what’s in the armoire,” but difficulty 9 for things like, “I wonder why young men keep going missing around the baron’s freehold. I’ll just slip in and check it out.”
Phobia (2
or 4pt.
Flaw)
From a fear of clowns to one of the dark, the whole gamut of phobias exists across the Kithain, capable of scaring the boldest changelings out of their wits. As a two-point Flaw, a Willpower roll overcomes the object of your fear each time you encounter it. The difficulty of the roll is determined by the Storyteller. If you fail the roll, you must retreat from the object. As a four-point Flaw, even the mention of your phobia requires the Willpower roll. Even if you pass, all manual dexterity-based tasks have their difficulty increased by two as you uncontrollably shake until you return to a safe environment.
Short Fuse (2pt. Flaw)
The slightest provocation against you or one of your close companions compels you to lash out with fists, feet, or whatever comes to hand. When incited, you must make a Willpower roll to compose yourself, with the difficulty decided upon by the Storyteller based on the severity of the insult.
Soft-Hearted (2pt. Flaw)
You cannot stand watching others suffer. You object to any situation involving causing someone pain, and will leave the immediate area unless you make a Willpower roll.
Vengeful (2pt. Flaw)
There’s a score to settle with someone in your life. The thought of sweet revenge skews every plan you make whether you know it or not. Whenever you encounter the focus of your vengeance, little can stop you from taking reparations. You may temporarily resist your need by spending a Willpower point.
Wyld Mind (2pt. Flaw)
Your mind is extremely chaotic and unpredictable. As a result, you have difficulty concentrating on any one task. You must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 4) for every extended action roll after the second.
Absent-Minded (3pt. Flaw)
Though you do not forget such things as Knowledges or Skills, you do forget such things as names, addresses, and the last time you gained Glamour. In order to remember anything more than your own name and the location of your freehold, you need to make a Wits roll or, as a last resort, spend a Willpower point. This Flaw may not be taken with the Merit Concentration.
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Flashbacks (3pt. Flaw)
You’re prone to flashbacks if you’re in either high-pressure situations or circumstances similar to the event that caused the trauma itself. Either positive or negative stimulation could result in an episode. Returning to a good and happy vision can be just as dangerous or distracting as suddenly being surrounded by demonic hallucinations. During the flashback, you’re unaware of what’s really around you. Even people speaking to you will be viewed as people or objects from the vision. To you, reality has shifted, and you are back there again. These flashbacks must be played out, or forced away through expenditure of a Willpower point.
Lifesaver (3pt. Flaw)
You believe life is a sacred gift, and will not take — or allow someone else to take — a person’s life except in the most extreme of circumstances. You have no problems with killing animals (for the right reasons), and will kill inhuman creatures to protect others if necessary. Senseless death in all forms repulses you, and you feel that those who commit murder should be punished. You must resist the inclination to tend the wounds of any injured parties in your presence with a Willpower roll (difficulty 7).
Weak-Willed (3pt. Flaw)
You’re highly susceptible to mind-altering magic, hypnosis, and intimidation by others; your difficulties to resist Social abilities such as Intimidation or Leadership, as well as mindaltering spells, are increased by two. Your Willpower Trait may never rise above 4.
Guilt-Wracked (4pt. Flaw)
You did something appalling enough to burden you with guilt in every waking hour. Whether it was murder, neglect, or destruction of something dear, you committed a crime and cannot put it right. Whenever you’re presented with a situation similar to your crime, you must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 8) to remain composed. Failure results in a breakdown for the remainder of the scene, rendering most tasks impossible and increasing the difficulty of all rolls by three. Even with a success, your body reacts nervously and the difficulty of all rolls increases by one as you attempt to conceal your guilt. Few will be sympathetic should your guilt become known.
Social Benevolent Patron (1pt. Merit)
You intrigue a changeling ranked more highly than yourself. So long as the reason for this intrigue remains — whether it be looks, a field of expertise, or the way you composed yourself in the freehold — you hold the other changeling’s attention and he has a vested interest in keeping you around. This Merit should be played like a 1-dot Mentor with a specific interest. However, unlike a Mentor, Benevolent Patron does not imply a permanent relationship.
Boon (1-6pt. Merit)
Someone is in your debt. It could be a lowly fledge or the count of a freehold; it all depends on how many points the Merit costs. You only have that single favor owed you (unless you take the Merit multiple times,) so using it properly is of paramount importance. Depending on status and other factors, the being who owes you a favor may well go out of his way to “settle” it early — even going so far as to create situations from which he must “rescue” you and thus clean the slate.
Calming Presence (1pt. Merit)
Common among the pooka is the ability to calm any animal or child with a quiet word or even a look. Something in your aura conveys safety and security to the animal or child. Guard dogs and wild animals never attack you, and babies in your presence calm and gaze up at you in fascination and wonder.
Good Listener (1pt. Merit)
Pooka excel at the ability to get others to open up to them; however, you are a master confidant. A word here, a gesture there, you crack people open like oysters and harvest their secrets like pearls. Your ability to listen makes others tell you their feelings, concerns, and hidden dreams. They don’t know why they’re telling you, but they usually feel better afterwards. All rolls related to obtaining information from others are at a –2 difficulty.
I Know You (1pt. Merit)
You have one of those faces, or a way of acting, that makes others just assume you are someone they already know. Perhaps you resemble someone from their childhood, or their favorite television show. When introducing yourself at social gatherings, you always succeed in grabbing someone’s attention. You cannot be immediately dismissed without at least a few curious questions first.
Natural Leader (1pt. Merit)
You’re gifted with a certain magnetism to which others naturally defer. Difficulties of all attempts to rally people with your words are reduced by two. You must have a Charisma rating of 3 or greater to purchase this Merit.
Protégé (1pt. Merit)
An important changeling once mentored you, and spoke glowingly of you to acquaintances. Others may be inclined to look favorably on you by dint of the recommendation; you are at –2 difficulty on Social rolls with all those who’ve heard good things about you.
Your Best Advocate (1pt. Merit)
You are especially convincing when telling tall tales about your exploits. You receive a –2 to your difficulty on Social rolls related to recounting your deeds, whether true or not.
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Nature’s Child (2pt. Merit)
You are one with nature and beasts. You receive a –2 to your difficulty on rolls when dealing with nonsapient animals in their natural environment, whether training them, tracking them, or simply petting them. Changelings should take care relying on this Merit when dealing with chimera, however; some of them are much more intelligent than they appear.
Reputation (2pt. Merit)
You have a good reputation among the changelings of your Court. This may be your own reputation, or it may be derived from your mentor. Reduce the difficulty of all social dealings with others of your Court by two. However, those who desire to bring down the hierarchy will seek to besmirch your fine standing.
Scholar
of
Others (2pt. Merit)
You have taken the time to learn about and specialize in one particular group outside your kith or Court. You are aware of at least some of the group’s customs, strategies, and long-term goals, and can put that knowledge to good use. This Merit is worth a –2 difficulty for all non-combat rolls pertaining specifically to the subject of your specialization. On the other hand, you are at a +1 difficulty when it comes to dealing with other groups, simply because you are so thoroughly focused on your field. This Merit can be taken multiple times for multiple groups.
Voice
of a
Songbird (2pt. Merit)
The satyrs say your voice could charm apples from the trees. You have perfect pitch and can sing a cappella without missing a single note or going off key. Even when only speaking, your voice has a seductive quality that attracts people to you. Whenever you make a roll that involves inspirational speaking or singing, you are at a –2 difficulty.
Sage (2pt. Merit)
Other changelings come to you for counsel. Maybe they believe in your wisdom, age, or experience. Perhaps they think you are touched, or capable of seeing the bigger picture. The trust others place in you means, in most cases, you are approached first in matters requiring discussion, and may either use this advantage to provide wise counsel, or to influence others to consider your own agenda.
Heir
to the
Throne (3pt. Merit)
You can produce a convincing claim to ownership or title over land, people, or inventory. This rank allows you to influence your peers and lessers with ease, as when invoking your title the difficulty of Social rolls is reduced by two. Nobles likely treat you with respect and most other changelings defer to you. A contingent — possibly comprising rival heirs — will however see you as a ripe target for kidnapping or assassination.
Fake It (3pt. Merit)
You talk a convincing game. Sometimes you are even convincing enough to be right. Maybe you claim you can “make
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that jump,” “ace that test,” or “hit that target.” You may be criminally lucky or possess hidden talents. When you successfully lie about your proficiency in a task with a Subterfuge + Manipulation roll and then attempt to prove your claims, the difficulty of the roll to carry out your ambition is reduced by two.
Rising Star (3pt. Merit)
You are one of the up-and-comers in the freehold. Everyone wants to know you and be your friend, even as those in power groom you for positions of greater responsibility. You are at a –3 difficulty on all social rolls against any changelings who aren’t actively opposing your ascent.
Soul
of the
Muse (4pt. Merit)
You are an inspiration to creators of all types. Whether you are artistically gifted or not, other artists find it far easier to create masterworks when you are around. If you are in the presence of any creator — whether you are acting as a model, providing counsel, or singing a song — that creator reduces the difficulty to create his work by three. This creative stimulation applies to works of wonder and destruction alike, as you inspire all.
Trusty Companion (4pt. Merit)
You have a reputation as trustworthy, stalwart, and unfaltering in your dedication to your companions. Your very presence in a motley or circle bolsters the Willpower of companions, allowing them each one additional temporary Willpower point per chapter. You will always be relied upon to risk your life for them, as only a trusted companion might. Should you ever complain about your lot, the Willpower bonus you provide disappears until you once again risk physical or reputational peril for your friends.
Dangerous Mentor (1pt. Flaw)
Your mentor is lost to Bedlam, or engages in acts that could cause a tremendous uproar. Any wrong committed by your mentor may affect your reputation, and some of your mentor’s dangerous schemes may somehow involve you.
Dark Secret (1pt. Flaw)
You have a secret that, if uncovered, would be of immense embarrassment and make you a pariah among your peers. This can be anything from having murdered a noble to secretly being a member of the Shadow Court. While this secret weighs on your mind at all times, it will only surface in occasional stories. Otherwise, it begins to lose its impact.
Enemy (1-5pt. Flaw)
You have an enemy, or perhaps a group of enemies, who want you harmed. The value of the Flaw determines how powerful these enemies are. The most powerful enemies (kings or impossible horrors from the Dreaming) would be five-point Flaws, while someone nearer to your own power would be worth only one point. You must decide who your enemy is and how you earned such enmity in the first place.
Insubordinate (1pt. Flaw)
Following the orders of leaders you do not respect rankles you like nothing else. Whenever such a leader makes a command or request of you, roll Willpower (difficulty 5) and on a failure, you will work against their decree.
Intolerance (2pt. Flaw)
You have an unreasoning dislike of a certain thing. This may be a class of person, a situation, or just about anything else. The difficulties of all dice rolls involving the subject — such as conflict, dealing with the lower classes, or having to break bread with a certain kith — are increased by two. Note that some dislikes may be too trivial for this Flaw. The Storyteller is the final arbiter on what you can pick to dislike.
Foul Mouth (2pt. Flaw)
Most people swear, but your use of profanity puts nockers to shame. Your mouth spews forth a never-ending torrent of obscenities. Others know when enough is enough, but you just keep going. This Flaw precludes you from ever holding a respectable job of any kind in human society and increases the difficulty of Social rolls by two, when politeness is necessary.
Possessive (2pt. Flaw)
You obsess over and jealously hoard your possessions. When others attempt to use your equipment — whether it be your car, sword, clothes, or bed — you must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 7). On a failure you vehemently refuse to allow anyone to touch your things, and will lash out if they push the subject. On a botch you immediately act violently when someone attempts to handle anything you own.
Shrinking Violet (2pt. Flaw)
As a shrinking violet you’re only comfortable with your own. Around others, you’re constantly aware of the differences between you, and are consequently ill at ease. This manifests as clumsiness (fear of breaking things and people), difficulty speaking in social situations (only able to speak of things as they are), etc. In game terms, this Flaw adds two to all difficulties of Social rolls when not primarily among your kith or motley.
Fallen Noble (3pt. Flaw)
Once, you held near-absolute power in a freehold, but those days are gone. Perhaps you stepped down, or your city fell to a rival Court; it matters little now. What matters is your replacement is aware of your prior position, and has concerns you might be trying to make a comeback. If the new ruler sees an opportunity to get rid of you, she just might take it.
Recruitment Target (3pt. Flaw)
An enemy organization wants you, and they want you bad. Every effort is being made to recruit you, willing or no, and the press gangs usually show up at the worst possible time. For every friend you have who will defend you, another will wonder what is so special about you that draws this malevolent group to your doorstep.
Sleeping With the Enemy (3pt. Flaw)
You have some sort of intimate connection with a member of an opposing faction your own has reason to despise. You may have a lover, a friend, or a contact working the other side of the fence, but regardless of politics, you retain a friendly (or more than friendly) relationship with your putative foe. Your superiors would regard your close ties to someone on the other side as treason, and if you are discovered, the penalty will be severe.
Ward (3pt. Flaw)
You are devoted to the protection of a mortal or Kinain. This character may be a friend or relative from your pre-Chrysalis days. Wards get caught up in the action of stories, and they’re frequent catalysts for dangerous situations. Describe your ward to your Storyteller in advance of your chronicle’s commencement.
Indecisive (3pt. Flaw)
When you’re given an opportunity, you know you’ve got to act quickly, or it just might pass you by. Yet, you can’t seem to make up your mind fast enough; it takes you a while to sort through all your options, examine the pros and cons, and then decide which is the best decision. You must make a Willpower roll whenever your character must make a decision, otherwise you remain undecided about what to do.
Hunted (4-5pt. Flaw)
A fanatical monster hunter who believes (perhaps correctly) that you are anathema to humanity pursues you. All those with whom you associate, be they mortal or Kithain, may be hunted as well. At four points, the hunter is mortal, while at five the hunter is a different kind of monster, such as a vampire or werewolf.
On Probation (4pt. Flaw) Animal Feature Merit Cost Effect 360° Vision
3
–2 difficulty when looking for something or someone. +2 difficulty on attempts to surprise you.
Tough Hide
3
–1 difficulty to soak damage.
Whip Tail
3
Natural weapon with reach. 2B damage.
Extra Legs
4
Near impossible to trip. Can run at twice the normal speed.
Fly Fingers
4
Fingers end in tiny, stiff hooks, capable of supporting your weight. You can climb sheer walls and hang from ceilings providing the surface can support your weight.
Stinger
4
Natural weapon. 1L damage. Paralyzes opponents for one turn unless they succeed on a Stamina roll (difficulty 4).
Venomous Bite
5
Natural weapon. 3L damage. 1L damage each subsequent turn for six hours (may be soaked).
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You defected from an enemy faction, and still have much to prove before the group you turned to accepts you. Other changelings treat you with distrust and even hostility, and your reputation will even sully those with whom you regularly associate.
powerful enough to protect you from other supernatural forces (Storyteller’s discretion). However, your true love may also be a hindrance and require aid from time to time.
Supernatural
You have a sixth sense warning you of danger. When in danger, the Storyteller will make a roll against your Perception + Alertness; the difficulty depends on the remoteness of the danger. If the roll succeeds, the Storyteller will say you have a sense of foreboding. Multiple successes may refine the feeling and give an indication of direction, distance, or nature.
Faerie Eternity (1pt. Merit)
After you went through your Chrysalis, you had a birthday, and then another, and then another. Strangely, however — you didn’t seem to be growing or getting older. You’re touched with a vestige of the immortality that was the birthright of all fae. As long as your fae seeming is active, you will age at one-tenth that of a normal human or changeling and remain a childling. Should your fae seeming be permanently destroyed, or should you retreat into Banality, you begin to age normally.
True Love (1pt. Merit)
You have discovered, and possibly lost, true love, providing you true, if painful joy. Whenever you are suffering, in danger, or dejected, the thought of your true love is enough to give you the strength to persevere. In game terms, this love allows you to succeed automatically on any Willpower roll, but only when you are actively striving to protect or come closer to your true love. In addition, the power of your love may be
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Danger Sense (2pt. Merit)
Medium (2pt. Merit)
You possess the natural affinity to sense and hear ghosts. Though you cannot see them, you can sense them, speak to them and, through pleading or cajoling, draw them to your presence. You may call upon them for aid or advice, but there will always be a price. Your difficulty is reduced by two for all rolls involving the spirits of the dead.
Poetic Heart (2pt. Merit)
You have a truly inspired soul within you, your Glamour repelling the ravages of Banality. You may make a Willpower roll (difficulty equal to your permanent Banality) to avoid gaining a point of temporary Banality once per story.
Animalistic Favor (3-5pt. Merit)
Your mien possesses a minor animalistic feature from the below table. Where you have a feature allowing you a special attack, you use your standard dice pool.
Lucky (3pt. Merit)
You were born lucky — or else the Devil looks after his own. Either way, you may repeat any three failed or botched rolls per story, but you may try only once per failed roll.
Blood
of the
Wolf (4pt. Merit)
Your connection to the wolfchanger Prodigals is stronger than that of your peers. You have the blood of the werewolves in your veins, and some shapeshifters call you kin. The werewolf tribe whose blood you share may call on you to perform certain tasks for them, and in turn aid you when necessary. You may be expected to take a werewolf spouse, the better to strengthen your bloodline.
Iron Resistance (4pt. Merit)
Cold iron has no physical effect on you, though constant exposure to the metal still causes you to suffer Banality. This is a double-edged sword, as you may not realize when you’re sitting on a cold iron bench or leaning against a fence made of the foul metal. A Perception + Kenning roll (difficulty 7) is required to avoid exposing yourself to the dangerous element.
Regeneration (7pt. Merit)
Your faerie nature is hardy, and as a result, you heal much faster than other Kithain. For every turn spent resting, you recover one Health Level of chimerical damage. Physical damage regenerates at a rate of one Health Level per hour. While in a freehold, your wounds heal at twice this speed. This Merit does not heal wounds inflicted by cold iron.
Bard’s Tongue (1pt. Flaw)
You speak the truth, uncannily so. Things you say tend to come true. This is not a facility for blessing or cursing, or an effect that can be ruled by any conscious control. At least once per story, an uncomfortable truth regarding any current situation will appear in your head and through your lips. To avoid speaking prophecy, you must expend a Willpower point and take a Health Level (bashing) from the strain of resisting.
Changeling’s Eyes (1pt. Flaw)
Your eyes are a startling color, maybe emerald green, violet, or yellow. This is a sign you are a changeling, recognizable to those who know the ancient lore.
Cursed (1-5pt. Flaw)
You’re able to utilize one of the Arts with a greater degree of ease than other changelings. In a previous incarnation, you were extremely proficient in one of the Arts — so much so you can draw a portion of that knowledge into this lifetime. Select an Art; the difficulty to use this particular Art is always reduced by two. This Merit may only be purchased once.
You are the recipient of a supernatural curse. The strength and pervasiveness of the curse depend upon how many points you wish to incur. Examples follow: If you pass on a secret you were entrusted with, your betrayal will come back to harm you in some way. (1 pt)You stutter uncontrollably when you try to describe what you have seen or heard. (2 pts)Tools break or malfunction when you try to use them. (3 pts)You are doomed to make enemies of those whom you most love or admire. (4 pts)Every one of your accomplishments or triumphs will eventually become soiled or fail in some way. (5 pts)
Living Legend (5pt. Merit)
Geas (1-5pt. Flaw)
Art Affinity (5pt. Merit)
You are the living, breathing incarnation of a great hero or heroine; this does not have to be an actual, historical figure, but can be a character from mythology or even a figure from more contemporary fiction. Note that you are an incarnation, not a reincarnation. You are the embodiment of an individual legend. Your fae mien matches your heritage perfectly. Any Kithain with even the slightest knowledge of the original tale will recognize you immediately, and you are likely to attract a great deal of attention from the cultures that give birth to the legend. When people recognize you, the difficulty of your social rolls reduces by two. You gain access to one of your ancestor’s Attribute or Ability ratings once per chapter. At the Storyteller’s discretion, this Merit may also allow you to have knowledge of, if not access to, certain chimera or Treasures related to your legend. Your appearance and your memories may make it hard to get along unnoticed in ordinary society. It can also be very hard to live up to what is expected of you.
You are under a geas at the beginning of play, most likely a Ban, but possibly a long-term quest. This geas may be a family curse or duty you inherited, or a changeling Art imposed it on you. The difficulty of the geas determines how great a Flaw it is. Something minor, such as a Ban against harming animals, would only be worth one point. More difficult geas are worth more points. A five-point geas is something that rules your entire life, like a quest that requires you to render aid to anyone in need you encounter. The Storyteller decides the exact value of whatever geas you choose.
Oathbound (1-5pt. Flaw)
Your life depends on something you must or must not do. It may be something that has always been upon you, or a sacred oath you swore. Someone who witnessed it will always hold you to it. If you disobey, the consequences will be dire. You may have several oaths, and these may come into conflict. Most changelings keep their prohibitions and imperatives secret, lest enemies use them as weapons.
CHapter Three: Character Creation and Traits
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Storytellers should examine each oath and assign a point value to it, as well as to the punishment for violating it. Easily avoided circumstances, such as “Never break bread with a redhaired man,” are worth one point, while more common, or difficult, things, such as “Stop and pet every cat you see,” are worth two points, and particularly drastic or dangerous circumstances, such as “Never back down from a fight,” are worth three (or more) points. Consequences are worth points as well. Automatically botching the next major cantrip you do is worth one point, having bad luck for the rest of your life is worth two, losing all your friends and worldly possessions is worth three, dying is worth four, and being deserted by your faerie soul five. If you accidentally violate your oath, you may attempt to atone for the crime, fixing whatever you did wrong. However, if you violate an oath willingly and with full knowledge — and survive — you become an oathbreaker, one of the foulest epithets among changelings.
Slipped Seeming (1-5pt. Flaw)
Your fae seeming bleeds into your mortal seeming and makes you obvious to mundanes who know what to look for. A one-point Flaw would be a slight bluish cast to the skin of a troll, and a five-point would be a pair of satyr’s horns. This may make it difficult to explain yourself to mortals.
Bizarre Quality (2pt. Flaw)
Mortals find something about you disturbingly fascinating. At inappropriate times, mortals stare at you and strike up conversations in the hopes of getting to know you better. Worse still, mortals of less savory natures will choose you over other potential targets for their illicit acts.
Echoes (2-5pt. Flaw)
Your connection to the Dreaming is strong. Because of this powerful connection, you’re more susceptible to the tales of things which traditionally affect faeries. Although Echoes is purchased as a Flaw, it often has a beneficial side effect. The points received with this Flaw reflect the level of your connection to the Dreaming and even to Arcadia. The effects of this Flaw are cumulative. A character with a five-point Flaw also suffers the setbacks of the two through four-point Flaws. Minor: Salt thrown over the shoulder for good luck protects a mortal from faerie powers. The same is true of bread. Your cantrips cannot affect any mortal who does so for the duration of the scene. Cantrips simply do not work, and may backfire. Any mortal knowing your full name can command three tasks from you, which you must accomplish before achieving freedom from that mortal’s influence. However, you need only follow the exact wording of the mortal’s request, not the desire behind the request. (2 pts) Moderate: You may not enter a home without invitation, unless you perform some small favor for the owners of the dwelling. The invitation to enter a home may come from anyone at all, it need not be the owner. Cold iron in a residence will bar you from entering the building; religious symbols have the
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same effect and will prevent you from physically or magically affecting mortals. The sound of ringing church bells causes you pain, just as cold iron does (at this level only pain, but as a four-point Flaw, you gain one point of Banality for every turn you endure the sound). (3 pts) Serious: Four-leaf clovers in the possession of a mortal prevent you from using your Arts against that mortal. However, four-leaf clovers picked by you are sure to bring good luck (you cannot botch) for as long as the petals of the clover remain intact. This luck only remains for as long as the clover is worn. Any mortal wearing their coat inside out is invisible to you. You may not cross running water, save by means of a bridge. Religious symbols are now repellent to you, forcing you away from those who wear them. The shadow of such a symbol falling upon your person causes one Health Level of chimerical damage for each turn the shadow touches you. You may no longer enter holy ground without suffering chimerical injuries (one Health Level per turn,) though this damage may be soaked. (4 pts) Extreme: Wherever you dwell, mushrooms bloom in a faerie ring — even on your plush carpet. The Mists no longer hide your powers. Many people will remember you if you use your Glamour while around them. Chimerical creatures tend to become more real for you than for others, and their attacks cause real and permanent injury. Contrarily, your chimerical weapons can cause damage to anyone, even mortals. People will likely follow you if you request it, often gaining a dazed look and following you even into dangerous situations. Your difficulties in casting cantrips might be reduced by a substantial amount (Storyteller’s discretion), but those wearing cold iron or religious symbols are immune to any Arts you might use. You must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 7) in order to enter holy ground. Even if you succeed in your Willpower roll, actual physical damage (one Health Level per turn) occurs whenever you enter holy ground. (5 pts)
Winged (2pt. Flaw /
4pt.
Merit)
You have beautiful wings, be they feathered bird’s wings, bat wings or colored butterfly wings. They are chimerical, but they need to be free, or they increase the difficulty of Dexterity rolls by one. You may have to explain why you have cut slits in all of your coats. If you have taken this as a Flaw, you are not able to fly. If you have taken this as a Merit, you may indeed fly for short periods of time. See Inanimate Chimera on p. 55 for dangers using these wings in human sight.
Cleared Mists (3pt. Flaw)
Your magic and abilities are not in any way hidden by the Mists. Should a mortal witness your actions, she will not forget the effects of your fae abilities. You may therefore inadvertently reveal your nature to the mortal world, triggering potentially dire consequences.
Haunted (3pt. Flaw)
A ghost haunts you that only you (and mediums) can see and hear. It actively dislikes you and enjoys making your life
miserable. It has a number of powers it can use against you chosen by the Storyteller, who is free to use the wraith Prodigals (see p. 352) for inspiration.
Iron Allergy (3-5pt. Flaw)
Most of the Kithain only suffer pain when in contact with cold iron. You suffer from actual wounds. Cold iron reacts like a hot brand when touching your skin. For each turn in contact with iron, you suffer one Health Level of chimerical damage. As a four-point Flaw, you take one Health Level of real damage for every three turns in contact with cold iron. As a five-point Flaw, you suffer this damage if you stand within a foot (30cm) of the iron and you take one Health Level of aggravated damage for every turn spent in contact with cold iron.
Chimerical Magnet (5pt. Flaw)
Chimera notice you more often than usual. In some cases, this is beneficial, but more often than not it causes problems. Chimerical beasts on a rampage will tend to turn on you before attacking others. Nervosa find you irresistible, and sprites of all types prank you constantly.
Dark Fate (5pt. Flaw)
You are doomed to experience a most horrible demise. In the end, all your efforts, your struggles, and your dreams will come to naught. Your fate is certain, and nothing can be done about it. Even more ghastly, you have partial knowledge of this
through occasional visions of your fate — and they are most disturbing. The malaise these visions inspire in you can only be overcome using Willpower, and will return after each vision. At some point in the chronicle, you will indeed face your fate. Though you cannot do anything about your fate, you can still attempt to reach some goal before it occurs.
Psychic Vampire (5pt. Flaw)
The spark of life is dying within you and can only be fed from outside forces. Plants and insect life wither or die in your presence as you feed on their energies, and any person you touch for more than an hour will suffer one non-aggravated Health Level as you siphon away their life. Those already injured (including those whose Bruised Health Level has been sucked away) will not heal while in your presence. If you do not feed the emptiness within yourself at least once a day, you will begin to die. The rate at which you take wounds follows the progression for natural healing in reverse: you take a Health Level after one day, a second in three days, a third in a week, a fourth in a month, and, finally, one wound every three months.
Sidhe’s Curse (5pt. Flaw)
The sidhe live in mortal terror of Banality, due to it taking root in their souls more easily than any other of the kith. Although you are not sidhe, you are subject to this frailty as well. Whenever you would gain a point of Banality, you gain two instead. Sidhe characters may not take this Flaw.
CHapter Three: Character Creation and Traits
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God, I HATE birthdays! I don’t tell anyone when mine is, but they always know anyway, and they always sing me some shitty song. It makes me wanna puke. I came down to Hard Times looking for that cute buzzboy from last week, but just my luck, he’s AWOL. Colbert and her dippy sidhe friends stand in the corner, but I’ve got nothing to say to those ginks. Stupid bluebloods look fit to shit their pants. They don’t thrash, that’s for sure, and it’s a bet they don’t party. Makes you wonder how - and IF - they ever get wild. Are they born with rectal implants? I’ll bet they are. No live band tonight, just piped-in shit. No wonder this place is dead. This sucks. I’ve gotta find another club. This one’s a loss. Even so, I’ve gotta admit the DJ’s good. He’s got that new Black Flag album going, the one where that guy’s punching the mirror. I know how he feels. Over in the corner, Colbert’s friends are covering their ears. Good! The song would scare them if they understood the words. Rise above!! screams the guy with the mirror, We’re gonna rise above!! Words to live by. Maybe this club’s not so lame anyway.
Book Two: Wilder
Chapter Four: Arts and Realms “I taught you to fight, and to fly. What more could there be?” —J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan and Wendy Every changeling walks a perilous tightrope between the chaotic tides of the Dreaming and the heavy anchor of the mundane. With one foot in both worlds, Kithain developed potent abilities by channeling Glamour from the Dreaming into the Autumn world. Changelings weave Glamour to marvelous and terrifying ends, giving rise to the legends of faeries who steal mortal memories, bound over mountains, and reshape the world into an effigy of their forgotten dreams. The magics of the fae are collectively known as Arts. Learning an Art requires mastering a progression of talents allowing the changeling to rework the chimerical and the mundane in various ways with Glamour. Kithain must also devote time to learning how their power interacts with and bends their intended target. Arts describe the faerie magic available to a character, while Realms determine the scope and focus of the character’s Arts. Historically, knowledge of certain Arts was restricted or taboo. The two courts guarded the knowledge of Winter and Summer, but when powerful
Kithain slid from Seelie to Unseelie — or vice versa — they shared and taught the secrets of their seasons. Nobles and aristocrats often snubbed “commoner” Arts such as Chicanery and Legerdemain while jealously guarding the magic of the sidhe like Naming and Chronos. In the modern age, such prejudices still exist, but are no longer enforced, magically or otherwise. Kithain can no longer deny that that any changeling, regardless of court, rank, or attitude, is capable of learning any Art.
Cantrips
Changelings use cantrips, the act of channeling Glamour into an Art, to rework the chimerical and even physical worlds to their whim. The Kithain’s fae nature serves as a conduit for Glamour to pass from the Dreaming into the mortal world, and her level of mastery in any given Art dictates what sort of mayhem and magic she creates. All cantrips include a particular skill within an Art (represented by the dot rating of the Art used), one
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or more Realms (indicating the focus or target of the Art), and typically a bunk (see below). A Kithain’s magic is limited by her mastery of Realms; the character may not focus an Art on anyone or anything outside the scope of her character’s Realms when using a cantrip. Unleashing (page 196) ignores the need for Realms as the character directs a flood of Glamour directly using an Art. To invoke a cantrip, the player decides which level of the Art her character will use, adds at least one Realm known to the character to determine the target of the power, and spends Glamour based on the type of cantrip: chimerical or Wyrd. Changelings may apply the effects of a cantrip to different kinds of targets simultaneously by using multiple Realms, but doing so increases the difficulty.
Cantrip Types
The description for each level within an Art states whether the effect is chimerical, Wyrd, or chosen by the player. Chimerical effects typically do not manifest in the Autumn world, and are thus invisible to nonenchanted witnesses, while Wyrd cantrips exist in equal measure in both worlds. If an Art can be invoked as either type, the player chooses and spends the appropriate amount of Glamour.
Cantrip Glamour Cost
Chimerical cantrips do not require the player to spend Glamour. Wyrd cantrips require the player to spend one point of Glamour. Using a Realm or level of a Realm the character does not possess (p. 232), increases the total cost of the cantrip by one Glamour for each Realm “cheated.” Players pay all Glamour costs for a cantrip before rolling the dice.
Cantrip Dice Pool
Players roll a number of dice equal to their character’s Art rating plus the rating of the lowest primary Realm used (Fae, Actor, Nature, Prop). The modifier Realms (Scene and Time) change the scope of the cantrip, but do not alter the number of dice in the pool. All cantrips begin with a difficulty of eight, but several factors modify the cantrip difficulty (see table). The player must replace dice in her cantrip pool with a number of distinct dice (all the same color, for example) for the roll equal to the character’s Nightmare rating. A full description of Nightmare dice and their effects are on p. 274.
Bunks
Changelings use bunks, actions and events which remind the mundane world of the Dreaming, to ease the friction of focusing Glamour into the mortal world with a cantrip. The more elaborate or risky the bunk, the less difficult for the changeling to invoke the Art with the cantrip. A character can do just about anything when attempting a bunk, but it most often involves willingly putting herself in danger or taking a risk, drawing attention to herself, using or destroying some object or thing, timing the cantrip around a certain event, and/or repeating something a particular number of times.
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Cantrip Difficulty
Modifiers
Target’s Banality > 7
+1
Current location has Banality > 7
+1
Using Scene Realm
+1
Using Time Realm
+1
Targets changeling with higher Title without their consent
+1
Voluntarily replace at least 3 dice with Nightmare Dice
–1
Cantrip cast in a freehold
–1
Cantrip cast on an enchanted mortal or Kinain
–1
Cantrip cast with a bunk Using Kith’s affinity Realm
–1 to –5 –1
Performing a bunk isn’t about being silly or obnoxious per se, but about disrupting Banality’s hold on the area just enough to make magic easier. As such, showy, shocking bunks tend to be more effective. Of course, if the changeling is going for subtlety or dignity, she needs to tailor her bunk accordingly; sidhe are particular masters at making an impression without looking ridiculous. After a player describes what the character does to perform the bunk, the Storyteller determines if the bunk itself requires a roll with a separate dice pool and how drastically the bunk modifies the difficulty of the cantrip roll. Failing a bunk roll does not necessarily reduce the impact of the bunk on the cantrip’s difficulty. Storytellers should use a few factors when deciding the impact of the bunk on the cantrip’s difficulty: How much risk, time, and/or personal investment is the character putting into the bunk? Spending a turn dancing a waltz would yield a –1 difficulty in most circumstances, but performing an elaborate, ritualized dance at 11:11PM every day for three days would likely lower the difficulty by 5. How effectively does the bunk bring the rules and reality of the Dreaming into the mundane world? Shattering a mug on the floor in the neighborhood diner where everyone is used to the motley’s shenanigans might grant –1 difficulty, but throwing a wine glass in a fancy restaurant should grant –2, maybe –3 if the manager calls the police. How do the other players react to the described bunk? If the other players in the group laugh out loud, gasp, or are otherwise impressed by the character’s bunk, make sure to reward the player for creating a great moment with an additional –1 or –2 to the cantrip difficulty. Example: Rosita decides her character, a redcap trying to escape from the local court’s enforcers, will use Chicanery to hide herself. She describes her character lowering the fly of his pants and urinating an elaborate glyph onto the ground around
Bunk Examples
Modifier Guideline
Loud burp
–1
Spontaneous monologue
–1
Photobombing a group picture
–1
Throwing playing cards in a hat
–1
Burning a dollar bill
–1
Stuffing a whole cheeseburger in your mouth
–1
Casting the cantrip at sunset/sunrise
–1
Casting the cantrip at exactly 12:34
–1
Saying the same thing as the target at the same time (Jinx!)
–1
Cutting a finger for blood
–1
Insulting a stranger
–1
Picking a fight
–2
Insulting a police officer
–2
Streaking in a crowded campus
–2
Performing for a large crowd
–2
Doing anything that makes people film you with their phones
–2
Destroying an expensive item
–2
Synchronized movement with target or partner(s)
–2
Re-enacting a relevant moment or scene from a movie
–2
Using a ceremonial sword in an elaborate ritual
–3
Being interviewed on the nightly local news
–3
Mooning the jumbotron at a packed football game
–3
Juggling chainsaws
–3
Getting or giving a tattoo
–3
Burning a cherished keepsake
–3
Running across a busy street
–3
Telling a dark secret to a lover
–3
Scattering thousands of dollars in a crowd
–4
Getting your picture on the front page of the paper
–4
Burning down your home
–4
Repeating an elaborate ritual at the same time over 3 days
–4
Casting a cantrip just as Halley’s Comet passes overhead
–4
Playing Russian roulette
–4
Giving a televised speech broadcast worldwide
–4
Starring in a viral video with millions of view
–4
Putting a mustache on a famous painting
–5
Dropping a priceless gem into the ocean
–5
Killing a son on the anniversary of his father’s death
–5
Standing in front of a speeding car
–5
Dueling with deadly weapons
–5
Leading an army into war
–5
Skydiving without a parachute
–5
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him. A running joke in the game revolved around Rosita’s character urinating on the motley’s enemies, and the bunk gets laughs from everyone at the table. The Storyteller decides the bunk provides a –2 to the cantrip difficulty. Later during the same game, Rosita’s character casts a Wayfare cantrip and leaps from one rooftop to another. The Storyteller asks Rosita to roll her character’s Dexterity + Athletics. Whether the roll succeeds or fails, the Storyteller decides the bunk grants a –3 to the cantrip difficulty, but a failed Athletics roll will mean she misses the rooftop.
Bunks
as
Actions
Typically, bunks require the character to spend at least one turn acting before the changeling invokes the cantrip. Players may opt to split their dice pool (p. 244) and accomplish both the bunk and the cantrip in the same turn (assuming the action required for the bunk can be completed in a single turn) or the player may wait until after the actions necessary for the bunk and then use a full dice pool for the cantrip.
Cantrips: Step
by
Step
Step One: Art The player decides on a specific dot rating of a particular Art to use. Step Two: Realm(s) The player determines the necessary Realms she needs for the desired use of the Art, including the modifier Realms (Time and Scene). Step Three: Spend Glamour The player spends one Glamour for any Wyrd cantrip, and adds an additional Glamour if she uses more than one Realm or “cheats” a Realm. Step Four: Determine Dice Pool The player rolls the character’s Art rating plus the rating of the lowest primary Realm (Fae, Actor, Nature, Prop) used in the cantrip. Time and Scene never influence the dice pool. The player replaces a number of dice in the pool equal to her current Nightmare rating, not to exceed the dice pool. Step Five: Bunk The player decides whether or not the character performs a bunk, and then either splits her dice pool or delays the cantrip roll until after the actions necessary for the bunk resolve. Step Six: Determine Difficulty The Storyteller determines the difficulty (base difficulty 8) with all relevant modifiers. Step Seven: Complete Cantrip The player rolls and consults the specific Art used for how to interpret the results of the roll.
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Some bunks do not provide a benefit to the cantrip unless the accompanying action succeeds. For example, Amaria the eshu jumps up onto the steps of the court building and begins singing to attract the attention of everyone nearby. The Storyteller calls for a roll for the performance, but the player fails the roll. Everyone pretends not to notice the strange woman singing to herself, and Amaria’s bunk does not lower the difficulty of the cantrip because she did not draw attention to herself as intended. On the other hand, some bunks benefit the cantrip regardless of the character’s success or failure. In the earlier example, Rosita’s redcap jumped from one rooftop to another. If Rosita fails the Athletics roll and her character suffered injury as a result, she still receives the reduced difficulty from the bunk, provided the character remains conscious after hitting the pavement.
Unleashing
Changelings perform cantrips to focus Glamour through their Arts in specific, deliberate ways, but every Kithain possesses another, more dangerous method to do magic. Learning an Art unlocks a new door into the Dreaming, and a changeling desperate enough can kick that door open. Because the Unleashed Glamour reaches through the Dreaming by way of the changeling’s kith, an Unleashed Art always reflects the changeling’s nature. A redcap Unleashing Wayfare yanks the target violently through the air or sends him hurtling through a nightmare world of blood and pain before emerging blocks away. An eshu Unleashing Contract, on the other hand, surrounds the target with the noises and smells of a busy marketplace as she is forced to accept a future favor from the changeling in return for handing over an item the character seeks. The player chooses an Art to Unleash and states her character’s intent in a short, simple statement (“hurt that man,” “save my friend,” “restore the grove”). She spends two points of Glamour and adds one to her character’s Nightmare rating. The player is not constrained by the character’s Realms. Unleashed Glamour can affect anything, regardless of the caster’s knowledge of Realms. The player rolls a number of dice equal to the character’s Glamour rating plus a number of dice equal to her Nightmare rating (difficulty 7). This is an exception to the usual rule about other Traits being added to Tempers (p. 244). If the roll succeeds, the player must compare the number of successes to the rating of the Unleashed Art (see below).
Unleashing Results
If the roll is a botch, the Dreaming floods through the character completely unchecked until Banality violently responds to the breach of the Mists. The character gains an Imbalance (but does not reduce her Nightmare dice pool as a result) and the Unleashed Art causes havoc around her for one turn. At the beginning of the next turn, Banality responds and cuts the character off from the Dreaming. The character suffers a Banality trigger, and she cannot spend Glamour or use Arts for the remainder of the scene.
If the roll fails, the character is unable to Unleash. This triggers Banality, and the character cannot use the Unleashed Art for the remainder of the scene. If the roll succeeds, but garners a number of successes equal to or fewer than the character’s Art rating, the changeling successfully invokes and controls the Dreaming. The character automatically invokes the Wyrd for a number of turns equal to her Glamour (the player can spend a point of Willpower to make it last for the rest of the scene), her fae mien becomes visible, and the player narrates the effect of the Unleashed Art. If the player rolls more successes than the Art rating, though, the character loses control. The character’s intent is fulfilled, but in a twisted or unintended way that adds complications or puts everyone nearby at risk. The character gains one Nightmare, and the Storyteller narrates the effect of the Unleashing and should incorporate a complication or conflict into the result. The character automatically invokes the Wyrd for the remainder of the scene.
effects, the game system for the power, and the type (Chimerical, Wyrd, or either).
Arts
Unleashing Autumn
Each of the Arts detailed below begins with a summary of the Art and a description of how the magic of the Art manifests when Unleashed. Each power corresponding to the five dots includes the name of the ability, a summary of the
Autumn
The Autumn Art is among the oldest magic still practiced by the Kithain. Regarded by some as the most fearsome of the four seasonal Arts, this is the magic of the fall, of Samhain, of the turning from light into darkness. It possesses none of the creative energy or passion of the Spring or Summer Arts, nor the solemn dignity of Winter. Instead, it is an art of shadows and decay, of withering away, of death not yet accepted and doom still befalling its victims. The Autumn Art is regarded by most Kithain as black magic of the most unwholesome sort. While many would like to believe such Glamour would only be wielded by the most dark hearted of Unseelie, the truth is that the Autumn Art has a long history among sluagh of both Courts, as well as certain satyr grumps and Unseelie boggans.
Unleashing the decay of Autumn is an act of true desperation or wanton cruelty, and is useful for causing the massive breakdown of systems or weakening enemies. It is often invoked by desperate commands such as “rot away,” directed at an ob-
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stacle, “wither” howled at a group of enemies, or “come to ruin” uttered against a venture or system. The exact manifestation of Autumn’s decay is rarely predictable, and the eshu have many tales of woe far beyond the caster’s original desires brought into the world through such Unleashings.
Autumn Bunks
Autumn bunks tend to involve the trappings of fall, funerals, harvests, and Halloween. Examples include: Crush a dead leaf, wear a scary mask, dress up as something you’re not, extinguish a lantern or candle, toggle a light switch rapidly, utter an eerie moan, design and construct a special costume, veil your face, stand vigil until the sun sets, pick a ripe fruit, spill mead on the ground, burn your wallet with everything in it, or get lost in a place you’re not familiar with.
¶ Creeping Shadows The changeling commands nearby shadows to bend to her whim. A satyr summons the shadow of a reluctant partner to dance with her. A sluagh curdles the nighttime shadows of a bully’s bedroom into a theater of menace. This Art may be used subtly, twisting or slightly manipulating shadows to grant a sinister aspect to the scene, or it may be used to commandeer shadows to become great leering things, utterly disconnected from the actions of those that cast them, or even to swallow the changeling (or another) up and hide the subject from sight. System: The Realm selected determines who or what casts the shadows this cantrip manipulates. Subtle uses of this power lower the difficulty of all Intimidation rolls by the caster by one per success rolled. Overt uses of this power simply tend to announce the changeling’s power as a sorcerer to other Kithain and terrify mortals (at least until the Mists obscure the wildly leaping, monstrous shadows they witnessed). Used to swallow up a subject in its own shadow, an individual lowers the difficulty of Stealth rolls by one per success, while a shadowed object raises the difficulty to find it by one per success rolled (to a maximum of 9). Type: Chimerical or Wyrd, depending on how overt the use
¶¶ Autumn Eyes The duke leans forward, scrutinizing the wanderer before him, eyes burning with the orange light of Samhain. Glimpsing the great curse dogging his visitor’s footsteps, he withholds hospitality and sends the eshu on his way, igniting a flurry of whispers. Infusing the Glamour of Autumn into her eyes, the changeling attunes her senses to decay and doom. She can see the illness and infirmity in those around her, recognize the weaknesses and stress points of objects, or even recognize those marked by some great or impending doom. The changeling’s eyes always take on some unearthly characteristic when using this cantrip — her irises may become the orange of fresh-fallen leaves, or might glow white with ghostly limbal rings. Although every other element of this cantrip is chimerical, the change to her eyes can be spotted even by astute mortals (difficulty 8 to do so).
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System: The Realm used determines who or what the character can scrutinize. If used on a person, the character learns the general state of the individual’s health (this can act as a diagnosis roll if the character has the Medicine Ability), gaining more detailed information the more successes she rolls. Alternately, the changeling might identify a weak point in an opponent, adding one additional die of damage to her next attack against that target for each success rolled. Objects may be scrutinized to similar effect to identify weak points. If the subject of Autumn Eyes is the subject of some curse, debilitating magic, or great impending doom (such as the Dark Fate Flaw — see p. 189), then this fact is revealed with three or more successes, along with the nature of the doom or supernatural malignance. Type: Chimerical
¶¶¶ The Poisoned Apple A young redcap brings a pan of her mother’s cookies to her third-grade class, enough for each student to have one. She’s very careful to hand the boy who throws rocks at her after school one very special cookie — one infused with all of her fear and anger. This terrible cantrip has given generations of mortals ample reason to fear both the gifts and wrath of the fair folk. Condensing her ire into a deadly infusion of Glamour directed at something within arm’s reach, the changeling poisons her subject. System: The Realm used determines who or what is poisoned. If used on a person, the target is simply struck down with poison. If used on an object, the object becomes poisonous to the next individual who uses it in a manner decided by the Storyteller and the nature of the object. (A poisonous apple would need to be eaten, while an envenomed book would likely deliver its deadly enchantment to the one who reads it.) This cantrip inflicts damage equal to the successes rolled, and is resisted as normal for a poison (see p. 292). Supernatural beings resist it as a category 3 poison, while for mortals it is resisted as a category 5. Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶¶ The Withering A legbreaker backs a satyr up against his door and draws a wrench from his pocket. But the satyr clenches his fist and leers across it and, in so doing, snatches away fifty years. The legbreaker is suddenly an old man, weak, tottering, liver spotted — and light enough for the satyr to push him over the apartment building’s railing with one hand. The curse abates as the tough falls, but it’s all in gravity’s hands by then. With a vicious gesture, the changeling steals away a target’s vitality, leaving only the seeming of age and decay. System: The Realm determines who or what is withered. Used on a mundane object, this Art’s effects are permanent. Otherwise, successes must be split between duration and severity of the withering inflicted by this Art. Each success ages the subject by one decade, or may be dedicated to the duration chart below. For every two successes dedicated to withering a living subject, it suffers a –1 penalty to all physical dice pools.
0 successes
The withering lasts for the caster’s Glamour in turns.
1 success
The withering lasts for one scene.
2 successes
The withering lasts for one day.
3 successes
The withering lasts for the caster’s Glamour in days.
4 successes
The withering lasts for twice the caster’s Glamour in days.
5 successes
The withering lasts for thrice the caster’s Glamour in days.
Multiple castings have no effect unless they garner more successes than the curse already afflicting the target. No matter how badly this cantrip withers its target, it cannot kill it outright with advanced age. Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶¶¶ Shivers A quietly angry sluagh slips into the nursing home’s employee lounge. There — that’s the jacket belonging to the orderly who is too rough with his nana. He slips a fistful of crushed leaves into its pocket, and across this place of old age and despair, the shades of the dead stir to attention. The jacket’s owner will find little peace any time soon.
Crossover Shivers
Storytellers familiar with Wraith: The Oblivion may be curious as to exactly what this cantrip does from a ghost’s perspective. If you want to use the more detailed rules of Wraith, then Shivers makes its target stand out in the shadowlands like a burning beacon to Lifesight. Whenever a ghost gathers Pathos from the marked person or object, they gain one more point than they otherwise would have. The Shroud is considered 2 points lower than it should be in the presence of the haunted subject, and finally, the difficulty to directly target the subject with all Arcanoi is lowered by 2.
The changeling draws out her own dreams of death and darkness, and bequeaths them to a target. The person or thing so cursed becomes a beacon for ghosts, and suffers the attentions of the restless dead for a time thereafter. System: The Realm used determines who or what is haunted. The exact effects of being haunted by ghosts can vary tremendously, based on the location, object, or person being haunted, the likelihood that any ghosts already have an interest in them, and so forth. At the extreme end, non-mechanical calamities may occur such as the walls dripping blood during an
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important business meeting. As general advice, the attention of the unquiet dead may produce results such as –1 penalties to actions requiring intense concentration, or to actions using a haunted object, or they may prevent characters from regaining Willpower when they sleep, as their dreams are haunted. The haunting lasts for a number of days equal to the successes rolled times the caster’s permanent Glamour. Type: Chimerical
Chicanery
Practitioners of Chicanery bend and weave Glamour, knowing the Mists will follow to obscure the magic from the mundane world. Commoners were the first to harness the Mists to alter perception and memory, and considered the resulting Art a small act of rebellion against the force which normally limits their power. Perhaps because of the Art’s origin, Chicanery was long considered an Art fit only for commoners. Knowledge and use of the Art still carries a stigma in courts ruled by elder nobles.
Unleashing Chicanery
Chicanery focused through raw Glamour bends perception, rewrites memory, and makes fantasy and folly irrefutable. Example commands when unleashing Chicanery include “hide this house from our enemies,” “make the world forget this day,” or “what was found will be lost again.”
Chicanery Bunks
Chicanery bunks often involve the caster’s voice, disguises, and lies. Example bunks: Insist that your friends call you a different name for a day, dress up as a doctor and treat patients, repeat a secret three times in front of a crowd, or burn a photograph.
¶ Trick of the Light A subtle manipulation of Glamour to muddle perceptions, Trick of the Light creates misunderstandings and mistakes. A pooka running a kidnapping con sounds just like the mark’s mother over the phone. An eshu hounded by a deranged hunter walks into a market and blends into the crowd. Down on her luck, a sidhe passes off a one-dollar bill as a 100 so she can eat tonight. System: Casting Trick of the Light on a target causes anyone perceiving the target to misinterpret what they see or hear as determined by the player, but the effect does not hold up to prolonged scrutiny. The changeling invoking Trick of the Light uses the Realm to determine what becomes changed or altered with the illusion. Each success on the cantrip roll maintains the subterfuge for one turn. A character spending longer than a turn paying close attention to the target can roll Perception + Occult (difficulty 8) to see through the cantrip. This cantrip cannot be used to weave elaborate illusions; if a target couldn’t reasonably mistake the target object for the genuine article without much attention, it’s probably too involved for Trick of the Light.
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Trick of the Light is considered chimerical even when used on mundane targets because the effects are subtle and do not withstand prolonged examination. Type: Chimerical
¶¶ Veiled Eyes Where Trick of the Light makes the viewer mistake one thing for another, Veiled Eyes uses the Mists to make the target of the cantrip instantly forgettable. A Kithain dressed in courtly robes can walk through a crowd of mortals unnoticed, a troll’s ornate broadsword hangs freely on her hip but goes ignored as she enters a bank, and the changeling’s enemies remain oblivious to the storm clouds rolling across the sky toward their home. The target does not become physically invisible, just not worth noticing. Changelings can create malicious applications of Veiled Eyes, making speeding cars or incoming enemies go unnoticed until it’s too late. System: The Realm determines the thing that everyone else ignores, but additional Realms can be used to create exceptions to the effect. Using Fae and Nature, for example, could allow the character to cloak herself with Veiled Eyes, but allow animals to still sense her. The number of successes determines the duration: 1 success
One turn
2 successes
One minute
3 successes
One hour
4 successes
One scene
5 successes
One day
Changelings can counter the enchantment with a resisted action using Perception + Kenning (difficulty 8), but must be looking for either the focus of the cantrip or searching for something hidden. Other supernatural creatures also have the same chance to see through the illusion, provided they possess some form of supernatural senses or mystic insight. Type: Chimerical or Wyrd, depending on the target
¶¶¶ Dream Logic Disjointed and illogical connections thrive in the chaos of the Dreaming, and changelings adept in Chicanery capitalize on the weirdness of dream logic to confuse and manipulate. As the target’s mind becomes shrouded by Glamour and the ensuing Mists, she becomes disoriented and does not question statements or commands that would normally make little sense to her. Covert eshu pass messages and packages with confused mortal couriers. The troll zookeeper tames new animals that no one else can safely approach. System: The Realm for Dream Logic determines the target. After successfully casting the cantrip, the changeling imposes a confused, suggestible state of mind onto the target(s) causing +3 difficulty to any Mental or Social tasks throughout the duration. The target(s) also become highly sensitive to the caster’s suggestion, going along with actions and ideas that would normally make little sense or that the target would rebuke.
Any time the character attempts to manipulate or command the target(s), the player or Storyteller may resist by rolling Willpower (difficulty 8) and scoring as many or more successes as the player rolled for the Dream Logic cantrip. Players of affected characters may spend a point of Willpower to overcome the cantrip if the changeling suggests anything which shocks their consciences or puts them in mortal danger. The duration of Dream Logic depends on the number of successes rolled when cast: 1 success
One turn
2 successes
One minute
3 successes
One hour
4 successes
One scene
5 successes
One day
Type: Chimerical
¶¶¶¶ Veiled Mind Legends and mythology paint fantastic, and well deserved, scenes of faeries stealing mortals’ memories. Moving beyond mere sight or sound, the changeling shrouds the focus of the cantrip with Glamour and the accompanying Mists to temporarily wipe the focus of the cantrip from everyone’s mind. The lover who scorned a Kithain may find her family staring at her with blank faces as she comes home for a holiday, or the changeling’s opponent forgets to draw her sword during the duel. System: The Realm determines what everyone else forgets, and multiple Realms can be used to create exceptions. A character using Veiled Mind to make everyone forget her long enough to escape her enemies could add Fae or Actor so that her motley does not regard her as a stranger. The number of successes determines the duration: 1 success
One hour
2 successes
One scene
3 successes
One day
4 successes
One week
5 successes
One month
Changelings employing Veiled Mind may unravel the effects any time they wish during the duration. As with Veiled Eyes, changelings and other supernatural creatures can resist the Art provided they have some reason to try to remember the subject. Type: Chimerical or Wyrd
¶¶¶¶¶ Lost in the Mists What is worse than being unable to trust your senses, being invisible, or even being forgotten? Masters of Chicanery employ the ultimate manipulation of the Mists to wrest away their target’s identity. The focus of this cantrip not only forgets who he is, but the changeling can employ her knowledge of other Realms to make him believe he is something else entirely. The nocker’s rival begins acting like a dog when presenting a
new invention. The vampire terrorizing a local motley wakes up with no memory of her undead state and panics when she steps outside and the sunlight burns her skin. A clurichaun makes a mortal believe he is a rain cloud to create instant performance art. System: As with Dream Logic, the Realm determines the target but additional Realms allow the changeling to define the inflicted delusion. In addition to their normal function as modifier Realms, including Scene or Time also allows the Kithain to build a different place or different time period into the effects. For example, using Scene the character could opt to have the target retain their normal identity, but believe she is in prison. Similarly, use of Time could transport the target into the past or an imagined future, at least in her own mind. When the character casts the cantrip, the target’s player should roll Perception + Kenning (difficulty 9) to determine if she is aware of the invasion into her mind. If successful, the character can resist the effects each turn with a successful Willpower roll (difficulty 8), or for the entire scene by spending a point of Willpower. The number of successes determines the duration: 1 success
One hour
2 successes
One scene
3 successes
One day
4 successes
One week
5 successes
One month
Type: Chimerical or Wyrd
Chronos
Once the purview solely of noble houses and the sidhe, the commoner Kithain now consider time magic fair game. Many sidhe remain jealous of this Art and may react with hostility when they see a commoner wielding it. At first, changelings studying Chronos deal entirely in the perception of time, but with sufficient practice (and courage) the Kithain can learn to relive a moment or stretch something temporary across eternity.
Unleashing Chronos
The changeling distorts time around her, slows down her foes, grants sight into the past or future, and confuses the normal order of chronological events. A changeling wielding Unleashed time magic can seek vengeance by making a wound refuse to heal (“suffer eternally”), cause those around her to lose days, and possibly even travel into the recent past.
Chronos Bunks
Bunks for Chronos cantrips most often depend on a using a confluence or repetition of some sort, but also tend to use timepieces or clocks, or objects that are either ancient or brand new. Example bunks: Smash a clock just as it strikes midnight, repeat a poem three times, cast the cantrip as the sun eclipses the moon, walk backward in slow motion, or sing a song in reverse.
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¶ Backward Glance
¶¶¶ Set in Stone
To start, the student of time magic learns to look backward in time. Although considered a rudimentary use of Chronos, the cantrip’s utility makes even novices sought after in freeholds and motleys. A sidhe investigating the disappearance of her vassal looks through the past of where she was last seen. Suspicious of his lover, a troll peers into her day and sees a rendezvous with her paramour. System: The Realm determines the focus of the postcognition, while the number of successes determines how far back in time the changeling can look. The player can specify a time or event on which to focus, but if the event she looks for is outside of the timeframe allowed by the number of successes rolled, the cantrip fails.
Minor manipulations to the flow of time precede the Kithain learning to dam the river and temporarily stop time itself. Casting Set in Stone on a target prevents the normal effects of aging and exposure to the outside world, but does not prevent the target from normal interactions or intentional destruction. Time no longer has the same effect for the target, preventing growth, aging, deterioration, and sometimes progress. Weather patterns could remain constant for weeks, while food would stay ripe and edible indefinitely. The cantrip does not prevent intentional harm or damage, meaning the Kithain’s car may never need maintenance, but would still sustain damage in a crash. A boggan determined not to lose her aging dog keeps it from growing any older. Determined to extract valuable information, a sidhe torturer keeps any of his victim’s wounds from healing. A troll stops progress on the construction of a new bridge, despite a construction crew continuing work every day. System: The Realm determines the target and the number of successes indicates how long the cantrip removes the focus from the normal flow of time. Note that sufficient levels of Fae allow the character to prolong other cantrips with Set in Stone, but the specific interactions should be arbitrated by the Storyteller.
1 success
Up to one hour
2 successes
Up to one day
3 successes
Up to one week
4 successes
Up to one month
5 successes
Up to one year
Type: Chimerical
¶¶ Effect and Cause
1 success
One day
The first cantrip dealing with time distortion, Effect and Cause scatters the normal progression of time for the target of the cantrip. The sound of shattering glass might precede the tumbler falling to the ground, or a body would hit the floor prior to the gunshot ringing out. System: The cantrip’s Realm determines the focus of the magic, and anyone or anything perceiving that target experiences the distortion. Only a sentient creature can suffer the effect imposed by the cantrip, because this level of Chronos does not alter the flow of time, just the perception of those around the target. Effect and Cause creates serious confusion in anyone trying to view or interact with the target, causing a three-die penalty for anyone experiencing the cantrip’s effects. Characters with knowledge of Chronos or similar magical mastery over time may take an action, and the player rolls Wits + Gremayre (difficulty 8) to ignore the negative effects for the scene. The number of successes determines how long the cantrip lasts:
2 successes
One week
3 successes
One month
4 successes
One year
5 successes
One decade
1 success
One turn
2 successes
One minute
3 successes
One hour
4 successes
One scene
5 successes
One day
Type: Wyrd
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Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶¶ Dé j à Vu Beyond the manipulation of temporal perception, past halting the flow of time around the target, the changeling next learns to relive a recent moment and re-experience the present armed with future knowledge. As time moves forward, the branching possibilities make any long-term application of the cantrip useless, but for up to a few minutes, the adept of Chronos becomes a time traveler. With such undeniable power, the changeling also accepts the risk of becoming overwhelmed with possible futures. Repeated use of Déjà Vu during the same scene becomes increasingly more difficult as the threads of fate become tangled. A piskey courier relives the moments before she is cornered by her rivals and avoids the danger altogether; the troll bodyguard sees his client gunned down, but then experiences the moment again to push her out of the way and take the bullet; a dying selkie relives her final breath to kiss her true love one last time. System: The Realm determines who or what is sent back in time, although anyone subjected to Déjà Vu without warning will be disoriented and justifiably confused. Even the caster and other masters of time magic must overcome the strain of traveling through time in order to change the future. The turn the player declares her character has used Déjà Vu, the target(s)
(including herself) cannot take an action while they orient to the current flow of time. The player must describe any bunk her character used while casting the cantrip and the Storyteller lowers the difficulty appropriately. After the player rolls the cantrip, the target(s) receive a –3 to the difficulty of all rolls for a number of turns equal to the number of successes from the cantrip roll. Each use of Déjà Vu increases the difficulty of the next use of Déjà Vu during the current scene by one. Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶¶¶ Time Dilation The source of the Rip Van Winkle legends, dilating time pushes the target forward through time and sends her out of sync with the rest of the world. The target will age and suffer the normal effects of time passing, but the world around her barely changes. Helpful and generous, a troll quickly ripens fruit to help feed some lost children. Furious about the motley aiding his enemy, a powerful sluagh ages their house a century, causing it to rot and decay before their eyes. Under the care of the boggan gardener, newly-planted saplings grow into towering trees in a matter of moments. System: As with the previous Chronos cantrips, Realm determines the target(s) but successes dictates the amount of time the subject experiences. The entire cantrip lasts mere moments even when decades pass for the target.
unworthy of their attention or efforts, while pooka and piskies prefer not to be bound at all.
Unleashing Contract
Contract Unleashings are unusual in that they allow the changeling a great degree of power to make demands of the Dreaming, focused on either the deployment of the Art itself or on those who have been bound by it. Contractual Unleashings are best used with great caution, as the Dreaming gives little heed to anything other than their core demand. For example, a sidhe noble looking for a warrior willing to undertake an oath to complete a difficult quest might demand that the Dreaming reveal to him one who would be willing to assent to the contract, and the Unleashing might comply…by revealing a fearless blackguard of a redcap. Unleashings directed at existing contracts are more common. Something like “show me Sir Caobahn’s progress upon our matter of business” is a common Unleashing, as are “bring the oathbreaker Silas Miller to my court, now” and the fairly risky “I call upon the Dreaming to send some aid to speed this matter toward successful resolution.”
Contract Bunks
1 success
Up to one week
2 successes
Up to one month
3 successes
Up to one year
4 successes
Up to one decade
Contract bunks tend to involve common binding rituals, displays of sincerity or vexation, and writing. Examples include: Draw up a formal contract, mix up a batch of high-quality ink from scratch, bite your thumb, spit in your hand, kiss someone on both cheeks, drain a drink and toss the glass into a fire, step on a bottle, give someone a ring, sign your name in wet concrete, graffiti your name on a highly-visible wall, recite a target’s name, social security number, and home address thrice, read the fine print of any advertisement or contract aloud, very quickly, sign your name in blood, or convince someone to tattoo your name on their body.
5 successes
Up to one century
¶ Done Deal
Type: Wyrd
Contract
Oaths have always been of paramount importance to the fae. Legends speak of ages past, when reality bowed to the least whims of the lords of Arcadia, and the Dreaming served as the medium for tests of will between fae magicians. In such a wild age, the only constants among the fae were those promises to which they bound themselves, and those agreements they entered into and sealed with Glamour. While oaths still play a great role in the society of the Kithain, the simple and codified rituals of common oaths pale in comparison to the Art of Contracts, which allows the power brokers of the changeling world to bind oaths of power, punish oathbreakers, and seal witting or unwitting participants into binding agreements enforced by the power of the Dreaming itself. Contract is most often practiced by nockers, eshu, sidhe, and some trolls. Boggans generally disdain the Art, believing that if a fellow cannot be trusted on a simple handshake, he is
“Very well,” the sidhe says, clasping hands with the pooka. “Should you bring the warlock to face the justice of my court, you have my word that knighthood will be your reward.” A warm glow of Glamour suffuses their hands, scribing the promise onto the heart of the Dreaming. This powerful cantrip allows the changeling to enter into binding oaths with others, or to sanctify oaths she formally witnesses. Those who break agreements and contracts sealed with Glamour are punished by the very forces of the Dreaming itself. System: Done Deal is an unusual cantrip, in that Realms modify its basic effect rather than strictly dictating who and what can be targeted — the “primary target” is always the agreement itself. As long as at least one Realm can be brought to bear, the changeling may always use Done Deal to enter into contracts with other people; if she lacks Fae or Actor, she may use Prop or Nature to weave an object or locale into the deal as the binding element. Officiating a contract between other individuals requires the relevant ratings in applicable Realms (thus, sanctioning a contract between a troll and a mortal would require Fae and Ac-
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tor), though the changeling may still weave in Prop or Nature as well if she desires. Done Deal can only sanctify formal agreements between the changeling and other characters, or between other characters who have agreed that the changeling should act as a witness or notary to the contract. Casual agreements (“sure, I’ll pick up the check” or “I’ll try to make it to your little-league game”) aren’t valid targets for Done Deal — at bare minimum, a formal promise is required. When an individual breaks an agreement bound by Done Deal, they normally suffer a number of automatic botches equal to the successes on the cantrip’s activation roll, which the Storyteller doles out at the most dramatically appropriate and poetically ironic moments. If the oath was sanctified around a place (with the Scene Realm), that place becomes the oathbreaker’s bane; for a number of scenes equal to the successes on the cantrip’s activation roll, while the oathbreaker is in the binding location, 1s, 2s, and 3s all subtract successes and can create botches. (These scenes are only ‘spent’ when the oathbreaker is present; one cannot wait out a Contract curse by any means save total avoidance of the baneful ground.) If the oath was sanctified around an object, that object becomes the oathbreaker’s bane. All attempts by the oathbreaker to use it suffer the same penalty as with cursed ground, and any attempts to use the object against the oathbreaker gain a number of bonus dice equal to the successes on the activation roll. Type: Chimerical
¶¶ Liar’s Bell The selkie looks up from her motley’s conversation, suddenly heartsick. Somewhere, she knows, her husband has just betrayed her. She rises without a word, and before her friends can ask what’s wrong, she is gone. As the c h a n g e l i n g ’s mastery over Contracts grows, she becomes highly attuned to breaches in the binding Glamour she laid down. She becomes instantly aware whenever someone has broken a contract
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she sanctified — she doesn’t necessarily know where or why, but she does know who and when. Moreover, it becomes easy for her to use the Arts of Glamour to seek the oathbreaker. System: This cantrip modifies Done Deal, and doesn’t need to be invoked on its own. In addition to alerting the changeling to broken oaths, it reduces by one the difficulty and Glamour cost of any cantrips used to locate or travel to the oathbreaker’s location for a number of days equal to the changeling’s Glamour rating, or until she stands in the oathbreaker’s presence, whichever comes first. Liar’s Bell’s effects are automatic and permanent. Type: Chimerical
¶¶¶ Castigate Denied her promised reward, the sluagh retreated to her home. If the sidhe knight would not raise his blade to protect her as promised, then she saw no reason why he should be able to wield it at all and, with a vicious gesture, dreamed up a poison and sent it to live in the hilt of his favored sword. The changeling not only knows when someone has broken an oath she sanctified, she may reach out to inflict her own punishment upon the oathbreaker, in addition to the normal penalties of violating a Contract. System: This cantrip modifies Liar’s Bell, creating an automatic bridge between the changeling and the oathbreaker at the moment a contract is violated. The changeling may reflexively target the oathbreaker with any one cantrip she knows in that moment, as though they stood before her, even if she lacks the Fae or Actor Realms; she may target her cantrip through whatever Realm she used to sanctify the oath. Type: Chimerical
¶¶¶¶ Casual Contract This fearful enchantment grants the changeling power over even the most casual of agreements, allowing her to sanctify careless commitments (“sure, I’ll be there”), idle boasts (“if that redcap sets foot in this bar, I’ll whip him and his whole motley all at once”), and even sarcastic rejoinders (“oh, of course I’ll support Duke Dray, loving nobles so much as I do”). System: This cantrip permanently modifies Done Deal. Type: Chimerical
¶¶¶¶¶ Sanctified Words This awesome cantrip allows the changeling to weave additional Glamour into a contract, granting potent blessings to those bound by it. The power of Sanctified Words can only be used to assist in carrying out the contract, but some oaths can be very broad indeed (“I swear to protect the Duke with my life”). System: Successes on the activation roll for Done Deal, in addition to setting the severity of the oath, may be used to buy enchantments from the list below. Spending successes to purchase enchantments does not lessen the severity of a broken oath. ¶¶ Favor of the Mists (1 success per die): The oathbound gains a pool of extra dice to draw upon in each scene, which may be added to any roll that upholds the contract. This pool refreshes at the beginning of each scene.
¶¶ Fortified Will (1 success per Willpower point): The oathbound gains a pool of extra Willpower points to draw upon, which may be spent at any time to uphold the contract. This pool refreshes at the beginning of each story. ¶¶ Questing Token (1 success): The oathbound gains a chimerical token, seal, or sigil they may display as proof that they are undertaking the terms of whatever their contract might be. This blessing is most often given to questing knights undertaking contracts at the behest of powerful nobles. Beings of the Dreaming inherently recognize and understand the meaning of such tokens. ¶¶ Bond of Glamour (2 successes per Glamour point): The oathbound gains a pool of additional Glamour to draw upon, which may be spent at any time to uphold the contract. This pool refreshes at each sunrise (if the oathbound is Seelie) or sunset (if Unseelie). ¶¶ Arcadian Inspiration (2 successes): In the moment when all seems hopeless and it appears that the contract cannot be fulfilled, the oathbound may call upon Arcadian Inspiration to show some path, clue, or blazing inspiration that might lead them to a solution. The exact form this takes is up to the Storyteller. Arcadian Inspiration can only be used once per story. ¶¶ Bestowment (3 successes): The oathbound is granted a single Bestowment (see p. 462) so long as they uphold the tenets of the contract. ¶¶ Vindication (3 successes): At the moment the contract is successfully completed, the oathbound loses three points of Banality. A character may only benefit from this enchantment once per story. Type: Chimerical
Dragon’s Ire
Once upon a time, so the stories go, a brave sidhe knight slew a dragon and ate its smoking heart. Or perhaps a king of the fae outwitted the dragon, and the great wyrm pledged its power to Arcadia. Or perhaps a great beauty seduced the dragon with honeyed words and dreams of passion. The stories vary, as is the way of the Dreaming, but the point is always the same — long ago a great hero secured a mighty power of war and ferocity and placed it at the disposal of the fae, should they possess the valor and fortitude to bend it to their will. Dragon’s Ire is a mighty Art of battle and conflict, and has been rare among the fae throughout the long centuries of the Interregnum. Its use experienced a great revival with the return of the Arcadian sidhe, whose noble knights never flagged in their attempts to master this challenging and potent sorcery. Many sidhe consider Dragon’s Ire a proprietary Art which can only be properly mastered by a noble warrior of unstinting dedication, but in truth it also sees some practice among the commoner kiths — most frequently redcaps and trolls. To the (often fatal) surprise of many, this Art is also popular among nockers, who delight in infusing its strength into weapons of their own design.
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Unleashing
the
Dragon’s Ire
Dragon’s Ire Unleashings are fairly straightforward — usually “protect us” or “destroy them” — and always express themselves as vibrant displays of unbound Glamour, often taking the form of walls of flame, burning auras that bestow titanic strength, rains of golden fire from the sky, or even the brief manifestation of an actual chimerical dragon.
Dragon’s Ire Bunks
Dragon’s Ire bunks incorporate violent action, daring and drama, noble gestures, and draconic imagery. Examples include: Shout a formal challenge, wave a weapon with a dramatic flourish, fire a gun into the air, light a circle of flames and step into or out of it, leap from a high place, throw a fistful of money at the cantrip’s subject, quote Shakespeare, throw down a gauntlet or glove, drip your blood upon a weapon, smash a piece of furniture, cast aside your weapon, set a building ablaze, wreck a car, take a knee for a moment while you prepare yourself for battle, or slowly don armor in full view of your foes while maintaining eye contact.
¶ Burning Thew A troll roars as he holds up the collapsing building, muscles glowing from within. Fire dances across the edge of a redcap’s
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deadly axe as it bites through armor like mere paper. A sidhe focuses ancient power into a single arrow for a single moment, and with it, slays a monster. This cantrip infuses its target with the burning might of legend, granting them tremendous strength and destructive power. To those with Changeling eyes, the subject seems faintly limned in a golden aura, which rises and flickers like flames. System: The Realm used determines who or what is empowered. If the subject is a living creature, then this cantrip raises her Strength rating. If the subject is an object, then all attacks made with that object gain extra damage dice. Successes on this cantrip’s activation roll must be split between efficacy and duration. Each success allocated to efficacy adds one dot of Strength or one die of damage. Each success allocated to duration extends the effects of Burning Thew by one round; if no successes are allocated to duration, this cantrip lasts for only a single round. Type: Chimerical
¶¶ Confounding Coils A sidhe dances across the battlefield, felling her foes while remaining untouched even by the blood she lets. The subject of this cantrip is granted the grace of a coiling serpent. Her motions become sinuous, almost hypnotic, and she may easily
avoid harm. Even an inanimate object blessed by this cantrip seems to subtly writhe and shift, throwing off attempts to strike it. System: The Realm determines who or what gains a defensive blessing. All attacks directed against the subject increase their difficulty by 2, to a maximum of 9. This cantrip lasts for one round per success rolled. It is ineffective against attacks made with cold iron. Type: Chimerical
¶¶¶ Dragonscales A knife scrapes off a troll’s hide, which is suddenly hard as stone. A nocker grins as he aims his car head-on at that of the loan shark, tempering its frame to be nearly indestructible while hoping the improvements he made to the airbag system work. The changeling infuses her subject with the mystical toughness of dragon hide. To those capable of seeing past the Mists, the subject seems to shimmer with a heat haze, and its skin or surface gleams in direct light. System: The Realm used dictates who or what is enchanted. All damage rolls against a subject protected by this cantrip raise their difficulty by 2 (to a maximum of difficulty 9). This cantrip lasts for one round per success. It is ineffective against attacks made with cold iron. Type: Chimerical
¶¶¶¶ Holly-Strike A sidhe stirs his blade through fallen leaves, lifting them into the air, and a cracking surge of emerald lightning propels them, suddenly iron-hard, into his opponent. Named after the legendary warrior’s plant, this is a cantrip of pure destruction which suits its outward manifestation to the nature of the changeling who wields it. It always takes the form of a blast of eldritch power, but this could be anything from a cold wave of withering darkness, to an emerald flash that cracks a target to pieces, to a roaring wave of dragon-flame. System: The Realm used determines the target of the cantrip — who or what is destroyed. The activation roll for this cantrip doubles an attack roll. This cantrip has a maximum striking range of (changeling’s Willpower x 10) yards/meters, and inflicts dice of lethal damage equal to the changeling’s (Willpower + Glamour + additional successes on the activation roll). Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶¶¶ Tripping the Ire On the one hand, Billy was 10 and facing down a bully two grades above him and half again his size. On the other hand, Billy was Sir William of Murfreesboro, sidhe and sworn knight to the Countess Denzel. He looked down to his hands and found them glowing with the power of ages. The changeling calls down the martial wisdom of countless warriors of Arcadian legend to dwell within his subject, enabling a terrifying battle dance against which no enemy can hope to prevail. System: The Realm used determines who is blessed by this cantrip. If used on an object, then the cantrip’s benefits
are passed to whomever wields that object in battle. Tripping the Ire produces a pool of additional dice equal to the successes on its activation roll. Each round, this pool may be divided any way the subject desires among any of their combat dice pools — attack, damage, soak, even other combat cantrip rolls. This pool refreshes itself at the beginning of each round, but loses one die from its total until the cantrip burns itself out. A single subject cannot Trip the Ire more than once per scene. Type: Chimerical
Legerdemain
Mortals may mistake some of the magic of the fae as sleight of hand, but changelings versed in Legerdemain mold and sculpt Glamour to manipulate the world around them. Popular among commoners and entertainers, Legerdemain stands as one of the oldest and most well-known Arts of the Kithain. Those with title and wealth may look down on such magic, but anyone who must fight to survive knows the value of a free meal or a clean escape.
Unleashing Legerdemain
Legerdemain grants mastery over sleight of hand, using Glamour to move and manipulate physical objects. Unleashing Legerdemain may result in the character’s surroundings becoming a storm of items hurled by invisible hands, grand or terrifying scenes played out in illusions indistinguishable from reality, or replicas of a prized possession suddenly appearing in everyone’s pockets.
Legerdemain Bunks
Legerdemain bunks often involve performances, sleight of hand, stealing or replacing items, and repeating actions. Example bunks: Make a rabbit appear out of a child’s ear, mirror the movements and actions of another, and catching a knife thrown at the changeling.
¶ Ensnare Useful for running from a mark or catching up to someone who owes the character money, ensnare causes the target to become slowed down or immobile. Furniture seems to jump into the target’s way, pot holes flatten tires and crack axles, or the ground raises to divert rushing water. Even with no nearby plausible reason for a hindrance, the tendrils of Glamour created by this cantrip still trip, slow, and weigh down the target. System: The Realm determines the target to be slowed or stopped. Ensnare causes the target to move half her normal speed and inflicts a +3 difficulty to all physical actions for the duration of the cantrip. The number of successes determines the number of turns the target remains hindered. Type: Chimerical or Wyrd (depending on target)
¶¶ Mooch Mooch provides changelings a quick and easy method of paying for a meal, or collecting an impressive set of keys, mobile phones, or any other objects that catch their eye. If successful, Mooch instantly transfers one inanimate object from the pos-
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session of the target to the changeling. The item can appear in the character’s hand, pocket, or sock — anywhere on her person she desires. System: The Realm must indicate the current owner, holder, or container of the object in question, but so long as the character knows the target has the item, she does not need to see it when she casts the cantrip. The shoelaces from a nocker’s new boots requires Fae, Actor for the business card handed to the security guard, Prop to filch the count’s favorite coffee mug from the cupboard, and Nature to get the childling’s kite stuck up in a tree. If an item is simply left unattended with no owner, container, or guardian, Mooch becomes useless. The changeling needs to steal the desired trinket the old fashioned way. The target can roll Perception + Alertness (difficulty 8) as a resisted action to notice the item is missing. Type: Chimerical or Wyrd (depending on if the item mooched is purely chimerical or not)
¶¶¶ Effigy Manipulation of Glamour complex enough to copy something takes time and patience to perfect, but once mastered, can create replicas good enough to fool an observer, at least for a while. A pooka thief can make a good facsimile of the painting she agreed to steal and sell, but now wants to keep for her collection. The redcap door-to-door salesman might sculpt a replica of the pug he just ate to keep the family from noticing that their dog is missing until he leaves. Effigies of anything sentient, like people or animals, can only perform a single, repetitive action. Objects appear exactly as the original, meaning that a book open to a particular page would be open to that same page as an effigy, but the remaining pages would be blank. The copy otherwise has the same properties as the original and exists in the physical world with the same capabilities. The character could (briefly) drive in the effigy of a car, shoot the replica gun she created with this Art, or climb the effigy of a tree. Effigy food has little taste and no nutritional value, but can smell delicious. System: The character must use a Realm based on what she wishes to copy, and can create the effigy anywhere within her line of sight. The number of successes determines the duration the effigy remains intact. If the effigy is destroyed prior to the duration ending it simply melts or fades away as the Glamour no longer can hold the form. 1 success
One turn
2 successes
One minute
3 successes
10 minutes
4 successes
One hour
5 successes
One scene
Type: Chimerical or Wyrd (depending on the target copied)
¶¶¶¶ Gimmix Mortal magicians spend countless hours staging elaborate tricks to convince others they can move and control objects with
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the power of their mind. By casting Gimmix, a changeling need only expend Glamour to move and manipulate anything she can see with considerable precision and force. A sidhe knight stops an arrow inches from his liege’s chest. The sluagh parking attendant sends a car driven by a vampire hurtling off the side of the parking deck. A redcap surgeon keeps his “patient” still long enough to apply the restraints. The nocker picks the lock of his cell door with no tools. System: As with Effigy, the Realm determines the target. The changeling can either focus her Glamour into a sudden, powerful movement or maintain a more prolonged, but precise control. For the former, Legerdemain plus the Realm acts as the character’s Strength. For the latter, Legerdemain plus the Realm should stand in for Dexterity. For a single, powerful action, the changeling only controls the target for a single turn. If used as an attack, the cantrip roll serves as the attack roll. When attempting to use Gimmix for precision, the number of successes determines the number of turns the character can continue to use Gimmix on the target before needing to cast the cantrip again. If used on an animate target, the effects may be resisted with Strength + Athletics (difficulty 8) or other appropriate dice pool as determined by the Storyteller. Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶¶¶ Smoke and Mirrors Masters of Legerdemain move beyond paltry copies or temporary manipulations and can conjure long lasting, convincing illusions with their Glamour. A dilapidated, broken bridge could appear sturdy enough for a car to travel over it, or the troll enforcer may back down after seeing the satyr with a whole crowd of angry (and illusory) friends behind him. The character could even create an entire party with food, guests, and music. System: The changeling requires knowledge of all relevant Realms when creating the illusion. Sufficient levels of Actor, Prop, and Scene would all be necessary for the party mentioned above. The illusions look, sound, and smell quite real, but do not have mass in the mundane world. A vampire brave or stupid enough to chase the character outside after she conjures illusory sunlight would not burn, but may run afoul of a seemingly empty street actually teeming with high-speed traffic. The number of successes determines the duration, but the player may opt to make the cantrip an extended action to accumulate up to five successes. Each additional roll costs only one extra Glamour regardless of the base cost of the cantrip. 1 success
One minute
2 successes
One hour
3 successes
One scene
4 successes
One day
5 successes
One week
Type: Chimerical or Wyrd (chimerical illusions are only visible to those who can see chimera)
Metamorphosis
Metamorphosis is the fae Art of transformation. It is the source of legends of wicked boys turned into frogs, and enraged faeries becoming terrible dragons. While such overt miracles have become taxing and difficult to perform as the world slides from Autumn to Winter, the Kithain have nevertheless retained nearly their full command of this glorious and storied Art. Or at least, the commoner Kiths have. Metamorphosis is a rare Art among the ranks of nobles; many sidhe regard it as a form of base magic, and would never dream of transforming themselves into lesser beings, or marring their beauty with beastly features, no matter how useful they might be. The pooka, of course, claim that Metamorphosis was their original invention and gift to the Kithain as a whole, and are some of its most enthusiastic practitioners. The Art is also common among sluagh, clurichaun, and boggans.
Unleashing Metamorphosis
Because the Kithain have retained such extensive mastery of Metamorphosis, Unleashings using the Art are fairly uncommon — there’s not a lot within its purview that a true master of the Art can’t already accomplish. Most Unleashings, then, are either used to gain access to advanced powers the changeling can’t normally use, or to call upon the Dreaming to deliver its own judgments and justice. “Let him wear the nature of his heart for all the world to see” is a classic Metamorphosis Unleashing.
Metamorphosis Bunks
Metamorphosis bunks incorporate animal symbolism, colors, transformations, alterations, and utterances. Examples include: Make the sound an animal makes, burn a feather, curse someone, paint your nails, rub ash on your subject, reverse your shirt and put it back on, speak your target’s name thrice, then thrice again backwards, catch a cat, frighten a flock of pigeons, pretend to be an animal for a full scene, carve a figurine from soap, paint your target, then paint over it again, deface a portrait, put on a silly disguise, or strip off all your clothes.
¶ Sparrows and Nightingales A sidhe wilder wears hair of a different hue each day. A clurichaun, freshly arrived in Honolulu, gives himself the cast of an islander, naively thinking this will help him approach the native fae. A grinning pooka takes on the seeming of a troll, the better to rook a gullible young knight. This cantrip allows the changeling to set her target apart from himself, changing one fundamental feature into some plausible alternative. She could change a man into a woman, a redhead into a brunette, make a short woman tall, or a black man white. She could make a boggan into a nocker, a cheap pressboard table into gleaming mahogany, an oak tree into an elm tree, a black cat into a calico, a stick shift car into an automatic, or a five-dollar bill into a 100-dollar bill. The only restrictions on this metamorphosis are that the changeling may change only one fairly discrete physical feature about her target, and she must change it into an alternative feature
that the target might reasonably possess. A person might be dark-skinned rather than light-skinned, but couldn’t generally be green-skinned, for example (some Kiths notwithstanding), a table might be made of teak rather than oak, but certainly wouldn’t be made of depleted uranium, and a car might be the 2014 model rather than the 2009 model, but would never be able to fly or to contain ejector seats. System: The Realm selected determines who or what is transformed. The number of successes rolled dictates how long the transformation lasts: 1 success
One scene
2 successes
One day
3 successes
Changeling’s Glamour in days
4 successes
One month
5 successes
A year and a day
If she wishes, the changeling may always attach a condition to the duration of the transformation that, if met, will end the cantrip early, such as “when you return with the Duke’s ring,” “when you speak my name thrice into a mirror,” or even “when you come to truly repent of your crime.” Type: Chimerical or Wyrd
¶¶ Worms and Giants This legendary cantrip may be used to shrink or enlarge its subject, producing riding mice for pooka hedge knights, shrinking boggans down to do truly fine detail work on shoes, making table knives into impromptu swords, or punishing uncouth mortals with a true worm’s-eye view of the Autumn World. System: The Realm delineates who or what shrinks or grows. The successes rolled determine the extent of the subject’s size alteration: 1 success
Shrink to 3/4th of normal size or grow to 1 1/2 times normal size.
2 successes
Shrink to 1/2 normal size or grow to 2 times normal size.
3 successes
Shrink to 1/4th of normal size or grow to 2 1/2 times normal size.
4 successes
Shrink to 1/8th of normal size or grow to 3 times normal size.
5 successes
Shrink to 1/16th of normal size or grow to 3 1/2 times normal size.
Unlike most cantrips, repeated castings do stack. Regardless of the severity of growth or shrinking, this cantrip lasts for only a scene, although Unleashings have been known to produce transformations of greater duration. Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶ Thousandskins A mousy pooka becomes a mighty lion. An angry sluagh pushes his redcap tormentor into an old cobweb, where the
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astonished redcap becomes a scuttling spider. A troll claps his hands, and the gun in the thug’s hand becomes a hissing snake. This mighty cantrip allows the changeling to transform a person or object into an animal. Individuals so transformed retain their own mind and instincts, but gain the physical traits, sensory abilities and limitations, and special capabilities of whatever animal they’ve been turned into. Objects transformed into animals gain the mind of a “typical” member of whatever species they have become for the duration of the transformation, so that a rabbit will be skittish, a lion will hunt, and so forth. Transformed humans and fae retain the power of speech, but only to those capable of perceiving chimerical reality. System: The Realm used determines who or what is turned into an animal. The changeling must split successes between the severity of the transformation and its duration. Duration breaks down like so: 0 successes
The transformation lasts for the caster’s Glamour in turns.
1 success
The transformation lasts for one scene.
2 successes
The transformation lasts for one day.
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3 successes
The transformation lasts for the caster’s Glamour in days.
4 successes
The transformation lasts for twice the caster’s Glamour in days.
5 successes
The transformation lasts for thrice the caster’s Glamour in days.
Meanwhile, the more successes allocated to severity, the more extreme the possible transformation: 0 successes
The target may only be transformed into a creature of roughly the same size, with no extraordinary capabilities (such as flight, breathing underwater, poison, superhuman senses, etc.).
1 success
The target may be transformed into a creature of roughly the same size, with no more than one extraordinary gift.
2 successes
The target may be transformed into a creature up to half its size, or half again its size, with one extraordinary gift.
3 successes
The target may be transformed into a creature up to one-fifth its size, or twice its size, with one extraordinary gift, or one of similar size to itself with two exceptional capabilities.
4 successes
As with three successes, but the target may either completely ignore size restrictions or may have an unlimited number of special capabilities.
5 successes
The target may be transformed into any animal the changeling desires, from a buzzing fly to a mighty elephant.
Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶¶ Beastskin This handy blessing or curse refines Metamorphosis to permit partial transformations. A churlish mortal might be granted a pig’s face, while a noble steed could gain the wings of a swan, and a cornered commoner might grant herself fierce claws or poisoned fangs with which to fight. System: The Realm used determines who or what gains animalistic features. (Prop is an exercise in creative thinking for this cantrip. While furry rocks tend to be of limited usefulness, envenomed swords and enemy clothing granted the stench of a skunk are among some of this cantrip’s more notorious applications.) Each success may grant the subject either one animal feature of the changeling’s choice, or may be used to extend the cantrip’s duration according to the chart below: 0 successes
The caster’s Glamour in turns.
1 success
One scene.
2 successes
One day.
3 successes
The caster’s Glamour in days.
4 successes
Twice the caster’s Glamour in days.
5 successes
Thrice the caster’s Glamour in days.
As with Sparrows and Nightingales, the changeling may set a condition to end this cantrip’s duration prematurely. Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶¶¶ Chimeric Exultation Cornered, the sidhe magician sets his cane alight and hurls it to the ground, where it becomes a roaring wyrm. He escapes out of a concealed door in the chaos that follows. This fantastic cantrip allows the changeling to transform her target into a creature of legend, or even a fantastic beast of her own imagining, by mixing together the traits and natures of different creatures. Dragons, manticores, gryphons, the kraken of legend — any can be called forth by Chimeric Exultation. System: Much like Thousandskins, Realm determines who or what is transformed. Each success allows the changeling to name one fantastic ability to be granted by the transformation (a dragon, for example, might possess flight, fantastic strength, fantastic toughness, and flaming breath). Unlike Thousandskins,
the duration of this cantrip is always the caster’s Glamour rating in minutes, although this duration can be “reset” each time the changeling (or the transformed subject) pays a point of Glamour to do so. Type: Wyrd
Naming
Names hold power, and few are so keenly aware of the potency of titles than the Kithain. Discovering a changeling’s True Name grants authority over the faerie, but those who seek a mystic understanding of Naming cantrips can reveal hidden truths, set others on dangerous or heroic paths, and even fundamentally alter someone or something by inscribing a new name into the ledger of the Dreaming.
Unleashing Naming
The study of Naming begins with revealing what is hidden, and graduates to enforcing one’s will through new titles and definition. Unleashed Naming puts awesome power into the voice and eyes of the changeling brave or foolish enough to invoke it with raw Glamour. Unleashed Naming can uncover secrets or something hiding, empower the changeling temporarily, or rework a small piece of reality to her whim.
Naming Bunks
Naming cantrips often involve meticulous ritual, but can also focus more on word play, songs, and writing. Example bunks: Write a novel and then burn the only copy, repeat the full name of the target three times in her presence, inscribe runes of blood onto your skin, name every bone in the body, or yell the names of the seven dwarfs in seven different languages.
¶ Between the Lines Discernment is the first lesson of Naming magics. Until the changeling can understand the real message in anything said or written, she cannot understand seek the intimate knowledge hidden within True Names. Deceptively powerful, Between the Lines empowers the Kithain to understand any language or learn the intended meaning behind anything she can see or hear. An eshu deciphers the ancient warning of a guardian’s curse written outside the cave before journeying inside, a clurichaun understands a request for help in a language he has never heard before, or the sidhe effortlessly constructs a puzzle box containing a clue to his lost king’s whereabouts. System: The Realm dictates the source of the message. The changeling would use Prop to read a book written in code, Actor to understand someone speaking in a foreign language, Nature to understand messages passed by songbirds, or Fae to unravel the riddles spouted by an ancient chimera. Any number of successes allows the changeling to understand a written cypher or foreign language, but each success adds an extra die to any pool for contested actions meant to reveal the truth or see through lies during the current scene. Type: Chimerical
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¶¶ Nickname Before a changeling develops the talent and discernment needed for uncovering True Names, she learns to apply a more cursory label to something or someone. The effect fades over time, but the target’s identity warps and bends to the nickname provided by the changeling. While the cantrip stays in place, everyone around the focus of the cantrip sees them through the lens of the Nickname. A nocker begins calling her mother-in-law “warthog,” and the poor woman begins to snort when she laughs. After an arrogant sidhe stole her girlfriend, the jilted piskey nicknames her ex “stilts,” causing people to see her long, beautiful legs as too long and comical. System: The Realm determines what can be given a Nickname. For the duration of the cantrip, people (even strangers) unconsciously refer to the target by the given moniker. If the target is an inanimate object, it conforms to the spirit of the nickname. A car nicknamed “clunker” doesn’t start reliably and sputters down the road. An impressive magnum revolver nicknamed “peashooter” fires bullets that barely break skin. Nickname a street “Murder Lane,” and suddenly it attracts those making illicit deals and seeking violent confrontations. If applied to a changeling, mortal, or other sentient creature, the target cannot regain Willpower unless she acts in accordance with the spirit of the Nickname. The number of successes determines the duration:
Once she discerns the subject’s True Name, she receives a –5 to the difficulties of all cantrips and contested rolls where magic is involved with the target. Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶¶ Runic Imprint Having learned to see the true nature of anything around her, the changeling now becomes versed in the ancient language of runes and how to apply them to strengthen her allies or weaken her foes. The Runic Imprint cantrip always involves writing or physical movement to form the rune on or near the target. Afterward, the changeling can mold the basic attributes of the cantrip’s focus as she sees fit. The sidhe’s bodyguard becomes stronger and faster while protecting her. A boggan’s spiteful boss curses while his brand new sports car sputters down the road like an old jalopy. System: The character begins an extended action and the player must spend a point of Glamour each time she rolls to add successes to the cantrip. After completing the cantrip and drawing (even if just in the air or dirt) the rune, the subject of the cantrip (as determined by the Realm) receives reduced or enhanced Attributes. The player applies the number of successes rolled as she wishes to determine the impact and duration of the cantrip. Each success applied to the power of the cantrip equals one dot in an Attribute the player can add or subtract from the target. The number of successes applied to duration are as follows:
1 success
One scene
1 success
One minute
2 successes
One day
2 successes
One scene
3 successes
One week
3 successes
One day
4 successes
One month
4 successes
One week
5 successes
One year
5 successes
One month
Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶ Saining The ability to discern True Names is the heart of Naming magic. Once the changeling can label the inherent nature of the subject, she gains profound insight into who or what they are, as well as power to wield any magic against them with little resistance. The power the Naming mystic gains over someone may first seem beneficial, but loyalties shift, friends become enemies, and nothing remains secret forever. System: The number of successes required to uncover a target’s True Name depends on the sophistication of the subject. A block of wood does not significantly change in the time spent searching for the name, and possesses no self determination to complicate the cantrip. The True Name of a changeling, Prodigal, or powerful chimera, on the other hand, can require an extensive amount of time and quite a bit of danger. Saining cantrips normally involve an extended action, but each roll requires either the immediate presence of the subject or some intimate attachment or piece of information about her or it. The changeling must accumulate a number of successes equal to the target’s (Willpower x 3).
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When used on an object or anything without Attributes, she can influence the basic function or capabilities of the thing to make it fundamentally better or weaker. The Storyteller should arbitrate the number of successes for the desired change. Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶¶¶ Reweaving After learning the True Name of the subject, a master of Naming can rewrite that name, fundamentally changing the target. Seelie could become Unseelie, Legacies could be changed, etc. The cantrip cannot change the physical form of a living creature, but objects can be literally transformed: A brick becomes a flower, or a fish transforms into sand. Even places can be changed and their purpose or structure redefined. A satyr musician transforms an assault rifle into a Les Paul, lost and seeking comfort, a childling sluagh reweaves an abandoned gas station into a bustling circus, or seeking vengeance against her brother’s killer, an eshu inflicts him with a dangerous addiction. System: The Realm determines who or what is affected, but additional Realms must be used if the changeling wishes to transform one thing physically into another (Nature and Prop
to transform a cat into a gun for example). The player rolls an extended action and must spend a point of Glamour and a point of Willpower for each roll. She splits the number of successes between the potency of the change and the duration. 1 success
Minor change: tastes or habits; remove or replace an addiction; change a barbershop into a beauty salon.
2 successes Moderate change: modify interests or moods; a tiger transforms into a lion; an avid football fan starts rooting for the other team. 3 successes Major change: inner nature. Switch Courts; rewrite a gun into a toy; transform a bank branch into a food pantry. 4 successes Total change: change Legacies; abandon or adopt religious faith; turn a museum into a bowling alley. 5 successes Fundamental change: the player can rearrange attributes on the character sheet; transform a werewolf into a puppy; turn a sword into a flower. 1 success
One day
2 successes
One week
3 successes
One month
4 successes
One year
5 successes
Permanent
Type: Wyrd
Oneiromancy
Cut off from Arcadia and one step removed from the Dreaming, changelings seek out connections to their fae selves through the Glamour in dreams. Every person and animal reaches through the Mists at night to touch the Dreaming, even if they have no control or memory of the journey the next morning. Students of Oneiromancy explore the link forged between slumber and the world of the fae, but gain fearsome powers to spread the chaos of the Dreaming to their victims or set it loose upon the mortal realm.
Unleashing Oneiromancy
Oneiromancy deals in sleep, dreams, and the intersection between the Dreaming, the mundane, and the minds of all denizens in each. When Unleashed, Oneiromancy can reveal hopes or nightmares, send a motley into the dreams of a slumbering giant, or manifest her enemy’s worst nightmare into the world.
Oneiromancy Bunks
Bunks for Oneiromancy cantrips typically involve nonsequiturs, trappings of sleep, and anything which represents the absurd and metaphorical nature of dream logic. Example bunks: Draw something you fear and then eat the drawing, fall asleep at exactly 12:34, lay down and close your eyes in the middle of a dark forest, or burn your bed.
¶ Dream Walk After learning the first cantrip of Oneiromancy, a changeling can forge a bridge between the Dreaming and her target’s mind, allowing her to fully enter a dream. She must target someone or something asleep she either knows well or can see. The character then wholly enters the target’s dreams and disappears from the mundane world. The subject may or may not realize the changeling is something more than a part of her dream, but she will remember the dream upon waking. Learning Dream Walk may be an initiation for Oneiromancers, but all come to respect the utility and power in the first step to mastering dreams. Changelings can pass messages to the dreaming subject, hide from enemies or nosy interlopers, or seek insight into the dreamer’s mind. The character does not risk any physical harm while in the dream, but can sustain chimerical damage. She also does not rest herself while Dream Walking, so after a night spent in another’s dreams she will likely need sleep of her own. Desperate to escape her captors, a boggan hides in her cat’s dreams. A redcap stalks a mortal in his dreams, disturbing his slumber and gathering clues for how best to disrupt his life. After falling asleep in the freehold, a motley shares a dream in which they plan their next move. System: The cantrip can be used to enter the dream of any sleeping creature, provided the changelings knows the appropriate Realm. The Oneiromancer brings nothing with her when entering a dream and will reappear in the same place she cast the cantrip when she willingly leaves the dream or when the dreamer wakes. The first time a character casts the cantrip on a subject she must be able to see the target, but the player can spend a point of Willpower to forge a connection allowing the Oneiromancer to enter her dreams from anywhere in the future. The subject remembers the dream upon waking, making Dream Walk an effective way to pass messages and send warnings. All other Oneiromancy cantrips first require successful casting of Dream Walk. Type: Wyrd
¶¶Dream Craft Some dreams stay with dreamers even after waking, coloring the mood and tone of their day. No longer limited to entering the target’s dream and having minimal interactions, the Oneiromancer can exert control over the dreamscape to create peaceful tableaus in the sleeper’s mind or inflict dreadful terrors that will haunt her the following day. The woman vying for the same promotion as a sluagh is plagued with nightmares of failure, which follow her into work the next day when she sees her boss. An eshu joins her son’s dream to share an adventure with him the night before he leaves for college and makes sure he feels unstoppable when he sets foot on campus. System: Dream Craft can only be used as an extension of Dream Walk while inside of someone else’s dreams. The changeling can shape the target’s dreams and employ Realms to create aspects of the dream. Any part of the dream molded with an appropriate Realm becomes a trigger for the target after
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she wakes. The Oneiromancer decides if the dream becomes inspiring or terrifying, which determines the impact of those triggers when encountered. If the dream was positive and restful, the target gains a point of Willpower from sleeping and also gains two bonus dice during any scene where she encounters the trigger created by the Oneiromancer. A nightmare caused by Dream Craft drains a point of Willpower from the subject instead and inflicts a two-die penalty during any scene with the trigger. The effects of the trigger last for one day per each success rolled when casting the cantrip. Type: Chimerical
¶¶¶ Dream Portal By exploiting the thin divide between the dreaming mind and the Dreaming itself, an Oneiromancer can overlap the two to create a portal. The subject’s dream becomes a waystation within the Dreaming that connects the caster’s location with the sleeper’s. An industrious piskey uses dreamers to travel the globe in moments instead of suffering jet lag and the banality of in-flight conversations. The nocker smuggler avoids customs by bringing his goods to the black market via dreams. System: Dream Portal is always used in conjunction with Dream Walk. The Realm now dictates what the caster can transport through the target’s dream, although the successes rolled limit the size and volume of what gets brought through. Dream Portal can be cast as an extended action to accumulate additional successes, with each roll beyond the first costing one point of Glamour. Each success represents the mass or volume of an adult human that the Oneiromancer can bring through the dream. Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶¶ Manifest Under the Oneiromancer’s command, elements of a dream may spring to life in the waking world as a chimera. She maintains limited control over sentient chimera for a time after the dreamer wakes, but without the caster’s Glamour, the chimera will fade as the dream is forgotten. By pouring her will into the manifestation, the Oneiromancer can even pull the chimera into the mundane world, though it will fade even faster. Impatient with his apprentice’s cowardice, the redcap Oneiromancer manifests a creature from his student’s nightmares to teach a valuable, if potentially fatal, lesson. Each night, the nocker inventor dreams and then forgets amazing creations until an Oneiromancer helps him bring his nighttime contraptions to the waking world where he can replicate them. System: The cantrip’s Realm determines what transfers from the dream world into chimerical reality. As soon as the cantrip completes, the target disappears from the dream and manifests in the waking world. The chimera retains its nature from the dream, though the extent of its power is dependent on the number of successes rolled for the cantrip. The Oneiromancer automatically gains insight into the nature of the
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chimera, but the more powerful and sentient the manifestation, the less control she can exert. Normally, a Manifest chimera will fade and disappear when the dreamer whose mind spawned the chimera falls asleep and begins to dream again. In order for the Manifested chimera to gain permanence in the waking world, the caster must infuse it each day with a point of Glamour. At the Storyteller’s discretion, a chimera kept active in the waking world by the Oneiromancer over a long period of time could become permanent, though a sentient chimera may feel no loyalty to the Oneiromancer once it becomes established in the waking world. The caster can also force the chimera to become real in the mundane world, though at a steeper cost. Manifest becomes Wyrd when used in this way, and the player spends a point of Willpower. The chimera then only remains in the waking world for a scene and cannot be kept active with Glamour. The table below describes the power level of chimera brought out of dreams with the cantrip. Refer to Chimera (p. 315) for a full explanation.
ences a distorted version of what is happening to them in the waking world as a dream. The target of the cantrip can resist by first realizing their dream was invaded with a Perception + Kenning roll (Difficulty 8). The target must then make a resisted roll with Willpower (Difficulty 8) against the successes rolled for the cantrip. While inhabiting the target’s body, the caster uses his physical Attributes (including Appearance), but retains her own social and mental Attributes, as well as all her own skills. The Oneiromancer can use her Arts, but does not gain access to any special abilities or powers known to the target. She cannot use Dream Walk to enter another person’s dreams while also using Dream Puppet.
Manifested Chimera
4 successes Target will wake if she sustains aggravated damage
1 success
Facsimile of the target with no real power or intelligence, like voile, with the equivalent of 5 chimera points, inanimate and non-sentient
2 successes
Minor chimera, sturdy but with no special power; equivalent to a simple crafted item or a chimera with 10 chimera points, can be animate but non-sentient
3 successes
An advanced crafted chimera or the equivalent of 20 chimera points, can be animate and sentient
4 successes
Complex crafted chimera or having 30–35 chimera points.
5 successes
Master crafted chimera or having 40–50 chimera points
Type: Chimerical or Wyrd
¶¶¶¶¶ Dream Puppet Some students of Oneiromancy abandon the path when the culmination of their training becomes clear. No longer limited to the manipulation of dreams or their intersection with the Dreaming, a master Oneiromancer can invade a target’s mind and assume control of their form while they sleep. The sidhe’s ex-lover wakes to find himself in a jail cell, facing serious criminal charges. Jealous of the health and energy of youth, a grump relives his glory days in the body of his nephew. System: The same Realm used for the initial Dream Walk is used when rolling Dream Puppet. The player must spend a point of Willpower to cast the cantrip on any target with at least human-level intelligence, and the success of the cantrip determines how long the caster can keep the target asleep and maintain control of their body. The focus of the cantrip experi-
1 success
Target wakes from any strong stimulus, such as loud noises or pain
2 successes Target wakes from any bashing damage 3 successes Target wakes if she takes any levels of lethal damage 5 successes Target only wakes up by resisting the effects or when the caster leaves her dream Type: Wyrd
Primal
The fae are at least as old as the world itself, if not older, and have always shared a powerful affinity for the very elemental substance of the world — a few legends even claim that they spun the primal fundament of reality from the inchoate mist of dreams at the dawn of time. Regardless, modern changelings can remember a time when they were kindred to the stones and when they plucked whispers from the air, when they seduced the flames and bowed before embarking upon the back of Mother Sea. Even today, they still remember many of the secrets of harnessing the elements, and Primal is one of their most useful and widespread sorcerous Arts. It’s widely accepted that the Kithain learned Primal from their cousins, the inanimae, and that it was once the merest stepping stone toward far grander elemental magic. Those greater Arts were lost in the wake of the Shattering, and today Primal is largely associated with “salt of the earth” changelings, such as boggans, eshu, piskies, and redcaps — though many sidhe nobles quietly dabble in its useful lesser enchantments.
Unleashing Primal
Primal Unleashings place the vast and ancient power of the elemental Arts back into the hands of the Kithain, if only for a moment. Earthquakes, firestorms, trees erupting through pavement and growing to full grandeur in moments — these are the hallmarks of Primal Unleashings, making it one of the most potent and dangerous Arts to loose into the world with little greater direction than “stop them,” “help us,” or “open a path.”
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Primal Bunks
Primal bunks incorporate props from nature or primal elemental forces. Examples include: Light a match or wave a lighter around, break a stick, make willow bark tea and drink it, coat your hands in mud, listen to a seashell, douse yourself with water, carve a statuette out of wood, draw your target in the dirt with a fingertip, run full speed against a powerful wind, scatter freshly-fallen leaves over your head, pluck a rose and savor its fragrance, leap into a puddle, mark a tree using a sharp stone, or craft a crown of thorns, and wear it.
¶ Willow Whisper In the hours before dawn, a pooka creeps up on cat feet to ask the paving stones of the Duke’s walkway who came to visit him in the night. Investigating a mugging in the park, a boggan private eye interrogates the trees, and discovers plots darker than he’d anticipated. This useful bit of magic allows the changeling to speak to the world, and hear its replies. She may use Willow Whisper to speak to any plant, animal, object, or natural feature — any stone, any jeweled ring, any shining blade, any beast normally incapable of speech. Willow Whisper has two restrictions. First, the changeling must speak in a whisper, and hears all replies as whispers in return — this cantrip is useless at a stock car race or rock concert. Second, no matter how hard she tries, the changeling may never hear the voice of cold iron. System: The Realm selected determines what the changeling may speak to the world about. Actor and Fae would allow her to ask a tree if a certain person has passed by, and what they were doing. Prop and Nature allow the changeling to make inquiries about objects or natural phenomena themselves. The changeling can ask one question per success. Type: Chimerical
¶¶ Eldritch Prime This cantrip allows the changeling to conjure up manifestations of the elements of earth, water, wood, fire, or air. This appears in the most natural form possible — water pours down from the sky as rain, or bubbles up from the earth as a small spring, for example. Rocks thrust up from the ground with a rumble. Plants grow up from the ground with unnatural speed. These manifestations can occur in decidedly unnatural locations, however, such as rain happening inside of a building, or flowering branches growing from an angry math teacher’s head like beautiful antlers. System: The Realm used determines where the element manifests. Actor and Fae could cause it to rain on someone, or for stones to weigh down their pockets, or for plants to sprout from them, or even for them to catch on fire (inflicting damage equal to the successes rolled). Nature simply permits the appearance of the elements from the natural world, while Prop could cause howling winds to blast out of an old Buick’s air conditioning system, or cause its trunk to fill up with fertile dirt. The more successes rolled, the greater the manifestation of the element. A single success would be sufficient only to
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conjure a few flowers, a glass of water, a few rocks, or a torch’s worth of fire. Three successes could produce half an hour of rain, a wind strong enough to impose a two-die penalty to move against it, a bonfire’s worth of fire, or a tangle of thorny vines. Five successes could call forth rocks big enough to flip a car as they erupt from the ground, a small inferno, enough water to fill a backyard swimming pool, or a young tree. Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶ Oakenshield A troll knight’s skin grows hard as mountain granite. A redcap fleeing through thorny brambles breaks off a twig and chews it, causing thick protective bark to grow across his jacket and pants, lending him greater protection. This useful cantrip fortifies its target with a protective elemental sheath. Despite the name, this need not necessarily be a coat of armor-like bark; it could also make a person’s skin hard as marble, allow the apparently solid surface of a door to splash and reform like water when struck, or surround a getaway car with an ablative shield of powerful wind. System: The Realm used determines who or what is fortified. Each success rolled when activating Oakenshield grants the target one temporary extra Bruised health level, which lasts until destroyed or until the end of the scene. These temporary health levels are always the first marked when damage is taken, and rather than “retaining” marked damage, the damaged health levels simply vanish. Multiple castings of this cantrip are not cumulative — a new casting always overwrites any existing protection. Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶¶ Elder-Form “Oi, you shouldn’t have come here,” the redcap snarls. He puts out a cigarette on his tongue, and flames unfurl across his entire body. “Now you’re gonna regret it.” This powerful cantrip allows the changeling to imbue someone or something with the very essence of one of the elements, transforming them into a living manifestation of elemental power. System: The Realm used determines who or what is transformed. This transformation’s duration depends on the successes rolled. The number of successes determines how long the subject can fly. 1 success
Changeling’s Glamour in turns.
2 successes
Changeling’s Glamour in minutes.
3 successes
Five minutes per dot of Glamour.
4 successes
30 minutes per dot of Glamour.
5 successes
One hour per dot of Glamour.
Those enchanted with air become invisible and may float through the air under their own power at walking speed. Those enchanted with earth are visibly made of stone and dirt, may soak lethal damage at difficulty 6 if they could not already do so, and gain an additional 3 soak dice. However,
they are also very heavy, move at half speed, and the difficulty of dodge attempts rises by 1. Those enchanted with water become slick, slippery, and fluid. They gain an extra dot of Dexterity. The difficulty to squeeze through tight spaces and narrow confines drops by 2 (as would the difficulty to escape from objects such as handcuffs enchanted by this cantrip). They can exist underwater without the need for air, and enchanted objects such as books won’t be ruined or damaged by submersion in water. Those enchanted with wood become rooted in place, and cannot be moved from where they stand or rest by any force. They become supple as a reed in the wind, lowering the difficulty of Dexterity and Stamina-based rolls by 1, and they may slowly regain any damage taken, at a rate of one level of bashing damage per minute and one level of lethal damage per five minutes. Those enchanted with fire become formed of sculpted flame, and inflict one level of automatic lethal damage per turn to anything in direct contact with them. They are themselves immune to fire for the duration of the transformation. Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶¶¶ Dance of the Five Kings An eshu makes a place for himself at court with lovely decorations of sculpted water and flame. A clurichaun hides his worldly treasures within a stout old tree, his magic the only key to open or close its trunk. This potent cantrip makes the changeling the master of the five elements. She commands, and flames and earth and water leap to obey. She may guide any elemental manifestations that are already present to attack, restrain, entrap, clear a path, or simply reshape themselves to her liking. System: The Realm used determines what the elements can be made to do. Actor and Fae can command the elements to attack individuals (one level of lethal or bashing damage per success, depending on the element used), or restrain or hamper them (the difficulty of the target’s next action rises by one per success). Prop and Nature allow the elements to be reshaped into forms fitting the Realm deployed — a tree could be reshaped into a throne, flames could become impossible burning flowers, and a stone could become an impromptu, but well-balanced, mace. Type: Wyrd
Pyretics
Every changeling’s soul burns with the power of the Dreaming, but not all learn to harness that flame with the magic of Pyretics. Fire consumes, purifies, protects, and makes new. Kithain from both courts, commoners and nobles, members of all houses, respect the power of the flame and seek knowledge of its secrets.
Unleashing Pyretics
Unleashing Glamour through Pyretics can burn away impurity or illusions, cause terrible destruction, or make something new again. The character may invoke the Art to create
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a protective circle of fire, burn away phantoms cast to distract or haunt her, or transform her sweat and tears into molten Glamour, setting everything they touch on fire.
Pyretics Bunks
Unsurprisingly, Pyretics bunks most often involve fire and destruction, but also include removing impurities, cooking, and new life. Example bunks: Burn something, or burn everything, make something broken like new, hold a match under your hand until it blisters, tell a story around a campfire, create a glass sculpture and then smash it, walk on hot coals, or sing a ballad and end just as the runs rises.
¶ Kindle A basic but eminently useful cantrip, Kindle heats the focus of the Glamour enough to cause discomfort but not injure. Kindle can cook food, help start a fire, make someone sweat and appear feverish, or heat a gun enough to burn someone touching it. Tired of the grind at school, a childling pooka stays home sick with a fever created with Glamour. A boggan ensures her victory at a culinary competition by overcooking the competition’s food. A sidhe uses Kindle to distract his rival in a war council and convince the duke to pursue negotiations instead of battle. System: The cantrip’s Realm determines the target(s). When used on something inanimate or non-sentient, the Storyteller should arbitrate the effects of the heat (plants may wilt, metal becomes dangerous to touch, food cooks without a visible source of heat). When cast on a person, animal, or creature, the target incurs a +1 difficulty to all rolls due to the distraction and discomfort. The number of successes determines the number of turns the target remains overheated. Type: Wyrd
¶¶ Illuminate Countless creation myths from the mortals begin with a divine light piercing the darkness. Changelings adept in Pyretics wield the power at the heart of such stories. By channeling Glamour into this cantrip, the Kithain can create a light which dispels darkness, illusion, and petty subterfuge. The motley turns away from the blinding light, but turns back to see their mentor replaced by an impostor. All who enter the piskey’s home must first stand in front of a glowing stone and be revealed. System: The Realm determines the source of the light. Illuminate’s glow reveals anything hidden or obscured. Supernatural illusions, physical disguises, and even base dishonesty become easier to see through while the cantrip’s light shines. The light normally extends out only a few feet in each direction, but can be extended substantially with Scene, and if the cantrip is Wyrd anyone can see clearly in the light. Any supernatural illusion or disguise with a lower power level than the number of successes rolled for the cantrip is revealed. All attempts to lie or hide within the area of the magical light incur a dice pool penalty equal to the number of successes rolled for the cantrip. The effects of Illuminate last for one scene, but may be ended earlier by the caster. Type: Wyrd or Chimerical
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¶¶¶ Purify No impurity withstands sufficient heat, but the student of Pyretics can burn away contaminants with chimerical fire that does not damage or consume the target. Purify makes water and food safe to consume, can destroy infection or poison, and even temporarily cure disease. By coupling the cantrip with the Fae Realm, the caster can even burn away curses and effects from other cantrips. A traitor’s attempt to poison the motley fails because of the nocker’s cantrip. In the troll’s forge, any metal becomes pure and strong in his furnace. With a hopeful song, the clurichaun cleans a river from the pollutants dumped in by a nearby factory. System: The cantrip’s Realm dictates what can be purified. Objects and inanimate material have all impurities and contaminants removed. The effects on changelings, mortals, and other creatures depend on the circumstances. The Storyteller should determine what qualifies as an impurity (a curse causing delusion may be temporarily abated, but an illness naturally occurring within the body may not). The number of successes can be compared to the strength of any poison, curse, disease, or ill effect. If the Purify cantrip does not match or exceed the ailment in successes, it returns to the target after the current scene. Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶¶ Engulf Sometimes a changeling just needs to set something on fire. A simple and powerful cantrip, Engulf makes the target combust. The changeling can choose whether the focus of the magic burns from the flame or remains protected from the wreath of magical fire. Once the flame catches to anything else nearby, it burns and spreads as a normal fire, outside the changeling’s control (see Fire, p. 293). A clurichaun made the rain catch fire and burn the factory where he toiled before his Chrysalis. Inspired by the superheroes, a childling wreathed her body in flames to scare a neighborhood bully. Word spread quickly of the tall, blue vigilante with the axe wrapped in flame. System: The Realm determines what combusts or becomes wreathed in flame. The number of successes determines the intensity and duration of the fire, but if it catches anything else alight, that mundane fire will persist and spread. Each success represents the number of turns the target of the cantrip burns or is surrounded with the Pyretic flame. If the cantrip is used to burn the target, they suffer one aggravated damage per turn. If the cantrip surrounded a protected target with the flame, anyone or anything other than the caster or the target touching the flame suffers one aggravated damage per round of contact. Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶¶¶ Phoenix Song The phoenix burns to ash, and from the destruction of the flames rises again as new. Mastery of Pyretics grants the changeling the power of new life in the face of destruction. After the changeling invokes the Phoenix Song, if the recipi-
ent of this blessing dies or is otherwise destroyed, she or it will burn to ash and rise as new a short time later. System: The Realm used in the cantrip decides what or who will return if killed or destroyed during the current scene. As soon as the focus of this powerful magic takes fatal damage or is broken beyond repair, the Phoenix Song begins and the subject bursts into flame. The number of successes on the cantrip determines how long the target remains inert and on fire, after which she or it rises like new, fully restored in body and mind. The Phoenix Song restores all of the target’s Health levels, Willpower, Glamour, and any other relevant resource or aspect of the subject. 1 success
Burns for one day and then returns
2 successes
Burns for one scene and then returns
3 successes
Burns for one hour and then returns
4 successes
Burns for one minute and then returns
5 successes
Burns for one turn and then returns
Type: Wyrd
Skycraft
Skycraft is the ancient and rarely-seen Art of command over the wind and the thunder. Once upon a time, or so the eshu say, the lords of the fae rode chariots of the winds and hunted the lightning so they could forge it into fine blades and gleaming finery. They called the North Wind to hand, and spoke with the voice of the tornado. Such sheer power has long been lost to the fae, save in the depths of perilous Unleashings, but they retain even now the rudiments of their mastery over the forces of the sky. Skycraft is a rare Art, favored by its practitioners as a more refined alternative to the common magic of Primal or Wayfare. It is primarily practiced by trolls, and rumored to be much prized by the merfolk and selkies, though some eshu find it a stylish Art that lends them a certain storm-tossed flair.
Unleashing Skycraft
Skycraft Unleashings are unsubtle affairs of sudden storms, gale-force winds, booming thunder, dancing lightning, and ravaged electronics. They might be deployed to run a ship to port (or send it to the bottom of the sea), paralyze the streets of a major city for an hour with torrential rain and punishing wind, to damage or destroy a building, or to fry a major electrical network.
Skycraft Bunks
Skycraft bunks focus on sound, electricity, open air, and the old ways. Examples include: Clap your hands in a silent room, rattle a sheet of tinfoil, carve a rune into your flesh, draw lightning-bolt streaks on the object of your cantrip, short out an electrical device, whirl a bullroarer, paint yourself blue, howl to the open sky, climb onto a roof in the midst of a storm, turn an umbrella inside out, lick a battery’s terminals, pound a drum,
smash your hand into a bowl of water, forecast the weather, run with a windsock until it streams behind you, fly a kite, smash a delicate electronic device, or flip the breakers in an old house.
¶ Howling Gale An eshu makes a truly dramatic entrance, hair and coat flapping around him. A troll holds the top of a staircase, sending a punishing wind against those trying to climb up and fight him. A pudgy boggan runs like an Olympic sprinter, pushed by the wind itself. The changeling may call forth a powerful wind, using it to speed the movement of herself or her allies, to confound her enemies, or simply to blow as she desires. System: The Realm selected determines who the wind aids, or from whence it blows. If used to target a person, the changeling may place a powerful wind at their back, doubling their movement speed for every two successes rolled, or she may cut their movement speed by half for every two successes rolled by setting the wind against them. Such winds last for (Glamour) minutes. If an object is targeted, the changeling may push it along at (Glamour) miles per hour for five minutes per success rolled, directing the wind as she pleases. Alternately, she may make an object or person the source of a powerful wind that roars out in all directions, making it difficult for others to approach the one so enchanted (treat all who approach as though the changeling were setting the wind against them; lasts for one minute per dot of Glamour). Finally, with proper application of Nature, the changeling may simply cause the wind to blow in a certain direction as she wills, with each success gaining her 10 miles per hour of wind speed or 10 minutes of sustained wind, distributed as she sees fit. Type: Wyrd
¶¶ Electric Gremlins An office manager curses as the eighth system of the day crashes. With a sigh, he orders everyone home for the afternoon—no work can be done like this. Sitting at a window and looking at the beautiful day outside, a satyr smiles and leaves her desk. This cantrip summons a host of gremlins — minor chimerae that play havoc with electrical devices. Gremlins are tiny greenish-yellow creatures blessed with the ability to hide behind anything, no matter how small, when directly observed, whose presence disrupts complex electronics. An individual plagued by a host of gremlins finds complex electronics impossible to manage, as modern technology balks at his presence and refuses to function. System: The Realm determines who or what the gremlins stalk and harass. Fae and Actor inflict a host of gremlins that disrupt any complex electronics the one so marked attempts to use, or even spends more than a few minutes in close proximity to. Nature and Prop can be used to inflict gremlins on objects and phenomena with similar results, ranging from directly destroying a computer by targeting it, to creating “cursed” stones, coats, and so forth, which play merry hell with electronics in their vicinity.
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Electronics targeted by gremlins experience crippling glitches, hangups, errors, short outs, signal disruptions, and even contract mysterious and confounding viruses for no apparent reason, rendering them unusable. The more successes rolled, the longer the gremlins persist, as outlined below: 1 success
The gremlins lurk about for one scene.
2 successes The gremlins plague the target for one day. 3 successes The gremlins persist for the caster’s Glamour in days. 4 successes The gremlins last for twice the caster’s Glamour in days. 5 successes The gremlins harass their target for thrice the caster’s Glamour in days. Type: Chimerical
¶¶¶ Hurricane Speed A troll grins, cornered and impossibly outnumbered. “You want the Count’s blade? Then fetch,” he cries, hurling the ancestral Treasure over the horizon. The Count’s seer will be
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able to find it, but from the expressions on their faces, the gang of redcaps and satyrs possess no such talents. The changeling calls down the very essence of the wind itself and infuses it into a person or thing. Those infused with Hurricane Speed not only gain the swiftness of the wind, but also its expansive perspective, quickening their reflexes and reactions. Objects become as one with the wind, carrying themselves tremendous distances once impelled to movement. System: The Realm used determines who or what is enchanted. If used to enhance an object, each success reduces the object’s weight by half and doubles the distance it can be thrown, pushed, or otherwise impelled. If a person is targeted, each success raises her Initiative by one each round, and every two successes raise her Dexterity by one. This cantrip lasts for the changeling’s Glamour in rounds. Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶¶ Storm Shroud A troll bangs his fists together, and they crackle with deadly power. A sidhe raises his shield, and its surface crawls with electricity. A fleeing clurichaun slams a door behind him, scratches a lightning-bolt zig zag onto it with his pocket knife, and is gratified to hear the howls of his pursuers as they hit it a moment later, provoking a burst of painful sparks.
The changeling calls down the essence of lightning into the target of this cantrip, surrounding it with a flickering nimbus of electrical destruction. System: The Realm used determines who or what gains a crackling aura. Anyone who comes into contact with this barrier, either by touching an object or person or being touched by them in turn (which may require a Brawl or Melee attack) suffers three dice of bashing damage. Storm Shroud lasts for one round per success. The changeling who casts this cantrip is always immune to its effects, and thus can enchant her own weapons or clothing without any danger, although no other characters enjoy such immunity. Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶¶¶ Lord of Levin A master of Skycraft commands the very fires of heaven, and may send the lightning to strike down her enemies. This cantrip normally only works under an open sky, but a changeling who has enchanted herself with Storm Shroud may use Lord of Levin to throw lightning bolts from her fingertips so long as Storm Shroud persists. System: The Realm used determines who the lightning strikes. Lord of Levin’s activation roll is also treated as an attack roll. If successful, this cantrip inflicts 5 dice of lethal damage plus one die per extra success on the activation roll, and stuns the target such that they suffer a –2 penalty to all dice pools until the end of the next turn. Type: Wyrd
Soothsay
Soothsay is the Art of divination, prediction, and interaction with Dán, the fae belief in fate. Changeling seers hold that Dán is a great loom of interwoven strings of destiny, too vast and complex for most minds to untangle. All beings — fae, mortal, and Prodigal alike — are woven into this great tapestry, their actions and ideals looping across and around one another to create the great design that is the world. Occasionally, the forces of Dán become apparent in the form of signs, omens, and portents, if the viewer has the knowledge, instinct, and wisdom to know them for what they are. Soothsay measures these qualities. This Art is associated with thoughtful, contemplative Kithain. Nobles seek masters of Soothsay as seers and advisors, while commoners revere them for the wisdom they offer. This Art is most often practiced by sidhe sorcerers and eshu seers, but is also known for ancient associations with satyr grumps.
Unleashing Soothsay
Soothsay Unleashings are often considered among the most dangerous phenomena in the Dreaming, for they lay bare the full tapestry of Dán—a dangerous thing for any seer. Unleashing this Art reveals the future, for good or ill, and almost always reveals more than the bare essentials the seer hoped to learn, complicating her destiny in the process.
Soothsay Bunks
Soothsay bunks tend to involve traditional and nontraditional acts of divination. Examples include: Lay out a tarot reading, drink down a bowl of tea and read the leaves, shatter a mirror and examine the fragments, perform scapulomancy, eat a fortune cookie, hypnotize a friend and quiz them on the future, interpret clouds, take hallucinogens, sit in a smoke lodge, shake a magic 8 ball, program a random algorithm to replicate a magic 8 ball.
¶ Omen An eshu seer pronounces a wanderer of honest character, and he is welcomed into the local court. Elsewhere, another seer informs his liege that the love she pursues does not feel as she does—and is banished for his honesty. This rudimentary cantrip provides the briefest of glimpses at the thread of a person, place, or thing’s destiny. The Omen revealed is always vague, and rarely concerned with immediate events — at this level, the seer can at best glimpse the broad nature of a thing’s destiny. System: The Realm selected determines what the Omen is about — usually Fae or Actor, although it’s certainly possible to conjure an Omen about a place or object. The more successes rolled, the deeper the Omen may reach to hint at the truth of its subject… although no matter how many successes are rolled, Omens are always subject to some interpretation. 1 success
The seer may seek one clue about an immediate plan of the target or the near-future of an object.
2 successes
…or one clue about the outward demeanor or Court allegiance of the target, or whether the object is lucky or ill-omened.
3 successes
…or one clue about a long-term goal of the target, or where the object will be in the future.
4 successes
…or one clue about the inner nature or Legacy of the target, or whether the object is of great importance.
5 successes
…or one clue about a closely-guarded secret of the target, or the defining moment of the object’s destiny.
Multiple castings upon the same target within a single story cumulatively cost one additional point of Glamour with each repeated casting, as the threads of Dán become increasingly tangled. Type: Chimerical
¶¶ Seer’s Wisp A boy conjures up a ball of warm light. “My brother,” he whispers. “Find my brother.” It bobs, drifts out of his bedroom window, and an adventure begins. The seer gains the ability to conjure a bright fragment from the heart of the Dreaming, to lead her where she needs to journey. She may whisper into the Wisp the name or a descrip-
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tion of the thing or person or place she seeks, and it will lead her there unerringly along the paths of Dán. System: The Realm dictates who or what the changeling is trying to find. The more successes rolled, the more direct and safer the path down which the Wisp leads the changeling. This cantrip only lasts for one hour per dot of the seer’s Glamour, and can only be used to seek a single subject once per story, severely limiting its effectiveness as a tool to resolve legendary quests. One odd quirk of this cantrip is that while the Wisp is entirely chimerical, mortals with low Banality (6 or less) can sometimes glimpse its light, particularly by night and in lonely places. Type: Chimerical
¶¶¶ Tattletale This useful cantrip allows the seer to scry distant scenes through an object or individual she has ensorcelled for this purpose. Traditionally, anything in the immediate vicinity of the Tattletale focus is displayed in a nearby reflective surface or surface of the changeling’s choosing, though some nocker seers have been known to display the results of Tattletale on old television screens or computer monitors. The changeling can use any perception-based cantrip through the focus once a connection has been established.
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System: The Realm used determines who or what becomes the focus of Tattletale. Dedicating a person or object as a focus requires some sort of ritual invocation which may be improvised and differs from seer to seer, but is generally fairly obvious in intent — it takes some fairly skilled trickery to make someone into a Tattletale focus without them realizing what’s happening. Dedication as a focus lasts for one day per success rolled. The seer can scry through her focus whenever she likes, but must place all of her concentration into such scrying. Type: Chimerical
¶¶¶¶ Augury The seer reaches deep into the weave and weft of Dán, coaxing the forces of fate and the Dreaming to reveal a path toward his heart’s desire. Augury is a notoriously treacherous and uncertain Art, for the path it reveals is always fragmentary and clouded — but followed diligently, it will lead to the future the changeling seeks. Rather than providing a list of instructions to achieve the goal queried, Augury instead provides tantalizing hints, clues, portents, and interpretive visions. But Augury merely promises a fated road — not a short, easy, or cheap one. The more precious the future
sought with this cantrip, the more demanding the road it lays out tends to be. System: The Realm used corresponds to what is sought — the love of a mortal would require Actor, while a lost heirloom would demand Prop, for example. If cast on behalf of another, then a secondary Realm must be used as well (generally Actor or Fae). The seer receives one clue, signpost, or omen per success rolled. Only one attempt can be made to find a specific fortune or destiny with his cantrip per story. Type: Chimerical
¶¶¶¶¶ Fate Fire A seer blesses a knight on the eve of battle. A boggan purchases a boon on the opening day of his new business. A bitter selkie curses the realtor driving new development to her favorite private cove. In this, the greatest feat of Soothsay, the seer lays her hands directly upon the threads that make up the great tapestry of Dán and bends them to her will, blessing a subject with good fortune or cursing them with dire portents. The precise expression of this manipulation of destiny is always difficult to predict, but the signs cannot be mistaken. System: The Realm used determines who or what is blessed or cursed. If a person is blessed, then she’ll gain one automatic success per success rolled on Fate Fire’s activation at an auspicious moment of the Storyteller’s choosing at some point during the current story. If cursed, each success removes a success on a roll in a dire time of difficulty of the Storyteller’s choosing, also at some point during the same story. Furthermore, all rolls for the rest of the scene after Fate Fire kicks in add or subtract one automatic success (depending on whether a blessing or curse has been laid). Blessings and curses affect objects in the same way, but tend to center on uses of the object or attempts to do something momentous to or within locales, rather than attaching to a particular person. Fate Fire can linger on an object for an indefinite time, until a properly fortuitous moment arises. An object or individual can’t have more than one use of Fate Fire hanging over them at a time, although a second use of Fate Fire can be used to “fight” a hanging blessing or curse,
Storyteller Advice: Fate Fire
Fate Fire is more than simply a hanging bundle of extra successes or a nasty forced botch. It’s Glamour woven into the tapestry of destiny itself by the deft hands of a master seer, and exists to enforce tales of staggering triumph in the darkest of hours, or terrible defeat at the cusp of victory. The triggers of the effects of this cantrip aren’t intended to go off at random, but rather when it would be most dramatic. When the players are leaning forward across the table, sweating as they pick over the results of their dice roll and just beginning to curse or cheer — that’s when you drop Fate Fire on them.
canceling successes on a one-for-one basis. This costs one point of Glamour to attempt, however. Type: Chimerical
Sovereign
Sovereign forces others to obey, or at least observe, the authority of the wielder. An ancient Art traditionally used by sidhe rulers to enforce obedience from their subjects, Sovereign became more prevalent among commoners as changelings spent more time trapped on Earth. Now that the Art of nobility no longer remains tightly controlled, the commoners have discovered that Sovereign confers significant authority, even without title. Characters employing Sovereign can attempt to exert their will over anything and anyone else; however, doing so to those of higher position or title is not only significantly more difficult, but the breach of etiquette may result in serious consequences. Changeling society still observes and adheres to strict enforcement of court rules, at least within the domains of dukes, barons, and kings. Attempting to cast a Sovereign cantrip on a kith of higher rank could result in loss of title, imprisonment, or even exile. If a character attempts to use Sovereign on anyone who holds a higher status, such as their boss or a famous movie star, add one to the cantrip’s difficulty. Context and environment matter when determining relative status. A renowned boggan chef in her restaurant would be top of the food chain, but when she’s bailing the other members of her motley out of jail none of that clout follows her (unless the jailor happens to be a foodie and recognizes her). Additionally, any changeling of equal or greater Title may resist the effects of Sovereign for the duration of the cantrip by spending one Willpower.
Unleashing Sovereign
Sovereign magic expresses mastery, nobility, privilege, and grace. Unleashing Sovereign can turn the character into the unquestionable leader (“I am in charge”), force someone to act on their behalf (“duel for my blessing”), or even compel anyone nearby to undertake a quest (“find my lost child!”). Sovereign magic unfettered by a cantrip overwhelms and awes, inspiring submission and fear.
Sovereign Bunks
Sovereign bunks involve grand displays, becoming the center of attention, adornments and ceremonial trappings, and exerting authority. Example bunks: Enter a crowded store and begin issuing orders as if you owned it, yell like a drill sergeant at the police officer questioning you, meticulously put on finery and jewelry, or get a tattoo of your house symbol somewhere visible.
¶ Protocol Kithain rules for courtly dealings are often arcane and sometimes inscrutable. The first cantrip taught to Kithain learning Sovereign applies that etiquette to nearly any situa-
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tion. Anyone under the effects of Protocol becomes bound by the rules of Kithain decorum and suffers the consequences of violating those rules, even unintentionally. System: The Realm determines who and what must observe the Protocol. Actor could keep a group of werewolves peaceful during a diplomatic discussion of territory, and a changeling versed with Nature could prevent animals or even the weather from spoiling the event. Anyone who breaks the Protocol suffers a penalty to all dice pools equal to the number of successes rolled for the cantrip during the current scene. Any changeling of higher rank than the character who invoked the cantrip can spend a point of Willpower at any time to ignore the effects of Protocol. Type: Wyrd
¶¶ Grandeur With a simple cantrip, the changeling embodies the Grandeur inherent in all children of Arcadia, making those around her clamor for attention and avoid conflict. Everyone under the influence of the cantrip looks upon the changeling as a leader, savior, or royalty. She may not actually possess the poise and grace attributed to the kings and queens of old, but Grandeur provides a handy substitute for the real thing. A sidhe duchess can win the attention of her mortal sister’s suitor, or the redcap boxer might seem so powerful that his opponent fears to throw a single punch. System: The Realm determines who or what feels the effects of Grandeur. Anyone influenced by the cantrip either seeks the attention and approval of the changeling or avoids any conflict. All of the characters’ social interactions add automatic successes equal to the successes from the cantrip, and anyone affected by the cantrip must spend a Willpower point each time they wish to contradict, accost, or attack the changeling. Any changeling of higher rank than the character who invoked the cantrip can spend a point of Willpower to ignore the effects of Grandeur. Grandeur lasts for a scene, unless someone humiliates or bests the changeling publicly, in which case it immediately dissipates. Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶ Guest List Use of this cantrip prevents anyone or anything from entering, using, or interacting with the target of the cantrip without the caster’s permission. The changeling may institute a password consisting of a phrase or action which adds the subject to the “list” and permits him access to the focus of the cantrip. The sluagh leader of a secret society restricts access to the sub-basement where they meet each month. A jealous and possessive satyr prevents anyone from speaking to his lover without his permission. The troll guarding the freehold loves his favorite warhammer, and no one can lift or wield it without the password. System: The Realm defines what the cantrip protects or restricts from others. Nature and Scene keeps hikers from stumbling upon the grotto where the satyrs go to skinny dip, while Prop prevents anyone from stealing the sidhe noble’s favorite car. If cast on a changeling or other supernatural being,
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the target may take a resisted action by rolling Willpower (difficulty 8). Each Willpower roll of the resisted action requires the expenditure of one Willpower by the target. Any changeling of higher rank who is either the target or being restricted by Guest List can spend a Willpower to ignore the effects. The number of successes determines the duration of the cantrip, but a Guest List maintained perpetually for a full year becomes permanent until someone or something breaks the ward. 1 success
One hour
2 successes One scene 3 successes One day 4 successes One week 5 successes One month Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶¶ Dictum Title and status are often enough to compel those around a changeling to do her bidding. When the trappings of nobility are not enough, Dictum provides an unmistakable reminder of who is in charge. The changeling casts the cantrip and then issues a simple command to the target, with which they must comply. A target of Dictum may be able to resist the order, but most do not have the will and become at least a temporary servant to the changeling. A redcap commands a door to close and remain locked, trapping her victim inside. A sidhe knight orders his squire to deliver a poisoned letter to a rival. The boggan tracker orders the rain to stop as she follows a trail through the woods. System: The target determines the Realm, which can be used on inanimate and non-sentient targets as well as people, fae, Prodigals, etc. After the Kithain issues a simple, directed voice command, the target must complete the action. Anything which shocks the target’s conscience or would result in immediate mortal harm prompts a Willpower roll (difficulty 9). If successful, she resists the Dictum but spends the turn concentrating on remaining in control. Changelings and supernatural creatures can spend a point of Willpower to delay complying with Dictum for a turn and continue to act on their own volition. Should the caster be killed or knocked unconscious prior to the target acting on the order, the cantrip’s power fades. Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶¶¶ Geas Tales of quests bestowed to heroes and villains banished in exile populate folklore, and the former denizens of the Dreaming make those stories reality with a mastery of Sovereign. A Geas molds Glamour into a directive, similar to an oath or contract but without the reciprocity normally required. The changeling yokes the target to a directive or ban along with an accompanying curse should she fail to fulfil the edict. A troll knight commands his mother to abandon the drugs slowly killing her. The widower sidhe king commands his orchard
and gardens not to bloom until he dies and can rejoin his lost family. A sluagh prince commands the weapons in his armory to never draw blood from a member of his family. System: The cantrip’s Realm determines the target(s), and the master of Sovereign must speak the Geas aloud. While nearly anything may be issued as a Geas, two restrictions apply which, if violated, cause the cantrip to disperse with no effect. First, the Geas must be physically possible. “Blow up the ocean” would not succeed as a Geas, but “kill the Leviathan at the bottom of the sea” would be possible given enough magic and resourcefulness. Second, the edict cannot involve direct selfharm or direct violence toward loved ones. An edict to “kill yourself” or “murder your family” fails immediately, but “avenge our father’s death” would take hold even if the creature that killed their father will surely kill the target of the Geas as well. A Geas applied to an inanimate or non-sentient target typically will not be broken and does not require an accompanying curse. The Geas remains in place for the duration and the object or thing follows the rule prescribed. When a changeling imposes a Geas on a Kithain, person, Prodigal, animal, etc., the target can suffer the accompanying curse if she fails to fulfill the Geas. In addition to the Glamour spent when casting a cantrip, invoking a Geas requires the caster to spend additional points of Glamour and Willpower to determine the scope of the Geas and the severity of the accompanying curse. The changeling may design the curse to afflict the target all at once, or gradually take hold, depending on the Geas. 3 points of Willpower A simple Geas with a minor curse (do and/or Glamour not speak until sundown or you will reveal your secrets). 5 points of Willpower A moderate Geas with a significant and/or Glamour curse (retrieve the Goblin Goblet or all food and drink will taste fetid for a year). 7 points of Willpower A difficult Geas with a severe curse and/or Glamour (leave your home and never return or every step will feel like walking on iron knives). 10 points of Willpow- A daunting Geas with a powerful curse er and/or Glamour (never speak to your Trueheart again or you will be the instrument of his death). 1 dot of Willpower or A legendary Geas with a fatal (or worse) Glamour curse (retrieve the sword of King David from the deep Dreaming or forget your Kithain nature forever). Type: Wyrd
Spring
Spring embodies the fae’s vibrant optimism, wonder, and affinity with nature. Spring cantrips channel Glamour into growth, new life, and protection. Though modern changelings favor Primal, Spring maintains a dedicated group of practitioners, primarily in the Seelie Court.
Unleashing Spring
Spring Unleashed creates overwhelming foliage, cleanses curses and dark magics, and restores what is broken. Channeling Glamour through the Art of Spring, a changeling could cover a building in flora, temporarily lift a curse plaguing her motley, or heal the mortal wounds of everyone around her after an explosion.
Spring Bunks
Spring bunks often involve nature, animals, circles, and sexuality. Example bunks: Take off all of your clothes and climb a tree in Central Park, make a sex tape that goes viral, tell the tale of the three little pigs to an audience of pigs at the petting zoo, run around your enemy in a circle three times, or tell an unrequited love how you really feel.
¶ Awaken New life, a sprouting seed — at the heart of Spring is the promise of beginnings and awakening from dormancy or slumber. The changeling begins her journey into the Art of Spring by learning to call an end to hibernation and encourage growth. The changeling plants a seed of Glamour and then watches as it takes root and rouses the focus of the cantrip. A courtly sidhe ensures that his liege’s crops begin to grow this season. A massive chimera slumbers in the Near Dreaming, but the satyr must rouse it and beg for its help. After watching the writer struggle to put words on the page, a helpful Troll plants a seed in the artist’s mind that may become the next great story of his generation. System: Awaken gives new energy to the target, as determined by the Realm. Anything that is dormant or frozen will return; anything barren or void becomes the home of a new spark of life. The specific effect depends entirely on the Realm used and the context when cast, but Awaken’s primary function is to rouse anything inert. The number of successes determines how powerful the effect. One success would be enough to start an old car rusting in an abandoned shed, while five successes might be required to counter the effects of Stasis (see Winter, p. 230). Type: Chimerical or Wyrd (depending on target)
¶¶ Verdant Reclamation All things from the earth, and to the earth all things shall return. Given enough time, nature reclaims everything, and with a little Glamour, the changeling casting a Verdant Reclamation cantrip can speed up the process. Useful as a display of power and to cause distraction, the plants and foliage that cover the target continue to grow and overwhelm for the entire scene. A satyr causes a garden to grow in the middle of his apartment to impress and enchant a mortal. Realizing he is being followed, the duke causes vines and trees to cover and disable the car following him. In a strange turn of events, the sluagh calls a canopy of trees to block the sun and save the vampire caught out in the day. System: The focus of the cantrip as determined by the Realm becomes the center of an explosive growth of plants.
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Even if nothing natural exists nearby, roots, flowers, trees, and vines sprout from the ground, or out of the target itself, and cover the surface. The foliage lasts for one scene, after which they wither and gradually fade. If the cantrip targets a machine or object, it becomes unusable until someone removes the foliage from in and on the item. A person or creature caught in the cantrip must contend with the flora and do everything they can to pull and tear at the plants as they grow on her or risk being covered completely. A living target cannot move or take any other meaningful physical action until they accumulate more successes than the cantrip’s roll using Strength + Athletics. Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶ Well of Life Legends of the water of life, a mystic well or elixir that heals wounds or grants eternal life, appear in most cultures throughout the ages. This Spring cantrip does not reverse aging or grant immortality, but does infuse the target with Glamour that heals anyone nearby or in contact with the cantrip. The clurichaun watching two friends duel stands between them and heals both of their injuries. Despairing for the lives lost on both sides, a troll knight makes the rain restore life to the wounded on the battlefield. Hoping to provide comfort to a weary doctor, a pooka makes him a vessel for healing as he starts his rounds. After being ambushed, a redcap offers the flesh and blood of their bested enemy to heal his motley. System: The Realm determines the source of the healing to anything near the target. Simply being in proximity of the focus of Well of Life restores a bashing or lethal injury during the scene. Touching the target of the cantrip heals a bashing or lethal each turn. Consuming all or part of the focus of the cantrip restores all bashing and lethal damage, and also heals one aggravated damage. Spending an extended amount of time near the Well of Life can also heal infections, counteract poisons, and reduce the severity of diseases. Healing effects of this cantrip do not distinguish between friends or foes, and will heal anyone who is near the target of the cantrip. The number of successes determines the duration: 1 success
One minute
¶¶¶¶ Faerie Ring Human legends tell of circles of mushrooms, wildflowers, or stones known as faerie rings — dangerous places for mortals because the fae who live and dance in the rings can kidnap or curse any interlopers. The folklore holds a seed of truth. The Faerie Ring is a Spring cantrip that allows a changeling to create a circle that offers protection and concealment from any outsiders, with serious consequences for anyone who intrudes. A childling arranges her toys in a circle around her in the center of her room and watches the intruder look past her and continue searching the house. Shells formed in a circle on the beach remain in place through high tide, and the motley inside plots their next move in safety. The court magician curses her husband after his outburst to the king, so the satyr gives him a brief respite from the bursting boils within a faerie ring. System: The bunk for this cantrip always involves a circle of some natural substance that defines the protected area. The Realm determines who or what can be protected inside. Anyone and anything the character allows inside the ring (and within the Realm(s) used) becomes invisible to the outside and protected from any sort of hostile magic. The faerie ring lasts until the next sunrise, and the number of successes determines the strength of the magical protection. Each success on the cantrip adds one to the difficulty of any attempt to detect or harm those inside the ring. Additionally, the number of successes determines the strength of the curse that afflicts anyone who violates the circle of protection. A curse from a faerie ring lasts until the next full moon. 1 success
Minor curse (rash covering their body)
2 successes Significant curse (speak in a random assortment of languages) 3 successes Severe curse (her right hand contracts and stiffens, becoming useless) 4 successes Powerful curse (Blind, or deaf and mute) 5 successes Legendary curse (unable to use magic or other supernatural powers) Type: Wyrd
2 successes One hour
¶¶¶¶¶ Renewal
3 successes One scene
Every year, Spring performs the ultimate miracle by thawing soil and resurrecting life in a landscape made temporarily barren by the winter. Masters of Spring magic tap into the cycle of death and rebirth to temporarily grant life to anything inert or dead. The circle closes soon after however, as Glamour only sustains the resurrection for a few precious moments. The brokenhearted king returns to his wife’s tomb every year on their anniversary to laugh, eat, love, and then kiss her again before another year’s return to death. Believing the battle lost, the troll general’s troops begin to flee until they see their slain brethren all stand and return to the fight. A piskey finds an inert and drained Treasure, but invokes Spring’s Renewal to activate the Treasure’s power again.
4 successes One day 5 successes One week For example, a boggan casts a Well of Life cantrip on the stew she is cooking using Nature. As her friends stumble through the door, nursing injuries and ailments from their latest adventures, she insists they take a moment to eat the home-cooked meal. The boggan’s player rolled three successes for the cantrip, meaning that anyone who eats a serving of the stew during the current scene will restore all bashing and lethal injuries, as well as up to one aggravated injury. Type: Wyrd
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System: The player must spend a point of Willpower in addition to the required Glamour to fuel this cantrip. The character must target something dead or inert that she can recognize (a skeleton or husk of a building would suffice, but not the contents of an urn), and use the appropriate Realm. The target returns to life (if ever alive) or becomes restored. Renewal does not create a copy or an undead revenant; the focus of the cantrip temporarily revives and becomes as full of life as she was in her prime. Renewal grants no special protection or resistance to harm, mundane or mystical. If the target dies or is destroyed, she returns to death. Every success on the cantrip’s roll grants renewal for one scene. Regardless of the number of successes rolled, the magic fades at the next sunrise. Because Renewal taps into the oldest magic of cycles, the cantrip cannot be cast on the same target more than once during the same lunar month. Type: Wyrd
Summer
The Summer Art is among the most celebrated magics of the Kithain, and is particularly associated with the Seelie Court. This powerful seasonal Art harnesses the magic of fire, of passion, of hot days of longing and nights of dreaming. Many changelings regard it as an invaluable tool in coaxing Glamour from the cynical heart of the Autumn World. While the Summer Art is broadly thought of as Seelie magic, the truth is that Kithain of both courts value and practice it, noble and commoner alike. Indeed, the Unseelie have made passion their watchword, and find the Summer Art suits them exceptionally well. Out of all the Kithain, it is most popular among the sidhe, satyrs, and selkies.
Unleashing Summer
Summer Unleashings are things of awe and power, creating storms of heat or sweeping entire communities up in paroxysms of wild passion. The passions of Summer Unleashings tend to be short-lived, uncontrolled, and exhausting, and for this reason, satyrs in particular sometimes advocate spilling torrents of raw Summer Glamour into the Autumn World to promote its simple wellbeing. Other Kithain, remembering the violence and ash that often accompany such grand magic, are generally more reluctant.
Summer Bunks
Summer bunks tend to involve the trappings of summer, of daytime and heat, of passion, freedom, and joy. Examples include: Rip up old homework, whoop with joy, do an energetic dance, climb a tree, chew a piece of grass, point out three shapes in the clouds, set a fire, stare at the sun, or some other bright light, catch a firefly, ring a bell, leap down a flight of stairs, paint a landscape, take a nap in grass high enough to disappear in, sing a song, or speak your true name through the blades of a spinning fan.
¶ Flicker-Flies Everyone who comes near the front door of an old clurichaun grump tends to give up on whatever errand brought them, consumed by maudlin regret. A satyr shrouds herself in a flickering cloud of desire, preparing for a night out on the town. This cantrip summons bright, dancing motes of colored light from the substance of the Dreaming. Flicker-flies not only illuminate the area around them, but their softly pulsing colors evoke a subtle resonance of an emotion of the changeling’s choice in those who view them. Both the flicker-flies and the light they cast are invisible to mundane beings, yet mortals touched by their light still react to their emotional resonance. System: The Realm used with this cantrip determines who or what the flicker-flies congregate around. They provide as much light as a brightly-burning torch for the rest of the scene, at least for those who can see things of the Dreaming. More importantly, all who are touched directly by their light or who behold that radiance feel subtle stirrings of an emotion of the changeling’s choosing — anger, melancholy, lust, happiness, and so forth. Rolls that take advantage of this emotional resonance enjoy –1 difficulty. Type: Chimerical
¶¶ Enkindle A bully trembles in the dark, and a sluagh winds that tension into screaming terror. A pooka’s joke elicits little more than chuckles—until she forces a bit of magic into her audience’s response, filling the room with helpless laughter. Expelling a breath of Glamour, the changeling fans the flames of passion to a roaring and manic height. Any emotion an individual is feeling when enchanted with Enkindle intensifies dramatically — irritation becomes seething resentment, anger becomes full-blown rage, sadness deepens into crippling sorrow, happiness unfolds into leaping joy, and love becomes an all-consuming passion. If directed at an object, then any emotions that object inspires in those who interact with it become similarly inflamed. System: The Realm used determines the target of the cantrip. Enkindle’s effects last for one minute per success when used on living targets, and one hour per success when used on objects. Type: Chimerical
¶¶¶ Aphrodisia Much-favored by the merfolk, satyrs, clurichaun, and certain other fae, this cantrip is the Art of creating all-encompassing awe, fascination, and even desire. The subject of this Charm gains a magnetic attraction. If a person is enchanted, their every word and action becomes entrancing and captivating. If Aphrodisia is cast upon an object, everyone who beholds that object immediately covets it. System: The Realm used to cast Aphrodisia dictates who or what becomes fascinating and desirable. This cantrip lasts
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for one scene, and its enchantment affects all individuals with a lower Willpower rating than the successes rolled to activate the cantrip. While the fascinations of Aphrodisia are powerful, they cannot compel someone to violate his fundamental nature or Legacies — an honor-bound knight can’t be compelled to steal his lord’s jewels by this cantrip alone, though a less idealistic servant might, and other cantrips (such as Enkindle) might work to aggravate his sense of forced desire. Type: Chimerical
¶¶¶¶ Vesta’s Blessing The hearth in a home represents safety and hospitality. By employing Vesta’s Blessing, a changeling creates the comfort of home anywhere she can create shelter or fire. Useful for travelers and anyone being hunted, the changeling’s Glamour acts as a sentry and provides an instinctual warning for any intrusion. Additionally, anyone invited into the sanctified space feels restored and rejuvenated. System: The Realm determines the focal point of the secured space, and the cantrip requires the changeling establish some sort of shelter, camp, or enclosure to define the space protected. Vesta’s Blessing remains in effect until the next sunrise or until the focus of the cantrip leaves the established space. Everything in the vicinity of the target that is welcomed by the changeling comes under the protection of Vesta’s Blessing. The changeling becomes aware of anyone not invited approaching the target of the cantrip, and anyone welcomed by the changeling can restore Willpower and Glamour. The number of successes determines the additional amount of Willpower and Glamour everyone within the Blessing can restore, provided they stay there overnight.
ing). If the player rolls five or more successes on the activation roll, this damage is aggravated instead, and every two successes burn away a point of Banality. Type: Wyrd
Wayfare
This is the Art of travel, of clever movement, of the fae talent for moving quick as a dream. Wayfare is an ancient Art and one of the most widespread bits of changeling magic. It is prized by scouts, scoundrels, couriers, and travelers alike. During the Accordance War, commoners used the Art to evade sidhe ambushes and advances, while the nobility have always valued it to keep lines of communication open between freeholds. Useful as it is, Wayfare is often regarded as a hedge Art — magic suited for retainers, scouts, and commoners, not refined magic for high nobles or grand courts. The eshu are its most famous practitioners, but it is also strongly associated with pooka and clurichaun.
Unleashing Wayfare
3 successes One point of Willpower and two points of Glamour
Unleashing Wayfare is the desperate act of those who have utterly lost their way or who face imminent doom. “Get us out of here” and “get them out of here” are by far the most common directions when the ancient magic of ways and travel is poured into the Autumn World, followed closely by “bring me to my goal.” The latter command is rarely predictable, hurling Kithain into the arms of Dán — the place a changeling needs to go to progress is often not the place they expect. Wayfare Unleashings have also been used in the past to attempt to force open dormant trods, with only limited and temporary success. A bold few changelings have even used this Art to attempt to transport themselves to lost Arcadia, but either report that even the Glamour of the Autumn World can no longer lead them to its source, or simply vanish into the depths of the Dreaming, never to be heard from again, their ultimate fate up to the speculation of those left behind.
4 successes Five points of Willpower and/or Glamour in any combination
Wayfare Bunks
1 success
One point of Glamour
2 successes One point of Willpower and one point of Glamour
5 successes Restores all Willpower and Glamour Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶¶¶ The Beltane Blade The changeling gestures, and the taint of Banality within her target erupts into brilliantly destructive red-gold flames. Once upon a time, this cantrip was the great and shining sword of Summer, used to drive mortals and the taint of the mundane away from the secret freeholds and hidden countries of the fae. Now that Banality has drowned the Autumn World, this cantrip remains a potent weapon, but one whose fierce heat seems woefully inadequate to keep the coming Winter at bay. System: The Realm used determines the target of the cantrip. If the Beltane Blade is cast successfully, the changeling rolls dice of lethal damage (difficulty of the target’s Banality rat-
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Wayfare bunks tend to involve the concepts of motion, travel, flashy action, or ostentatious display. Examples include: Tap your foot thrice, get down into a runner’s stance, paint flames or lightning bolts on an object, jog in place, jump up and down, whistle loudly and point to your destination, hum your favorite road song, pick up and pocket a bit of road dust, rip up a gas station map, throw a frequently-used key somewhere irretrievable, draw a map, run a mile to build up speed, call someone at your far-away destination to confidently state you’ll be right there.
¶ Hopscotch A laughing pooka clears a high fence in a single bound, leaving behind her pursuers. A wicked redcap forces a forklift to hurl itself at the group of trolls who have come to drag him before their liege.
This is the Art of prodigious leaps, potentially allowing the subject to clear tall buildings in a single bound. Hopscotch moves its subject forward or upward as the caster desires, and the Glamour infused into the leap ensures that the landing is always undamaging, no matter how far the target drops before impact. Some pooka insist that Hopscotch was once their very own special magic, stolen by an eshu trickster in the time of legends and spread to the rest of the Fae — but who believes a pooka? System: The Realm selected determines who or what jumps. Living creatures gain the ability to make a prodigious leap, or can be forced to do so. Objects targeted with Hopscotch leap wildly as the caster wills them to. Anyone in contact with a leaping object may attempt to stop its wild flight with a Strength + Athletics roll (difficulty 7) against the changeling’s successes in invoking the cantrip. The exact result of failing to stop an object from taking flight are up to the Storyteller and depend on the object. A set of clothing is likely to rip itself free as it soars skyward, but a leaping smart car could have significantly more serious results. The Scene Realm allows multiple subjects to jump, rather than making roads or buildings hurl themselves about — although such terrifying acrobatics have been observed in the wake of Wayfare Unleashings. The number of successes rolled dictates the strength of the jump: 1 success
One story straight up; 30-foot broad jump.
2 successes Two stories straight up; 60-foot broad jump. 3 successes Five stories straight up; 150-foot broad jump. 4 successes 10 stories straight up; 300-foot broad jump. 5 successes The changeling can leap as far as the eye can see, even onto the wing of a passing plane or across the mighty Mississippi River. Type: Wyrd
¶¶ Quicksilver Quick as a grin, the subject of this cantrip moves as a literal blur, trailing traceries of expended Glamour behind as speed lines, crackling lightning, or some other manner of visual discharge. A motley of piskies runs down a speeding car carrying a stolen treasure, burning the road in their wake. A sidhe knight explodes into a blur of flashing steel and sizzling magic. System: The Realm determines who or what speeds up, although it doesn’t grant objects the power to move if they’re not moving already. Each success grants a subject one extra action or doubles her movement speed on her next turn. Successes may be divided between extra actions and extra speed as the player desires. Hurled objects treat successes on the activation roll as bonus dice on the damage roll if they strike a target. Enchanted vehicles cannot gain extra actions, and simply speed up instead, enjoying the same damage bonus as a hurled object if they strike something. Type: Wyrd
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¶¶¶ Portal Passage A pooka childling draws a door in chalk on her bedroom wall, which becomes her gateway to the world. A sluagh childling creates a trap door in the floor, leading to the sealed-off basement below — her personal playground. This is the Art of gaining entry or egress whenever and wherever the changeling desires. Portal Passage creates a door large enough for the changeling to pass through, which pierces any barrier up to 10 feet thick — whether it’s a brick wall, a hedgerow, or the side of a moving van makes no difference to the cantrip. Doors created with Portal Passage are unique to the changeling casting them, and may be recognized and identified by those familiar with her. Portal Passage can also be used to open gateways into the Dreaming (p. 308). System: The Realm used determines who can open the door, if used with Actor or Fae, or what material or object the door appears in, if used with Prop or Nature. Doors created by Prop and Nature can be used by anyone capable of perceiving things of the Dreaming, while only the individuals targeted at activation can use Actor or Fae doors. The door created persists for one minute per success. Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶¶ Wind Runner An eshu arrives at a freehold aboard a flying carpet — clichéd, but stylish nonetheless. A pooka childling stamps her feet and rises into the sky, escaping the pressures of the schoolyard. Wind Runner is the glorious Art of flight. Most believe this particular magic was bartered for or stolen from the inanimae or some similar spirit of the winds, though the Nunnehi mutter that it was originally theirs, learned at great cost from the terrible beast known as the wendigo. System: The Realm used determines who or what gains the power of flight. If used on an object such as a rug or classic car, it allows anyone on or in the enchanted object to come along for the ride. Weight is of no concern to the power of Glamour. The number of successes determines how long the subject can fly. 1 success
Changeling’s Glamour in turns.
2 successes
Changeling’s Glamour in minutes.
3 successes
Five minutes per dot of Glamour.
4 successes
30 minutes per dot of Glamour.
5 successes
One hour per dot of Glamour.
Unlike Hopscotch, Wind Runner does not guarantee a safe landing if the magic runs out while the enchanted person or object is still airborne. Type: Wyrd
¶¶¶¶¶ Flicker Flash This fearsome cantrip allows its master to go anywhere she pleases, and none can bar her passage. It is the wondrous trick
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of vanishing sorcerers and gloating thieves, allowing the subject to disappear and reappear anywhere she desires. A few caveats apply. First, the traveler must know, see, or possess a part of the place she intends to go. Second, Flicker Flash can only deposit the changeling somewhere within the same realm she currently occupies — she cannot use it to travel from the Autumn World to the Dreaming, or vice versa, nor from one depth of the Dreaming into another. System: The Realm used determines who gains the ability to teleport. If used on another living being, the subject determines where she wants to go; this cantrip can’t be used to banish others to secret prisons or underwater grottoes. If used on an object, the caster determines where the object goes. The number of successes rolled determines how quickly the magic takes effect to transport the subject. Flicker Flash takes effect after (5 – successes) turns — thus, 5+ successes produce an instant result. Type: Wyrd
Winter
Despite a long absence from the Dreaming, changelings remain bound to the seasons. Each of the four cycles creates powerful magic for the Kithain, but none so unyielding and frightening as winter. Winter harnesses the fae’s connection to frozen lakes, endless nights, and bitter winds. The cantrips of Winter deal with cold, ice, fear, and the loss of desire. Many view Winter as an Unseelie Art, but any changeling can learn winter magics.
Unleashing Winter
Winter Unleashed manifests deep, instinctual fear (“make them flee”), mastery over ice or cold (“protect the motley with frozen armor”), or numbed hearts (“end the party”). Filtered only through the changeling’s kith, the glamour of Winter embodies the heart of winter: unyielding, uncaring, and unending.
Winter Bunks
Bunks for Winter cantrips often involve discarding possessions, casting during moon phases or tides, and unflinchingly facing danger. Example bunks: Walk straight up to your enemy and kiss him on the cheek without hesitating, skinny dip in freezing waters under a blood moon, hold your hand in ice water, scorn someone you love, or drink an entire frozen beverage at once while a crowd cheers you on.
¶ Chill The first and most benign application of Winter magics allows the changeling to lower the temperature of the target significantly over a short period of time. Chill does not cause injury or damage when cast on a living creature, but plants and objects may wither or break, respectively. Provided the Kithain can see the focus of the cantrip, she can usher in a deep and unpleasant cold.
A boggan barkeep keeps the drinks cool and refreshing when the icemaker breaks down. Jealous and vindictive, a scorned sidhe kills all of the plants in her ex-lover’s garden. Obsessed with becoming a vigilante, the sluagh chills her next criminal target before striking. System: The cantrip’s Realm determines the target(s), and the changeling possesses enough control over the Glamour to pleasantly cool a drink or cause someone to shiver and move as they futilely try to escape the cold. When used on something inanimate or non-sentient, the Storyteller should arbitrate the effects of the cold (flowers die, metal becomes dangerous to touch, rain turns to hail). When cast on a warm-blooded animal or creature, the target incurs a +1 difficulty to all rolls due to the distraction and discomfort. The number of successes determines the number of turns the cold persists. Type: Wyrd
¶¶ Hardened Heart Winter does not grieve for the lost traveler, freezing in the snow. Winter does not protect the prey tracked by wolves or caught in the hunter’s trap. Tapping into the heart of the cold, adepts of Winter mute emotion and insulate the focus of their cantrip from manipulation and influence. The target becomes unable to muster her own passion and will, a significant price for resistance to even the most powerful manipulations Facing a vicious baron in his court, the troll remains standing as every other subject is ordered to kneel. A boggan makes the duke’s favorite pet indifferent to its master’s commands. Ordered by the king to execute her own son, the sidhe knight freezes out any emotion to bring down the axe without hesitation. System: The cantrip’s Realm dictates the target, which then becomes unfeeling and resistant to mundane manipulations as well as supernatural mind or emotion control. Additionally, the target may not spend Willpower for the duration of the cantrip. A player may use Hardened Heart to prevent an object or other inanimate target from obeying a command such as from Dictum, but normally changelings use this cantrip on Kithain, mortals, prodigals, or chimera. The number of successes determines the duration of the cantrip: 1 success
One scene
2 successes
One minute
3 successes
One hour
4 successes
One scene
5 successes
One day
Type: Chimerical
¶¶¶ Terror of the Long Night True winter dims light and swallows heat. Alone and cold, even the bravest feel a deep, existential fear when faced with an unending, frigid darkness. The sluagh knight causes his enemy to back down in front of the whole court. A pooka’s cantrip makes her mortal accomplices flee, leaving the fruits of their larceny solely for her. Slinking through backyards to escape
a Dauntain, a nocker sends the resident German Shepherds cowering into their doghouses. System: The Realm determines the target of the intense and overwhelming fear. The cantrip lasts for the current scene. The target must spend a point of Willpower to take any action other than run, hide, or cower during the cantrip’s duration. Changelings and other supernatural creatures can resist the Winter magic by spending a point of Willpower and then making a resisted Willpower roll (difficulty 8) against the number of successes scored on the cantrip. Type: Chimerical
¶¶¶¶ Sculpt Moving past basic invocations of cold, the changeling conjures ice with her Glamour and sculpts it for whatever her purpose. The creation cannot be mistaken for anything other than ice, and feels bitterly cold to anyone else’s touch, but the sculpture does not melt unless exposed to magical heat or flame. Confronting the man who killed her brother, the sluagh forms ice in his mouth, suffocating him in minutes. A sidhe knight, surprised and under attack, forms armor and a sword to aid him in battle. Needing something beautiful to trade to the chimera for information, a boggan crafts an ornate ice sculpture of their city. System: The Realm determines what the changeling sculpts with the cantrip. Sculpting the face of the motley’s enemy requires Actor, while sculpting a house would use Prop and Scene. Using Nature, a character could create a frozen garden filled with ice flowers. Once complete, the finished product is extremely durable. The size and scale of the cantrip may require several minutes or even hours to form, but the changeling can create and form the ice anywhere within her line of sight. Once the character casts the cantrip, the ice begins to form and take shape. Each turn, approximately one cubic foot of ice will appear and take shape. The character does not need to focus on the magic beyond the turn she cast the cantrip. Combat applications of this cantrip tend to be crude but effective (a sharpened icicle as a weapon, or misshapen boots of ice rooting a target to the floor), while, given time and space, a changeling can create scenes of breathtaking beauty. The product of Sculpt can never move or simulate life. An ice sculpture of a person does not animate or become a golem. Objects and items created with Sculpt function like their mundane counterparts provided they have no moving parts (ice armor provides protection, but an ice car cannot be driven). The number of successes determines how long the product of the cantrip lasts before melting: 1 success
One turn
2 successes
One minute
3 successes
One hour
4 successes
One scene
5 successes
One day
Type: Wyrd
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¶¶¶¶¶ Stasis The final cantrip taught to masters of Winter allows a changeling to trap a target in magical frost for extended periods of time, keeping it exactly as it is but immobile and (if applicable) unconscious. Anything or anyone placed into stasis does not age, decay, break, or change. For the duration of the cantrip the target remains suspended in time. Breaking through the frost requires powerful magic, such as from a master of Pyretics or Spring. A lonely redcap collects frozen mortals to keep in his home as a family. The duchess encases her poisoned daughter in mystic frost until she can find the antidote. A nocker places a complex chimerical device into stasis so he can bring it back to his workshop and get to work on reverse engineering. System: The cantrip’s Realm determines the target(s). Changelings and other supernatural beings can resist the effect of Stasis with a point of Willpower and a successful Stamina roll (difficulty 9). The subject placed into stasis cannot act, does not suffer damage, and becomes completely inert. Supernatural powers or magic can thaw the magical frost coating the subject, but mundane heat or force does not break the barrier. Anyone attempting to undo the Stasis must perform an extended action using an appropriate (as determined by the Storyteller) power or ability. Attempting to undo the ultimate Winter cantrip requires five successes per success on the original cantrip roll. The number of successes determines the length of the stasis, although the changeling who cast the cantrip can end it at any time. 1 success
One scene
2 successes One day 3 successes One week 4 successes One month 5 successes One year Type: Wyrd
Realms
Taken alone, the Arts of the Kithain are powerful yet inchoate, great storms of potential energy which cannot be brought to heel or directed into the world. It is solely through the province of the Realms that changelings are able to master the old magic of the Dreaming, or to deploy any but the rudest and most innate miracles of Glamour. Like all else of the Dreaming, contradictory tales abound as to the origin of the Realms. The sidhe speak of the Tuatha de Danaan taking up great tools by which they set into place the elements of the Autumn World and the Dreaming itself, and naming each in turn. The nockers and boggans speak of canny contracts signed at the dawn of time with the substance of the world itself. Some eshu speak of distant gods playing at dice
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for control of this or that bit of reality, and how some handed down authority over those pieces to favored children, and how less-favored children stole other pieces. The pooka simply say that magic can only ever be the marriage of aspiration and experience — what you dream and what you know — and that Glamour, and indeed life, are useless without both components. In the end, the practical result is this: Arts must always be combined with one or more Realms, which describe what the Arts can do. Speaking broadly, the Realms of Fae and Actor allow cantrips to enhance, attack, or enchant people (or people-like things, in the case of chimerae), while the Realms of Prop and Nature mostly allow cantrips to ensorcel things (and, sometimes, animals). Odd edge cases exist, of course, but those are the general rules, and these are the four great primary Realms that every changeling finds at least some facility with. More esoteric are the supplemental Realms of Scene and Time, which may never be used alone, but always enhance cantrips aimed at Fae, Actor, Nature, or Prop. Ultimately, dedicated Kithain mystics expand their mastery of the Realms through practice, imagination, and simple experience of living. To achieve greater mastery of Actor, one must spend more time around people, thinking about them, talking to them, observing them, and finding out what makes them tick; to achieve mastery of Nature requires spending time in the wild, and so forth. Realms are rated in dots which each grant broader and broader dominion over that which is governed by the Realm. In order to use a cantrip on a desired subject, the changeling normally must have purchased the relevant Realm (or Realms) up to the dot rating that best describes her target. However, if she lacks an appropriate rating, then all is not lost — the changeling may fold together imagination, Glamour, aspiration, and will to force the magic to bend to her will anyway. Players may target a cantrip with Realm ratings they haven’t purchased by spending a point of Glamour per “missing” Realm. Putting it all together, the final result, in game terms, is this: When casting a cantrip, the changeling rolls her rating in the Art being used + the rating of the lowest primary Realm being used. Time and Scene never change the dice pool. For a simple example, a pooka wishing to use the Wayfare cantrip of Quicksilver on herself would need to combine Wayfare with Fae ¶ (Hearty Commoner). She has Wayfare ¶¶¶ and Fae ¶¶¶¶, so the player adds them together and rolls 7 dice. For a more complex example: The same pooka wants to use the same cantrip to grant her entire motley and her human brother fantastic speed. She needs to combine Wayfare with Fae ¶ (all the members of her motley are commoners), Actor ¶ (because her brother counts as a True Friend), and Scene ¶ (since they’re all clustered together in one room). She has Wayfare ¶¶¶, Fae ¶¶¶¶, and Actor ¶, but lacks Scene. Since Actor is the lowest-rated of the Realms being deployed, her player rolls Wayfare + Actor, for a total of 4 dice, and must spend a point of Glamour to use the missing Scene.
Actor
This Realm grants power over the folk of the Autumn World. Its purview encompasses ordinary people, of course, but also the enchanted, Kinain, mages, and even Prodigals such as vampires and werewolves (though not the Kithain and their fae brethren).
¶ True Friend The most rudimentary initiation into this Realm grants power over a well-known friend or confidante — someone the changeling has spent a great deal of time around, whose interests and hobbies and aspirations she knows, and who trusts and likes her. Possible examples: Your friends. Your spouse. Your brother. Your kids. Certain of a therapist’s patients.
¶¶ Personal Contact Basic initiation into the Realm of Actor allows the changeling to work cantrips upon those that she has personally met and had at least a few minutes of interaction with, and whose names she knows. In older times, folk were cautious about giving their names to strangers, for names are things of power in the hands of the fae — but the Autumn World has largely forgotten its fear of faeries, and names are easy to come by. Possible examples: Your boss. Your coworkers. Your neighbors. The kid who picked on you at school. The bartender at your favorite bar.
¶¶¶ Familiar Face Adepts in this Realm can weave their cantrips against anyone they recognize based on some preexisting context — the changeling has moved beyond the need for a name. A person needs to be no more than “the guy who drives the ice cream truck,” “that cop who gave me a ticket last week,” or “Stephi’s mom.” Possible examples: The people at a high school reunion. The local news anchor. The regulars at your favorite bar. A criminal you saw a story about on TV. The guy who drives the bus you take to work every morning. Those kids always hanging out on the corner.
¶¶¶¶ Dire Enemy A favorite of redcaps everywhere, the changeling can now wield her Arts against anyone who has established themselves as an antagonist, even those she’s never met before. An antagonist is anyone attempting to restrain, attack, belittle, harm, humiliate, or thwart the changeling. Possible examples: A security guard at the place you’re breaking into. A mugger. A vampire who attacks you at the club. The kid running to tattle on you to the teacher. The guy who isn’t taking no for an answer at the bar. That dickhead who just cut you off in traffic and flipped you the bird.
¶¶¶¶¶ Complete Stranger Mastery of the Realm of Actor grants the changeling power over even total strangers, so long as she has some idea of who she’s aiming her cantrip at — she still can’t “blind aim” a cantrip, so “whoever broke into my apartment” won’t work. Possible examples: That guy waiting for the bus. The person who just got into the elevator with you. That lady with the weird mole. The man in the yellow raincoat. The kid working the drive-through window.
Fae
This Realm grants power over the things and children of the Dreaming — the Kithain themselves and their stranger cousins. Its most rarefied heights also grant dominion over the odd and incomprehensible mysteries of the world, since mysteries are, in the final estimation, also gifts of the Dreaming. A note: This Realm is relative, and is presented from the perspective of the Kithain, who generally act as the default protagonists of Changeling: The Dreaming, but these are not the only changelings in the world. When wielded by, for example, the Menehune of Hawaii, the first dot of this Realm affects the “common” hana and kokua kiths, while the second dot grants power over the “noble” ali’i and kahuna kiths. For a Menehune to direct a cantrip at a troll, sidhe, or redcap, she would need to use Fae ¶¶¶¶, as the non-Hawaiian Kithain are alien to her place in the Dreaming.
¶ Hearty Commoner The first things a changeling initiated into this Realm gains power over are the humble commoners of the fae world. Possible examples: Most non-sidhe Kithain, titleless Autumn sidhe.
¶¶ Lofty Noble With greater mastery over the Realm of Fae comes the ability to direct cantrips at the nobility of the Kithain, a fact that causes no little consternation among militant commoners — it’s difficult to keep morale up when the Dreaming itself seems to endorse the divisions of class and power. This rank also encompasses members of “commoner” kiths who have been granted titles. Possible examples: Arcadian sidhe, troll knights, oba.
¶¶¶ Manifold Chimera Those with significant facility with the Fae Realm eventually learn to direct their power at chimera, including both chimerical creatures and wholly chimerical objects (but not including a changeling’s voile — her clothing is considered a part of her by the strange rules of the Dreaming). Possible examples: Nervosa, your imaginary friend, most nocker contraptions.
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¶¶¶¶ Elusive Gallain Potent adepts of the Fae Realm may direct cantrips at those strange fae set apart from the Kithain by the inscrutable will of the Dreaming. This category generally includes the nunnehi and Menehune, Adhene, inanimae, Thallain, and any other bizarre denizen of the Dreaming. It also includes any inexplicable yet bodiless beings that changelings occasionally encounter, such as spirits or ghosts. Possible examples: Goblins, kachinas, water babies, hana, ghosts, neraka, Hsien.
¶¶¶¶¶ Dweomer of Glamour Masters of the Fae Realm may work their magic directly upon receptacles of waking Glamour: cantrips, Treasures, freeholds, dross, trods, and so forth. Possible examples: Caliburn, a closed trod, the balefire of a freehold.
Nature
This Realm encompasses the raw elements and awesome forces of nature. It is defined by a classical and holistic understanding of natural phenomena and substances, rather than a clinical one.
¶ Base Element The changeling may direct a cantrip at discrete manifestations of the four classical elements (air, earth, water, and fire). These manifestations must be fairly straightforward and inorganic. Because it’s difficult to quantify discrete manifestations of air, that element often requires the Scene Realm as well. Possible examples: A puddle, a big stone, a campfire, the soil of a grave, all the water in a bathtub.
¶¶ Raw Material The changeling may affect unliving, organic material such as wood, paper, rope, hemp, and the like. Possible examples: A wooden shelf, a wooden fence, a sheet of paper, a hand-rolled joint, the mooring line for a small boat, a steak dinner.
¶¶¶ Verdant Forest At this level of initiation, the changeling may now direct her cantrips at living plants. Possible examples: A planter of flowers, a potted cactus, a mighty oak, creeping kudzu vines, a fresh apple, a weeping willow.
¶¶¶¶ Feral Animal Adepts of the Nature Realm gain power over living animals, great and small. People who have been transformed into animals (hey, it happens) are governed instead by the Realm reflecting their base form (usually Actor, or, in the case of pooka, Fae), as are Prodigals such as werewolves who transform freely between human and bestial forms.
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Possible examples: Your dog, a stray cat, the tigers at the zoo, the crow sitting on your roof, the goldfish who is now the only witness to a murder.
¶¶¶¶¶ Natural Phenomena The most refined mastery of Nature grants the changeling the ability to directly target natural phenomena: weather patterns, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and the like. Possible examples: A fog bank, a storm cloud, a geothermal vent.
Prop
Scene
Scene is one of the two modifier Realms. It cannot be used to ground an Art on its own, but must instead be used in conjunction with Actor, Fae, Nature, or Prop. Scene expands the effects of the Realm it modifies to encompass as many relevant targets as the changeling desires within the described zone — for example, if Scene were coupled with Actor ¶¶¶¶, a cantrip could be used upon all of the changeling’s enemies within the area; if it were combined with Prop ¶¶¶¶, the changeling might enchant all of the cars in a parking lot. Using Scene always raises the difficulty of a cantrip by 1.
Prop is the Realm governing objects of all sorts, from table knives to telescopes. Props are worked objects not falling into the parameters of the Nature Realm, including all refined metals, plastics, and compound materials. Prop can never, under any circumstances, affect objects made of cold iron.
¶ The Chamber
¶ Ornate Garb
¶¶ The Cottage
The changeling may target anything that is commonly worn, or currently being used as clothing or a body decoration. Possible examples: A dress, a shirt, jewelry, tattoos, makeup, a small padlock worn as an earring, your boss’s toupee.
¶¶ Crafted Tool The Kithain may now enchant any object that doesn’t use electricity and has no moving parts. Possible examples: A club, a knife, a sword, a crowbar, a screwdriver, a hand saw, a glass coffee table, a mug, a mattress, a lucky coin.
¶¶¶ Mechanical Device The changeling’s mastery of Props grows to encompass objects with moving parts, so long as they don’t require fuel or an electrical power source. Possible examples: A gun, a skateboard, a bicycle, a door, a combination lock, an action figure, a swing set.
¶¶¶¶ Complex Machine
The first dominion of the Scene realm is the Chamber, allowing the changeling to affect all subjects within a small, discrete, enclosed area. Possible examples: A den, a closet, a garage, a bedroom, a utility shed. The second domain of Scene encompasses a small, contiguous building, allowing the Kithain to work a cantrip upon all subjects within. Possible examples: A mobile home, a one-story house, an old cabin in the woods, a bomb shelter.
¶¶¶ The Lonely Lane Adepts of Scene may work a cantrip upon an entire highway or road, stretching as far as the eye can see, and anything on it or immediately adjacent to it (such as in adjoining yards or on the sidewalk, but not inside of buildings). Possible examples: A lonely country road, a city block, a suburban street, a hiking path, an interstate highway.
¶¶¶¶ The Glen The changeling may lay a cantrip over all subjects within an entire discrete, easily-defined outdoor location. Anyone inside of a structure that happens to be within the area is exempt. Possible examples: A park, a lake, a forest, a hill.
At the higher ranks of facility with the Prop Realm, the changeling gains the ability to ensorcel machines that require fuel or electricity, so long as the object is fairly easily to explain, use, and understand. Possible examples: A toaster, a chainsaw, a car, a printing press, a stun gun, an oven, a telephone, a lamp.
¶¶¶¶¶ The Castle
¶¶¶¶¶ Arcane Artifact
Time
At the apex of the Prop Realm, the changeling discovers the secrets of working Glamour upon even the most complex of devices — those of inscrutable working or function, or that depend upon delicate and complex electronics. Possible examples: An X-ray machine, a television, an iPod, a smartphone, a computer.
The greatest works of Scene can amplify a cantrip to target all relevant subjects within a single massive structure or a cluster of smaller buildings that fall under a single intuitive header. Possible examples: A castle, an office building, a university campus, an office park, a shopping mall, a hotel.
Time is one of the two modifier Realms. It cannot be used to ground an Art on its own, but must instead be used in conjunction with Actor, Fae, Nature, or Prop. Time allows the changeling to manipulate a cantrip in various ways, winding its Glamour through time in increasingly complex permutations. Using Time always raises the difficulty of a cantrip by 1.
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¶ Three-Fold The duration of the cantrip is tripled.
¶¶ Suspended Sands The cantrip’s effect is delayed, and will activate at a time of the player’s choosing (set when the cantrip is cast), up to a year and a day in the future.
¶¶¶ Fateful Trigger Rather than being delayed by a set amount of time, the cantrip may be set to “hang” until a specified trigger occurs, set by the player. Examples include “the next time a Kithain walks through the door,” “the next time Bill the Sluagh walks through the door,” or “the next time the door is opened.” The character must use the appropriate Realm or Realms for the target of the trigger.
¶¶¶¶ Bright Echoes After the cantrip ends, it automatically reactivates a second time. The second activation applies the cantrip’s effects as though it rolled only a single success, no matter how many successes the original cantrip generated. If the first use of the cantrip failed, so does its echo.
¶¶¶¶¶ Glorious Renewal The Cantrip becomes seasonal and reactivates after being dormant. The specific circumstance for the Cantrip reactivating is dictated by the player, but must involve a significant marker (such as an equinox, eclipse, birthday, etc.) and there must be significantly more time between activations than the duration of the cantrip.
Seven Dreams Brought to Life
Arts, Realms, Glamour, Unleashings, and more! It can seem like a lot to keep track of, but in truth, it’s as simple as knowing what you can do and using that to get what you want. While Arts are, of course, the most exciting aspect of a changeling’s ability to wield Glamour, it’s useful to learn to think primarily in terms of the Realms you can work through. For the classic example, if all you have is Prop, then you have to learn how to “cheat” to get what you need done —otherwise you’ll be burning a lot of extra Glamour. Pay attention to the objects around you and think about how you can apply your Arts against them. There’s a thug chasing you? Well, you don’t have Actor, but you can target his clothes, so starting from there you can pick an Art that will get him off your back effectively. Rather than speaking in generalities, let’s go through a few examples of these rules in action, to tie it all together.
The Pig
and the
Selkie
Callie is a Selkie who passes a construction site on her way to the beach every afternoon. They’re putting up a new hotel distressingly close to her favorite secluded shoreline, which is bad enough; but worse than that is one particular construction
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worker who catcalls her every day, becoming increasingly vile and brazen each time. Today he’s walked right out of the borders of the construction site to proposition her, and she’s had enough. Callie has Metamorphosis ¶¶¶ and Actor ¶¶¶. She decides to use Metamorphosis ¶, Sparrows and Nightingales, to teach the lecher a lesson, and Actor ¶¶¶, Familiar Face, to target him directly. The difficulty of the cantrip starts at 8. Callie enacts a bunk to make the magic easier to send into t