Editing Changeling: The Dreaming (section)

==The Nature of Changelings==
Most Changelings are Faerie souls reincarnated into a mortal body in a burst of Glamour known as the Chrysalis (hence the original nickname Otherkin: The Glamourbombing). Upon this Chrysalis the Changeling sees the world of dream-reality layered on top of this world, as well as assuming a new mantle known as a Fae Mien. Changelings instinctually view each others Miens accordingly, though their mortal forms exist in the main world. Note that not all Changelings are born via the Chrysalis (Arcadian Sidhe are a notable exception), yet whether "reincarnated" in a new host body through the Chrysalis or through other means, the end result is that a Changeling exists in two realities overlaid atop each other: one mundane, and one Chimerical. 

Chimera are literally dreams given semi-physical form. Every abandoned imaginary friend, every invention that never got proper funding, every folk tale, fairy tale, or the fevered nightmares of Abdul Alhazared the Mad Arab, literally become dream-matter that Changelings interact with. Likewise, paranoia about economic instability, the opioid crisis, conspiracies about black helicopters, etc. can result in Noctnisa and Nervosae, collective paranoia given Chimerical form.

Being a Changeling means walking a narrow tightrope between mundanity and insanity. While in 2nd Edition, the description of this played out as a mix of a Don Quixote episode or a giant LARP-fest where an odd group of people engage in [[Pretend|an elaborate game of pretend]], Changeling 20th expands on and clarifies how "mundane" reality interacts with Chimerical Reality in several ways to make the game more palatable. 

Chimera can either exist by themselves (in the case of imaginary friends, etc), or be overlaid on top of a pre-existing item (Mortals see a pen. Changelings see a sword). As a general rule, Chimera can can only safely interact with Chimerical Reality, and if any mundane mortals see something out of the ordinary, then Banality triggers in to attempt to resolve any contradiction. For example, if two factions of Changelings engage in an duel through Chimerical Airships and a regular plane flies through them...a bunch of Changelings will get shunted through the Near Dreaming, as the airplane would have otherwise seen humans floating in the air.

There are ways to get around this: A Changeling (or some Chimera) can enchant certain targets, allowing them to interact with Chimerical Reality. Alternatively, a Changeling (or some Chimera, ex. Will o' the Wisps) could call on the Wyrd, to temporarily force Chimerical Reality into the mortal world. Alternately, Chimerical can interact with the mundane world so long as mortals do not directly witness it. Said Plague Nervosa formed from drug abuse nightmares could, for instance, [[grimdark|switch the labels or contents of medications if not witnessed]]. If all else fails, then keep actions easy to rationalize: For example, a Chimera picking up a newspaper from a newspaper stand would trigger Banality, as it would otherwise appear since the newspaper was "floating" by itself. However, a Chimera running off with a sheet of paper on a windy day is another story. Think of how Mage handles Coincidential Magic and you're not too far off.