Changeling Homebrew Kiths
A resource for new kiths for Changeling the Lost games by sup/tg/.
Mortal[edit]
The Gentry's most versatile subjects.
Beast[edit]
Crypticskin[edit]
Changelings who blended in with their surroundings to hide; becoming like chameleons, octopuses, cuttlefishes, and other disguised and camouflaged creatures. The Crypticskin benefit from Protective Coloration, granting them a free stealth specialization. Once per scene the Lost may spend a point of Glamour, shifting their mask and mien to allow them to blend in with the surroundings; granting them the ability to hide most anywhere, even among a crowd a people. This camouflage lasts as long as the player remains still or moves no faster then a few feet a minute; any sudden movements disrupt the illusion of invisibility.
Hardshell[edit]
The kin of turtles and crustaceans and all animals known for their rock hard durability. Sometimes slow and wise, sometimes stubborn and unflinching, they all share the trait of being very hard nuts to crack thanks to their ability to Hunker Down. A Hardshell adds 3 dice to defense with the expenditure of a willpower point instead of 2 as well as always having 1/0 natural armor. By spending a single point of Glamour, the Changeling may reflexively convert the damage dealt by a single attack from a bladed weapon into bashing damage. The hardshell may only do this once per scene.
Hearthweaver[edit]
Changeling who have an affinity with industrious builders, such as spiders, birds, beavers, and other such animals known for making their own homes. Hearthweavers are Instinctive Architects, granting them the 8 again rule on all Crafts when working by hand. Additionally the changeling may purchase the Hollow merit at half price as their innate knowledge of how to construct a home makes carving a Hollow out of the Hedge a much easier process.
Hedgeurchin[edit]
Most changelings lose something when they are dragged through the hedge, but the hedgeurchins took a bit of the hedge themselves. These changelings share qualities with hedgehogs, porcupines, and sea urchins, covering themselves in needle-like spines and barbs. Their dubious blessing is the Hedgehog's Dilemma: once per day as an instant action, the player may spend of a point of Glamour to wreathe the character in spines for the remainder of the scene. Upon being attacked by any kind of brawl attack and certain types of weaponry, the hedgeurchin rolls an attack of Wyrd + their attacker's strength that deals lethal damage. While this power is active however, the hedgeurchin suffers a penalty to all social rolls, with the exception of intimidation, equal to half their Wyrd rounded up, as the spines are only useful at driving away others.
Hiveborn[edit]
Changelings who are connected with bees, ants, and other such animals that dwell in great colonies and hives. These Lost have developed a Synergistic Rapport, allowing them to work together with others in concert more efficiently; the Hiveborn add half their wyrd (rounded up) to all teamwork rolls. The player may spend a point of Glamour to ignore penalties for using an untrained skill in teamwork provided that one member of the team has dots in the skill being used, allowing them to always be able to lend a hand.
Qilin[edit]
Some lost became as Beasts of myth, imbued with a spark of the divine and the will to punish the wicked. Whether they served as guardians or messengers, the force of their sheer presence lent power to their attacks, but only upon those who were deemed impure or unworthy. While the Qilin is mainly an Eastern kith, it has manifested in the West as Unicorns and other semi-divine beasts. Once per scene with the expenditure of 1 glamour, the Qilin may invoke the Celestial Balance and add their presence to any one brawl or weaponry roll so long as the target's morality score is 4 or below. Conversely, any attack against an individual with a morality score of 8 or above, the Qilin subtracts their Wyrd from the attack.
Darkling[edit]
Bogeyman[edit]
Changelings whose durance was a literal nightmare from which they couldn't just wake up from becoming warped figures of grisly terror. These lost have learned the dark pathways of fright in the mind, allowing them to invoke Haunting Figments, once per scene by spending 1 Glamour and rolling Intimidation + Wyrd - the subject's Composure, the changeling may awaken the irrational fears that lurk in the mind's shadow. inflicting a -2 penalty to all rolls of an attribute of the changeling's choice. As the envoys of fear themselves, bogeyman have grown comfortable with terror, granting them a +1 bonus to resist fear themselves.
Engaoler[edit]
These Darklings had the dubious privilege of being both the ward and the warden, working as incarcerated overseers in the dank prisons of Arcadia. The Engaoler possesses the ability to secure things with Fastidious Bindings. For one point of Glamour, the changeling may either add his Wyrd to the durability of an object or add his Wyrd to the number of successes required to bypass restraints or a locking mechanism. This blessing may only be used once per dot of Wyrd per scene and may only be used for the purpose of impeding the breaking into/out of things more difficult.
Frostfiend[edit]
These changelings stem from legends of creatures lurking outside, in the winter storms and blizzards. When a loved one mysteriously went out into the cold and never came back or when a house burst open in a blizzard and the inhabitants froze in their beds, these were the monsters blamed. The Frostfiend’s blessing is Winter’s Kiss: once per scene per point of Wyrd, the changeling may spend a point of Glamour to rapidly freeze a person with a touch (see the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 157). The victim suffers one point of Lethal damage and loses one dot of Dexterity for a number of minutes equal to the Darkling’s Wyrd.
Hushwight[edit]
Some Lost had to learn how to move ever-so-silently through the Arcadian gloom, lest they draw the attention of dangerous predators or worse, wake their Fae masters from dreamless sleep. These Changelings may prefer the quiet of solitude or may revel in as much noise as they can, in defiance of their former Keepers. Either way, they wear the Silent Shroud and receive +1 to all Stealth rolls. For one glamour and a successful Composure + Stealth roll, they may extend a zone of perfect silence in a circle with radius equal to their Wyrd for a number of turns equal to the successes rolled. In this zone, no sound can be heard or made without a successful Wits + Composure roll; others make this roll at a penalty of the Hushwight's Wyrd. This glamour-powered silence automatically fails without a roll needed if any sound louder than normal conversation is made (i.e. shouting for help, slamming a door, or trying to sneak up on someone with a revving chainsaw) or if any attacks are made.
Murkglow[edit]
These Changelings followed faint lights in the dark and were led not into safety, but into the clutches of the True Fae. In turn, they became dimly phosphorescent denizens of the night, luring the unwary into deadly circumstances, like the Will-o-wisps of legend. They can use their Luminous Lure to make it more difficult for a solitary target to notice traps and ambushes by spending a point of glamour and making a Subterfuge + Wyrd roll, resisted by a Composure + Wyrd roll. Success levies a -2 penalty to the target's Wits and Composure rolls for the scene. On top of this, the fae are good at recognizing such ambushes themselves and always have a 1 die bonus to Perception rolls to notice purposeful traps This does nothing for inherent, natural dangers.
Panopticon[edit]
When taken into the abyssal darkness of the Keeper's realms, these Lost never forgot the light. Growing impossibly wide eyed the Panopticon often find themselves serving as watchmen, sentries, or spies in the service of their Arcadian masters and upon escaping they often find themselves in similar roles thanks to their Ceaseless Vigilance. This grants the changeling the ability to reroll a failed perception roll once per scene with the expenditure of a single Glamour. Furthermore all penalties to the Panopticon's vision are reduced by half their Wyrd (rounded up).
Sporekin[edit]
All Darklings were forced to shun the light, but the Sporekin alone thrived and grew in the black. Stolen through fairy rings by alien mycologists, they tended mushroom gardens and blossomed with the strange, fungal fruit. On top of a 1 die bonus to their rolls to resist the effects of ingested poisons - including alcohol and recreational drugs - the Sporekin can inflict others with the Psilocybic Kiss. By spending 1 glamour and making a successful touch attack, the Sporekin levies a non-stacking 1 die penalty on all of an opponent's actions for scene, as they're haunted by hallucinatory specters. This can be resisted with a Stamina + Resolve roll made at a penalty of the Sporekin's Wyrd.
Stalker[edit]
Many tales and very real dangers, often from the vast urban jungles of the world, talk of relentless stalkers haunting their targets obsessively and watching every moment of their lives, sometimes in secret with their victim unaware and othertimes with the victim constantly fearful of their undesired fan. When taken to Arcadian extremes, the Fae typically take on the role of the stalker and force the Changelings to live in very real paranoid fear of their Keeper's watchful eye every moment of their lives. That is until they learned the stalker's tricks and use it against them, whether to flee or switch the dynamics of the roles. The Stalker's blessing is the Creeping Follow. Once a day, the Stalker can spend a Glamour and shadow their intended target. No matter what they do, they will never be able to lose the Stalker, for the Stalker will always appear through an obscure location close to the victim in order to continue stalking them. Whether the victim runs, hides or fights, the Stalker will always be near and will always find them until he's ready to let them go.
Elemental[edit]
Acidvein[edit]
These unlucky Lost were bathed in the caustic acid seas or drenched with the scorching acid rains of Arcadia and emerged with their impurities seared away. They shine and glisten with the volatile chemicals that pulse through their bodies, and simply touching one invites corrosion. Thanks to the Principle of Dissolution they can permanently reduce the durability points of an inanimate object of a size rating equal to or less than their own plus their wyrd that they can touch. This is done by spending glamour on a one to one basis with a limit equal to the Acidvein's Wyrd per scene.
Clayshapen[edit]
These Lost never ceased being molded and shaped by Arcadian forces, their forms become soft and malleable like clay or putty. Gifted with the hard earned blessing of Plasticity these changelings recover swiftly from blunt trauma, allowing them to instantly recover from bashing damage equal to their Wyrd once per scene with the expenditure of a single Glamour. Thanks to the pliable nature of their bodies, clayshapen gain a +1 to attempts to escape from a grapple.
Crystalsoul[edit]
Imbued with the alien, crystalline landscape of certain parts of Arcadia, these Lost have aspects of quartz and diamond, minerals stacked in geometric shapes or organically grown like coral. They may have spent untold years trapped and immobile in a transparent topaz prison, or mined luminous rock crystal from the depths the earth. Often, they find themselves vibrating in tune with others around them, thanks to their natural Harmonic Resonance. Once per scene, the Lost may spend 1 glamour and make a successful touch attack on an opponent. Through her next turn, she has the same dice bonuses and penalties as the opponent did at the time the glamour was spent - though no total bonus or penalty may exceed her Wyrd. This blessing can also be invoked reflexively in response to a successful brawl attack.
Delicacy[edit]
Suffering one of the worst fates, these poor souls were turned into foodstuffs to delight the refined palates of the Gentry. Some were roasted until savory and tender, others melted and recrafted out of spun sugar and candied rose petals, but all were eaten alive over and over again, never allowed to perish fully. They have the dubious blessing called Eat Me, Drink Me. By voluntarily taking one point of bashing damage, they can alleviate 1 die penalty on a fellow Changeling. The causes of the penalties - wounds, environmental factors, contracts, etc. - still remain, but they do not bother the Changeling for the scene. In addition, a Delicacy never suffers penalties for hunger or thirst, though they may still die from lack of food or water.
Lusterlit[edit]
These Changelings were infused with radiant and brilliant light to become shining beacons to hold back the darkness or glittering stars gleaming in the night sky. These incandescent see the world in all its Scintillating Spectra, granting them a +1 bonus to Wits + Composure rolls relating to vision in areas with ample lighting. In addition, the Lusterlit may spend Glamour to shift the spectral sensitivity of their vision, 1 point of Glamour grants access to a single spectrum for the duration of the scene or until they decide to end the effect (gamma ray, x-ray, ultraviolet, visible light, infrared, t-ray, microwave, radio). For example, it would cost 2 Glamour to see in both infrared and visible light at the same time and it would cost 8 Glamour to see in all the spectra. The effects of each spectrum are ultimately arbitrated by the ST.
Magmasteeped[edit]
Cast into Arcadian volcanoes, rivers of lava, and subterranean lakes of magma, these Changelings were immersed in unforgiving liquid rock and metal. The sweltering heat and crushing pressure were branded into their being, just waiting to erupt. Once per scene, the Changeling may stoke their inner heat for their Wyrd in turns in a display of Molten Eminence by spending a point of Glamour. The unbearable heat deals their Wyrd in bashing damage to anyone with in a radius equal to their wyrd in yards, though those subject to the immense heat may roll stamina + resolve each turn they are exposed and subtract their successes from the damage. The simmering core of the Magmasteeped also grants them a +1 bonus to all brawl rolls.
Newtonian[edit]
Elementals formed of stranger things than earth and fire, these Lost have some form of control over some of the building blocks of reality itself. They are able to spend one point of glamour to Invoke the Apple, doubling their speed for a number of turns equal to their Wyrd. Alternatively, they may spend one glamour and roll their Wyrd + Wits + Composure against an opponent's Wyrd + Resolve + Composure to half the opponent's speed for a number of turns equal to their Wyrd. In addition, physical phenomenon come naturally to the Newtonians. This comes as an innate knowledge of where an object or bullet will go, or exactly how far away someone has gone based on time and speed. The storyteller arbitrates when and how this comes into play.
Shroudwrapped[edit]
Changelings who became the invisible agents of their Keeper's dominion, orchestrators of gravity and spacetime to mysteries dark matter and energy. The shroudwrapped have learned to reach out with the Hand of the Cosmos. Once per scene the Player may spend a point of Glamour to reach up to 2 yards per dot of Wyrd away, as if the space weren't there, provided there is nobody to witness the event. The blessing also grants the Changeling with an extra die on Larceny rolls.
Wirestreaked[edit]
Modern cousins to the Manikin, these Lost bear the digital age's growing presence in Faerie in the form of cyborgs, androids, robots, and mankind's digital fears. Their mind's computational power has been expanded with Alacritous Processing, allowing the Wirestreaked to add to Intelligence-based dice pools by spending Glamour, on a one to one basis. The circuitous nature of their minds reduces the usual -3 penalty on untrained mental skills to only -1.
Fairest[edit]
Apollonian[edit]
Those Changelings who come to embody the physical ideal of perfection rather than the aesthetic, like the heroic athletes of legend. Often fiercely competitive, they excel at all manner of physical contests, whether it's cleaving a block of stone in two with a single blow, running for days on end without so much as losing their breath, or skittering catlike through the most deadly obstacles. To ensure excellence, Apollonians rely on Arete, which gives an extra die to all Athletics rolls. For 1 glamour, they can also reroll any failed Athletics roll. The second roll must be accepted.
Courtesan[edit]
Exemplars of courtly upbringing and social standing, these changelings were kept as companions by the True Fae. Although never treated with equal status, these Lost maintained a position above their follow changelings provided they could navigate the social mores and protocol of their faerie lords and ladies. Due to their experience with faerie high society, Courtesans have developed a sense of Impeccable Etiquette which allows them to, once per scene, reroll the failed dice of any social roll dealing with manners and social protocol by spending a point of Glamour. Additionally, their social graces allow them to purchase the Contacts merit for half price.
Dionysian[edit]
Hedonistic and untamable, these changelings nearly lost themselves to an endless cycle of debauchery and depravity. In tune with their darkest passions, they know well the Rites of Bacchanalia, benefitting from the nine-again rule to harvest Glamour in situations aligned with their Vice. In addition, a Dionysian never takes penalties from being disheveled or unkempt in Presence or Manipulation rolls.
Gladiator[edit]
When thrown into the arenas of Faerie before an audience of Lords and Ladies, the Gladiators learned not brute savagery but elegant style to take down the foes and please their fickle audience lest they face their jeers and their Keeper's displeasure. To keep the spectators pleased, Gladiators had to learn to strike with Fantastic Flourish, allowing them to once per scene spend Glamour in place of taking negative combat aspects on a one to one basis (Mirrors p74).
Gorgon[edit]
This Fairest was held in her durance by a highly envious and miserly Master, who refused to let anyone else, even the lowliest changeling servant, look upon her beauty. This translated to the fact that her perfection is intimidating to look at, like even glimpsing her is a crime. The Gorgon’s blessing is Terrifying Gaze: the player gains a bonus to Intimidation rolls equal to her Wyrd and all social rolls made against her lose the 10-again rule. In addition, those who wish to directly meet her gaze must beat her Intimidation + Wyrd with a Composure + Resolve check or spend a point of Willpwer. Drawback: Being supernaturally intimidating doesn’t help with making friends and influencing people. People look askance at anyone who hangs around with you voluntarily, and you’ll likely be the first name in people’s heads whenever they hear of a violent crime in the area. After all, you sure look the type.
Lionhearted[edit]
The chivalrous champions and dashing heroes, these changelings embody all that makes up the knights in shining armor of legend. These Lost were paladins of exemplary honor or dignified chevaliers to their Fae lords and ladies. The Lionhearted shine with Gallant Splendor whilst acting with honor, allowing them to use their Presence to substitute for either Strength, Weaponry, or Brawl; replacing which ever is lowest. Their dauntless nature of the Lionhearted also grants an extra die to composure rolls to resist fear.
Masterpiece[edit]
This fairest was a work of art, often literally sculpted by their creator, but not an inanimate thing. No, these Fairest had their flesh reshaped into an idealization of human beauty independent of cultural standards. They may not exactly fit anyone’s particular tastes, and can often be quite alien in appearance, but they will always be considered beautiful. The Masterpiece’s blessing is Ideal Form: They gain the Striking Looks Merit for free at two dots; if the Masterpiece already possesses the two-dot version, then it increases to the full four-dot version. In addition, their sexual attractiveness is universal. They do not suffer penalties to seduction attempts against targets whose personal or cultural standards, sexual orientation or preferences would normally make them incompatible.
Pampered[edit]
Kept as pets, some lucky Changelings received doting attention from their Keepers who treasured and spoiled them before starving them of attention. These Lost often have the looks and lazy manners of felines, though coquettish, indolent concubines and sultry, sly harem slaves fit as well. The Pampered Fairest knows the subtle power of a Silken Suggestion, granting her a 1 die bonus to Manipulation rolls. In addition, once per scene, she can spend 1 glamour and roll Wyrd + Socialize + Manipulation versus a single opponent's Wyrd + Resolve + Composure. If successful, that opponent may only deal bashing damage to the Pampered for that scene, kicking and clubbing instead of stabbing or shooting. The bonus is lost of the Changeling directly attacks that opponent.
Ogre[edit]
Bellower[edit]
Big, mean, and loud, these Ogres learned to use their voice as a weapon - not the fine rapier of witty debate, but the heavy hammer of an old fashioned scream. Brothers and sisters to banshees and other howling, shrieking creatures, they may have been used as messengers or alarms, or may have possibly developed their talent in order to drive away the sharp-eared monsters that stalked them. Once per scene, a Bellower may create Cacophonous Chaos by spending a point of Glamour. The Changeling shouts at the top of his lungs and causes bashing damage equal to his Wyrd to everyone in a radius equal to his Wyrd in yards, unless they make a successful Wits + Composure roll to cover their ears in time. Warning one's motley in advance is always a good idea. If the Ogre is gagged or otherwise unable to make sounds, this blessing may not be activated.
Berserker[edit]
These ogres lived and breathed rage, becoming consumed in an uncontrollable frenzy. Either on alien battlefield or gladiatorial arenas of Faerie, these Lost lost themselves in frenzied trances that made them into a whirlwind of unstoppable violence like the warriors of legend. Worked to Reckless Abandon, berserkers enter battle with little concern for their own wellbeing, treating wound penalties as bonuses as they channel the mindless fury that was seared into their very core during their durance. Additionally berserkers gain a +1 to all stamina rolls made to stay conscious.
Bloodsoaker[edit]
Red Caps and Washers-At-The-Ford, these gory ogres gain dark protection from bloody garments. By soaking a garment in blood and spending a point of Glamour, the changeling may invoke Sanguine Security. This gives the garment an Armour bonus equal to the number of points of Lethal damage inflicted while harvesting the blood. The blood must be fresh, harvested within a day, and the armour lasts a number of days equal to the changeling's Wyrd. A changeling may use their own blood, or the blood of another living being, but animal blood has no effect. In addition, the changeling may spend a point of glamour to clean or wash away blood in a way that leaves almost no forensic evidence, confounding any attempt at discerning whether blood was spilled at a crime scene.
Blunderhulk[edit]
These poor souls are not unlike the Gobbleguts, fed all sorts of unkindness by their Keepers. But unlike their blubbery cousins, the Blunderhulks are meant for a different purpose: living artillery. Their digestive tracts were remade into two-way affairs, horrible ammunition rammed inside and promptly vomited back out with soul-rending force to collapse the walls of Arcadia. These bulky changelings have the Bombardier's Bezoar: they can ingest anything of a Size equal to their Wyrd and keep it inside their body for a number of hours equal to their Wyrd. Inevitably, they *will* vomit it back out - the resulting projectile has a range equal to the ogre's strength + athletics in yards, dealing bludgeoning (or lethal) damage equal to their strength + athletics.
Gobblegut[edit]
These poor souls were kept in cramped conditions and fattened until they were fit to burst. They were meant for the cooking pot, but their girth is moved by powerful muscles, something which let them escape from their brutish Keepers. Their new found size grants them a sort of Gluttonous Grandeur: They have the Giant merit benefit of +1 Size and thus +1 Health, but their immense bulk gives a -2 to all Stealth rolls. Also, they'll have a load of trouble trying to find furniture that can support their bulk and doorways that will allow them access, to name a few other downsides... ((Credit to Zach !!m1zNwNhpIw+ off /tg/))
Sentinel[edit]
Lost who were forced to protect what their Keepers judged as most valuable, and put on the required muscle to scare off all manner of trespassers. Put to task as watchdogs, palace guards, and bridge trolls, these Ogres developed a unique sense of territoriality. Their Vicious Vigilance grants them a +1 bonus to all attacks against trespassers within a chosen 10 by 10 yards and a +1 bonus to notice trespassers. Once chosen, the designated area may not be changed without spending a willpower point, and may not be changed more than once a week. The storyteller is the final arbiter on what a valid area is and what is considered a trespasser.
Wizened[edit]
Barrister[edit]
Arcadia runs on rules and laws, though these esoteric systems are created from whole cloth and known only to the True Fae. An inkling of this knowledge flows into these Changelings, who navigate the bizarre legalities of life in and beyond the Hedge with inhuman aplomb. Only by knowing and exploiting the rules could they survive. Once per story, a Barrister can spend a glamour and voice their OBJECTION! to reality itself, invoking a tiny portion of the True Fae's ability to create their own laws. This forces a re-roll on any action. The second roll must be accepted. On top of this, Barristers enjoy the 9 again rule on rolls involving Politics and Expression.
Chauffeur[edit]
Tasked with the safe transport of their Fae masters throughout the wild terrain of Arcadia, the Chauffeurs learned to handle all manner of vehicles with aplomb lest the whips be turned on them next. Whether guiding a team of wild fae horses, piloting an impossible clockwork watercraft, or soaring through storm-tossed skies in fantastic balloon, these Wizened always arrive safely and on time. When behind the controls of a vehicle, they can Take the Reins and re-roll any failed Drive check by spending a point of glamour. On top of this, they receive a free Drive specialty in their chosen mode of locomotion and may add their Wyrd to their initiative when driving.
Gourmand[edit]
No mere kitchen slaves, these Lost learned to work culinary magic with strange goblin fruits, vegetables, meats, and spices - all to please their demanding Masters. Those who failed became the next course. Gourmands enjoy a Wyrd/2, rounded up, die bonus to all Craft rolls involving cooking and all Intelligence rolls to identify edibles, and may bestow the Epicurean Benefaction by spending a point of glamour while preparing a single serving of food. This glamour is stored in the food and may be later consumed - by anyone - to recover the glamour point. If the food goes bad or is otherwise rendered inedible or unpalatable, the glamour is lost.
Huckster[edit]
Everything has a price, and that goes doubly so in the lands beyond the Thorns. Some Changelings discover a talent for bartering, buying, and more importantly, selling during their time in Arcadia. They may have worked the goblin markets at their Master's behest, managed the appraisal and purchase of slaves, or just bargained every sunrise for another day of life. Their gift is the Gilded Tongue, which grants them the Market Sense (Rites of Spring, p. 94) merit for free. In addition to this, they may apply the +3 bonus for recognizing a bad deal from Market Sense to trades done outside of Goblin Markets by spending a glamour per trade. Finally, they may also spend a glamour to apply the +3 bonus when convincing a mortal into an unfair trade, as mortals were meant to be the dupes of the Fae.
Jester[edit]
These Lost learned the twisted intricacies and bizarre forms of Faerie humor during their durance. Whether these wizened served their keepers as fools for Arcadian courts or as stand-up comics in a Gentry nightclub they posses a talent for making people laugh, granting them a free specialty in expression provided it falls with in their purview. Jesters may undertake the Fool's Gambit, by spending 1 Glamour and rolling Expression + Wyrd - the subject's Composure, the changeling may make a scathing joke out of the subject, inflicting a -2 penalty to a skill of the changeling's choice. The Jester may deliver a number of these cutting remarks equal to their Wyrd per scene.
Scrounger[edit]
Living in the nooks and crannies of their Keepers realms, these Lost learned to collect and scavenge off the scraps of their Faerie masters or were sent to scour away odds and ends and knick-knacks at their Lord's behest. Honed from their time sifting through the oddest piles of junk these mischievous changelings possess the Blessing of the Missing Keys, granting them the uncanny ability to find things hidden in cracks and clutter. Once per scene, the changeling may spend Glamour on a 1 to 1 basis to add to dice pools to scrounge, scavenge, forage, or otherwise locate items stashed away. Additionally the scrounger gains a free specialty in Survival.
Other Fae[edit]
The Gentry don't only find mortals to be fascinating, however. Sometimes, other fae beings catch their eyes.
Fetches[edit]
When the Fae take a mortal, they usually leave a fetch behind. Sometimes, these duplicates manage to lead fascinating and important lives of their own. When this happens, other Fae sometimes find these fetches to be just as fascinating. Sometimes these fetches escape back to the mortal world.
Fetches, being the waste of a stolen mortal, are less flexible to the Fae than the mortal that they were based on. They have no Seeming (although they usually appear to have both a Seeming and a Kith). Changed Fetches experience the following changes:
- Wyrd is now independent of their original Changeling.
- Upon escaping, Changed Fetches have the echoes: Attuned to the Wyrd, Enter the Hedge, Heart of Wax. An additional Echo may be purchased for each additional level of Wyrd, subject to the normal rules.
- Changed Fetches may have up to Wyrd pledges.
- Changed Fetches collect glamour as do Changelings.
- Changed Fetches follow normal Changeling Oneiromancy rules.
- Changed Fetches have Clarity, not Morality/Integrity.
- Related to the above- Changed Fetches can join Courts and Entitlements. If they do so, they can learn the associates Contracts at the normal cost for Changelings, subject to the same limitations. They can learn ONLY those Contracts.
- New Echo (*-*****): False Kith Blessing. Some aspect of the Changed Fetch's components can be used to create an effect that mimics a kith blessing, the Lethal Mien merit, or even (at the highest rating) a weak contract.
Assume that the benefits provided to fetches in Autumn Nightmares still applies. Changed Fetches have four "kiths":
Fae-Stuff[edit]
Fetches made of things like dreams, hedge thorns and goblin fruits. Tend to have been aware of what they were even before they were taken, and were among the least human before being taken. Possible Blessings:
- Attuned: The character gets a +1 to all rolls to identify the nature of any fae items (effects, catches, drawbacks of tokens, etc.).
- Pledgestone: Character may hold up to Wyrd X 2 Pledges.
- Token Heart: The character has a token holding him together. By paying the usual cost, the character may use the token.
Possible Curses:
- Taboos and Banes: The character leaves the Hedge with a minor taboo and/or a minor bane.
- Fragile Clarity: Because of the character's fae nature, they get a -1 to all clarity rolls AND a -1 to all rolls to avoid a derangement if they fail.
- Attractive: The character is especially obvious magically. In the hedge, she practically glows with power. Even for those casually observing, the character stands out (-1 to hide in a crowd); soul magic and detect magic spells by all supernatural types gain +2 to find the character, while encounters in the Hedge are more likely.
Natural[edit]
Made of natural materials- leaves, pebbles, woodsmoke, stormcloud- these fetches tended to be competent outdoorsmen before being taken.
Blesssings:
- Natural Harvest: The character, once per location/chronicle, can attempt to reap the natural world for glamour, using the normal rolls. An empty lot or a well-maintained backyard get a -4 on the rolls, while a national park would get a normal roll- and if that one roll failed, the character could just walk a mile down the trail.
- Natural Nature- The character can eat and drink anything natural for sustenance, be it grass, rotten meat or a polluted stream. Additionally, if the things eaten comprise the fetch, then 1L damage is healed for each serving eaten.
- Wildwalker: The character receives a +1 bonus for all survival and tracking rolls in the wilderness. Additionally, all environmental penalties are reduced by 1, to a minimum of zero.
Curses:
- Natural Mage: The character loses the 10-again rule , and receives a -1 for all contracts, for all rolls outside of wild or rural areas- including suburbs, cities and- worryingly- the Hedge.
- Natural Mind: The character suffers a -4 dice untrained penalty when trying to use a Mental skill in which the character has no dots.
- Artificial Allergies: The character has difficulty handling man-made materials. This can mean breaking out in hives when wearing synthetic clothes and sleeping on synthetic sheets, finding the feel of particleboard, plastic, and paint uncomfortable, nausea after eating a hot dog, or a headache after sitting under fluorescent lighting for hours.
Flesh[edit]
Made of either living or formerly-living materials. This can be meat from the fridge, rotting roadkill, all the roaches and rats in the restaurant, or the skin and organs of a freshly-killed passing bystander. These fetches tended towards athletic abilities before being taken.
Blessings:
- Hale and Hearty: +1 dice to all physical rolls. Spend a glamour to add wyrd health for one scene.
- Bolstered Clarity: Being truly made of flesh, their ability to center themselves (though not to tell the real from the fake) is bolstered. Upon losing clarity, they get +1 dice to avoid a derangement, and clearing a derangement only has 3/4 the EXP cost.
- Animal Ken: The character, made largely of the (living or dead) flesh of one type of animal, gets five dots of the animal ken specialty for that type of animal.
Drawbacks:
- Big Eater: The character must eat and drink twice as much as a normal human in order to remain healthy. Apply the penalties for dehydration and starvation.
- Biochemistry Applies: Changelings, for all their changes, are still fundamentally human. Fetches aren't, but they aren't alive either. Neither applies to these characters. All medicine rolls applied to this character take a -1 penalty, lost the 10-again rule and 1s subtract, as the mangled meats that make up the character react poorly to the medical prodding.
- Obvious Fetch: The character, for all that they escaped from Arcadia like everyone else, can make Pledges and even join Courts, is still obviously a fetch. Apply all of the requisite social penalties.
- Big Stinker: A big pile of rotting meat is not pleasant to be around, animated by magic or not.The greasy skin and terrible smell creates a minimum -1 dice to all interactions with mortals for the character.
Man-Made[edit]
These characters are made of man-made materials- the clothes that the victim was wearing, garbage from the can, fire and smoke from the burning car and the light and sound of the streetlamps. Their artificial makeup, unusually, tended to make them more adept at navigating the human world before their abduction, as well as making them less likely to understand their true nature.
Blessings:
- Social Fu: The character, made largely of human materials, gains a better understanding of human mentality and can apply the 9-again rule to all social rolls except for empathy made by the character.
- Banality: Magic is harder around a character so attuned to the mortal world, which seems so much more real around him. The 10-again rule no longer applies to any magic; the character's presence increases the strength of the Gauntlet by 1, hedge gates seem to close faster, verges close, and the character (and anyone with him) get +1 to rolls to return to the mortal world- from any other world.
- Attuned to the World: The character gets the 9-again rule to identify and understand the nature of any magic performed around them, fae or not.
Curses:
- Creeping Banality: The pointless, nihilistic nature of the mortal world crushes the character and those around them. Not only is magic is harder around them (lose the 10-again rule), but it crushes the spirits of those around them and those pledge-bound to the character. First, finding anything other than the mortal world (not a specific gate, but the mortal world generally) lose the 10-again rule as well. Second, emotions are deadened, so harvesting glamour from dreams and emotions is harder (no more than 2 points per attempt). Worst, all characters are more likely to gain the depression derangement- including the Changed Fetch.
- City Slicker: The character doesn't understand the natural environment at all. They take a -4 penalty for all skills with zero dots related to the natural environment (including animal ken), and they cannot raise their skills above two dots.
Hedge Beasts/Hobgoblins[edit]
Even more popular as slaves than mortal humans, Hedge Beasts and Hobgoblins can be changed by the Fae. However, they become just different hedge beasts and hobgoblins.
Other Supernaturals[edit]
The Fae generally prefer not to take other supernatural entities. Sometimes, however, they stumble into the Hedge. When this happens...
Mages[edit]
One odd thing you might have noticed about the New World of Darkness is that it has two realms named Arcadia-one that Mages might Awaken to (becoming Acanthus), and one home to the True Fae who occasionally kidnap mortals to turn into Changelings. When Mages and Changelings meet and swap stories, many Acanthus notice that this 'Arcadia' the Changelings are talking about is nothing like what they remember, and a few decide to investigate. Needless to say, this is never a good idea; the lucky ones get their stupid asses dragged back by their friends or just die in the hedge, where their magic is unreliable. The unlucky ones succeed, and if they come back, they do so as the wretched creatures known as The Unmade.
Vampires[edit]
[Kiasyd][edit]
A long time ago, a vampire was taken to Arcadia. It escaped, but not before being... changed. These are the descendants of that fae-touched vampire.
According to rumour, there are fae vampires living in the Hedge, and perhaps even Arcadia itself, under the beneficence of a vampire Lord presiding over a lake of blood under an eternally-moonless night sky. If so, however, neither vampire nor changeling have left the lake.
Werewolves[edit]
Luna's touch seems to protect the Uratha; even after years of torture, those who have maintained their harmony have left the Hedge with nothing worse than scars, the Fae Sight, and probably a burning desire to never go back.
This... is not the case with the Pure. The Thorns and the Gentry strip away at their spirit half. What exactly happens is unknown, but at least one Darkling has claimed to be former Pure, with their spirit half stripped out and turned into a fae hound, while the darkness filled the void in their soul. This may be a mis-remembering or a flat-out lie, but it is known that the Pure fare worse in the Hedge, and that none have ever escaped Arcadia to rejoin their packs.
Ghosts[edit]
Ghosts tend to fall apart under the Gentry's tender ministrations, so they're usually either left untouched or rendered down for material. Some ghostly entities have been seen using Contracts and Pledges, but never in the mortal world. As ghosts seem to be able to form in the hedge, this may not be relevant- it's unclear as to whether hedge ghosts and mortal-realm ghosts are different types of entities.
Spiritual Beings[edit]
The Gentry seem to treat spiritual beings as another type of hobgoblin- sensible, as they usually find them lost and materialized in the Hedge- and Spirits tend to end up as such after awhile anyway. The Chimera is rumored to be such a spirit.
Spirits[edit]
To what degree spirits keep their nature is uncertain, especially since many may have been in the hedge for weeks, months or years before being captured; it probably says something, however, that former magath are both more sane than their progenitors and as sane as any other spirits. Generally, however, the goblins formed by Gentry have lost a level (at least) of Rank when it became a goblin.
Ridden[edit]
The Ridden tend not to be kidnapped by the Gentry, instead entering the Hedge some other way- and meeting their riding spirit face-to-face if they do. If the Gentry take the ridden, then that person ends up any type of Changeling, and the spirit a goblin. Because of this, any fetch created tends to have an easier time of living (as the riding spirit is removed), so an escaping Changeling will find that the fetch lived their life better than they personally did.
Claimed[edit]
The bond of spirit and flesh seems to protect the Claimed. They take injuries from the Thorns, but they lose neither sanity/integrity, nor do they become infused with glamour, in a manner akin to werewolves. Additionally, the Gentry seem to have a hard time changing them, the will of the spirit and the flesh of the human preventing harm... or turning them into an especially-powerful goblin.
Hosts[edit]
Hosts are very unusual for spirits, and this shows no more clearly than here; when trapped in the Hedge, if they cannot make their way back to the mortal world, then they tend to gravitate to Arcadia, where the Gentry find them to be annoying pests... especially when they claim an abandoned Realm. In this manner, they may form something akin to the Lord of Faerie; whether they actually are is uncertain.
What is reasonably known is that the Gentry don't make slaves or pets of Hosts.
Prometheans[edit]
It is almost certain that a Promethean has never been to Arcadia. Indeed, the Gentry are hard-pressed to even note that they and the Divine Fire exist- the Huntsman himself was forced to retreat when a Galatiad walked right up to him and beat him with a cold iron bludgeon.
Sin-Eaters[edit]
What evidence exists suggests that they become Gravewrights, though of any seeming, and that they always have an affinity with the Contracts of Shade and Spirit.
Angels and Demons[edit]
Some contract with the Fae seems to prevent their experimentation on either Angels or Demons. Indeed, on more than one occasion, a Fae has trapped a demon in a healthful location in the mortal world, in order to prevent any accidents.
Mummies[edit]
While some mummies have theorized a connection between the Duat and Arcadia, none have been able to confirm it. Irem, prior to the ritual that created the Deathless, made a contract with the True Fae that prevents the Gentry from interfering with their duties. And through what's either a stipulation of the contract or Arcadian sour grapes, mummies who enter Arcadia are immediately returned home.
Beasts[edit]
Beasts tend to escape to the mortal world as Darklings, usually with multiple Contracts of Dream, stranger contracts yet and even some pledges at their disposal and an extensive dream-sculpting experience. However, they're at an additional -1 to all Clarity rolls- and they seem to need to break their Clarity regularly. If they try to reenter Arcadia in such a state, the Gentry seem to take immediate offense and kill the intruder.
Deviants[edit]
Deviants tend not to interest the True Fae, who see them as pre-broken toys not worth the bother of fixing, and when they are taken, their abused souls mean they tend not to survive long. In the extremely unlikely event that they are taken to Arcadia and live to escape, their forms tend to be bizarre even by Changeling standards, with dual kiths and even seemings being the norm rather than the exception.
Abyssal Entites[edit]
Although highly dependent on the nature of the incursion, the Fae seem to deal with Abyssal Entities as either dangerous goblins (sometimes to be excised from their slaves) or- rather alarmingly- as equals. They also seem highly capable of recognizing non-animate or animalistic Incursions, such as the Abyssal Helper, artifacts related to Dark Angel Aphasia or Abyssal Spiders; worryingly, they sometimes seem to think of these as aspects of some greater Fae, which may shed light on the nature of the Gentry.
While no changelings have been seen, the goblins suspected of arising from Abyssal Entities are noted to live in dark areas of the hedge where time itself stands still and where nothing else exists. Two may also exist as Gentry- one calls itself the Anumerator, depicts itself as a bald man in an ephemeral realm of miscounting numbers and dead time, and seems to pick up strange entities from other worlds, while the second has never been seen, but lives in a dark manse where escaping Changelings have seen themselves entering.
Fan Games[edit]
Dragons[edit]
An ancient contract with the Fae prevents them from taking dragons as slaves, and as such they are generally ignored. But occasionally, a True Fae or one of their servants will temporarily kidnap a dragon to perform some arcane task, claiming that it's the price of the bargain. And while dragons chafe at serving a higher power, refusing or failing this task generally ends very poorly for the dragon in question.
Geniuses[edit]
The spark of Mania in a Genius seems to terrify the Gentry. Every Genius taken has been returned less than a day after being taken, though it's usually longer to the Genius in question.
Giants[edit]
The relationship between Fae and Giants is a convoluted one, to say the least. Giants are the heroes of their own legends, which seems to impress the True Fae to some extent- not enough that they'll consider a Giant their equal, but enough that they will usually attempt to negotiate with any Giants they encounter and generally treat them as more than curiously mobile parts of the scenery. The Giants, for their part, are very wary of the True Fae, for a variety of extremely good reasons. Seeking the True Fae out for aid is generally considered Unworthy behavior, and the more Worthy of Giants will often shelter escaped Changelings in their domains. Giants are never kidnapped into Arcadia (whether this is because of some bizarre Faerie quirk, an old pact, or the True Fae simply can't do it is still up for debate), and if they end up there somehow, they do not become Changelings and generally escape on their own sooner or later.
And yet, the True Fae still endeavor to get Giants into Arcadia by every indirect or non-coercive means that they can. Most consider this behavior another inexplicable facet of the True Fae's insanity, as that's a lot of effort to put in to taking a slave that will never obey them. Few aside from the True Fae know the method to their madness; the secret is that a Giant who loses all of their Worthiness while in Arcadia will become another of the True Fae, just as a Wyrd 10, Clarity 0 Changeling would.
The Gentry also like to send loyalist Changelings out on missions to kill Giants, outfitting them with magical equipment but generally not telling them of the curse that befalls anyone who kills a Giant. This tends to lead to said Changelings turning runaway if they realize what they're being sent to do.
Hunchbacks[edit]
Hunchbacks tend not to change too much from entering Arcadia because, not to put too fine a point on it, their life on Earth sucks so much it's kind of hard for the True Fae to make it any worse. When the True Fae take Hunchbacks, they generally take pains to both keep them alive and preserve them as they are in order to amuse themselves by pointing and laughing at something more pathetic than they could ever be. And because Misery is Misery wherever one goes, Fae-stolen Hunchbacks tend to eventually gain enough power to escape home- where they find that their Master probably now thinks that their Fetch is them, because Hunchbacks can't ever catch a break. Fellow Hunchbacks, on the other hand, are never fooled by a Fetch of a Hunchback, as the True Fae either cannot or will not replicate the true nature and effects of the Hump. This also means that Fetches of Hunchbacks tend to be far more well-adjusted and live much better lives than their originals, who will often return to find their Fetch living a life that they, as a Hunchback, can never have. This often ends badly for both the Fetch and the Hunchback.
Hunchbacks who escape Arcadia become part of the Rue de Perrault and gain access to the Twist of Talespin, which acts as a set of pseudo-contracts that allow the Hunchback to apply the narratives omnipresent in Arcadia to real life- generally with adverse side-effects applying to the Hunchback, because none of the stories involving them are happy ones. Hunchbacks who were already part of a Rue when taken will forget all of their knowledge of the Rue's signature Twists when they return in favor of power that would better help them in Arcadia, represented by the player switching all dots in the Rue's Twist to Talespin.
Hunchbacks who have escaped Arcadia may join Courts if their Master is a Court member. Perraults of all Santuaires tend to seek out Changeling Masters for their shared experience of Arcadia; Concordians will take a Court as a master, some Mabuse gravitate towards Autumn courtiers who seek to understand the fiddly rules of the Hedge (though Mabuse are also the most likely to attempt to keep themselves as far away from anything Fairy-adjacent as possible after escaping back home), the Mondelora will switch their focus from mundane to Changeling society, the Outrevie find themselves ideally placed to aid Changelings in making new lives for themselves, the Savagine find common ground with the Beast Seeming, and even the Abandonnai know kindred spirits when they see them. Hunchbacks aside from the Abandonnai cannot join courts independently, as their devotion to their Master overrides all other loyalty.
While Changelings sympathize with everyone taken to Arcadia and are inured to the horrific and grotesque, they are still well aware that even a Perrault Hunchback is not truly a Changeling, but one of The Other. They don't struggle with their Clarity and have no use for Glamour; what kind of Changeling is like that? Hunchbacks don't take social penalties with Changelings of their Court, but they are still kept at arm's length. They cannot earn Court Goodwill or learn Court Contracts- though the latter is partially the fault of the Hump's interference.
Talespin[edit]
Fairy Sense *[edit]
Cost: -
Having managed to survive a Durance, this Hunchback has learned to recognize Arcadia and the Hedge for what they are, and now wonders why he never noticed before. The Hunchback can see through the Mask and can always reliably identify any Changeling or related creature (Gentry, Goblins, etc.). If they are hidden or magically disguised, the Hunchback knows that they're in the area but can't pinpoint anything directly.
Gambler's Charm **[edit]
Cost: 1 Misery
The Hunchback is marked by a world where reality means less than stories, and probability is subject to the narrative. By spending 1 Misery, they can focus this effect, granting a bonus to one roll to another person, while giving themselves equal penalties on random roll. The misery cost is negated if the twist is used on someone who is a complete stranger to the Hunchback.
Genre Savvy ***[edit]
Cost: -
If there's one thing Hunchbacks are really good at, it's quickly figuring out the desires and whims of powerful and often insane entities so that they can better serve, or at least not get squished for being ugly. Serving a Durance in Arcadia has only sharpened that talent, allowing the Hunchback to fit in seamlessly and seemingly effortlessly to the bizarre and magical world of the Fae. The Hunchback may spend 1 Misery per rank of merit to temporarily mimic Changeling merits, without the social penalties for being a Hunchback (if applicable), as anyone who's spent any amount of time in the Hedge will have seen much worse. All normal restrictions for having these Merits apply; for example, if the Hunchback were to attempt to mimic Market Sense twice in a session, the second attempt would be wasted. Copied Merits last until the next midnight. The Misery cost is negated if the Hunchback is using it to interact with people or items related to their Durance- though when compared to the risk of their Keeper deciding to come back to pick up their lost entertainment, most Hunchbacks prefer to just spend the Misery.
Your Trusty Guide ****[edit]
Cost: 1 Misery per included character
The Hunchback has found a knack for navigating through the Hedge while using it to escape their Keepers. By spending 1 Misery, they may safely enter, move through, and exit the Hedge, concealed from the denizens and suffering no damage from the Thorns. They may also extend this protection to others in their group by paying 1 Misery per passenger. Passengers must follow the Hunchback's instructions to the letter, or they will lose access to all benefits of the Twist. The misery cost will be negated if the passengers pay the Hunchback a fair price for the trip, though for obvious reasons the Hunchback cannot pay for their own passage and must spend Misery for themselves.
Godmother's Gambit *****[edit]
Cost: -
The Hunchback cloaks themselves in a weave of Arcadian tales, taking on the role of the old and ugly in fairy tales who were in fact disguised fairies or enchanters who would reward those who treated them kindly and punish those who were rude to them. The Target must roll Composure + Willpower - the Hunchback's Hump rating. The number of successes gained will allow the Hunchback to spend 1 misery per success to turn a roll's failure into success and success into exceptional success, while a Failure will allow the Hunchback to spend 1 Misery to curse one future roll to fail regardless of what the dice show, and a Dramatic Failure will also allow the Hunchback to automatically succeed in one action meant to harm the target. Misery need not be spent if the initial roll is made in place of the normal Composure roll to interact with normal humans, with a failure not giving the Hunchback the normal Misery.
Leviathans[edit]
If it were ever possible for the True Fae to consider another being equal to themselves, then that would be the clearest answer to how the Gentry treat Leviathans. They seem to see them as honored rivals, to be respected as much as they are opposed. They do not kidnap Leviathans or their cultists, and if a Leviathan finds their way to the Hedge, they are generally treated as guests and shown the way back when they wish to leave.
This does not mean that the Leviathans get off easy. The Gentry will expect the same standards of conduct and hospitality to be shown to them in turn, and they rarely if ever explain themselves. Ignorance of the law is considered no excuse, and a Leviathan who breaks a rule of etiquette they didn't know existed in front of someone they thought was mortal will offend the Gentry the same as a deliberate slight- and to be treated as a peer enemy by the True Fae is a very bad thing indeed. The School of Fog strives to prevent such occurrences by documenting every known encounter between Leviathans and Gentry and attempting to puzzle out the rules by comparing incidents, but the only thing they've managed to pin down for sure is that the codes the Gentry abide by when interacting with Leviathans are either unique to each Fae or change frequently.
Princesses[edit]
Princesses- even from the Twilight Courts- almost universally come out as Fairest, often appearing close to their transformed selves. Those from the Radiant Courts also do not suffer from -1 to clarity rolls that other Fairest do. Princesses of the Radiant Courts also find it far easier to escape Arcadia under their Queens' guidance from the Dreamlands.
Sworn[edit]
The Sworn- even of the Twilight Courts- almost universally come out as Fairest. Those from the Radiant Courts also do not suffer from -1 to clarity rolls that other Fairest do.
Sirens[edit]
The power of Ceto protects Sirens, even in Arcadia, and any Siren who happens to be taken can still slip into the Celestial Ocean, and from there back home, without any physical effects on themselves. The experience of being dragged through the thorns is, however, a highly traumatic one that grates on a Siren's already fragile Stability, causing a Foundation Dissonance roll.
Flensers[edit]
The Siren flesh a Flenser ingests to extend their lifespan reacts poorly when brought into the Hedge and beyond. Because of this, the Gentry rarely take them to be slaves; most of the time the Fae just finds the way their bodies twist and implode as the Thorns rend the fragile bond of mortal flesh and Siren magic to be funny and drags them over for a quick trip to see it happen in person. On the occasion that they do manage to survive the trip, their cannibalism marks them indelibly in Arcadia; they cannot become any changeling Kith that does not in some way revolve around it. Corpsegrinders are by far the most common Kith amongst them, with the occasional Gristlegrinder, Pamarindo, and Roteater.
Occasionally, sirens of Buoyancy and some Abyssal Currents will try to set one foe against another by leading the True Fae to Flensers and watching the gory fireworks, but most Sirens recognize that trying to involve the True Fae in anything is a double-edged sword, and merely count their blessings whenever a Flenser happens to catch the Gentry's attention.