Newfae

http://web.archive.org/web/20010228081106/http://selkie.net/changeling...

Alternate Fae Rules.

In another world, an alternate time, the fae were not exactly as they became in the world of darkness. They were not creatures just of dream, but were spirits and forces that took upon themselves the shape of dreams. They combined a nature as primal and true with the stuff of dream, and in so doing became something that was neither spirit nor flesh, neither illusion nor full reality. They became the faerie - beings of spirit and dream. They were the children of belief and hope, of fear and pain, never safe they danced wild across the sky, and humans loved and feared them. But with time comes changes, and as the fae grew more and more arrogant humans begin to turn from them. Rather than accepting a world in which creatures of spirit and dream ruled with their powerful magics, humans begin to look for reasons, for logical rules and repeatable values that could be discreetly defined. They started trying to define themselves not in relation to the world about them, but in terms of themselves as individual and separate beings. In so doing they created many things of wonder, they became powerful and knowledgeable, seeing the order of the world about them. They became wise and wonderful, seeing the glory of their own minds and souls. But as they did they also begin to draw away from the fae. They no longer looked to dreams so much - they looked to facts. They no longer looked to connections that make all things possible and all things part of one - they looked to a world of separate entities in which no two things could occupy the same space. And in retaliation the fae turned their faces from humanity. They were sure that if the mortals had to do without them for a time that they would realize the error of their ways, that they would come crawling back to the old ways. They were wrong. Without the fae to guide them or walk beside them humanity begin to find its own way. They turned completely from the fae, and in their own arrogance, the assumed superiority of their new ways, they broke the world. The nature of things shattered, and what had once been one became many broken parts - all of them gasping to survive in the world the humans had made. The fae were either driven to Arcadia, which was cast off from the human's reality to drift forever in the unorganized chaos that was the fae's dreaming worlds, or were forced to find a way to hide, to shield themselves so that they could survive in this fragmented world. They did this by birthing their souls into human bodies. Either by being born into a new fetus, or by ripping away the mortal spirit and replacing it with their own, they took up mortal bodies that would allow them to survive in a world in which things of spirit could no longer walk freely. For a time things seemed truly dark. The human's new way seemed to be working for them, and the fae feared that they would be killed by this new method, that their time was over. Others looked more closely and saw that things were not as bad as many complained. They saw artists and dreamers, architects and scientists who burned with a hard gemlike flame, who saw the universe as a spinning wonder to be loved, to be understood - but also to be a living breathing part of. These fae grew close to the mortals who had this spark - trying to nurture the hope and brightness of the age, while their brothers cursed the darkness. It was, for all, a confusing and difficult (though oft times wonderful) time. But were the fae had made mistakes, now the humans did. They took their ideals of logic too far, and rather than using it as a tool they made it into a religion. Rather than using their logic they allowed it to use them. Disillusionment, apathy, and alienation were the result. Humanity begin to become separated both from each other and from themselves. Even the muses begin to fear that their time was over. They feared that the specters of horror without fear, of ignorance without faith, of words without meaning would finally destroy them and their ways. But humanity, and the fae, are more resilient then many give them credit for. Even in the darkest of times there were religious men and women who truly believed, artists who really saw, scientists who dreamed of touching something greater, and philosophers who admitted that they could not know everything - and perhaps that was not so bad. In the seeming darkness the sparks of life burned all the brighter, a chorus of light that lit the way. This is the world of today. A world in which dreams are not believed, in which it is an axiom that girls are raped, that two boys knife a third, were men have never heard of any world where promises were kept, or that one could weep because another wept. But, at the same time it is also a world where men are freer then ever to dream, to hope, and to follow their own hearts. It is an age where the spirits still have to hide behind mortal shells, were separation and alienation are still powerful, but in which understanding, love, and hope fight with renewed vigor. Some say that it is the worst age of the fae - a winter that will see their end. But others see the works of Ginsberg and of Theresa and say that this is the greatest age to be fae - an age of hope and rebirth.

1 of 6

7/1/2012 4:00 AM

Newfae

http://web.archive.org/web/20010228081106/http://selkie.net/changeling...

It is, by all accounts, an interesting time. In this world the changelings walk, dream, and fight. However, they do so in a slightly different way then the dual natured fae of CtD. They are far closer in most ways to the hsien from Land of 8 Million Dreams. They are part dream, and are injured and killed by alienation and disbelief, the dreaming part of their soul being sapped and destroyed by these thoughts. However, they are not just things of dream, they do have a reality of their own. Most of the time they hide their spirit deep inside a mortal body, but when they must they can allow their powerful spirit to subsume their mortal shell to walk as a true spirit through the earth. The Kithain The kithain are no longer dual natured beings, they no longer have a fae body and a mortal body that are both active at the same time. Rather they are a fae spirit that dwells inside a human body. When they are in their mortal seeming (they use this term) they are physically human. Their glamour and magic can still be seen by those with the sight or the blood, but to look upon them is to see a human. Despite the fact that this body is completely human, the spirit (and the mind) are fully fae. Thus a changeling in mortal seeming still sees the world through the perceptions of a fae. They can see the movement of magic, the brightest colors that humans have trouble seeing, the connections of all things, and the ancient ley lines and walking paths that still cross the world in special places. When a changeling looks at another changeling they see the mortal body - just like any mortal would. However, because of the perceptions of their fae spirit they see the "glow" of glamour about the mortal body - and know that a fae spirit hides inside. Thus, fae can identify other fae, as well as items that house chimera. However, due to the fact that the soul is hidden in the mortal shell, the changeling must make a kenning roll (diff 6) to tell what kith the other changeling is. (This, obviously, isn't necessary if the other fae is wyrd form). The changeling can also see concentrations of glamour, spirits, and the connections between things with successful kenning rolls. Changelings, however, are not always stuck inside their mortal shell. They have the ability to call upon the wyrd. When this happens the changelings powerful soul subsumes the mortal shell - using the power of glamour and connection (for anything can be anything else in the dream, form is only an illusion) to become a faerie in full. Their mortal body is gone, and standing in its place is a living spirit of soul and dream - a faerie. In this form the fae spirit is the real body, and effects and is effected by the real world. In this form fae magic becomes more powerful, but they are subject to the ravages of banality, of disbelief and the ravages of the shattered world. It costs 1 glamour to call upon the wyrd, and going back to mortal form is free (and automatic). The western fae are still born to the body, or snatch it in the case of the sidhe, rather than slipping in the back door of a dying body the way hsien do. When fae go into the dreaming or a freehold they automatically go into their fae mien (which would now be a separate form). Birthrights and Gifts All fae have magic. Even in their human forms some of their magic is active - as it is magic based upon subtle things of the soul, of the mind, and of perception. These abilities are called gifts, and are always active. Other of the fae's abilities are based upon the power of their faerie form, of direct interaction with reality. These are called birthrights - and may only be used when the fae is in it's faerie form. Also, any special advantage that a fae has that keeps it from botching an ability roll (like a sidhe with etiquette or a redcap with intimidate) are always in effect. This subtle magic will include the mortal body as well as the fae. The standard kith: Boggan - Gift Social Dynamics, Birthright Craft work. Eshu - Gift Story craft, Birthright Spirit Pathways. (Only in their fae form can the eshu feel the pull of the spirit pathways). Nockers - Gift Fix it, Birthright Chimera Creation. Pooka - Gift is Confidant. Birthright is Shapeshifting, which can only be used when the character is fae form. However, once shifted the character is a normal animal - and is no longer considered wyrd form. The limit on the gift is that they must be in

2 of 6

7/1/2012 4:00 AM

Newfae

http://web.archive.org/web/20010228081106/http://selkie.net/changeling...

fae form to make the transition. Redcaps - Gift Bully Browbeat, Birthright Dark Appetite. Satyr - Gift is Gift of Pan, which is always usable. Birthright is physical prowess. Sluagh - Gift Sharpened Senses, Birthright - Squirm. Sidhe - Gift is noble bearing, even in human form they don't look foolish. Birthright is Awe and Beauty. Troll - Gift Stubbornness, Birthright - Titan's power. The Forms The rules for changing forms are a bit different from Hsien. It costs 1 glamour to change to fae form in the mortal world - but it happens automatically in a freehold. It costs nothing to slip back to mortal form. When in mortal form other fae can still tell that you are fae - you have an aura about you, a sense of magic - strange eyes, etc. With a kenning roll they can tell your kith. However, they do not see you as fae - the see you as the mortal body of a fae in hiding. Only differentiated by you glamour, your bright soul, and the sense of kinship and power. So - what is to keep the characters from running about in fae form all the time? Well - tradition, the escheat, and banality. In their fae forms the kithain are almost like vulgar artifacts from Mage - and being fae form before mortal eyes can kill you slow. When a fae is first seen in their fae form by a mortal they have to roll their Glamour against the mortals banality. If they fail the roll they get slammed back into their human form - and the mists cover up the incident from the mortal, who thinks the character is a bit loopy. The character also takes a point of banality - and if that puts their temp banality over their glamour then they forget themselves for an hour equal to each point of difference. Autumn People and Duantain are worse - much worse, as they can roll their banality in opposition to the fae's glamour roll, meaning that the character has to get more successes than they do, rather than just a single success. Also - if the autumn or the Duantain rolls more successes than the fae then every success adds a point of banality to the failure result for the fae. So if they roll 8 success and the fae only 1 then the fae takes 8 total points of banality (1 + the 7 extra success). This is bad very bad, and the reason fae hide. If they gain a permanent point of banality from this escapade then they are "undone" locked inside their mortal body with no conscious knowledge of who they are, until they are enchanted by another fae. Fear Duantain. Also, even once the initial shock is over many mortals will continue to resist the idea with their brains. If the mortal is just in shock then it doesn't count - but if someone actively tries to disbelieve the character's fae existence after the fae has gone through the initial shock roll above, then the mortal can roll a number of dice equal to their banality minus the characters glamour, as bashing damage against the fae. In a room full of actively disbelieving mortals this gets bad fast. (The roll can be soaked though) (Also not that if the characters glamour is higher than any banality about him he can't really be hurt - though autumns and Duantain may berating oration him still). If this damage incapacitates or kills the fae they go unconscious, and the person with the highest banality rolls vs their glamour - every success giving the fae a temporary point of banality. In addition when they wake they forget their fae nature for a time - the length determined by the mist charts. (The same amount of time that a mortal killed by chimerical damage would go into coma for). Once this period is over they may be rewoken by another fae enchanting them. The mists do cover up the actions of a fae in fae form - but not completely. There will always be traces that other supers and hunters can find with awareness or kenning or investigation rolls. And remember, that despite cross over games, many supers aren't happy about each other's existence. If your sidhe goes fae form someplace where a Get of Fenris may come along later and sniff out your trail you are in a world of hurt. In other words - it isn't smart to go fae in front of mortals.. and even if you do it to "prove" to your parents what you are, they will soon forget the incident. Cantrips

3 of 6

7/1/2012 4:00 AM

Newfae

http://web.archive.org/web/20010228081106/http://selkie.net/changeling...

Cantrips work just a bit differently - banality + 5 to cast in mortal form, and banality + 3 in fae form. Banality Banality still has all the same old bad effects, including making the characters forget if they gain more banality then they have glamour. This is due to the fractured nature of the spirit world, and the dreaming aspect of the fae soul forgetting itself under duress. In addition, if a fae retroses then other fae must make a kenning check to see if they can sense that the other character is fae at all. Chimera Chimera are not dual natured beings either. A chimera is as real as anything else - but due to the veil, the gauntlet, the mists or whatever you wish to call it, they will be destroyed if they venture out before mortal eyes. For this reason most chimera have taken up the practice of hiding in a shell, just as fae have taken to hiding in mortal bodies. Any chimera that has a shell may hide inside it, and thus be protected from mortal eyes. A chimera without a shell has nowhere to hide - and is exposed to the ravages of disbelief. The chimera that do have shells are protected from mortal disbelief, but at a cost. The relation to the shell and the chimerical spirit are exactly the same as the relation of a fae and it's mortal shell, but because of the variety of shells that chimera can take this can result in several difficulties for the being. A chimeras mortal form will limit it in appropriate ways, for example a black dog with the shell of a mortal dog is, for all intents and purposes, a normal dog unless it calls on the Wyrd, a sword with a baseball bat shell is just a baseball bat unless it is taken wyrd form, and your animal companion may be a stuffed animal - or a picture of an animal even, but is no more than that unless it goes into it's wyrd form. This can lead to difficulties for the chimera - the black dog above can go about among mortals, but can also be trapped by animal control. The stuffed bear won't be looked at twice - but can't move unless it is in Wyrd form. Note that this isn't just when mortals are about - as chimera are no more dual natured then kithain are. Even to kithain the black dog will be a normal dog (though they can sense the glamour that shows it has a fae spirit hidden inside), and the stuffed animal is only a stuffed animal unless it is wyrd. The chimerical spirit inside the item is usually still awake, however, and can perceive the world about it. (This is the reason why many childlings learn Willow Whisper - as it lets them communicate with the spirit inside the shell through magic). These chimera can call on the wyrd and subsume their mortal shell in the same way that changelings do. However, when facing mortal disbelief their target numbers to resist shock and banality are raised by 2, and their glamour to resist disbelief rolls is lowered by 1. Non sentient chimera (swords, etc) materialize when their owner does. Not all chimera have shells that are so obvious as dogs and toys though. Some take places or things appropriate to their function as a shell. The monster under the bed does have a shell - the bed. The bogy man's shell is the closet, and the dragon in the sewer's shell is the sewer pipe that it lives near. These chimera do not subsume their shell when they call upon they wyrd - they simply step out of it and walk as a spirit. This method gives them two weaknesses. First, their shell can be destroyed while they are not about to protect it - which will leave them as a shelless chimera (see below). Second, while they are out of their shell these chimera halve their glamour for purposes of resisting banality. However, unlike a shelless chimera failing to resist does not kill them - it simply slams them back into their shell for 1 week equal to the number of temporary banality points they would have taken and strips them of 1 permanent glamour. Chimera with no shell are rare for one simple reason. Without a shell to hide behind they are always in their wyrd form. A unicorn with no shell to hide behind will be seen as a unicorn by every mortal that passes - and every mortal will not believe that they are seeing a unicorn. This concentrated disbelief is disastrous and usually very quickly fatal. Chimera in this form are forced through a shock roll in the same way that wyrd form kithain are, and if they fail their roll they are temporarily undone. When this happens they loose one point of glamour and are discorporated for 1 week for every point of temporary banality they would have taken. If their glamour is reduced to 0 in this manner the chimera is permanently undone. If the shock roll does not undo the chimera, most mortals will continue to disbelieve most mythical creatures or walking nightmares - forcing the chimera through the damage roll that wyrd form kithain take. However, because the chimera has nothing "real" in them, no shell that anchors them, their glamour is halved for the purposes of this roll. If a chimera is undone in this way it is permanently destroyed. Insubstantial chimera - like some nocnista of disease, are very dangerous because they will not be effected by banality as long as they don nothing to draw mortal attention to them. Thus they can creep about and work their whiles, subtly of course, without having the fear that other chimera have.

4 of 6

7/1/2012 4:00 AM

Newfae

http://web.archive.org/web/20010228081106/http://selkie.net/changeling...

Enchantment Enchanting is no longer quite so necessary - as mortals do see the fae in fae form when they call it up, but if you want to bring mortals into freeholds they will still have to be enchanted. Also, the mists still apply - though if you want you can say it's an aspect of the wall between the mortal and spirit worlds rather than as it is in the game now. The biggest advantage of an enchanted mortal is that an enchanted mortal does not force shock or disbelief rolls on kithain or chimera. Once they are enchanted they can not disbelieve for the duration. Musing Musing still works, and is still necessary to fae. Musing focuses the connecting and believing power of art into something that feeds the fae's hungry soul in terms of both dreams and spirituality. That "hard gem-like flame" that Walter Pater was talking about. Ravaging works in a similar way - by assaulting the subject you force up the deep and primal fears that reside in the human heart - forcing a "spiritual" experience on them that is essentially negative - and then rip that energy away from them, leaving them drained and empty. (Following rant in response to questions.... Okay - lets back up a step. In the "old days" (tm) religion and spirituality was a method of connecting to others - both the spirits, the gods, and other people. This sense of connection has been lost to a large degree (due to many things that are way to complex to go into here). The result is that we now often feel that spirituality is an internal thing - and we often focus it through art rather than religion (per say). This is what Pater was talking about - the hard gemlike flame of burning personal, internal, experience. Those who have this gem like flame are dreamers. The muse tries to get them to use that flame (and to fan it up) so that it illuminates something, so that it connects people, and lets others know they aren't alone in the universe (even if the universe and the things shown are ugly). What a ravager, in this context, does is to fan up that flame - get someone all excited about something - get them reaching out for a connection or a truth - then crush the hope. The result is a huge burst of energy that the fae harvests, but that leaves the dreamer hurting - withdrawing deeply inside themselves, their flame flickering. Enough ravaging can put the flame out forever. Rhapsody is using glamour to make the flame burn so bright that it kills the person - makes them dream their spirit so bright that it destroys the flesh and consumes itself. Make any sense at all? Rant off) Kinain Kinain actually don't change much. They still are "of the blood" but they do not have fae spirits. They are human bodies and human spirits who are touched with special gifts due to their deep ties to the fae. Kinain also do not force the "shock" roll that mortals do - meaning fae can manifest more easily before them. The gift an-da-sheladah allows them to sense fae when in human guise and see chimera through their shells. The only gift that I can think of off the top of my head that needs modification is "honored birthright" - as the kinain obviously can't go into their fae form to use the birthright. This gift now allows for kinain to have the gift of their blood always - just as a fae would. The birthright, however, works a bit differently. A kinain's birthright manifests only when they are enchanted - however once they are enchanted it effects the real world just as a fae in wyrd form would. This will, however, draw the mists - though at a lower level. Treat any witnesses banality as being 3 points lower for determining what they remember seeing. Miscellaneous The World To do a bit of rezoning, as I'd really like to keep many of the aspects of CtD intact.. Much of disbelief still occurs banality is still banality in other words. But rather than representing denial of dreams it represents denial of spirituality, of emptiness and depression, and is tied to the gauntlet and the wall that separate the spirit worlds from the mortal world. The dreaming may still be called the dreaming - but it is now more closely tied to the umbra, cause it is largely a spirit world. However, it is not fully the same, as the fae are not completely nature spirits - they still have the tie in with dreams that

5 of 6

7/1/2012 4:00 AM

Newfae

http://web.archive.org/web/20010228081106/http://selkie.net/changeling...

separates them from both spirit and man. Alienated, isolated, alone. Trods are still mystical spirit gateways - they are the old walking paths that connect spots on our world together, and link them with the other worlds as well. Nature spirits will see fae as distant kin. Inanimae work the same way - but their mortal form is replaced by the husk. While in husk they can only do their gift - they have to drop the veil and come out fae form to play with their birthright. As an alternate idea Inanimae could drop the husk idea all together. Their shell is their anchor, and the only way for them to affect the real world is to come out in wyrd form.

Okay - that's all for now. I will take as many comments as possible to make this thing better. Back to the Main page

6 of 6

7/1/2012 4:00 AM