Chapter Four: Character Creation

  In Changeling, you play the role of a fictional character that you create. Before you even begin the game, you must design your character from scratch, including her history, personality, appearance, lifestyle, profession and goals. The more detail you put into your character, the more fun you will have playing her. This chapter guides you through that process and offers suggestions on how you can flesh out your character and make her believable and whole.

Getting Started

  Before you begin to build your character, think about the following points:
  • Your character will be a changeling, a faerie who has been forced to assume a mortal body and cope with mortal society. Most beginning characters have little knowledge of changeling society and may have only recently experienced their Chrysalis. All new players are advised to read Chapter One: The Dreaming, Chapter Two: Setting and Chapter Three: The Kithain in this book before beginning character generation.
  • You can create a character of any age, race, sex and culture.
  • All characters are unique. There are exceptions to every rule. As long as you can justify a departure from the norm within your character history, your Storyteller may consider allowing it. Your Storyteller will serve as your guide through character generation, and has the final word in approving all aspects of your character.
  • Changeling is a game, and as such, it has rules. These rules help to standardize the course of events within the game and to describe your character. You will assign numerical values to most of your character's Traits. These will be used during the game to keep your character's successes and failures consistent with her strengths and weaknesses. The exact method for this is detailed later in this chapter.

Step One: Character Concept

Where to Begin

  Start by formulating a basic concept for your character, a general idea of what she is like. Think less in terms of fine detail (that comes later) and more in broad brushstrokes, something that you can build a story on.
  Examples:
  • A young street tough who likes to get into fights, has no respect for mortals and uses his Glamour to take advantage of them whenever he can.
  • A noble who feels that the Escheat must be upheld, whatever the cost, and any who transgress must be punished to the full extent of changeling law.
  • An older intellect who has lived a full life and is ready to settle down into scholarly pursuits, but situations keep forcing her out of her shell and into scraps and trouble.
  • A medical student who isn't thrilled with the discovery she's a changeling, and wishes she could just go back to being a regular person.
  • A high school student who wants nothing more than to be grown up and treated like an adult, but who always seems to say and do the wrong things.
  • A criminal who has recently experienced his Chrysalis and feels that this only makes him more powerful and less bound to obey the law.
  • A young professional who has recently experienced a tragedy in her life that made her re-evaluate her priorities, adjusting them more toward helping others and experiencing life rather than on advancing her career or her position in the Seelie Court.

Kith

  Now you must decide what type of changeling you would like your character to be. Most player characters will be from the nine Western kith. Your character's kith will be closely linked to her personality. Each kith has its own distinctive outlooks and idiosyncrasies. Look over the options offered in Chapter Three, and choose one that you feel you would most enjoy playing.

Court

  Choose whether your character is Seelie or Unseelie. This choice expresses, in broad terms, her world view. The Seelie Court is born of the stuff of dreams, while the Unseelie Court spawns from the darkness of nightmares. For a more in-depth explanation of the two Courts, see page 71.

Legacy

  Every changeling has both a Seelie and an Unseelie Legacy. They describe the two fundamental facets of her personality. Only one is dominant, however, with the other lying dormant or just beneath the surface. This is determined by your character's Court. For example, if your character's Court is Seelie, then her Seelie Legacy is the dominant one. Further information and types of Legacies can be found on page 129.

Seeming

  Your character's seeming reflects her mortal age, as well as inflicting certain personality and physical characteristics upon her. There are three different seemings, each encompassing a certain age bracket: childling (mortal birth through approximately age 12), wilder (13-25) and grump (26 and older). More information on seemings can be found on page 85.

House

  Sidhe nobility have divided themselves into different houses or affiliations. Each of the five noble houses has distinct philosophies and bestows a certain reputation upon its members, whether those members deserve it or not. To belong to a house is to espouse its beliefs and dictums. Your character's personality will suggest which house she belongs to and, in turn, her affiliation with that house bestows Boons and Flaws on her.
  Only sidhe are traditionally considered true nobility and able to belong to houses. With the end of the Accordance War, however, many commoners joined houses or were awarded membership in them. Not all sidhe choose to join a house, preferring to remain unaffiliated. While this can hinder their chances for advancement in the court hierarchy, these sidhe frequently no longer care about the trappings of court politics.
  If your character has no affiliation with any of the houses, write "unaffiliated" on your character sheet in the appropriate blank.
  A complete listing and explanation of each of the five houses can be found in Chapter Three.

Step Two: Traits

  In this stage of character creation, you assign the numerical values that represent your character's Attributes and Abilities. You are given a specific number of points to purchase levels of efficacy in each of the various types of Traits. How you divide these points between them determines where your character's strengths and weaknesses lie.

Attributes

  A character's Attributes define her inherent characteristics. These are the Physical, Social and Mental capacities with which she was born. The most basic of all the Traits, they deserve more thought than any others.
  • Physical: These Traits describes how strong, nimble and sturdy your character is. They define the strengths and weaknesses of the body; action-oriented characters usually have these as their concentration.
  • Social: Your character's Social Attributes measure her appearance and her ability to relate to others. They are the primary concentration of politically oriented characters.
  • Mental: Mental Attributes represent your character's thought capacity, including such things as memory, perception, learning potential and die ability to think quickly. Characters who are smart or intellectual concentrate on these.
  Before you start to spend points on Attributes, you must first prioritize the three Attribute categories: Physical, Social and Mental. Think about whether your character is accomplished in problem-solving or prefers to let her fists do the talking. Is she a social creature or a brainy wallflower? She will be good in the primary category, average in the secondary category and poor in the tertiary category. The priority you establish determines how many points you have to spend in each category.

Spending Points

  Once you have prioritized the Attribute categories, you are ready to begin spending points. When you do, you will be purchasing "dots" in the Traits listed under each category. One point buys one dot in a Trait.

  All characters start with one free dot in each Attribute. Divide your points within an individual Attribute category based on your character concept. Later you may change your mind about these ratings, or have to change them due to other aspects of your character. Worry about that when it comes due — for now, just focus on setting your character's ratings according to your concept.

Abilities

  Abilities define what your character knows and can do rather than how strong, personable or smart she is. They describe Talents, Skills and Knowledges for which she has an aptitude or training.
  • Talents: These Abilities are intuitive and internal. Most of them cannot be practiced, studied, or learned from a book, although there are exceptions. More often than not, they are gained through direct experience.
  • Skills: This category includes any Ability that must be learned through practice and hands-on application. It takes more practice and trial-and-error to learn more.
  • Knowledges: These represent Abilities that require the rigorous application of the mind. Generally, a character has learned them through school, books and mentors. On the rare occasion, they can be self-taught.
  As with Attributes, you must prioritize between the three categories of Abilities (Talents, Skills and Knowledges). Consider what type of expertise your character would be most proficient in (primary), in which she will be average (secondary) and in which she will be below average (tertiary).

Spending Points

  Once you have assigned a priority level to each of the categories of Abilities, you are ready to begin spending points. When you do, you are purchasing dots in the Traits listed under each Ability category. One point buys one dot in a Trait. Unlike Attributes, you may not, at this time, give your character more than three dots in any one Ability Trait. Later, you will be given the opportunity to raise them, but for the sake of balance, you must abide by a ceiling of three dots in each Ability Trait.

  You may divide your points within an individual Ability category however you see fit as long as you put no more than three dots in any one Ability. Later you may change your mind about these ratings as your initial ideas become more fleshed out.

Step Three: Advantages

  Your character's Advantages encompass her Backgrounds, those things from her environment that she draws on for information and aid, and her Arts and Realms, the components of her faerie magic. You do not prioritize the different categories of Advantages as you do Attributes and Abilities. Instead, you have a designated number of points to assign within each category.

Backgrounds

  Each character gets five points to allocate among the various Backgrounds. You spend points to buy dots within these Traits. One point buys one dot.
  Your Backgrounds, like everything else, should fit with the concept that you have chosen for your character. They can be used to round her out and should be explained in detail in her history. Some of the Backgrounds will require some development, such as Treasures and Companions. Because your Background ratings may change before you have fully completed your character creation, don't worry about defining them in detail right now. Come back to them later.
  The Storyteller may wish to restrict certain Backgrounds, depending on the nature of the chronicle. Conversely, the Storyteller may require that you take certain ones in order for your character to fit in with the chronicle. Backgrounds are detailed fully later in this chapter.

Arts and Realms

  Arts are special secrets and powers that allow changelings to cast cantrips, or faerie magic. You have three points to spend in Arts. Before choosing your character's Arts, it is recommended that you read Chapter Five: Arts and Realms. The Arts themselves are described there in detail, as are the rules for casting faerie magic.
  Realms describe the subjects a changeling may affect when casting her cantrips. You have five points to allocate among the Realms. Before choosing your character's Realms, it is recommended that you read Chapter Five: Arts and Realms.

Step Four: Tempers

  Three types of Traits make up the Tempers: Willpower, Glamour and Banality. They are segregated from other Traits because they fit into the rules system somewhat differently than the other traits. If you have not already done so, write down the ratings for these Traits from your character's seeming. These values are mostly static, and there is no point-spending involved. (See page 87 for the Temper ratings of each seeming.)

Willpower

  Willpower rates how much self-control and free will your character has. Willpower is essential for controlling one's temper, resisting temptation and persevering despite opposition. Your character's permanent Willpower rating cannot exceed 10 dots. (See "Willpower" on page 150.)

Glamour

  Your character's Glamour rating measures the magical force she can evoke through her Arts and Realms. Her permanent Glamour rating can never exceed 10 dots. (See "Glamour" on page 151.)

Banality

  Banality indicates how infused and tainted your character has become by reality and the disbelief of humanity. The older a changeling's seeming, the higher her Banality rating. (See "Banality" on page 152.)

Step Five: Birthrights and Frailties

  Depending on your character's kith, she will have certain Birthrights and Frailties that may affect some other Trait values. Take a moment to look again the Birthrights and Frailties for your kith in Chapter Three; you might need to make some changes to your Trait values. For example, satyrs add an extra dot to their Stamina Trait because they are so physically sturdy, while sidhe get to add two dots to their Appearance rating to reflect their unearthly beauty.

Step Six: Freebie Points

  Now the real fun begins! You have 15 freebie points that you can spend to raise any Trait on your character sheet, with the exception of Banality. Freebie points, however, do not have the same value as the points you were spending earlier. As the chart shows, different types of Traits now cost more.
  You may boost your Attribute ratings, raise Abilities over three dots, or pick up new Traits with the expenditure of freebie points. You may not, however, increase any Trait to more than five dots or add to the Banality Trait. Tempers cannot be raised above 10.

Step Seven: Merits and Flaws

  Merits and Flaws represent aspects of your character's personality and history. They are supplemental Traits used to add spice to your character. Although their use is optional and at the discretion of the Storyteller, they can be a useful tool for creating an interesting character. When you take a Flaw for your character, you earn more freebie points that you can spend on any Trait. Merits, rather than earning you freebie points, cost freebie points. Merits and Flaws may only be added during the freebie point phase of character generation. See page 153 for the complete listing of Merits and Flaws.

Step Eight: Specialties

  All of your character's Traits should now be set. At this point, you can go back and look at any Attribute or Ability Traits in which you have four or more dots. If you like, you can choose specialties for your character in these Traits. This is optional, although recommended to further refine your character. Some Abilities, such as Science, Performance or Crafts, may require that you specialize at a certain level. A listing of potential specialties is included with the description of each individual Trait later in this chapter.

Step Nine: Musing/Ravaging Threshold

  Most changelings have a preferred method of gathering Glamour, called a Threshold (Ravaging for Unseelie and Musing for Seelie). Does your character like to find Glamour by watching children play, or does she prefer to rip it from someone being frightened by a horror movie? More information on Thresholds can be found in Chapter Seven: Glamour Systems.

Step Ten: Spark of Life

  It's been said the devil's in the details. Details are what make your character a complete and unique individual. The following areas are crucial to determining what your character is like as a person. You do not necessarily need to write these down, but spaces are provided for them on the personal history sheet, and it is recommended that you do so. If nothing else, think about them — not only now but throughout the career and life of your character.

Appearance

  Your character's physical appearance makes her Traits visible to other characters. You may be asked to give a general description of her to aid other players in imagining the story. Attempt to turn the concept and relevant Traits of your character into aspects of her appearance. Certainly, there will be obvious differences between a childling and a grump, but it is up to you to describe those differences.
  Choose your words carefully when writing your character's description. High Dexterity can be described as a slender, agile frame or long-fingered hands. It is much more evocative to say, "Shara moves with catlike grace," than to say, "Shara is very dexterous." Include references to clothing, hair color, eye color, body size and any scarring or tattoos. The more detailed the description, the easier it will be for other players to imagine your character as you intend her to look.
  A changeling has both a faerie appearance and a mortal appearance. These will differ greatly in many cases, and it is important to know what your character looks like to both mortals and to other changelings. The changeling appearance tends to be more colorful and remarkable, whereas the mortal appearance may be dulled and seem haggard in comparison.
  Example mortal seeming: Maribeth appears to be in her early 20s, of average height and slender build with long, agile fingers and hands used to holding her beloved violin or her favorite poetry books. Her high cheekbones, deep-set eyes and thin lips give her a slightly mystical appearance that some find appealing. Her poker-straight brown hair is forever escaping whatever headband or hairclasp she uses, and a few wistful strands drift around her face. Her cloud-gray eyes are clear and miss little around her. Soft-spoken and shy around people, loud noises startle her, and she dislikes being the center of undue attention, preferring to watch from the background. Nervous smiles flit across her pale face, and most people think she would be a great deal prettier if she smiled more. Her clothes are frequently plain and always seem a little too large for her.
  Example fae mien: As a sluagh wilder, Maribeth (also known as Melinda) grows even more thin and pale, almost ghostlike. Her high cheekbones and deep-set eyes now give her a slightly starved look. Her gray eyes take on a slight glitter, especially when a good idea comes to her. Her soft-spoken voice sinks into a whisper that some sluagh find difficult to hear. Her brown hair darkens and lengthens to her waist; she frequently puts it in a braid, and any loose strands look more alluring than wistful. Her fingers look like the frame of a fan, and scramble over her violin like pale spiders. Her shy manner is reminiscent of a retiring Victorian lady, and she often wears long, dark-colored Morticia Addams'-style dresses and veils.

Quirks

  By giving your character quirks and idiosyncrasies, you can add a great deal of depth and interest to her. Write a few sentences describing the unique and possibly odd things that define your character. A quirk could be a twisted sense of humor, a gentleness toward animals, or a habit of grunting when answering yes to a question. It could include mannerisms such as constantly twirling a curl around her finger, or walking around with an unlit cigarette hanging out other mouth.

Motivations and Goals

  What drives your character? What makes her laugh, makes her cry, makes her angry, makes her nervous, makes her afraid? What gives her hope? In what does she believe? Does she have an obsession or a higher purpose? Jot a few notes about your character's goals and motivations. Thinking about these will help you get under her skin as you start to roleplay her.

Mortal Identity

  A changeling character is born mortal and lives a mortal life until the day she experiences her Chrysalis and becomes aware of her faerie nature. Throughout their lives, changelings must cope with the mortal world and survive within it. A very important aspect of your character is her identity in normal society.
  Some changelings completely remove themselves from mortal society, spending most of their time in freeholds. This is very dangerous, as the balance between their fae and mortal natures must be maintained or they risk slipping into Bedlam. Changelings must carefully balance their mundane and fae lives; even the sidhe must have some time out of the freehold.
  What is your character's mortal life like? Where does he work or go to school? Where does he live? Does he have mortal friends or business associates? Does he have mortal family? What was his mortal childhood like? What were his parents like? Was he abused? Did he have brothers or sisters? Was he adopted or raised in an orphanage? How does your character feel about mortals? Did he turn his back on his mortal family and friends after his Chrysalis?

Changeling Identity

  Much of this has already been determined by your choice of Traits, especially Backgrounds and Abilities. However, there are other aspects of changeling life you should think about. From the moment a changeling experiences her Chrysalis, her life changes irrevocably. One thing in particular that you must choose for your character is her faerie name. All changelings have a True Name or a soul name that is different from the name given them by their mortal parents. Later in life, a changeling may decide to use a nickname based on his True Name, but few ever give out their True Names to anyone other than their most trusted allies because of the power they hold over them.
  Were one or both of your character's parents changelings or kinain? How old was she when she experienced her Chrysalis? What was her reaction to her new changeling self — excitement? horror? fear? How active or interested is she in changeling politics and court? How does she feel about the Escheat and whether or not it should be upheld? Does she have any prejudices against other kith, and if so, why? What does she do to strengthen the Dreaming? Does she have an outstanding geas that has carried over from a past life or her time in Arcadia? What is it, and what is the story behind it?

Equipment

  If there are any mundane possessions that you want your character to have (such as a Walkman, pocket knife, apartment or vehicle), you should work out the details with your Storyteller before play. Otherwise, you will have to acquire the equipment during the course of the game. This can take time and is not automatically successful.
  Almost any mundane item that fits your concept can be obtained with Storyteller approval, provided that your character has sufficient dots in the Resources Background. Special chimerical items and treasures can only be gained by possessing a particular Background.

Example of Character Creation

  Angie is creating her first Changeling character. She takes a moment to ask Ian the Storyteller about any general requirements for her character, learning that the new chronicle will be taking place in southwestern Virginia, in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Ian requests that Angie create a character who would fit into a more rural setting. Angie gathers her tools — the Changeling 2nd edition book, blank sheets of paper, a pencil and copies of the character sheet and personal history sheet — and sets to work.

Concept

  Angie first thinks about a general concept for her character. She decides that she wants her character to be female, a responsible yet fun-loving young adult who is rather athletic in nature and coaches children's sports for a living. She sees her character as one of life's cruise directors, determined that everyone enjoy themselves and ensuring that everyone plays by the rules to create an atmosphere that fosters fun. Angie likes "Emma" for her character's name.
  She decides Emma's kith is satyr, because of the kith's rather physical nature and also because satyrs embody the fun-loving side other character. Next, she considers the two Courts and chooses Seelie, because she wants her satyr to have a relatively positive and sensible outlook.
  For her Seelie Legacy, Angie has some trouble. She reads and rereads the options, debating between Saint and Sage. In the end, however, she chooses Bumpkin because of its intrinsic practicality and down-to-earth common sense. She feels this will serve her character well in her mortal profession as a coach and in her overall goal to be the "hostess with the mostest." She picks Savage as her Unseelie Legacy, thinking that a character with such a penchant for fun could easily turn uncontrollable if she were to lose her pragmatism.
  Emma's career makes her seeming an easier choice. Angie makes Emma a wilder, a young adult who has survived the insecurities and perils of puberty to emerge with a strong sense of self. She decides against affiliating Emma with a noble house; Emma is just a commoner, and would not likely have had the opportunity to distinguish herself enough to be a part of one.

Attributes

  Now Angie can now begin to spend her points and assign Emma her Attributes. Angie wants Emma to be more of a physical character than anything else, an athlete and a coach. She names the Physical Traits as her number one priority for Emma. She decides that Social Traits would also be important to Emma and places those second, with Mental coming last.
  Angie looks at the three Physical Traits (Strength, Dexterity and Stamina), and tries to decide which of them is most important for Emma to do well in. She has seven points to spend, and decides to put three in Dexterity and two each in Strength and Stamina.
  Next, Angie divides her five points among Emma's Social Traits (Charisma, Manipulation, Appearance). Without much difficulty, she decides that Charisma is by far the most important Trait for Emma to have and puts three points in it. She divides the remaining two between Manipulation and Appearance, buying only one dot in each.
  Looking at the Mental Traits and her three points to spend, Angie considers just buying one dot in each of the three Traits. After more thought, however, she changes her mind and decides that Emma would likely have stronger Perception than she would Intelligence. Angie decides to spend two points in Perception and puts the remaining point in Wits. Emma may not be all that smart (Intelligence), but she is aware of what's going on around her (Perception) and able to react with relative speed to problems (Wits).

Abilities

  With Emma's Attributes established, Angie is ready to prioritize the Abilities. She considers the three categories (Talents, Skills and Knowledges), and knows without a doubt that Knowledges will be tertiary. She gives some thought to the other two, looking at the lists of Traits that go with each, and decides that it makes sense for Emma to have Talents as her primary Ability category. Emma tends to react to things instinctively, without much thought, and relies on her innate aptitudes more than any training or education. Angie's priorities end up as Talents, Skills, then Knowledges.
  Angie concentrates on spending her 13 points among the Talents. She immediately picks Athletics out as the most important for Emma, and spends three points on it, bringing it up to the maximum value allowed during character generation. Next, she singles out Alertness and buys two dots in it, claiming Emma's experience coaching and competing in team sports as her justification. For the same reason, she spends two points in Dodge. Angie now has six points left to spend. She puts two in Empathy, since Emma deals with people on such a personal level, and two of them in Kenning to allow Emma to sense the faerie things and people around her. For the last two, she spends one in Persuasion, for convincing the teams she coaches to win and behave, and one in Intimidation, for when those times Persuasion doesn't work.
  Moving along to Skills, Angie decides to spend three other nine total points in Etiquette, something Emma undoubtedly learned as she was planning and hosting banquets and dances for her friends. She puts two points in Drive so that Emma can drive the team bus to games and safely take the kids to and from the field. Angie looks over the others, and decides to buy two points in Stealth. She laughs to herself as she imagines Emma sneaking up on a pair of young teammates smoking behind the bleachers. Her last two points she spends in Leadership, knowing that it fits Emma's personality to be a leader of sorts.
  Angie has five points to spend in Knowledge Traits. She chooses to buy three dots in Enigmas; while Emma may not be all that smart, she does have a knack for coming up with team strategies and working crossword puzzles. She puts one point in Law, due to Emma's responsibilities as a coach and as a member of changeling society. The last point she spends in Medicine, knowing that with a team of unruly kids, someone is bound to get hurt.

Advantages

  Angle reads all the available Backgrounds carefully to determine where to spend her five points. First, she decides to put one point into Resources; although Emma is not rich, she does have an income. Next, she peruses Treasures and ventures to put two points into it, creating a water bottle that automatically heals one level of damage whenever a mortal or a changeling drinks from it. She also decides that she would like for Emma to have a Companion, so she puts her last two points in that. She thinks about what she would like, and comes up with a large, colorful bird that talks and retrieves golf balls for Emma. Angie jots down the bird's name — George — and a few notes regarding his personality. Later, before play begins, she wants to write a more in-depth description of him.
  Angie thoroughly reads all the Arts and Realms descriptions before she begins to allocate points to them. Once done, she begins with Emma's Arts, immediately putting two points in Primal due to her athleticism and Primal's connection with the body and other things physical. The next choice comes less easily, but in the end, Angie decides to give Emma one point in Wayfare, another Art that somehow seems related to physical movement.
  For Realms, Angie concentrates two points in Actor based on the amount of time Emma spends around mortals and two points in Nature, again to reflect Emma's connection and affinity for all things physical and natural. The last point she puts into Fae. As the self-appointed cruise director for her oathcircle, Emma would undoubtedly have learned some influence within the Realm of Fae.

Tempers

  Because Angie did not remember to mark her Willpower, Glamour and Banality ratings on Emma's character sheet, she quickly looks up the section on seemings. She takes her point values from those listed under "wilder." She gets two dots in Willpower, four dots in Glamour and three dots in Banality.

Birthrights and Frailties

  Angie now looks over the pages on satyrs again, rereading the sections on Birthrights and Frailties in particular. She discovers that Emma gains an extra dot in Stamina because of her kith. Angie also notes her other Birthrights and Frailties on her character sheet for easy reference.

Freebie Points

  Angie takes her 15 freebie points and tries to decide where Emma's Traits are lacking. She spends five of the points to buy another dot for Emma's Appearance and five for a dot in Intelligence. This leaves her with five to spend. Angie chooses to raise Emma's Willpower by one dot at a cost of two freebie points, and to raise her Glamour by one dot at a cost of three freebie points. That done, all of Angie's original freebie points are spent.

Merits and Flaws

  One Flaw in particular stands out as Angie peruses the list. She decides to give Emma the Dark Secret Flaw (1 point). She has an idea as she reads over it, and determines that when Emma experienced her Chrysalis, she awakened as Unseelie. Still a childling at the time, Emma ran away from home to live in the forest, little more than an animal, entrenched in her Savage Legacy. As the story unfolds in her mind, Angie decides to go back and change the Treasure Background she originally chose to a Mentor Background, leaving it at two dots. She slowly weaves a history for Emma in which a Seelie Mentor, another satyr, found Emma on the verge of death, starving and barely able to survive in her new environment. Through careful and gentle coaxing, Emma's mentor managed to tame her wild nature, bringing her over in time to her current Seelie Legacy. Angie then takes Mild Phobia (1 point Flaw), claiming that Emma is terrified of a return to her Unseelie side, and Compulsion (1 point Flaw), stating that Emma now has a driving urge to prove that she is just as civilized as anyone else, perhaps moreso.
  Through the acquisition of these three Flaws, Angie has earned three extra freebie points to spend on Emma. She decides to purchase Acute Senses (1 point Merit), justifying acute hearing with the time she spent in the wilderness. Finally, she spends the last two freebie points to give Emma one dot in the Survival Skill.

Specialties

  Emma has four dots in both Dexterity and Charisma, and Ian the Storyteller suggests that Angie choose specialties for these. For Dexterity, Angie picks Catlike Reflexes, feeling that it makes sense with Emma's good Perception and satyr kith. For Charisma, Angie chooses Diplomatic, knowing that Emma works hard to live up to social norms and not make anyone angry with her.

Musing Threshold

  Since Emma is of the Seelie Court, she has a Musing Threshold. After looking over the choices, Angie chooses Foster Trust as a reflection of Emma's nurturing nature.

Spark of Life

  Angie now begins to fill in the gaps about Emma, touching up here and cleaning up there. She takes a moment to imagine Emma in her mind and then to write down what she looks like in both her satyr and her mortal forms:
  Mortal:
  Emma's heather-blue eyes gaze out from a heart-shaped face that seems more wholesome than attractive. Her short brown curls appear to have been blowing in the wind, uncombed and unruly. Emma stands up straight, an air of pride showing in her carriage. When she moves, her long limbs swing freely with the grace and ease of an athlete. Her health shows in the pink of her cheeks and. the easy smile that spreads across her face at regular intervals.
  Fae:
  Emma has high Amazonian cheekbones and piercing blue eyes that seem able to peer into the darkest night and see with utmost clarity. A mixture of browns, reds and golds, her short curls wave around the bases of her rippled horns, which rise from her forehead to curve back into sharp points. Emma never stands still for long, her movements controlled and purposefully graceful, hinting at an energy lying just below the surface, ready to erupt from her at any moment. Well-toned and sturdy, Emma's satyr legs are covered from her hips down to her mahogany hooves with miniature curls of the same colors as those on her head. Emma's laugh is deep and hearty, though somewhat restrained, coming straight from her gut.
  Once Angie has written Emma's descriptions, including her usual choice of attire and any weapons or items she might be carrying, Angie can establish quirks for her. Angie thinks for a moment and decides that Emma tends to be rather soft-spoken and reserved. This conflicts somewhat with her satyr kith, but that seems to be quickly developing as Emma's main life-conflict. Her fight against the savagery that lurks inside her causes her to suppress her more natural satyr instincts, expressing them only when she can be completely in control of the situation and her emotions. Emma's going to experience a personal crisis every time her passions start to exert themselves. Angie feels that this will make Emma interesting to play.
  Angie further decides that Emma's only two goals in life are to make others happy and to fend off the savage beast that is a part of her nature. Her motivations nearly always include an attempt to avoid anything that might ignite her more powerful emotions and to keep her satyr mood swings under control. Other than that, her desire to prove to everyone that she is civilized and cultured is key to her personality.
  Next, Angie spends some time determining what Emma's life was like before she experienced her Chrysalis and ran away from home to live in the woods. She gives Emma a younger sister and two loving parents who were crushed when their eldest daughter suddenly disappeared. She also works on Emma's current mortal life, the name of her team and the community where she coaches.
  This part moves faster as Angie discovers that the pieces are beginning to fall into place. She works on Emma's changeling history, writing a short description of Emma's mentor and about her feelings during and shortly after her Chrysalis. She also chooses a faerie name for Emma, Emhalynna, and decides that Emma abandoned her mortal name when she was rescued by her mentor. She writes down "Donna Francis" as Emma's mortal name, in case it should ever be needed during the game.
  She makes a list of appropriate equipment that Emma would have. Then, taking a deep breath, she looks Emma over one last time. With a smile, she turns Emma over to Ian for his approval and prepares to roleplay Emma's prelude.

Changeling: The Dreaming Name: Emma Court: Seelie Seeming: Wilder Player: Angie Legacies: Bumpkin/Savage Kith: Satyr Chronicle: Blue Ridge Mt. House: Unaffiliated Motley: None Attributes Physical Strength Dexterity Cat. Ref. Stamina Social Charisma Diplomatic Manipulation Appearance Mental Perception Intelligence Wits Abilities Talents Alertness Athletics Brawl Dodge Empathy Intimidation Kenning Persuasion Streetwise Subterfuge Skills Crafts Drive Etiquette Firearms Leadership Melee Performance Security Stealth Survival Knowledges Computer Enigmas Gremayre Investigation Law Linguistics Lore Medicine Politics Science Advantages Backgrounds Companion Mentor Resources Arts Primal Wayfare Realms Actor Fae Nature Other Traits Dark Secret (1 pt. Flaw)   Mild Phobia - her Unseelie side (1 pt. Flaw)   Compulsion - prove she is civilized (1 pt. Flaw)   Acute Senses - hearing (1 pt. Merit)               Ravaging/Musing Threshold Foster Trust   Glamour Willpower Banality   Experience: Health   Real Chimerical Bruised Hurt -1 Injured -1 Wounded -2 Mauled -2 Crippled -5 Incapacitated Birthrights/Frailties Gift of Pan; Physical Prowess/ Passion's Curse

Changeling: The Dreaming Character History Sheet Mortal Name: Donna Francis Faerie Name: Emhalynna (Emma) Mortal Age: 22 Mortal Profession (if any): Coach at Wilkerson Grade School Chimera/Companions/Treasures: George: large red and green bird; talks and retrieves golf balls; sarcastic, playful, loves Emma, craves attention, sleeps a lot. Description Mortal: Emma's heather-blue eyes gaze out from a heart-shaped face that seems more wholesome than attractive. Her short brown curls appear to have been blowing in the wind, uncombed and unruly. Emma stands up straight, an air of pride showing in her carriage. When she moves, her long limbs swing freely with the grace and ease of an athlete. Her health shows in the pink of her cheeks and. the easy smile that spreads across her face at regular intervals. Changeling: Emma has high Amazonian cheekbones and piercing blue eyes that seem able to peer into the darkest night and see with utmost clarity. A mixture of browns, reds and golds, her short curls wave around the bases of her rippled horns, which rise from her forehead to curve back into sharp points. Well-toned and sturdy, Emma's satyr legs are covered from her hips down to her mahogany hooves with miniature curls of the same colors as those on her head. Personality Quirks: Can't sit still for long, soft-spoken, reserved Motivations & Goals: Avoid situations that might trigger her stronger emotions, fight her Unseelie legacy, prove to the world that she is cultured and civilized Identity Mortal: Loving mortal parents, younger sister (Tara), coaches the Wilkerson Grade School Tigers (basketball, track, football, soccer); Emma never returned home after her Chrysalis Changeling: Emma's traumatic Chrysalis threw her immediately into her Unseelie Legacy (Savage) at the age of 10. Emma ran away from home and lived a short time in the national forest. She found it difficult to survive there and almost died. Her mentor (Velderon) is a kind and cheerful satyr grump with a good head on his shoulders. He found Emma and, over time, coaxed her out of her Unseelie legacy, teaching her to survive in the world of the Kithain. Equipment A variety of sports equipment, first-aid kit, an old school bus that she bought used from the school and painted bright purple, rented apartment Oathcircle Other Notes

The Prelude

  The prelude is your character's introduction to the chronicle, combining past history, personal details and the Chrysalis itself. A short game session (or portion of a game session) in which the Storyteller and the player play out one-on-one, the prelude gives both player and character a chance to get their feet wet before plunging into the game. During your prelude, you may want to go through one or two typical scenes in the character's mundane pre-Chrysalis life to contrast mortal existence with the colorful and dream-filled life of a changeling. If any time has passed for the character between her Chrysalis and the current date of the chronicle, you may also do one or two short scenes portraying events that have happened since. You may find that some of your initial choices weren't right for the character as more history develops through the course of the prelude. In this case, feel free to change them as long as it doesn't affect the final point cost spent on your character. Unless the Storyteller grants you permission, you can't have any extra freebie points to reconfigure your changeling. The Storyteller may, however, grant an experience point or two for roleplay that occurs during the prelude, at her option.

The Oathcircle

  Once everyone has finished their preludes, they should get together with the Storyteller to figure out how their characters are affiliated with one another. They may be complete strangers at first, or they may all have been members of the same oathcircle, motley or household for years. If the Storyteller chooses, the actual formation of the group and the circumstances surrounding it may constitute the first story of your game. If the troupe's characters have been together for any period of time prior to the beginning of the chronicle, then the players must all agree on the nature of the group they would like to form. Here are some questions regarding pre-established Oathcircles that the troupe should think about. Some of the answers will be determined by the chronicle, or the Storyteller may choose to dictate them.

Where is the oathcircle based?

  Not all groups are based around a freehold. Where does your group generally hang out? Does it move around from city to city, or do you all live within a few blocks of each other? Where you set your chronicle will have a powerful effect on the tone it will take. Both the troupe and the Storyteller should carefully consider this choice.

Does the oathcircle have a Freehold?

  Having a central base that needs protecting and where characters can regroup often keeps a chronicle going and offers story options. Is there a local freehold where most of the group's activity is based? Do they hang out at a freehold under the protection of the local noble, or do they have one all their own? Is the freehold a forest glen, a mansion or a coffeehouse near a university?

What are the goals of the oathcircle?

  Not all groups have formal goals, but a common enemy or problem may become the focus of a story or even an entire chronicle. This is one way to bring a group together, though many groups form out of friendship and shared experience rather than through the introduction of a common foe.

Who are the oathcircle's enemies?

  What are the motivations of the group's enemies? If they are not changelings, what are their powers? Has the group come in contact with Dauntain or Prodigals? Many of the oathcircle's enemies will likely be kept secret by the Storyteller at first, to be revealed later during the chronicle. This question merely helps to determine any history that the oathcircle might have with antagonists of which it is aware.

Who are your friends and allies?

  Who are the friends and allies of the oathcircle? Is there anyone whom the group protects, or is protected by, and if so, why?

Legacies

  For changelings, life is a balancing act, whether it be between Banality and Bedlam, faerie and mortal, or Seelie and Unseelie. Legacies represent both the most basic aspects of a changeling's personality and the duality of it. All changelings have both a Seelie and an Unseelie Legacy. Choosing Legacies for your character is one of the most important aspects of character creation. Your character's Legacies will be your guide to roleplaying her nature.
  Changelings walk a fine line between their Seelie and Unseelie Legacies. Each and every one of them knows this. The two sides are considered halves of the same whole. At one time, the Seelie and Unseelie Courts worked in harmony. The Seelie Court ruled half the year, from Beltaine to Samhain, at which time they turned the throne over to the Unseelie Court for the second half of the year. A changeling's Unseelie Legacy was not originally something she abhorred or feared. It was merely viewed as a natural part of herself, the part that was less restrained, more sensual, and sometimes more exciting.
  After the Shattering, a great deal more tension developed between the two Courts. Both have their own ideas of how the Dreaming should be protected and preserved, or for that matter, whether it even deserves to be. Many Unseelie Ravage the Dreaming, taking what they can get from it. They feel that since the Dreaming abandoned them, they owe it no loyalty and seek to bring on the Long Winter in order to get it over with as soon as possible. Seelie believe that the Dreaming must be preserved, and that acting in its guardianship or even dying for it is one of the highest honors. Of course, each changeling is a unique individual and has her own perspective between these extremes.
  A changeling's primary Legacy is that which coincides with his current Court, whether it be Seelie or Unseelie. The other becomes secondary, but still has its affects on the character's personality, asserting itself from time to time, especially during stressful situations. You may wish to consider and incorporate aspects of your secondary Legacy while playing your character. Keep in mind, however, that the secondary never overrides the primary.
  At times, a changeling may switch from one Court and Legacy to the other, especially as the result of a traumatic event. Most changelings cannot consciously shift from one to the other and usually prefer to stay in their present Courts, their current Legacy dictating their feelings on the matter. The change, when it occurs, is a natural event, sometimes gradual, sometimes sudden. It is caused by a shift of identity in the Kithain. The Storyteller decides when and if it would be appropriate for a character to change Courts, and it should always be accompanied by negative repercussions to the character. Such repercussions might include the creation of harassing chimera, the character's motley rejecting him, or unwanted attention from other changelings and antagonists in the Near Dreaming.
  Most changelings go their entire without changing Courts. Some changelings sit so close to the middle that it is often difficult to tell which Legacy is dominant at any given moment. The majority tend to go from one extreme to the other with little need to guess which side they're on now.

Quests and bans

  Listed beneath each Legacy's description is the Quest and Ban of that Legacy. The Quest explains what your character must do to fulfill her Legacy, or in game terms, regain lost Willpower. The Ban is a specific .action that a character with that Legacy would make every effort to avoid, since it runs counter to her Legacy. These are merely offered as roleplaying guides, although your Storyteller may wish to enforce them in your game.
  The Storyteller is the judge in all questions regarding Quests and Bans. She determines when a character's actions justify the reward of a Willpower point as dictated by his Quest. She also decides when a character's violation of his Ban will cause him problems. A character who consistently violates his Ban may negatively affect the amount of Willpower he can earn through his Quest. Losing Willpower this way is a means of encouraging players to remember and apply their Bans when roleplaying their characters, but should only be used in the most extreme cases.
  Characters who ignore their Quests and Bans may be affected in other ways besides Willpower. Changelings are more in tune with the Dreaming than any other race, and the Dreaming sees through all their masks to their true natures. Legacies are not merely psychological profiles, but also indicative of a changeling's archetypal connection with the Dreaming. Kithain who reject their true natures are behaving in a manner counter to the nature of the Dreaming, and the Dreamrealms may well exact a toll from those who violate the fundamental truth of their own existence. This counter-reaction may take the form of hostile attention from chimera, subtle changes in the changeling's faerie seeming, or in the distortion of the changeling's perception of the Dreaming.
  The Storyteller may use her discretion when assigning the Dreaming's response to a character's violation of his Ban. The toll should be consistent with the character's Legacy, however. For example, a Paladin who regularly avoids conflict and challenge may find himself faced with belligerence at every turn — street thugs singling him out, or the lady behind the counter suddenly becoming surly as he steps up. A Regent who shirks his duties and responsibilities may find whatever what he wears quickly becomes tattered and dull. A Grotesque who consistently shows his softer side may find roses and daisies growing in his hair.

Seelie Legacies

  A changeling's Seelie Legacy falls toward the lighter side of .gray. Although Seelie fae can be just as conniving and manipulative as Unseelie, they tend to have less selfish motivations, and they definitely work within and bow to the authority of the Seelie Court. As you choose your Legacy for your character, consider why she behaves the way she does, as this will be useful in determining how you roleplay her.

Bumpkin

  Solid and practical, you approach every problem with common sense and pragmatism. You bring the conversation back to the point and ask the questions that get the right answers. Always prepared, you think about possible scenarios in advance and take precautions against them. You love solving problems, both your own and those of others. You become frustrated with people who don't seem to think quite as logically as you do.
  Quest: Whenever you successfully apply a practical solution to any problem, you regain Willpower.
  Ban: Never miss an opportunity to solve a problem through practical application of logic and common sense.

Courtier

  Somewhat the social butterfly, you use wit, charm and flirtation as tools to lighten the mood. You live for social interaction. You are a student of etiquette and a lover of dances, parties and courtly gatherings. Your tact and grace often place you in the position of diplomat. Because your goal is harmony, you are deeply concerned with politics, ritual, custom and the preservation of order. Often working behind the scenes, you soothe hurt feelings and encourage others to relax and have a good time.
  Quest: You regain Willpower whenever you deflate a volatile situation and return the gathering to peace and harmony.
  Ban: Never purposely make anyone angry or upset.

Crafter

  The urge to improve things bums strong within you. You see everything in terms of what you can do to make it better. Nothing brings you greater joy than creating something beautiful or useful out of the ugly and useless. You are never without a project of some sort, whether it is a painting, a sculpture, an organization, or the training and molding of a less-than-perfect individual. You enjoy the process, but can't wait to see the finished product.
  Quest: Whenever you create something of lasting value, you regain Willpower.
  Ban: Never miss an opportunity to put your touch on something and improve it in some way.

Dandy

  A social climber at heart, you are an expert at court etiquette. Your goal is to get as high up the ladder as possible. Court intrigue and gossip feed you, and you can always be found at the periphery of any trouble, watching and listening to see what you can learn and possibly use for your own benefit at a later time. Somewhat of a snob, you look back down the ladder with disdain, especially at those who might take your position from you. However, you know better than to bum your bridges. As a result, you tend to play the diplomat. You will do anything to make yourself look good, often helping others and taking risks in order to do so.
  Quest: Whenever you succeed in strengthening your hold on your current position or in getting a promotion, you regain Willpower.
  Ban: Never miss an opportunity to ingratiate yourself to one of your superiors.

Hermit

  You are reclusive and ascetic by nature, preferring your own company to that of others. Introspective by nature, you view everything from a very personal standpoint. When in public, you tend to be quiet, speaking only when spoken to, unless your input has such extreme relevance that you feel you have to say it. One of the benefits of this is that others tend to see you as wise, since when you do speak, your words often make a profound point that was overlooked. Despite your desire to be alone, you are drawn out by the need to watch and learn. Your curiosity about the nature of things and your place among them keeps you from being totally isolated.
  Quest: You regain Willpower whenever you find the solution to a problem through inner reflection rather than brash action.
  Ban: Rarely speak unless the situation is dire and you feel that your viewpoint has not already been expressed.

Orchid

  Up until now, you have lived a pampered, protected life, whether it was in Arcadia or in your mother's arms. Suddenly you have been forced out into the light and faced with the harsh realities of the world. You find it difficult to trust anyone, and yet you fervently wish for someone to come along and take care of you. You have no experience dealing with the dangers and hurts of the real world. Wide-eyed and innocent, each new disaster threatens to shatter your world. You let others make your decisions for you, not out of preference, but rather as a result of the insecurity you feel when faced with problems.
  Quest: Whenever you escape a frightening situation with your sense of well-being and innocence intact, you regain Willpower.
  Ban: Never trust a stranger; never reveal yourself to anyone.

Paladin

  You are the quintessential competitor, and your story is that of the brave, stalwart athlete or hero. Constantly searching for new challenges to overcome, new adversaries to wrestle, new causes to fight for and protect, you live for the chance to slay the monster, fulfill the quest or win the game. Without the thrill of striving against others (or yourself), life quickly becomes dull and meaningless.
  Quest: Whenever you successfully overcome a truly challenging situation, you regain Willpower.
  Ban: Never refuse a fair challenge.

Panderer

  You love to see other people happy, and do whatever you can to encourage them, whether through playing matchmaker or refilling a drink. Perhaps you live vicariously through their experiences, or perhaps you just feel that others sometimes need a little push from you to find their fulfillment. You spend more time on this than you do pursuing your own interests and gain great pleasure from it. A skilled manipulator, you work most of your magic from behind the scenes, dropping hints or subtle encouragement.
  Quest: You regain Willpower whenever you cause someone else's happiness or fun without them realizing your part in it.
  Ban: Never do anything that you know would undermine another's happiness.

Regent

  Nobility in its purest sense, you are the ruler, the patriarch or matriarch. You are the judge and the legislator who sorts right from wrong. More than any other, you feel the heavy burden of duty and obligation. Often, you have to deal out punishment. Although you despise it, it is a necessary part of your responsibilities, and you perform it with as much wisdom and fairness as you can muster. You have resigned yourself to the fact that regency is a lonely and often misunderstood mission, and you do not let your own personal feelings interfere with the charge of your station.
  Quest: You regain Willpower whenever you resolve a situation through the strength of your leadership.
  Ban: Never compromise or shirk your duty or the laws by which you live, whatever they may be.

Sage

  You are the advisor, the wise one, the teacher. You have traveled many places and seen many things. You have learned, and you willingly share your insights with others. The quest for knowledge and wisdom is paramount to your goals in life. You see something to be learned in every situation- Like the old man on the mountain, you don't force your wisdom on others, but share it with an open heart to any who wish to learn. You can often be found in quiet consultation with a confused wilder or telling stories and anecdotes to childlings.
  Quest: Regain Willpower whenever someone follows your advice and succeeds at his chosen task.
  Ban: Never stand in another's chosen way, for the path to wisdom is different for everyone.

Saint

  You feel the pain of those around you and strive to ease their suffering. You give freely of your time, your belongings and whatever you have in order to help others. This often places you in a position of martyrdom, so complete is your altruism. Your own happiness is secondary to that of others. You can become so obsessed with your cause that you endanger yourself. However, you would never do anything that might bring harm to others.
  Quest: Whenever you protect someone else or alleviate their suffering, you regain Willpower.
  Ban: Never knowingly cause distress or harm to anyone.

Squire

  Rather than stepping out into the limelight, you prefer to support and help those who do. You are Tonto to the Lone Ranger, Watson to Holmes, Kato to the Green Hornet. You care nothing for glory or recognition, but merely seek the chance to be a small part of the process. You abide by the words of your present hero, and no task is too menial for you if your hero requests it.
  Quest: You regain Willpower whenever you play a supporting role in an accomplishment, but take no credit for it.
  Ban: Never contradict or undermine your current heroic companion.

Troubadour

  You walk in a fog of pink and lilac optimism, feeling emotions more strongly than others and expressing them at every opportunity. You are an idealist who believes in the potential for a perfect world, a perfect love, a perfect life. You step into every situation with enthusiasm and wide-eyed wonder, anxious to experience the thrill of the moment. When you love, you love with abandon. When you cry, your tears would fill an ocean. When you are happy, you make sure everyone knows it. Forgiving and loving, you rarely find it in yourself to hate anyone, seeing them instead as just another fascinating piece of your glorious world-view.
  Quest: Regain Willpower whenever you complete a task in the name of a higher ideal (love, friendship, romance, etc.).
  Ban: Never hide your feelings.

Wayfarer

  Your story is that of the endless wanderer, the great explorer and adventurer who has a love in every port and rarely stays in any one place for long. You live by your wits, though your restless nature often lands you in dangerous situations. A reactionary, you act first and think later. This sometimes saves you; other times, it gets you in trouble. Impatient and easily bored, you are always looking for the next adventure.
  Quest: Whenever you survive a life-threatening scene through your own cleverness, you regain Willpower.
  Ban: Never plan for the future.

Unseelie Legacies

  The darker side of faerie nature manifests in a changeling's Unseelie Legacy. Being Unseelie is much more complex than just being evil or vile. Unseelie Kithain can be equally as noble and honorable as their Seelie brethren. The difference lies in their motives and methods.

Beast

  You seek to conquer all who oppose you, destroying them if possible. Your world view is defined by those who bow to you and those who get eaten because they didn't. To you, all exists at and for your pleasure. You play people off each other, like chess pieces on a board, with no consideration for anyone's needs but your own. You take what you want without asking, and you destroy those weaker than yourself for amusement.
  Quest: Whenever you remove significant opposition to your goals, you regain Willpower.
  Ban: Never retreat; never compromise your territory.

Fatalist

  Like Pooh's companion Eeyore, you have a less-than-optimistic view of the world. You expect things to go wrong, and you take a dark and sullen pleasure when you are proven right. Because everything is doomed to end disastrously, there is no reason to struggle. You have no hope for a bright future, but rather are resigned to inevitable gloom. You find comfort in your pessimism, because you know you'll never be disappointed. Even when things turn out to have a happy ending, you know that it's only a temporary illusion and the real disaster is undoubtedly following right behind.
  Quest: Regain Willpower when your warnings for doom turn out to be correct.
  Ban: Never laugh except in bitterness and sarcasm.

Fool

  You are the divine trickster, the clown, the one who laughs last and loudest. Because you believe that there is no meaning in the world, no underlying reason for anything, you take great pleasure in spoiling people's well-laid plans by sticking the proverbial monkeywrench in the works. You almost feel it a duty to play the agent of chaos, knocking others off their pedestals of dogma and making them eat their spouted words of honor and nobility. Sometimes you work for weeks, months or even years formulating your pranks, laying the foundation and setting the trap so that when your prey steps into it, they fall all the harder.
  Quest: Regain Willpower whenever you manage to deflate the ego of someone you have labeled as self-righteous.
  Ban: Never search for the "whys" behind your life; there are none.

Grotesque

  You love disgusting others and go out of your way to push their buttons. You prey on the sensibilities of others, with a blush or a shocked gasp for your applause. The more extreme the reaction, the happier you are. You make it your life's work to discover what upsets people and then inflict it upon them. A master of insults, you cut right to the heart, throwing out all propriety and etiquette in favor of shock value. Nothing is too low for you, from bodily noises to insulting someone's mother.
  Quest: Whenever you cause someone to falter or lose his composure, you regain Willpower.
  Ban: Never display an overtly pleasant or appealing side of yourself.

Knave

  With a sparkle in your eye, you cajole, encourage, tempt, trick and manipulate others into exploring their darkest desires. You are the pusher, the perverter, taking the sweet and turning it into the sordid. You see yourself as a teacher of sorts — you teach people what base and feral creatures they really are. There's nothing you love more than to corrupt the innocent and do it with such panache that they often never even realize they've been compromised.
  Quest: You regain Willpower whenever you cause someone to do something she would normally be opposed to and she enjoys it.
  Ban: Never protect anyone from the harsh realities of life.

Outlaw

  You look out at the world and see an ocean of mindless automatons that haven't the slightest clue of what it's all about. You believe it's your duty to take advantage of them. How else are they ever going to learn? A thief and a cad, you take what you want from others without a moment's hesitation or guilt. If your victims are stupid enough to be victims, then you see no reason not to use and abuse them. You feel no pity for people — they've made their own beds, and, by golly, they can lie in them.
  Quest: Regain Willpower whenever you commit a completely selfish act that hurts someone.
  Ban: Never do anything that helps others more than it hurts them or helps you in the long run.

Pandora

  Like Pandora, you just can't seem to keep your box shut. You open your mouth and trouble flows from it in great crashing waves. You just can't help yourself. You love to get someone in trouble by revealing their secrets for them. Furthermore, your curiosity often overcomes you, especially if you have been forbidden to go somewhere or do something. The more someone insists that you shouldn't do something, the more it makes you want to do exactly that.
  Quest: You regain Willpower whenever you survive something dangerous that you were strictly forbidden to do or warned against.
  Ban: Never keep a secret; never obey an order.

Peacock

  You are the most attractive, smartest, best person in the world, and you want to make sure that everyone knows it. If you're not the center of attention, you're not happy. As long as you are being heaped with praise and adulation, you're the most gracious, modest-seeming person around, but as soon as attention is diverted from you, you become vicious. You are not above tantrums and fits of violence in order to draw others' notice. Jealousy rules your choice of friends and enemies.
  Quest: Whenever you conclusively prove that you are the best at something, you regain a Willpower.
  Ban: Never admit failure or fault.

Rake

  You are a greedy sensualist, a miser, a glutton, an obsessive collector and a hoarder of experience. You care little for other people, except as objects to collect and use at your whim, pretty things to set around and provide you with pleasure. You revel in material gratification and show off your good taste at every opportunity. Sharing is not a word that you recognize, however. You flaunt what you own, be it the beautiful woman on your arm or the glittering diamond on your finger, but you would never consider giving a gift to anyone or helping the needy.
  Quest: Regain Willpower whenever you succeed in your pursuit of pleasure.
  Ban: Never give anything away without either hope of reward or a hard fight.

Riddler

  You are an enigma, the mystery that no one can figure out. You are in love with secrets and never give a truly straight answer to any question. You obscure everything in double entendres, mysterious terms and outright lies. You take joy in confusing and confounding others, satisfying your own need to feel that your intellect is superior to theirs. You are especially careful to shroud your own psyche in deepest mystery, and your greatest fear is that someone will learn what you're really like.
  Quest: Whenever you manage to confuse or mislead someone, you regain Willpower.
  Ban: Never allow others to discover the truth about you or your origins.

Ringleader

  You have your gang and you rule them with an iron fist. You work hard to build and strengthen your organization, preaching loyalty and submission to the cause you embody. You will not stand for your law or authority to be undermined. While you understand that a group is more powerful than any one individual, you do not consider yourself equal to your band of followers. You are the head, and they are the arms and legs. They are your tools, and you use them at your whim to further your own goals.
  Quest: Regain Willpower whenever you accomplish something as a direct result of the devotion of your followers.
  Ban: Never allow any one person to endanger the whole of your organization or your goals.

Rogue

  You don't need to work; so many others out there can and will do the job for you. Others see you as a leech, but while they're licking their wounds and cleaning their boots, you're spending your share of the pot. All things considered, you prefer taking the path of least resistance. There's always some gung-ho hero ready to leap to the fore and do all the dirty work. Why not let him? And so what if you're there with your hand out when it's time to reap the reward. You didn't ask that guy to do it; you just didn't offer to help.
  Quest: Whenever you achieve something that you do not really deserve, you regain Willpower.
  Ban: Never work.

Savage

  For you, the only viable way to live is like the animals in the forest, eating what you can catch, mating when the urge strikes, and fighting to establish superiority. Everything else is senseless. Civilized conversation, etiquette and technology — wastes of time. Modern inventions only distract you from your true nature, and keep you from satisfying the instincts that burn in your soul. You long for a return to the days of primal self-indulgence and the law of nature. In the meantime, you just live your life as if they were already here, feral and proud of it.
  Quest: Regain Willpower whenever you conquer "civilized" foes through your own cunning and might.
  Ban: Never indulge in civilized folly.

Wretch

  You have no positive self-image, and assume that everyone else hates you as much as you hate yourself. Perhaps you are the wallflower who never gets asked to dance or the loser who was never invited to birthday parties; regardless, you believe that everyone hates you and that you are a pitiful outcast. Sometimes you seek pity and aid from others. Other times you seek to punish them for their pity and aid, being especially hard on anyone that shows you compassion and caring.
  Quest: Whenever others vilify you as worthless or throw up their hands in despair of ever getting through to you, you regain Willpower.
  Ban: Never admit to success.

Attributes

Specialties

  For each Attribute rated 4 or higher, a player may select a specialty. A specialty shows that the character has developed an expertise in a specific sub-category of that Trait. In rules terms, this means that the player gets to reroll any 10s scored on actions directly involving the specialty. The player not only keeps the first success, but now has the opportunity to possibly roll another. For each 10 she rolls, she may reroll and try to get more. This only applies if the character is attempting an action that specifically involves the specialty, not just the Trait.
  For example, a character with four dots in Intelligence is very smart, but if your character has the specialty Creative, then she has concentrated her intelligence in that area and is particularly creative. If she is attempting to come up with a creative idea for a gift, you can reroll any 10s. If, however, she is trying to solve a crossword puzzle, you cannot because she is not attempting an action that uses her creativity.
  The specialities listed with each Trait are just a few suggestions. If you can think of something that fits your character better (such as Charisma specialty Flirting), go for it — once your Storyteller approves, of course.

Physical Attributes

  These Traits describe how strong, nimble and sturdy a character is; they are the primary focus of an action-oriented character. Physical Traits represent the strengths and weaknesses of the body.

Strength

  This Trait measures brute strength. It represents your character's ability to lift, carry loads and cause physical harm. A person with a high Strength rating is usually larger and bulkier than someone with a lower rating. In brawling and melee combat, your character's Strength Trait is added to her damage Dice Pool.

	Poor: weakling, lift 50 lbs., carry 20 lbs.
	Average: normal, lift 100 lbs., carry 50 lbs.
	Good: athlete, lift 250 lbs., carry 125 lbs.
	Exceptional: weight-lifter, lift 400 lbs., carry 200 lbs.
	Outstanding: Olympian, lift 650 lbs., carry 300 lbs.

  Specialties: Lifting, Long Jumping, Strong Grip, Sustained Carrying

Dexterity

  This Trait measures general physical prowess, speed, quickness and agility. It indicates your character's capacity for moving precisely and with grace. Dexterity includes hand-eye coordination, fine motor manipulation, reaction speed, reflexes and finesse.

	Poor: butterfingered, clumsy, inflexible, accident-prone
	Average: ordinary, unrefined, passable, fair
	Good: natural grace, coordinated, flexible, agile
	Exceptional: athletic, gymnastic, trained, dexterous, professional
	Outstanding: awe-inspiring grace, gold medalist, surgeon's touch

  Specialties: Catlike Reflexes, Fleet-Footed, Flexible, Light Touch, Steady Hand, Sure-Footed, Swift

Stamina

  Stamina measures general health, pain tolerance and endurance. It determines your character's staying power, both physical and mental. Two of its most important elements are the will to live and downright stubbornness.

	Poor: sickly, frail, wimpy, vulnerable, fragile
	Average: moderately healthy, confident, consistent
	Good: resistant, sound, hearty, robust, sturdy
	Exceptional: steadfast, resolute, committed, determined
	Outstanding: hell-bent, unyielding, relentless, do-or-die

  Specialties: Determined, Enduring, High Pain Threshold, Tireless, Tough

Social Attributes

  Your Social Traits describe your character's looks, charm and familiarity with personal interaction. They are vital in determining your character's appearance, persuasiveness and adaptability in social situations.

Charisma

  This Trait measures your character's magnetism and natural charm. It represents her aptitude for enticing, bewitching and captivating others without having to try. Charisma determines whether others like and trust your character.

	Poor: wallflower, dull, boring, lackluster, uninspiring
	Average: friendly, agreeable, inoffensive, tolerable
	Good: trusted, fun, gregarious, genial, pleasant
	Exceptional: magnetic, alluring, persuasive, winsome
	Outstanding: irresistible, commanding, compelling, captivating

  Specialties: Amusing, Confidant, Diplomatic, Eloquent, Persuasive, Trustworthy

Manipulation

  This Trait measures your character's ability to get results when attempting to force, cajole or trick another person into doing something. Manipulation works on friends and foes alike, though it may be more difficult on the latter. If your character fails her attempt to manipulate someone, the target may well realize what was happening and become angry. No one likes to be manipulated.

	Poor: reserved, innocent, taciturn, submissive
	Average: bluffing, socially adept, evasive, swindling
	Good: devious, slick, resourceful, eloquent, crafty
	Exceptional: influential, scheming, calculating, maneuvering
	Outstanding: puppeteering, controlling, Machiavellian, conspiratorial

  Specialties: Cunning, Deceitful, Glib, Patient, Persuasive, Subtle, Underhanded

Appearance

  This Trait measures more than just physical beauty. Any physical feature — animation, expressiveness, cuteness, vulnerability, etc. — that others find enticing could be considered part of your Appearance. It can be vital in some situations, for like it or not, we're all influenced by die way people look. The Appearance Trait is used to determine first impressions.

	Poor: homely, undesirable, unsightly, repulsive
	Average: plain, unnoticeable, inconspicuous, dull
	Good: attractive, pretty, comely, appealing
	Exceptional: alluring, delightful, beautiful, seductive
	Outstanding: awe-inspiring, bewitching, gorgeous

  Specialties: Bold Demeanor, Fragility, Glamourous, Sex Appeal, Style

Mental Attributes

  The Mental Attributes represent your character's total mental capacity, including such things as memory, perception, logic and the ability to learn.

Perception

  This Trait covers everything from searching for something to picking up on the subtle details in the environment and intuitively putting them together to come up with a reasonable assumption. Perception determines your character's sensitivity to the world around her. Often it includes her use of insight to understand what she perceives.

	Poor: oblivious, insensitive, self-absorbed
	Average: awake, curious, alert
	Good: keen, watchful, wary, observant, attentive
	Exceptional: sensitive, discerning, perceptive, intuitive
	Outstanding: vigilant, instinctive, presentient, clairvoyant

  Specialties: Detail-Oriented, Empathic, Intuitive, Keen-Eyed, Paranoid, Sharp Hearing

Intelligence

  This Trait measures raw mental processes: memory, retention, judgment, reasoning, understanding and critical thinking. It represents your character's ability to learn and think, and it caters to carefully reasoned judgments rather than snap decisions. Low Intelligence can indicate a character who lacks the capacity to understand complicated issues and learns very slowly, whereas a high Intelligence character is a sophisticated savant capable of evaluating many different levels of an argument or problem. A character with high Intelligence can often discern truth from lies, or at least when she has time to think things over.

	Poor: IQ 80, slow, confused, simple
	Average: IQ 100, unimaginative, studious, thoughtful
	Good: IQ 120, smart, quick, rational, cognitive
	Exceptional: IQ 140, ingenious, logical, discerning
	Outstanding: IQ 160+, genius, brilliant, erudite

  Specialties: Creative, Discerning, Logical, Pragmatic, Scholar

Wits

  The Wits Attribute describes your character's ability to react quickly and correctly in pressing or stressful situations. It indicates her overall sharpness of mind and cleverness. A character with a low Wits rating, like the veritable "deer in the headlights," may be easily caught off-guard, tricked or surprised. Those with a high Wits rating are seldom waylaid by sudden changes.

	Poor: gullible, dull-witted, absent-minded, easily distracted
	Average: slow, lagging, sluggish, lackadaisical
	Good: flexible, reactionary, impulsive, quick
	Exceptional: shrewd, direct, extemporaneous, sharp
	Outstanding: instinctive, spontaneous, immediate, pre-emptive

  Specialties: Clear-Headed, Clever, Insults, One Step Ahead, Survival

Abilities

Specialties

  If your character has four dots in an Ability, you may choose a specialty. This represents that the character has developed an expertise in a particular sub-category of that Ability. (See Attributes, above.) Certain fields of study are so broad that by the time your character reaches the Expert plateau (4 dots) in the Ability, he will have to specialize. The specialties listed with each Trait are offered as suggestions. Feel free to come up with others for your character, dependent on the approval of your Storyteller.

Talents

  Talents are intuitive Abilities. They are almost never learned through direct training (though a few, like Brawl, are exceptions). It is assumed everyone has some small capacity for each one, whether you have purchased dots in them or not. Thus, if your character wants to make a stab at using a Talent that he has no dots in, you can roll a Dice Pool equal to the number of dots your character has in the appropriate Attribute; like most things in life, there's no harm in trying to use your Talents thusly.

Alertness

  This Talent indicates your character's awareness of the world around her. She is practiced in keeping one ear to the wind and one eye to the sky, even when distracted with other things. Alertness is a measure of how well your character picks up on subtle details and changes in her environment.

	Novice: You are more alert to changes than most.
	Practiced: You are watchful and attentive.
	Competent: You are highly vigilant.
	Expert: You are truly cautious, rarely letting down your guard.
	Master: You are aware of all that goes on around you.

  Possessed by: Detectives, Guards, Hunters, Reporters, Thieves, Warriors
  Specialties: Ambushes, Crowds, Danger Sense, Searching, Streets

Athletics

  Climbing rocky cliffs, leaping chasms or playing brilliant games of badminton are all Athletics-based feats. This Ability describes your character's general athletic prowess in both team and individual sports. It assumes a familiarity with the rules and play of the sport in question.

	Novice: You are first pick for teams at neighborhood football games.
	Practiced: You are a regular on school or community athletic teams.
	Competent: You are a coach or serious competitor.
	Expert: You are a vigorous trainer, a professional or just accomplished.
	Master: You are a world-class or Olympic athlete.

  Possessed by: Aerobics Instructors, Dancers, Jocks, Marathonists, Most Children, Sports Enthusiasts
  Specialties: Acrobatics, Dancing, Mountain Climbing, Swimming, Track & Field, Team Sports

Brawl

  Brawling is the ability to fight without a weapon, including basic hand-to-hand maneuvers such as punching, kicking, grappling, throwing, scratching and biting. Brawling can get quite ruthless, and sometimes inflict serious damage if done properly. For purposes of roleplay, a character should gain a specialty when she reaches the Expert Level in Brawl.

	Novice: You took a course in basic self-defense.
	Practiced: You could hurt someone.
	Competent: You can take someone down quickly without doing permanent harm.
	Expert: You are a black-belt or licensed to kill.
	Master: You are world-renowned; your hands are registered as lethal weapons.

  Possessed by: Bouncers, Cops, Martial Artists, Spies, Thugs, Warriors
  Specialties: Any Martial Arts Style, Boxing, Dirty Fighting, Knights, Wrestling

Dodge

  Whether your character dives for cover, ducks a punch or sidesteps an arrow, he knows the best way to avoid injury is not getting hit. Dodge simply describes your character's ability to get out of the way of any incoming attacks.

	Novice: You know what to do if someone screams, "Duck!"
	Practiced: You know when to stay down and safe.
	Competent: You are accomplished and experienced at duck and weave.
	Expert: You are exceedingly difficult to hit.
	Master: You can sidestep bullets.

  Possessed by: Bouncers, Criminals, Ghetto Rats, Street Fighters, Warriors
  Specialties: Duck, Dive, Find Cover, Slippery, Sidestep

Empathy

  Empathy is the ability to pinpoint what others are feeling. Through an awareness of their facial expressions, body language and tone, your character gains a sense of the other person's general attitude, including her emotional state and her motives. With high levels of this Trait, your character can sometimes tell whether someone is lying or not. Successful use of this Talent prior to attempting to Persuade, Intimidate or use Subterfuge on that same person reduces the difficulty number on the second action by one; failure increases the difficulty number by one.

	Novice: You are sensitive and understanding.
	Practiced: You are aware of the feelings others are trying to hide.
	Competent: You are amazingly insightful into others' motivations.
	Expert: You are especially sensitive to lies and subtle emotions.
	Master: You read people like they were open books.

  Possessed by: Actors, Con Artists, Mediums, Parents, Pick-up Artists, Psychologists, Teachers
  Specialties: Desires, Emotions, Fears, Falsehoods, Legacies, Love Connections, Motivations

Intimidation

  The art of intimidation takes many forms from subtle threats to outright physical harm. Choice of method depends on the time, the place and those involved. Characters with this Talent know how to get what they want from others, when they want it.

	Novice: You back wimps into comers.
	Practiced: You win an occasional stare-down.
	Competent: You have an unsettling gaze.
	Expert: You are an above-average drill sergeant.
	Master: You intimidate redcaps.

  Possessed by: Businesspeople, Bouncers, Cops, Detectives, Nobles, Warriors
  Specialties: Political, Social, "The Look," Veiled Threats, Violence

Kenning

  Kenning is faerie sight, the ability to sense Glamour in whatever form it takes, be it a chimera, a changeling or a freehold. Among other things, this Talent allows a changeling to recognize a changeling who has slipped into the Mists or who has yet to achieve Chrysalis, sense the relative power of a chimera, and locate freeholds and trods.

	Novice: Glamour tickles you, and you can see powerful chimera.
	Practiced: You can locate freeholds with ease.
	Competent: You recognize "sleeping" changelings.
	Expert: You can detect even the slightest traces of Glamour.
	Master: You are sensitive to Glamour even at great distances.

  Possessed by: Certain Powerful Chimera, Psychics, Small Children, Changelings, Some Kinain
  Specialties: Cantrips, Chimera, Changelings, Enchantment, Trods

Persuasion

  This Trait represents your character's ability to win others over to her way of thinking. The method used may involve subtle mental and emotional seduction or even outright begging, pleading and cajoling. People with high Persuasion ratings tend to be natural leaders and advocates.

	Novice: You can be convincing through a concentrated effort.
	Practiced: You pinpoint the hole in another's position.
	Competent: A professional debater, you are always on top of any argument.
	Expert: You make others feel guilty for even disagreeing with you.
	Master: You say "Jump," and they say, "How high?"

  Possessed by: Businesspeople, Demagogue, Orators, Politicians, Protesters, Visionaries
  Specialties: Emotional Appeal, Fast-Talk, Guilt, Logic, Sympathy, Wordplay

Streetwise

  The streets can be a major source of information, aid and money, but their culture and rules of conduct are as complex as the noble courts. The Streetwise Talent indicates how versed your character is with the local rumor mill, street slang and street etiquette. It represents her savvy when among the less desirable elements of society, and determines not only how well she can survive but thrive and fit in among them.

	Novice: You know who sells what, from drugs to contraband.
	Practiced: You are accepted as one of the gang.
	Competent: You are a mover and shaker, active in street politics.
	Expert: You are respected, protected, trusted or feared on the street.
	Master: You know what happened, who did it and where they hid their stash.

  Possessed by: Bartenders, Bookies, Criminals, Detectives, Gang Members, Homeless People
  Specialties: Fencing Merchandise, Illegal Acquisition, Information, Local Area Knowledge, Gangs

Subterfuge

  This Trait determines your character's ability to conceal his motives and feelings. Moreover, it allows him to decipher the motives of others and use their own plans against them. Subterfuge is the fine art of lying, deceit and underhanded manipulation. Characters skilled in this Talent know how to call upon their best theatrics to influence situations and divert the blame without others realizing they've been manipulated.

	Novice: You rarely get caught in a lie.
	Practiced: Diversionary tactics are second nature to you.
	Competent: You can cleverly hide the truth without resorting to lies.
	Expert: You are capable of complicated plotting and manipulation.
	Master: You deceive with impunity.

  Possessed by: Casanovas, Compulsive Liars, Con Men, Lawyers, Politicians, Spies
  Specialties: Diversions, Intricate Fraud, Little White Lies, Seduction
  Other Talents: Artistic Expression, Carousing, Diplomacy, Fortune-Telling, Instruction, Interrogation, Intrigue, Intuition, Mimicry, Scrounge, Seduction, Style, Ventriloquism

Skills

  Skills are Abilities that your character has learned through direct instruction. They require that he have some formal training in the area. If your character wants to attempt a feat involving a Skill he has no rating in, roll a Dice Pool equal to the number of dots your character has in the appropriate Attribute and increase the difficulty number by one. Your lack of practice and expertise hinders your success.

Crafts

  This Skill imparts knowledge of artisan techniques in such fields as woodworking, leatherwork, glassblowing or gem cutting. With Crafts, your character can create lasting pieces of art and functional objects from various materials. The quality of these products depends on the number of Successes achieved on the roll. A character should specialize when she reaches the expert Level in this Skill, if she hasn't already chosen her field.

	Novice: You know the basics and can make something that works.
	Practiced: You can add a personal touch to your creations.
	Competent: You are respected among other artisans.
	Expert: You create items of lasting and increasing value.
	Master: You are a Michelangelo in your field.

  Possessed by: Artists, Craftsmen, Designers, Inventors
  Specialties: Carpentry, Leatherworking, Machinery, Pottery, Sculpture, Woodcarving, Sewing

Drive

  The Drive Skill represents your character's ability to operate motor vehicles, though it does not mean that she is familiar with all land vehicles. The Storyteller may raise or lower difficulty numbers based on your character's experience with a particular type of vehicle. It also implies that your character has earned a driver's license, although this need not necessarily be the case. At higher levels, you can attempt to avoid someone who's tailing you (if you know they're there), and it allows you to attempt some stunts.

	Novice: You can drive an automatic automobile.
	Practiced: You can operate a manual/shift transmission.
	Competent: You are a professional trucker or chauffeur.
	Expert: You are a race car driver.
	Master: You are a professional stunt driver.

  Possessed by: Bus Drivers, Chauffeurs, Cops, Drug Runners, Taxi Drivers, Truckers
  Specialties: Curves, Evasion, Speed, Stunts, Sudden Stops, Traffic

Etiquette

  In social and courtly situations, Etiquette can go a long toward keeping your character in the good graces of those around her. It describes how mannered your character is and how well she fits in at court, among her peers and at social functions. It is used during such actions as properly addressing a baron, approaching a redcap without insulting him, and eating with the correct fork at the charity dinner.

	Novice: You know when to shut up.
	Practiced: You fit in well most of the time.
	Competent: You rarely makes a faux-pas.
	Expert: The social graces come naturally to you.
	Master: You could take tea with High King David in the afternoon and barhop with the redcaps the same evening without missing a beat.

  Possessed by: Courtesans, Diplomats, Executives, Idle Rich, Nobles, Dilettantes
  Specialties: Business, High Society, Particular Kith (Eshu, Sidhe, etc.), Seelie or Unseelie Court

Firearms

  Skill in Firearms means that you have a broad knowledge of all guns, from a simple .22 to an Ingram Mac-10 submachine gun. It does not include the ability to operate heavy artillery. Firearms includes the ability to care for and repair guns.

	Novice: Relatively able, you have had a few lessons.
	Practiced: You are an amateur enthusiast who practices regularly.
	Competent: You win skeet-shooting and target competitions.
	Expert: You are a professional, cool and steady.
	Master: You are an expert marksman.

  Possessed by: Cops, Criminals, Detectives, Gang Members, Hunters
  Specialties: Fast Reload, Machine Guns, Pistols, Quick Draw, Rifles

Leadership

  This Skill represents your character's ability to organize and lead others. It describes to what extent she is a natural-born leader as well as her knack for emitting an aura of authority. It expresses a combination of natural ability and a command of those qualities most often assigned to leaders; confident, assertive and decisive.

	Novice: You can lead small groups.
	Practiced: You are a dominant, take-charge kind of person.
	Competent: You can lead a diverse group.
	Expert: A born leader, you attract followers with out trying.
	Master: You are a leader of nations with a broad level of influence.

  Possessed by: Cops, Executives, Gang Leaders, Military Officers, Nobles, Coaches
  Specialties: Commands, Dictatorial, Friendly, Military, Noble, Oration

Melee

  The ability to fight with a weapon is valuable in the World of Darkness. Proficiency in this Skill allows your character to use hand-held weapons. Examples of such weapons include knives, sai, saps, tonfa and swords. While Melee seems archaic in mortal society due to the prevalence of firearms, wielding most chimerical weaponry requires some expertise in it.

	Novice: You know the basics, but your trainer can still put you down.
	Practiced: You have military or knight's training.
	Competent: You can slash and parry with the best of them.
	Expert: You make a worthy opponent; trolls are grudgingly impressed.
	Master: You are a deadly opponent; dragons live in fear.

  Possessed by: Cops, Fencers, Martial Artists, Knights, Nobles, Thugs
  Specialties: Axe, Club, Disarming, Knives, Rapiers, Swords, Quarterstaff, Found Weapon (Frying Pan, Broken Bottle, etc.)

Performance

  The Performance Skill covers a broad range of artistic expression, from acting to storytelling. It assumes that your character has the basic knowledge necessary and a certain talent in the field she has chosen. As well as defining your character's expertise and creative talent, this Skill also represents her ability to captivate an audience and her stage presence, two relatively nebulous qualities. It assumes some knowledge about the technical side and the society of your character's chosen field. Characters who take this Skill should specialize when they reach Expert Level.

	Novice: An amateur, you still get a little nervous in the spotlight.
	Practiced: A natural crowd-pleaser, you can retain an audience's attention.
	Competent: You know how to work an audience.
	Expert: You are a world-renowned artist.
	Master: You could be the next Elvis, Mozart or Clark Gable.

  Possessed by: Actors, Comedians, Mimes, Musicians, Storytellers, Vocalists
  Specialties: Acting, Enchant Audience, Evoke Emotion, Instrument (specify), Storytelling, Voice

Security

  With the Security Skill, your character has a proficiency with the tools and techniques required for lock-picking, hot-wiring cars, designing and deactivating burglar alarms, and opening safes. It can be used to conduct criminal activities or, on the other side of the coin, to prevent and investigate breeches of security. The more dots your character has in Security, the more sophisticated the systems with which she is familiar.

	Novice: You can handle simple locksmithing.
	Practiced: You know how to hot-wire cars.
	Competent: You can disable or design effective house alarms.
	Expert: A safe-cracker, you can outwit laser security and cameras.
	Master: Fort Knox was unbreachable...

  Possessed by: Cops, Criminals, Detectives, Locksmiths, Security Specialists
  Specialties: Design, Electronics, Fast, Hot-wiring, Safe-cracking

Stealth

  Stealth is the ability to sneak about or hide without being noticed. Certain situational modifiers may be applied by the Storyteller and it is often rolled versus a difficulty number equal to the Perception rating of the person that isn't supposed to notice.

	Novice: You can hide in the dark.
	Practiced: You can hide in shadows.
	Competent: You can walk silently on carpet.
	Expert: You can walk silently on dry leaves.
	Master: You can camouflage yourself anywhere.

  Possessed by: Assassins, Criminals, Hunters, Reporters, Spies
  Specialties: City, In Crowds, Follow, Hide, Wilderness

Survival

  This Skill describes your character's proficiency at surviving in unfamiliar or dangerous environments. Inherent in it are the abilities to find shelter, scavenge or hunt food, and protect oneself from native predators and threats. It also encompasses tracking and finding safe passage through the area. The character should specialize at four dots in this Trait.

	Novice: A good Boy Scout, you can survive a five-mile hike.
	Practiced: You can use odd materials from the environment.
	Competent: You acclimate quickly to the surroundings.
	Expert: You are at home in nearly all environments.
	Master: You never break a sweat or go hungry.

  Possessed by: Explorers, Hunters, Park Rangers, Tribesmen, Warriors
  Specialties: Arctic, City, Forest, Hunting, Jungle, Scavenging, Tracking
  Other Skills: Animal Ken, Archery, Brewing, Climbing, Cooking/Baking, Disguise, Electronics, Escapology, Falconry, First Aid, Gambling, Hypnotism, Pickpocket, Piloting, Psychoanalysis, Repair, Ride, Sleight-of-Hand, Throwing, Torture, Traps

Knowledges

  Academic in nature, the Knowledge Abilities all represent expertise that your character has acquired through study and training, often having spent years at it. Most of them are considered professional fields, and more than likely will determine the mortal job held by your changeling. Knowledges are Abilities that require rigorous application of the mind, not the body. If you have no dots in a Knowledge, you cannot attempt a roll involving it. The only exception to this might be if the Storyteller determines that the action pertains to trivial information that anyone has a chance of knowing.

Computer

  Your character understands how to operate and possibly even program a computer. At higher levels, this may also include knowledge of designing and building a system, as well as complicated hacking. Any attempted use of a computer requires that the character have this Knowledge.

	Student: You can boot up a game.
	College: You can use word processing programs and link to the Internet.
	Masters: You are a competent programmer or software designer.
	Doctorate: You are an experienced hacker who knows the ins and outs of most systems.
	Scholar: You could probably create artificial intelligence.

  Possessed by: Hackers, Office Personnel, Programmers, Students
  Specialties: Graphics, Hacking, Programming, Retrieving Data

Enigmas

  This Knowledge represents a knack for piecing together and remembering information vital to many kinds of problem-solving. It assists your character in solving the mysteries created by the Storyteller. It is essential for divining secret pathways, understanding esoteric knowledge and answering the riddles of mystical guardians.

	Student: You can complete a jigsaw puzzle.
	College: You can guess the outcome of a mystery novel.
	Masters: You can solve Rubik's Cube in an hour.
	Doctorate: You find three correct answers to every riddle.
	Scholar: You understand the deepest mysteries of life and the universe.

  Possessed by: Crossword Devotees, Detectives, Game Players, Mystics, Zen Enthusiasts
  Specialties: Crime Mysteries, Cryptography, Life, Riddles, Verbal, Visual

Gremayre

  This Knowledge represents the character's understanding of faerie magic and lore. It can be used when creating oaths or working enchantments, or even to create new Arts. Gremayre gives a character essential comprehension into the in-depth workings of all things relating to the Dreaming.

	Student: You grasp only the most simple concepts of faerie magic.
	College: You can tell one cantrip from another.
	Masters: You understand many of the inner working of Glamour.
	Doctorate: You are well on the way to discovering lost Arts.
	Scholar: You know the deepest secrets of the Dreaming.

  Possessed by: Scholars, Sorcerers, Changeling Kings and Queens
  Specialties: Oaths, Cantrips, Enchantment, Glamour, The Dreaming

Investigation

  Whether your character is tracking down a lost relative or investigating a crime scene, this Knowledge allows her to recognize potential clues and know the procedure for procuring information and records. It provides the ability to procure evidence, perform forensic analysis and predict crime patterns.

	Student: You are an amateur detective.
	College: You are a police officer.
	Masters: You are a private detective.
	Doctorate: You put Mulder and Scully to shame.
	Scholar: You would impress Sherlock Holmes.

  Possessed by: Detectives, Insurance Investigators, Intelligence Agents, Reporters
  Specialties: Criminal Psychology, Document Research, Forensics, Serial Killers, Trailing

Law

  This Trait deals with knowledge of legal rights, jurisprudence and jargon. A high level in Law does not necessarily mean that the character is certified to practice law. Many criminals and lay people have learned about the judicial system through self-study or personal experience.

	Student: You have some practical knowledge, or you watched "Court TV."
	College: You studied pre-law, or used to sit in on court.
	Masters: You are an established lawyer, or have made serious study.
	Doctorate: You could sit on the bench.
	Scholar: The next Supreme Court seat could be yours.

  Possessed by: Cops, Court Clerks, Criminals, Detectives, Legislators
  Specialties: Kithain Law and Custom, Court, Contract, Criminal, Defense, Divorce, Litigation, Police Procedure, Prosecution

Linguistics

  Languages supplemental to your character's native language must be purchased through this Knowledge. Each level of Linguistics allows your character to speak another language fluently. It also gives the character an understanding of general linguistics and the structure of language. With this Ability, your character can attempt to identify accents or read lips.

	Student: You speak one additional language.
	College: You speak two additional languages.
	Masters: You speak three additional languages.
	Doctorate: You speak four additional languages.
	Scholar: You speak five additional languages.

  Possessed by: Diplomats, Interpreters, Scholars, World Travelers
  Specialties: Curse Words, Diplomatic, Perfect Accent, Slang, Technical

Lore

  Every supernatural group within the World of Darkness hoards its secrets from the others. Lore provides for your character's knowledge of a particular "hidden" subculture or organization, such as Kindred, Garou or Mages.
  When you purchase Lore for your character, you must name which subculture that Lore is in. You may purchase Lore as many times as you can afford. For example, Mage Lore and Kindred Lore are considered two separate Traits, and each type of Lore is treated as its own Knowledge. Likewise, knowing about mages does not necessarily entitle to know about vampires; each Lore type must be bought separately.
  Listed below is a sampling of variations from which you can choose when detailing your Lore Trait. This is not a comprehensive list, and your Storyteller has the final approval on any Lores not mentioned. Changeling Lore provides your character with specific information and details from changeling history. Dreaming Lore offers an understanding of the Dreaming, its properties and landscape. General Occult Lore refers to knowledge related directly to mortal cults, religious practices and mystical beliefs, such as voodoo, black magic and mysticism.

	Student: You possess dubious and sketchy information.
	College: You are confident in your knowledge...you think.
	Masters: You know some concrete details.
	Doctorate: You learned some things that weren't meant to be known.
	Scholar: An expert, you may be considered a liability by the subjects of the Lore.

  Possessed by: Mentors, Mystics, Scholars, Spies
  Variations: Changeling, Dauntain, Dreaming, Garou, General Occult, Mages, Wraiths, Vampires

Medicine

  Medicine is the study of the human body and the various techniques used to cure its ills. This Knowledge incorporates an understanding of the structure and functions of the body, the uses of medicine, and the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Many methods exist for treating patients, including acupuncture, aromatherapy, homeopathy, chiropractics, medicinal herbalism and standard medical practices. A character may specialize in any of these fields or assume an overall understanding of many healing methods. Medicine also implies a certain understanding of pharmaceuticals.

	Student: You can perform first aid and know techniques for stress relief.
	College: You could work as a paramedic.
	Masters: A doctor, you can diagnose and treat.
	Doctorate: You are a specialist, such as a surgeon.
	Scholar: You have renowned healing abilities.

  Possessed by: Doctors, Health Food Fanatics, Hypochondriacs, New Agers, Nurses, Paramedics, Pharmacists
  Specialties: Bedside Manner, Diseases, Emergency, Homeopathy, Neurosurgery, Pharmaceuticals

Politics

  An understanding of Kithain politics is essential for any changeling involved in the machinations of court. This Knowledge represents a familiarity with the political structure of the day, including an understanding of who is in charge and how that person got there. It also relates to mortal politics, and can be extremely useful when dealing with mortal authorities.

	Student: You are on the peripheral or a casual observer.
	College: You are a gossipmonger or a political science major.
	Masters: You are an activist or serve in city politics.
	Doctorate: You serve as abaronial advisor or have a seat on the Senate.
	Scholar: You are a court historian; Machiavelli would be impressed.

  Possessed by: Courtesans, Lawyers, Lobbyists, Nobles, Politicians, Protesters
  Specialties: City, Congress, Heraldry, Neighborhood, Seelie Court, Unseelie Court

Science

  The Knowledge of Science quantifies your character's understanding of the basic sciences: physics, chemistry, botany, biology, geology, astronomy and others. In particular, it defines the useful application of science to make things. A general expertise in all fields is considered applicable to levels one through three. Once your character has four dots, she should specialize in a particular field.

	Student: You can make smoke bombs with a chemistry set.
	College: You understand the major theories and applications of science.
	Masters: You could teach high school science classes.
	Doctorate: You might win a Nobel Prize one day.
	Scholar: You rival Albert Einstein.

  Possessed by: Engineers, Inventors, Pilots, Researchers, Technicians
  Specialties: Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Nuclear Physics, Relativity
  Other Knowledges: Alchemy, Area Knowledge, Art, Astrology, Bureaucracy, Cosmetology, Demolitions, Finance, Genealogy, Geography, History, Journalism, Literature, Military Science, Philosophy, Poisons, Psychology, Sign Language, Taxidermy, Theater, Theology

Backgrounds

  Background Traits describe the special advantages your character derives from her environment, including possessions, contacts and influences. Before randomly dumping points into whatever looks good, think about how your character came to possess these particular things. This will help you to flesh out your character and establish a more complete history and background for her.
  You can use your character's Backgrounds to obtain information, resources or favors. Some of them can be rolled in combination with an Attribute to determine the success of certain actions, such as bullying another changeling into following your orders (Manipulation + Title) or obtaining an important bit of information (Charisma + Contacts).

Chimera

  This Background is a catch-all for both chimerical items and chimerical companions that a character can possess. When purchasing this Background, the play must designate one or both of these options on the character sheet. This can be done by simply writing Chimerical Companion or Chimerical Item in the appropriate space. Characters who choose to take this Background for both may take up to five dots in both options.
  Chimerical Items:
  Every changeling instinctively creates a chimerical suit of clothing when she experiences her Chrysalis. Any chimerical items she owns beyond that must be bought by sinking points into the Chimera Background. The level of this Background that the character possesses determines what chimerical items the character may possess.

	Basic: You own a chimerical conversation piece.
	Minor: You own a chimerical item with some benefits.
	Useful: You own a useful chimerical item.
	Significant: You own a powerful chimerical item.
	Incredible: You own a chimerical item of legendary power.

  Chimerical Companions:
  Companions are the living chimera either born of a changeling's unconscious nature or purposely created through the sculpting of Glamour. Players should consult their Storytellers as to the type of Companion they have. Players should also be aware that higher level Companions have minds and personalities of their own, which may come into conflict with the character's goals. The number of dots a character has in Chimerical Companion determines how many points he has to create a companion based on the rules for chimera creation in Chapter Seven: Glamour Systems.

	Basic: You have a simple chimerical creature as a companion. (10 Points) Examples: A small patch of mold that bubbles obscenely on your shoulder, a speck of light that flitters around your head, or a sock puppet named Bob that curls up to sleep in your pocket.
	Minor: You have a semi-intelligent chimerical companion with language capabilities and its own personality. (15 Points) Examples: A small jeweled dragon with a smoking problem, a giant teddy bear with a Brooklyn accent, or a talking moon cat.
	Useful: You have a chimerical companion that can speak and communicate quite well, and that has a mind of its own, often being more of a nuisance than a help. (20 Points) Examples: A speed demon that looks like a chimerical sports car, a talking chimerical ferret that hoards shiny objects, or a small green alien that sniffs at everything it sees.
	Significant: You have a highly intelligent chimerical companion that can be of great help to you. (30 Points) Examples: A griffin that can fly, a unicorn that can appear to mortals, or an owl that quotes Shakespeare and knows the trods well enough to serve as a guide.
	Incredible: You have a chimerical companion with a sharp and quick mind and extensive magical abilities. (50 Points) Examples: An ancient djinn that can affect both the Dreaming and the real world, or a dragon with a broad variety of Redes at its disposal.

Contacts

  Your character knows certain people in useful places to whom she can turn for information and assistance. The Contacts Background defines how influential these people are and how helpful. Major contacts are friends on whom your character can rely to provide her with accurate information in their fields. When creating your character, you should describe her contacts as completely as possible, with profession and area of influence.
  This Trait also gives your character a number of minor contacts. When your character wants to get in touch with a minor contact, roll a Dice Pool equal to the number of dots you have in Contacts (base difficulty 7). For each success, she can touch base with one other minor contacts. At that point, she can attempt to bribe or charm the contact into giving her what she needs.

	Basic: You have one major contact.
	Minor: You have two major contacts.
	Useful: You have three major contacts.
	Significant: You have four major contacts.
	Incredible: You have five major contacts.

Dreamers

  Changelings gather Glamour from the Dreamers they inspire or find along the way. This Background represents the number of Dreamers your character knows and from whom he draws Glamour. These Dreamers can be used to perform a number of services, although they are not nearly as loyal or efficient as a Retinue (see the Retinue Background below).

	Basic: You benefit from one Dreamer.
	Minor: You benefit from two Dreamers.
	Useful: You benefit from four Dreamers.
	Significant: You benefit from six Dreamers.
	Incredible: You benefit from eight Dreamers.

Holdings

  Your character has inherited a faerie freehold. Such freeholds are greatly coveted by other Kithain, and you may be required to spend much of your time protecting it from squatters and other greedy changelings. Most freeholds are held by nobles, but some freeholds belong exclusively to commoners. In rare instances, a freehold may be secreted away and held by an individual, but if the nobility discover it, they will more than likely come to take it away.
  The Trait rating not only reflects the size of the freehold, but the amount of Glamour that may be gained from it each day.

	Basic: You are in charge of an insignificant freehold that produces one point of Glamour.
	Minor: You are in charge of a small freehold that produces two points of Glamour.
	Useful: You are in charge of a medium-sized freehold that produces three points of Glamour.
	Significant: You are in charge of a large freehold that produces four points of Glamour.
	Incredible: You are in charge of a huge freehold that produces five points of Glamour.

Mentor

  Changelings tend to look after one another, educating and protecting those who have recently experienced their Chrysalises. The relationship between a changeling and his mentor is often very close. A mentor can serve as an invaluable guide to changeling society.
  Mentors may also protect a changeling from danger and inform him of social opportunities. However, a mentor may expect some favors in return for the information or assistance she provides. This could be as simple as cleaning her manor or as perilous as protecting a faerie glen from Unseelie redcaps.

	Basic: Your mentor knows little of import.
	Minor: Your mentor has some noteworthy pieces of information to share.
	Useful: Your mentor has significant secrets to share.
	Significant: Your mentor has extraordinary knowledge to pass along.
	Incredible: If your mentor doesn't know it, no one probably does.

Remembrance

  Remembrance defines your character's connection to the Dreaming and her unconscious knowledge of the fae. Most Kithain have very little memory of their faerie selves or of the past lives they have lived. Those with high levels of Remembrance still retain some memories or have periodic flashbacks of previous lives.
  Anytime the character is interacting with changelings or other creatures of the Dreaming, roll a Dice Pool equal to his Remembrance rating. The number of successes can be added to the character's Etiquette Dice Pool when interacting with the person or creature. This number of successes can also determine how well a character understands the unwritten laws of faerie society and the Dreaming. In the latter case, the Storyteller may offer hints as to how the character should behave in a given situation.

	Basic: You may remember hazy bits of information when triggered by an event or other reminder.
	Minor: You can glean reasonably accurate information with a reminder.
	Useful: You have access to worthwhile lore; you experience flashbacks that deliver information without a reminder.
	Significant: You are able to remember remarkable information, including memories of important events from your past lives.
	Incredible: You have an astounding wealth of information available to you, including large portions of your past lives or even entire lifetimes.

Resources

  The Resources Background quantifies your character's financial resources or access to such funds. The resources are not always completely liquid, but your character can sell them to gain money. It may take weeks or even months to do so, depending on how much needs to be sold.
  This Background also determines your character's monthly income. Your Storyteller may ask you to define the source of your character's income, because the well might "dry up" depending on the circumstances of the chronicle.

	Basic: You might have a small savings, an apartment and a motorcycle. (Assets: $ 1,000 — Income: $500/month)
	Minor: You might have an apartment or condominium and a reliable rustbucket. (Assets: $8,000 — Income: $l,200/month)
	Useful: You might have a large savings and own a house and a nice car. (Assets: $50,000 — Income: $3,000/month)
	Significant: You are well-off and might own a large house or rundown mansion and a new car. (Assets: $500,000 — Income: $9,000/month)
	Incredible: You are a millionaire. (Assets: $5,000,000 — Income: $30,000/month)

Retinue

  Your character has one or more enchanted humans or retainers under his sway. This Retinue answers to your character and is under his control, either through enchantment or by some more mundane method of control. They will tend to be loyal to him, although some may betray him if they are ill-treated.
  Members of a changeling's retinue are not infallible. You should define them clearly and assign each a weakness. For instance, one might be very loyal, but not very skilled. Another might be powerful, but have a very independent mind. Retinue are meant to be characters in and of themselves. They should not be abused.

	Basic: You have one member in your retinue.
	Minor: You have two members in your retinue.
	Useful: You have four members in your retinue.
	Significant: You have six members in your retinue.
	Incredible: You have l0 members in your retinue.

Title

  This Trait denotes your character's rank in changeling society. Not all Kithain have a title; in fact, few rise above the rank of squire, if they attain any title at all. The Title Background bestows little in the way of actual power, but is the most important source of social influence. The holding, land that is bequeathed to a noble, is covered separately under the Holdings Background, and it is quite possible to have a landless baron or even duke.
  Usually only sidhe are granted titles, though it is possible for commoners to gain titles, especially those of squire and knight. A few commoners hold higher titles, most of these granted under the Treaty of Concord.

	Basic: You are a squire.
	Minor: You are a knight or a lady.
	Useful: You are a baron or a baroness.
	Significant: You are a count or a countess.
	Incredible: You are a duke or a duchess.

Treasures

  Treasures are mortal items that have been imbued with Glamour, thus giving them the power to perform specific Glamour-based effects. The Treasures Background allows your character to begin the game with a treasure already in her possession. Many high-level treasures are unique, meaning that there should never be more than one of their kind in a chronicle. It might have been a gift from a mentor, an incredibly lucky find at an antique shop, or a family heirloom. A treasure has both a mortal and a faerie appearance. For example, Behn'ir's Sword of Fire appears as a normal sword to mortals whereas it has a flaming blade when viewed by changelings. Since treasures are invested with Glamour, they have the effect of enchanting mortals who touch them.
  The rating of this Trait determines the power of the treasure. Although a treasure usually does only one thing in specific, the ratings below are listed in number of dots in an Art. This is to give you an idea of the types of things a treasure at that rating can do. A treasure will only do one effect. It does not have access to the Arts in the same way a changeling does. When determining your character's treasure, choose one effect based on the Art you assign to it and the level that you purchase. For example, Behn'ir's Sword of Fire is a 4-dot treasure that shatters solid objects on contact (Holly Strike). It doesn't get all the benefits of the Art. It still does normal damage to mortals and changelings. It is given one specific effect inspired by Holly Strike. Your Storyteller has the final say in approving all treasures and may wish to impose time constraints on both their activation and the duration of the effect.

	Basic: Common, one dot in an Art Examples: A lucky coin (Soothsay 1/Fair Fortune), rose-colored glasses (Chicanery 1/Fuddle), a large horseshoe magnet (Legerdemain 1/Gimmix)
	Minor: Uncommon, two dots in an Art Examples: A dunce cap that induces temporary amnesia (Chicanery 2/Fugue), a thermometer that heals as it reads the target's temperature (Primal 2/Heather Balm), a kingly scepter that allows its carrier to command others (Sovereign 2/Dictum)
	Useful: Rare, three dots in an Art Examples: A piece of chalk that when used to draw on a flat surface opens a portal (Wayfare 3/Portal Passage), a lump of clay that forms itself into whatever the holder is looking at (Legerdemain 3/Effigy), a flashlight that when turned on becomes a saber of light and causes fear in its wielder's opponent (Chicanery 3/Haunted Heart)
	Significant: Unique, four dots in an Art Examples: A shimmery veil that when worn makes the changeling invisible (Chicanery 4/Veiled Eyes), a hammer that will shatter any solid object (Primal 4/Holly Strike), a crystal ball that give glimpses of the future (Soothsay 4/Augury)
	Incredible: Unique, five dots in an Art Examples: A cigarette lighter that when flicked blinks the holder directly to whatever location he is holding in his mind (Wayfare 5/Flicker Flash), a golden picture frame that can hold any normal photo and which allows the carrier to look exactly like whatever is in the current picture (Primal 5/Elder-Form)

Tempers

  Temper Traits (Willpower, Glamour and Banality) define three fundamental aspects of your character's make-up. A character's Willpower rating determines how strong-willed she is. Her Glamour rating expresses the strength of her connection to the Dreaming and all things fae. Finally, the Banality rating represents the extent to which she has been tainted by the banal in the mundane world.
  These Traits are used differently from other types. The Temper Traits use a split scoring system, with each having both a permanent and a temporary rating. A character's permanent rating describes her total potential, whereas her temporary rating expresses her current state of being. At character genesis, you assign the character's permanent Temper rating based on her seeming and any freebie points you spend in the Trait. A character is then assumed to have a number of temporary Temper points equal to the number of permanent Temper points. Throughout the course of a chronicle, both a character's permanent and temporary Temper ratings may fluctuate.
  Although at times, your Storyteller will ask you to make a roll by adding the rating of one of your Tempers to your Dice Pool, more often than not, you will merely be spending the points from either your permanent or temporary score. Once spent, these points are lost to your character, and she must employ one of the means described in the sections below to rebuild her score.

Converting Points

  • Your character can never have more temporary Glamour or Willpower than her permanent rating in them. This does not apply to Banality, however, which has no cap on how much a character can acquire.
  • If you have no temporary points left in one of your character's Tempers (except Banality), then you may converts permanent point into a number of temporary points equal to your character's new permanent total. You cannot convert permanent Banality in this fashion.
  • If your character exceeds 10 temporary Banality points, the 10 temporary points are immediately removed and the character gains an additional point of permanent Banality. This represents a changeling's gradual, but inevitable slide into mundanity.

Willpower

  Your character's temporary and permanent Willpower ratings measure her ability to control the urges and desires that threaten to overtake her. They represent her strength of will in the face of opposition, her ability to steel herself against manipulating forces, and her determination in the face of temptation. Like the other Temper Traits, a character has both a temporary and a permanent Willpower rating.
  When you use a point of Willpower, you spend it from your temporary pool, not from your permanent pool. The permanent pool merely serves as a ceiling on the amount of spendable, temporary Willpower that a character can have and defines her maximum potential. Any time your character is required to make a Willpower roll, you should use the permanent pool unless the rule specifically says otherwise. Temporary Willpower fluctuates a great deal during play. If a character has no Willpower left, he can no longer exert himself the way he once did. He is mentally exhausted and can't rouse himself enough to give a damn.

Willpower Ratings

	Weak
	Timid
	Unassertive
	Diffident
	Certain
	Confident
	Strong-willed
	Controlled
	Iron-willed
	Unshakable

Using Willpower

  • A temporary Willpower point can purchase one automatic success on a dice roll. You may only spend one point per turn, but it gives you a single guaranteed success. Thus it is possible for your character to succeed automatically at any simple action by asserting his will. The Storyteller may prohibit such a use of Willpower in certain situations.
  • You can spend a point of temporary Willpower to have your character avoid some instinctual or primal reaction. This includes overcoming phobias, countering a supernaturally imposed urge, or controlling overwhelming emotions. You spend a point of temporary Willpower so that your character can avoid the undesirable reaction and do as he pleases. However, the Storyteller may decide that, over time, the feeling returns and the expenditure of more points may be required.
  • Temporary Willpower has the ability to contain and control the effects of Bedlam. A special kind of insanity to which many changelings succumb, Bedlam impedes a changeling's ability to think rationally and affects his perceptions. By spending a temporary Willpower point, the character can regain some of his mental faculties and for a short time, his perceptions clear. This does not cure the Bedlam, but only serves as a temporary fix.

Recovering Willpower

  Permanent Willpower points may only be purchased with experience points. A character can recover temporary Willpower, on the other hand, through a number of methods described below.
  • At the end of a story (not just a game session), as determined by the Storyteller, all characters completely regain all their temporary Willpower up to a ceiling equal to their permanent rating. The Storyteller may wish to restrict this if the characters did not come away from the story with a feeling of accomplishment and pride.
  • After a solid night's sleep, a character recovers a point of temporary Willpower. She must dream, however, and the sleep must he peaceful and uninterrupted. The character must awaken refreshed and invigorated. If the character's sleep is troubled or interrupted, the Storyteller has the option not to award the temporary Willpower point.
  • At the Storyteller's discretion, a character may regain temporary Willpower through the accomplishment of a goal related to her Quest, as dictated by her primary Legacy. The Storyteller may award from one to five temporary Willpower points depending on the grandeur of the accomplishment.

Glamour

  The stuff of dreams, the magical clay, the energy of awe, the workings of wonder, the breeze that blows the cobwebs of disbelief from our eyes — Glamour is all these things and more. The ability to live your dreams, to perceive the true and fantastic essence of the world, abides in Glamour. Everyone can create it, even normal humans. Only the fae, however, have the ability to give it form, to use it, and to wield its progeny as a weapon. Only the fae have a connection to and a command of Glamour that no other creature shares.
  Raw Glamour can take physical form, and changelings can not only perceive it, but also see its presence. It appears to changelings as multi-colored flickers and tentacles of ever-changing energy. Unlike an aura, raw Glamour does not radiate, but seems to caress over and wind through things and beings, never still, ever evolving. When imbued in a cantrip, Glamour sparks and flickers around both the caster and the target of the cantrip. For this reason, it becomes very difficult for a changeling to cast a cantrip without all other changelings present realizing exactly who did it. A changeling has to be extremely subtle to hide his use of Glamour from other creatures of the Dreaming.
  Once infused into an item or being, Glamour becomes more rigid, but nevertheless maintains a certain ethereal quality. For example, a chimerical sword swung through the air will leave a trail of shimmering Glamour behind in a wake.

Uses for Glamour

  In Changeling, a character uses Glamour to exert control over the different aspects of the Dreaming, including forming chimera and casting cantrips. For more information on the uses of Glamour, see Chapter Seven: Glamour Systems.
  • You must spend a temporary point of Glamour each time your character casts a cantrip.
  • Sometimes you can spend temporary Glamour in order to extend the duration of a cantrip.
  • You can use Glamour to create a token in order to enchant a mortal. To do so, the changeling invests a number of temporary points of Glamour into a small item, such as a ribbon or coin, equal to the number of days the changeling wishes the enchantment to last.

Gaining Glamour

  Several methods exist which allow a changeling to regain temporary Glamour. Under only the rarest of conditions can a changeling regain lost permanent Glamour.
  • Epiphany: A changeling may take Glamour from mortals or other changelings. Epiphanies are achieved through Ravaging, Rapture or Reverie. For more on this, see Chapter Seven: Glamour Systems.
  • Sanctuary: Getting a full eight hours of uninterrupted sleep within a freehold provides a character with one point of temporary Glamour. A freehold may only support a number of changelings equal to twice its level. Furthermore, the character must dream; if her sleep is troubled or disturbed, the Storyteller may choose to withhold the point.
  • Dross: Dross does not allow you to restore Glamour to either your temporary or your permanent pool, however dross can be spent in place of Glamour from your pool. See Chapter Seven for a more in-depth explanation of dross.

Losing Glamour

  Temporary Glamour is lost by spending it to fuel the special effects your character achieves. Permanent Glamour is lost as your character ages. A childling who becomes a wilder loses one permanent Glamour, as does a wilder who becomes a grump. This marks a changeling's gradual slide toward mundanity as he grows older.

Banality

  Television, doctors, lines at the bank, money machines, traffic, malls — all of these things carry the taint of Banality and negatively affect changelings. Anything that removes the wonder from the eyes of a child, anything that teaches us not to believe in magic or faeries is a source of Banality in the world and is a bane to changelings. The effect of Banality upon a character is measured by her temporary Banality rating. It describes to what extent the mundane world has tainted the character's ability to dream and to find wonder in the things around him.

Effects of Banality

  • If your character's temporary Banality score ever exceeds his permanent Glamour score, he begins to slip into the Mists, reverting to his mortal seeming and forgetting that he is Kithain. This generally only occurs between stories, when the character is not actively involved with other changelings.
  • Banality hangs over mortals and supernatural beings like a shield of disbelief. In order to use Glamour on someone or something, the character must fight against the target's Banality. Most humans have Banality ratings of 7 or higher.
  • In order to enchant someone, a changeling must first overcome the target's Banality. The difficulty number for the enchantment must be equal to or greater than the target's Banality rating, at the Storyteller's discretion.
  • When a character attempts to affect a target with a cantrip, the target's Banality will affect the chance of success. The difficulty number for cantrips should reflect the target's Banality; it should be either the normal difficulty as determined by the Storyteller or equal to the target's Banality rating, whichever is higher.
  • Beings that have a Banality rating of 8 or higher actually physically affect changelings. Changelings may become nauseous, experience headaches or just get very edgy and belligerent. This occurs especially if a changeling spends any time in the company of high Banality people, and gets progressively worse the longer the changeling stays. As a general rule, normal mortals and others with ratings of 7 or lower, do not have this effect.

Gaining Banality

  • Gain a temporary point of Banality whenever your character uses her own Banality to resist a cantrip.
  • If your character attempts to overcome a being's Banality and fails, she gains a temporary point of Banality.
  • Destroying treasures and some chimera can cause your character to gain temporary Banality.
  • Killing a changeling's chimerical form causes your character to gain one temporary Banality; ending the changeling's mortal life as well adds another point of Banality.
  • Spending time in the company of high Banality will rub off on your character and give her temporary Banality. At the Storyteller's discretion, a character may gain temporary Banality based on the Banality rating of the being, item or place around which the changeling is spending time. As a guideline, a character may earn a point of temporary Banality for each point the other has above 7, per scene spent there.
  • The Storyteller may arbitrarily assign you temporary Banality if she thinks your character is being too mundane.
  • If your temporary Banality ever exceeds 10, you gain a permanent point of Banality.

Getting Rid of Banality

  • Any time a character is supposed to gain a temporary point of Banality, he can choose to add a Nightmare die to his cantrip pool instead. This is further described in Chapter Seven.
  • When you gain a temporary Glamour point, you can choose to remove a temporary Banality point instead. The moment when you acquire the temporary Glamour point is the only time you can make this exchange.
  • With the Storyteller's approval, your character may decide to undertake a quest that will effectively reduce his permanent Banality. These quests usually involve an oath, which will bind the changeling to the task and punish him for an unsuccessful completion. Once decided upon, the quest must be completed successfully, or the character gains a point of permanent Banality rather than losing one. Any one of three types of quests will serve this purpose, but the details of the quest must be approved by the Storyteller:
  The Quest of Deed: The Kithain must swear to undertake some task, such as recovering a lost item or rescuing someone.
  The Quest of Inspiration: An individual is chosen and the changeling must spend the next several months or years (however long it takes) to bring that person to greatness. The Kithain may not interfere directly in any way; she may only inspire.
  The Quest of Dreaming: A changeling may attempt to bring the Dreaming into a mortal's life. An individual is chosen, generally one firmly entrenched in his own Banality. The Kithain must then bring the mortal back to living with a sense of joy, awe and wonder about the world around him, much like the angel did in "It's a Wonderful Life." This process could take years or a single night, as in "A Christmas Carol," depending on the cleverness of the changeling. However, once a changeling has brought a mortal around, that mortal becomes his responsibility, and if ever the mortal should fall back into the clutches of Banality, the changeling has a duty to re-establish the miracle.

Health

  Changelings pass their lifetimes in normal human bodies. This means that damage and healing times most often affect them the way they would any mortal. Although changelings have access to some healing magic, they are largely dependent on their human bodies as their only shield against damage.
  A character's Health Trait measures how injured that character is. There are various levels of wounds, each applying a different penalty to the injured character. As the character becomes more injured, his ability to perform is hindered. Thus, a character who is Hurt loses one die from his Dice Pool; a character who is Crippled has five fewer dice to roll. If the Health penalties leave the character with no dice left to roll, then he cannot take that action. More information on healing and damaged can be found in Chapter Eight: Dramatic Systems.
  Bruised: (0) The character is only bruised and has no action penalties.
  Hurt: (-1) The character is mildly hurt; movement isn't hindered.
  Injured: (-1) The character has sustained a minor injury; there is little hindrance to movement.
  Wounded: (-2) The character has been seriously wounded; he cannot run, but can still walk.
  Mauled: (-2) The character has taken substantial damage; he can barely hobble.
  Crippled: (-5) The character is seriously injured and can only drag himself, unable to stand.
  Incapacitated: The character has been rendered unconscious or is so severely wounded that he is completely incapable of action or movement.

Merits and Flaws

  Merits and Flaws are new character Traits that add spice to your Changeling chronicle. Merits provide characters with some benefit, while Flaws act to their detriment. Some of these Traits will have little effect on a game beyond a dash of style; others could unbalance a chronicle or completely change its direction. Powerful Merits or Flaws will shape a character's destiny and any relationships she has.
  When you create a character in Changeling, you are given 15 freebie points to assign to whatever Traits you like in order to give your character the finishing touches that make her unique. The optional system of Merits and Flaws expands on this idea and further allows you to personalize your character.
  Merits may be purchased only with freebie points and only during character conception. Flaws provide additional freebies to spend, again, only during initial conception. A maximum of seven points of Flaws may be taken, limiting potential freebie points to a total of 22. Some Merits and Flaws have variable point costs; these Traits offer more options for character creation.
  Merits and Flaws are provided to flesh out a character and add new story hooks and details, not to allow power-gamers to mini-max their characters into war-machines. Players should make sure that the Storyteller allows these options in the chronicle before creating characters based around these options. Each chronicle is individual and unique, so there is no telling what restrictions or changes the Storyteller has in mind. There is no right or wrong way, only ways that work for everyone concerned.

Psychological

  These Merits and Flaws deal with the psychological makeup of your character, and may describe ideals, motivations or pathologies. Some psychological Flaws can be temporarily ignored by spending a Willpower point, and are so noted. If you possess such a Flaw and do not roleplay it when the Storyteller thinks you should, then she may tell you that you have spent a point of Willpower for the effort. Flaws cannot be conveniently ignored.

Code of Honor: (1 point Merit)

  You have a personal code of ethics to which you strictly adhere. You can automatically resist most temptations that would bring you in conflict with your code. When battling supernatural persuasion (Mind magick, vampiric Dominate or Chicanery) that would make you violate your code, you either gain three extra dice to resist or your opponent's difficulties are increased by two (Storyteller's choice). You must construct your own personal code of honor in as much detail as you can, outlining the general rules of conduct by which you abide.

Higher Purpose: (1 point Merit)

  All changelings have some vision of their path, but you have a special commitment to it. Your chosen goal drives and directs you in everything. You do not concern yourself with petty matters and casual concerns, because your higher purpose is everything. Though you may sometimes be driven by this purpose and find yourself forced to behave in ways contrary tothe needs of personal survival, it can also grant you great personal strength. You gain two extra dice on any roll that has something to do with this higher purpose. Decide what your higher purpose is, and make sure you discuss it with the Storyteller. You may not take this Merit if you have the Flaw Driving Goal.

Addiction: (1-3 point Flaw)

  You are addicted to any one of a variety of things. A one-point Flaw would be a mild addiction to an easily obtained substance, such as caffeine, nicotine or alcohol. A two-point Flaw would be either a severe addiction to any easily obtained substance, or any "mild" drug, such as painkillers, sleeping pills or marijuana. A three-point Addiction involves the heavy street drugs or hard-to-find drugs. The need for these drugs varies from once a day for some to two to three times a day for others, depending on the strength of the drug and the addiction. If, for whatever reason, you are denied access to the drug, you lose the number of dice equal to the level of your addiction (one, two or three) until you receive your "fix." If you are deprived of the drugs for an extended length of time, you will be forced to make a Willpower check (difficulty of 4 for the first day, + 1 for each additional day). If you fail, you will forgo everything and forcibly go seeking the drug. This would be an easy way for you to be either controlled or forced to do favors for your supplier, especially if the drug is hard to obtain due to its rarity or price.

Compulsion: (1 point Flaw)

  You have a psychological compulsion of some sort, which can cause you a number of different problems. Your compulsion may be for cleanliness, perfection, bragging, stealing, gaming, exaggeration or just talking. A compulsion can be temporarily avoided at the cost of a Willpower point, but it is in effect at all other times.

Dark Secret: (1 point Flaw)

  You have some sort of secret that, if uncovered, would be of immense embarrassment to you and would 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 will begin to lose its impact.

Intolerance: (1 point Flaw)

  You have an unreasoning dislike of a certain thing. This may be an animal, a class of person, a color, a situation or just about anything else. The difficulties of all dice rolls involving the subject are increased by two. Note that some dislikes may be too trivial to be reflected here — a dislike of left-handed Lithuanian plumbers or tissue paper, for instance, will have little effect on play in most chronicles. The Storyteller is the final arbiter on what you can pick to dislike.

Nightmares: (1 point Flaw)

  You experience horrendous nightmares every time you sleep, and memories of them haunt you during your waking hours. Sometimes the nightmares are so bad they cause you to lose one die on all your actions tor the next night (Storyteller's discretion). Some of the nightmares may be so intense that you mistake them for reality. A crafty Storyteller will be quick to take advantage of this.

Overconfident: (1 point Flaw)

  You have an exaggerated and unshakable opinion of your own worth and capabilities. You never hesitate to trust your abilities, even in situations where you risk defeat. Because yourabilities may not be enough, such overconfidence can be very dangerous. When you do fail, you quickly find someone or something else to blame. If you are convincing enough, you can infect others with your overconfidence.

Phobia (Mild): (1 point Flaw)

  You have an overpowering fear of something. You instinctively and illogically retreat from and avoid the object of your fear. Common objects of phobias include certain animals, insects, crowds, open spaces, confined spaces and heights. You must make a Willpower roll whenever you encounter the object of your fear. The difficulty of this roll is determined by the Storyteller. If you fail the roll, you must retreat from the object.

Shy: (1 point Flaw)

  You are distinctly ill at ease when dealing with people and try to avoid social situations whenever possible. The difficulties of all rolls concerned with social interactions are increased by one; the difficulties of any rolls made while you are the center of attention are increased by two. Don't expect your character to make a public speech.

Speech Impediment (1 point Flaw)

  You have a stammer or some other speech impediment that hampers verbal communication. The difficulties of all relevant rolls are increased by two. Do not feel obliged to roleplay this impediment all the time, but in times of stress, or when dealing with outsiders, you should attempt to simulate it. Sluagh may not purchase this Flaw in respect to their Frailty.

Curiosity: (2 point Flaw)

  You are a naturally curious person, and find mysteries of any sort irresistible. In most circumstances, you find that your curiosity easily overrides your common sense. To resist the temptation, make a Wits roll (difficulty 5) for simple things like, "I wonder what is in that cabinet." Increase the difficulty up to 9 for things like, "I wonder what those strange sounds coming from the Unseelie duke's freehold are. I'll just slip in and check it out — no one will ever know. What could possibly go wrong?"

Obsession: (2 point Flaw)

  There is something you like, love or are fascinated by to the point where you often disregard common sense to cater to this drive. You react positively to anything related to your obsession, even if it's not in your best interests. For example, if you are obsessed with supernatural creatures, you will go out of your way to talk to and befriend vampires, werewolves and stranger things, and find out as much as you can about them, disregarding all warnings. If you are obsessed with Elvis, you have your house decorated with black velvet paintings and annoy your friends with your constant talk about the King. You don't necessarily believe that Elvis is still alive, but you buy every supermarket tabloid that carries an article about him anyway. There are many other obsessions, including British royalty, guns, football, roleplaying games...you know the type.

Sadism/Masochism: (2 point Flaw)

  You are excited either by causing pain or receiving it. In many situations, you will seek either to be hurt or hurt someone for your pleasure. For a masochist (someone who enjoys pain), your soak roll for actual physical damage is increased by one because you really want to feel the pain. A sadist (someone who likes to hurt others) must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 5) to stop combat (modified depending on how much you are into the attack and how much you are enjoying hurting the other person). If you fail, you are so caught up in the event that you are unaware of anything else happening around you.

Vengeance: (2 point Flaw)

  You have a score to settle — a freehold was wiped out, a friend was corrupted, a parent was slain... You are obsessed with wreaking vengeance on the guilty party. Revenge is your first priority in all situations. The need for vengeance can only be overcome by spending Willpower points, and even then, it only temporarily subsides. Someday you may have your revenge, but the Storyteller won't make it easy.

Wyld Mind: (2 point 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.

Flashbacks: (3 point Flaw)

  You are prone to flashbacks if you are in either high-pressure situations or circumstances that are similar to the event that caused the flashback itself. Flashbacks can be caused by almost any trauma — torture, extended combat or repeated drug experimentation. Either positive or negative stimulation could result in an episode. Emotional anxiety and stress are the usual catalysts for the flashbacks to begin. 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 are not aware of what is really around you. Even people speaking to you will be viewed as people or objects from the vision. You can mistake men for women, people for animals and even inanimate objects for people. To you, reality has shifted, and you are back there again.

Driving Goal: (3 point Flaw)

  You have a personal goal, which sometimes compels and directs you in startling ways. The goal is always limitless in depth, and you can never truly achieve it. It could be to restore equality for commoners or return to Arcadia. Because you must work toward your goal throughout the chronicle (though you can avoid it for short periods by spending Willpower), it will get you into trouble and may jeopardize other actions. Choose your driving goal carefully, as it will direct and focus everything you character does.

Hatred: (3 point Flaw)

  You have an unreasoning hatred of a certain thing. This hate is total and largely uncontrollable. You may hate a species of animal, a class of person, a color, a situation or just about anything else, and you constantly pursue opportunities to harm the hated object or to gain power over it.

Lifesaver: (3 point Flaw)

  You believe that human life is a sacred gift, and will not take a person's life except in the most extreme of circumstances. You may not ever willingly endanger the lives of innocents or in any way participate in a killing. You have no problems with killing animals (for the right reasons), and will kill evil and inhuman creatures to protect others if necessary. (Be very careful, however, with your definition of "evil"...) Senseless death in all forms repulses you, and you feel that those who commit murder should be punished.

Phobia (Severe): (3 point Flaw)

  You have an overpowering fear of something. Common objects of fear include certain animals, insects, crowds, open spaces, confined spaces, heights and so on. You must make a Willpower roll not to freak out when faced with the object of your fear. The difficulty depends on the circumstances. If you fail the roll, you must retreat in terror from the object of fear. If you score less than three successes, you will not approach it. The Storyteller has final say over which phobias are allowed in a chronicle.

Mental

  These Merits and Flaws deal with the mind, its strengths, weaknesses and special capacities. These Merits and Flaws should be carefully considered before taken because of the degree of effect they may have both on the character and on the story.

Common Sense: (1 point Merit)

  You have a significant amount of practical, everyday wisdom. Whenever you are about to do something contrary to common sense, the Storyteller should alert you to how your potential action might violate practicality. This is an ideal Merit if you are a novice player because it allows you to receive advice from the Storyteller concerning what you can and cannot do, and (even more importantly) what you should and should not do.

Concentration: (1 point Merit)

  You have the ability to focus your mind and shut out any distractions or annoyances, above and beyond the norm. Any penalty to a difficulty or Dice Pool arising from a distraction or other inauspicious circumstance is limited to two dice, though no extra benefits are gained if only one penalty die is imposed.

Lightning Calculator: (1 point Merit)

  You have a natural affinity with numbers and a talent for 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. Another possible use for this ability, assuming you have numbers on which to base your conclusions, is the ability to calculate the difficulty of certain tasks. In appropriate situations, you may ask the Storyteller to estimate the difficulty rating of a task you are about to perform.

Eidetic Memory: (2 point Merit)

  You can remember things seen and heard with perfect detail. By gaining at least one success on an Intelligence + Alertness roll, you can recall any sight or sound accurately, even if you heard it or glanced at it only once (although the difficulty of such a feat would be high). Five successes enable you to recall an event perfectly: The Storyteller relates to you exactly what was seen or heard.

Iron Will: (3 point Merit)

  When you are determined and your mind is set, nothing can divert you from your goals. You cannot be Dominated, and wraiths, mages and other changelings using mental attacks against you gain an additional + 3 to their difficulties if you are aware of them and resisting. However, the additional mental defense costs you one Willpower per turn. Even if you are unaware of the attempt, anyone attempting to magically influence you must add + 1 to their difficulty.

Self-Confident: (5 point Merit)

  When you spend a point of Willpower to gain an automatic success, your self-confidence may allow you to gain the benefit of that expenditure without actually losing the Willpower point. When you declare that you are using a point of Willpower and roll for successes, you do not lose the point of Willpower unless you fail. This will also prevent you from botching, but only if you declare that you are spending the Willpower point before you roll. This Merit may only be used when you need confidence in your abilities in order to succeed. You can use it only when the difficulty of your roll is 6 or higher. You may spend Willpower at other times; however, if the difficulty is 5 or less, the Merit will not help you.

Amnesia: (2 poinr Flaw)

  You are unable to remember anything about your past, yourself or your family. Your life is a blank slate. However, your past may some day 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 without specifying what they are. The Storyteller can supply the details. Over the course of the chronicle, you and your character will slowly discover them.)

Confused: (2 point Flaw)

  You are often confused, and the world seems to be a very distorted and twisted place. Sometimes you are simply unable to make sense of things. You need to roleplay this behavior all the time to a small degree, but your confusion becomes especially strong whenever stimuli surround you (such as when a number of different people talk all at once, or you enter a nightclub with loud, pounding music). You may spend Willpower to override the effects of your confusion, but only temporarily.

Absent-Minded: (3 point 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.

Awareness

  These Merits and Flaws involve perception (or the lack thereof).

Acute Senses: (1 point Merit)

  You have exceptionally sharp hearing, smell, vision or taste. The difficulties of all dice rolls that relate to the sense in question (e.g., Perception + Awareness to hear a faint noise, taste poison in food or see an oncoming attacker) are decreased by two.

Color Blindness: (1 point Flaw)

  You can only see in black and white. Color means nothing to you, although you are sensitive to color density, which you perceive as shades of gray. Note: color blindness actually indicates an inability to distinguish between two colors, but we fudged a bit for the sake of playability.

Hard of Hearing: (1 point Flaw)

  Your hearing is defective. The difficulties of all dice rolls related to hearing are increased by two. You may not take the Merit Acute Hearing if you take this Flaw.

Bad Sight: (2 point Flaw)

  Your sight is defective. The difficulties of all dice rolls related to vision are increased by two. This Flaw is neither near-sightedness nor farsightedness — it is a minor form of blindness. The impairment is not correctable.

Deaf: (4 point Flaw)

  You cannot hear sound, and automatically fail any rolls that require hearing.

Blind: (6 point Flaw)

  You automatically fail all dice rolls involving vision. You cannot see — the world of color and light is lost to you.

Aptitudes

  These Merits and Flaws establish special capacities and abilities for your character, or modify the effects and powers of your character's other Traits.

Animal Magnetism: (1 point Merit)

  You are especially attractive to others. You receive a -2 to your difficulty on Seduction or Subterfuge rolls. However, this will aggravate others of your gender.

Ambidexterous: (1 point Merit)

  You have a high degree of off-hand dexterity and can perform tasks with the "wrong" hand at no penalty. The normal penalty for using both hands at once to perform different tasks (e.g., fighting with a weapon in each hand) is at a + 1 difficulty for the "right" hand and a + 3 difficulty for the other hand.

Computer Aptitude: (l point Merit)

  You have a natural affinity with computers, so the difficulties of all rolls to repair, construct or operate them are reduced by two.

Crack Driver: (1 point Merit)

  You have a natural affinity with driving motorized wheeled vehicles, such as cars, 18-wheelers and even tractors. The difficulties of all rolls requiring risky or especially difficult driving maneuvers are reduced by two.

Mechanical Aptitude: (1 point Merit)

  You are naturally adept with all kinds of mechanical devices (note that this aptitude does not extend to electronic devices, such as computers). The difficulties of all dice rolls to understand, repair or operate any kind of mechanical device are reduced by two. However, this Merit doesn't help you drive any sort of vehicle. This Merit affects a characters aptitude with chimerical mechanical objects just as well as the mundane.

Poison Resistance (1 point Merit)

  You have, for some reason or another, become resistant to poisons. It could be that you are somehow naturally resistant, or that you have spent years building up your resistance 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.

Natural Linguist: (2 point Merit)

  You have a flair for languages. This Merit does not allow you to learn more languages than the number permitted by your Linguistics score, but you may add three dice to any Dice Pool involving languages (both written and spoken).

Daredevil: (3 point Merit)

  You are good at taking risks, and are even better at surviving them. All difficulties are - 1 whenever you try something particularly dangerous, and you can ignore one botch result when you roll "ones" on such actions (you can cancel a single "one" that is rolled, as if you have an extra success).

Fast Learner: (3 point Merit)

  You learn very quickly, and pick up on new things faster than most do. You gain one extra experience point at the conclusion of each story (not each game session).

Perfect Balance: (3 point Merit)

  Your sense of balance has achieved great heights by constant training or inherited traits. It is very unlikely that you will ever fall during your life. You may trip, but you will 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. It would take a lot to push or shove a character off his feet if he has this Merit.

Jack-Of-All-Trades: (5 point Merit)

  You have a large pool of miscellaneous skills and knowledge obtained through your extensive travels, the jobs you've held, or just all-around know-how. You automatically have one dot in all Skill and Knowledge Dice Pools. This is an illusory level, used only to simulate a wide range of abilities. If you train or spend experience in the Skill or Knowledge, you must pay the point cost for the first level a "second time" before raising the Skill or Knowledge to two dots.

Supernatural

  These Merits and Flaws are different kinds of supernatural benefits or detriments. Because of the potential of these particular Traits, the Storyteller may not allow you to choose from this category — ask before you pick one. Furthermore, you should not select such Traits unless they firmly fit your character concept, and you can explain why your character possesses them. In general, we do not recommend that anyone have more than one or two supernatural Merits or Flaws — they should be strictly controlled by the Storyteller.

Geas: (1-5 point Flaw)

  You are under some kind of 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 that you have inherited, or it may have been imposed on you by a changeling using the Sovereign Art. The difficulty of the geas determines how great a Flaw it is. Something minor, such as a Ban against harming animals or a requirement to give occasionally to charity, would only be worth one point. More difficult geasa are worth more points. A five-point geas is something that rules your entire life, like a Ban against sleeping in the same place more than one night or 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.

Surreal Quality: (2 point Flaw)

  Though the Mists still protect you from mortal detection, there is something about you that mortals find fascinating. At inappropriate times, they will stare at you and strike up conversations in the hopes of getting to know you better. Worse still, those mortals who are of less savory nature will choose you over other potential targets for their illicit acts.

Echoes: (2-5 point Flaw)

  Your connection to the Dreaming is stronger than in most of the Kithain. As a result of this powerful connection, you are more susceptible to the ancient wives' tales of things which traditionally affect faeries. While Echoes is purchased as a Flaw, it often has some beneficial side effects. The points received with this Flaw reflect the level of your connection to the Dreaming and even to Arcadia. You must have Storyteller approval in order to take this Flaw. 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 offers a mortal from faerie powers. The same is true of bread. Any mortal who does so cannot be affected by your cantrips in any way for the duration of the scene. You may physically hurt the person, but cantrips simply do not work, or worse, they may well backfire. Additionally any mortal knowing your full name can command three tasks from you, which you must accomplish before you can be freed of that mortal's influence. However, you need only follow the exact wording of the mortal's request, not the desire behind the request. (Two points)
  • Moderate: You may not enter a home without invitation, unless you perform some small favor for the owners of the dwelling. However, 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 place whether you are invited or not; religious symbols have the same effect. Religious symbols of any sort 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 there is only pain, but as a four-point Flaw, the changeling gains one point of Banality for every turn he is forced to endure the sound). (Three points)
  • Serious: Four-leaf clovers in the possession of a mortal prevent you from using your Arts against that mortal for good or for bad. However, four-leaf clovers picked by you are sure to bring good luck (you cannot botch, or perhaps you temporarily gain the favor of a powerful individual) for as long as the petals of the clover remain intact. The clover must be worn or carried in order for this luck to remain. 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 a cross 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. (Four points)
  • Extreme: Wherever you dwell, mushrooms tend to 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. By the reverse, 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. (Five points)

Iron Allergy: (3-5 point Flaw)

  Most of the Kithain only suffer pain and Banality when in contact with cold iron. You suffer from actual wounds. Cold iron reacts like superheated steel when touching your skin. The very least you will endure is severe blistering. 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 every three turns in contact with cold iron. As a five-point Flaw, you suffer this damage if you stand within a foot of the iron and you will take one Health Level of aggravated damage for every turn spent in contact with cold iron.

Iron Resistance: (4 point Merit)

  Cold iron has no physical effect on you. You may touch cold iron and feel no excruciating pain, not even a tingle. However, constant exposure to the metal will still cause you to suffer Banality. This is a double-edged sword, as you may not realize when you are sitting on a cold iron bench or leaning against a fence made of the foul metal. A Perception + Intelligence roll (difficulty 7) is required to avoid exposing yourself to the dangerous element in any new setting where it is present.

Regeneration: (7 point Merit)

  Your faerie nature is very strong, 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 wounds can be regenerated at a rate of one Health Level per hour. While in a freehold, your wounds heal at twice this speed. Wounds inflicted by cold iron are not affected by this Merit.

Chimerical Magnet: (5 point Flaw)

  For some reason, chimera notice you more often than usual. In some cases this is of benefit, but more often than not this Flaw 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 surround you constantly, often making you the butt of their harmless but annoying pranks.

Past Life: (1-5 point Merit)

  You can remember one or more of your previous incarnations. This can be as simple as constant deja vu in places known to your past lives, or as complex as conscious, waking memories of being another person. In practical terms, this means that your character (and therefore you the player) knows slightly more about whatever situations the dead memories contain. You might know your way around the past life's hometown, or back away from your murderer without knowing why. This is a good Background for beginning players; the Storyteller can tell them that something they are about to do is stupid, dangerous or both, because even if the character wouldn't logically know that, one of her past lives might. However, this Background cannot be used to "remember" Abilities.
  The Storyteller can, and likely should, take the opportunity to flesh out one or more of these past selves with you. Unless the memory is very detailed, your character isn't likely to know everything about that past.
  • One point — Deja vu memories of one life
  • Two points — Dreamy, vague memories of one life, with deja vu from several lives
  • Three points — Vague memories of several lives and one or two well-remembered impressions from one life
  • Four points — Several well-remembered impressions from many lives
  • Five points — A clear but broken thread of memories back to the Mythic Age and beyond...

True Love: (1 point Merit)

  You have discovered, and possibly lost (at least temporarily) a true love. Nonetheless, this love provides joy in an arid existence usually devoid of such enlightened emotions. 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. Also, the power of your love may be powerful enough to protect you from other supernatural forces (Storyteller's discretion). However, your true love may also be a hindrance and require aid (or even rescue) from time to time. Be forewarned: this is a most exacting Merit to play over the course of a chronicle.

Danger Sense: (2 point Merit)

  You have a sixth sense that warns you of danger. When you are in danger, the Storyteller should make a secret roll against your Perception + Alertness; the difficulty depends on the remoteness of the danger. If the roll succeeds, the Storyteller tells you that you have a sense of foreboding. Multiple successes may refine the feeling and give an indication of direction, distance or nature.

Medium: (2 point Merit)

  You possess the natural affinity to sense and hear spirits, ghosts and shades. Though you cannot see them, you feel their presence and are able to speak with them when they are in the vicinity. It is even possible for you to summon them (through pleading and cajoling) to your presence. Spirits will not simply aid you or give you advice for free — they will always want something in return.

Spirit Mentor: (3 point Merit)

  You have a ghostly companion and guide. This spirit is able to employ a number of minor powers when it really struggles to exert itself (see Haunted, below), but for the most part, its benefit to you is through the advice it can give. This ghost is the incorporeal spirit of someone who was once living, perhaps even someone particularly famous or wise. The Storyteller will create the ghost character, but will not reveal to you its full powers and potencies. Mentors of this sort are not true Mentors of the Arts, but might give special insights into aspects of mortal life that changelings have missed or forgotten. (Further ideas for this Merit can be obtained from Wraith: The Oblivion.)

Werewolf/Vampire Companion: (3 point Merit)

  You have a friend and ally who just happens to be a werewolf or vampire. Though you may call upon this being in time of need, she also has the right to call upon you (after all, you are friends). Neither your kind nor hers appreciate such a relationship; while changelings deal with the Prodigals often, all sides share a healthy distrust of each other. Your friend will not become a walking Glamour battery for greedy changelings. Such relationships often end badly... The Storyteller will create the character in question, and will not reveal its full powers and potencies.

Luck: (3 point Merit)

  You were born lucky; either you have a guardian angel, or maybe the Devil looks after his own. Either way, you can repeat three failed non-magical rolls per story. Only one repeat attempt may be made on any single roll.

Unbondable: (4 point Merit)

  You are immune to being Blood Bound. No matter how much vampire blood you drink, you will never be Bound to one. This is exceedingly rare, and the Merit should be carefully considered by Storytellers before it is allowed into the game.

Art Affinity: (5 point Merit)

  You are 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 that you have managed to draw a small portion of that knowledge through into this lifetime.
  Select an Art; when spending experience points to gain levels in that Art, you pay three-quarters the normal cost. This Art must be declared during character conception. Of course, this Merit may only be purchased once.

Faerie Eternity: (5 point Merit)

  After you went through your Chrysalis, you had a birthday, and then another, and then another. Something was strange, however — you didn't seem to be growing or getting older. You are touched with a vestige of the immortality that used to be 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. Should your fae seeming be permanently destroyed, or should you retreat into Banality, you will begin to age normally.

Guardian Angel: (6 point Merit)

  Someone or something watches over you and protects you from harm. You have no idea who or what it is, but you have an idea that someone is looking out for you. In times of great need, you may be supernaturally protected. However, one can never count upon a guardian angel. The Storyteller must decide why you are being watched and what is watching you (not necessarily an angel, despite the name).

Throwback (1-5 point Flaw)

  One or more of your past lives still affects you... badly. Their fears come back to haunt you in your dreams, and you have flashbacks of their worst memories (such as their death, or, even worse, a personality that encroaches on your own). For bad dreams or flashbacks, take one to two points depending on the severity of the condition and how much it will affect your studies or performance in dangerous situations. For a "roommate in your head," take three points (whether you know he exists or not). For the package deal and a truly miserable existence, take five points, but expect the Storyteller to take every opportunity to use these against you. This Flaw can be "worked off during the course of play, but only with difficulty.

Cursed: (1-5 point Flaw)

  You have been cursed by someone or something with supernatural or magical powers. This curse is specific and detailed. It cannot be dispelled without extreme effort, and it can be life-threatening. Some examples follow:
  • If you pass on a secret that was told to you, your betrayal will later harm you in some way. (One point)
  • You stutter uncontrollably when you try to describe what you have seen or heard. (Two points)
  • Tools often break or malfunction when you attempt to use them. (Three points)
  • You are doomed to make enemies of those to whom you become most attached (so whatever you do, don't get too close to the other characters!). (Four points)
  • Every one of your accomplishments or achievements will eventually, inevitably, become soiled and fail in some way. (Five points)

Mystical Prohibition or Imperative: (1-5 point Flaw)

  There is something you must or must not do, and your life, your luck, your magic and perhaps your very soul depends on it. It may be something that has always been upon you, a geas prophesied by Druids at your birth, a sacred oath or vow you swore, or a promise or bargain you made. Someone (with a capital S) witnessed it and is going to hold you to it. If you disobey, the consequences will be dire, if not deadly.
  Characters may have several magical prohibitions or imperatives, and these may come into conflict. In Celtic myth, Cuchulainn had the geas to "Never refuse hospitality" and "Never eat dog meat." Three hags once offered him roast dog for dinner, and Cuchulainn died soon after. Consequently, most changelings keep their magical prohibitions and imperatives secret, lest they be used against them by enemies.
  Storytellers should examine each prohibition or imperative 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 red-haired 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. Characters and Storytellers may come up with variants of these.
  Traditionally, there is very little that may be done about geas, which are simply facets of one's destiny, and curses are devilishly hard to lift (and the Flaw must be bought off if they are). Characters who accidentally violate them may attempt to atone for their crime, fixing whatever they did wrong. A witch who has vowed to never eat any red meat, and then suddenly finds beef in her soup, might be able to atone for the trespass by fasting and sending checks to PETA. However, if a changeling violates an oath willingly and with full knowledge — and survives — he becomes an oathbreaker, one of the foulest epithets among changelings. Oathbreakers are psychically marked. It is virtually impossible for them to find a tutor or any sort of aid.
  Characters who wish to begin as oathbreakers should take the Flaw Dark Fate or some curse, as well as Oathbreaker, worth four points.

The Bard's Tongue: (1 point 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. However, 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 from the strain of resisting (especially if you bite a hole in your tongue).

Haunted: (3 point Flaw)

  You are haunted by a ghost that only you (and mediums) can see and hear. It actively dislikes you and enjoys making your life miserable by insulting, berating and distracting you, especially when you need to keep your cool. It also has a number of minor powers it can use against you (once per story for each power): hiding small objects; bringing a "chill" over others, making them very ill at ease with you; causing a loud buzzing in your ear or the ears of others; moving a small object such as a knife or pen; breaking a fragile item such as a bottle or mirror; tripping you or making eerie noises, such as chains rattling. Yelling at the ghost can sometimes drive it away, but it will confuse those who are around you. The Storyteller will likely personify the ghost in order to make things all the more frustrating for you. (More ideas for this Flaw can be obtained from Wraith: The Oblivion.)

Poetic Heart: (3 point Merit)

  You have a truly inspired soul within you. You are destined to be a great hero or artist, and therefore Glamour shields you from the ravages of Banality. At times you may even be able to stave off the tide of Banality. You may make a Willpower roll (difficulty equal to the character's permanent Banality to avoid gaining a point of temporary Banality once per story.)

Cleared Mists: (3 point Flaw)

  The Mists are the effect of the Shattering on the human world. It cloaks the powers and enchantments of the Kithain, hiding their presence in its tendrils. Unfortunately, the Mists do not hide your magic or abilities. Should a mortal witness your actions, he will not forget the effects of your Arts or other fae abilities. As a result, you may reveal your nature to the mortal world, triggering dire consequences for the rest of the Kithain.

Chimerical Disability: (1-3 point Flaw)

  Part of your fae mien is damaged and no longer exists due to a past altercation. This disability is permanent. Examples of this Flaw would be a chimerical hand missing, therefore you cannot pick up chimera with that hand (two points). Your fae mien is missing one eye, therefore your view of chimera lacks depth perception (three points). One of your chimerical legs is missing; you can still walk, but it becomes extremely difficult to ride a chimerical creature (one point).

Changeling's Eyes: (1 point 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.

Winged: (2 point Flaw/4 point Merit)

  You have beautiful wings, be they feathered bird's wings or batwings or colored butterfly wings. They are chimerical, but they need to be free, or they will subtract one die from Dexterity rolls. 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, but you do get an extra die if you are the recipient of the cantrip Wind Runner (Wayfare 3). If you have taken this as a Merit, you may indeed fly for short periods of time. This power works as any other use of Glamour when only Kithain are present, but will not work in the presence of mortals.

Seeming's Blessing: (5 point Merit)

  All of your Birthrights affect your mortal seeming as well as your fae mien. They even function normally in the presence of mortals. A sidhe would have her extra dots in Appearance, a satyr would get his extra stamina and speed, trolls would get their extra strength, etc.

Slipped Seeming: (1-5 poinr Flaw)

  Your fae seeming bleeds into your mortal seeming and makes you obvious to those mundanes who know what to look for. A one-point 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: "Ah, my friend... obviously got his head caught in a mechanical rice-picker, and fortunately there was a skilled plastic surgeon nearby..." This Flaw does not give you the benefits of certain portions of your fae mien (Goats legs will not allow you to run at advanced speeds, etc.).

Dark Fate: (5 point Flaw)

  You are doomed to experience a most horrible demise or, worse, suffer eternal agony. No matter what you do, someday you will be out of the picture. In the end, all your efforts, your struggles and your dreams will come to naught. Your fate is certain, and there is nothing you can do about it. Even more ghastly, you have partial knowledge of this, for you occasionally have visions of your fate — and they are most disturbing. The malaise these visions inspire in you can only be overcome through the use of Willpower, and the malaise will return after each vision. At some point in the chronicle, you will indeed face your fate, but when and how is completely up to the Storyteller. Though you can't do anything about your fate, you can still attempt to reach some goal before it occurs, or at least try to make sure that your friends are not destroyed as well. This is a difficult Flaw to roleplay; though it may seem as if it takes away all free will, we have found that, ironically, it grants freedom. Combining this Flaw with the Destiny Background is very appropriate — Eiric and Vanyel are classic literary examples.

Psychic Vampire: (5 point Flaw)

  The spark of life is dying within you and must be continually fed from outside forces. You are a psychic vampire. 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 his life. Those already injured (including those whose Bruised Health Level has been sucked away) will not heal while in your presence. You can still be in the same building without harming someone, but sharing a bed is not possible unless you want the other person to slowly die. 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: (5 point Flaw)

  The sidhe live in mortal terror of Banality, due to the fact it can take root in their souls much more easily than any other of the kith. Unfortunately although you are not sidhe, you are subject to this frailty as well. You gain two points of Banality for every one given by the Storyteller. Sidhe characters may not take this Flaw.

Changeling Ties

  These Merits and Flaws deal with the place, position and status of a character within changeling society.

Boon: (l-3 point Merit)

  A noble owes you a favor because of something either you or your mentor once did for him. The extent of the boon owed to you depends on how many points you spend. One point would indicate a relatively minor boon, while three points would indicate that the noble probably owes you his life.

Prestigious Mentor: (1 point Merit)

  Your mentor had or has great Status among the Kithain, and this has accorded you a peculiar honor. Most treat you respectfully as a result, while some have only contempt for you, believing you to be merely riding your mentor's coattails. This prestige could greatly aid you when dealing with elders acquainted with your mentor. Indeed, your mentor's contacts may actually approach you at some point offering aid. Although your mentor might no longer have contact with you, the simple fact of your apprenticeship has marked you forever.

Reputation: (2 point 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. Add three dice to any Dice Pools involving social dealings with others of your Court. A character with this Merit may not take the Flaw Notoriety.

Enemy: (1-5 point Flaw)

  You have an enemy, or perhaps a group of enemies. Someone wants to harm you. The value of the Flaw determines how powerful these enemies are. The most powerful enemies (kings or elder vampires) 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.

Infamous Mentor: (1 point Flaw)

  Your mentor was, and perhaps still is, distrusted and disliked by many of your fellow changelings. As a result, you are distrusted and disliked as well. This is a heavy load, and one not easily shed.

Insane Mentor: (1 point Flaw)

  Your mentor has completely lost his grip on reality, and has become lost to Bedlam or dangerously insane. Any wrong committed by your mentor may affect your reputation, and some of your mentor's dangerous schemes may somehow involve you.

Mentor's Resentment: (1 point Flaw)

  Your mentor dislikes you and wishes you ill. Given the smallest opportunity, your mentor will seek to do you harm, and may even attack you if provoked. Your mentor's friends will also work against you. Good luck!

Twisted Apprenticeship: (1 point Flaw)

  Your mentor was quite malevolent and taught you all the wrong things about Kithain society. Your concepts of changeling politics are all wrong, and your faulty beliefs are likely to get you into a great deal of trouble. Over time, after many hard lessons, you can overcome this bad start (the Storyteller will tell you when). But until then, you will continue to believe what you were first told, no matter how others try to "trick" you into thinking otherwise.

Diabolical Mentor: (2 point Flaw)

  Your mentor is engaged in acts that could cause a tremendous uproar. She could be ignoring unabashed Unseelie activity or worse. Plenty of folks are after your mentor's hide, and you may be tarred with the same brush.

Notoriety: (3 point Flaw)

  You have a bad reputation among your peers; perhaps you violated the protocols once too often, or belong to an unpopular freehold. There is a two dice penalty to all dice rolls for social dealings with associated changelings. A character with this Flaw may not take the Merit Reputation.

Mortal Society

  These Merits and Flaws deal with the influence, power and station of a character among mortals. Some of them correspond very closely to certain Background Traits (such as Influence and Resources), while others simply elaborate and expand upon them. The Backgrounds give you more creative freedom, while the Merits provide you with exact details of what you possess.

Black Market Ties: (1-5 point Merit)

  You have special ties to the underground shopping network, ties that help you acquire hard-to-find equipment. This Merit adds one die per point to your Streetwise roll when trying, for instance, to obtain black market weaponry. Difficulties for such rolls are left up to the Storyteller (typically 7 or higher). The point cost reflects how "connected" you may be. The Storyteller may allow you to use your black market connections during the game to provide you with needed or useful equipment. Such connections will not simply hand you whatever you want — these things don't come cheap! It is up to the Storyteller to determine the quantity, quality and availability of the equipment. He may feel free to disallow it entirely if such connections would unbalance the game.
  • One point — Small items: ammo, low-clearance ID badges, good software
  • Two points — Average items: guns, hi-tech software, special ammo
  • Three points — Fancy items: antique cars, explosives, automatic weapons
  • Four points — Hefty items: heavy weapons, high-security IDs or access codes
  • Five points — "Yeah, right. Maybe next game.": hi-tech military weapons, high explosives, military vehicles

Judical Ties: (2 point Merit)

  You have both influence over and contacts in the justice system. You know most of the judges as well as the attorneys in the prosecutor's department, and can affect the progress of various cases and trials with limited difficulty. Though it is difficult to intervene in a case, you can influence it in one direction or another. These ties can also make it easy to acquire search warrants.

Mansion: (3 point Merit)

  You own a large mansion — a home with 25 or more rooms — as well as the surrounding estate. The servants, if you have any, are provided for if you choose this Merit, although they cannot be used as Dreamers or Retainers unless you purchase the appropriate Background. The mansion is assumed to have the most current electronic security available and a fence around the perimeter, but does not have access to a trod (see the Freehold Background for such a place). While the mansion can be in as poor or as good a shape as you wish, the more inhabited it appears to be, the more attention it will garner. A ghost house won't attract IRS audits, but it may attract police scrutiny if bands of strange kids hang out there.

Media Ties: (2 point Merit)

  You have both influence over and contacts in the local media. You can suppress and create news stories (though not always with 100 percent efficiency; journalists are an unruly bunch), and you have access to the files and gossip of the staffs of newspapers and TV stations.

Nightclub: (2 point Merit)

  You own a moderate-sized nightclub, perhaps one of the hottest nightspots in the city. This club brings in enough money to support you in moderate luxury ($1000 a month, but it can grow), but more important than the money is the prestige. You may use the nightclub as your freehold (though you must purchase the Background Trait to do so), or you may simply hang out there. The name of the nightclub, its style, design and its regular patrons are all up to you. Variations on this theme could include a restaurant, theater, comedy club, sports arena or retail store.

Church Ties: (3 point Merit)

  You have influence and contacts in some local churches, and have the means to create protest rallies, help the needy or raise money. The more you use your ties, of course, the greater your risk of being discovered.

Corporate Ties: (3 point Merit)

  You have both influence over and contacts in the local corporate community. You understand the dynamics of money in the city and have links with all the major players. In times of need, you can cause all sorts of financial mayhem, and can raise considerable amounts of money (in the form of loans) in a very short period of time.

Entertainment Ties: (3 point Merit)

  You have a degree of fame and influence in the local entertainment scene (music, theater, dance, S.C.A., etc.). Either you own or manage a good venue or site, or you have some notoriety among both peers and fans. You can exert this influence to ferret out information or buy favors. For five points, this fame can become nationwide.

Police Ties: (3 point Merit)

  You have both influence over and contacts in the local police department. You can, with a single phone call, cause an APB to be issued. However, the more often you use your ties with the police department, the weaker they become, and the more attention you attract toward yourself. Your influence is not solid (that can be achieved only through game play), and it can let you down at times.

Political Ties: (3 point Merit)

  You have both influence over and contacts among the politicians and bureaucrats of the city. In times of need, you can shut off the power and water to a building or neighborhood, and can unleash many different means of harassment against your enemies. The more you use your political ties, the weaker they become. Total control can only be achieved through game play.

Underworld Ties: (3 point Merit)

  You have both influence over and contacts in the local Mafia and organized street gangs. This provides you with limited access to large numbers of "soldiers," as well as extensive links to the underworld of crime. The more often you use your ties with the criminal element, the weaker they grow.

Corporation CEO: (5 point Merit)

  You have a particular influence and sway over a major corporation and associated companies, just as if you were its chief executive officer. Indeed, you might have owned this company before your Chrysalis, and you have retained your control. Through this corporation, you know much that takes place in the corporate community and have the means to wage economic warfare. This Merit provides you with some informal allies and Resources, the exact extent of which is determined by the Storyteller.

Ward: (3 point Flaw)

  You are devoted to the protection of a mortal. You may describe your ward, though the Storyteller will actually create her. This character may be a friend or relative from your pre-Chrysalis days, or just a good friend. Wards have a talent for getting caught up in the action of stories, and they're frequent targets of a character's enemies.

Hunted: (4 point Flaw)

  Vampires and werewolves are not the only supernaturals who need to fear fanatical witch-hunters. You have somehow attracted the interest of some mortal agency or individual who now seeks your destruction. This hunter is beyond reason, and has some form of power, influence or authority that puts you at a disadvantage. Your friends, family and associates are likewise endangered. Sooner or later, this Flaw will result in a confrontation. The resolution should not be an easy one.

Physical

  These Merits and Flaws deal with your health and physical makeup.

Double-Jointed: (1 point Merit)

  You are unusually supple. Reduce the difficulty of any Dexterity roll involving body flexibility by two. Squeezing through a tiny space is one example of a use for this Merit.

Surreal beauty: (1 point Merit)

  You possess a beauty far beyond that of normal mortals. People stand in awe of your perfect form. If you are sidhe then perhaps your fae mien shines over into your mortal seeming. Characters who take this Merit must first purchase at least an Appearance 5 though their appearance is considered to surpass even that.

Huge Size: (4 point Merit)

  Your mortal seeming is abnormally large in size, possibly over seven feet tall and 400 pounds in weight. You therefore have one additional Health Level, and are able to suffer more harm before you are incapacitated. Treat this as an extra Health Level, with no penalties to rolls. Trolls can take this Merit since the extra Health Level gained through Huge Size affects only the mortal seeming. The extra Health Level is added to those a troll gets from his Birthright for the purposes of chimerical damage, however, or real damage if the troll has called upon the Wyrd.

Allergic: (1-4 point Flaw)

  You are allergic to some substance — pollen, animal fur, alcohol, chocolate, etc. 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, reducing all Dice Pools by one; for three points, your reaction actually incapacitates you, reducing appropriate Dice Pools by three. If the substance is really common in your chronicle, add an additional point to this Flaw.

Asthma: (l point Flaw)

  You have difficulty performing strenuous tasks because you cannot breathe properly. With asthma, your lungs only pull in a fraction of the air that normal lungs require. Any time that you exert yourself, you must make a Stamina roll against a difficulty of 6 or be unable to perform any action on the next round while you catch your breath.

Short: (1 point Flaw)

  You are well below average height, and have trouble seeing over high objects and moving quickly. You suffer a two dice penalty 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.
  Only childling trolls can take this Flaw.

Disfigured: (2 point Flaw)

  A hideous disfigurement makes you ugly and easy to notice or remember. You therefore have a zero Appearance. Sidhe characters cannot take this Flaw.

Child: (3 point Flaw)

  You were a small child at the time of your Chrysalis. You may be precocious, but you're still just a kid. You have the Flaw Short (see above), and find it difficult to be taken seriously by others (two dice penalty to all relevant rolls). Additionally, you may be subject to parental control, curfews and child labor and truancy laws. Few clubs will admit you, because you are "underage." Childlings who do not take this Flaw are for some reason more accepted by those older than themselves.

Deformity: (3 point Flaw)

  You have some kind of deformity — such as a misshapen limb, a hunchback — that affects your interactions with others and may inconvenience you physically. The difficulties of all dice rolls related to physical appearance are raised by two. Your deformity will also raise the difficulty of some Dexterity rolls by two, depending on the type of deformity you possess.
  Sidhe characters cannot take this Flaw.

Lame: (3 point Flaw)

  Your legs are injured or otherwise prevented from working effectively. You suffer a two dice penalty to all dice rolls related to movement. A character may not take this Flaw along with the Merit Double-Jointed.
  Sidhe who are members of House Dougal cannot take this as their handicap, though it can be taken if they have a different handicap as their House Flaw.

One Arm: (3 point Flaw)

  You have only one arm — choose which, or determine randomly at character creation. This could be a battle scar, birth defect or other form of injury. It is assumed that you are accustomed to using your remaining hand, so you suffer no off-hand penalty. However, you do suffer a two dice penalty to any Dice Pool where two hands would normally be needed to perform a task. A character may not take this Flaw along with the Merit Ambidextrous.
  Sidhe who are members of House Dougal cannot take this as their handicap, though it can be taken if they have a different handicap as their House Flaw.

Mute: (4 point Flaw)

  Your vocal apparatus does not function, and you cannot speak at all. You can communicate through other means — typically through writing or signing.
  Sidhe who are members of House Dougal cannot take this as their handicap, though it can be taken if they have a different handicap as their House Flaw.

Paraplegic: (6 point Flaw)

  You can hardly move without assistance, such as a pair of crutches or a wheelchair. Even then it can be painful and cumbersome to do so. The Storyteller and you should take care to roleplay this Flaw correctly, no matter how difficult it makes things. A character may not take this Flaw along with the Merit Double-Jointed.
  Sidhe who are members of House Dougal cannot take this as their handicap, though it can be taken if they have a different handicap as their House Flaw.