Chapter Seven: Glamour Systems

  The living font of all spiritual energy, Glamour flows from the Dreaming to Earth. Indeed, Glamour is concentrated dream, comprising magic, life and beauty. Its truth is hard to fathom, perhaps impossible. The wisest changelings have spent lifetimes studying it, yet it remains a mystery.
  Whatever else, Glamour is a precious commodity now that Autumn has come and the Long Winter encroaches. At one time, Glamour filled the very air, free for the taking. Now it grows ever more rare, and gathering it becomes ever more difficult.
  This chapter provides all the information about Glamour that you need to know to run a successful Changeling chronicle, including: cantrip casting, gaining Glamour, enchantment, Bedlam, freeholds, information about chimera and how to create ihem, and the Mists.

Knowing the Dreaming

  As far as anyone knows, Glamour flows from the Dreaming, the ancestral home of all faeries, to Earth. Exactly how it reaches Earth is unknown, but the process seems to have some connection to humanity's creative and artistic faculties. The human imagination evidently has the capacity to open channels to the Dreaming, acting as a siphon and gateway for Glamour.
  Still, why this occurs at certain times and not at others is unknown. Nor do changelings understand why Glamour is often found not just in people, but in places and objects that no human has ever touched or that have been abandoned for years. Do the dreams of humanity call Glamour to roost in places, things and people? Does the creativity of great artists and thinkers continue to collect Glamour after the artists themselves have ceased their great Dreaming? No one can tell. Certainly, Glamour shows up in some strange places and among some unexpected people.
  Although Glamour is fundamental to changelings' existence, even they have a difficult time explaining exactly what it is. This is because they find it difficult to separate their feelings from their perceptions. The feelings that accompany Glamour are unlike any other, and virtually indescribable in human speech. Furthermore, Banality causes many changelings to forget the ambrosial qualities of Glamour all too quickly. It is difficult to retain the memory of a beautiful, Glamour-filled moment when one must go to work (or school) the next day.

Cantrips

  Cantrips are the means by which changelings manipulate Glamour to create magical effects, both in the Dreaming and in the mundane world. By sparking her own internal Glamour, a changeling can create a link with the Dreaming — a link strong enough for her to draw upon and form the raw stuff of the Dreaming to suit her desires. In a sense, cantrips are the manifestations of Glamour, the source of which is the Dreaming.
  With experience, a changeling finds that she is able to shape Glamour in much the same way that a potter shapes clay or a weaver weaves cloth. Changelings' techniques for shaping Glamour are known as Arts. Arts are the powers a changeling can use to affect the world around her. Each of these powers is different; one may allow a changeling to move at incredible speeds or leap high into the sky, while another might allow a changeling to control another being's mind or even trick him into believing he is someone else. Each Art has its own potencies, peculiarities and weaknesses.
  Furthermore, every changeling has an affinity with certain aspects of the world. These aspects (six in number) are known as Realms. These Realms have been studied and defined by Kithain lorekeepers, although affinity with them is determined largely by a changeling's kith. Of course, it is possible for a modern changeling to open himself to new experiences and explore new Realms.
  By combining the active use of an Art and the innate familiarity of a Realm, a changeling can mold Glamour into a tangible evocation. The Art used defines the nature of the magic, while the Realm describes the focus of the effect.
  But Glamour is fickle and wild. It makes demands of its user, and these must be fulfilled lest Glamour dissipate. The success or failure of a cantrip depends on whether a changeling can coax Glamour to do his bidding by performing a Bunk. Though Arts and Realms define the actual powers and effects changelings are capable of manifesting, they are only a part of the equation. A Bunk is needed to create the spark that allows a changeling to tap into the Dreaming. In entirety, this complete effect is known as a cantrip.

Basic Cantrip Casting

  There are many factors that go into the casting of a cantrip. Beyond simply choosing an Art, Realm and a Bunk, you have to determine whether the Art is Wyrd or chimerical, and whether your character affects an enchanted or mundane target.

1. Choose an Art

  The first thing a changeling must do when casting a cantrip is to choose an Art. There can never be more than one Art involved in the casting of a cantrip. The player must describe the effect he wishes to create with the Art. All Arts are defined as being either chimerical or Wyrd. Chimerical Arts are those that have only chimerical effects, or effects that are so subtle that unenchanted beings who witness them won't notice anything out of the ordinary. Wyrd Arts are those that have a physical effect in the real world, and that are noticeable by mortals.
  For example, a boggan named Hodge finds himself surrounded by a corby of redcaps on All Hallows' Eve. Hodge decides to use his Wayfare Art (Hopscotch) to leap to the top of a nearby one-story building. Looking up the Hopscotch Art, Hodge's player notes that it is a Wyrd effect (because it has readily noticeable effects in the real world).

2. Choose a Realm(s)

  The player and Storyteller now decide what Realm is needed to cast the cantrip, based on the effect described by the player. Realm typically describes the target (person or thing) that is affected by the cantrip (although some Realms are not compatible with certain Arts). If you are using the advanced cantrip rules (see pg. 206), more than one Realm may be used in casting the cantrip. Modifier Realms such as Scene and Time are applied at this time.
  Continuing the earlier example, Hodge, a boggan and thus a commoner, needs to use the first level of the Fae Realm (Hearty Commoner) in order to cast the cantrip on himself. Fortunately Hodge has up to level four of the Foe Realm, so he will have no problem.

3. Determine the Dice Pool

  The Dice Pool is determined by adding the appropriate Attribute (listed under the Art being used) to the level of the Realm being used. This gives you the total number of dice that can be rolled to cast the cantrip. If your character has a higher level in a Realm than that needed for casting, you may still add all the levels he possesses in that Realm to the Dice Pool.
  Referring to the Wayfare Art, Hodge's player sees that the Wits Attribute is used. He combines Hodge's Wits 3 with his four levels in the Fae Realm giving him a total of seven dice in his pool. Note that the player does not use a number of dice equal to the leveI of the Realm used in casting the cantrip (one), but a number of dice equal to the level that Hodge possesses in that Realm.

4. Choose a Bunk

  The player must now declare the Bunk that the character performs. The nature of the Bunk must be chosen first. The player decides exactly what Bunk his character performs, and the Storyteller decides whether or not it is appropriate and what level it is. The Storyteller assigns it value of 1 to 5, based on the complexity (and appropriateness). The level of the Bunk generally indicates how long it takes to perform. A Bunk can be anything from dancing a silly jig to drawing an elaborate portrait of the cantrip's target.
  The Bunk performed should always be appropriate to the nature of the cantrip being cast. While dancing a jig might be appropriate to a cantrip intended to cause the changeling to fly high up into the air, drawing a portrait might be more appropriate if the changeling attempts to use Soothsay to learn specific information about a person.
  Level-one Bunks can almost always be performed in the same action as casting a cantrip. However, when a changeling attempts to perform anything more involved than a level-one Bunk, and seeks to cast a cantrip in the same turn, the player must split his Dice Pool. In some rare cases the Storyteller could allow a particularly interesting Bunk of a high level to be performed with a casting without splitting Dice Pools, but this is the exception, not the rule. For each level over one of a Bunk that is performed in the same turn as a casting, the character is considered to take an additional action. So, performing a level-two Bunk while casting a cantrip causes the cantrip Dice Pool to be divided by two.
  To avoid a split Dice Pool, the character can choose to take the requisite number of turns to perform a Bunk, casting the cantrip at the end of that time. This is often done by changelings who have plenty of time to cast a cantrip, such as performing a Soothsay, though it is rarely done in combat.
  Cantrips that have a starting difficulty of 10 or less can be cast without performing a Bunk by spending an additional point of Glamour, beyond those points demanded by the cantrip itself (see below). If the cantrip's starting difficulty is higher than 10, the difficulty must be lowered to at least 10.
  If a Bunk is interrupted at any time, the casting fails automatically, and any points of Glamour invested are lost.
  Since he needs to get away from the redcaps quickly, Hodge decides that his Bunk will be to stamp his feel three times — fast. The Storyteller rules that this is a level-one Bunk, and that Hodge will be able to cast the cantrip without the player needing to split his Dice Pool.

5. Determine Difficulty

  The base difficulty for casting a cantrip is either the subject's Banality + 4 or the caster's Banality + 4, whichever is higher. Subtract the level of the Bunk being performed from the total difficulty. Additional Glamour can be spent to lower the difficulty by one for each point spent. The end result can never be lower than 4 or higher than 10 (remember, starting difficulties higher than 10 must be lowered to 10 or below).
  Hodge's Banality is 5, so the base difficulty for casting his cantrip is 9. Since Hodge performs a level-one Bunk, the difficulty of the cantrip is lowered to 8. Since he really wants this spell to work, Hodge's player spends a point of Glamour to lower the difficulty by one more, reducing it to 7.

6. Determine Glamour Cost

  Numerous factors determine the Glamour cost for casting a cantrip. The following guidelines should be used to determine the final cost of using a cantrip.
  • All Wyrd cantrips cost one Glamour.
  • Chimerical cantrips cast on enchanted beings or inanimate objects cost no Glamour, though you may still spend additional Glamour to lower the difficulty of casting (see above).
  • Any cantrip cast on a banal target costs one Glamour. (This is not cumulative with the cost for casting a Wyrd cantrip.) Banal targets include mortals, unenchanted supernatural beings and anyone without a Glamour Trait rating (including changelings who have fallen to the Forgetting).
  • Casting a cantrip without a Bunk requires an expenditure of one Glamour.
  • Up to five points of Glamour can be spent to lower casting difficulty.
  • Using a modifier Realm costs an additional point of Glamour (see "Modifier Realms," below).
  The total Glamour cost for casting a cantrip must be paid before the cantrip comes into effect. If a character cannot pay the total cost (either with his own Glamour or dross), the cantrip fails, though no Glamour points are lost.
  The base cost for casting Hodge's cantrip is one Glamour since it is a Wyrd effect. However, Hodge's player spent an additional point to lower the difficulty by one, bringing the total cost for casting the cantrip to two Giamour.

7. Make the Roll and Apply the Result

  At this point the player rolls his character's Dice Pool to determine if the cantrip succeeds. If so, effects of the cantrip are applied to the subject.
  Hodge's player rolls his seven dice: He gets a 2, 3, 3, 5, 7, 8 and 10, giving him a total of three successes. Looking at the Hopscotch chart, he determines that Hodge can jump two stories straight up into the air, allowing Hodge to land on top of the building safely.

The Effects of Cantrips

  Chimerical cantrips affect only a changeling's fae mien and chimerical objects and creatures, or are subtle enough that they are not noticed by mortals. Wyrd cantrips affect both the real and chimerical worlds; thus, a Holly Strike cantrip affects a local policeman and a chimerical dragon equally.

Advanced Cantrip Rules

Modifier Realms

  The Scene and Time Realms are most often used to modify the effects of a cantrip. The Time Realm can be used to create a time delay on a cantrip, causing it to come into effect long after the changeling has left the area, the equivalent of a magical time bomb. Though the usefulness of this may not be readily apparent, careful examination of this Realm will reveal that it can be extraordinarily useful.
  Scene allows a changeling affect a number of creatures or objects in a given area. The changeling must still use the appropriate Realm(s) needed to affect those within the scene. For example, if a changeling wants to affect all of the mortals in a room, she has to use the appropriate level of the Actor Realm in conjunction with the Scene Realm.
  Whenever a character uses a modifier Realm, the player must spend an additional point of Glamour, and the difficulty to cast a cantrip increases by one. Additionally, if a Scene Realm is used to cast a cantrip that has a physical effect (it does not matter if the cantrip is chimerical or Wyrd), the difficulty increases by one for each target affected after the first.
  Suppose that Hodge was with two friends while attempting to escape from the redcaps. Being a good sort of a fellow (and a boggan to boot), Hodge certainly wouldn't leave his friends to the vile mercies of the redcaps. Fortunately, Hodge possesses the fourth level of Scene (Park), which the Storyteller judges is more than enough to allow Hodge to affect his friends with the cantrip as well. Since Hodge uses a modifier cantrip, his player must spend an additional point of Glamour (bringing his total to three), and the difficulty of the cantrip increases to 9 (base 7, plus two for each target affected after the first). Hodge's player will probably want to spend additional Glamour (if he has it) to lower the difficulty further.

Secondary Realms

  It is possible to apply more than one Realm to the casting of a cantrip. In such cases, the player must decide which Realm is primary (this is usually apparent according to the nature of the cantrip being cast). For each additional Realm that can be applied, the difficulty of the cantrip being cast is lowered by one. Though the character must possess the appropriate level of the Realm, his total level in the Realm is not subtracted from the difficulty of the cantrip; the difficulty is reduced by only one for each additional Realm as a whole that applies.
  Our old friend Hodge attempts to Mooch a dagger from a sidhe noble. The Fae or Actor Realms apply when Mooch is used to steal an item from a person (in this case it is the second level of Fae, Lofty Noble). However, Hodge also possesses the Prop Realm (he needs Crafted Tool to Mooch a dagger, which he has). So while Lofty Noble is used as the primary Realm, Hodge can use Crafted Tool as a secondary Realm, reducing the difficulty of the player's cantrip roll by one (not by Hodge's total score in the secondary Realm).

Countering Cantrips

  Changelings can counter cantrips in one of two ways.
  • Invoking Banality
  A changeling is able to resist the effects of a cantrip by calling upon his own inherent Banality. The character gains a temporary point of Banality by resisting a cantrip in this way. The player rolls a number of dice equal to the character's permanent Banality rating against a difficulty of the casting character's permanent Glamour rating. Each success rolled reduces the caster's successes by one. If the caster's success are reduced to zero, the subject is unaffected by the cantrip. Resisting a cantrip by invoking Banality does not take an action.
  Note that this method of countering cantrips can only be used to affect a cantrip that is cast directly upon a character. Storytellers may also allow characters to invoke their Banality to resist the magical powers of some chimera. Unenchanted mortals (and supernatural beings) cannot use this means of resistance, although some powerful Autumn People may, and Dauntain certainly can.
  A character does not need to be aware that a cantrip is beins cast at him to counter it with Banality, and he can use this method of resisting cantrips at any time.
  Unfortunately, before Hodge can use his cantrip, one of the redcaps traps him in an Ensnare with three successes. Desperate to escape, Hodge decides to try to resist that cantrip with his own Banality. Since Hodge has a Banality of 5, his player has a Dice Pool of five to resist the effects of the cantrip. The Storyteller informs the player that his difficulty is 6 (the redcap's permanent Glamour rating). Hodge's player rolls 1, 2, 2, 4 and 6, giving him no successes. Despite the fact that the roll was failed, Hodge's player adds a point of temporary Banality to his character sheet. Bad luck for Hodge!
  • Counterweaving
  Characters who possess knowledge of Gremayre can undo a cantrip, even as it is cast. Counterweaving requires that the player spend a point of Glamour. She may then roll the character's Wits + Gremayre against a difficulty equal to the Glamour rating of the cantrip's caster. The player must earn as many or more successes as the caster for the counterweave to be successful; partial successes do not affect the cantrip in any way. The counterweaver must also possess the appropriate Realm(s) and their levels used in the original casting.
  Counterweaving can be used on instantaneous cantrips. To attempt to undo a cantrip as it is being cast, the counterweaver must abort her next action (even if that would take place in the following turn).
  If the Realms used in a cantrip are not readily apparent to the counterweaver, the weaver's player may roll Perception + Kenning (difficulty 6) to determine their nature. The difficulty is 8 for the counterweaver to determine what Art is being used.
  Fortunately for Hodge, one of his friends is skilled in Gremayre and possesses the appropriate level of the Realm used to cast the redcap's cantrip. The countering player has a Dice Pool of eight (the total of his character's Wits + Gremayre). The Storyteller tells him that his difficulty is only 6 (the redcap's Glamour), and that he has to achieve at least three successes (the number achieved by the redcap in his casting). The player marks off a point of temporary Glamour (for attempting the Counterweaving), and then rolls 2, 4, 4, 5, 7, 7, 8 and 9, more than enough successes to dispel the Ensnare cantrip.

Nightmares

  Any time a character is about to suffer a point (or more) of temporary Banality, the player may choose to acquire a Nightmare die instead. Nightmare dice should all be of the same color and easily distinguishable from the other dice the player uses. The number of Nightmare dice that a character currently possesses can be recorded on the character sheet wherever the player sees fit (below the Banality track is a good place). The total number of dice is referred to as the Nightmare Pool. If a character ever gains more than 10 Nightmare dice, they are removed immediately and the character gains a point of permanent Banality.
  Whenever a character with Nightmare dice casts a cantrip, the dice in the Nightmare Pool must be substituted for an equal number of dice in the player's Dice Pool. These dice should never exceed the total Dice Pool, even if the character possesses more Nightmare dice than are rolled to perform a cantrip. For example, if a character has a pool of eight dice to cast a cantrip, and has a Nightmare Pool of three, three dice from the Dice Pool would be substituted by three Nightmare dice.
  Any time a "one" is rolled on a Nightmare die, the character suffers the ill effects of a Nightmare. The number of Nightmare dice that come up as "ones" determines the severity of the Nightmare experienced. Once a Nightmare die rolls a "one," it is removed from the character's Nightmare Pool. Once Nightmare dice have been assigned to the pool, there is no way for them to be removed short of rolling "ones" and imposing Nightmares.
  Descriptions of possible Nightmares can be found on the chart below.

The Mists

  The Mists separate the fae from the mundane, clouding the minds of mortals so that they do not remember their encounters with things faerie. A side effect of Banality, the Mists exemplify the force of human rationality.

Effects on Mortals

  Most mortals (and unenchanted supernatural beings) do not remember their encounters with the fae accurately. The Mists are likely to erase much of these memories or at least relegate them to a dreamlike quality. The amount of Banality an individual possesses determines exactly what she remembers.

Bedlam

  Insanity is a danger to the Kithain. They interact regularly with things that are not "real," and Glamour has a habit of making one's perceptions change over time. Thus madness is a threat to every changeling.
  Changelings typically pass through three "thresholds" of Bedlam, although they occasionally go right from normalcy to complete madness without stopping at the intervening thresholds.
  The Storyteller has complete control over the process of Bedlam. She may decide to advance a character further into Bedlam at any time that seems appropriate. However, there is a list of "warning signs" (see below) to guide the decision-making process. As a general rule, a character who fits three or more of the warning signs has the potential to slip into Bedlam.
  Bedlam should be inflicted only when it is appropriate. One mad changeling can ruin the whole chronicle if you're not careful. Of course, Bedlam must be a threat with teeth if the balance between the real and fantastic worlds is to be encouraged.

First Threshold

  The first threshold is perception-based. A character begins to have trouble distinguishing between mundane and chimerical things. She also begins to see what appear to be chimerical things that are not really there. Listed below are threshold flaws that can be inflicted on a character who has descended into the first level of Bedlam.
  • Color Change: Everything changes color, either randomly or in patterns.
  • Whispers: The changeling "hears" telepathic or audible whispers that impart secrets or prophecies, or that spew unintelligible gibberish.
  • Dread: A feeling of complete and utter dread engulfs the changeling; shadows distort into monstrous shapes.
  • Lights: Bright lights flash in and out of existence, surrounding people with nimbi or other illuminations.
  Note: Whatever the first-threshold flaws that a changeling suffers are, they should be annoying but bearable. The character should descend into madness slowly. First-threshold madness is curable and recoverable. After the first threshold has been reached, however, the Storyteller may choose to add additional first-threshold flaws to the character's perceptions, or she may send the character to the second threshold immediately.

Second Threshold

  Bedlam's second threshold is more severe and debilitating. At this point chimerical reality seems to become mundane reality. The Storyteller should take the player aside and explain how the character's reality has changed. This is when madness becomes evident to other changelings, because the afflicted's Glamour is affected. The changeling ceases to interact with anyone who does not fit his version of reality.
  Certain kinds of therapy (see "Treating Bedlam," below) can actually drive the afflicted deeper into Bedlam at this point. It is very difficult for outsiders to discern whether a changeling is in the first or second stage of Bedlam. Indeed, the changeling may regain lucidity occasionally; during these "spells," he seems positively normal.
  Some examples of second-threshold Bedlam are:
  • Don Quixote Syndrome: The character believes everything to be from an ancient time or fantasy realm.
  • Delusions of Grandeur: The character sees everyone as an underling, fit only to serve him. No matter what utter nonsense he spouts, he expects others to laud his ideas and cater to his insane visions.
  • Social Darwinism: The character sees everyone as either predator or prey — and herself as a predator of great strength and skill. This is an insidious form of madness, as it can remain undetected for some time. Soon, however, the character will strike — and death will follow in her wake.
  • The Walls Have Ears: The character believes that everything has a personality and is alive. Manifestations of this madness range from a changeling holding quiet conversations with fence posts to uttering apologies every time he takes a step on the street.
  Note: It's very difficult for players to watch their characters fall into Bedlam. Before proceeding to the third threshold (at which all but the most miraculous healing fails), the Storyteller should make sure that the madness fits the character's personal story, and give the character opportunities to heal, if possible. Of course, if the player of the mad character is having fun, there's no reason to ease his transition into the third threshold — utter madness.

Third Threshold

  The third threshold of Bedlam is the most devastating. The character becomes an unintelligible creature. She retains all the characteristics other former stages of madness, but also suffers from a number of other threshold symptoms, as seen below:
  • Berserker: The character attacks all around her with whatever weapons are nearby.
  • Autism: The character withdraws into himself, not recognizing the outside world at all.
  • Feral Cunning: The character reverts to an animalistic state; not a frenzied attacker like Berserker, but a cunning, predatory animal that doesn't communicate and seeks only to escape or kill.
  • Perversity: The character descends into the depths of her psyche and performs inhuman acts barely conceivable by even the most depraved soul.
  Note: Third-threshold Bedlam is highly contagious. Any changeling forced into prolonged contact with a character in third-threshold Bedlam risks developing first-threshold Bedlam. This is, of course, up to the Storyteller's discretion, but it is a definite danger. Only the most brave (or foolish) treat those in third-threshold Bedlam. Changelings in this stage are often destroyed, albeit remorsefully.
  As if this weren't awful enough, those in third-threshold Bedlam birth many nervosa (see pg. 277), which share common characteristics and work to protect the mad one.
  If left untreated, Bedlam completely overtakes a character. She loses all free will and passes into the world of dreams. One night, while the changeling dreams, she simply ceases to be, disappearing entirely from the face of the Earth. At this point (or perhaps sooner), the player may no longer run the character and must create a new one if she wishes to continue play in the chronicle.

Treating Bedlam

  First-threshold Bedlam is cured, ironically, by exposure to Banality. A changeling in first-threshold Bedlam often goes off by himself, seeking to "cure himself in the normalcy of human society. He resigns his position at court or leaves his household, taking a job in the mortal world and forgetting his changeling nature temporarily. Eventually, the changeling is cured — disavowing all contact with changeling society is often like a splash of cold water on the changeling's psyche.
  Treatment of second-threshold Banality is a little different. A delicate balance of magical healing (using the Primal Art) and Banality therapy must be used to treat the madness. The madness has progressed to the faerie soul of the changeling, and both his human soul and faerie soul must be cleansed before continuing.
  The only widely known cure for third-threshold Bedlam is drinking from the Cup of Dreams, an ancient and powerful faerie treasure thought to be lost in the Dreaming. It is said that some dragons also possess the lore to cure third-stage Bedlam. No Banality cure has ever worked, and psychiatrists who treat changelings in third-stage madness are thoroughly confused by their patients' resistance to psychoactive drugs and normal therapeutic techniques.

Enchantment

  It is useful for changelings to bring mortals into their world at times, whether out of necessity or for less savory reasons (or both). This is done through a process known as enchantment. Enchanting a mortal is actually far easier than one might suspect; it is merely a matter of imbuing the chosen mortal with a bit of one's own Glamour.
  A changeling who wishes to enchant a mortal must create a small token and infuse it with her own Glamour. Such tokens can take many forms: a bit of ribbon tied into a bow, an origami sculpture, a bouquet of daisies picked from the side of the road. Some Kithain create food or drink, which they imbue with their Glamour. Whatever the form, the item or food must be given to the chosen mortal (who must then accept it), and then either carried or eaten by the subject. The amount of temporary Glamour invested into the token determines how many days the mortal remains enchanted, on a one-for-one basis.
  So, for example, if Higgins, a boggan, was to give his friend some home-baked cupcakes into which he had invested three Glamour points, his friend would become enchanted upon eating one of the cupcakes and the enchantment would last for three days. If he chose to give her a small trinket constructed from bits of wire, bird feathers and ribbon, it would take effect as soon as his friend accepted the gift.
  An enchanted mortal is brought fully into the realm of the Kithain. Such a mortal can see and interact with chimera, and can take damage from chimerical weapons. Enchanted mortals take damage from chimera just as changelings do (see "Chimerical Damage," pg. 264).
  The amount of time that an enchanted person remains unconscious after leaving the Dreaming is determined by referring to the Mists Chart (see pg. 208). Unconscious mortals appear to be in a comalike state, and usually remember very little of what happened to them.
  Enchanted mortals cannot cast cantrips; their Glamour is borrowed and they have none of their own. They can use their own Banality to defend against cantrips cast on them, but each time they do so they lose one of their points of surrogate Glamour. Some kinain (mortals with faerie blood) do have some Glamour of their own, but it is difficult for them to regain it; most need a changeling to supply it for them. Kinain are the exceptions to the rule aboutenchanted mortals, and have even been known to learn cantrips taught to them by changelings.
  Staying in a freehold has an odd effect on enchanted mortals. The time limit of their enchantment is suspended while they are within a freehold, so that they may stay enchanted indefinitely while they are there. Additionally, like changelings, they do not age while within the boundaries of a freehold. While this may not he noticeable if the mortal spends only a few days there, if the mortal were to stay for several years it could be very evident upon his return to the mortal world. When the Mists cloud the mortal's mind, it may seem to him as if several years have passed in only a day or so.
  There are other means by which a changeling can bring mundanes into the enchanted world or affect them with chimerical weapons. These are known as the enchanted strike and the dolorous stroke, and are discussed in Chapter Eight.

Calling upon the Wyrd

  In contrast to bringing mundane people into the Dreaming, a changeling can transfer his fae mien and all of his chimerical possessions into the real word by calling upon the Wyrd. This action allows a changeling to manifest a bit of the chimerical world in the real world.
  When a changeling successfully calls upon the Wyrd, his chimerical form becomes real, as do all chimerical items and any chimerical companions he may have. (Chimerical companions are considered to be those recorded on the character sheet under the Chimera Background, not chimera the character may have befriended.) In addition, all cantrips cast by the character are considered to be Wyrd.
  For the character to call upon the Wyrd successfully, his player must spend a point of Willpower and a point of Glamour. The player must then make a successful Willpower roll, difficulty equal to the changeling's permanent Glamour rating. Only a single success is required to call upon the Wyrd. The effect lasts for the duration of the scene.
  Failure on the roll simply means the character is incapable of carrying his fae image and possessions over into the material world.
  Effects of the Wyrd
  • All chimerical weapons in that character's possession inflict real damage.
  • All cantrips that the character casts are considered Wyrd. This means that all cantrips cast cost one Glamour to cast.
  • Any chimerical companions purchased as Backgrounds are teal and do real damage.
  • A character who has called upon the Wyrd takes real damage from all chimerical weapons, cantrips and creatures.

Oaths

  • The Oath of Clasped Hands
  Blood for blood, bone for bone, life for life, until only we stride the earth. My life is in your hands, my blood is in your veins. Hold me well and I will lend you my strength, break your bond and may we both perish. Friendship I swear to you, an oath of clasped hands and shared hearts.
  This oath is never made lightly; these words are only for those who feel a bond for a friend as strong as any they might feel for a lover. To make this oath, the oathmakers' hands are clasped around a double-edged blade while the words are spoken. As the blood of the oathmakers is mixed, their friendship is reaffirmed and strengthened. Makers of this oath gain a Willpower point when it is completed, but lose two if it is ever broken.
  • The Oath of Fealty
  I swear fealty unto you, lady/lord. Your command is my desire, and your request my desire. May my service always please, and may my sight grow dark if it does not. As the tides to the moon, my will to yours, my liege.
  This is the wording of the formal Oath of Fealty, commonly used at investitures, knightings and Sainings. Speaking the words of this oath requires the investment of one Willpower point, and a formal obeisance that lasts a full quarter-hour must be made. Once the oath is taken, the difficulties of all resistance rolls against any form of mental domination are reduced by two. Breaking this oath causes the loss of three Willpower points. In cases of extreme betrayal of this oath, the offender can be struck blind for a year and a day.
  • The Oath of Escheat
  I take you as my vassal. You are of my house, even as the very stones. I pledge to hold you, to guard you, and to keep you. I pledge to honor your service as it deserves, and to reward loyalty in kind. As the moon to the seas below, my will to yours. I pledge the Escheat to you.
  With these words, a ruler formally signifies that she accepts another fae as a vassal. The oath is commonly spoken in conjunction with the Oath of Fealty, but not always. When these words are spoken, the speaker loses one Glamour point, and a chimerical gold coin, stamped with her visage, appears in her hand. The oath is not actually binding until the oathmaker offers, and the proposed vassal accepts, this token. Failure to abide by the terms of this oath indicates a fall from the ways of true fae honor, and thus causes the acquisition of a Banality point. Anyone currently bound by (and holding to) the terms of this oath, even if it is to but one vassal, gains an extra Willpower point per week.
  • The Oath of the Accepted Burden
  Lay down your burden, that I might take it up. The road is long, and I swear I shall bear it for you, until all roads end. I shall [the actual task is named here], else may the rood cease to lay beneath my feet.
  Superficially similar to a geas, this oath is a promise to perform a certain deed. The nature of the deed itself is irrelevant; it could be anything from a kiss to retrieving the still-beating heart of an enemy. This oath is always made to another, and is made to verify that a task that he desires will be performed. When these words are spoken, a Willpower point is gained by both the oathmaker and the one to whom the promise is made. If the oath is not kept, each loses two Willpower points.
  • The Oath of Guardianship
  As the sun guards the Earth by day, as the stars by night, so shall I serve thee. This my duty I shall not abandon [object of oath] till [duration of oath], else may the stars close their eyes and sleep.
  This is a fearful oath, and those who do not uphold to it are cursed to never spend two nights in the same bed until a century has passed. The Oath of Guardianship binds the oathmaker to keep a single object, place or individual from any and all harm, to the point of ultimate self-sacrifice. There is no cost to make the Oath of Guardianship, save that extracted by its keeping.
  • The Oath of Truehearts
  I give a gift of myself to thee. Take it freely; freely is it offered, and forever thou hast me in thy keeping. I swear love unto you and pledge you my troth. May those who watch over love watch over this oath and those who keep it, and may we never find fault in their eyes.
  The purpose of this oath needs no explanation. It is spoken in unison by the two (or more) lovers it hinds, and it takes a point of Glamour from each to craft a chimerical songbird visible only to the lovers. The instant this oath is broken, the bird ceases to sing, perching silently on the shoulder of the oathbreaker and now visible to all as a sign of betrayal. In addition, both betrayer and betrayed gain a Banality point as a result of this cowardly action. On the other hand, being true to the oath grants one additional point of Glamour from any Rapture the lovers participate in.
  • The Oath of the Long Road
  I swear that I shall [nature of quest undertaken] or lose my honor, that I shall [nature of quest] or lay down my sword, that I shall [nature of quest] or Dream no more. You and the sky my witnesses, so mote it be.
  The Oath of the Long Road is the most potent of the oaths known to the common fae. It is the voluntary acceptance of a quest to be performed, and its swearing is usually sanctified with the blood of both the oathmaker and her witness(es). It is always spoken in front of one, or preferably three witnesses. The oathmaker receives an extra Willpower and Glamour point, but there are dire consequences for failure. Simple failure to complete the quest causes the loss of three Willpower and three Glamour points. Abandoning the quest altogether strips the oathbreaker of all temporary Glamour and Willpower, strips a point of permanent Willpower, and adds two Banality points.
  • The Oath of Crossed Blades
  Where two stand, there will be one. I swear enmity unto thee until the setting of the last sun. May my heart cease to beat and my hand lose its strength shouid ever I show favor to thee, and the bones of the earth are my witness.
  Only trolls and sidhe generally speak this oath; members of the other kith consider it counterproductive to announce one's enmity. Still, there is a certain style to swearing eternal hatred, and the oath serves as a bold step in the intricate dances of court. A fae swearing this oath instantly trades a point of Willpower for one of Glamour, and also has the difficulty of any roll involving his enemy reduced by one. Should, however, the oath be broken, a point of Willpower is lost permanently, and a pair of matching scars, akin to those that would be left by a rapier's point, appear on the face of the oathbreaker.

Four Paths to Epiphany

  Changelings require Glamour to maintain their tentative connection to the Dreaming. Without Glamour, they would quickly be lost in the Mists or, even worse, become Undone and lose all that makes them fae. They need to seek Glamour out constantly: find mortals who possess or are capable of creating it, and either inspire, plunder, or brutally and permanently rip the it away from them. A few rare Kithain are even able to tap into their mortal halves to create Glamour for themselves, without needing to steal it from someone else. The different methods of obtaining much-needed Glamour from one's self or from mortals are called epiphanies.
  An epiphany is a near-overwhelming rush of sensations, ecstasy and emotions that flood into the changeling as she connects directly to the Dreaming for one brief, fleeting moment. A particularly intense epiphany can cause a changeling to switch Court affiliations or change in personality, at least temporarily.
  Bedlam is always a danger for those Kithain who become greedy in their musing. If a changeling gains too much Glamour too quickly, madness can take possession as his mind retreats from mundane reality and into chimerical reality. This is why grumps sternly and repeatedly remind childlings to keep their greed for Glamour under a tight rein. Interestingly enough, childlings are able to handle more Glamour than either wilder or grumps can, perhaps because society, whether mortal or changeling, tends to let children and their imaginations have free rein.
  The type of mortal who is able to generate Glamour is usually an artist or person with special creative insights. Anyone from a writer to an actress to a chef to a child with an imaginary world can create Glamour. However, not all writers, actresses, chefs or children can generate it. It takes a certain rare connection between a mortal and her dreams to create Glamour. Most people have too much Banality to tap into the Dreaming successfully.
  There are four widely used means to an epiphany, even though one is expressly forbidden by both Courts: the pathway of inspiration, or Reverie; the pathway of self-inspiration and creation, or Rapture; the pathway of theft, or Ravaging, which is banned by the Escheat; and the pathway of destruction, or Rhapsody.

Reverie

  Reverie is considered the most noble method of gathering Glamour. A changeling spends time cultivating the Dreamer, inspiring the mortal to tap into the Dreaming and create a Glamour-filled work. Reverie is looked favorably upon by Kithain because it is sustainable, and more beneficial to the mortal in the long run.
  The Seelie Court prefers Reverie to Ravaging as a means to achieving epiphany because it keeps the precious few True Dreamers in the world creating works of art, as opposed to taking the chance of draining their creativity permanently as Ravaging can do. The Unseelie tend to consider Reverie too time-consuming for too little return. Some Unseelie nobles and a few rare Unseelie commoners occasionally use Reverie as their preferred method to gain Glamour. However, the artists and art they inspire usually relates to change or a darker form of art or creation than the Seelie would choose.
  Changelings who follow the pathway of Reverie to gather their Glamour are sometimes viewed as muses or patrons to the mortals they nurture. It is necessary for Kithain to study and get to know their subjects over a period of time. This communion helps the changeling understand what inspires a mortal, and how to best aid her in developing her creativity. Knowing the right words and ways to push a mortal to create ever greater wonders is the key to a long-lasting, and mutually beneficial, fount of Glamour for the Kithain. The more time and creativity the muse spends on the Dreamer, the better the Dreamer's art will be and the more Glamour she will produce.
  Many muses use love as a source for inspiration, although it can be risky for both parties. Love can grow into obsession; the artist might become enraptured with the muse rather than the art. On the other hand, if the mood of the Kithain changes, perhaps to anger or jealousy, a long-term and formerly beneficial Reverie can become a bitter Ravaging, or a violent punishment through Rhapsody in a worst-case scenario.
  A muse experiences Reverie and gains Glamour by being exposed to the product of the Dreamer's work — whether it be a novel, poem, painting, recording, a divinely created meal or an appreciative audience. Sometimes a muse's influence is so instrumental to the work, and the work is so potent, that Glamour is received every time the creation overwhelms a new audience.
  A Reverie's concrete form — a novel, poem, painting, recording — eventually becomes diluted and unable to generate more Glamour through repeated contact with mortals. A new song or play performed before a live audience may release copious amounts of Glamour, but lose much of its initial impact once it is released on CD or as a movie. Perhaps this is why the works of many great artists are kept under wraps — once they become widely distributed, they become mundane and produce no more Glamour.

Musing Thresholds

  Just as there were different Muses in Greek mythology, each a patron of a particular art, so each changeling can have a specialty by which she inspires artists to create awesome works and thereby Glamour. This specialty, called a Musing Threshold, usually reflects the changeling's own tastes, and the ways in which she is inspired in life.
  Each player should choose a Musing Threshold for his character during character creation. A changeling shouldn't have more than one Musing Threshold. A character who begins without one can gain a specialty during play, and a character's specialty can change during the course of a chronicle.
  At the beginning of a story, each player can establish a goal that he intends to fulfill with his Musing Threshold to earn Glamour. It might be to coach a dancer to master a difficult move, to help a singer hit a note or to encourage a painter to complete a long-unfinished piece. Alternatively, the player doesn't have to specify a subject whom his character inspires, but that his character simply seeks to be inspirational wherever he goes during the story, and gains Glamour as a result.
  See the Musing Threshold Table for examples of how changelings can specialize in motivating artistry.
  System: In order to generate Glamour, the character must first know what inspires his Dreamer subject, or those whom he comes in contact with. Roll Perception + Kenning (difficulty 8); the number of successes indicates how much time the character must spend with the Dreamer in order to understand what makes him create.

1 success	A year
2 successes	A month
3 successes	A couple of weeks
4 successes	A few days
5 successes	Instant connection

  Once the character knows and understands his Dreamer, the player can make a roll to inspire her. The character must spend time with the Dreamer, sometimes as little as a few hours or as long as a number of weeks or even months. The more time spent musing, the more remarkable the creation.
  Roll Manipulation + Empathy (difficulty 6). The number of successes rolled equals the number of Glamour points gained in the end. If the character spends extended time with the subject and is extraordinarily patient, the Storyteller may lower the difficulty of the Manipulation roll (or may raise it if the changeling rushes his Dreamer). The amount of Glamour gained might also be limited by the talent of the Dreamer; some Dreamers can create only minor works of art. If a botch is rolled, the Dreamer rejects the changeling's assistance or vision and suffers a creative block. The muse must study the mortal again (e.g., start from scratch) before he can inspire the Dreamer to create something else that can generate Glamour.
  Even if the character is successful in inspiring creativity, it may be some time before the Dreamer feels the desire to create again. The Storyteller may make an appropriate Attribute + Ability roll (difficulty 6) for the Dreamer to determine the period of time that must pass before inspiration returns (compare successes rolled to the duration chart, above). The amount of time needed to create again can also be modified at the Storyteller's discretion.

Rapture

  Changelings possess both faerie and mortal natures. By allowing their mortal sides to be inspired — achieve Rapture — they can get in touch with the Dreaming as if they themselves were mortal Dreamers. This is a very lengthy and difficult process as it takes a lot of soul-searching and understanding of one's faerie and mortal natures, but it also has the potential for enormous gain.
  Rapture allows the changeling to gain Glamour from her own imagination. The moment of Rapture is one of pure and total ecstasy as the changeling connects directly to the Dreaming. The two halves other nature are united as one for a brief and fleeting moment. Both the Seelie and Unseelie recognize that Rapture is difficult to achieve. Any Kithain who can find it is believed to have reached an ultimate height.
  In order to achieve Rapture, a changeling must make an artistic or creative breakthrough, which is no small task. The changeling chooses an art or medium in which she excels (though this is not a necessity), and comes up with a vision or an idea that she wants to fulfill before she can begin the long process of seeking Rapture.
  System: When the Storyteller decides that the character has labored over her creation long enough, and is at the point of achieving Rapture, the player must make an appropriate Attribute + Ability roll (difficulty equals the character's Glamour subtracted from her Banality + 6). Difficulty can also be adjusted if the Storyteller believes that the character has devoted more than enough time, thought and passion to her creation.
  The number of successes rolled equals the amount of Glamour that the character gains. If the player rolls five or more successes, the changeling gains a point of permanent Glamour, in addition to any temporary Glamour! A botch indicates a total and utter confidence-shattering failure, causing the character to gain a temporary point of Banality.

Ravaging

  It is a simple matter to tear, wrest or rip Glamour from a mortal, and it can be as satisfying as any epiphany. Such an assault taints the epiphany with the psychic anguish of the victim, mixing pain with Glamour — a delicious meal for many Unseelie changelings.
  This form of psychic rape is called Ravaging. Unfortunately, mortals don't have an infinite supply of Glamour, and they need time to replenish their creativity. If their Glamour is stolen from them, it will take much longer than usual for them to rejuvenate.
  Seelie tend to view Ravaging as a unnecessary evil, and they frown upon anyone who practices it. The Unseelie consider Ravaging a necessity, since Ravaging brings about change, even though it occurs through suffering and destruction. Childlings don't usually have the understanding or patience to use Reverie or Rapture as a means for epiphanies. Indeed, Unseelie childlings take perverse pleasure in Ravaging other children. They feel safe that they will only be scolded. After all, "Children will be children," the elders tutt.
  If a particular mortal is Ravaged repeatedly and frequently, his creativity can be extinguished permanently. Still, as many Unseelie are fond of saying, "There are always more Dreamers."
  Ironically, changelings utilize their own Banality when they Ravage, which runs the risk of gaining more Banality. The Ravager floods the Dreamer with Banality, literally driving the Glamour out other body, and the Ravager gathers it up. Occasionally, Banality is gathered up too, which is another reason why the Seelie frown on Ravaging.
  System: Once the Kithain has established a relationship of sorts with the target (usually a loose friendship), the player rolls a number of dice equal to his character's Banality rating (difficulty 6). The number of successes rolled equals the number of Glamour points gained. If the Ravaging roll is botched, the character gains a permanent point of Banality as the Ravaging attempt backfires and tears into the character's psyche.
  Victims of a Ravaging are unable to create or perform anything original or inspired for at least one day per Glamour point stolen. They usually sit around listlessly, feeling drained and depressed. The artist's block experienced also has unseen effects as the artist can gain a small amount of Banality. Alternatively, the artist might be left so frustrated that her connection to the Dreaming is severed forever.

Ravaging Threshold

  Most changelings who Ravage use simple psychic assault to gain Glamour. However, some Kithain have exotic and perverse tastes. Ravaging Thresholds are specialized methods used by some Unseelie to spice up their Ravagings with anguish. They put extra effort into their Ravagings to make them an art form.
  A character's Ravaging Threshold is usually based on her past, and is often the result of some emotional trauma that she suffered. The Threshold chosen is often a means to get revenge on the world. Possible Thresholds are provided in a sidebar. Inventive players and Storytellers are encouraged to come up with additional ones.
  There are two ways to incorporate Ravaging Thresholds into a story. The changeling tries to accomplish a goal through his chosen Threshold, and appropriate events are assumed to occur in downtime. A changeling might, for example, spend time during a story frightening whatever children she can, gaining Glamour from their horrific thoughts and dreams. No one person is the target. The second use of Ravaging Threshold is more intense. It involves roleplaying an emotional scene — the player roleplays the abuses that her character heaps on a victim.
  In either case, a normal Ravaging roll is made to determine how much Glamour is gained in the story, whether throughout it or in a few particular scenes. However, if roleplaying of a Ravaging Threshold is extremely compelling, the Storytelling may allow the player to forego Ravaging rolls and may award Glamour automatically.

Rhapsody

  This is an Unseelie means of epiphany that is strictly forbidden by the Kithain. A changeling can imbue so much raw Glamour into a mortal that he bums like a Roman candle; all his creativity goes into one, final, glorious masterpiece. This is the last creation the artist or Dreamer is capable of as he is left drained forever after.
  All Kithain, Seelie and Unseelie, forbid this form of epiphany because it destroys any possibility for more Glamour in the future. It also destroys the mortal's life so thoroughly that he may become an enemy of changelings subconsciously, if he survives. Many Rhapsodized mortals succumb to exhaustion, suicide or stress-related ailments.
  The work of art that results from Rhapsody contains copious amounts of Glamour (the item is considered to be a special form of dross — see below). When the work is destroyed, the Glamour is released. (And this is added insult to injury for the artist — not even his greatest creation is allowed to live on.)
  System: One to five points of Glamour are invested into the victim. (Members of a group can each donate some Glamour to the victim, and reap shares of the Rhapsody.) The mortal makes a Manipulation + Expression roll (or another appropriate roll, difficulty 7) to create his masterpiece. A number of dice is added to this pool equal to the number of Glamour points invested by the changeling(s).
  For each success rolled in creating the work, a Seelie changeling gains one point of Glamour, while an Unseelie changeling gains two points when the object is destroyed. If a group donated Glamour to the Rhapsody, each contributor regains the Glamour that he invested (if there is enough to go around), and any remaining points are distributed on a point-by-point basis (single points awarded to Unseelie contributors become two points automatically).
  However, for every "one" rolled on a botch during the work's creation, the artist gains a point of permanent Banality, and no one gains any Glamour.

Dross

  While epiphanies are used to glean Glamour from mortals, there are other ways of obtaining Glamour in its many guises. The raw essence of the Dreaming sometimes gets trapped in physical form, usually through natural or magical means. This type of Glamour is known as dross. Dross is less threatening than the unbridled energy of the Dreaming. Indeed, many Kithain believe that dross should protected even more so than the Dreaming itself, because it is fragile and unique.
  Dross can manifest in many natural variations — forest mushrooms, geodes, fern seeds, well-worn river stones. Dross is often contained in the possessions and relics of great people: John Lennon's diary, Picasso's paintbrush or palette, Abraham Lincoln's top hat, or a letter written by either Lewis Carroll or Dr. Seuss.
  The Glamour gleaned from dross is more fleeting and temporary than that gathered from an epiphany. The power of dross is measured in points, but the fragile nature of that Glamour requires it to be used immediately once it is released. The Glamour unleashed from dross cannot replenish a changeling's own store. An object usually contains anywhere from one to five Glamour points, although some magnificent vessels hold 10 points or more.
  In order for the Glamour trapped in dross to be released, part of the item (and in many cases all of it) must be destroyed. A changeling must tear, crush, bum, devour, rip or otherwise ruin the item permanently, unless only part of its Glamour can be released, in which case only part of the object is destroyed. Once all the dross has been released from an item, there can be no chance to repair it. Ever.
  Many Kithain use dross as a form of currency. The Kenning Talent enables a changeling to know exactly how much Glamour is contained in an object (on a roll against difficulty 5). Many Seelie and Unseelie believe that such treasures and mementos should be protected from greedy Kithain out for a quick fix (although the Unseelie generally hold a much more liberal view of what makes something a treasure).

Types of Dross

  Dross can take the form of many different things, in varying sizes and shapes. The following is a list of sample items.
  • Dream Stones: Dream stones are beautiful natural objects. Although these items are named dream stones, the majority of them aren't stones at all — they might be anything from a small clump of moss from a rarely visited forest to an unusually formed crystal. Dream stones are distinguishable from their ordinary counterparts — the moss might be an unusual color, or the crystal might glow with a chimerical inner light. Dream stones are usually found around faerie glens and in hidden wilderness grottos. Dream stones usually contain only small amounts of Glamour, from one to three points.
  • Mementos: Mementos are items associated with a person or an event of great inspirational significance. One of Elvis' rhine-stone-studded jumpsuits, a pen that belonged to H. P. Lovecraft, a moon rock from mankind's first lunar landing, or even John Belushi's bumblebee outfit could be mementos. Mementos can contain large amounts of Glamour, some as much as 10 points. The more rare the item and the greater the person or event connected with it, the more dross it holds.
  • Treasures: Treasures can hold as little as one or as many as 10 points of Glamour, depending on the significance of the item and the impact it has had on creativity. The original copy of A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare might contain more than 20 points of Glamour, while a canvas painting by a new but well-respected graffiti artist might contain only two. Most treasures are guarded zealously by the Kithain. Some treasures are made specifically to be destroyed, to release the Glamour contained within. Destroying a permanent and important treasure simply for the Glamour within earns the defiler a temporary point of Banality.
  • Chimera: Glamour gained from destroying a chimerical beast may be used to replenish a changeling's own depleted score. However, one must consume the flesh of the beast in order to gain any benefits. Doing this repeatedly can cause side effects ranging from purgative to poisonous to Bedlam-inspiring.
  Chimerical items may also release Glamour when destroyed. The amount of Glamour gained by consuming a beast or breaking a chimerical object is generally proportional to the power of the creature or item.
  • Founts: Certain hidden places in the world have a direct connection to the Dreaming. These places, called founts, are highly sought after. In fact, some freeholds are built upon or near these sites, where Glamour bubbles up naturally like a spring. The amount of dross gained by ingesting the Glamour-laden "water" is determined by the Storyteller, although it is usually never more than 10 points in one draught, after which the fount must be allowed to replenish itself before it can be drawn from again. Strange side effects can arise from drinking from certain founts. Anything from hallucinations, nightmares, precognirion or an attack of the giggles may result, depending on the Storyteller's discretion and the location of the fount.

Using Dross

  Each time a changeling uses dross in any way, her player must roll a single die to see what affect the fickle nature of the Glamour contained within the dross has on the changeling. A "one" indicates that the Glamour has some negative side effect (anything from a momentary lapse in the surrounding Mists to nightmares to gaining a temporary point of Banality). A "10" might mean that some permanent or long-term benefit is incurred (such as gaining a permanent point of Glamour to losing a permanent point of Banality). The Storyteller decides what occurs and may not even tell a player what the effects of using dross are until they exhibit themselves (in which case the Storyteller should roll the die for the player).

Chimera

  Chimera are creatures and items of pure imagination, but the unconscious minds of the Kithain and other low-Banality beings can shape Glamour into things far more "real" than mere dreams. Chimera exist only to Kithain and enchanted beings. They can be objects (weapons or magical treasures), creatures (often monstrous) and places (flying castles or archways located in forests). Chimera can be sentient or nonsentient. They can be inanimate and malleable to a changeling's will, or "alive" and dangerous in the extreme.

Composition

  The metaphysical composition of the Dreaming, and of chimera in particular, is a mystery that baffles the most learned fae. To those who can perceive chimera, most appear as solid and as "real" as objects in the Autumn world, or Earth. Changelings can perceive chimera with all five senses. By definition, chimera are constructs of Glamour energies, made manifest through the will of mortal and fae Dreamers. More dense than mere thought, chimerical substance physically interacts with those attuned to its presence.
  Even the most ethereal chimera consist of a coarser material than pure Glamour does. This is an advantage in some ways and a disadvantage in others. Because chimera are of a heavier and sturdier substance than Glamour, they can withstand the mildest abuses of Banality. In fact, their physical nature results from the limited application of Banality to the Dreaming. True Glamour is the ultimate antithesis of static form. Glamour touches Dreamers, who in turn create chimera, but Banality influences those Dreamers as well. Thus they create chimera based on their Autumn world perspective, no matter how distorted their vision may become in the Dreaming.

Inanimate Chimera

  Inanimate chimera are the building blocks of the Dreaming. They may be the dreams of cloth, silver or stone that appear in the Dreaming or in the mundane world (though they are still invisible to nonfae). Inanimate chimera may result from the dreams of changelings or from the singular or collective dreams of humanity. They may be the creations of chimerical creatures (webs left by spider nervosa), or changelings may spin them from near nothingness with certain Arts and treasures. Kithain artisans may mold these materials into clothing and weapons.
  Inanimate chimera may be semi-formed raw materials or may be fully realized pieces of art. Almost every piece of creative work on Earth has its chimerical counterpart. Only those works imbued with true creativity, however, maintain their integrity in the Dreaming for long. (Thus a cathedral has far more "reality" as a chimerical construct than does an O'Tolley's restaurant.) Inanimate chimera that have little integrity succumb to Banality quickly, while those that spring from highly creative sources may last for centuries. The dreams of the creators of the work are often the strongest force behind a chimera. It is the dreams of those who appreciate the work, however, that keep it alive after the artists' death. Thus even a chimerical O'Tolley's might rebuild itself continuously as new customers come through its doors, but its existence is always a poor one at best.
  Inanimate chimera are not always art-related, but may spring from humanity's collective unconsciousness. Thus chimerical metal may exist in an imagined "mother-lode" near a mining community. Chimerical food may come from the desperate dreams of a starving child or from the dream-harvest of a successful boggan farmer. Changelings who wish to gather dreamstuff for the creation of chimerical items must "mine" it from the Dreaming, much in the way that humans gather raw materials in the mundane world.
  There are four types of inanimate chimera: Incidental, Dreamed, crafted and forged.

Incidental Chimera

  Incidental chimera constitute the majority of chimera in the mundane world. They are stray dreams, detached from the main body of the Dreaming. They sprout up in an unpredictable and hodgepodge way on Earth, but are invisible to mundane people.
  Chimera that grow in the real world seem to have all the "reality" of chimera found in the Dreaming. An Incidental tree may have the solidity of a real tree to a changeling in the mundane world. Once removed from its growth site (the place where it was originally dreamed into existence), however, the Incidental chimera succumbs to Banality quickly, breaking apart like wet cotton candy. A changeling may use an Incidental tree branch as an impromptu weapon while in an Incidental forest, but the branch would not serve very well as a walking stick once the changeling leaves the woods. Incidental chimera are usually brittle and have little value as raw materials for crafted or forged items. These chimera are born into the hostile Earth, and Banality infects them at the root. Even if a changeling brought an Incidental chimera into the Dreaming, it probably wouldn't last long (though a changeling may nurture an Incidental chimera, transforming it into a Dreamed chimera with repeated transfusions of Glamour).

Dreamed Chimera

  Dreamed chimera are the most common type of chimera in the Dreaming, but are relatively rare in the mundane world. Few changelings know why one newborn chimera becomes an Incidental chimera and another has a more rich and solid existence as a Dreamed chimera. Sometimes a Dreamer's creation may take root only in the mundane world, and sometimes only in the Dreaming. Some may exist in both realms, creating two aspects of the same chimera that take on separate but mysteriously connected lives. Dreamed chimera have afar more independent and permanent existence than Incidental chimera, but they are still susceptible to dissolution by Banality in the mundane world.
  Dreamed chimera are less "infected" by Banality than their Incidental counterparts. Changelings may use Dreamed chimera as raw materials in crafted or forged items. Inanimate Dream chimera tend to keep their cohesiveness as long as no one drastically changes their original Dreamed form. Thus a changeling may use a Dreamed tree branch as a walking stick, and may even trim a few twigs off it to make it more serviceable. However, if the changeling tries to carve the branch into an ornate walking stick, it is no longer a branch as envisioned by its Dreamer and dissolves quickly unless crafted or forged.
  A changeling who wishes to craft or forge a chimera usually obtains his materials from the Dreaming instead of using Incidental materials from Earth. The more rare the item, the deeper into the Dreaming the changeling must usually go to find it. Truly rare items and materials can become the foci of major quests. The recent opening of trods into the Near Dreaming upon the sidhe's return has precipitated a building boom unprecedented since the Sundering.

Voile

  Voile, or faerie clothing, is the most common example of Dreamed chimera, and is an integral part of a changeling's faerie mien. A changeling may create chimera of various sorts spontaneously during her Chrysalis. These "items" are usually distorted dream images from the fledge's past life or subconscious reflections of her fae nature. A new changeling's first action is often the instinctual creation of faerie garb, seemingly from thin air. These chimera are personal and attached to the changeling, and are thus Dreamed, not Incidental, chimera. This first suit of voile is usually an accurate indication of the changeling's kith and seeming. Thus a redcap may appear in tattered leathers and a white cap (which turns red when he first spills blood); a sidhe may appear in court finery.
  The player may decide what this first suit of voile looks like, but the clothing confers no special powers unless the player buys it as a Treasure Background during character creation. Voile is typically permanent as long as its creator possesses it. A suit of armor voile dreamed by a fledgling troll is a permanent part of his ensemble. If the troll loses his armor, however, he probably needs to seek out a nocker to forge him a new suit.

Crafted Chimera

  Crafted chimera are those that have been altered from their original form through traditional Grafting methods. A changeling may work chimerical metal, leather, wood and more fantastic substances (dragon scales, true silver) in the same way that human artisans work mundane materials. To do this, the changeling must first gather the appropriate chimerical materials (preferably Dreamed chimera), and the player must spend a point of Glamour. A Dexterity + Crafts roll (difficulty and number of successes needed vary) is made to work the chimera into its desired shape.
  Chimerical materials are difficult to work with, however, and few changelings are able to do so. Of all the kith, only boggans and nockers have much skill; the difficulties of all other kith trying to craft Dreamed chimera are increased by one to four. (Incidental chimera are even more difficult to work with.) Crafted chimera are rarely manipulated beyond the level of simple mechanical devices, and are still as vulnerable to Banality in their new forms as they were in their old.

Forged Chimera

  Forged chimera are the rarest of inanimate chimera because only nockers can make them. The nocker Birthright (Forge Chimera) allows them to transmute chimera on a fundamental level, forging them into hardier forms of dreamstuff. Forged chimera are resistant to the forces of Banality (difficulties are reduced by two on all rolls involving Banality), and are not connected to single changelings in the manner that voile are. Nockers can create forged chimera that are complex mechanical devices that do not even resemble their original materials. Bigger projects (such as chimerical castles or ships) are usually assembly-line projects; nockers forge the materials and other fae put them together. (For more on forging chimera, see the nocker entry in Chapter Three.)

Chimerical Wyrd Effects

  Chimera may, under certain circumstances, affect the mundane world. This requires the use of Willpower and special chimerical powers called Redes. Thus, only sentient chimera may affect the material world. A changeling wielding a nonsentient chimerical sword can cause Wyrd effects with it, but must do so in the usual manner (see "Calling Upon the Wyrd," pg. 211). A chimerical flying carpet may carry a changeling from one place to another in the physical world, but the risks incurred with such an enterprise are real and great. Beyond the threat of suffering Banality, there are all the dangers of crashing into airliners, meeting errant vampires or being confronted by the Technocracy.

Birthing Chimera

  Chimera derive from the stuff of unformed dreams, and their birth is a very special and magical event. Chimera may attach themselves to a changeling during his Chrysalis or Saining. This process is something over which the changeling has little control; they are born from his subconscious dreams. Such chimera may be inanimate voile or chimerical guides to aid the changeling in his new life (if the player buys the Chimera Background).
  Chimera also come into existence through many other means. Kithain may create chimera subconsciously during stressful, creative or highly emotional times. Changelings may also birth chimera when they go into Bedlam. Chimera born from Bedlam are often unpredictable and dangerous, sometimes staying with their creator long after his state of Bedlam subsides. Chimera may also spring from the minds of nonfae Dreamers. Some chimera are truly ancient and may visit Earth from far into the Deep Dreaming. Chimera may even come from places of low Banality, such as a Lost Ones' freehold (see "Freeholds," pg. 224), or from places of intense mystical activity.

Dreamers and Chimera

  Kithain are not the only creatures that can spawn chimera. While individual changelings are far more likely to do so than humans, the vast majority of chimera (and, indeed, the Dreaming itself) are the unconscious creations of humanity's dreams. The collective unconsciousness of the human race and other denizens of the World of Darkness creates the fantastic dream world from which the fae draw power. Even the most Banality-sodden humans occasionally give spark to minor and ill-formed chimera. Despite the oncoming Winter, some beings still maintain the ability to dream. Such "Dreamers" are individuals with low Banality ratings (4 or lower).
  These mortal Dreamers may include artists, children, day-dreamers and the insane. Some supernatural creatures may also birth chimera. Examples of low-Banality supernatural Dreamers may include, but are not limited to: Fianna werewolves; Malkavian, Ravnos and Toreador vampires; and mages such as Dreamspeakers and the Marauders. Children add a strange quality to the Dreaming that is both comforting and disturbing. The culture that a child lives in heavily influences any chimera he creates. These beings may be spring from children's books, cartoons, childlike perceptions of MTV, the 6:00 news or from the abuses of parents.
  Children often give their chimera an winsome look. (Some child-chimera are nauseatingly cute.) Appearances can be deceiving; children are prone to nightmares, too. That cute little bunny might pull out a butcher knife at some inopportune moment. Some chimera are very protective of their creators and defend them against Kithain predators (other chimera and changelings who try to Ravage creators for Glamour). These chimera may also interact with their creators.

Animate Chimera

  Animate chimera are simply chimera that have either life or the appearance of life. They may be sentient or nonsentient, but nonsentient chimera can mimic intelligent creatures in a surprisingly sophisticated manner. Like inanimate chimera, chimerical creatures may be either Incidental (living wholly in the mundane world) or Dreamed. Some animate chimera, such as nocker golems, may even be forged.

Nonsentient Chimera

  Nonsentient chimerical creatures may have the appearance of life and intelligence, but are really little more than animated impulses following a preordained series of actions. These creatures may have all the outer aspects of sentience. They may show clever instincts while hunting, use a sword with amazing facility, or even carry on an intelligent conversation. All of this is illusion, however. A nonsentient chimera merely behaves the way that the Dreamers who created it expect it to act. It has no independent thought or will, though in some cases a nonsentient chimera may become aware over time.

Sentient Creatures

  Only Kithain or mortal Dreamers with the low Banality (rarely over 2) give birth to sentient chimera. Inanimate chimera rarely obtain sentience, simply because the Dreamer does not expect it to do so. Humans may ascribe human attributes to animals or their cars, but few toy with the thought that a toaster is alive. This is not always the case, however. Some Dreamers anthropomorphize the most mundane objects. A child may dream that her teddy bear is alive, and, fueled by her dreams, it comes to life.
  Similarly, a madman may imagine that dreadful disembodied voices call from his own shadow, creating disturbing and wicked chimerical creatures from the stuff of nightmares. The shadow-chimera may even gain enough awareness to realize that a cure to their progenitor's delirium will end their existence. They may attempt to strengthen their creator's madness and attack those who attempt a cure. In rare cases they may gain a mobility independent of their creator, and commit hideous crimes in the Dreaming.
  A changeling may determine if a chimerical creature is sentient by talking with it and making a Perception + Gremayre roll (difficulty varies), or can tell visually by making a Perception + Kenning roll (difficulty equals the chimera's Glamour; two successes needed). Of course, not all chimera will speak the changeling's language. The Kithain would need to know German to speak with a German chimera, or Plant Lore to communicate with an enchanted apple tree in the queen's orchard. Sentient chimera may lose sentience over time as Dreamers forget them, or when exposed to Banality.

Building Chimerical Creatures

Traits

  Chimerical creatures are created with these rules for use with the Chimera Background. All sentient chimerical creatures have seven fundamental types of Traits: Physical, Social and Mental Attributes, Abilities, Glamour, Willpower and Health Levels. Nonsentient chimerical creatures have Physical Attributes, Glamour and Health Levels. Creatures of the Dreaming may also possess chimerical powers, called Redes.

Attribute Cost

  All chimerical creatures are designed with chimera points, which can be allocated among the chimera's Attributes in almost any manner. Most chimera from the Near Dreaming may have anywhere from eight to 36 chimera points (see the Chimera Background, pg. 146). Some, however, are far more powerful. Chimera can go above the human maximum of 5 in any Attribute, though one can never have an Attribute higher than its own Glamour rating.
  Physical Attributes: Most chimera have quasi-physical bodies because of their rather crude Glamour construction. (Chimera with the Dreamform Rede are the exception.) Chimera with physical forms have three Physical Attributes: Strength, Dexterity and Stamina. If an attacker disperses a chimera, but does not destroy it, the chimera's Attributes return at the rate of one point for each Attribute per week.
  Cost: Each chimera point buys three points to allocate among a chimera's Physical Attributes. Chimera do not begin with one dot in each Attribute as characters do.
  Mental Attributes: All sentient chimera have the three Mental Attributes: Perception, Intelligence and Wits. Nonsentient chimera do not have Mental Attributes, though some may appear intelligent. Such chimera have limited behavioral patterns and cannot grow in knowledge or make independent decisions outside of their "original programming."
  Cost: One chimera point buys three points to allocate among the three Mental Attributes. Chimera do not begin with one dot in each Attribute as characters do.
  Social Attributes: Chimera are dream-creatures and are often socially active. All sentient chimera have the three Social Attributes: Charisma, Manipulation and Appearance. (Appearance can have a rating of zero — monstrously ugly.) Nonsentient chimera are not required to have Social Attributes, but may possess them. A nonsentient chimera may still have a high Appearance. It may even be charismatic or a convincing speaker, even if it is really nothing more than an automaton.
  Cost: Each chimera point buys three points to allocate among the chimera's three Social Attributes. Chimera do not begin with one dot in each Attribute as characters do.

Abilities

  Chimera may have almost any Ability that can be possessed by changelings or other creatures in the World of Darkness. If a person can dream of someone doing something, then a chimera can do it too. A chimerical duelist may be just as good with a sword as the best changeling warrior. A sentient chimera may be a great, original artist. Chimerical Abilities do not usually exceed the human maximum of 5, but potent chimera from the Dreaming may surpass the most talented humans in skill.
  Cost: One chimera point buys three Ability points.

Glamour

  All chimera have some Glamour, or they would cease to exist. Most have only a few points, while legendary creatures from the Far Dreaming and Deep Dreaming may have almost limitless dream power. Chimera cannot regain Glamour while in the mundane world unless they visit a freehold, are given it by a changeling, or have the Steal Glamour Rede. Chimera regain one Glamour an hour in the Dreaming.
  Cost: One chimera point buys one point of Glamour.

Willpower

  Willpower suffuses a sentient chimera's Glamour, giving it independent purpose and direction. Sentient chimera need Willpower to fuel certain Redes. Nonsentient chimera do not have Willpower. Chimera regain Willpower at the rate of one point per day.
  Cost: Three chimera points buys one point of Willpower.

Health Levels

  Physical chimera have a very real substance to those in, and of, the Dreaming. Kithain can destroy chimera through "physical" chimerical means. A chimerical sword draws blood, and a chimerical fire bums chimera and changeling alike. This damage may force changelings into their mortal seemings, but it destroys chimera.
  The penalties applied for losing Wound Levels is exactly the same as for changelings until the chimera exceeds seven Health Levels. Once past this point the Storyteller may decide the affects of additional Health Levels.
  Cost: One chimera point buys two Health Levels. The limit to Health Levels is five times the chimera's Stamina score.

Attack

  All physical chimera can inflict Strength + 1 chimerical damage, unless they use weapons or Redes.

Redes

  These strange powers are displayed by many chimera. The variety of these powers is seemingly endless; a few examples follow. A chimera uses Glamour to power most of its Redes, but needs Willpower to affect the mundane world. Not all chimera have Redes.
  Chimera Point Cost: This is the number of chimera points that must be spent for a chimera to possess a Rede.
  Use Cost: This is the number of Glamour points that must be spent for a chimera to use a Rede.

Example Redes

  • Aggravated Damage — Chimera may use this Rede in tandem with the Wyrd Rede (see below) to cause aggravated, real-world damage.
  Chimera Point Cost: 3
  Use Cost: None
  • Armor — The chimera may grow armor to protect its physical form. Types of armor include tough skin, metal plating, dragon scales and chitinous exoskeletons.
  Chimera Point Cost: 1 (per point of armor)
  Use Cost: None
  • Befuddle — This power confuses its target, making it difficult to perform any action. Roll Glamour with a difficulty equal to its target's Willpower. The target loses one die from all Dice Pools for every success that the chimera achieves in excess of the victim. The effect lasts as long as the chimera remains in the victim's presence.
  Chimera Point Cost: 3
  Use Cost: 1
  • Dreamform — The chimera is composed of a more rarefied, purer Glamour than most chimera arc. It does not have a physical form. (It is still visible, however, unless it has the Rede Hide.) Kithain must use Arts or treasures if they wish to affect it, as normal chimerical means will do no good. A chimera with this Rede does not need to possess Physical Attributes, but must still have Health Levels. (If this Rede is purchased, the Stamina limit on Health Levels is ignored.)
  This Rede is permanent, unless the chimera is exposed to high levels of Banality (it touches an Autumn Person, for example). In such instances, the chimera's current Glamour is rolled (difficulty equals the source's Banality). If the roll fails, the chimera loses its Dreamform instantly and gains two chimera points to be allocated among Physical Attributes that it develops suddenly. The chimera remains in this physical form as long as it remains in contact with the Banality that changed it. If the Glamour roll botches, the change is permanent.
  Chimera Point Cost: 5
  Use Cost: None
  • Enchantment — This Rede allows a chimera to affect nonfae, and allows them to affect it. The chimera may interact with a human, chat amiably with him, or attack him. All damage is still chimerical, and the human forgets the encounter quickly. (Refer to the Mists Chart, pg. 208.) The chimera would need the Wyrd Rede to affect the physical world.
  Chimera Point Cost: 3
  Use Cost: This Rede costs one Glamour per turn to use, or one per hour in a freehold or the Dreaming.
  • Ensnare — The chimera can attempt to physically restrain its target in some manner. The ways in which chimera do this vary widely (a spider's web, a net, sticky foam). An appropriate attack roll is made, or the Ensnare is set in advance in hopes that someone will blunder into it. Ensnare has Strength 2 and two points of armor for every three points of permanent Glamour possessed by the chimera. Chimera with less than three points of permanent Glamour have an Ensnare with Strength 1 and one point of armor.
  Chimera Point Cost: 2
  Use Cost: 1 to capture one human-sized object
  • Fear — Chimera with this Rede can cause a subject to freeze with fear or retreat in stark terror. Fear persists for one to 10 turns. The victim may make a Willpower roll (difficulty 6); each success reduces the Rede's duration by one turn. This fear can be generated by any number of means; some chimera frighten their targets by their mere appearance.
  Chimera Point Cost: 2
  Use Cost: 1
  • Fester — This Rede causes a victim to manifest the symptoms of a particular disease. The Storyteller decides at what rate the disease progresses, but it is often extremely fast. A disease that normally would take years to manifest may do so in hours. A victim may cure the effects of this Rede by making an opposed Willpower roll and gaining more successes than the chimera does, although the victim must be aware of the chimera's presence to resist. Primal ———— (Heather Balm) may heal damage inflicted by this Rede, but will not cure the disease.
  Chimera Point Cost: 5
  Use Cost: 1 per Health Level of damage inflicted by the disease
  • Flight — The chimera can fly under its own power. Changelings seek chimera with this Rede for flying carpets and the like. The chimera can fly 25 feet per turn per point of Dexterity that it has.
  Chimera Point Cost: 3
  Use Cost: 1 per hour
  • Gulp — Chimera with this power may unhinge their jaws wide enough to swallow victims. If a chimera gains five or more successes on an attack roll, it swallows the victim whole. Damage is automatic each turn thereafter, if the chimera chooses to inflict it. Some chimera may hold their victims inside themselves just long enough to terrify them, and then spit them out again. Victims swallowed by redcap-inspired chimera are rarely so lucky.
  Chimera Point Cost: 3
  Use Cost: 2
  • Glamour Pact — The chimera can protect itself from being crafted, forged or trapped in a treasure against its will. The difficulty of any attempt to do so by changeling artisans is increased by two, and the chimera may be even more difficult to control than the average unwilling chimera. Changelings consider most Glamour Pact items to be "cursed," and the chimera in one may still use any Redes that are not based on Physical Attributes. Chimera with Glamour Pact that are trapped in items retain their Glamour and Willpower scores. Their new forms dictate their physical characteristics. Some chimera use this power to force an artisan to change them back to their true forms (often a difficult task). Some, however, retain their imposed forms for years, relishing their status as cursed objects. Only the greatest or most insane changeling artisans work with chimera that possess this Rede.
  Chimera Point Cost: 5
  Use Cost: 1 permanent Glamour
  • Healing — The chimera can heal its own wounds or those of others. The chimera must have the Wyrd Rede to heal nonchimerical injuries.
  Chimera Point Cost: 5
  Use Cost: 1 point of Glamour heals one Health Level of damage
  • Hide — This Rede allows a chimera to become invisible to all changelings and enchanted beings. A Perception + Kenning roll (difficulty 8) must be made for a changeling trying to determine the location of a chimera that is using this Rede, and at least two successes must be achieved. (One success indicates the general location of the chimera.) This effect lasts for the duration of a scene (up to one hour).
  Some chimera can use this Rede to hide changelings or even unenchanted beings. Hiding a changeling from another changeling functions just as described above. Hiding a changeling from the unenchanted, or hiding a unenchanted item or person requires that the chimera possess the Wyrd Rede.
  Chimera Point Cost: 5 (for hiding self only); 7 (for ability to affect others)
  Use Cost: 1 (and 1 per person or item affected)
  • Possession — The chimera must touch the target. An opposed roll is made of the chimera's Glamour and the target's Willpower (difficulties are the opponents' scores). If the chimera rolls more successes, it possesses the victim for one turn per success in excess of the opponent's roll. If the target has a higher permanent Banality score than the chimera has permanent Glamour, the chimera loses a point of Glamour for each point of the difference. This Rede works only on Kithain unless the chimera has the Rede Enchantment.
  Chimera Point Cost: 7
  Use Cost: 2 Willpower
  • Scuttle — Chimera with this Rede may move at truly amazing speeds.
  Chimera Point Cost: 3
  Use Cost: A chimera may take one extra action per Glamour point spent.
  • Sense Banality — The chimera can tell how much Banality is in a person, object or place.
  Chimera Point Cost: 2
  Use Cost: 1 Willpower
  • Shapeshift — A chimera with this power can change its appearance in almost any way it desires. It may appear to grow larger or smaller. It may turn into a creature of dazzling beauty or a monstrosity from the Nightmare Realms. This image is completely illusionary, and the chimera gains no additional abilities from this Rede. This power affects all five senses, but cannot be used to cause damage with illusionary weapons.
  Chimera Point Cost: 5
  Use Cost: 1 per shape change
  • Steal Glamour — This Rede allows the chimera to actually steal Glamour from a changeling or even another chimera. A Willpower roll with a difficulty equal to the target's Glamour must be made for a chimera to use this Rede successfully. The number of successes rolled determines how many points of temporary Glamour are stolen.
  Chimera Point Cost: 3
  Use Cost: 1 Willpower
  • Traverse Dreaming — This Rede allows chimera to travel to the mortal world from the Dreaming, or to enter the Dreaming from the mortal world. Chimera can travel only through established trods and portals, though some travel chimerical nods known only to their kind.
  Chimera Point Cost: 5
  Use Cost: 1
  • Venom — Chimerical venom can cause paralysis or even "death" to changelings. The victim may suffer damage, and a successful Stamina roll (difficulty 8) must be made, or the victim may be paralyzed for one minute per Glamour point invested by the chimera.
  Chimera Point Cost: 3
  Use Cost: Chimera usually deliver their venom in tandem with a physical attack (bite, stinger, claw). This Rede causes one additional Health Level of damage per point of Glamour that the chimera chooses to invest (assuming that the chimera seeks to do harm with its venom).
  • Weaponry — The chimera may create physical (non-ranged) weapons from its chimerical substance. These may include swords, horns or lashing tails. If a chimera loses its physical form, its weapon disappears with it, but the weapon may stay behind in some cases.
  Chimera Point Cost: The chimera inflicts +1 damage for every two chimera points spent.
  Use Cost: None
  • Wyrd — A chimera that invokes this Rede becomes a solid creature in the real world and can cause physical damage. This is one of die rarest chimerical powers.
  Chimera Point Cost: 5
  Use Cost: 1 Willpower per scene

Killing Chimera

  If a chimera loses all its Health Levels, its current Willpower must be rolled successfully (difficulty 7) to maintain its integrity. If the roll fails, it dies instantly. If the roll succeeds, the chimera becomes incorporeal (as though in Dreamform), and its wounds heal at the rate of one Health Level per week, unless it has the Rede Healing. When a chimera has been reduced to noncorporeal form, it may retreat from its pursuers and be intangible but still visible. A chimera in this form can still be affected by Arts, but is immune to the effects of chimerical weapons. If the chimera can be slain again (it loses all of its Health Levels), it becomes corporeal and is subject to the effects of Banality (see below).
  If a chimera is destroyed (i.e., it loses all of its Health Levels, and its Willpower roll fails) in the mundane world, one of two things happens. If the Banality of anyone present, or of the location itself, is higher than the chimera's permanent Glamour, the chimera melts away into nothing in seconds. Nothing can be harvested from it. If the Banality of everyone present, or of the location, is lower than the chimera's permanent Glamour, this decomposition is slower and changelings may "harvest" the chimera's Glamour as dross. Changelings may also use the chimera as physical parts for crafts (using a chimerical dragonhide for armor, for example).
  Any chimera that dies in the Dreaming is not dissolved by Banality, but is absorbed by the Dreaming. (The chimerical dragon rots or chimerical insects eat it, recycling its Glamour into other forms.)

Chimera and Banality

  Humans and unenchanted supernatural beings with high Banality ratings can dispel chimera by their mere proximity. Since most mortals cannot see chimera, this is usually not a problem. If a changeling interacts with a chimera in a way that normal humans cannot readily explain (the changeling wields a chimerical blade or talks to a chimerical friend), most humans will merely consider her to be playacting or insane. Chimerical effects become an issue, however, if a human sees the chimera perform a "real-world" feat, such as flying with a changeling on its back. The chimera will usually remain invisible, but the flying changeling may not. If the changeling or chimera does not take pains to disguise their flight (through Chicanery or the Rede Hide), humans' skepticism may shunt the Kithain and chimera (and anyone or anything in contact with them) into a random part of the Dreaming (Storyteller's option). If this happens, the changeling may have a difficult time returning to the mundane world.
  A sentient chimera may resist this effect by rolling its Willpower versus the observing human's Banality (two successes are needed). If the roll succeeds, the chimera is immune to that particular viewer's skepticism for the remainder of the scene. If a group witnesses the flying changeling, the chimera's roll is made against a difficulty equal to that of the highest Banality rating in the crowd. The Mists will usually cover up any memory of the event after the fact.
  Even more dangerous are the risks a chimera faces if it gets too close to or, worse, touches a person with a high Banality. Most chimera can recognize such people and take great pains to avoid them. Even if a human cannot see a chimera, the force of his or her doubt is enough to erode the chimera's fragile form. Sentient chimera take one Health Level of damage for every turn spent in close proximity to an unenchanted person who has a Banality rating of two or more in excess of the chimera's own permanent Glamour score. The actual proximity at which a chimera suffers this damage is determined by the Storyteller, though the greater die person's Banality, the farther his aura extends (generally about a foot per point of Banality, though this may be greater with some Autumn People). A chimera reduced to zero Health Levels in this manner is destroyed forever.
  Ironically, if a changeling or chimera enchants a human successfully, and that person sees the chimera or the results of its actions, the human's skepticism has no effect on the chimera. The human believes in or doesn't question what she sees, at least for that moment. (This tactic has little effect on Dauntain, who can see chimera on their own.)
  These rules on disbelief do not usually apply to inanimate or nonsentient chimera. Such items are usually either too "mundane" to be affected by humans' skepticism, or are protected as part of a changeling's personal effects. Thus a changeling could hit an unenchanted being with a chimerical blade without fear of losing it, but the blade causes no damage unless the changeling enchants the person or calls upon the Wyrd.

Freeholds

  Most of the ancient faerie glens, isles and hillocks disappeared long ago; their pathways to Arcadia closed when humanity's disbelief became too strong for them to remain open. Nonetheless, a few of these spots, called freeholds, remain. Such places have close connections with the Dreaming. Changelings draw power from these refuges and find peace there as well. They are places where Banality is, temporarily at least, at bay.
  Freeholds are so valuable to changelings that they are the center of the Kithain feudal system. They are sources of power and influence for nobles and commoners alike. Freeholds are the foci of many changelings' faerie lives. Most consider a freehold to be their home, though few changelings actually live in them. Changelings have loyalty and affection for their refuges, no matter how small or humble those places are.

Dream Nature

  Freeholds are protrusions of the Dreaming into the mundane world, but the opposite is also true. Freeholds feed the Dreaming Glamour, but Banality leaks into the Dreamrealms through freeholds, trods and other such sites. This is not necessarily a bad thing; the "mundane" world gives the Dreaming form and variety. In its purest form, Glamour is ceaselessly chaotic. Freeholds are, by necessity, more banal than the Dreaming around them.
  Most known freeholds are protrusions between the Autumn world and the Near Dreaming. Some may exist between two Dreamrealms, such as the Near and Far Dreaming. These are usually shadows of old Earthly freeholds that have migrated (willingly or unwillingly) deeper into the Dreaming. Changelings call a portal between realms in any kind of freehold a rath.

Raths

  "Rath" is the Irish name for circular earthworks left by the fae; even humans know these are gateways into the faerie lands (though few humans really believe such "fairy tales."). This folklore is true, however, though not all raths are circular earthworks. Raths vary widely — from a silver archway for the sidhe, to a hole under an upturned tree root for a forest-dwelling pooka, to a gauntlet of whirling saw blades in a nocker freehold. A rath may be any kind of portal that is large enough for a changeling to pass through, though not all are big enough to allow humans passage. The size of these archways varies, but is usually proportional to a freehold's power.
  The freehold on the Dreaming side of a rath usually appears similar to its mundane aspect, yet there are startling differences. Perhaps north is south here, or mirrors do not reverse images in the usual manner. Banal objects disappear completely, while others are barely visible but drift away like cobwebs in the breeze when touched. The air seems crisper, and colors are more bold. Minor chimera are ubiquitous in the Dreaming aspect of most freeholds, Attracted to freeholds like fish to a coral reef, most are mindless and do little to endanger the freehold or its inhabitants. More daring chimera may use the rath to jump between realms, though they must have the Rede Traverse Dreaming to do so. Homesteads (see below) are freeholds that exist wholly in one Dreamrealm, and they have no raths that lead to another realm.
  A freehold is more "static" than the Dreaming that it connects to or surrounds it. Thus, a freehold situated between the Near and Far Dreaming has two aspects. The Far Dreaming aspect is less "mundane" than the freehold's Near Dreaming aspect, but still more stable than the rest of the Far Dreaming. If a changeling leaves the immediate vicinity of this island of stability and enters the Dreaming, she may become lost quickly and may never find her way back to the human world (Intelligence + Dream Lore roll to find her way, difficulty increases with distance from the freehold), unless she travels by way of an established trod. Few changelings dare to wander more than a few city blocks from their freeholds in the Dreaming. Only changelings with Dream Lore may navigate the Dreaming reliably.

Opening a Rath

  Raths are usually easier to open than trods are (see below), though this is not always the case. To open a rath, a character must possess the Wayfare ••• (Portal Passage) Art and the Fae ••• (Manifold Chimera) Realm. The number of successes needed to open a rath varies greatly, depending on the circumstances. The sidhe are more adept at traveling the Dreaming than other kith, and their difficulties to open raths are reduced by two. The changeling who owns the freehold has a difficulty of 5 and requires only one success. She may then enter the freehold's Dreaming aspect on the other side of the rath, taking any other changelings (or even enchanted humans) with her. Any changeling with the appropriate Art and Realm may attempt to use another changeling's rath, but the attempt is challenging (difficulty 7, two successes needed). Some changelings use their Arts to make their raths inhospitable to uninvited guests.

Creation of a Freehold

  Creating a freehold in the mundane world is not a simple matter, though not impossible. One must find a place with a certain amount of natural Glamour. Such locations are rare, and usually discovered only by luck or chance. Indeed, some Kithain spend years searching for one. With the location determined, the would-be creator must light a torch from another freehold's balefire and bear it to the newly established haven. She must light a new fire with this torch, investing a certain amount of her Glamour.
  This fire becomes the balefire for the new freehold. The amount of Glamour invested determines the freehold's level (never over five). The player subtracts the points from his character's Glamour rating permanently, unless he bought the freehold with the Holdings Background during character creation. Sometimes several changelings may hold a freehold, going so far as to use a common balefire. (The difficulties to resist Banality are reduced by one for shared freeholds.) Each can withdraw what she initially invested in the freehold. Thus a changeling who invested three points of Glamour draws from the freehold at a higher level than the changeling who invested one point does.
  Creating freeholds in the Deep Dreaming is far more complex and requires special Arts known only to a few.

Ownership of a Freehold

  A changeling may acquire a freehold in one of four ways. She may create the freehold, gain it as a gift or inheritance, discover it by chance or as the result of a quest, or she may steal it from another changeling. If the character discovers or inherits a pre-existing freehold or glade, she must swear an oath to protect it if she wishes to stake her claim. The character must also invest an amount of temporary Glamour equal to the level of the freehold. If something destroys a changeling's freehold, the owner gains a number of temporary Banality points equal to the level of the freehold. If she created the freehold, she also regains any Glamour that she invested.
  Changeling tradition holds that once a changeling claims a freehold, no other may claim it until the owner's death — unless he chooses to give it away. The full force of the Dreaming backs this law, making "claim jumping" rare. There are exceptions, though.
  A noble with a pennon treasure (a count or higher-ranking lord) can use it to take a freehold against a commoner's will, though she must invoke a formal fior to do so. A "neutral" noble, mutually agreed upon by the contestants, chooses and administers the fior. If the commoner refuses the fior, the freehold becomes the legal and mystical property of the noble and it responds to only her commands. The returning sidhe used this age-old power to take over a number of commoner freeholds, but this practice has slowed considerably since the Treaty of Concord. Nobles who use this power too freely are understandably unpopular among commoners, and occasionally meet nasty ends.
  If a changeling becomes Undone by Banality, his freehold's balefire gains a bluish tint and the freehold "dries up" at the rate of one Glamour point per year. If the changeling's Undoing is temporary, the owner may rekindle her freehold by spending a temporary point of Glamour. Another changeling may claim an "abandoned" freehold on the basis that it is better to rescue a freehold than to lose it to Banality. Seelie tradition dictates that the original owner has the truest claim to her freehold, and that a new owner should return the freehold without protest. The original owner typically thanks the freehold's "caretaker" with a small gift for protecting the freehold while she was away. Unseelie tradition holds more to a tradition of ownership by the strong; a changeling who becomes Undone is obviously unfit to maintain a freehold. A returning changeling must often invoke a fior to regain her lost property.

Gaining Glamour

  The owner of a freehold may use it to renew his Glamour, though he can grant this power to another as a favor instead. To obtain Glamour from a freehold, the character must sleep and dream in the balefire's light, or near the secret stone of a glade. Upon awakening, he recovers a number of Glamour equal to the amount he initially invested. Of course, the changeling may never gain Glamour above his permanent Glamour rating. Glades function slightly differently; the first person to dream within the glade in a night is the one who gains Glamour. Changelings rarely share glades.

Reaving

  It is possible to gain Glamour from a freehold, even if one is not the owner or does not have permission, through Reaving. It risks causing permanent damage to a freehold, though. The owner may also Reave his own freehold in an attempt to gain more than the daily allowance of Glamour. To do this, the character stands in the presence of the balefire or sacred stone and wills the Glamour to come forth. The player rolls the character's Banality rating (difficulty 7). The number of successes determines the amount of Glamour gained. If this number is higher than the level of the freehold, the character still gains that amount of Glamour. The freehold loses one level for every two successes over its rating. Most changeling rulers (Seelie and Unseelie) have outlawed Reaving; destroying a freehold is one of the most horrible crimes a Kithain can commit.

Glades

  While freeholds are often created (and hence artificial sources of Glamour), glades are naturally occurring wellsprings. They are extremely rare and, when discovered, become carefully guarded secrets. A glade has a sacred stone, which is similar to a freehold's balefire. Sacred stones can take many forms. Some are tall standing stones left as chimerical glacial till, while others are sacred gems or smooth stones rounded by mountain streams. They may sit in a place of high honor or rest unnoticed by a tree root. Regardless of its form, the stone is the source of a glade's power. Removing or destroying a sacred stone strips a glade of its magical energies. Nunnehi still control most natural glades, but many European fae covet them. This has lead to numerous fights over the years.

Trods

  If Glamour is the Dreaming's life-blood, then trods are the arteries through which Glamour flows. Trods are the fae's nearest connection to the Dreaming and Arcadia beyond. They are also power. The sidhe realized this during the Resurgence, and rushed to reclaim most of the recently re-opened trods. Those who control the trods have considerable control over Kithain society. Changelings may move troops and secret missives through them in times of war. They are ideal trade routes and vital connections to the Dreaming in times of peace. Most trods closed during the centuries of the Interregnum, but reopened spectacularly with the sidhe's return.
  When a changeling enters a trod, she disappears from the mundane world. Trods may lead to a number of places. Most follow a path leading from one earthly location, through the Near Dreaming, to another earthly location. Others end at specific locations within the Dreaming. Time and location shift constantly in the Dreaming. After over 600 years of being severed from the Dreaming, most commoners are not adept at traveling through it. Few Earth-bound changelings used trods, but now travel them in growing numbers. (This is especially true of the sidhe and eshu.)
  Few changelings live directly in the Dreaming due to its hostility and restless nature. Those who leave the safety of a trod's Silver Path (see below) risk becoming lost forever in a constantly shifting wilderness, with only monstrous chimera for companionship. However, some changelings manage to set up homesteads along trods, in the Dreaming. These are scattered throughout the Near Dreaming, providing shelter to those who travel these roads.
  Travelers may travel both ways on trods, and may reverse direction in mid-joumey when they choose to. A trod's physical appearance varies greatly, depending on its nature and on the Dreaming that surrounds it. Some have openings in the mundane world, while others thread only through the Dreaming. Trods may intersect each other, though a traveler must open the new trod to change paths.

The Silver Path

  The Silver Path is literally that, a path that leads from one end of a trod to the other. Its physical form varies from trod to trod, depending on the type of trod it runs, but it always has a slight silver cast to it. If travelers on a trod do not deviate from the Silver Path, they greatly increase their chances of reaching their destination unharmed. The Silver Path not only acts as a guide, but as a protector as well. Chimerical monsters must expend Glamour to attack those on the path. The difficulties of all chimerical attacks staged on travelers of a Silver Path increase by one to three, depending on the path's strength in the area. Some crafty chimera try to trick unwary changelings from the path, and many have gotten quite good at it. (Chimera may use trods that are protected by the Silver Path, but only if they travel under a changeling's protection.)
  No one knows the Silver Path's true nature, though it was clearly a creation of the changelings' progenitors, the Tuatha de Danaan. The Silver Path protects most Near Dreaming trods, though there are long stretches where it fades or disappears completely. The path fell into disrepair after the sidhe left during the Shattering, and many maps of trods and paths were lost. High King David and other monarchs have made it a priority to strengthen the Silver Path, but no one knows how to do it. Many changelings seek this secret.

Opening a Trod

  To open a trod, a character must possess the Wayfare ••• (Portal Passage) Art and the Fae ••••• (Dweomer of Glamour) Realm. Eshu and sidhe are particularly adept at traveling trods, and gain an extra die to their Dice Pools when opening them. The number of successes needed to open a given trod varies greatly, depending on the circumstances. If all the conditions for opening a trod have been met — proper season, riddle answered, sacrifices made — only one success is necessary. If a changeling fails to meet these conditions, she may need as many as 10 successes.

The Passage of Time

  Time does not flow in a trod as it does in the mundane world. A great deal of time may pass for a changeling on the trod, while almost none has passed in the mundane world. A journey's duration on the trod is often, though not always, a close approximation of the time it would take to traverse the distance in the mortal world. (A changeling who flies along a sun or moon trod in his chimerical balloon will have a faster journey than one who chooses to walk to the same destination along a land trod.) In the mundane world, however, both arrive at approximately the same time. A changeling may enter a trod in New York and exit in Paris with only a few minutes or even seconds passing in the mundane world. While this can be very useful if a changeling is in a hurry, the difficulty and risks of traveling a trod may not be worth the savings in time. If a changeling is not in a hurry, she may take a scheduled airliner like everyone else.