Keywords: Fairy, Elf, Changeling, Sprite, Pixie
Alignment: All Changelings are Twilight Neutral. This can change with their leaders and with the Neriad that they choose to serve. They can choose to serve another Neriad at any time – though it is highly likely that they are tied into service by oaths and pacts. All Changelings start as Wyldfae (unaligned to a Court) but may join either of the Courts – those of Summer or Winter later as they develop.
Appearance: Changelings are beings that have somehow lost a bargain with a Neriad – usually several – to the point where they leave their past behind and become mortal agents of the Faeborn. However, there are whispers of other creation stories for Changelings – and some might even have some truth to them. Some whispers say that they are mortal children, stole just after birth a replaced with half-fae beings, some that they are mortals pulled into the regions of Faerae to serve a wilful Neriad...
Characters will start as Wyldfae. Wyldfae are part-incarnations of the untamed Faeborn, and thus resemble their masters in one form or another. Many will have markings of the age of technology and take after it – clock-work, steam-power, pipes, cables, glass lenses and the like are quite common. As the Wyldfae develops it will begin to find and affinity with one or the other of the Courts – and thus they will take on an appearance resembling the Court of choice – leaves, creeping vines for Summer, perhaps and icicles, hoarfrost and twisted branches for Winter, maybe.
Regions: Changelings are more common in the north, the southlands of Getae and the east of Dacia, though they could technically come from anywhere...
Society: Changeling society is difficult to define. Many try to insinuate themselves back in the larger part of society, and indeed, many are able to. However, all feel deep within themselves the call of the Courts and the Neriad, and as such, many – even those that have managed to re-integrate themselves into the larger society – feel lost, alone and desolate. Many thus end up forming clubs and social groups of local Changelings, coming together to share stories and at least have a sense of familiarity. All too often, however, these clubs dissolve without leadership as the conflicts inherent within Summer and Winter come to the surface as the true powers of a Changeling emerge.
Government: Changelings attempt to follow the governments of their people – but the Faeborn have their own politics. There are two Courts, and all true Faeborn belong to one or the other. These powerful Faeborn are called ‘Neriad’ and they operate as something like a noble ruling class towards the lower Faeborn and Changelings.
It is easy to see why the Neriad are called ‘mad’ by those that know them, for they act seemingly on whims, without care for those they harm or affect. The motives and methods of the Neriad appear to be without aim or justification, and trying to understand one is an impossible task. Each Neriad and Feaborn follows a higher ranking Neriad, the highest ranking of which form the true Courts – the titles of such members usually translating as Duke, Duchess, Count, Viscount, Baron and the like. However, rebellion against more powerful Neriad and the Courts are common, and intrigue is the meat and wine of the Courts. The Courts are:
• Seelie: The Court of Summer, the Seelie Court revels in life and living. The Summer Court is passionate, hot and fiery, full of anger, rage and lust. It is the love of living that defines the Seelie – but do not be fooled. The Seelie are just as likely to slay a mortal as the Unseelie, and are just as uncaring. The Seelie are typically associated with light, fire, growth, growing, life and the beasts, for the Seelie are wild and untameable. They tend to be quick to anger and quick to forgive, laughing easily. Their favourite colours tend to be spring yellows and grass greens. Summer can be nurturing and protective, very empathic and understanding
• Unseelie: The Court of Winter, the Unseelie tend to be cold, distant creatures. Liable to hamstring a ward to stop them going to battle rather than heal them when the ward is injured, the Unseelie seem to believe that pain and suffering is actually a good thing – that which does not kill you, Winter says, will only make you stronger. Winter is associated with darkness, death, dying, cold, shadows and heavens, for the Winterfae are placid, harsh and mysterious. They tend to be subtle creatures, manipulating and full of guile – seemingly unable to care about others and devoid of all emotion. Their favourite colours tend to be snow whites and night sky blues. Winter can be cruel and harsh, curious and coldly logical
Religion: Though not a religion as such, no Changeling anywhere has ever actually seen the King or Queen or their Court. The current King of Summer is thought to be Helios, and the current Queen of Winter though to be Nyx. As none have ever seen them, or even has evidence of them, Faeborn politics shows them in a similar way to gods – some deny their existence, whilst others keep the faith.
Technology: Changelings have only what they can make or they can take – Neriad have no concept of technology. Changelings may use whatever they can understand through skills and character development.
Names: Changelings keep the name they had in early life – though a few without memories might name themselves in the fashion of their once-masters: Frost, Shimmer, Gleam, Bark.
Languages: Common.
Ages: Changelings will not have much of a concept of age – if questioned they will answer in strange way – possibly: “it was cold, then it was hot, then it rained and then I was here”.
Natural Resistance: Changelings have the resistance of their original race (see below).
Min Phys Rep: It is up to the player how their Changeling looks, though as Wyldfae, many will start to represent technology of the age – clock-work markings on the skin, soot-stains, burn-marks and the like. Try to get a feel for which Court you might like to become part of.
Bonuses: This depends on the Changeling created – use the Bonuses of the original race.
Racial Penalties or Restrictions: Changelings may not take Invocation or Spellcraft as they have to learn new ways to manipulate the Fae. They may not take Resist Magicks as they are magicks in a very real sense.
How to generate a Changeling:
First off, you will need to pick what race you wish your Changeling to be based upon. The character then gains all the Natural Resistances and Bonuses of that race, as well as all the skills Penalties and Restrictions and Physical Maximums. The following restrictions then also apply to the Changeling:
- Cannot take Invocation, Spellcraft nor Theurgy or Thaumateurgy or any Resist Magick. Remove the Magicks Skills section from the Advanced and Basic tables for Changelings. They cannot take Read Magicks.
- Changelings are Weak vs. Black Iron. This means they double damage – or Loc Zero with the Doubles call.
- Changelings invert the Natural and Physical armour costs in the same way as Chimaera – Changeling bodies are often just as twisted as Chimaera bodies, and so this is not surprising.
- Changelings cannot lie – though they can still bend the truth. For this reason, Changelings cannot take the Con or Resist Con skills, neither can they take Pick Pocket or Pick Locks.
However, the Changeling gets the following bonuses:
- Changelings can take all the skills from the Racial Skills section, regardless of their original race
- Changelings can buy Deny Effect, Deny Fae, Disallow Art and Gnosis from the Trolls skill list
- There are other bonuses which can apply, as it might be possible for the play to begin to become pure Faeborn, and develop into a Spirit.
