Due to Uni holidays we're missing a week. Because of this, downtimes aren't due until July 4th.
At the game I said next game would be July 18th, but the 11th will be much nicer to my sanity.
I still need to send out XP totals, and a couple of downtimes to people who weren't there. I'll do this ASAP.
Tuesday 26 June 2012
Tuesday 12 June 2012
Downtime Deadline Extended to Friday 15th
Hey guys, there's a bunch of people that I still need to send DT results to. I'll get them out soon, but for fairness I'm extending the deadline this week to Friday - anyone who sends their DT in by midnight on Friday 15th will get the full 2xp. This applies to everyone, in case some DT actions need co-ordination between multiple people.
Monday 28 May 2012
Game delayed until 6th of June.
Hi guys, sorry to do this but I've got too much course work to do right now, so I'm going to delay the game a week. I'll make sure this message reaches as many people as possible.
Obviously this messes with the story slightly, so while the next game will be on the 6th of June, story-wise the game will still be in May, and will still represent the Spring Court's Homecoming. Then the game after that will be the first game of Summer.
See you all in a week.
Obviously this messes with the story slightly, so while the next game will be on the 6th of June, story-wise the game will still be in May, and will still represent the Spring Court's Homecoming. Then the game after that will be the first game of Summer.
See you all in a week.
Sunday 1 April 2012
Game Delayed until April 18th
I absolutely loathe to do this, especially only a couple of games in and at such short notice, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to postpone the LARP until the 18th. I've been sick this past week and I was hoping to get better by Wednesday, but instead I've taken a turn for the worse. Even then this wouldn't be so bad, but I've got assignments backed up as a result and it's become quite clear that I won't be able to prepare this week's game. Sorry guys, but you're going to have to wait a fortnight.
Also, I use the term delaying rather than skipping the game on purpose. There won't be an extra downtime over the next fortnight. If you want to keep things lively until then, try to strike up some chats on the forums.
So, I'll see you all in another two weeks.
EDIT: I've corrected the date. It's APRIL 18th. Brain not work good right now.
EDIT: I've corrected the date. It's APRIL 18th. Brain not work good right now.
Thursday 29 March 2012
XP Clarifications
Just a short post this week, clarifying a few things that have come up in Downtimes.
Merits
Like anything else, Merit dots are bought one at a time. This means that even if you're buying a three-dot Merit, you have to pay for each dot individually - 2xp for the first dot, 4xp for the second and 6cp for the third, to a total of 12. This might seem like a pain, but it's the only way to keep the system consistent.
When you can spend XP
I add a summary of XP earned in each downtime reply, but you don't need to wait until then to spend it. As long as you know you've earned the XP, you can use it. So, you can use the XP you earned from Attendance and Costume at the last game, and if you get your downtime in on time you can even use the XP you earn for sending it in in that very same downtime.
Finally, a head's up...
I've decided to start confirming when I've received DTs. I just did this tonight, so if you haven't received a reply from me it means I haven't received your Downtime! I decided to do this because last time someone had thought they sent theirs in, but I didn't receive it. In the future, I'll be responding as soon as I see the email.
Merits
Like anything else, Merit dots are bought one at a time. This means that even if you're buying a three-dot Merit, you have to pay for each dot individually - 2xp for the first dot, 4xp for the second and 6cp for the third, to a total of 12. This might seem like a pain, but it's the only way to keep the system consistent.
When you can spend XP
I add a summary of XP earned in each downtime reply, but you don't need to wait until then to spend it. As long as you know you've earned the XP, you can use it. So, you can use the XP you earned from Attendance and Costume at the last game, and if you get your downtime in on time you can even use the XP you earn for sending it in in that very same downtime.
Finally, a head's up...
I've decided to start confirming when I've received DTs. I just did this tonight, so if you haven't received a reply from me it means I haven't received your Downtime! I decided to do this because last time someone had thought they sent theirs in, but I didn't receive it. In the future, I'll be responding as soon as I see the email.
Monday 19 March 2012
Pledges, Tokens and related miscellany
This really should have been put up earlier, but I've been pretty busy lately. Still, there's a few things I'd like to discuss before the next game.
Pledges
One of the things I decided on a while before the first game was that I wasn't 100% happy with the current Pledge system. I'm using the alternative pledge-crafting rules from Rites of Spring because they cut out the boons (which is a big powergaming minefield, as interesting as it is) and because it cuts out the need to perfectly balance pledges, making them easier to create. However, the consequence it comes with is it uses Glamour costs to balance out the Pledges instead, and this can make them quite expensive. For instance, a standard Pledge of Fealty would require 9 Glamour.
If you're observant, you'll notice that's not how much you spent when you took the Pledge. That's because I was already using the rules changes that I wanted to make, I just hadn't actually posted them up. However, here they are, so you can now go about crafting pledges of your very own!
For the most part, the rules are the same as the current rules document. I'll update it with the correct rules soon. The only change is to the Sanctions part, in particular the cost of adding a Sanction. Now it works like this: By default, all Pledges have Sanctions of a total weight to their Tasks at no additional cost. However, you can modify this in two ways. Firstly, you can take lighter Santions, but each point difference from the weight of the Tasks costs an additional Glamour. Secondly, you can instead take a heavier Sanction to decrease the costs spent on the Tasks at the same rate. The restrictions on this is that you can't reduce the costs from Duration, you can't reduce the the total cost of the Pledge to 0 Glamour, and all Pledges must have at least a lesser Sanction.
Now, with that in mind, let's look at how the Pledge of Fealty actually works.
The Task involved in the Pledge is a Fealty task. For the current liege (one Montgomery de Vries), this is a pledge to allow the vassals to stay in the domain, and to offer the security and shelter to the best of his ability. For the vassals (everyone else), this is a pledge to offer their services to the freehold where needed, to not betray their fellow Changelings to the Fae and their servants, and to obey the laws of the freehold. This costs 3 Glamour for each party.
The Sanction is a Banishment Sanction. Should anyone break this Pledge, they are "banished" from the freehold's lands. This doesn't automatically remove them from the area, but it does mean that any supernatural protections they invoke will fail while within the freehold's borders, and anyone who attacks them or slays them will be rewarded. Because this is a Greater Sanction, it is equal in weight to the Task, and therefore costs nothing under the new rules.
Finally, the Duration is for one Season. This is literally three months, so the pledge will end after the first week of June, at which point the Summer King (or possibly Queen by that point, who knows what might happen?) takes the throne. Fortunately (or perhaps through clever planning...) this means the seasons line up reasonably well, with the first three months of the game covering Spring. A Seasonal Duration costs 3 Glamour.
As you can see, the total cost of this Pledge is 6 Glamour.
As a quick note, the Wyrd (essentially being the force of Fate) has a certain amount of Agency, and so typically when the conditions of a Pledge are broken, the Sanctions are immediately levied against the Oathbreaker. However, Pledges of Fealty are unusual in that they require the other party to be aware of the Oathbreaking, and to actually invoke the Sanction themselves. This allows Changelings to break the laws of a Freehold as long as nobody else find out - however it also means a liege can pardon a vassal of a crime if they wish.
So, now you should have a rough idea as to how Pledges work. Nonetheless, you should always have me with you when you make a Pledge with someone. It means I can guide you through the rules and make judgements on how the Pledge should work, and it means I know about the Pledge so I can tell if it gets broken.
Tokens
I was in a rush preparing for last games, so some of you didn't get the rules your tokens worked out. However, they should all be ready by next game. I can't remember if I've explained this before, but due to the brief overview of how Tokens are described in the rules, here's the precise rules for activating a Token: Tokens all have the same cost to invoke. A character must either pay 1 Glamour or make a successful Wyrd test (not typically easy) or meet the Token's catch.
I've had a few questions about improving or acquiring tokens, so to clarify - It's possible to gain trifles (Tokens with a one-time use) through downtime actions, usually by hunting through the Hedge, but actual permanent Tokens will cost XP like other Merits. However, you'll also need to explain how you're going about getting/improving the Token in question. Mr. Wilde has already offered to several people to upgrade or make tokens in his Workshop - otherwise most characters will have to look deep in the hedge, experiment on their own or do some trading at a Goblin Market. Nonetheless, it will still cost XP. In these cases, it's the character receiving the Token that pays for it, not the person making it - the XP covers ownership of the token. However, if you wilfully give your Token away, those dots go to whoever you gave it to, free of charge.
Harvest Actions
I just wanted to mention something I forgot to say in my last post about this. You can't Harvest Glamour from emotions generated or strengthened through the use of Contracts. As far as faerie magic is concerned, those emotions are "fake." However, emotions inspired by the effects of Contracts can still work. For example, while creating fear through the use of Fleeting Autumn Contracts won't let you gain Glamour, covering yourself in Flame with Contracts of Elements might invoke fear in someone, and that fear will be genuine as far as creating Glamour is concerned.
Equipment
I was light on this for the first game because I hadn't brought it up beforehand, but I'd like to make it official that if you want to bring a weapon, token or otherwise important item to game, you'll need an appropriate prop to represent it. Some items can be safely not worried about, but Weapons will definitely require you to have a prop to represent them, and will also require you to mention it to me beforehand, either in your downtime or at the start of the night. If in doubt as to whether you need a prop for something, ask me.
Armour can be acquired through downtime actions, and should be represented if possible. If it's something that would be too annoying to incorporate into your costume that's fine, but you'll still need to mention it to me and any obvious armour will be announced to everyone at the start of the night. If you show up wearing Riot Gear, people will notice.
Because it's not long before the next game I'll probably go easy on these rules for this game, but I still encourage you to bring something if you can, and I will ask everyone to clear any equipment their character is carrying with me at the start of the night.
Anyway, thanks for reading, and I'll see you all on Wednesday!
Pledges
One of the things I decided on a while before the first game was that I wasn't 100% happy with the current Pledge system. I'm using the alternative pledge-crafting rules from Rites of Spring because they cut out the boons (which is a big powergaming minefield, as interesting as it is) and because it cuts out the need to perfectly balance pledges, making them easier to create. However, the consequence it comes with is it uses Glamour costs to balance out the Pledges instead, and this can make them quite expensive. For instance, a standard Pledge of Fealty would require 9 Glamour.
If you're observant, you'll notice that's not how much you spent when you took the Pledge. That's because I was already using the rules changes that I wanted to make, I just hadn't actually posted them up. However, here they are, so you can now go about crafting pledges of your very own!
For the most part, the rules are the same as the current rules document. I'll update it with the correct rules soon. The only change is to the Sanctions part, in particular the cost of adding a Sanction. Now it works like this: By default, all Pledges have Sanctions of a total weight to their Tasks at no additional cost. However, you can modify this in two ways. Firstly, you can take lighter Santions, but each point difference from the weight of the Tasks costs an additional Glamour. Secondly, you can instead take a heavier Sanction to decrease the costs spent on the Tasks at the same rate. The restrictions on this is that you can't reduce the costs from Duration, you can't reduce the the total cost of the Pledge to 0 Glamour, and all Pledges must have at least a lesser Sanction.
Now, with that in mind, let's look at how the Pledge of Fealty actually works.
The Task involved in the Pledge is a Fealty task. For the current liege (one Montgomery de Vries), this is a pledge to allow the vassals to stay in the domain, and to offer the security and shelter to the best of his ability. For the vassals (everyone else), this is a pledge to offer their services to the freehold where needed, to not betray their fellow Changelings to the Fae and their servants, and to obey the laws of the freehold. This costs 3 Glamour for each party.
The Sanction is a Banishment Sanction. Should anyone break this Pledge, they are "banished" from the freehold's lands. This doesn't automatically remove them from the area, but it does mean that any supernatural protections they invoke will fail while within the freehold's borders, and anyone who attacks them or slays them will be rewarded. Because this is a Greater Sanction, it is equal in weight to the Task, and therefore costs nothing under the new rules.
Finally, the Duration is for one Season. This is literally three months, so the pledge will end after the first week of June, at which point the Summer King (or possibly Queen by that point, who knows what might happen?) takes the throne. Fortunately (or perhaps through clever planning...) this means the seasons line up reasonably well, with the first three months of the game covering Spring. A Seasonal Duration costs 3 Glamour.
As you can see, the total cost of this Pledge is 6 Glamour.
As a quick note, the Wyrd (essentially being the force of Fate) has a certain amount of Agency, and so typically when the conditions of a Pledge are broken, the Sanctions are immediately levied against the Oathbreaker. However, Pledges of Fealty are unusual in that they require the other party to be aware of the Oathbreaking, and to actually invoke the Sanction themselves. This allows Changelings to break the laws of a Freehold as long as nobody else find out - however it also means a liege can pardon a vassal of a crime if they wish.
So, now you should have a rough idea as to how Pledges work. Nonetheless, you should always have me with you when you make a Pledge with someone. It means I can guide you through the rules and make judgements on how the Pledge should work, and it means I know about the Pledge so I can tell if it gets broken.
Tokens
I was in a rush preparing for last games, so some of you didn't get the rules your tokens worked out. However, they should all be ready by next game. I can't remember if I've explained this before, but due to the brief overview of how Tokens are described in the rules, here's the precise rules for activating a Token: Tokens all have the same cost to invoke. A character must either pay 1 Glamour or make a successful Wyrd test (not typically easy) or meet the Token's catch.
I've had a few questions about improving or acquiring tokens, so to clarify - It's possible to gain trifles (Tokens with a one-time use) through downtime actions, usually by hunting through the Hedge, but actual permanent Tokens will cost XP like other Merits. However, you'll also need to explain how you're going about getting/improving the Token in question. Mr. Wilde has already offered to several people to upgrade or make tokens in his Workshop - otherwise most characters will have to look deep in the hedge, experiment on their own or do some trading at a Goblin Market. Nonetheless, it will still cost XP. In these cases, it's the character receiving the Token that pays for it, not the person making it - the XP covers ownership of the token. However, if you wilfully give your Token away, those dots go to whoever you gave it to, free of charge.
Harvest Actions
I just wanted to mention something I forgot to say in my last post about this. You can't Harvest Glamour from emotions generated or strengthened through the use of Contracts. As far as faerie magic is concerned, those emotions are "fake." However, emotions inspired by the effects of Contracts can still work. For example, while creating fear through the use of Fleeting Autumn Contracts won't let you gain Glamour, covering yourself in Flame with Contracts of Elements might invoke fear in someone, and that fear will be genuine as far as creating Glamour is concerned.
Equipment
I was light on this for the first game because I hadn't brought it up beforehand, but I'd like to make it official that if you want to bring a weapon, token or otherwise important item to game, you'll need an appropriate prop to represent it. Some items can be safely not worried about, but Weapons will definitely require you to have a prop to represent them, and will also require you to mention it to me beforehand, either in your downtime or at the start of the night. If in doubt as to whether you need a prop for something, ask me.
Armour can be acquired through downtime actions, and should be represented if possible. If it's something that would be too annoying to incorporate into your costume that's fine, but you'll still need to mention it to me and any obvious armour will be announced to everyone at the start of the night. If you show up wearing Riot Gear, people will notice.
Because it's not long before the next game I'll probably go easy on these rules for this game, but I still encourage you to bring something if you can, and I will ask everyone to clear any equipment their character is carrying with me at the start of the night.
Anyway, thanks for reading, and I'll see you all on Wednesday!
Sunday 11 March 2012
A Sample Downtime
Here's a sample downtime to give you an idea on how to go about these things. It's pretty quick'n'dirty - some people put a lot more effort into theirs, but don't feel like you have to. In general I recommend just putting whatever details are important. If the downtime below actually contained the Heist that it seems to be leading up to then it'd have a lot more detail, with a few contingency plans in case things went wrong.
Player: Stuart
Character: Rocky SloanePlayer: Stuart
Actions: 6 (Willpower 4)
-Last game Brother Victor seemed to know a bit too much about my mob connections, so I'll watch him for a bit to see who he talks to and what he gets up to. I already know he works at a Pawn Shop on Forsyth Street, so I'll hide across the street and follow him as he leaves. I won't follow him inside buildings, as I'm less stealthy in public areas, but I'll stick around in case he comes out again.
-Javier wanted me to get some power tools for him, but as I'm broke I'll just look for a construction site and steal off with some when nobody's looking.
-Now that my mob allies have finally delivered the chemicals I was after, I'll start making some bombs with my Crafts (Explosives). I'll be doing this in my Hollow's Workshop, and store them in the Hollow until they're ready.
-In preparation for the upcoming heist, I'll also scout around in the sewers under the bank and look for any structural weaknesses.
-I've heard rumours of a strange pack of briarwolves roaming the Hedge, so I'll take a trip to investigate. I won't get too close, as I'm not equipped for a straight-up fight, but I'll see if there's any sign of what they're up to. Where are they gathering, and what for?
-I've been studying up on those books I got from Erika, so it's about time to raise my Occult from 1 to 2 (6xp).
Retainer Action: I'll send DeWolfe to meet with Alexandra, telling him to give her my apologies for not being able to meet in person, as I'm very busy. In reality I suspect it's a trap, and while DeWolfe isn't indespensible, he's better at handling himself in a fight and should be able to bust out of there if he has to.
Free Harvest Action: I'll stop by a Bread Line and harvest some sorrow from the unemployed standing in line.
Downtimes: A Guide
Downtimes are already covered by the Rules Document, but I'm explaining them here for a quick reminder and ease of reference for those new to the system.
Between each game, you get to submit a list of actions that you want to accomplish before the next game. This gives you a chance to do things that don't fit into a live-action game session, such as spy on players, acquire equipment, explore the hedge or follow up on plot leads. The maximum number of such actions you can submit is equal to your Willpower + 2 (with some exceptions).
Downtimes are initially due the Wednesday after each game. This means that the first downtimes are due Wednesday 14th. Anyone who gets their downtime in by midnight on Wednesday receives 2xp. If you still get your downtime to me by that Friday, you'll get 1xp instead. After that, you can still submit something and I'll try to process it, but if it comes in later than the weekend there's no guarantee it'll be processed (most likely I'll throw you a bone or two but some actions won't get through).
So, what can you accomplish with a Downtime Action? Here's some examples:
-Spending XP to improve your character. Each expenditure requires a separate action (unless you are improving the same thing more than once, such as taking a skill from 2 to 4), and should be accompanied by a brief explanation on how or why your character is improving in that area. For instance, increasing Allies could involve making some bribes, or just engaging in some smooth-talking, while increasing Athletics likely involves a physical workout.
-Tracking another character, or meeting with someone else to work together on something. If your downtime action involves another character helping out, make sure they mention it in their downtime too.
-Entering the Hedge. There are multiple reasons to do this, such as looking for Goblin Fruits, tokens, or asking the local Hobgoblins for information, but the Hedge can also be dangerous.
-Calling upon Allies or Mentors. A character may do this once without spending an action. After that, each action spent can be used for two actions involving Allies or Mentors. Each Ally or Mentor can only be used once each downtime. Retainers don't require actions to use, but each Retainer can only perform one action each downtime.
-Performing extended actions, such as Crafting and Research.
-Harvesting Glamour. Characters get one free Harvest Action each downtime, and get their Harvest dots in Glamour for free. However, additional actions may be spent to increase the amount of Glamour gained. For each Harvest action taken a character gets one Harvest draw, and takes the highest to determined how much Glamour they gain. To Harvest Glamour, a Changeling needs to find someone experiencing strong emotions. These emotions produce "Glamour" that the Changeling can absorb to fuel their magic. If the emotion is the one associated with that character's Court, then they receive +1 to their Harvest draws. Only Mortal sources create Glamour (with the exception of some Goblin Fruits). The mortal and their emotions aren't actually affected by the harvesting, but if a character tries to harvest from the same source too often it may run dry.
Really minor things, like walking into a shop and buying something, don't use up an action. Include them as "minor actions."
In addition to your actions, feel free to include some notes about what's going on with your character. If you're plotting with another character or discovered something about someone else, it's useful for me to know. Also, if you're having any trouble with the game, you can let me know as well.
On top of all this, you should include a list of a handful of people you want to nominate for roleplaying XP. Each person nominated will receive 1xp (players only gain 1xp this way each downtime, no matter how many nominate them).
Sunday 4 March 2012
First Game: Wednesday 7th March
In case you have forgotten, the first game will be this Wednesday from 6pm-10pm. The game officially begins from 7, but there'll be plenty to go through beforehand, so turn up earlier if you can.
If you haven't finished your character yet, you can still show up! You can play an NPC for the evening and still get XP for playing, which will go towards your character when you make it. Alternatively, you can bring along your unfinished character and I'll look at it before the start of the game. However, if you want a bit more to do, I recommend at least sending me your backstory and which backstory-relevant merits you are taking, so I can actually have stuff prepared for you.
This is the last time I'll be making posts about when the game is (except for if dates change from their usual pattern). From now on game dates and times will be posted in the heading description.
See you all at the first game!
If you haven't finished your character yet, you can still show up! You can play an NPC for the evening and still get XP for playing, which will go towards your character when you make it. Alternatively, you can bring along your unfinished character and I'll look at it before the start of the game. However, if you want a bit more to do, I recommend at least sending me your backstory and which backstory-relevant merits you are taking, so I can actually have stuff prepared for you.
This is the last time I'll be making posts about when the game is (except for if dates change from their usual pattern). From now on game dates and times will be posted in the heading description.
See you all at the first game!
Thursday 1 March 2012
We have a forum!
We now have a forum for the game here. It's hosted by Diatribe, a forum run by NZLARPS (a New Zealand LARP Society). As the Lost In Manhattan forum is a subforum of Diatribe, remember that all of Diatribe's rules apply to this forum as well.
The forum has a main section for discussing the game, a subforum for In-Character Discussion, and private forums for each of the four Great Courts. My username on the Forums is Jangalian, and you can message or email me with who you are to get added to your appropriate forum. So sign up and start posting!
The forum has a main section for discussing the game, a subforum for In-Character Discussion, and private forums for each of the four Great Courts. My username on the Forums is Jangalian, and you can message or email me with who you are to get added to your appropriate forum. So sign up and start posting!
Character Creation Session 4: Friday 2nd March
Just a reminder that tonight is the last session for character creation. 6pm-10pm, Clubs and Socs Building, Room 2. If you want to make a character before the game begins, please turn up! I know some of you previously took your Character Creation Sheets home to work on them some more. Remember: Your character isn't finished until I've received it, so either turn up tonight or type it up and email it to me.
If you can't make it to Character Creation then you can try arranging another time, but to be honest I'm pretty busy at this point. The other option is to either download the rules and email me your character, or to play an NPC for the first night and make your character later.
Also, a quick reminder to those of you that have finished characters, please send me a brief background and a description of your character's appearance. I'm happy to fill in the gaps, but if you have a backstory in mind you should let me know.
Also, a quick reminder to those of you that have finished characters, please send me a brief background and a description of your character's appearance. I'm happy to fill in the gaps, but if you have a backstory in mind you should let me know.
Tuesday 28 February 2012
Clarifications
Last session we had a lot of people who were new to the system, and I noticed some rules and concepts that weren't as clear as they could be. So for this post I'd like to go into a little more detail about some of the game concepts and offer some additional information.
Clarity
Choosing a Clarity rating for your character can be tricky, as it's a rather abstract mechanic that sort of wraps several ideas into one. It covers your character's connection to humanity, their grip on reality, and how well they avoid acting like their former masters. My general advice is to look through the list of Clarity sins in the rulebook and try to think of the worst thing your character has done since escaping from Arcadia. This isn't a perfect system, of course - each single act can only lower your Clarity once, so if circumstances lead to your character murdering someone but they otherwise go about their daily lives trying to be a good person, their Clarity probably isn't that low. In such cases, I'd suggest finding the worst thing your character would have done regularly, and then lowering it again by one if they have committed an exceptionally heinous act.
Of course, the question might be asked, what is actually the point of starting with low Clarity? It has no positive effects, and multiple negative ones. The truth is, it's largely a matter of honestly. If your character has been kidnapping humans on a regular basis for years before the game begins, it doesn't make much sense for them to only start being affected by those acts during the game. It makes more sense for narrative flow if your character's Clarity is at the level they'd have naturally settled at from the beginning of the game.
Anchors
Anchors seem to be the part of character creation that's the most difficult for many people, and I'd guess that's because it requires a lot of thought and has a much wider range of possibilities than picking from finite numerical choices. Anchors weren't actually part of the base Changeling rules, and were inspired by a mechanic introduced in the Vampire: the Requiem book Danse Macabre. I included them because I felt that with Clarity's abstract nature it would help to have a concrete focus on how losing Clarity affected the character's life, and further distinguish the system by showing Changelings' dependence on their mortal trappings to retain their human side. I also feel it helps to flesh out the parts of a character's life that aren't necessarily tied to mechanics like Merits.
Anchors can be pretty much anything - friends, family, favourite places, objects of importance, hobbies, habits, etc. The important aspects are:
-The Anchor can't be too broad. "Plants" is too broad, but if your character has a favourite garden, or likes to keep plants around their house, that works fine.
-The Anchor must provide your character with some level of comfort, and should be a stable aspect of their life.
-The Anchor cannot be supernatural in nature. The point of Anchors is they tie your character to the mortal world.
-The Anchor must be something that the character could potentially lose, or one that could become unstable.
Remember, losing Anchors doesn't necessarily mean the thing is gone, it just means the character can no longer depend on it as a stable source of comfort.
Derangements
Characters that start with low Clarity may also end up starting with Derangements. These are various forms of mental instability that are symptoms of the character's lowered grip on reality and antisocial behaviour. They can be either mild or severe. Mild derangements have a minor effect on a character's life, and might not even be noticed by other characters, but Severe derangements cause significant trouble for the character. When a character gains a derangement, they may either gain a mild one or upgrade a mild derangement to severe.
Tokens
As Tokens are just one Merit I didn't include the full rules for them in the Rules Document, but I feel I should expand on them a bit. Firstly, all Tokens are activated the same way: Either by spending a Glamour, or by making a Wyrd test (which will be difficult for most characters). A character can bypass either of these by fulfilling a Token's catch. When coming up with ideas for Tokens, consider that catches will usually cover the items main intended use. For instance, a magical rapier's catch may be for when it is used in a formal duel.
Tokens are roughly similar in power to Contracts of the same level, but shouldn't be able to mimic a Contract's effects, and usually have a drawback or are limited in some way. Here are some sample Tokens to give a rough idea of what they can be.
●: Objects that have specific or minor effects: A Mirror that allows the character to contact their Fetch, or an ornament that allows a car to temporarily run without gasoline. These tokens will usually never aid a character in harming others.
●●: Objects that offer useful but small benefits: A Lantern that warns when a foe the character thinks of is near, or a ribbon that doubles the range of a firearm.
●●●: Objects that are of reasonable utility: A Doll that, when activated, allows the character to see through its eyes, or a Wardrobe that can instantly create new garments. This is usually the minimum level for tokens that harm enemies.
●●●●: Objects that offer significant benefits: A Weapon that causing agonising wounds to fester an hour later, or an Idol that can come alive and bite enemies with a hallucinatory venom.
●●●●●: Objects of legendary prowess: A Battle-standard that strengthens allies, or a blade that drains life from enemies to heal the user.
Fetches
When the True Fae take someone captive, they usually leave an imposter in their place. This duplicate is constructed from branches, vines and bric-a-brac, covered with the Mask to look like the character, and granted many of the character's memories. Ironically, this means that when many Changelings finally escape Arcadia, they find themselves to be the strangers in their own lives.
When thinking of your backstory, keep your fetch in mind. Not every Changeling has a fetch, but I would recommend only deciding your character doesn't have one if it actually adds something to your character's story. Consider how your character would have dealt with their imposter, and whether their character would attempt to rebuild their old life or start a new one. It's entirely possible you don't even know what happened to your fetch, especially if your character is fresh from the hedge, but consider that if your fetch is still out there it may have consequences.
---
If you have any questions about something else you'd like to see clarified, let me know either through comments or email and I'll post up an explanation.
On another note, I'd like to state that I'm currently unhappy with the way the Pledge system works. I'm working on revising it, and I'll announce changes soon. The system likely won't change much - I mostly want to reduce the cost of invoking them. Rest assured I have no intentions of altering anything that affects character creation.
Clarity
Choosing a Clarity rating for your character can be tricky, as it's a rather abstract mechanic that sort of wraps several ideas into one. It covers your character's connection to humanity, their grip on reality, and how well they avoid acting like their former masters. My general advice is to look through the list of Clarity sins in the rulebook and try to think of the worst thing your character has done since escaping from Arcadia. This isn't a perfect system, of course - each single act can only lower your Clarity once, so if circumstances lead to your character murdering someone but they otherwise go about their daily lives trying to be a good person, their Clarity probably isn't that low. In such cases, I'd suggest finding the worst thing your character would have done regularly, and then lowering it again by one if they have committed an exceptionally heinous act.
Of course, the question might be asked, what is actually the point of starting with low Clarity? It has no positive effects, and multiple negative ones. The truth is, it's largely a matter of honestly. If your character has been kidnapping humans on a regular basis for years before the game begins, it doesn't make much sense for them to only start being affected by those acts during the game. It makes more sense for narrative flow if your character's Clarity is at the level they'd have naturally settled at from the beginning of the game.
Anchors
Anchors seem to be the part of character creation that's the most difficult for many people, and I'd guess that's because it requires a lot of thought and has a much wider range of possibilities than picking from finite numerical choices. Anchors weren't actually part of the base Changeling rules, and were inspired by a mechanic introduced in the Vampire: the Requiem book Danse Macabre. I included them because I felt that with Clarity's abstract nature it would help to have a concrete focus on how losing Clarity affected the character's life, and further distinguish the system by showing Changelings' dependence on their mortal trappings to retain their human side. I also feel it helps to flesh out the parts of a character's life that aren't necessarily tied to mechanics like Merits.
Anchors can be pretty much anything - friends, family, favourite places, objects of importance, hobbies, habits, etc. The important aspects are:
-The Anchor can't be too broad. "Plants" is too broad, but if your character has a favourite garden, or likes to keep plants around their house, that works fine.
-The Anchor must provide your character with some level of comfort, and should be a stable aspect of their life.
-The Anchor cannot be supernatural in nature. The point of Anchors is they tie your character to the mortal world.
-The Anchor must be something that the character could potentially lose, or one that could become unstable.
Remember, losing Anchors doesn't necessarily mean the thing is gone, it just means the character can no longer depend on it as a stable source of comfort.
Derangements
Characters that start with low Clarity may also end up starting with Derangements. These are various forms of mental instability that are symptoms of the character's lowered grip on reality and antisocial behaviour. They can be either mild or severe. Mild derangements have a minor effect on a character's life, and might not even be noticed by other characters, but Severe derangements cause significant trouble for the character. When a character gains a derangement, they may either gain a mild one or upgrade a mild derangement to severe.
Tokens
As Tokens are just one Merit I didn't include the full rules for them in the Rules Document, but I feel I should expand on them a bit. Firstly, all Tokens are activated the same way: Either by spending a Glamour, or by making a Wyrd test (which will be difficult for most characters). A character can bypass either of these by fulfilling a Token's catch. When coming up with ideas for Tokens, consider that catches will usually cover the items main intended use. For instance, a magical rapier's catch may be for when it is used in a formal duel.
Tokens are roughly similar in power to Contracts of the same level, but shouldn't be able to mimic a Contract's effects, and usually have a drawback or are limited in some way. Here are some sample Tokens to give a rough idea of what they can be.
●: Objects that have specific or minor effects: A Mirror that allows the character to contact their Fetch, or an ornament that allows a car to temporarily run without gasoline. These tokens will usually never aid a character in harming others.
●●: Objects that offer useful but small benefits: A Lantern that warns when a foe the character thinks of is near, or a ribbon that doubles the range of a firearm.
●●●: Objects that are of reasonable utility: A Doll that, when activated, allows the character to see through its eyes, or a Wardrobe that can instantly create new garments. This is usually the minimum level for tokens that harm enemies.
●●●●: Objects that offer significant benefits: A Weapon that causing agonising wounds to fester an hour later, or an Idol that can come alive and bite enemies with a hallucinatory venom.
●●●●●: Objects of legendary prowess: A Battle-standard that strengthens allies, or a blade that drains life from enemies to heal the user.
Fetches
When the True Fae take someone captive, they usually leave an imposter in their place. This duplicate is constructed from branches, vines and bric-a-brac, covered with the Mask to look like the character, and granted many of the character's memories. Ironically, this means that when many Changelings finally escape Arcadia, they find themselves to be the strangers in their own lives.
When thinking of your backstory, keep your fetch in mind. Not every Changeling has a fetch, but I would recommend only deciding your character doesn't have one if it actually adds something to your character's story. Consider how your character would have dealt with their imposter, and whether their character would attempt to rebuild their old life or start a new one. It's entirely possible you don't even know what happened to your fetch, especially if your character is fresh from the hedge, but consider that if your fetch is still out there it may have consequences.
---
If you have any questions about something else you'd like to see clarified, let me know either through comments or email and I'll post up an explanation.
On another note, I'd like to state that I'm currently unhappy with the way the Pledge system works. I'm working on revising it, and I'll announce changes soon. The system likely won't change much - I mostly want to reduce the cost of invoking them. Rest assured I have no intentions of altering anything that affects character creation.
Monday 27 February 2012
Character Creation Session 3: Wednesday 29th February
Thanks to everyone who came along Friday! It's great to see a good turnout. Sorry to anyone who I didn't get a chance to talk to, but if you have any questions go ahead and email me, or talk to me at the next session. Next Character Creation Session is this Wednesday at the Clubs and Socs Building in Rooms 2 and 3, from 6pm to 10pm. If you haven't made a character yet, come along!
There will also be some introductory tabletop roleplaying games starting up at the same time, as well as some MTG. Since these sessions will mostly be about sorting out who's playing what at beginning character creation, there's no reason you can't talk to me as well as engaging in these games.
For those of you who have finished your characters, could you please email me with a quick background description of your character, as well as any important details. In particular it would be good to know when your character was taken, when they came back, and how old they were when it happened, as well as a brief outline of your character's mien (their Changeling appearance).
There will also be some introductory tabletop roleplaying games starting up at the same time, as well as some MTG. Since these sessions will mostly be about sorting out who's playing what at beginning character creation, there's no reason you can't talk to me as well as engaging in these games.
For those of you who have finished your characters, could you please email me with a quick background description of your character, as well as any important details. In particular it would be good to know when your character was taken, when they came back, and how old they were when it happened, as well as a brief outline of your character's mien (their Changeling appearance).
Monday 20 February 2012
Character Creation Session 2: Friday 24th Feb
Thanks to everyone who showed up to the first Character Creation Session. For those of you who haven't made characters yet, remember that you don't have to wait until one of the sessions to email me your concept. Sending me your concept early helps me see how the game as a whole is shaping up, lets me consider which concepts might be involved with one another, and allows me to consider ideas and suggestions for when you make your character.
The next session will be Friday 24th of February, in the Practice Room and the Clubs and Socs Building. There'll be an OURS meeting first at 6pm, with Character Creation to follow, but I recommend coming to the meeting anyway. We'll be there until 10pm.
Finally, Clubs and Socs Day is this Wednesday, so if you want to support the Roleplaying Society please come along!
Thursday 16 February 2012
Rules are online!
The Rules Document has been uploaded to the new Downloads page, here. Check it out! I'll be printing off some copies and bringing them along to Character Creation.
If you spot any errors or think something's potentially broken, let me know.
If you spot any errors or think something's potentially broken, let me know.
Character Creation Session 1: Friday 17th Feb
A quick reminder that Character Creation will be on this Friday from 6pm to 10pm. You can find us at the Link (inside the same building as the University Library, where all the seats are). We'll probably be upstairs.
Sunday 12 February 2012
Final Times and Dates
Okay, so I was a bit hasty with my last post. I've come to my senses and decided that Wednesday is too soon to start Character Creation. While I could probably get the rules done by then, I don't want to risk it. So! I'm going back to the original plan:
Friday 18th February, 6pm-10pm: Character Creation Session 1 at the Otago University Link.
Wednesday 22nd February, 10am-4pm: Clubs and Socs Day.
Friday 24th February, 6pm-10pm: OURS Meeting, Character Creation Session 2 to follow, at the Clubs 'n' Socs Building.
Wednesday 29th February, 6pm-10pm: Character Creation Session 3, Clubs and Socs Building.
Friday 2nd March, 6pm-10pm: Character Creation Session 4, Clubs and Socs Building.
Wednesday 7th March, 6pm-10pm: First Game, Clubs and Socs Building.
That means three Fridays and a Wednesday. If you're a student, I highly recommend coming along to Clubs and Socs Day to sign up for the Roleplaying Society, as we need all the student members we can get.
Also, while the previous dates are no longer relevant, you should still check the previous post for some important notes.
Friday 18th February, 6pm-10pm: Character Creation Session 1 at the Otago University Link.
Wednesday 22nd February, 10am-4pm: Clubs and Socs Day.
Friday 24th February, 6pm-10pm: OURS Meeting, Character Creation Session 2 to follow, at the Clubs 'n' Socs Building.
Wednesday 29th February, 6pm-10pm: Character Creation Session 3, Clubs and Socs Building.
Friday 2nd March, 6pm-10pm: Character Creation Session 4, Clubs and Socs Building.
Wednesday 7th March, 6pm-10pm: First Game, Clubs and Socs Building.
That means three Fridays and a Wednesday. If you're a student, I highly recommend coming along to Clubs and Socs Day to sign up for the Roleplaying Society, as we need all the student members we can get.
Also, while the previous dates are no longer relevant, you should still check the previous post for some important notes.
The Revised Plan
Alright, here's the updated plan. Of the biggest importance is that the first character creation is this Wednesday. I don't have a location yet, but I decided it was better to announce this now. I'll update with the locations and exact times tomorrow.
Wednesday 15th February: Character Creation Session 1
Here's the dates:
Friday 17th February: Character Creation Session 2
Wednesday 22nd February: Clubs 'n' Socs Day
Friday 24th February: OURS meeting, Character Creation Session 3 afterwards
Wednesday 29th February: Character Creation Session 4
Friday 2nd March: Character Creation Session 5
Wednesday 7th March: First Game
I highly recommend not leaving things until the last Character Creation Session. If you can make it to an earlier session, please do so. I don't want to risk too many people trying to make characters at the last minute, and the earlier you make your character, the more time I have to prepare.
I've been hard at work getting the character creation document done, and it'll be ready for this Wednesday, but I can't give a guaranteed date for when it'll be available.
Finally, I've been handed the reigns to OURS (the Otago University Roleplaying Society). I'd like to focus my energy on LARP this year, so if there are any other students keen to run the Roleplaying Society I'm happy for them to step up and do so, but as long as I'm in charge I will fulfil my responsibilities, beginning with preparing for Clubs 'n' Socs day and holding an introductory meeting the Friday after. Since there's a large overlap between people who will be going to that meeting and people playing in the LARP, and since said meeting probably won't take much time, there will be a character creation session afterwards.
Thursday 9 February 2012
On Costumes
One of the great things about Changeling is it allows a great amount of creativity in deciding what your character actually is. Your character might be a man of coal with burning eyes, a pale-skinned wretch with shards of glass for teeth, or a dragon-like woman with red scales and gnarled horns. But given that this is a LARP, the question remains - how do you represent this?
I want to keep this game is accessible as possible. I have no intention of forcing people to use extensive make-up or buy fancy contact lenses. If people want to go all-out with their costume, that's great! I heartily encourage it. But nobody will be required to do so.
So, there's a couple of alternatives here. The first is simply to use your costume to represent a character's Mask. It allows you to dress as a human, and focus on just wearing the outfit your character would wear in mortal society. Each character will have a brief description of their character on their name tag, and you can simply take a quick second to mention any important details to someone the first time you meet them. The second option is to try to represent your character metaphorically. If your character is covered in frost, you could just wear a white suit. A serpentine character could have snakeskin shoes or a similarly patterned tie. The important thing is creating the impression of what your character is meant to be, rather than trying to represent it literally. Either option works fine. Basically, as long as you wear something suitable to your character, you'll get Costume xp each week. The reward for going the extra mile is personal satisfaction and looking awesome.
I want to keep this game is accessible as possible. I have no intention of forcing people to use extensive make-up or buy fancy contact lenses. If people want to go all-out with their costume, that's great! I heartily encourage it. But nobody will be required to do so.
So, there's a couple of alternatives here. The first is simply to use your costume to represent a character's Mask. It allows you to dress as a human, and focus on just wearing the outfit your character would wear in mortal society. Each character will have a brief description of their character on their name tag, and you can simply take a quick second to mention any important details to someone the first time you meet them. The second option is to try to represent your character metaphorically. If your character is covered in frost, you could just wear a white suit. A serpentine character could have snakeskin shoes or a similarly patterned tie. The important thing is creating the impression of what your character is meant to be, rather than trying to represent it literally. Either option works fine. Basically, as long as you wear something suitable to your character, you'll get Costume xp each week. The reward for going the extra mile is personal satisfaction and looking awesome.
Wednesday 8 February 2012
The Plan (Preliminary Version)
So here's my current plan for dates, etc. All of this depends on being able to book rooms and work around other schedules. The goal is for the first game to be on Wednesday 7th of March. That leaves a couple of weeks beforehand for character creation. Unfortunately, Clubs 'n' Socs day is on Feb 22nd, which is right in the middle of when I'd like to make characters and potentially eliminates a very useful Wednesday.
Fri 17 February - Character Creation Session 1
Wed 22 February - Clubs 'n' Socs Day
Fri 24 February - Character Creation Session 2
Wed 29 February - Character Creation Session 3
Fri 2 March - Character Creation Session 4
Wed 7 March - First Game (with following games to be every fortnight)
(Edit: Dates updated. See above.)
Each session will be in the evening. This does assume that players are free on Fridays to make characters, so I'd appreciate feedback here: Will you be free on Fridays for character creation, or are you only free on Wednesdays?
So, the plan looks like this:
(Edit: Dates updated. See above.)
Each session will be in the evening. This does assume that players are free on Fridays to make characters, so I'd appreciate feedback here: Will you be free on Fridays for character creation, or are you only free on Wednesdays?
If enough people can't make it to the Friday sessions I have 3 options: I can push to see if I can book a room on the night of Clubs 'n' Socs day, I can push the game start back a week (freeing up another week) or I can drive myself crazy trying to get the rules finished early and start the first session next Wednesday. If only a few people can't make it on Fridays, I'll likely keep the schedule as-is and simply request that those that can make it on Fridays do so. Once I've received some feedback and checked when I can actually book rooms I'll post up a finalised schedule.
ANYWAY thanks in advance to anyone who replies and I shall get you more firm dates ASAP.
Tuesday 7 February 2012
Introducing Changeling: The Great Courts
Changeling Freeholds are divided into
four Courts. Each Court binds itself to a different season, and as the seasons
change each Court hands authority over to the next. The pacts made with the
seasons serve to protect its members, and the sharing of power confuses the
Fae, who would never willingly share power with anybody. Each Court also has
its own ideals, and serves a different purpose in the Freehold. While ideally
all Courts serve the freehold together, their different ideals sometimes cause
conflicts.
In addition, each Court favours a
different emotion. The members of this court will usually favour these emotions
when harvesting Glamour, and while other emotions can be targeted a Changeling
gains +1 to any Harvest checks made when harvesting their chosen emotion.
While Characters are not required to join a Court, it is recommended they do so. Firstly, they are the main social structure of the game, so from a metagame perspective they are the easiest way to connect yourself to other characters. Secondly, each Court provides several benefits, including affinity with two Contracts - one relating to the season itself, and one relating to the Court's favoured emotion.
Those who wish to play out the experience of being fresh from the Hedge, or are simply unsure about which Court fits them will have the opportunity to make their decision in-character.
The
Spring Court
AKA:
The Court of Desire, The Antler Crown
The Spring Court is the Court of new
beginnings. They believe that despite all that they have suffered, they should
put the past aside and start their lives anew. They celebrate their freedom and
spurn the other Courts for focusing on the negative aspects of their current
state.
As the Court of Desire, members of the Spring Court
have the most connections with the mortal world. They believe not only in
pursuing their own desires, but in helping others to achieve theirs, and as a
result Spring courtiers are usually some of the most politically savvy of Changelings,
frequently trading in favours.
The
Summer Court
AKA:
The Court of Wrath, The Iron Spear
The Summer Court is the most martial of
all Courts. Not intending to let the suffering inflicted on them go lightly,
they directly fight back against their former captors. Not all members are
expected to be skilled warriors - the Court recognises that in war, spies,
tacticians, and craftsmen are all useful. Nonetheless, all members are expected
to take up arms should the need arise.
As the Court of Wrath, members of the Summer Court
embrace their anger, believing it makes them stronger. They see it as a
powerful weapon, but one to be mastered.
The
Autumn Court
AKA:
The Court of Fear, The Leaden Mirror
The Autumn Court seeks to master the
magic of Arcadia. Awed by the power of the True Fae, they believe the only way
to strike back at their former masters is to take their power for themselves. Members of the
Court are expected to share knowledge with one another, and search for new
applications of their powers.
As the Court of Fear, the Autumn Court
seeks to overcome their fear of the Gentry through understanding. At the same
time, they respect the power of Fear, and believe it can be healthy. While they
work to uncover the magic of faerie for themselves, they also believe in
keeping humanity ignorant and scared, believing that it will keep mortals from
falling into the clutches of the True Fae.
The
Winter Court
AKA:
The Court of Sorrow, The Silver Arrow
The Winter Court bear the scars of their
durance bitterly. They have no intention of being captured again, and will do
anything it takes to hide from their old masters. They constantly keep watch for threats
to their freehold and become excellent information gatherers, even spying on
their fellow Changelings in case there are traitors in their midst.
As the Court of Sorrow, members of the Winter Court
are filled with sadness for what they have lost, but they know they can never
regain it. They do not let their emotion rule them, but instead seek to help
others deal with their sorrow, and often find compassion for mortals who have
had difficult lives.
Introducing Changeling: Seemings
A Changeling's Seeming is the mark of
their durance, and determines much about their nature. There are six distinct
Seemings, and each grants a particular Blessing and Curse, as well as providing
affinity for particular Contracts. Each Seeming is also divided into numerous
Kiths, which grant an additional Blessing and further refine what makes the
Changeling unique.
Seemings are essentially the "Clans" of Changeling. They are the most basic decision a player makes in determining the type of Changeling they are.
Seemings are essentially the "Clans" of Changeling. They are the most basic decision a player makes in determining the type of Changeling they are.
Beasts
Beasts usually spent their time in
Arcadia in the form of animals, and their bestial nature still stays with them.
Any animal is a possibility, although Beasts often represent the idealised form
of that animal - those that were lions tend to be prideful, while those that
were foxes tend to be cunning, regardless of whether the real animals exhibit
such traits or not.
Beasts gain affinity with Contracts of Fang and Talon, which allow them to speak with and take on aspects of animals, and Contracts of Den, which grant them mastery over territory and terrain.
Darklings
Darklings are those that were forced to
hide in order to survive. Crawling through endless caverns, in long-forgotten
labyrinths, and between the walls of horrifying mansions, Darklings became one
with the shadows.
Darklings gain affinity with Contracts of Darkness, which grant them powers of stealth and terror associated with the night, and Contracts of Shade and Spirit, which allow them to speak and interact with the dead.
Elementals
Elementals are distant even by
Changeling standards, for they spent their time in Arcadia in the form of things. Plants, statues, dolls and even
raging rivers, the Elementals were part of Faerie itself, and had to fight
harder than most to regain their humanity.
Elementals gain affinity with Contracts of Elements, which grant them control over their favoured element, and Contracts of Communion, which allow them to talk to the elements and imbue them with life.
Fairest
The Fairest are the most striking
amongst the Lost, taken by their keepers for their beautiful voices, graceful
movements and sparkling eyes. Yet while prized by their keepers, the Fairest
still carry the emotional scars of their durance, punished for every wrong
note, every imperfect step, and every imagined slight.
Fairest gain affinity with Contracts of Vainglory, which allow them to inspire awe in others, and Contracts of Separation, which allow them to separate themselves from the mortal world.
Ogres
Ogres are the most vicious of
Changelings, having suffered physical abuse at the hands of their keepers
through labour, torture and fighting. The end result, however, is that Ogres
possess great strength, although they have a harder time keeping their emotions
in check.
Ogres gain affinity for Contracts of Stone, which grant them great feats of physical might, and Contracts of Oath and Punishment, which aid them in pursuing and punishing oathbreakers.
Wizened
The Wizened were taken by their masters
as servants, forced to work tirelessly in completing strange tasks for highly
exacting demands. As a result, they have become extremely nimble, and elegant
craftspeople, but their experience has left them shrewd and bitter.
Wizened gain affinity for Contracts of Artifice, which grant spectacular powers of creation and repair, and Contracts of Animation, which allow them to speak with and control inanimate objects.
Introducing Changeling: Basic Concepts
Here's a basic introduction to the key concepts of Changeling: The Lost.
Changelings
Changelings
AKA:
The Lost
Changelings were ordinary men and women
who were captured by the True Fae. In Arcadia, they were treated as pets, toys,
lovers and slaves, and had to adapt to survive. In doing so, the magic of
Faerie became part of them, and upon returning they discovered that they were no
longer human.
The
Mask
The Mask conceals fae magic from
mortals. It makes Changelings appear as ordinary humans, even after death. The
Mask covers all senses, although subtle effects creep through - an Elemental of
frost may look paler than most humans, or feel cold to the touch. The Mask also
applies to other creatures and objects of Fae nature, although it doesn't
conceal actively used effects such as Contracts. The term Mask is also used to describe how a Changeling appears to mortals.
A Changeling's true appearance is referred to as their Mien. Changelings can temporarily lower their Mask to mortals, or strengthen it to conceal their Mien from other Changelings.
Wyrd
Wyrd is the very essence of Faerie
magic. It is the thread that binds people together, and allows a Changeling to
form Pledges and Contracts. While not exactly sentient, the Wyrd seems to have
a level of its own agency. The term Wyrd
is also use to refer to a Changeling's connection to this force.
Glamour
Glamour is the power that fuels Changeling magic. It is harvested from instances of strong human emotion.
Glamour
Glamour is the power that fuels Changeling magic. It is harvested from instances of strong human emotion.
Pledges
Changelings and True Fae have the
ability to form Pledges, supernaturally enforced bargains. Breaking a Pledge
often comes with severe consequences.
Contracts
Contracts are supernatural powers that
can be invoked by Changelings. Contracts are thought to be derived from ancient
Pledges with aspects of reality.
Tokens
Tokens are objects imbued with Faerie magic, and are usually either created by the Fae or are ordinary objects that were left in the Hedge and gained magical properties on their own.
Tokens
Tokens are objects imbued with Faerie magic, and are usually either created by the Fae or are ordinary objects that were left in the Hedge and gained magical properties on their own.
Seemings
Seemings are broad categories for the
nature of Changelings. There are six Seemings, each with different abilities
and weaknesses. Seemings are further divided into Kiths, which are more specific manifestations of a changeling's
nature.
Courts
The Courts are the major social and
political groups of a Freehold. The default Court structure is based upon the
seasons, with each one passing power as the seasons change, but other Court
structures exist.
Freeholds
A Freehold is a specific changeling
domain with its own laws. Most members of a Freehold swear fealty to one of the
Courts, who share power in ruling the freehold.
Arcadia
AKA:
Faerie
Arcadia is the home of the True Fae, and
a realm of infinite variety and possibility. A dreamlike world that can be
equally beautiful and horrifying, Arcadia often works on its own logic, and the
rules do not stay consistent from place to place. In many ways Arcadia is a
vast number of separate realms, each one wildly different and a reflection of
its Fae master.
The
Hedge
AKA:
The Thorns
The Hedge is the realm between Arcadia
and the mortal world, and has properties of both. While it varies from location
to location, it typically consists of large areas of dense wild growth. Near
the Mortal World it often reflects its mortal counterpart, with similar trees
and terrain, but the deeper into the Hedge one goes (and thus closer to
Arcadia), the more bizarre the Hedge becomes. Regardless of location, the Hedge
is always covered in thorns, and those who cut themselves find their injuries are
not just physical - the thorns tear away at a person's soul.
While specific gateways into the Hedge
exist, Changelings can enter it through any doorway or other portal by spending
Glamour. While no Changeling would ever want to return to Arcadia, there are
advantages to entering the Hedge. A variety of different Goblin Fruits grow in
the Hedge, each with its own mystical properties, and Goblin Markets can be
found, where Changelings can trade for secrets, magical tokens, and other
useful things. The Hedge can also act as a shortcut, allowing a Changeling to
bypass real-world obstacles or travel miles within seconds. Additionally, it is
possible for a Changeling to carve out a safe home called a Hollow, and Changelings can conduct
affairs in the Hedge without worrying about mortal witnesses.
The
True Fae
AKA:
The Fair Folk, The Gentry, Others, Keepers
The True Fae are the masters of Arcadia.
Little is known about what they are or where they come from. Each one seems to
have near limitless magical potential, and can take a myriad of forms, but a
Fae is always true to its nature - an insect-like Fae will never take on the
form of a bird, and a fiery Fae will never wield the powers of frost. In
addition, despite their cruel and treacherous nature, all True Fae will abide
by their word when they give it. As creatures of the Wyrd, the Fae never break
formal agreements, although they will always follow such pacts strictly to the
letter and delight in deceiving others with misleading terms. The term Keeper is specifically used to refer to
a Changeling's former master.
Hobgoblins
Hobgoblins are creatures native to the
hedge, and include wild beasts, strange humanoids and other bizarre entities.
While rarely friendly and often dangerous, they are not entirely loyal to the
True Fae, and often serve their own interests. As a result, Changelings can
usually bargain with them.
Fetches
When the True Fae kidnap a mortal, they
usually leave an imposter in its place. Fetches are artificial beings made of
branches and pieces of bric-a-brac, and woven with Glamour to appear human.
They have most of the memories of the mortal they replace, but they are not
always perfect. Still, many Changelings are horrified to discover upon their
return that the Fetch has fooled those around them and is comfortably living
their life, and sometimes doing an even better job of it than they were. In
fact, many Fetches don't even know what they are, although they quickly become
aware of the fact when they meet their Changeling counterpart.
Loyalists
Loyalists are Changelings who remain
loyal to the True Fae. Some are agents sent out by their masters, too well
conditioned to consider defying their Keeper, while others believe that their escape was a mistake, or think
that appealing to their former master is the only way to maintain their
freedom.
Privateers
Privateers are similar to Loyalists, except that instead of acting out of loyalty they strike deals with the True Fae in hopes of gaining advantages for themselves.
Privateers are similar to Loyalists, except that instead of acting out of loyalty they strike deals with the True Fae in hopes of gaining advantages for themselves.
Sunday 5 February 2012
Answering Questions
So, after reading the introduction, I'm sure you still have a million things you're wondering about. That's fine. There's a lot about the game to grasp, and I didn't want to try shoving it all into one post. Over the next few days I'll be posting more details about the setting that should give you a feel for what the game is like, and give you a better clue on what sort of characters you can create. For now, though, I'd like to answer a few questions that might be on people's minds.
Why Changeling?
Dunedin has had five consecutive ongoing LARPs now, and each of them have been Vampire in one form or another. So why the change? A few reasons. I've co-run a vampire game before, and while I would hardly say I've exhausted any ideas I have for that setting, I'd much rather explore something new. Also, I just really like Changeling as a setting. But the real question is, why not do something different? If someone ran another vampire game I'd be happy to play in it, but there's a great variety of settings out there and it's about time we gave them a go.
But of course, the question still remains, why Changeling? There's numerous reasons, but the main one for me would be that I feel it's suited very well for live-action play. There's a huge variety in the stories you can tell with Changeling, and it can accommodate those different stories within the same game. Want politics? It's there - there are four Courts, each sharing power amongst each other yet with different goals and ideals. Want intrigue? There'll be numerous secretive plots, all weaving in with one another. Want adventure? There's an entire other world out there to venture into. Want drama? Changelings can easily have twisted personal stories and difficult pasts. Want horror? There's otherworldly beings who are out to get you, not to mention what other changelings are capable of. Want action? There's bound to be fights, and you're not stuck just fighting each other - there are plenty of creatures that threaten you and your allies. Just want to sit around and have fun? You can do that too. I'm very interested in making sure the game can accommodate the types of stories people are interested in. Don't think that just because the premise is grim you'll be forced into wallowing in despair or constantly running for your life.
It also allows a great variety of character types. The idea of playing faeries (or part-faeries) might not appeal to some, but the important thing to understand is the game's interpretation of the word Faerie extends to just about any creature from folklore or mythology, and even things beyond it. While in Vampire you were largely restricted to being a vampire, with clans to differentiate you, Changelings are a very diverse lot. You can be a walking corpse, a cunning faun, a large stone man, a living painting, a talking shadow, or just about anything you can put your mind to.
Finally, while it's a different game, it's still World of Darkness. There's still a level of familiarity there, and that makes it a much easier step to take. So then, the other question is...
Why the 1930s?
For a start, it makes a pretty good Changeling game. With the great depression in full swing, it's very easy for people to vanish, it's very easy to have a secret group of supernatural beings living their own mini-society, and it works well for a game about people working together to survive. Also, given that every Vampire game I've played in has had someone with a character involved with gangs, I figure people will appreciate a game set in a time when organised crime was rife.
But the main thing that I think makes it work is that it gives players another aspect to latch onto. With a new setting, it's entirely possible that even after I post all the character creation information people just won't know where to begin. Having a distinct time period gives people some tropes that they can work with in coming up with concepts. Then, once you have that starting point, you can begin looking at the Changeling stuff and picking what suits your character best.
Also, I think "Fae Noir" is a cool genre.
Anyway, I just wanted to get those two things out of the way. Stay tuned over the week for more information about the setting, as well as times and dates for when all of this is coming together.
Why Changeling?
Dunedin has had five consecutive ongoing LARPs now, and each of them have been Vampire in one form or another. So why the change? A few reasons. I've co-run a vampire game before, and while I would hardly say I've exhausted any ideas I have for that setting, I'd much rather explore something new. Also, I just really like Changeling as a setting. But the real question is, why not do something different? If someone ran another vampire game I'd be happy to play in it, but there's a great variety of settings out there and it's about time we gave them a go.
But of course, the question still remains, why Changeling? There's numerous reasons, but the main one for me would be that I feel it's suited very well for live-action play. There's a huge variety in the stories you can tell with Changeling, and it can accommodate those different stories within the same game. Want politics? It's there - there are four Courts, each sharing power amongst each other yet with different goals and ideals. Want intrigue? There'll be numerous secretive plots, all weaving in with one another. Want adventure? There's an entire other world out there to venture into. Want drama? Changelings can easily have twisted personal stories and difficult pasts. Want horror? There's otherworldly beings who are out to get you, not to mention what other changelings are capable of. Want action? There's bound to be fights, and you're not stuck just fighting each other - there are plenty of creatures that threaten you and your allies. Just want to sit around and have fun? You can do that too. I'm very interested in making sure the game can accommodate the types of stories people are interested in. Don't think that just because the premise is grim you'll be forced into wallowing in despair or constantly running for your life.
It also allows a great variety of character types. The idea of playing faeries (or part-faeries) might not appeal to some, but the important thing to understand is the game's interpretation of the word Faerie extends to just about any creature from folklore or mythology, and even things beyond it. While in Vampire you were largely restricted to being a vampire, with clans to differentiate you, Changelings are a very diverse lot. You can be a walking corpse, a cunning faun, a large stone man, a living painting, a talking shadow, or just about anything you can put your mind to.
Finally, while it's a different game, it's still World of Darkness. There's still a level of familiarity there, and that makes it a much easier step to take. So then, the other question is...
Why the 1930s?
For a start, it makes a pretty good Changeling game. With the great depression in full swing, it's very easy for people to vanish, it's very easy to have a secret group of supernatural beings living their own mini-society, and it works well for a game about people working together to survive. Also, given that every Vampire game I've played in has had someone with a character involved with gangs, I figure people will appreciate a game set in a time when organised crime was rife.
But the main thing that I think makes it work is that it gives players another aspect to latch onto. With a new setting, it's entirely possible that even after I post all the character creation information people just won't know where to begin. Having a distinct time period gives people some tropes that they can work with in coming up with concepts. Then, once you have that starting point, you can begin looking at the Changeling stuff and picking what suits your character best.
Also, I think "Fae Noir" is a cool genre.
Anyway, I just wanted to get those two things out of the way. Stay tuned over the week for more information about the setting, as well as times and dates for when all of this is coming together.
Introducing: Lost In Manhattan
It's 1931. The Great Depression has hit, leaving many out of work. Prohibition has succeeded only in empowering organised crime. Day after day, people vanish without notice. And behind the veneer of everyday life, a group of people are gathering to rebuild what was once lost.
Lost In Manhattan is a live-action roleplaying game based on White Wolf's Changeling: The Lost and set in 1930s New York. Players play everyday people who were taken captive by the True Fae - terrifying alien beings of great power, ruled by whimsy and incapable of empathy. Taken to Arcadia, an impossible land of dreams and nightmares, they were used as pets, slaves, lovers and toys by their cruel masters. After fighting to escape, they returned home to find that they are no longer human; Arcadia had become part of them, although mortal eyes could not see it. Even worse, many of them discovered they were not even missed, as the Fae left an imposter in their place. And so they try to pick up the pieces and forge a new life, all the while knowing that their old masters are still out there, and don't always let their playthings go so easily.
Fortunately, you're not alone.
New York City has long been home to Changelings. Ever since the five boroughs were established, each had its own Freehold - an independent changeling domain, ruled by various courts and with its own laws. Then, 11 years ago, Manhattan's Freehold disappeared without a trace. Nobody knows who or what caused it; those few that survived saw nothing, although some have a hard time remembering events that were going on. For a while, Manhattan remained mostly empty of Changelings. And yet with time, more innocents were taken by the Fae, and some made their way back, and some settled down. At the same time, Changelings from the other boroughs trickled in, either curious about what happened, or merely glad to get away from the constraints of the other Freeholds. Eventually, the changeling population regrew.
Now a call has gone out to reform the Freehold, rebuild the Courts, and reforge the bonds that gave them the strength to protect themselves from their former masters. And so, the Lost gather together once more.
Lost In Manhattan is a live-action roleplaying game based on White Wolf's Changeling: The Lost and set in 1930s New York. Players play everyday people who were taken captive by the True Fae - terrifying alien beings of great power, ruled by whimsy and incapable of empathy. Taken to Arcadia, an impossible land of dreams and nightmares, they were used as pets, slaves, lovers and toys by their cruel masters. After fighting to escape, they returned home to find that they are no longer human; Arcadia had become part of them, although mortal eyes could not see it. Even worse, many of them discovered they were not even missed, as the Fae left an imposter in their place. And so they try to pick up the pieces and forge a new life, all the while knowing that their old masters are still out there, and don't always let their playthings go so easily.
Fortunately, you're not alone.
New York City has long been home to Changelings. Ever since the five boroughs were established, each had its own Freehold - an independent changeling domain, ruled by various courts and with its own laws. Then, 11 years ago, Manhattan's Freehold disappeared without a trace. Nobody knows who or what caused it; those few that survived saw nothing, although some have a hard time remembering events that were going on. For a while, Manhattan remained mostly empty of Changelings. And yet with time, more innocents were taken by the Fae, and some made their way back, and some settled down. At the same time, Changelings from the other boroughs trickled in, either curious about what happened, or merely glad to get away from the constraints of the other Freeholds. Eventually, the changeling population regrew.
Now a call has gone out to reform the Freehold, rebuild the Courts, and reforge the bonds that gave them the strength to protect themselves from their former masters. And so, the Lost gather together once more.
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