[System] Changeling the Dreaming 20th Anniversary edition: Duchy of Storms

[Blythe]

First and foremost, take a look at the worldbuildling here! I ran one version of this at one point quite a long time ago...and I'd like to take another stab at running this again, because I've wanted to try Changeling again for a while & feel I have my groove back for it. What is this game about? This game is about the dramatic duality of living a normal mortal life versus the magic and dreams that hide under the surface, the dreariness of a 9 to 5 job juxtaposed with adventures that involve slaying dragons, the fight to blend in despite an explosion of weirdness. Changeling is generally one of the brighter World of Darkness lines, and I'm hoping to enjoy having some time to really highlight that! 

Unlike the last time I ran this, I am likely to start the game off with a much lighter quest/scenario that may involve the Duchess tasking a motley to stand guard over an important source of Glamour or perhaps to slay a Chimera gone wild! Anyways, what do you need to know to play? I've pulled this from one of my posts in the World Building  thread I made a while back:

• You need this book. I'm using the 20th anniversary rules. I might allow content from previous edition books, if I own them, but if I do not own a book that you want to use content from, the answer will always be 'no.'
  
• Create a character as per the rulebook. You do not start with any extra EXP.
  
• You do not have to have your PC originally be from the Duchy of Storms; they could have just arrived! If anything, this creates a great hook for me to give your character something to do. Or if you want your PC to be from the Duchy, that is also okay.
  
• Starting date for the game, IC-time, is January 1st, 2018, if that helps to know for creating your character.
  
• Massive patience with me, please? I have very little experience with Changeling, but I am eager to have it go well. I am always open to positive feedback in PMs about ways to make things better. But please do be patient with me as I adjust and learn the game properly! You'll notice the NPC section above was really sparse! I hope the populate this setting with characters tied to your PCs!
  
• All characters should be 18+, please.
  
• LGBTQA content welcome.
  
• You should be open to crossgender writers and willing to write with them (Lords writing female characters, Ladies writing male characters, Lieges writing characters that don't match their gender identity, Legates writing any character gender). This is for my own sanity for a small group & as a Liege myself. It's hard for me to cater to RL writer gender preferences in a small group game, so I won't be. It's nothing personal.
  
• All Kithain and Nunnehi types are playable. If you want to play something else, you'll have to inquire, but I'm likely to say no. I think I'm being quite open with character-types I'm allowing as-is.
  
• I don't have a set minimum posting rate or posting length requirement, but if you vanish on me for two weeks without notice, I'll mark you inactive or ask you to step out of the game. I reserve the right to take control of your character as an NPC if this happens. If you are not okay with this, I don't advise playing. I would be very respectful of your character and would just be looking to write them out of any ongoing scenes, just for continuity's sake.
  
• Erotic content will be kept to its own thread. I haven't decided on a rating for this game. I was thinking perhaps Bondage - Exotic small groups? Either way, I'll ask people tag erotic content accordingly if there's something in there that might squick another player.
  
• All dice rolls must be made with Elliquiy's Dicebot and sent to my ID, which is 42233.
  
• I encourage an atmosphere of civility and respect at all times. If you have a dispute with another player, please try to handle it privately. If you can't resolve it, please PM me.
  
• I will use a post tagging system for IC threads. All posts will need to use this tagging system, if only because at times not every PC will be with the group! :)
  
• Character sheets should use the format I've laid out and be submitted to me via the interest check. :)
  

[TheLaughingOne]

*Lilisa jumps up and down waving her hands and ears in the air franticly!!* "Dont pick me!!! It sounds horrible and i wouldnt enjoy it in the slightest!!!!!"

[Marie Reynolds]

I would be interested in this!

[Muse]

  i'd love to try this again if you'll have me, Bly.  (I don't remember how well i did last time...)

[Blythe]

Happy to see the interest, folks!

*Lilisa jumps up and down waving her hands and ears in the air franticly!!* "Dont pick me!!! It sounds horrible and i wouldnt enjoy it in the slightest!!!!!"

Absolutely delighted that you might bring Lilisa back! <3

  i'd love to try this again if you'll have me, Bly.  (I don't remember how well i did last time...)

I'm likely looking for a more chilaxed post rate than last time so I think this time around will go better. Would be happy to see a Changeling character from you Muse! :)

I would be interested in this!

Hey, Marie, hi! What sort of Changeling are you thinking of playing? ^^

[Marie Reynolds]

A Clurichaun of House Danaan, Still deciding if the character  moved to the duchy or lived in the duchy and played a role in discovering lost freehold and or stongholds and trods.

[Muse]

I had a Clurichan concept too.  i'll only play it in a specific circumstance, cause i don't want to overlap with Marie. 

Does anyone want to play a knight who has a squire?   If so i'd like to play that squire--especially if you're from one of the more bold, adventurous seelie houses. 

[Marie Reynolds]

Why worry about overlap no two clurichaun will be the same.

[Muse]

  *Girns*  I'm glad you think so 

  I've been pretty nervous lately.   A couple of my friends are fanatical about niche protection. 

[Marie Reynolds]

Come now Muse how long have we been gaming together, Have I ever cared about such a thing.

[Muse]

Rhydeea Riley ap'Bauemayn


Edit:  M.R. told me there's a template somewhere.  I'll find it when i'm done with the retroengineer. 

[TheLaughingOne]

Still kinda under work!

Name:		Lilisa Langly		Player:		The Laughing One
Chronicle:		The Duchy of Storms		Motley:		---
Court:		Seelie		Seeming:		Wilder
Legacies:		Wayfarer/Fool		Kith:		Pooka
House:		? ? ?		EXP Spent:		0 EXP

Physical				Social				Mental
Strength:		●●●●○		Charisma:		●●●○○		Perception:	●●●○○
Dexterity:		●●●○○		Manipulation:		●●○○○		Intelligence:	●●○○○
Stamina:		●●●○○		Appearance:		●●●○○		Wits:	●●●○○

Talents				Skills				Knowledges
Alertness:		●○○○○		Animal Ken:		●○○○○		Academics:	○○○○○
Athletics:		●●○○○		Crafts: Metal Working		●●●○○		Computer:	○○○○○
Brawl:		●○○○○		Drive:		○○○○○		Enigmas:	●●○○○
Empathy:		○○○○○		Etiquette:		○○○○○		Gremayre:	●●○○○
Expression:		●○○○○		Firearms:		○○○○○		Investigation:	●○○○○
Intimidation:		●○○○○		Larceny:		○○○○○		Law:	○○○○○
Kenning:		●●○○○		Melee:		●●○○○		Medicine:	○○○○○
Leadership:		○○○○○		Performance: Singing		●●●○○		Politics:	○○○○○
Streetwise:		●○○○○		Stealth:		●●○○○		Science:	○○○○○
Subterfuge:		●○○○○		Survival:		●●○○○		Technology:	○○○○○

Backgrounds				Arts				Realms
Resources:		●●○○○		Dragon's Coyote's Ire:		●○○○○		Actor:	●○○○○
Retinue:		●○○○○		Wayfare:		●●○○○		Fae:	●○○○○
Chimera:		●●●○○		? ? ?:		○○○○○		Prop:	●●○○○
Holding:		●○○○○		? ? ?:		○○○○○		Scene:	○○○○○
? ? ?:		○○○○○		? ? ?:		○○○○○		Time:	●○○○○

Glamour:

●●●●● ○○○○○

Willpower:

●●●●○ ○○○○○

Nightmare:

○○○○○ ○○○○○

Banality:

●●●○○ ○○○○○

Birthright:
Shapechanging — All pooka have an affinity with a particular animal. This is always a natural animal, never a mythological one. This animal affects her appearance and personality, and she is able to shapeshift into the animal at will. If completely alone, a pooka can shapechange for free, but if another changeling or enchanted mortal is present the change costs one Glamour. A pooka can never shift into an animal when being observed by a mundane mortal. Shifting back from animal form is always free and can be done at any time (again, as long as the pooka is unobserved by mortal eyes).

Confidante — Even complete strangers often spill their guts to a pooka. This ability of getting people to open up and talk, even about their darkest secrets, is an innate talent common to all pooka. Each has his own way of going about it, but the end result is the same. Some put people off balance with mixed insults and compliments, others rapid fire questions so fast that the target loses track of what is being said, and some are just so darned cute that no one can resist them.
Once, during a conversation, a pooka’s player may make an opposed Perception + Empathy (or Subterfuge, player’s choice) roll resisted by the target’s Willpower, to get the answer to a question. The number of successes determines how many questions the pooka can have answered. The target can also spend Willpower to resist this effect; each point of Willpower cancels one of the pooka’s successes.

Frailty:
Untruths: Perhaps the greatest con the pooka have pulled is making everyone believe that they never tell the truth. Under most circumstances a pooka can speak the truth as long as its mixed with lies, half-truths, and exaggerations. The trouble comes when a pooka is asked a direct question. A pooka who is asked a direct question must answer with a falsehood. If he wishes to answer truthfully the player must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 8) and spend a point of Willpower.

Antithesis:

Health:

Real	Level	Chimerical
[ ]	Bruised	[ ]
[ ]	Hurt (-1)	[ ]
[ ]	Injured (-1)	[ ]
[ ]	Wounded (-2)	[ ]
[ ]	Mauled (-2)	[ ]
[ ]	Crippled (-5)	[ ]
[ ]	Incapacitated	[ ]

Merits & Flaws

Merits

Voice of a Songbird (2pt. Merit) The satyrs say your voice could charm apples from the trees. You have perfect pitch and can sing a cappella without missing a single note or going off key. Even when only speaking, your voice has a seductive quality that attracts people to you. Whenever you make a roll that involves inspirational speaking or singing, you are at a –2 difficulty.
Master Craftsman (3pt. Merit) When designing, building, or repairing something, the difficulty of your rolls is reduced by two. Additionally, you require three fewer successes on any extended rolls required when working on large or complex projects.

Flaws
Curiosity (2pt. Flaw) You’re a naturally curious person, your curiosity easily overriding your common sense. To resist temptation, make a Willpower roll. The difficult varies based on the temptation; difficulty 5 for simple things like, “I wonder what’s in the armoire,” but difficulty 9 for things like, “I wonder why young men keep going missing around the baron’s freehold. I’ll just slip in and check it out.”
Short Fuse (2pt. Flaw) The slightest provocation against you or one of your close companions compels you to lash out with fists, feet, or whatever comes to hand. When incited, you must make a Willpower roll to compose yourself, with the difficulty decided upon by the Storyteller based on the severity of the insult.
Changeling’s Eyes (1pt. Flaw) Your eyes are a startling color, maybe emerald green, violet, or yellow. This is a sign you are a changeling, recognizable to those who know the ancient lore. (Molten Gold colored)

Freebie Points:

Apperance: 5pts
Charisma: 5pts
Streetwise: 2pts
Freehold: 1pt
Resources: 1pt

Personality: Happy, bubbly, and at times a little incoherent. Lilisa embraces her Coyote heritage, or at least claims she does, and then makes up exactly what that "heritage" means. Quick of wit, fleet of foot, and amazingly strong for such a wiry girl. She tends to have trouble ignoring curious little things going on around her, and Fiercely protective of her friends and family. Her second greatest joys is working her little forge crafting jewelry and trinkets in the real world, weapons and armor in the Fae world. Her Absolute favorite is exploring to find materials to craft these items, even if its just going to local market and bartering.

History: Lilisa Langly is a Pooka of some minor renown, mainly in how she tends to tell stories that some find unbelievable even for a pooka, but a good note towards her work in jewelry making in the real world, and construction of Chimerical objects in the Fae world. Claiming she is the daughter of a Troll, and the daughter of the Nez Perce god Coyote, she is a well noted crafts person for her work. She moved to Oklahoma recently after inheriting a small house holding a tiny freehold in lieu of payment from a noble that commissioned her for a special suit of armor and arms. Having packed up her tiny shop and few items she arrives in town with eye set for adventure..

Accompanying her is her dog, a giant melanistic Tibetan Mastiff (Tsang-Khyi) she calls Woofs (due to the fact his actual name, Shuck, causes some Fae discomfort and nervousness). A giant stoic beast that endures her shenanigans, provided she is generous with table scraps, ear scratches, and playing with the hose.

Mr. Woofs

Physical				Mental
Strength:		●●●●○		Perception:		●●●○○
Dexterity:		●●●○○		Intelligence:		●●○○○
Stamina:		●●●○○		Wits:		●●●○○

Abilities
Alertness:			●●●○○
Athletics:			●●●○○
Brawl :			●●●○○
Survival (Tracking):			●●●○○
Empathy:			●●○○○
Intimidation:			●●●○○
Stealth:			●●○○○

Willpower:

●●●●○ ○○○○○

Health: Real Level Chimerical [ ] Bruised [ ] [ ] Hurt (-1) [ ] [ ] Injured (-1) [ ] [ ] Wounded (-2) [ ] [ ] Mauled (-2) [ ] [ ] Crippled (-5) [ ] [ ] Incapacitated [ ] Attack: Bite for five dice; claw for four dice nonsense! Skills: Sad Pupper Eyes: 2 Sniff: (Butts): 4 Bork: 5 Nap: 7 Fetch: 4 Give: -10 Drool: 5 Telling if you actually threw the ball or just acted like it: -2 Dog Farts: (Silent): 5 Sigh: 10 Judging if your lap is big enough to hold him: -30

[Marie Reynolds]

Hey Bly, I was wondering if it would be possible to include my character in the past event that helped mold the Duchy of Storms. It relates to the  bringing of the Balefire to  the Aldridge Hotel.

[HairyHeretic]

What way do you see the game going?

[avorae]

I had a Clurichan concept too.  i'll only play it in a specific circumstance, cause i don't want to overlap with Marie. 

Does anyone want to play a knight who has a squire?   If so i'd like to play that squire--especially if you're from one of the more bold, adventurous seelie houses.

I am willing to play the knight to your squire

[Blythe]

Hey Bly, I was wondering if it would be possible to include my character in the past event that helped mold the Duchy of Storms. It relates to the  bringing of the Balefire to  the Aldridge Hotel.

Potentially I'd be quite open to a person mentioning that in their backstory--how involved would you be wanting your PC to be? The easiest method of involvement would require having known Gabriella before she became a Duchess, back when she was just a Knight in Tulsa--and your character being part of her original motley that went on the quest. :)

What way do you see the game going?

So ultimately the way I see the game going is something very easy-going/relaxed pace that will mostly deal with the lighter side of Changeling. In a way, it'll follow an almost 'episodic' format where the Duchess assigns quests for the motley, the quest is completed, then there's some downtime to deal with any character changes before the next quest. I am also thinking of having IC threads for side scenes or backstory, that way people can also build old scenes that reinforce character history and still have it be part of the game's canon, though the game focus would always be on the main thread and whatever quest the motley is on at the moment.

Ideally, I'm hoping to see the motley rise in prestige and become integral parts of the Duchy or perhaps end up striking out on their own after they are sufficiently ready to find or create their own freehold.

I'm also pretty strongly considering keeping the rating at Bondage: Exotic and not having it go higher, mostly because I think NC/EX don't feel 'right' for Changeling, at least for me.

[Marie Reynolds]

Well I was thinking  my character  could have helped in being a guide and or source of information in rekindling  the  Freehold balefire. My character has skills in Greymare and such and is a house of Danaan that focus on such duties.  So Could have helped  in delivering  and guiding  the motley through  trods  to the Freehold.  I was thinking she was a local of  the  Duchy of storms  that helped protect sources of glamour and dreamers, So maybe they came to her for help knowing she was a local with valuable knowledge that might have helped the quest.

[Blythe]

Well I was thinking  my character  could have helped in being a guide and or source of information in rekindling  the  Freehold balefire. My character has skills in Greymare and such and is a house of Danaan that focus on such duties.  So Could have helped  in delivering  and guiding  the motley through  trods  to the Freehold.  I was thinking she was a local of  the  Duchy of storms  that helped protect sources of glamour and dreamers, So maybe they came to her for help knowing she was a local with valuable knowledge that might have helped the quest.

I like that idea a lot--consider that a 'yes' from me!



(For folks that posted sheets! I promise I'll look over them in a few days; I'm going to give other folks more time to whip up sheets so I can review things all in one go!)

[Marie Reynolds]

Cool, Oh is having knight title  starting off  okay and would mesh with the characters growing in  station and skill in the game?

[Muse]

Excellent  i love the way this is coming together 

We're using basic starting characters, right? 

[Blythe]

Cool, Oh is having knight title  starting off  okay and would mesh with the characters growing in  station and skill in the game?

If you're willing to purchase Title at two dots as a Background when you make your character, then yes, I will allow it. :)

Excellent  i love the way this is coming together 

We're using basic starting characters, right? 

Yep! 

[Muse]

With your Format, Bly, are the question marks where i fill in the information? 

[Blythe]

With your Format, Bly, are the question marks where i fill in the information?

Yep!

(If you run into any problems filling out the BBCoded format, you can PM me your sheet and I am willing to fill in the BBCode for you, just to let you know!)

[Marie Reynolds]

Do freebie points use the  experience chart for costs?

[Blythe]

Do freebie points use the  experience chart for costs?

Freebie points use the costs found on pg. 144 of the core rules. :)