Changling!

[blackest_knight]

I'm pretty excited....I just found some more Kith for Changling!!!!!! (The Clurichaun, Ghille Dhu, Selkies, Piskies, and Spriggans)

;D

[Kietedan]

where oh where did you find these??? I'd really like to know as I now have changling. I have rules for playing Nunnehi if you'd like a peek.

[blackest_knight]

they're from
digitalgothic.net/Rules/faerules.htm

I'll post all the stuff I found on the other kiths here though

[blackest_knight]

Clurichaun
Popular myth speaks of leprechauns, those small, round bellied shoemakers to the noble faeries, who hid their pots of gold rather than see a ha'penny of it spent or lost. Leprechauns are arguably the most well-known faeries in existence. Throughout the world they are recognized on sight as the bearded little men dressed all in green with buckled shoes, curved pipes in their mouth and a jug of whiskey close at hand. Clurichaun aren't actually like that at all, though they made the mistake of fostering that notion in mortal heads, and it has clung to them ever since. Though they are considered Gallain, clurichaun feel that they are just one more type of commoner. They are really only present in large numbers in Ireland, but they do have a point when they claim that a few of them made the transition to areas where the Irish immigrants are plentiful. If the Kith of Boston or Chicago or Toronto or Melbourne don't realize it, well, they aren't looking hard enough. They are endearing kith who both excel at revelry and can hold their own when given responsibility. Seelie clurichaun use their insight to say and do the right thing at the right time, and are very responsive to the needs of the moment and will live up to any responsibility or duty placed on them. Unseelie clurichaun use their talent to do exactly the opposite of what is indicated. If silence is called for, they delight in being loud; if a few stern words might serve to stop a party, they pour oil on the fire, becoming the most wild partygoer. All of the aforementioned goes out the window when they drink alcohol. Once they start, they can't quit, and they draw farther and farther into themselves, brooding on all the cares of the world. Seelie become maudlin, getting teary eyed and sloppy and can get passionately sentimental over what they had for breakfast that morning. The Unseelie just get mean, hate the world and don't care who knows it. This is why many of the Kith view them with suspicion. Though they like to think of themselves as a jack-of-all-trades, they are particularly adept musicians, so far that the least talented can pick up an instrument and play a few simple tunes. In character creation, beginning level clurichaun can not assign more than 3 dots to any one ability save for performance ( even with freebies ), as this reflects their eclectic outlook on life, and rarely improve one Ability without getting bored with the concentration and moving on to something else. They bring the same intensity to their other love - collecting. Sometime between being a childling and becoming a wilder, they usually become fascinated with a particular thing, like matchstick models, shiny rocks, handwritten poems. Whatever attracts the clurichaun becomes a life long fascination. Clurichaun rarely grow above five and a half feet tall. Their bodies are compact and muscular, giving the impression they are stocky and solid. Their features are almost always good natured, change greatly depending n their seeming. Pointed ears are smaller and less noticeable than those of the sidhe, and they usually have red or tawny colored hair and green or blue eyes that slant slightly upward at the outer edges. Whatever they wear, casual or courtly, they always have a bit of green in their attire - a ribbon, a belt, a coat or cloak, a hat, a green stone set in a ring. Only the clurichaun know why. Additionally, they prefer gold jewelry such as torques, heavy rings and Celtic style cloak pins.
Childlings are always extremely cute, with chubby red cheeks and twinkling bright eyes. Their ready smiles win the hearts of everyone they meet. Childlings usually show great interest in several crafts or creative skills ( such as pottery making, sewing, singing, etc. ). Their voices are bell clear and they always sing in tune.

Wilders are slightly older versions of the childlings except that their cheeks are not so rosy and chubby. Their faces, while still somewhat broad, have matured into rakishness. Their eyes are very bright. Many wilders start their collections which they will add to throughout their lifetime. Most clurichaun have mastered at least one instrument by this time, whether they were previously aware of their faerie nature or not.

Grumps are most like the popular conception of leprechauns. Clurichaun grumps have faces that look like dried apples - all wrinkles and creases, most of them laugh lines. Their bright eyes are lost in folds of skin as their eyebrows become bushy ( yes, even the women's ). The males often grow beards. As grumps settle into their roles as elders, they focus more fully on their collections, and their accumulated "treasures" ( as they call them ) are lovingly displayed in their homes. Grumps are honored among the clurichaun as repositories of ancient songs.

Birthrights
Twinkling of an Eye - Clurichaun have a talent for disappearing from potentially troublesome situations. Should someone take his eye off a clurichaun ( if only for a moment ), the wily fae can disappear into the nearest cover so quickly that it's impossible for anyone to find her. One minute she's there, the next she's gone! They can effect this trick even if being grasped by someone, but not if they themselves are blindfolded ( or otherwise unable to see ) or if bound by iron.
Insight - Whenever a clurichaun is in a social situation ( i.e. when she's not alone ), she can roll on her Charisma + Empathy, difficulty 7, to assess what the most appropriate response to it is. She can then say the right thing or perform the correct actions ( the player may need a hint or two ) to smooth things or make the situation more pleasant. Unseelie may, of course, do or say the opposite of whatever is indicated if it suits them.
Frailty
Tippling - Clurichaun have a terrible time resisting alcohol, and whenever they tipple, they undergo a change. Those of the Seelie persuasion become maudlin and incapable of anything but singing sad songs and telling sad, often pointless, stories. To take action when in this state, a clurichaun must make a willpower roll, difficulty 8. Unseelie clurichauns evince extreme cruelty. Their jests are barbed, their stories and humor bitter and angry. Unseelie clurichaun must make a willpower roll, difficulty 8, whenever they drink alcohol to avoid picking a fight with the nearest person.

[blackest_knight]

Ghille Dhu
At one time the ghille dhu lived, thrived, sickened and died in pace with the seasons. In spring they awoke from their graves as babes of the glade and forest. With the warmth of summer they grew strong and their strength rivaled even that of the trolls. In autumn they became aged, but learned, and nurturing. As their bodies became frail an dweak with the coming of winter, they grew wise, teaching other creatures about the promise of rebirth before they entered their barrows and said their good-byes. Each incarnation was different, but the ghille dhu seemed everlasting. After the sundering, their seasonal cycle of life and death began to slowly falter; some ghille dhu began to live as babes until winter, others were born out of the grave as mature adults. Some went mad, some sought out the final death of iron, believing themselves corrupted. With the shattering, a desperate followed the example of commoners and took on mortal coils to save themselves and reconnect to nature. Few have survived; many are hoplessly insane and have forgotten the lesson of life, death and rebirth. Ghille dhu pay a much heavier price for incurring banality than do other fae, for each descent sends one into a new, older seeming. They have short lifetimes, harkening back to their pre-Sundering existance. They are perhaps the most tragic of all changelings, having become disconnected from that which they once were and still desperately seeking to cling to what they have lost. Some have returned to protecting the sacred groves and magical place, but most are content to live out their short lives simply existing. Each change in seeming is dramatic, even for a fae, and their Birthrights and Affinities change along with their appearance. All ghille dhu are green skinned, but as they age, the hue changes from an almost neon green in Spring, to medium green in the Summer of the lives. In Autumn, their wrinkled flesh turns to the deep green of a pine needle. Their hair is of various colors, but is always gray to white in Autumn. Their fae seemings are always adorned with plants related to their seeming: Flowers in Spring, Vines and grasses in Summer and Multicolored leaves and mosses in Autumn. Their bodies resemble cherubic babes in Spring, stunningly beautiful hardbodies in Summer and gnarled and wizened elders in Autumn. Many are connected to the land in some manner even in the mortal seeming. They are farmers, reclusive artisans, game wardens, hermits and fishermen. They avoid cities and professions which would take them there for long periods of time. Ghille Dhu who enter their chrysalis in cities often burn out within a few short months or years. Their rapid shift of seemings as they fall to Winter's Kiss and the changes in character that this brings, often earn them a one way ticket to the mental ward.
Spring ghille dhu are playful and inquisitive; their pudgy bodies are bursting with life and energy. They rejoice in playing in wild places. They have horrible tendencies to climb into places they cannot get down from or stay out way past their bedtimes.

Summer ghille dhu combine the beauty of a thick field of corn and the look of a centerfold satyr-bait. Luckily, they possess the strength to hang the goats from the trees when the ghille dhu have had their fill.

Autumn ghille dhu are wizened and thoughtful. Their brows bend with the thought fo their upcoming winter and the need to get their tasks completed before their time is through.


Birthrights
All Seemings
Nature's Bounty - Ghille Dhu may harvest glamour from nature just as Nunnehi.
Spring Only
Spin the Wheel - Young ghille dhu can reroll any one roll, without spending a willpower point, once per story.
Summer Only
Rose and Oak - The ghille dhu are not only beautiful, but strong. They gain a dot of appearance and strength, even if it takes them above five. This birthright is effective in both the character's mortal seeming and fae mien.
Autumn
Wisdom of the Ages - Old ghille dhu have a mystic contact with the Dreaming and its cycles. Once per story, a ghille dhu may meditate upon a questoin concerning the fae. This must be done in a natural spot, such as a place they may be able to harvest glamour. ( Not in a potted plant in a mall! ) A successful willpower roll nets them an answer from the dreaming. A simple yes/no question is difficulty 7, more difficult questions have higher difficulties. A botch means that no more answers will be given on that subject, no matter how cleverly worded. This ability can be used once per lunar cycle. The difficulty increases by one for each additional use. Using this ability to excess is said to be extremely dangerous and has resulted in the sudden disappearance of the ghille dhu who defy this tradition.
Frailty
The Kiss of Winter - Ghille dhu who suffer a chimerical Death automatically age to the next seeming. Additionally, every time the character gains a permanent point of banality, the character must succeed in a glamour roll, difficulty equal to his current banality rating, or pass into the next seeming. This rapid aging only affects the character's fae mien, not his mortal seeming. If the changeling's seeming is already Autumn, the fae mien dies. There is no chance of recovery for the ghille dhu. The fae spirit is gone until reborn into another body.

[blackest_knight]

Selkies
Selkies are fae neither fo the Overwater ( boggans, redcaps, sidhe, etc. ) nor the Undersea ( merfolk, merrows, etc. ) but of the continually shifting shoreline. They are also caught between two forms, seal and human, never precisely one or the other. Selkies are creatures of contradiction, at once playful and practical, shy and outspoken. They are also highly sexual, but practice neither the lusty promiscuousness of the satyrs nor the courtly love of the sidhe. A selkie's appeal is both sensual and romantic, and once one chooses a mate, he will stay with her only until called away, by his other love and other nature. A selkie is at once both seal and human, and if taken too far from the shoreline, he will pine away and his faerie portion will die. Unlike pookas, or even shapechangers like garou, selkies are skinchangers. When one takes human shape, he physically puts aside his sealskin. Selkie skins, like all fae things, have mortal seemings, appearing as everything from sealskin belts or stoles to greatcoats or even wetsuits. A selkie's skin contains his Glamour, as well as his fae essence. If a selkie's skin is lost, stolen or taken by force, he can use no fae magics until he regains it. If someone destroys a selkie's skin, the selkie's fae self will die - and the mortal may as well ( see below ). Luckily, selkie skins are resilient things and the life and glamour within may only be destroyed by cold iron or fire. Cold iron does no damage to a selkie's fae aspect unless it damages his sealskin, though cold iron can still do considerable damage to his mortal form. When a selkie dies, her Glamour - and her skin - are passed on to another human with selkie blood running in his veins. Selkies give favor to kinain and those with the love of the sea, who then become Kithain. The new selkie soon learns the trick of changing his skin as well as how to pass on the Glamour to a skin of his own choosing. On rare occasions, one of a selkie's seal descendants learns the trick of loosing her skin. These selkies are greeted with great joy, not only because of their rarity, but because their coming ashore creates another sealskin to keep the Glamour of the kith alive. In human form, selkies are sleek and attractive, their only telling marks their large liqiud eyes and the slight webbing betwen fingers and toes. To fae Kenning, these traits are somewhat more exaggerated, and selkies also tend to drip chimeric water wherever they go. The seeming of their seal form appears as a normal harbor or harp seal, though those wiht Fae sight might see through the guise with a Wits + Kenning roll, difficulty 6. Selkies are only found on the coastlines. In the older days, they tended to take jobs as sailors or fishermen, but modern times have made surfing, sunbathing and beachcombing far more popular. This, of curse, is when they're not spending their lives as seals.
Childlings are happy and playful, sunning themselves on the beaches and playing around the shoreline. Older selkies keep an eye on these pups and usually encourage them to stay at home, so long as home is appropriate ( near the ocean with easy access to the beach. )

Wilder selkies travel the coastlines, both with their seal and human kin. Romances of the "girl on every port" variety are also common, though these are generally extended relatoinships, not satyrish one-night-stands.

Grumps are very rare among the selkies. When a selkie finds himself growing too Banal, he will usually pass on his sealskin ( and Glamour ) to a younger, more vital heir.


Birthrights
Seal's Beauty - All selkie's have a natural animal magnetism, increasing their Charisma by +2, but only with regards to the opposite sex ( or those who are attracted to their sex ) and only in those situatoins where animal magnetism applies. Seal's Beauty aids Seduction and Leadership, but has few uses for Intimidatoin or Subterfuge.
Ocean's Grace - A selkie may lower the difficulty for all Dexterity rolls by two when in the water, and moreover can never botch a Swimming roll, even in human form. However, the difficulty for all Dexterity rolls is raised by one when on dry land.
Frailties
Longing of the Ocean Shore - Selkies are creatures of the shoreline. For every day a selkie remains away from the ocean shore, she gains an extra point of temporary Banality until her Banality exceedss her glamour and she forgets her selkie nature. A selkie may erase this banality ( even permanent Banality ) by spending a day in her altershape for each point gained, but selkies lost to their fae natures due to separation from the shoreline can only be reawakened by forcibly placing them in their skins and dropping them in the sea. This abrupt change runs the risk of Bedlam, though it is often the only therapy that works. Sadly, even this is often not enough...
Seal Coat - If a selkie's sealskin is destroyed, her fae self is destroyed forever. In addition, the mortal that remains must make a Stamina roll, difficulty 8. Failure means that the character enters a coma; a botch indicates that the character dies.
Peculiarities - Selkies are skinchangers. A selkie will change from human seeming to seal whenever he puts his skin on and immerses himself in sea water. This change is automatic and reqiures no roll or expenditure of glamour. If a selkie wishes to regain human form, he must loose the corner of his skin ( undo a button, unzip a wetsuit collar, etc. ) and break the ocean's surface. Without his skin, a selkie cannot take his seal form or perform any other changeling magic apart from Kenning and his Birthrights. However, the connection a selkie and his skin is so strong that he can sense its location with a Wits + Kenning roll, difficulty 7. As a selkie's sealskin is his skin, he can also feel it any time it is touched or damaged.

[blackest_knight]

Piskies
Solitary and semi-nomadic, the piskies are a restless kith. They enjoy setting up residence for a few years, working and socializing with both mortals and Kithain, then moving on to new adventures. The piskies are especially fond of children, and tend to befriend youngsters in need of a pal or a defender. Piskies get on well with humans, particularly nomads like themselves. Many prefer living near migrant workers, traveling with circuses or hopping trains with hoboes. The piskies bask in the glamour of mortls soaking in new sights and sensations, and members of this kith never make judgements about tattered clothing or simple meals. Seelie piskies believe in the inherent goodness of most mortals and fae; they are trusitng and perhaps a bit naive. Unseelie piskies are much more jaded and cynical, never afraid to use biting sarcasm. They are useful messengers and guides, and don't shirk from hard work; often they'll labor alongside their mortal friends in the fields, orchards or quarries. If the gentle natured Kithain have a flaw, though, it's their too-nimble fingers. Piskies can't resist picking up a trinket from an open bag or a fresh baked loaf of bread from a windowsill. What's more annoying is how absent-minded they are about the whole affair; one will quickly forget that he's jsut devoured someone else's lunch and even feign innocence if caught red handed. Unseelie piskies tend to get quite touchy and hot tempered about their character flaw. Most piskies are easy to spot because of their beautiful silver hair; both males and females tend to wear it long, often in braids. Piskies also have olive-brown skin that gets more craggy, lined and weather beaten with age. Their eyes are huge and luminescant, usually gray or green, while the ears are large and pointed. Members of the kith rage in height from four to five feet, usually with solid, muscular builds. Piskies tend to wear several layers of clothing, usually tattered, in earthy tones such as rust, gold or moss. Piskies tend to frequent places where nomads like themselves can be found; these include migrant communities, train depots, airports, tinker caravans and circuses. Often, a piskey in her mortal form will join a group of migrant workers or a traveling carnival for a few years, settle in places she likes, then move on with a new cadre of wanderers. Piskies are friendly to everyone and especially kind to children. Many the penniless child has had a good meal in his belly thanks to the generosity of a piskey.
Childlings are quite cute, with bright eyes and big smiles. Their skin is smooth and lighter in color than it will be in later in their lives. They develop wanderlust early, often running away from home, much to the terror of their parents. Most have a good sense of direction and come back safe and sound when they're ready, usually before dinnertime. Unseelie childlings, however, feel little guilt at stealing money from their dad's wallet or staying out for days on end.

Wilders have darker skin with many laugh lines, dimples and the first creases of aging. This is the most joyous time in a piskey's life, when she wanders freely and without care; the world is her oyster. Wilders usually seek out groups of mortal nomads to befriend at this stage in theirlives, and while they do settle in spots they like, the length of time tends to be shorter than that of grumps.

Grumps still travel a great deal, but their sojourns in one place tend to be much more extended than that of wilders. The piskey's skin is now quite dark and craggy; ears are tufted with silver hair, males wear long beards and backs are slightly bent from age and labor. Grumps still have bright eyes, though, and a penchant for letting children or others in need pour out their troubles.


Birthrights
Nimble - All piskies add one to their Dexterity, even if this raises the trait above 5; this Birthright is in effect at all times.
Human Bonds - Piskies are especially sensitive to the emotions of humans, particularly children. The difficulty of any Empathy rolls when dealing with mortals is reduced by 2 for adults and 3 for children, to a minimum of difficulty 3. Piskies are also incredibly adaptable to their surroundings and cannot botch any Survival rolls.
Frailty
Kleptomania - If piskies see something that strikes their fancy, they simply have to have it. Note that this doesn't have to be anything terribly valuable by human standards; a pretty rock paperweight could be just as interesting to a piskey as a gold watch. To resist the impulse, the player must make a successful Willpower roll, difficulty 8. Most Seelie piskies give back stolen property with no hard feelings; an Unseelie piskey may be a different matter entirely.

[blackest_knight]

Spriggans
Everything loveable about the piskies is despicable in the spriggan; they're hateful, greedy little bastards. Most are exceptionally cruel and play nasty tricks on downtrodden mortals. Not a few hang out with the most vicious redcaps and engage in all manner of terrible deeds. Generally lazy, spriggan are only good at one thing: guarding treasure. This is why the worst of the Unseelie and Shadow Court members bother to keep them around at all. Seelie piskies are shocked and revolted by these evil Thallain cousins. Sometimes, the nastiest Unseelie piskies will hang out with the spriggan; a few even join their ranks. Needless to say, all Seelie and most Unseelie piskies tend to take a dim view on the spriggan in general and don't tolerate their presence for long. What strikes fear in both Seelie and Unseelie Kithain alike is the spriggan's penchant for kidnapping. When a human young one is taken, of course it's a tragedy, and many fae will be willing to assist in the rescue. But the terror increases when the child is a changeling. The birth of a faerie soul into a human child is, of course, a wondrous and happy event. For such a child to be taken by the spriggan and mentally tormented is cause for a seek and destroy mission against the kidnapper. Ninety-nine percent of the time, the child is found safe, if a bit cold and hungry. But dark and ancient legends speak of a few fae little ones that have not been rescued in time. If such an awful event was to occur in the present, the spriggan probably would be hunted to the ends of the earth and the dreaming. Spriggan look like uglier versions of piskies. Rather thanhaving large, bright eyes, those of the spriggan are small and beady. All seemings have the dark craggy skin of a piskey grump. Moreover, spriggan lack the lustrous silver hair of the piskies; theirs is a dull gray, often hanging in matted tangles. Spriggan smell bad and generally wear filthy clothes.

Birthrights
Stalwart Guardians - All spriggan may add +2 to their Willpower when they accept an assignment to guard something. They will do everything possible to keep their treasure safe. After the job is finished, the willpower reverts back to its original level.
Sturm and Drang - With a successful Manipulation + Kenning roll, spriggan can cause fearsome rain and hailstorms' the more successes, the nastier the storm. One success, for example, might cause a quick spring shower, while 5 successes would draw a storm that would damage crops and homes.
Frailty
Bad Nappers - Spriggan love to kidnap children. Generally, they don't harm their victims, other than a little taunting and teasing; what the spriggan enjoy most is the mayhem and terror this causes for both the youngers and their parents. Kidnapping Kithain children is a real treat for these terrible Thallain, particularly if the child is sweet and good.

[Kietedan]

awesome stuff, soon as I have time I'll post nunnehi rules.

[blackest_knight]

cool

[blackest_knight]

i notice that the nunnehi rules were never posted....

also, CHANGELING!!!! 2007!!!!!

(might as well annouonce it here)