Post by Luke on Sept 21, 2007 7:12:08 GMT -5
Changeling {The Lost}
A Storytelling Game of Beautiful Madness
Hard Hats & Construction Cones
Written by Luke Peterson {Interim Storyteller}
US2006047649 adversaryofman@yahoo.com
Ouroboros {Theme}
In Faerie reality was determined by contracts.
Fire did not provide warmth unless it had made an agreement to provide warmth.
Now, away from their Keepers, the fae enjoy the benefits of these Contracts.
The Hedge leads into the wicked realm of Arcadia.
The Hedge allows quick travel to distant locations.
In the Hedge there are Briar Wolves and hobgoblins.
In the Hedge there are Goblin Fruits.
Here, the changelings are the agents of beauty and madness.
Here, it is the changelings who ensorcel the mortals.
Have the changelings truly escaped Arcadia?...
Identity Crisis & Paranoia {Mood}…Or are they simply bringing it home to roost?
Kidnapped and tortured victims are returned to a world that forgot them.
Everything that they knew and loved has been perverted by a stranger.
The stranger has been living their life while they have been through hell.
How do you cope with no longer being you?
Are fetches real or are the changelings the fetches?
After all, why kill your fetch unless you plan to take its place?
-
The constant threat of being kidnapped a second time looms ominously.
Do you dare pledge upon the name of your Keeper and risk their wrath?
Do you feel that you’ve lingered just a bit too long in the Hedge?
The True Fae are dangerous voyeurs to have.
How much can you risk?
An Introduction…
Under Construction – that’s what it should say on the billboards as you enter “The Big O.” It always is. Orange and white cones litter the highways, interstate, and every major road diverting traffic to one or two lanes. None of the actual construction is ever actively being accomplished by the looks of it – unless it would be a major inconvenience to whoever happens to be in the largest hurry.
When it is least expected the cones are missing in the road and traffic is back to normal. Other times a four-story building seems to crop up overnight. Businesses are up-and-running in a flash. New shopping centers are built every few years.
Omaha has gotten too big for its britches and this isn’t the first time. Ralston, Papillion, Bellevue, Irvington, Elkhorn, Millard… all small towns which have been brought under the umbrella of the ever-growing metropolitan that has been lumped together as Omaha.
Commuters come and go from these suburbs and from surrounding towns to feed into the mammoth that Omaha has become – this gluttonous beast of a city. It’s hard not to get lost. The streets run East-to-West and North-to-South for the most part, but the interstate system portions the city off at odd angles and getting across it is a chore. There are long stretches of miles that don’t allow you to cross further into town in one direction.
There are a few homeless shelters, but that doesn’t stop them from perching in windowsills in the Old Market. Souvenirs sit on the other side of those windowsills attempting to attract tourists who are in town for the College World Series, the Henry Doorly Zoo, Josilyn Art Museum, or the Western Heritage Museum. The cobblestone roads and one-way streets make it easy to get lost. There are several lots to park in if you feel like paying a toll but only a handful of quarter-fed parking spots.
Horse-drawn carriage rides can be taken around the Old Market district. Their small road-side business has grown to include three carriages over the years. Nearby there is always a police cruiser and a member or two of law enforcement presumably around as a deterrent for thieves and ne’er-do-wells.
Mid-town starts when the one-way streets become two-ways again. From 48th to 72nd street and from “L” street to Pacific Street is commonly referred to as “the box” it is the center of the city and the best real estate for home owners. Twenty years ago 72nd Street was considered out of town, but a lot can change in a few decades.
Crossroads Mall is on 72nd & Dodge. It’s on the outs and has been ever since Westroads Mall appeared on 108th & Dodge. There are more muggings and shootings happening in that mall every passing year. As a sign of the times most of the restaurants have left Crossroad’s Food Court and a Target has moved in. Meanwhile the west side of town has moved further west. The stores at Village Pointe Pavilion on 168th and Dodge have been taking some of the business away from Westroads. It has a better movie theatre and several specialty restaurants.
What all this means is progress and consumerism. Omaha is a glutton, an amoeba devouring other organisms to expand. This is the background for the venue…
In the foreground we have the Freehold, a collection of misfits displaced in both time and place, altered by their journey into and out of Arcadia. The Freehold boasts a traditional Seasonal Court with offices and positions based on the current ruler. They have a habit of establishing “out with the old and in with the new” as their way of determining who stays in what position.
Every season is not just a new ruler, but possibly one that has never been in the position before. There are no real laws set down that ensure that just because one fae is the Summer King one year that he will be the Summer King the next. It could just as easily be a Summer Queen. Every few years the dates and times of the switch-over become readjusted for fairness or to better reflect the seasons – depending on who owes favors to whom. There is often a lot of chaos the last month of a season as people scramble to impress the new Court.
Membership in the Freehold is done on a Season-to-Season basis. Issues in the past have led to members wanting to drop out during the summer only to find themselves locked into the contract for another 9 months and 1 day well past the reign of the hard-to-please Summer King.
A peculiar site to behold is when the Autumn King would renew membership the size of his Freehold would increase proportionate to the membership. Each fae would pledge their loyalty to the Freehold and simply by remaining true to his or her word the Wyrd would shape the Freehold to reflect the vow. Traditionally this would be done inside the Freehold so that the fae present could see the rewards that were being reaped from the contract.
The Hedge is a dynamic beast of its own - constantly being reshaped by the Wyrd of the fae who travel through it… making trods and hollows like intruders leaving muddy boot prints. The Freehold has traditionally made a lot of use of the Old Market and there are so many gateways in that area that it is ridiculous. When travelers find themselves lost in the Hedge it is most likely “downtown” that they head towards.
The paths cut by previously adventurous fae are still worn in some areas, but occasionally they lead nowhere – perhaps evidence of a Hollow that no longer exists or where a Privateer’s door steps out of. Travel within the Hedge can be difficult even despite the variety of exits. After all, the moment the landmarks are gone one patch of green looks just like the next.
Style of Play
Action 5, Darkness 4, Drama 4, Intrigue 4, Mystery 5
Players receive enough politics in other games that the outcry has been to really push away from the Freehold and move towards Motleys. The style of play will be a barrage of the unknown, but not the unknowable. Traditional antagonists for the venue will be the pepper while homebrew enemies are the meat and potatoes. Where death and combat make the majority of “action” in other games this will focus more on car chases, shadowing rivals, and other dramatic events that give the characters more life and less death.
The True Fae, while a distant threat, are to be integrated slowly with signs of their coming as a foreboding shadow rather than a sudden appearance. It will be more likely in the beginning that Loyalists or hobgoblins will make themselves known first as the ears and eyes of the True Fae, but a false turn could have that all crashing down.
Economy of Resources
Glamour
Beginning Glamour will be determined during character sign-in using the following:
• Each character begins their introductory game at full Glamour.
• Glamour lost during game does not replenish between games.
• One free “downtime” is available to Harvest with a brief, mandatory description.
• Cash-In unused downtimes for extra draws.
Willpower
Beginning Willpower will be determined during character sign-in using the following:
• Each character begins their introductory game at full Willpower.
• Willpower lost during game automatically refills at a rate of 1 per week.
• Cash-In unused downtimes to fulfill their Vice for extra Willpower on a 1:1 basis.
* Willpower is fully recovered at the beginning of the month.
Health
Beginning Health will be determined during character sign-in using the following:
• Each character begins their introductory game at full Health.
• Bashing: One point is healed every fifteen minutes.
• Lethal: One point is healed every two days.
• Aggravated: One point is healed per week.
Supernatural Circumvention
The use of Contracts or other Supernatural powers to regain Glamour, Willpower, or Health which are not performed during game are considered full downtime actions. Characters must provide justification if they are providing any benefit to another character which has no benefit for the acting character. These can be denied at Storyteller discretion.
The Nitty Gritty
Experience Points
Characters may not receive more than a total of 5 experience points during a single game or over 10 experience points per month.
• Attending Game (3 Points)
• Costuming Appropriate to Mantle/Seeming/Concept (1 Point)
• Breaking Character ONLY to Mediate or Clarifications (1 Point)
• Completing After-Game Surveys (2 Points)
Approvals
The storyteller reserves the right to deny any character into the venue for any reason. As a guideline any special approval should be presented to the storyteller staff as part of player sign-in. The onus is on the player and not the storyteller staff to make this information available. If the storyteller staff believes an approval would be detrimental to the feel of the game the player may choose to either play the character without the special approval or else play an NPC. Doing so is not automatically grounds for an appeal.
Proxies
Characters which are proxied into the venue will be treated with the same respect and dignity as native characters. Large-scale proxies will be under heavy scrutiny as will any proxy seeking the death of another character (whether incoming or native).
Downtime & Continuity Issues
On occasion time freezes and downtimes place the course of time outside of its normal flow. Between-games-events will be organized on a “first-come, first-serve” basis. If two characters are racing to achieve the same goal it will be the first player who puts in an appropriate downtime who receives it. Otherwise characters can have events “pending” or “backdated” any time between the last game held and the next one to be held. Once the next game begins any unresolved issues will be moved forward in order to maintain story continuity. It is the responsibility of the player to organize time with the storyteller in order to resolve downtime actions/sessions.
Information-Upon-Request or Displayed Information
The following information MUST be displayed or answered if another player asks.
However, if these are masked by a supernatural effect feel free to give what the character “appears” to be as the direct answer – do not explain what is masking it or what the character “really” is. If pressed please direct further inquiries to the storyteller staff.
• Wyrd
• Mantle (if 1 or higher)
• Court Goodwill (the court of the Player character)
• Seeming/Kith
• Distinguishing Marks: Giant, Striking Looks 2 or 4.
• Fame
When to Mediate & When to Grab a Storyteller
Players are encouraged to handle their own interactions through mediation and group storytelling. However, in instances where players cannot come to a mutual conclusion feel free to grab a member of the storytelling staff.
Volunteering Rules Calls
Some players are well-read on rules while others may not be. However, arguing during game over mechanics is disruptive to the other players. The more time that’s spent OOC the less time spent IC. If the use of a power or the resolution of a draw is questioned during game the Storyteller is the final arbiter on how the scene is resolved. After the game players are encouraged to speak with the Storyteller who handled the scene in order to voice any concerns or questions. Keep in mind that this is not a paid position and it is likely that there is conflicting information in the source material as well.
Storyteller’s Discretion
Changeling is a new venue and chances are that a lot of rules clarifications will be coming. As powers and abilities mingle the Storyteller determinations will be posted here in a FAQ format.
Feedback
Storytellers cannot influence what they do not know about. If a player has questions, concerns or comments it is the player’s responsibility to inform the storyteller. If the Storyteller isn’t aware that something happened– it didn’t happen for all real purposes.
------------------------------------------------------------
House Rules for Soft Role-Play
(To Be Removed On January 1st 2008)
• Cross-venue soft role-play will be strongly discouraged – although not blanket-denying anything. As a general rule it will not be allowed.
• Injury or character death will not happen unless the player of the character agrees to it. As part of the mediation process players will be encouraged to agree towards injury, service, favors or public humiliation in regards to obviously superior physical characters to help balance out those who rely on brute force and who for sake of soft role-play cannot flex their muscles.
• Perks will be rewarded to players who make an honest attempt to play towards their strengths AND their weaknesses during the 3-month period. These will come in the form of in-character benefits, storyline hooks, and access to buy special merits/items.
• Activation of any Contracts which do not affect other characters will be assumed to have a single success. Alternatively you may “take a 6” to see what an average result would have net you. Pay cost as normal.
• Contracts which are non-beneficial to the target or which cause injury will need to be “approved” by the victim during soft role-play.
Mediation Hints
Keep in mind that this is all optional.
Below are a few suggestions on how you can mediate results.
You have the final say in what happens to your character during mediation.
Option One: Don’t resist at all.
Sometimes it’s more dramatic or fun to give in to the use of a power or a suggestion than fight against it. If it isn’t life/death or social suicide do you really have to say no?
Option Two: Hash out the math.
Ask the player for his pool to use the power. If the character has a 50/50 shot at beating you it’s a tough call, but if you’re obviously outclassed you should probably just let them have it.
Option Three: Paper-Rock-Scissors
Hey, it worked for Shining Host! If you’re not too concerned about how it’s going to end up or you’re about evenly tied you can joust them with P-R-S. Tie goes to the defender. Flipping a coin works well too. Be creative.
Option Four: Just Say “No”
If you don’t like where the contest is headed you can just back out of it. There are other players to role-play with after all.
A Storytelling Game of Beautiful Madness
Hard Hats & Construction Cones
Written by Luke Peterson {Interim Storyteller}
US2006047649 adversaryofman@yahoo.com
Ouroboros {Theme}
In Faerie reality was determined by contracts.
Fire did not provide warmth unless it had made an agreement to provide warmth.
Now, away from their Keepers, the fae enjoy the benefits of these Contracts.
The Hedge leads into the wicked realm of Arcadia.
The Hedge allows quick travel to distant locations.
In the Hedge there are Briar Wolves and hobgoblins.
In the Hedge there are Goblin Fruits.
Here, the changelings are the agents of beauty and madness.
Here, it is the changelings who ensorcel the mortals.
Have the changelings truly escaped Arcadia?...
Identity Crisis & Paranoia {Mood}…Or are they simply bringing it home to roost?
Kidnapped and tortured victims are returned to a world that forgot them.
Everything that they knew and loved has been perverted by a stranger.
The stranger has been living their life while they have been through hell.
How do you cope with no longer being you?
Are fetches real or are the changelings the fetches?
After all, why kill your fetch unless you plan to take its place?
-
The constant threat of being kidnapped a second time looms ominously.
Do you dare pledge upon the name of your Keeper and risk their wrath?
Do you feel that you’ve lingered just a bit too long in the Hedge?
The True Fae are dangerous voyeurs to have.
How much can you risk?
An Introduction…
SPEED
LIMIT
55
FINES DOUBLED
LIMIT
55
FINES DOUBLED
Under Construction – that’s what it should say on the billboards as you enter “The Big O.” It always is. Orange and white cones litter the highways, interstate, and every major road diverting traffic to one or two lanes. None of the actual construction is ever actively being accomplished by the looks of it – unless it would be a major inconvenience to whoever happens to be in the largest hurry.
When it is least expected the cones are missing in the road and traffic is back to normal. Other times a four-story building seems to crop up overnight. Businesses are up-and-running in a flash. New shopping centers are built every few years.
Omaha has gotten too big for its britches and this isn’t the first time. Ralston, Papillion, Bellevue, Irvington, Elkhorn, Millard… all small towns which have been brought under the umbrella of the ever-growing metropolitan that has been lumped together as Omaha.
Commuters come and go from these suburbs and from surrounding towns to feed into the mammoth that Omaha has become – this gluttonous beast of a city. It’s hard not to get lost. The streets run East-to-West and North-to-South for the most part, but the interstate system portions the city off at odd angles and getting across it is a chore. There are long stretches of miles that don’t allow you to cross further into town in one direction.
There are a few homeless shelters, but that doesn’t stop them from perching in windowsills in the Old Market. Souvenirs sit on the other side of those windowsills attempting to attract tourists who are in town for the College World Series, the Henry Doorly Zoo, Josilyn Art Museum, or the Western Heritage Museum. The cobblestone roads and one-way streets make it easy to get lost. There are several lots to park in if you feel like paying a toll but only a handful of quarter-fed parking spots.
Horse-drawn carriage rides can be taken around the Old Market district. Their small road-side business has grown to include three carriages over the years. Nearby there is always a police cruiser and a member or two of law enforcement presumably around as a deterrent for thieves and ne’er-do-wells.
Mid-town starts when the one-way streets become two-ways again. From 48th to 72nd street and from “L” street to Pacific Street is commonly referred to as “the box” it is the center of the city and the best real estate for home owners. Twenty years ago 72nd Street was considered out of town, but a lot can change in a few decades.
Crossroads Mall is on 72nd & Dodge. It’s on the outs and has been ever since Westroads Mall appeared on 108th & Dodge. There are more muggings and shootings happening in that mall every passing year. As a sign of the times most of the restaurants have left Crossroad’s Food Court and a Target has moved in. Meanwhile the west side of town has moved further west. The stores at Village Pointe Pavilion on 168th and Dodge have been taking some of the business away from Westroads. It has a better movie theatre and several specialty restaurants.
What all this means is progress and consumerism. Omaha is a glutton, an amoeba devouring other organisms to expand. This is the background for the venue…
In the foreground we have the Freehold, a collection of misfits displaced in both time and place, altered by their journey into and out of Arcadia. The Freehold boasts a traditional Seasonal Court with offices and positions based on the current ruler. They have a habit of establishing “out with the old and in with the new” as their way of determining who stays in what position.
Every season is not just a new ruler, but possibly one that has never been in the position before. There are no real laws set down that ensure that just because one fae is the Summer King one year that he will be the Summer King the next. It could just as easily be a Summer Queen. Every few years the dates and times of the switch-over become readjusted for fairness or to better reflect the seasons – depending on who owes favors to whom. There is often a lot of chaos the last month of a season as people scramble to impress the new Court.
Membership in the Freehold is done on a Season-to-Season basis. Issues in the past have led to members wanting to drop out during the summer only to find themselves locked into the contract for another 9 months and 1 day well past the reign of the hard-to-please Summer King.
A peculiar site to behold is when the Autumn King would renew membership the size of his Freehold would increase proportionate to the membership. Each fae would pledge their loyalty to the Freehold and simply by remaining true to his or her word the Wyrd would shape the Freehold to reflect the vow. Traditionally this would be done inside the Freehold so that the fae present could see the rewards that were being reaped from the contract.
The Hedge is a dynamic beast of its own - constantly being reshaped by the Wyrd of the fae who travel through it… making trods and hollows like intruders leaving muddy boot prints. The Freehold has traditionally made a lot of use of the Old Market and there are so many gateways in that area that it is ridiculous. When travelers find themselves lost in the Hedge it is most likely “downtown” that they head towards.
The paths cut by previously adventurous fae are still worn in some areas, but occasionally they lead nowhere – perhaps evidence of a Hollow that no longer exists or where a Privateer’s door steps out of. Travel within the Hedge can be difficult even despite the variety of exits. After all, the moment the landmarks are gone one patch of green looks just like the next.
Style of Play
Action 5, Darkness 4, Drama 4, Intrigue 4, Mystery 5
Players receive enough politics in other games that the outcry has been to really push away from the Freehold and move towards Motleys. The style of play will be a barrage of the unknown, but not the unknowable. Traditional antagonists for the venue will be the pepper while homebrew enemies are the meat and potatoes. Where death and combat make the majority of “action” in other games this will focus more on car chases, shadowing rivals, and other dramatic events that give the characters more life and less death.
The True Fae, while a distant threat, are to be integrated slowly with signs of their coming as a foreboding shadow rather than a sudden appearance. It will be more likely in the beginning that Loyalists or hobgoblins will make themselves known first as the ears and eyes of the True Fae, but a false turn could have that all crashing down.
Economy of Resources
Glamour
Beginning Glamour will be determined during character sign-in using the following:
• Each character begins their introductory game at full Glamour.
• Glamour lost during game does not replenish between games.
• One free “downtime” is available to Harvest with a brief, mandatory description.
• Cash-In unused downtimes for extra draws.
Willpower
Beginning Willpower will be determined during character sign-in using the following:
• Each character begins their introductory game at full Willpower.
• Willpower lost during game automatically refills at a rate of 1 per week.
• Cash-In unused downtimes to fulfill their Vice for extra Willpower on a 1:1 basis.
* Willpower is fully recovered at the beginning of the month.
Health
Beginning Health will be determined during character sign-in using the following:
• Each character begins their introductory game at full Health.
• Bashing: One point is healed every fifteen minutes.
• Lethal: One point is healed every two days.
• Aggravated: One point is healed per week.
Supernatural Circumvention
The use of Contracts or other Supernatural powers to regain Glamour, Willpower, or Health which are not performed during game are considered full downtime actions. Characters must provide justification if they are providing any benefit to another character which has no benefit for the acting character. These can be denied at Storyteller discretion.
The Nitty Gritty
Experience Points
Characters may not receive more than a total of 5 experience points during a single game or over 10 experience points per month.
• Attending Game (3 Points)
• Costuming Appropriate to Mantle/Seeming/Concept (1 Point)
• Breaking Character ONLY to Mediate or Clarifications (1 Point)
• Completing After-Game Surveys (2 Points)
Approvals
The storyteller reserves the right to deny any character into the venue for any reason. As a guideline any special approval should be presented to the storyteller staff as part of player sign-in. The onus is on the player and not the storyteller staff to make this information available. If the storyteller staff believes an approval would be detrimental to the feel of the game the player may choose to either play the character without the special approval or else play an NPC. Doing so is not automatically grounds for an appeal.
Proxies
Characters which are proxied into the venue will be treated with the same respect and dignity as native characters. Large-scale proxies will be under heavy scrutiny as will any proxy seeking the death of another character (whether incoming or native).
Downtime & Continuity Issues
On occasion time freezes and downtimes place the course of time outside of its normal flow. Between-games-events will be organized on a “first-come, first-serve” basis. If two characters are racing to achieve the same goal it will be the first player who puts in an appropriate downtime who receives it. Otherwise characters can have events “pending” or “backdated” any time between the last game held and the next one to be held. Once the next game begins any unresolved issues will be moved forward in order to maintain story continuity. It is the responsibility of the player to organize time with the storyteller in order to resolve downtime actions/sessions.
Information-Upon-Request or Displayed Information
The following information MUST be displayed or answered if another player asks.
However, if these are masked by a supernatural effect feel free to give what the character “appears” to be as the direct answer – do not explain what is masking it or what the character “really” is. If pressed please direct further inquiries to the storyteller staff.
• Wyrd
• Mantle (if 1 or higher)
• Court Goodwill (the court of the Player character)
• Seeming/Kith
• Distinguishing Marks: Giant, Striking Looks 2 or 4.
• Fame
When to Mediate & When to Grab a Storyteller
Players are encouraged to handle their own interactions through mediation and group storytelling. However, in instances where players cannot come to a mutual conclusion feel free to grab a member of the storytelling staff.
Volunteering Rules Calls
Some players are well-read on rules while others may not be. However, arguing during game over mechanics is disruptive to the other players. The more time that’s spent OOC the less time spent IC. If the use of a power or the resolution of a draw is questioned during game the Storyteller is the final arbiter on how the scene is resolved. After the game players are encouraged to speak with the Storyteller who handled the scene in order to voice any concerns or questions. Keep in mind that this is not a paid position and it is likely that there is conflicting information in the source material as well.
Storyteller’s Discretion
Changeling is a new venue and chances are that a lot of rules clarifications will be coming. As powers and abilities mingle the Storyteller determinations will be posted here in a FAQ format.
Feedback
Storytellers cannot influence what they do not know about. If a player has questions, concerns or comments it is the player’s responsibility to inform the storyteller. If the Storyteller isn’t aware that something happened– it didn’t happen for all real purposes.
------------------------------------------------------------
House Rules for Soft Role-Play
(To Be Removed On January 1st 2008)
• Cross-venue soft role-play will be strongly discouraged – although not blanket-denying anything. As a general rule it will not be allowed.
• Injury or character death will not happen unless the player of the character agrees to it. As part of the mediation process players will be encouraged to agree towards injury, service, favors or public humiliation in regards to obviously superior physical characters to help balance out those who rely on brute force and who for sake of soft role-play cannot flex their muscles.
• Perks will be rewarded to players who make an honest attempt to play towards their strengths AND their weaknesses during the 3-month period. These will come in the form of in-character benefits, storyline hooks, and access to buy special merits/items.
• Activation of any Contracts which do not affect other characters will be assumed to have a single success. Alternatively you may “take a 6” to see what an average result would have net you. Pay cost as normal.
• Contracts which are non-beneficial to the target or which cause injury will need to be “approved” by the victim during soft role-play.
Mediation Hints
Keep in mind that this is all optional.
Below are a few suggestions on how you can mediate results.
You have the final say in what happens to your character during mediation.
Option One: Don’t resist at all.
Sometimes it’s more dramatic or fun to give in to the use of a power or a suggestion than fight against it. If it isn’t life/death or social suicide do you really have to say no?
Option Two: Hash out the math.
Ask the player for his pool to use the power. If the character has a 50/50 shot at beating you it’s a tough call, but if you’re obviously outclassed you should probably just let them have it.
Option Three: Paper-Rock-Scissors
Hey, it worked for Shining Host! If you’re not too concerned about how it’s going to end up or you’re about evenly tied you can joust them with P-R-S. Tie goes to the defender. Flipping a coin works well too. Be creative.
Option Four: Just Say “No”
If you don’t like where the contest is headed you can just back out of it. There are other players to role-play with after all.
