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Changeling: The Lost- The Scarecrow's Lament
No-Quarter
Nothing To FearBut Fear ItselfRegistered User regular
Nothing To FearBut Fear ItselfRegistered User regular
The Towers falling changed everything. It changed how New Yorkers looked at their city, their world, and themselves. Emotions ran high in the aftermath of that terrible tragedy- fear of further death and destruction, anger at what had transpired, sorrow for so much loss, and a desire to be safe and get away from the pain. The incredible outpouring of emotions on that day, and in the weeks that followed it, left an indelible mark on on the Hedge. All throughout the city and the surrounding areas Hedge-gates opened and trods were stamped down. Central Park sprouted several, and a creeping mass of thorns has entangled itself in the undergrowth, completely baffling the local park service. Since that time, more and more Lost have found their way back from Arcadia to the City That Never Sleeps. What they have found since that sunny day in September is a Big Apple rotted to the core...
From the White Wolf site for uninitiated-
None of this has ever happened and hopefully never will.
From Nguyen's Weird Happenings, Mass Hallucinations, and Bumps in the Night of the New Millenium
" ...While the September 11th attack perpetrated on the United States in 2001 certainly had massive repercussions on the world at large, it is also more quietly known as one of the first great bouts of mass hallucination in the new millenium. There are several theories surrounding the bizzare, inexplicable, and even twisted tales that have trickled down through the survivors of that terrible tragedy. They are most commonly put down as hallucinations stemming from extreme stress and the inhalation of poisons and dusts in the air. Others point to some form of potent "nerve gas" weaponry that was exploded at the same time of the attacks to sow confusion. There are even a few fringe elements who point to ghosts, aliens, or extra-demensional visitors. Accounts of strange events come from both civilians and city authorities including police, fire, and EMS departments.
Many survivors claim to have experienced "nothing out of the ordinary" outside of the context of the catastrophe happening around them. Many initially reported strange occurrences of their own, but have since accounted them to the flights of fantasy of overtaxed minds. There is a hardened core of roughly twenty-percent, however, who stridently claim to have experienced contact with what many of them refer to as "Others." Accounts of these inhuman agents vary, and their behaviors run the gamut of benign, mischievous, and, in the most disturbing accounts, horrifically violent. A Brooklyn man claims to have been trapped in a hallway with, and almost abducted by, a woman in a filthy and tattered Victorian gown who appeared human outside of her dirty red hair, jet black eyes, and a smell of grave earth. A chance look at her in a mirror, however, revealed a visage of horrid decay, filthy yarn for hair, and buttons for eyes. The man detailed his escape as stemming from the entitity's inability to cross a line of broken glass.
A maid looking for a shortcut through an office suite happened upon a meeting between "three little business men." Each of them was two feet tall and wore an Armani suite. One had a head like a polar bear, but with insect mandibles in place of the normal mouth. The second's "head" was a lit candle protruding from an ornate beaten-brass "neck." The third Other had a TV set on its shoulders, with a live news-feed from outside playing on it. They each offered the dumbstruck woman an illegible business card before departing through a side-door, from which the maid claimed she could see green light and thorned briars. Upon opening the door herself, she found only an empty closet.
A traumatized and bloody editorial assistant recounts an incident wherein she stated that her fellow office workers were systematically butchered by several "goblins" wielding rusted scalpels and straight razors. Hysterical and covered in gore, she was rushed down the stairs where EMS could only discern a few deep wounds, which while severe couldn't possibly have accounted for the amount of blood spattered on her. The FDNY was unable to make it up to her company's floor to confirm or deny the massacre. It is strange, however, that she was the only worker on the floor to escape, despite being situated relatively low in Tower 2.
More disturbing is that some of these reports come from bystanders and city authorities after the Towers fell. As a massive cloud of dust gusted its way through the streets and alleys, some state that..."things" rode concealed within the dust, snatching up screaming bystanders. The NYPD has three seperate accounts of policemen reporting such occurences, one in particular involving an officer opening fire on what he called "a living shadow." He has since been comitted to asylum. As we dig deeper into these events we see a startling pattern emerge....."
The Big Apple Freehold:
To an outsider looking in, the Big Apple Freehold's Court structure would resemble that of a highly organized street-gang or mafia. Each Court provides distinct functions to the Freehold in dealing with both humane and fae affairs. Despite the rampant criminality of the Freehold, it's relationship with the city of New York is more symbiotic than parasitic. What each Court takes, it also gives back in it's own way. Well...that's supposed to be the idea anyway...
What follows is a rough write up of each Court. In the coming days I will add onto this with more detail, as well as principal characters such as the Court Kings and Queens. As well, I will also try to give a nWoD history lesson of what's been going on in NYC these last few years. and how this ties into the Freehold's activities. Again this is a ROUGH writeup, just because Summer functions as gangland goons doesn't mean that that's the end all, be all of the Court's activities.
Bear in mind, that despite being an above-average sized Freehold, the Big Apple only holds roughly 90-140 Changelings. In short, while the Courts certainly hold a lot of a power in mortal and fae affairs, their power is not unlimited or unchallenged. So, for example, while the Autumn Court may be in bed with certain members of local law-enforcement this doesn't mean that their ability to get Changelings out of trouble is unimpeachable. It's a rough, tough world out there baby. Take care...
Summer- The muscle. Every gang needs soldiers. Both to collect ah...rent from the local citizenry, or to bash in the skull of the screeching fae abomination that clawed it's way out of some filthy subway-bathroom's mirror.
Winter- The merchants. Every gang has a product to sell. Their's is just...better, you know? Even if it is a tad addictive...and if you don't have money to pay, well, everyone has some secrets for sale, right? Besides, who's ever gonna know?
Spring- The front. Every gang needs a place to hock their wares and unwind. They also need legal representation for when things get a little too hectic, wouldn't you agree?
Autumn- The one's pulling the strings. Every gang needs leadership...even if they rule by manipulation and scaring the shit out of everyone else. Having one's fingers in public administration and local law enforcement helps too.
Courts up soon, talking to people about sheets + job = timeeeee.
***
Linkies!
White Wolf's Changeling Page
http://www.white-wolf.com/changeling/index.php
The nWorld of Darkness Changeling Wiki- This has a LOT of specific information about the game, veyr useful for those who're interested bu hesistant-
http://wiki.white-wolf.com/worldofdarkness/index.php?title=Changeling:_The_Lost
***
Greetings and salutations! This is a sign-up for White Wolf's nWoD game: Changeling: The Lost
I'm looking for 5 players total. Right now I have Rainfall, Variable, Araski If Nexus Crawler wants in, he is. Other than that Cj-Iwakura is working on a character, and Romantic Undead is on standby. I can't blame him for being hesitant.
Books necessary: nWoD core rules, Changeling: The Lost
Books optional yet VERY useful: Rites of Spring, Winter Masques, less so- Lords of Summer
Story spoilers DON'T TOUCH: Autumn Nightmares and especially - The Equinox Road and GRIM FEARS
***
This will be set in a post 9/11 NYC, and deal heavily with a lot of the themes and issues that have arisen since that time. This won't be 'Bush is an asshole!"; so much as thematic issues such as the corrupting effect that fear can have on our values and traditions. If you don't feel comfortable with this, please don't sign up. Also this game will also be fairly NSFW, this is a horror game after all.
This will be an Autumn story, focusing heavily on fear, paranoia, isolation, with a general mood of corruption.
To address any concerns about how Changeling games on this board always seem cursed- Everything is done; I just have to write the specifics down. Once we get our players we can all work more in depth about how we're going to run this. The plan is Play by Post. This is a largely political/ social/ investigative game unlike Werewolf, so it'll help everyone to have enough time to think-out their posts. I might be tempted to do IRC chat for single-player-action if they want to develop their own character's plot threads.
UPDATE 9/26
We have our 5: Rainfall, Araski, Variable, Mundane Soul, Slime Node
Character instructions: After a talk with Rain I've decided on no EXP bonus. I may grant boons in the way of Court favor though. So for now make you're characters as to the point as possible. Once we have all of our players we can go into this in more depth. For every erg of effort we put into planning this; the smoother and more enjoyable it'll be when we start.
This is also with regards to people having too similar concepts. I'd like to stretch out the archetypes so we have a better overall party. So think in general terms, fighter, thief, muse, builder/smith/tech person. I'd like for everyone to put at least a little thought into how their character would work combat, again this isn't a combat game, but you will get into a few scraps and fights. This doesn't mean make a scientist character good at brawl, but, hey that's what guns and contracts are for
Also, once I get the better Court and City backgrounds up don't worry if you want to change your character around. I'm very flexible like that. For now just make a sheet and a background. If it need to be adapted we can do that. No worries.
From the White Wolf site for uninitiated-
A Game of Beautiful Madness
The protagonists of this modern fairy tale are the changelings, or as they often call themselves, the Lost. Stolen away from their human lives as children or adults, they spent what seemed like years or even centuries in Faerie, chattel to beautiful but inhuman lords and ladies. Fed on faerie food and drink, they gradually became more fae themselves, their bodies shifting slightly to reflect their roles. Some, however, managed to escape. Holding on to their memories of home, they found their way through the winding thorns of the Hedge, the barrier between the mortal world and time-twisted Faerie.
Their return, however, was all too bittersweet. Some came back twenty years after they'd first vanished, even though it had never seemed that long to them in Faerie. Others who had reached adulthood in Arcadia found that they returned only a few hours after their abduction. And almost all found, horribly enough, that they weren't missed. The Fae had been thorough. Left in the stead of each abducted changeling was a replica, a simulacrum, a thing that looked like him or her — but wasn't. Now, with inhuman strangers living their lives and nowhere to go, the Lost must find their own way in the world that was stolen from them.
Changeling deals with the struggles and dreams of people who are no longer what they were, their mortal flesh interwoven with fae magic. An illusion called the Mask obscures their remade physical bodies, allowing them to pass for humans — a word that doesn't apply to them any more. The contrast between the reality of the mortal world and the unreality of Faerie colors their stories, in ways that often express as beauty, madness or both.
The beauty referred to almost goes without saying. Faerie is beautiful. It isn't kindly, or nurturing, or benevolent, but it is wondrously beautiful. The same is true for its children, both those that were born of its unreal matter and those mortals that were abducted and nursed on its magic. Even a hideous Ogre may have some strangely sketched artistry to its asymmetrical features, and even a Darkling of disturbing mien may have an elegantly hypnotic grace or cold, frank sexuality. But as the Lost move among the mortal world, trying to recover their old lives or draw enough Glamour to sustain themselves, they become aware of the beautiful things that mortals often take for granted. To a changeling, there is beauty in the grief hanging over the funeral of a good man, or in the awkward way a young girl twists her hands at a school dance. They see things nobody else does — not simply because they can, but because they try.
The madness inherent to a changeling's existence is also twofold. Part is external. Changelings too often cross paths with things of Faerie and the Hedge — strange, creeping things that should not be, that defy human rationality. The Others themselves can only be described as "mad," for surely they subscribe to no mortal definition of sanity. But an equally great threat comes from within. The threshold between dream and reality, between Faerie and mortality, is easily crossed… and a changeling doesn't always know which side of the threshold she stands on.
None of this has ever happened and hopefully never will.
From Nguyen's Weird Happenings, Mass Hallucinations, and Bumps in the Night of the New Millenium
" ...While the September 11th attack perpetrated on the United States in 2001 certainly had massive repercussions on the world at large, it is also more quietly known as one of the first great bouts of mass hallucination in the new millenium. There are several theories surrounding the bizzare, inexplicable, and even twisted tales that have trickled down through the survivors of that terrible tragedy. They are most commonly put down as hallucinations stemming from extreme stress and the inhalation of poisons and dusts in the air. Others point to some form of potent "nerve gas" weaponry that was exploded at the same time of the attacks to sow confusion. There are even a few fringe elements who point to ghosts, aliens, or extra-demensional visitors. Accounts of strange events come from both civilians and city authorities including police, fire, and EMS departments.
Many survivors claim to have experienced "nothing out of the ordinary" outside of the context of the catastrophe happening around them. Many initially reported strange occurrences of their own, but have since accounted them to the flights of fantasy of overtaxed minds. There is a hardened core of roughly twenty-percent, however, who stridently claim to have experienced contact with what many of them refer to as "Others." Accounts of these inhuman agents vary, and their behaviors run the gamut of benign, mischievous, and, in the most disturbing accounts, horrifically violent. A Brooklyn man claims to have been trapped in a hallway with, and almost abducted by, a woman in a filthy and tattered Victorian gown who appeared human outside of her dirty red hair, jet black eyes, and a smell of grave earth. A chance look at her in a mirror, however, revealed a visage of horrid decay, filthy yarn for hair, and buttons for eyes. The man detailed his escape as stemming from the entitity's inability to cross a line of broken glass.
A maid looking for a shortcut through an office suite happened upon a meeting between "three little business men." Each of them was two feet tall and wore an Armani suite. One had a head like a polar bear, but with insect mandibles in place of the normal mouth. The second's "head" was a lit candle protruding from an ornate beaten-brass "neck." The third Other had a TV set on its shoulders, with a live news-feed from outside playing on it. They each offered the dumbstruck woman an illegible business card before departing through a side-door, from which the maid claimed she could see green light and thorned briars. Upon opening the door herself, she found only an empty closet.
A traumatized and bloody editorial assistant recounts an incident wherein she stated that her fellow office workers were systematically butchered by several "goblins" wielding rusted scalpels and straight razors. Hysterical and covered in gore, she was rushed down the stairs where EMS could only discern a few deep wounds, which while severe couldn't possibly have accounted for the amount of blood spattered on her. The FDNY was unable to make it up to her company's floor to confirm or deny the massacre. It is strange, however, that she was the only worker on the floor to escape, despite being situated relatively low in Tower 2.
More disturbing is that some of these reports come from bystanders and city authorities after the Towers fell. As a massive cloud of dust gusted its way through the streets and alleys, some state that..."things" rode concealed within the dust, snatching up screaming bystanders. The NYPD has three seperate accounts of policemen reporting such occurences, one in particular involving an officer opening fire on what he called "a living shadow." He has since been comitted to asylum. As we dig deeper into these events we see a startling pattern emerge....."
The Big Apple Freehold:
To an outsider looking in, the Big Apple Freehold's Court structure would resemble that of a highly organized street-gang or mafia. Each Court provides distinct functions to the Freehold in dealing with both humane and fae affairs. Despite the rampant criminality of the Freehold, it's relationship with the city of New York is more symbiotic than parasitic. What each Court takes, it also gives back in it's own way. Well...that's supposed to be the idea anyway...
What follows is a rough write up of each Court. In the coming days I will add onto this with more detail, as well as principal characters such as the Court Kings and Queens. As well, I will also try to give a nWoD history lesson of what's been going on in NYC these last few years. and how this ties into the Freehold's activities. Again this is a ROUGH writeup, just because Summer functions as gangland goons doesn't mean that that's the end all, be all of the Court's activities.
Bear in mind, that despite being an above-average sized Freehold, the Big Apple only holds roughly 90-140 Changelings. In short, while the Courts certainly hold a lot of a power in mortal and fae affairs, their power is not unlimited or unchallenged. So, for example, while the Autumn Court may be in bed with certain members of local law-enforcement this doesn't mean that their ability to get Changelings out of trouble is unimpeachable. It's a rough, tough world out there baby. Take care...
Summer- The muscle. Every gang needs soldiers. Both to collect ah...rent from the local citizenry, or to bash in the skull of the screeching fae abomination that clawed it's way out of some filthy subway-bathroom's mirror.
Winter- The merchants. Every gang has a product to sell. Their's is just...better, you know? Even if it is a tad addictive...and if you don't have money to pay, well, everyone has some secrets for sale, right? Besides, who's ever gonna know?
Spring- The front. Every gang needs a place to hock their wares and unwind. They also need legal representation for when things get a little too hectic, wouldn't you agree?
Autumn- The one's pulling the strings. Every gang needs leadership...even if they rule by manipulation and scaring the shit out of everyone else. Having one's fingers in public administration and local law enforcement helps too.
Courts up soon, talking to people about sheets + job = timeeeee.
***
Linkies!
White Wolf's Changeling Page
http://www.white-wolf.com/changeling/index.php
The nWorld of Darkness Changeling Wiki- This has a LOT of specific information about the game, veyr useful for those who're interested bu hesistant-
http://wiki.white-wolf.com/worldofdarkness/index.php?title=Changeling:_The_Lost
***
Greetings and salutations! This is a sign-up for White Wolf's nWoD game: Changeling: The Lost
I'm looking for 5 players total. Right now I have Rainfall, Variable, Araski If Nexus Crawler wants in, he is. Other than that Cj-Iwakura is working on a character, and Romantic Undead is on standby. I can't blame him for being hesitant.
Books necessary: nWoD core rules, Changeling: The Lost
Books optional yet VERY useful: Rites of Spring, Winter Masques, less so- Lords of Summer
Story spoilers DON'T TOUCH: Autumn Nightmares and especially - The Equinox Road and GRIM FEARS
***
This will be set in a post 9/11 NYC, and deal heavily with a lot of the themes and issues that have arisen since that time. This won't be 'Bush is an asshole!"; so much as thematic issues such as the corrupting effect that fear can have on our values and traditions. If you don't feel comfortable with this, please don't sign up. Also this game will also be fairly NSFW, this is a horror game after all.
This will be an Autumn story, focusing heavily on fear, paranoia, isolation, with a general mood of corruption.
To address any concerns about how Changeling games on this board always seem cursed- Everything is done; I just have to write the specifics down. Once we get our players we can all work more in depth about how we're going to run this. The plan is Play by Post. This is a largely political/ social/ investigative game unlike Werewolf, so it'll help everyone to have enough time to think-out their posts. I might be tempted to do IRC chat for single-player-action if they want to develop their own character's plot threads.
UPDATE 9/26
We have our 5: Rainfall, Araski, Variable, Mundane Soul, Slime Node
Character instructions: After a talk with Rain I've decided on no EXP bonus. I may grant boons in the way of Court favor though. So for now make you're characters as to the point as possible. Once we have all of our players we can go into this in more depth. For every erg of effort we put into planning this; the smoother and more enjoyable it'll be when we start.
This is also with regards to people having too similar concepts. I'd like to stretch out the archetypes so we have a better overall party. So think in general terms, fighter, thief, muse, builder/smith/tech person. I'd like for everyone to put at least a little thought into how their character would work combat, again this isn't a combat game, but you will get into a few scraps and fights. This doesn't mean make a scientist character good at brawl, but, hey that's what guns and contracts are for
Also, once I get the better Court and City backgrounds up don't worry if you want to change your character around. I'm very flexible like that. For now just make a sheet and a background. If it need to be adapted we can do that. No worries.
No-Quarter on
0
Posts
And yes, I'm so in this.
HMMMM.
I'm in town on Tuesday for work stuff so I'll swing by the bookstore and pick up a copy then. It's likely I will play though, as I wish to get back into RPing and the nearest club is about 50 miles away.
It's really the best game WW has done is quite some time. Even if you don't play, the book si well worth the read. I mean COME ON, Changelings are PTSD-prone supernatural abuse survivors that have hallucinogenic magical trips whenever they remember their repressed memories of their imprisonment! ojsiovjoviho[fib -~!
Changelings can be anything. Really. You can have a Changeling who feeds on the blood of his victims and doesn't go out during the day, or one who spends his time researching the occult to gain a handle on their Wyrd power.
You can have Changelings who are literally walking, talking dolls, or Changelings who are exceptionally good at making beer.
It's really a game where you can be anything you want, as long as you're not human. It's quite neat.
Its a good book, very haunting.
The game sounds very interesting, but I think I'm a bit busy at the moment. So I won't sign up atm. Should no one else come along for whatever reason (too many books required?themes?), I'll be glad to come up with something.
Now I just need to decide exactly what I want to make.
I mean REALLY SURE?
How many failed games has it been now, 3, 4?
Rainfall, Variable, if you guys want me in this, then I'm in, but I need to know this thing is actually gonna take off.
Time to RNG.
I think we all know how long this is going to last.
But you should join in! At the very least, you have the enjoyment of making a character!
Themed in that direction.
Yes Flaws will be allowed, and likely with an exp bonus for good roleplaying.
I will likely also start you guys off with about 15-20 exp. Just enough to define your characters a little better. Try and gear your characters practically. If you want to be a Wizened artist fine, but I'll have to think extra hard about what to do with you.
I'll post more about the Freehold situation more later tonight hopefully.
I think one of the problems I have with getting an idea for Changeling is that it's almost too open-ended.
It seems like a character's main goal is just to survive.
So far I've got Variable, Rainfall, probably Nexus Crawler, Araski is stitching up a sheet, Cj_Iwakura working on a char (he owns the books), possibly Romantic Undead (who owns the books and has played before so it will take him no time if he's actually interested).
Mundane SOul I'd say hold off on buying unless you really just want to buy it for yourself. I'll ask around the group above about who's really definitive wants to be in.
For right now the FOR SURE List is - Rainfall, Variable, Araski
And some people may not end up writing a sheet. That's a common plague across CF.
Thanks for the fair warning, though, No_Quarter! I'll join if you've got a spot, but if space is limited I certainly don't want to push anyone out who's considering playing. Just consider me a reserve and let me know if you need me!
Got it. You're def on the reserves.
And for what it's worth I picked up the Core Book never intending to play. For 35 bucks (less on Amazon) it's well worth it for the read alone. + you could follow along, and if someone decides to stop playing/ is abducted by the Fae you can jump in.
I've got all the stats done, it's just finalising the backstory that's holding me up. I would have been able to get it finished this morning if I didn't have to go into work.
I still need to grab the nWoD corebook too.
edit: Spent my lunch break with my nose in this book. SO GOOD
Silent Bill says hi :P
See? SEEEEE? It's THE CURSE!!
SAVE YOURSELF, QUARTER!
*Backhands* SHHHHHHH!
OK Everyone I've been doing a lot of typing and backtracking to make sure everything is synching up. To tide you over before the BIG POST here is the example of how I would like your character sheets to look in terms of wealth of background.
This is Mundane Soul's character Bullet Bill a Winter Wizened Smith, enjoy:
By giving ME a lot to work with, he's making it easier to tell his story. He gives me reasons for why he picked the skills, Vice/Virtue, and Court that he did showing that he both understands and knows which themes he wants me to focus on. Notice you don't have to TYPE that much as long as I get what you are saying. Talk to you soon.