These are mostly adapted from kithbooks and other Changeling: the Dreaming supplements. In general, kith-specific Merits and Flaws are reserved for those kiths (and their Thallain cousins, I suppose); exceptions will be noted below.
Contents:
* Nocker Merits and Flaws (adapted from Kithbook:
Nocker, pp. 53-54)
* Pooka Merits and Flaws (adapted from Kithbook:
Pooka, pp. 86-90)
* Redcap Merits and Flaws (adapted from Kithbook:
Redcap, pp. 89-91) -- NEW
* Satyr Merits and Flaws (adapted from Kithbook:
Satyr, pp. 63-66)
* Sluagh Merits and Flaws (adapted from Kithbook:
Sluagh, pp. 63-65)
* Troll Merits and Flaws (adapted from Kithbook:
Troll, pp. 61-65)
* House Gwydion Merits and Flaws (adapted
from Noblesse Oblige: The Book of Houses, p. 96)
* Commoner Merits and Flaws (adapted from The
Fool's Luck: The Way of the Commoner, pp. 74-75)
* Merits and Flaws for anyone (adapted from War
in Concordia, pp. 118-120 and Changeling: the Dreaming 2nd ed., pp. 160-164) -- NEW.
* Stuff
I made up
Speedy Hammer (3M): Your skill at crafting exceeds that of the average nocker. Your difficulty for building or repairing anything is one trait lower, and you require fewer successes on extended challenges. Some Boggans may possess this Merit.
Work with Iron (5M): Somebody has to forge those hated Cold Iron weapons, so why not you? This Merit is identical to regular Iron Resistance, except that your chimerical creations are likewise protected. You will still acquire temporary Banality from long exposure.
Troglodyte (1 or 4F): You are a throwback to your nocturnal, underground goblin ancestors and cannot handle bright light. You can see in the dark well enough (like the 2-trait version of Nightsight above), but unless you wear sunglasses, in sunlight, rooms lit by fluorescent overheads, or the like you suffer a one-trait penalty to all challenges. At 4 traits, you are completely blind in any light brighter than firelight (though this may be reduced to a 3-trait penalty by very dark glasses), and your eyes appear as luminous saucers in your fae mien. This Merit is appropriate for Redcaps, Sluagh, and some Pooka.
Foul Mouth (2F): You just can't stop cussin'. Other nockers can restrain themselves at the duke's court (although they may not try), but not you: no matter how inappropriate to the situation your dialogue is strictly R-rated (or even NC-17). You have the negative trait "Obnoxious."
Goblin Magnet (2F): Goblins think you're cool, and always want to hang out with you, play with your tools, test your unfinished creations, and helpfully convey to your patron or employer your complaints about him or her. No matter what you do, they just won't f*** off. They think it's funny when you're rude to them.
Disbarred (2 or 5F): You have broken nocker prohibitions and may no longer practice your craft legally. At 2 traits, you may be able to atone; at 5 traits the Bes Din has taken away your inventor's license forever. Either way, you are at a one-trait penalty in social dealings with other nockers, and if you continue to practice your craft illegally, you can expect to experience the wide range of time-honored penalties applied to those who violate union rules.
Loud Voice (1M): Some animal voices carry really, really far. So does yours. You can project your voice as far as a wolf howl can be heard (depending on the terrain). In open territory you can be heard for up to 5 miles. Requires a static Physical challenge against a difficulty of 6. (If directly observed by un-Enchanted mortals you must spend a Glamour trait as well.)
Calming Presence (2M): Something about you soothes animals and small children. If your affinity is to a domesticated animal, you may use this Merit in animal form as well (by purring on little Billy's lap). You are 2 traits up on all relevant Social challenges.
Animal Speech (3M): You can speak to animals of your affinity, and (with a static Social challenge of varying difficulty) to related species. The further away the animal is from your affinity, the harder it will be to communicate.
Call to Friends (3M): When you cry (or howl or quack) for help, animals of your affinity come to the rescue, passing on the distress call up to a mile away. They arrive at top, but normal, travel speeds (no teleportation), and they might not understand right away just what it is they can do for you (although if you're being attacked it will probably be obvious). Requires a static Social challenge of varying difficulty; the number of animals to respond depends on your affinity and where you are (dammit, where are all the Massachusetts pandas when you need them?).
Wholecloth (3M): Usually when a pooka shifts into animal form, non-chimerical items are left behind. This Merit lets you avoid leaving your wallet at the crime scene. Any mundane items you were wearing or carrying with you (not other living creatures) vanish, to reappear when you shift out of animal form. (A one-trait version of this Merit has them change to fit your new form while staying visible, but that can cause some difficulties -- "Was that a leopard wearing a sundress?" -- and of course you can't, say, fire that gun with your paws.)
Physical Abnormality (3-4M): In your fae mien some useful animal characteristic remains. Lots of pooka have cute wrinkled noses and bunny ears in their fae mien, but you have bunny-hoppin' power, or a prehensile tail, or a scorpion's tail, or the ability to climb walls, or whatever. Cost varies. Some abnormalities may provide bonus traits. That scorpion's tail won't be poisonous, however, unless you buy the next Merit.
Venomous Attack (5M): In your animal mien (and fae mien if you have the Physical Abnormality merit) you have a poisonous bite or sting. After a successful attack that inflicts at least one level of damage, you may spend an appropriate Physical trait for a followup simple test; on a win you inflict an additional level of damage. In addition, you may spend up to three additional Physical traits for the chance to do some more hurtin'. At half-hour intervals, beginning a half-hour after the attack, the victim must win a static Physical challenge against a difficulty of 5 or else take still another level of damage. This happens as many times as you have spent additional Physical traits. The victim might be able to find some sort of antidote in time to negate the need for further challenges, and the throbbing, blackening wound you have inflicted will make it obvious what is going on. Damage is real when you have attacked in animal form, chimerical if in fae mien (unless you call on the Wyrd); victims may take additional damage if they have an appropriate allergy (e.g., to bee stings). Generally only pooka with affinities to normally venomous creatures will have this Merit. Without it, your animal form does not have venom, even if a mundane specimen normally would.
Animalistic Features (1-3F): Your animal form "bleeds over" into your mortal form. Maybe you have cat's eyes, or feathers, or even a tail. Take one additional "Bestial" trait per trait of Flaw. (These will be embarassing deformities, not something useful as in the "Physical Abnormality" Merit. Nor can that Merit and this Flaw be combined to give you super powers in your mortal mien.) For excessive body hair, see the "Hairy" Flaw below (under Satyrs).
Pack Mentality (2F): You need to belong to a group to which you devote yourself utterly. When you find yourself alone, you are distracted and obsessed with returning to your pack (negative trait "Witless"). If you lose your old pack, you must make a static Mental challenge, difficulty 7 (or spend Willpower), to avoid trying to join the next group you come across, however a poor match they may be in ethics and goals.
Natural Urge (2F): Animals do some things that would be damn silly if people did them. So do you. An irrational and subconscious urge seizes you at inappropriate moments -- either to chase cars, or lick your naughty bits, or attack the weak, or whatever. You may avoid this urge for an hour by spending a Willpower trait.
Animal Amnesia (4-5F): Although you have complete control over yourself when in your animal form, when you shift out of it you can't remember a thing that happened while you were an animal. At 5 traits the reverse is true as well.
Mortal Inhibition (4F): For some reason, you find it prudent to stay in your animal form most of the time. Perhaps in your mortal (or fae) guise you are wanted by the authorities, or maybe you look too weird to pass for human, or you have some sort of psychological dislike of your human or fae form, or maybe you're just ugly. This can cause some difficulties, of course, especially in communication with mortals.
Hibernation (5F): Seasons, temperatures, or even the time of day can make some animals want to go sleepy-nights. You are one of said animals. To stay awake for up to 24 hours when conditions are not favorable, you must spend a Willpower trait, but even then you are too sluggish to initiate combat (although you can defend), and all challenges are at a 2-trait penalty. (Obviously this Flaw could have limited application for a summertime one-shot, so I'm on to you.)
Chicken Claws (3F): Some legends of redcaps give them chicken claws instead of hands or feet. Such redcaps, besides looking pretty silly, are one trait down on challenges related to use of the appendages (chicken claws for hands would lead to a penalty in Melee or Firearms [or Computer] challenges, while having poultry feet could lead to problems running or dodging). On the plus side, they're claws, after all, and may provide, at Storyteller discretion, one bonus trait in Brawl challenges.
Stolen Tooth (3F): Other old legends claim that a redcap may be killed only if one of his teeth is smashed on an altar stone. True or not, you believe it. Worse, you're a redcap, and someone has one of your teeth. Retrieving it is your top priority, to the point of mania. Maybe you even know who has it.
Faster (1M): As in one who fasts. A redcap with this Merit can go up to 24 hours without eating, without suffering any adverse affects. By expending a Willpower trait, the redcap can go for another 24 hours, and so on, for as long as he has Willpower. When it's all over, however, he has to eat enough to make up for it, as soon as possible.
Granite Skin (2M): This is similar to the Troll Merit: Stoneskin; the redcap has three retests per session for purposes of resisting damage. Unlike the troll Merit, however, there's a downside: the redcap suffers a one-trait penalty in all challenges involving moving quietly, thanks to the constant flaking and chipping of granite.
Unforgettable Taste (5M): A redcap with this Merit has a knack for remembering the taste of everything she's ever eaten, and being able to identify it instantly if she tastes it again. Furthermore, the redcap can sense where the nearest supply of that taste might be. Good for finding your favorite chocolate -- or where the rest of that damn pooka is hiding.
Flexible Heart (2M): Unlike many satyrs, you bounce back easily from emotional distress. You gain one extra Willpower trait that may be used (only) to control yourself in a situation where another satyr might overreact emotionally.
Passion (2M): You have a Passion for a specific pursuit or interest that allows you to achieve greatness. You are two traits up on all challenges related to your Passion. (But don't ask for stupid things.) Occasionally Sidhe have this Merit.
Sex Appeal (3M): You're a hottie, or maybe it's pheremones. You are 2 traits up in all Seduction challenges and in other Social challenges related to charisma or appearance. Some Selkies have this Merit.
Inspiration (4M): The Gift of Pan inspires lust in those who hear it -- but your songs inspire whatever emotion or reaction is appropriate to what you're singing about. Stir up a barroom brawl, or put everyone to sleep, or just make everyone feel empowered. The same game mechanics apply.
Sexual Reverie (4M): You may include The Nasty in your repertoire of ways to inspire Glamour in Dreamers. Usually a one-night stand isn't enough. Otherwise, the rules are the same for any other Reverie.
Gut Instincts (5M): Animal instincts preserve you in danger. In cases where you would usually be surprised, you may act normally (in defense). When surprise would not be a factor you may pre-empt your opponent (cf. the vampiric Discipline Alacrity) by spending an appropriate Physical trait. Certain Pooka have this Merit.
Hairy (1-2F): Male or female, your whole body is covered with hair, and males have untameable beards. At 2 traits your mortal seeming is so afflicted (although the fae mien will have the more spectacular hair growth). You have a one-trait penalty in all challenges related to your appearance. (Some Pooka have this Flaw; cf. "Animalistic Features".)
Broken Voice (2F): When you speak or sing, dogs howl and babies cry. Worst of all, you don't realize it, and get angry when people tell you why they don't want you to sing "Danny Boy" again. You are at a one-trait penalty on all challenges relating to your voice.Eshu could have this Flaw as well.
Wishy-Washy (3F): You are indecisive in a crisis. You must make a Willpower test (difficulty 4) or spend a Willpower trait to make a snap decision, or else lose a turn (in combat) or waste at least ten minutes (otherwise) trying to figure out what to do. Any changeling may have this Flaw.
Procrastination (3F): You're a slacker. You must make a Willpower test (difficulty 4) or spend a Willpower trait to choose duty over fun. Any changeling may have this Flaw.
Parfum de Goat (4-5F): No matter what you do, you smell wicked bad. Your goaty musk makes other changelings suddenly remember appointments elsewhere (the polite ones; the rest just gag and run away). You're used to your own smell, and other satyrs (and the odd goat pooka) don't mind it. Against anyone else, you are at a 2-trait penalty in all Social challenges. (Some Sluagh, Redcaps, Trolls, and Pooka have analogous Flaws.)
Issues (4F): You are insecure and unassertive -- no good for a satyr. You must make a Willpower test (difficulty 4) or spend a Willpower trait to express needs and desires, or even to talk to that hot babe over there. Some Sidhe and ennobled commoners (especially early on) suffer from this Flaw, the poor bastards.
Sexual Hang-Up (5F): The idea of sex disgusts you. As a prudish satyr, expect ridicule or ostracism from your peers, and confusion from more or less everyone else.
Dexterous Toes (1M): Your toes work as well as your fingers for grasping and manipulating objects. This does not automatically mean you have extra actions, and holding something in your toes makes it impossible to walk properly.
Prehensile Tongue (3M): Your freakish 2-foot tongue can grasp or wield objects (requires a static Physical challenge). You can also use your tongue to slap people or poke them in the eye; this does no damage, but characters so treated must make a Willpower test (difficulty 5) or spend Willpower to avoid losing a whole turn while being grossed out.
Friend to Spiders (4M): Your spy network includes spiders and other arthropods, with whom you can converse clearly by making a successful Mental challenge. The creepy-crawlies will be generally well-disposed to you, but won't necessarily be your lackeys.
Fly Fingers (4M): In your fae seeming, your fingers and toes end in little suction cups, allowing you to climb walls and hang from ceilings. One set of digits must be bare (take off those boots or gloves). Requires a static Physical challenge. Expect problems if observed by un-Enchanted mortals.
Puddle (5M): All sluagh can contort their bodies, but you are not limited to the humanoid form: by spending a stamina-related Physical trait, you can turn into a puddle of goo and ooze through cracks, slip down drains, or whatever your viscous little heart desires. Moving in puddle form requires a successful Physical challenge, as does changing back to normal shape. Your chimerical clothing and items will change with you. In this form you cannot be harmed by anything other than magical means (cantrips, Treasures, various Prodigal powers) or fire. You cannot change form in front of un-Enchanted mortals, and moving in the presence of one may be tricky.
Gregarious (1F): You are friendly and outgoing, and so other sluagh hate you. You are at a 2-trait penalty in Social challenges with others of your kith.
Loudmouth (3F): A sad state for a sluagh: you just can't keep a secret. It's just too cool; you need to tell people what you've heard. You must make a Willpower test (diff. 5) or spend Willpower to resist telling any secret you know at the earliest opportunity.
Recluse (3F): Most sluagh are shy and retiring, but you're downright phobic about appearing in public. You must spend one Willpower trait per day to avoid hiding in your lair, and in the company of more than one other person you are down one trait on all challenges (although this may be resisted for an hour with more Willpower).
Knows Too Much (5F): You are convinced of the awful truth: faerie souls continue to reincarnate down the scale until they hit sluagh, and after that it's oblivion. You are fearful of death and no longer see any good in the world (Cowardly and Callous negative traits). Worse, you've probably talked to enough wraiths to know that the Shadowlands are no picnic. It's hard to convince you of the urgency of anything. You'd rather sit paralyzed by fear, awaiting death's cold embrace. As Sidhe do not reincarnate, they may be afflicted by a version of this Flaw.
Stone Skin (3M): Another benefit of a thick hide: You have three retests per session for resisting damage.
Nature Linked (3M): You are tied to nature, in a good way. You have free "Survival" ability trait and are one trait up on all challenges when in natural surroundings. Ghille Dhu can have this Merit.
Blessing of Atlas (5M): You're wicked strong, even for a troll. You gain one free retest in all challenges related to brute strength (cf. the vampiric Discipline Might).
Nature Bound (2F): You are tied to nature, in a bad way. You are one trait down on all challenges when in unnatural settings (like cities). Fortunately, this does not affect you when you are in a Freehold. Ghille Dhu can have this Flaw.
Shrinking Violet (2F): You are uncomfortable around non-trolls: maybe you're afraid of breaking people, or you worry they think you're stupid. In any case, you are 2 traits down on all Social challenges with non-troll changelings.
Yearning Soul (2F): You have a strong pull toward romance and love, and will always fixate (negative trait "Oblivious") on the most attentive fae or person around and seek to impress him or her -- even if it means a crush on a sluagh or something. Trolls with both this Flaw and the previous one are rather pathetic.
Ancient Oath (2-5F): You are still bound by an oath you swore in a previous life, or perhaps even in Arcadia. Too bad you can't really remember what it is. The trait value varies with what the oath is and how much you know of it. (Choose a point value, and let the Storyteller decide.)
Unstoppable Fury (3M): When you go into the fabled Gwydion frenzy, you gain 2 "Ferocious" traits until the anger leaves you. Hope you don't use them on your friends. Some sidhe of House Scathach may have this Merit.
Judgmental (2F): You rely too much on your own prejudices rather than on your senses. The difficulty to detect lies is increased by 2. Also, you must make a static Mental challenge (difficulty 6) when speaking to someone, or else automatically assume they're telling the truth or lying, whichever you're already inclined to believe, without bothering to double-check.
Faerie Godparent (3M): Your faerie soul is linked to a human or kinain family who believes in you, and for whom you perform various favors (from granting wishes -- as much as you can -- to doing the housework while they sleep). Their belief strengthens you: once per story, you can avoid gaining a temporary Banality trait by making a successful Willpower test against your permanent Banality rating. Also, you gain one free Background trait in "Kinain" or "Allies." Your family knows how to summon you (calling your name three times, for instance), and while you can't necessarily teleport to their location, you will make your way to where they are as quickly as you can (one Willpower trait to resist the summons for a day). Their expectations may exceed your abilities...
Sell-Out (2F): Other commoners view you as a suck-up to the sidhe (whether you are or not), and even other sell-outs see you as a rival. You are 2 traits down in all Social challenges with other commoners.
Hostage (1-5F): A noble holds you as a hostage to ensure someone else's good behavior. This could mean you're actually imprisoned, or perhaps bound by an oath or geas. The value of this Flaw varies according to how well you are treated, your freedom of movement, and what could happen to you if someone else screws up.
Crack Shot (2M): You are one trait up in all challenges involving Firearms, Archery, or other distance weapons.
Boon of Fate (1-5M): By whatever medium, you have been given to know that you will not die from one certain means or event, so that you may freely risk yourself in ways that others cannot. The traits depend on the "excluded" means of death. You may, in general, ignore the "death blow" coming from such means. Fate is tricky, however (remember "Not of women born"?). Knowing that fire will not kill you doesn't necessarily exclude the falling roof in the burning building, knowing that you won't meet your maker by means of an axe doesn't mean you won't lose a limb, and no one is necessarily promising anything about chimerical death...
Divided Loyalties (3F): As Concordia falls apart and fae fights fae, old friendships are torn apart. Maybe you support the right of the sidhe to rule, but your oathmates don't. Whatever the case, you are at odds with your usual social circle. Those of your friends or allies who know of your differing loyalties consider you "Untrustworthy" (x2), and can cause other problems that don't necessarily have a game mechanic.
Oathtaken (4F): Throughout Concordia, many nobles are requiring
commoners to take the Oath of Loyal Affirmation, and you haven't been able
to weasel out of it. You are bound to the service of your liege even if
it places you in opposition to your oathmates or own sympathies. In order
to take any action against the person to whom you swore the oath, you must
spend a Willpower trait and succeed in a simple test, and even then you
must bid an extra trait in all relevant challenges. Furthermore, you may
not use Glamour in conjunction with such actions. Finally, every time you
successfully violate the spirit of the oath, you lose two Physical traits,
which may not be regained until you receive a pardon from your liege.
Chimerical Disability (1-5F) (inspired by the Flaw of the same name on p. 164): Your fae mien suffers from a permanent disability that does not affect your mortal seeming. Choose an appropriate Flaw from the Awareness or Physical categories; the point value of the Flaw will be one less (and so cannot be a normally one-trait Flaw), with a maximum of 5. Your interaction with the chimerical world will be hampered (and with the real world as well when you Call Upon the Wyrd); "denying" your disability (if possible) will probably incur temporary Banality.
Iron Allergy (3-5F) (p. 160) You are much more sensitive to the effects of cold iron. Mere brief contact with it causes blistering wounds. At 3 traits, you suffer 1 Health level of chimerical damage per turn. At 4 traits, you take one level of real damage every three turns of exposure. As a 5-trait Flaw, you suffer the effects of the 4-trait version when within a foot of the iron and take one level of aggravated damage per turn of contact. -- Cold iron weapons do an extra level of chimerical, real, or aggravated damage to you, depending on the value of the Flaw, and at 5 traits, given the proximity problem, you won't want to be in hand-to-hand range anyway.
Throwback (1-5F) (p. 162) One or more of your past lives still affects you... badly. The trait value depends on whether you merely suffer nightmares and flashbacks to unfortunate or distracting moments in your previous incarnation's life, or find yourself assuming a different personality from time to time, or are afflicted by all of the above. To gain any benefit from these memories you must take the Past Life Merit.