Kiths of the Fae
[Most of the following modified from The Shining Host, The Shining Host Players Guide, and Denizens of the Dreaming by White Wolf games. For more complete descriptions, see the source material.]
The kinds (kiths) of the fae are beyond counting. You are in fact able to create your very own, but here we've stolen several from Changeling, adapting them to greater or lesser extents, for those who want to play an old favorite or just can't think of anything better.
Forget everything you know (assuming you do) about the differences between kithain and inanimae and nunnehi and Thallain and Gallain and adhene. For some sort of rare attempt at simplicity, all fairies in our game work on the same basic rule system and fit into the same basic societal groupings.
You can page through the kiths alphabetically by clicking the Next link at the bottom of the page (or just there, come to think of it), or jump to a specific kith:
Overview:
- Seelie: Boggan, Clurichaun, Dryad [kubera], Elf (High) [sidhe], Elf (Wood), Eshu, Ghille Dhu, Merfolk, Nocker, Ondine, Pooka, Satyr, Selkie, Solimond, Troll
- Unseelie: Acheri,
Aonid, Beastie,
Elf (High), Elf
(Pit), Gremlin [goblin], Grindylow [murdhuaca], Ogre, Redcap, Sluagh,
Sylph [paroseme]
Definitions
- Court: Seelie or Unseelie. Certain kiths have traditionally belonged
to one court rather than another, although exceptions are possible.
- Birthrights: Advantages possessed by the kith; usually lifted directly
from Changeling material. Unless otherwise noted, Birthrights may not not
be used if a fairy is wearing a human Seeming.
- Frailties: Disadvantages, also largely from Changeling. Normally Frailties apply even to fae wearing a Seeming.
- Immunity: A form of attack that causes only bashing damage, or none at
all; or, an advantage in resisting certain powers or types of Challenges. Some
immunities do not function while a fairy is in human Seeming.
- Bans: Supernatural restrictions on an immortal's behavior. Unless otherwise specified, bans that involve Birthrights
not functioning in certain circumstances or against certain targets do not include
loss of free Attributes and Abilities, just bonuses and supernatural powers.
- Weakness: One of the costs of immortality: a form of attack that causes
aggravated damage and other penalties, often not something mortals need to fear,
or at least as much. Most fae have a weakness involving "cold iron" -- a fairy struck with unalloyed wrought iron suffers at least one level of aggravated
damage, and being in prolonged contact with it causes them first to lose two Mana
traits per turn, and then to suffer one level of aggravated damage per turn. If
a fairy weakness is listed simply as "cold iron," this is what is meant.
- Binding: A form of attack or situation that will immobilize or otherwise
neutralize the immortal, similar to vampire staking. Fairies
are usually not able to Bind one another directly. "Situational" Bindings (those that happen when a faerie is bound in Cold Iron, runs out of Mana,
or is held in a particular location) may be triggered by anyone.
- Regaining Mana: Preferred or obligatory means of regaining Mana traits; except where noted, the character chooses one of these to start,
along with Rest at a Node and Scouring (and, if they are mages, the Prime Sphere).
- Preferred Disciplines: Disciplines a fairy of that kith is likely to begin with; the character's "in-clan" Discipline must be chosen from among these. When two or more Disciplines are separated
by "OR" it means that the character cannot have both among the four dots of starting Disciplines.
- Origin: Nearly all fae are at least technically of Otherworldly origin.
A few, however, were trapped (or chose to remain) on earth during the great separation
of the Realms. The bulk of these forgot their true nature and lived as humans
(or animals or natural phenomena); Earthly fae tend to be descended from such
forgotten fae, never realizing what they were until the Reawakening. A very few,
however, managed to remember, although perhaps dimly (remembering that they are
fae, but forgetting details about life in the Otherworlds or facts about other
kiths). Some are impossibly old, others recently born; all revel in the new availability
of Mana and magic, even if they are not always pleased to see the Courts come
back. Some kiths are more commonly found among Earthly fae than others (especially
the selkies, who are all born as humans). -- Players who wish to play Earthly
fae still begin with the trait restrictions of Earthly Origin, but those of inhuman
appearance should probably buy at least one level of Seeming with Free
traits; other common (but not required) traits are mentioned by kith. Earthly
fae do not necessarily have Faerie or Otherworldly Lore or Linguistics; many might
even have the Twisted Upbringing Flaw or other Flaws that represent disadvantages
in dealing with their own kind.
- Appearance: General characteristics shared by members of the kith. Some kiths are more human-looking than others and those of lower Rank may pass -- visually -- as human without the Seeming Background. (Those of higher Rank always possess more inhuman features or at least an alien quality that will make a human uneasy regardless of their appearance; this is more and more commonly recognized as a giveaway by the general human populace.)
If after you've read through the kiths you still have questions, check the "NAAQ."
Back || Next