Shadows of Vulcan
Changeling LARP

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Player Information

Venue Name:
Iron Dreams

Venue:
This is the Changeling Live Action Roleplaying game (LARP) for Birmingham, AL.

Contact:
Scott Melvin <samediscourge@earthlink.net>

Place/Time:
The Changeling LARP runs one a month, as announced. Currently games run on Sunday afternoons of the third weekend in each month unless otherwise announced.

Theme and Mood:
The Changeling Court of Birmingham balances future hope with a history of calamity. The focus for this LARP is on joint discovery and growth. While there will be some in-party conflict, many of the challenges presented to the players will come from mysteries and external forces.

Roleplaying Restrictions:
Currently, players may only play those Kiths which the Camarilla's 5.0 rules allow. Note that Sidhe and unusual Kiths (e.g., Clurichuan) require Domain Storyteller (DST) approval, which must be submitted through the DST the Regional Storyteller, George Chance. This means that these Kiths will not be approved "on the spot."

Kith concepts must fit into the standard White Wolf World of Darkness paradigm; no Jedi-Knight Trolls need apply. Players must submit a copy of their character sheet, experience log, and history/background story to the venue storyteller.

Proxy Play:
Players who want to send their characters to a game which they cannot attend may "proxy" their character to the storyteller, a narrator, or another player. Because no-one knows a character as well as the player who plays it, the risk of character loss or death during Proxy play is significant. Players must have ST approval before proxying, including their own ST and the receiving ST.

Character Sheets and Challenges:
You lose all challenges if you do not have your character sheet. Avoid making challenges in front of non-players. Be discreet. Thank you!

Dross:
At the narrators discretion, players using Dross may be required to make two simple tests. If they fail both tests they will receive 1 temporary Banality (Sidhe, of course, will receive two). Visiting and local characters may only carry twice their Glamour in readily available Dross traits.

Starting Glamour:

Starting Glamour Test -
At the beginning of each game characters must make a simple test with a narrator.

  • Win: Start with full Glamour traits
  • Tie: Start with half Glamour traits (rounding up)
  • Lose: Start with 1 Glamour trait

'Filling Up' on Starting Glamour: Dreamers and Freeholds
At the start of the game (and only then), local characters may expend levels of Dreamers to gain additional starting Glamour traits without spending 15 minutes out-of-play per trait. Visiting and local characters may expend levels of Freehold and use that week's Glamour to increase starting Glamour as well, gaining one starting Glamour per level expended.

Bunks:
Not all chapters use bunk cards. Visiting players may choose the following options:

  • Use bunk cards (make up 1 card per Glamour trait; see narrator);
  • Use 1 point of Glamour to forgo a Bunk and receive no Bunk traits;
  • Use 1 point of Glamour and make up a Bunk and receive 1 Bunk trait;
  • Use 2 points of Glamour and make up two Bunks and receive 2 Bunk traits.

Cantrips:

Using Cantrips on Cantrips:
The narrator will determine the effects of using cantrips in unusual ways. For example, if Holly Strike is used on existing cantrips (e.g., Weaver Ward), it normally does not disrupt the existing cantrip, and may have unexpected results. In similar fashion, when a Changeling with Willow Whisper tries to speak to a Balefire or the Silver Path, they may find themselves talking to something else altogether.

Intermediate Primal: Oakenshield
Using Oakenshield on armor does not add levels of armor (though it works better than ArmorAll for maintaining armor).

Advanced Primal: Elder Form
The Shining Host says that players "should consult the Storyteller about changes to appropriate traits" when using this Art (p. 140). We will use this local convention:

  • Shapechangers may only add as many attribute traits as they receive in bunk traits
  • "Real" (Flesh Realm) shapes may add no more than 8 Physical, Social or Mental traits
  • "Chimerical shapes may add no more than 10 Physical, Social or Mental traits

Basic Sovereign: Protocol
Unless otherwise specified at the time of casting, Protocol enforces the Escheat and basic ettiquette. No, Recaps may not eat fellow guests and claim that it is 'good etiquette.'

Entering the Dreaming:
The Near Dreaming of the South parallels the Kingdom of Willows and is contiguous with it, but can only be reached from the Flesh Realm / Autumn World by Trods, Raths, and dream-based Arts. Unlike Garou, Changelings cannot 'step into the Umbra.' Here are the most common approaches:

  • Open a Trod with Intermediate Wayfare: Portal Passage and level 5 of the Fae Realm;
  • Open a Freehold's Rath with Intermediate Wayfare: Portal Passage and level 3 of the Fae Realm;
  • Use a Level 3 Treasure that can cast Portal Passage to open a Trod or Freehold's Rath;
  • Use the (second) Intermediate Dreamcraft: Dream Riding to 'catch a dream' into the Dreaming... a dangerous gamble at best, as the Changeling will not be likely to land near the Silver Path.

Locations in the Dreaming:
Based upon a recommendation by the ANST-Changeling, Christie Cleveland, we will restrict travel into the Dreaming to the Mists and the Near Dreaming. We will attempt to coordinate travel to the Far and Deep Dreaming with the RST or ARST-Changeling.

Effects of the Near Dreaming:
Though not as severe as the Augmen of the Far Dreaming, the Near Dreaming has several effects:

  • All new memories gained in the Near Dreaming dissipate when returning to the Flesh Realm;
  • Cantrips cast in the Near Dreaming are one trait up for purposes of ties;
  • Chimerical damage becomes 'real' bashing or lethal damage;
  • Changelings risk going mad and falling into Bedlam;
  • Changelings lose Banality while in the Near Dreaming:
    • Changelings lose one trait of temporary Banality per day, up to 9 traits;
    • After 1 year, Changelings lose one permanent trait of Banality;
    • After 5 more years, Changelings lose one more permanent trait of Banality;
    • After 10 more years, Changelings lose one more permanent trait of Banality.

Travel:
Characters are assumed to be able to move by foot or public transportation around Birmingham. Certain well-known Silver Paths connect Birmingham with other cities, such as Atlanta, Chattanooga, and other cities in the Kingdom of Willows.

Effects of the Silver Path:
If attacked, travelers on the Silver Path may add 1-3 traits in defending, as determined by the narrator. Moreover, chimera and Dark-kin attacking anyone on the Silver Pat must expend a trait of Glamour each turn. Finally, chimera and Dark-Kin lose one Glamour trait per turn upon the Silver Path until out of Glamour, and then lose one health level per turn. This can be avoided if a Changeling spends a Glamour trait and invites the chimerical creature onto the Silver Path.

Silver Path Trods to Other Cities:

  • Watling Street (east) runs east from Birmingham to Atlanta, GA;
  • Lichstreet (north) runs northeast from Birmingham to Chattanooga, TN;
  • Lichstreet (south) runs south from Birmingham to the Montgomery / Prattville, AL area;
  • Moon Water Pool Road runs into the Near Dreaming but will not open up again until mid-2100.

Twilight Road Trods to Other Cities:

  • Hellgate Falls runs east from Birmingham to Atlanta, GA.
  • The Way of Fallen Arrows runs southeast from Birmingham toward Sylacauga, AL and the southern edge of the Nunnehi-haunted Talladega forest.

Chimera Background Traits
Use the following table when determining what the Chimera background allows. Shining Host does not delineate what each level allows, so this table is adapted from p. 288 of Changeling: the Dreaming (2nd ed). A character may have multiple items so long as he has the appropriate level (it would seem a little strange to require the same number of experience as a Garou Klaive for a chimerical book, rope, dagger, and quarterstaff).

Traits
(Approval) 		Allowed Chimerical Equipment and Arms
1 trait Leather armor, chimerical book, dagger, rope, quarterstaff
2 traits Chainmail armor, battle-axe, mace, spear, sword, warhammer, buckler
3 traits Plate armor, bow or crossbow, greatsword, shield, magic items casting a Basic Art
4 traits (DST) Sidhe plate armor, magic items casting an Intermediate Art
5 traits (RST) Magic items casting an Advanced Art

Kenning and Seeming
The Kenning ability description on page 78 of The Shining Host says that the ability may be used to "identify a 'sleeping' Changeling through her mortal guise," but does not otherwise describe when a Changeling's fae mien (her faerie 'seeming') is or isn't visible. Therefore, the local narrator or storyteller will administer this. In general, the narration staff may choose to use these guidelines from p. 46 of the Changeling Storyteller Guide:

  • Changeling is 'awake,' and her Banality traits are less than her Glamour: Other Changelings can see her fae mien (i.e., see that she is a Troll, a Sidhe, a Pooka, etc);

  • Changeling is 'awake,' and her Banality traits are more than her Glamour: Other Changelings can see that character is a Changeling, but must make a static Mental challenge vs. 4 traits using Kenning to see the target's fae mien (this disappearance of the fae mien behind the mortal is called retrose by some Changelings);

  • If the Changeling has 'fallen asleep' (e.g., because of Chimerical death): Other Changelings can see that character is a Changeling by making a Mental challenge vs. the target's Mental traits using Kenning, and if successful may then try to make a second challenge that is two traits down to determine the target's Kith.

Nobles and Chimera
Glamour can be used in many ways, according to 82 of The Shining Host. The narrators and storytellers are the final arbiters when a Changeling attempts to use Glamour. For example, within a noble's uncontested demesne, a noble may attempt to dispel a chimerical creature by expending a number of Glamour traits equal to the chimerical creature's rating as a Companion and then attempting a contested Glamour vs. Glamour challenge, which can only be retested by expending a temporary Willpower (see p. 44 of Nobles: The Shining Host).

Brief of Storyteller Information

Intrigue: 3
Action: 4
Mystery: 3
Drama: 5
Darkness: 4

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