Song and Stage [Changeling: The Lost for 2-4 Players]

[Tadanori Oyama]

Game Title: Song and Stage.
System: New World of Darkness, Changeling: The Lost.
Players Wanted: I'm looking for between two and four players.
Posting Rate: Every other day at minimum.
Special Rules: In addition to normal starting assignment of resources, players begin with 20 XP to spend on their character.
Advancement Rules: Any official supplimental materials are exceptable provided you cite your sources if they come from outside the core manual.

Song and Stage is a Chronicle set in fictionalized Seattle, Washington focusing around the efforts of the PC's Changelings to unravel world shaking events occuring in the Emerald City. Game play focuses on investigation. Combat is as common as players wish to make it (if they pick fights than they can expect to get into fights). However, most Changelings of power in the city came up through the system the hard way as well and are unlikely to be easily beaten. A balanced party of mental, social, and physical abilities is advised.

Seattle's positioning along the I-5 Corridor is reflected in the Hedge by many more passages to the Realm than would normally be found in a single freehold. With so many Trods allowing access to the Faerie World the barriers between this world and the other feel quick thin. The freehold is threatened with open warfare and the Gentry's land seems to grow closer to the human world by the day.

The Hedge feels less like a wall and more like a curtain, which may soon part.

Lights.

Music.

Let the show begin.

[Arje]

I'm so very much in. Thoughts on my character when I'm done with my mad quest.

[Tadanori Oyama]

How lucky. Mad quests are what Changling is all about!

[Arje]

I must sleep, but i'm thinking something in the vein of a Fairest Spring Court lust-fueled manipulator.

[acronomicon]

I'm interested...  But haven't played a White Wolf game in a long time.    I could make an argument that PBP is a great place to learn, but I shouldn't worry about that until I've actually gotten an ap up.  This weekend might be a rough time to get it going.

[Tadanori Oyama]

I must sleep, but i'm thinking something in the vein of a Fairest Spring Court lust-fueled manipulator.

Always an interesting way to go. You should know that inter-court relationships will be a big part of the beginning story. Depending on what players do they'll either continue to be so into the future of the Chronicle. Also, I have lots of NPCs in position already, I've run this particular campaign before.

[Tadanori Oyama]

I'm ready, whenever anybody wants to ask questions or throw out some ideas for characters.

[Tadanori Oyama]

This project is still shovel ready.

[Tadanori Oyama]

Would it be helpful if I posted some major NPCs and locations?

[acronomicon]

My overall ignorance of the rules is the biggest thorn in my side right now.  I had a concept for a Darkling antiquarian (closest thing anyway), who works and nearly lives in a co-location facility, pulling the night shift and surrounding himself with reams of data and easy, fast access to the Internet for all his research desires.  But I'm not sure I buy into being able to feed on all the misery available through that medium.

The couple of colocation centers I've seen meet all the criteria for a good place to hide out.  They're secure, not well lit, and tend to be out in the warehouse districts away from anybody else.  He'd be heavy on mental skills, extremely light in social, with a few physical skills.

[Tadanori Oyama]

Sounds like an interesting character. I'd suggest you invest into the Dreaming powers, which would allow him to harvest glamour remotely. With access to so much information he'd be able to find anyone digitally and them travel astrally to eat their dreams.

Changelings are, inherantly, lucid dreamers, and with only a little spent on the right Contract, can travel the dreamworld with great ease.

[Tadanori Oyama]

So, the game is set in Seattle at the end of August as the seasons change from Summer to Autumn. There have been rumors that the Iron Queen, the ruler of the Summer Court, will not pass the Grand Spear on to Baron Seelie of the Autumn Court due to rumors of weakness within the Autumn Court itself.

Failure to pass the Grand Spear, the symbol of leadership within the Freehold of Emerald Waters, would break the cycle of progressive rulership, uninterrupted since the founding of the Freehold over one hundred years ago. Summer fears upheavel among Autumn's ranks would bring disorder to the freehold. Autumn holds failure to follow tradition will break the mystical security of the Seasonal Courts.

Spring sides with Summer for internal security. Winter sides with Autumn out of fear of The Others.

With only two weeks before the ceremonial passing is due, a solution must be found to avoid war.

[Mckma]

I am somewhat interested here, but I have no idea bout anything in relation to this game.  Not familiar with NWoD beyond it being played in the APs (this was the system they were using for some right?), nor with any subset of the game.  Any suggested or free resources I should look at?  Basically you mentioned it Tad and I figured I would look at jumping in (I thought you already had enough players because there were a lot of posts) so you could run it if you wanted...

[Tadanori Oyama]

There's some quick start rules for both Changeling and New World of Darkness available through the White Wolf website.

Changeling focuses on the struggles of humans who have escaped from the faerie realm after being captured and held for extended lengths of time. At some point in their otherwise normal life, a person is stolen away by a fey, a fetch created from their shadow and magic left in their place, and brought to Faerie to serve the needs and amusements of their new lord or lady. Surviving in Faerie means bind yourself to fey law, the laws of relation.

At some point during this imprisionment, the human experiences a memory of their former life and escapes back to the human world. However, they are changed by their acceptence of fey law into Changelings, humans with glamour in their body and soul. Every sane changeling fears recapture by the fey above all else and their communities exist for mutual protection from the faerie masters.

Start with the White Wolf website and I can help fill in the gaps.

[Tadanori Oyama]

Here's the link for the quick start download from White Wolf.

http://www.white-wolf.com/downloads.php?category_id=119