Changeling Birthrights
The following is a list of Birthrights and Frailties for Common Kiths, and some Other Kiths from C20. (Nunnehi will be added soon). This is for use for both Kithain and for Kinain to pick their Heritage.
Contents
Common Kiths
Boggans
Book Reference: WW92041 Changeling: the Dreaming (20th Anniversary) pg.#88-89
- Affinity Realm: Actor
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Craftwork - Boggans enjoy nothing more than good, honest work. Their reputation for being consummate craftspeople is well earned. While unobserved, boggans can accomplish any task involving physical labor or craftsmanship in on third of the time. Other boggans can be present, but they cannot be observed by anyone else. Boggans can never botch a Craft roll. Social Dynamics - Boggans are keen observers of social interactions, and their inherently unobtrusive nature allows them to witness things that might otherwise remain hidden. A successful Perception + Empathy (or Subterfuge) roll allows a boggan to puzzle out a group's social dynamics. The difficulty can range from 5 (for a small dinner party) to 9 (for a ducal freehold). This might result in lower difficulties on future Social rolls or additional pieces of information that the player would find useful. |
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Call of the Needy - Boggans are inherently helpful, and cannot resist offering aid when it is needed. When they encounter someone who is legitimately in need of help, the player must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 8) to resist helping them in some way. This does not apply to a sworn enemy. |
Clurichan
Book Reference: WW92041 Changeling: the Dreaming (20th Anniversary) pg.#90-91
- Affinity Realm: Actor
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Twinkling of an Eye - Now you see them, now you don't. Look away for only a moment, and a clurichaun can disappear into her surroundings, completely undetectable. Unless the clurichaun is bound with iron, she can vanish in a blink, even from someone's physical grasp, reappearing within the same area but out of her observer/captor's line of sight. If someone is physically touching the clurichaun, or she is tied up or otherwise restrained, disappearing costs one point of Glamour. Fighting Words - After only a few moments, a clurichaun can get a read on a person or group, knowing exactly what to say to provoke a fight. Clurichaun view fighting as an ice breaker and a form of rough-and-tumble bonding. The clurichaun can prod anyone into throwing the first punch, which the target can resist through a Willpower roll (difficulty 8). This birthright can be used to incite a fight between the clurichaun and the target, or between the target and another person. |
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Hoard - For clurichaun, collecting isn't a mere hobby, but a consuming obsession. They must spend time with their collection frequently to satisfy this aspect of their nature, an easier task for a clurichaun with a smaller, more portable collection than for one whose hoard is large or unwieldy. Spending more than a week away from her collection triggers Banality. |
Eshu
Book Reference: WW92041 Changeling: the Dreaming (20th Anniversary) pg.#92-93
- Affinity Realm: Scene
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Serendipity — Eshu somehow always end up in the right place at the right time. The path she follows to arrive at this destination is equally fortuitous, winding her way through adventures and important meetings. When faced with a crossroad, she always knows which way to go. Her internal compass guides her where she needs to be, never bringing her to a terminus until the time is right. Eshu can never become lost under normal circumstances. If the eshu becomes lost through magical means, the player can spend a point of Glamour to reorient the eshu on her physical (and often figurative) path. Talecraft — Stories are the heart of the eshu, and as such, they gain something tangible when they learn a fantastical new tale or perform their own feats worthy of legend. Eshu gain an additional experience point from each adventure that yields such a tale, such as finding their way through a winding and dangerous labyrinth or coaxing a secret from a secretive countess. Eshu never botch rolls involving Empathy or Performance. |
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Recklessness — Eshu can’t resist a gamble or a dare, not if the payout is a new story for their repertoire. Their curiosity and confidence in their ability sometimes leads them to take risks that a less adventurous kith might not take. Turning down a bet, dare, or call to adventure triggers Banality in eshu. |
Nocker
Book Reference: WW92041 Changeling: the Dreaming (20th Anniversary) pg.#94-95
- Affinity Realm: Prop
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Make It Work — Nockers are masters of whipping up items on demand with little more than random materials, some Glamour, and a highly cinematic and honestly self-serving appreciation of “science.” A nocker can improvise all manner of temporary, but useful, chimerical items from apparently improbable materials, such as creating a crude firearm with little more than a light bulb, a water pistol, and a handful of nails. Such items require an Intelligence + Crafts roll, with a variable difficulty, and cost between one and three points of Glamour depending on the materials available as well as the complexity of the item. A nocker must have some degree of privacy when working on chimerical items. Kithain can be present, as long they do not disturb the nocker, but chimerical materials cannot be worked in the presence of mortals. Fix-It — Nockers can fix just about anything, chimerical or mundane. Sometimes all it takes is a kick and a few harsh words to scare a machine into working again. To fix a device the nocker’s player must make a successful Intelligence + Crafts or Manipulation + Intimidation roll. The difficulty can range from 5 (for a simple problem in a simple device) to 9 (for a difficulty problem in a complex machine). |
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Perfect is the Enemy of Done— Nockers strive for perfection in everything they make, and yet they can never succeed. No matter how many successes a nocker rolls when creating something, it always has a minor (but irreparable) flaw. Whenever a nocker-made device is used in a stressful situation the Storyteller can ask the player to roll one die. If the die shows “1,” the device fails or breaks in a particularly spectacular fashion. |
Piskies
Book Reference: WW92041 Changeling: the Dreaming (20th Anniversary) pg.#96-97
- Affinity Realm: Actor
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Nimble — The slender, agile bodies of piskies were meant to twist and turn their way out of trouble. Unsurprising that this kith often finds itself in a traveling cirque or as part of some avant-garde group of street performers. Piskies add 1 dot to Dexterity, even if this brings that Trait above 5. Blending In — No matter where they go, piskies always look like they belong. Their skin color, hair and eye color, facial features, and clothing all appear to belong to the group with which they’re traveling. Any changeling or supernatural entity’s player can roll Perception + Kenning (difficulty 8) to see through the illusion. |
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Light-Fingers — Piskies aren’t exactly thieves, but somehow items of great value somehow always end up in their pockets. When a piskey sees something she desires, she can’t help but swipe it, often without consciously making the decision to do so. To resist this compulsion, the player must make a successful Willpower roll (difficulty 8). Piskies are not necessarily subtle in their pilfering, and may very well be seen stealing, though their Nimble Birthright makes discovery somewhat less likely. |
Pooka
Book Reference: WW92041 Changeling: the Dreaming (20th Anniversary) pg.#98-99
- Affinity Realm: Nature
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'Shapechanging — All pooka have an affinity with a particular animal. This is always a natural animal, never a mythological one. This animal affects her appearance and personality, and she is able to shapeshift into the animal at will. If completely alone, a pooka can shapechange for free, but if another changeling or enchanted mortal is present the change costs one Glamour. A pooka can never shift into an animal when being observed by a mundane mortal. Shifting back from animal form is always free and can be done at any time (again, as long as the pooka is unobserved by mortal eyes). Confidante — Even complete strangers often spill their guts to a pooka. This ability of getting people to open up and talk, even about their darkest secrets, is an innate talent common to all pooka. Each has his own way of going about it, but the end result is the same. Some put people off balance with mixed insults and compliments, others rapid fire questions so fast that the target loses track of what is being said, and some are just so darned cute that no one can resist them. Once, during a conversation, a pooka’s player may make an opposed Perception + Empathy (or Subterfuge, player’s choice) roll resisted by the target’s Willpower, to get the answer to a question. The number of successes determines how many questions the pooka can have answered. The target can also spend Willpower to resist this effect; each point of Willpower cancels one of the pooka’s successes. |
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Untruths - Perhaps the greatest con the pooka have pulled is making everyone believe that they never tell the truth. Under most circumstances a pooka can speak the truth as long as its mixed with lies, half-truths, and exaggerations. The trouble comes when a pooka is asked a direct question. A pooka who is asked a direct question must answer with a falsehood. If he wishes to answer truthfully the player must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 8) and spend a point of Willpower. |
Redcaps
Book Reference: WW92041 Changeling: the Dreaming (20th Anniversary) pg.#100-101
- Affinity Realm: Nature
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Dark Appetite — Redcaps can eat anything. Full stop. Their horrific jagged teeth are hard as metal and their digestive systems are best left up to the imagination. A cross between a shark and a Kithain garbage disposal, redcaps can eat anything they can put their mouth around, and chew larger objects down into smaller pieces to ingest. Tough or toxic materials (waste products, jagged metal, wood, etc.) take a point of Glamour to keep down. Redcaps prefer meat, animal or human, but once the hunger gets going, they will eat anything. Do not ever place anything in front of a redcap’s mouth you wouldn’t mind losing. Should a redcap attempt to use his Birthright in combat, the player must spend a point of Glamour. The base damage for the bite is Strength + 2 (difficulty 5). A redcap may also try to sever a limb in a fight, which requires five successes on a Dexterity + Brawl roll (difficulty 8), or three successes if the victim has already been grappled. If successful, the attack inflicts a minimum of three health levels of damage in addition to any damage rolled, and the redcap comes away with a mid-fight snack. Bully Browbeat — Redcaps are so frightening they can Intimidate anything, from mortals and unenchanted supernatural beings to imaginary or chimerical creatures. The difficulty of all Intimidation rolls is reduced by two, and they can never botch Intimidation rolls. |
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Bad Attitude — Nobody likes a redcap, just on general principle. Whether it’s their eating habits, their issues with authority, or just their tendency for destruction, redcaps are often targeted by nobles for exclusion from freeholds. If something goes wrong, the redcap is the first suspect. This stigma comes with a +2 difficulty (or greater) penalty on any roll involving social situations other than Intimidation. |
Satyrs
Book Reference: WW92041 Changeling: the Dreaming (20th Anniversary) pg.#102-103
- Affinity Realm: Fae
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Gift of Pan — When a satyr thoroughly indulges herself in one of her passions — often sexual, but also artistic and creative — those around her are also caught up in the frenzy. Fae and mortal alike join her in her dancing and debauchery. The Gift of Pan doesn’t force anyone to partake in sex or any other activity, but removes inhibitions that might normally keep someone from indulging. Rather than creating a new passion, the Gift of Pan removes the barriers of social convention that might otherwise prevent someone from being able to completely surrender to an action of passion or revelry. Those failing a Banality or Willpower roll (difficulty 8) find themselves helpless to resist indulging their secret desires. Physical Prowess — Satyrs add one dot to their Stamina, even if this raises it above 5. Satyrs can use their powerful goat legs to move with great speed and agility, and thus can never botch an Athletics roll. |
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Passion’s Curse — A satyr’s intense passion also has a darker side. Prone to mood swings and wild fits of temper, especially while intoxicated, satyrs may exhibit violent emotional outbursts, fall into uncontrolled weeping, or be otherwise unable to rein in their temper. Near-perpetual indulgence also means that satyrs struggle on the rare occasion they must resist temptation, triggering Banality |
Selkies
Book Reference: WW92041 Changeling: the Dreaming (20th Anniversary) pg.#104-105
- Affinity Realm: Nature
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Seal Form: Selkies can take the form of a sea or sea lion at will. They must be wrapped in their seal coat and touching (though not necessarily immersed) in sea water for this to occur. Ocean’s Grace: Selkies reduce the difficulty for all rolls involving Dexterity by two while in the water. This applies either in human or seal form. Also, they can never botch a Swimming roll. Finally, selkies can hold their breath for hours, whether in water or out of it. |
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Seal Coat: A selkie’s coat is his greatest weakness. If it is destroyed, his fae self is destroyed forever. Fortunately, seal coats are difficult to destroy. They are resistant to fire and require a successful Strength roll (difficulty 9) to damage, and at least three successes are needed to tear it in half. Casual contact with flame does not damage it and small rips and punctures heal over time. The coat is only considered to be destroyed if it is completely burned, or shredded with cold iron. |
Sidhe (Arcadian)
Book Reference: WW92041 Changeling: the Dreaming (20th Anniversary) pg.#106-107
- Affinity Realm: Time
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Unearthly Beauty — Sidhe stand out in a crowd due to their beauty and regal bearing. Sidhe receive two additional dots of Appearance, even if this brings that rating above 5. When they invoke the Wyrd (p. 259), this beauty becomes overpowering. If a sidhe invokes the Wyrd in the presence of a character, the player must roll Willpower (difficulty 8). If that roll fails, the character can only stare in awestruck wonder at the sidhe for one turn for each dot of the sidhe’s Appearance. Noble Bearing — Sidhe carry a quiet dignity at all times. Cantrips designed to humiliate them or make them look foolish automatically fail (that does not prevent cantrips from harming them, of course, they just don’t lose their poise when it happens). Sidhe cannot botch Etiquette or Politics rolls. |
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Curse of Banality — While the commoner kiths have learned to make their peace with the mortal world and live within it, the Arcadian sidhe still live with their minds and hearts in the Dreaming. As such, they are even more susceptible to Banality. Each point of Banality a sidhe would receive becomes two. |
Sidhe (Autumn)
Book Reference: WW92041 Changeling: the Dreaming (20th Anniversary) pg.#108-109
- Affinity Realm: Fae
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Unearthly Beauty — Sidhe stand out in a crowd due to their beauty and regal bearing. Sidhe receive two additional dots of Appearance, even if this brings that rating above 5. When they invoke the Wyrd (p. 259), this beauty becomes overpowering. If a sidhe invokes the Wyrd in the presence of a character, the player must roll Willpower (difficulty 8). If that roll fails, the character can only stare in awestruck wonder at the sidhe for one turn for each dot of the sidhe’s Appearance. Noble Bearing — Sidhe carry a quiet dignity at all times. Cantrips designed to humiliate them or make them look foolish automatically fail (that does not prevent cantrips from harming them, of course, they just don’t lose their poise when it happens). Sidhe cannot botch Etiquette or Politics rolls. |
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Adoration — Autumn sidhe are better with mortals than their Arcadian cousins, but that carries problems of its own. Any time an Autumn sidhe successfully enchants or even meaningfully interacts with a mortal (successful use of Intimidation, Expression, Leadership, etc.), the Storyteller should roll the mortal’s Willpower against a difficulty of the sidhe’s Glamour rating. Failure means that the mortal takes an extra interest in the sidhe, which can manifest as anything from persistently offering favors or discounts to asking personal questions or sharing unwelcome confidences, or even asking for pictures or autographs. It also means the mortal has no trouble remembering every word and detail of the interaction, which can be a problem for sidhe trying to remain inconspicuous. A botch on the roll indicates the mortal either develops an unhealthy fascination with the sidhe in the case of a positive interaction, or an obsessive hatred in response to a negative one. |
Sluagh
Book Reference: WW92041 Changeling: the Dreaming (20th Anniversary) pg.#110-111
- Affinity Realm: Prop
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Squirm — Confining or restraining a sluagh is almost impossible because they are able to contort their bodies with ease. They cannot change their mass, but can contort into almost any shape. The player must roll Dexterity + Athletics, with the difficulty ranging from 6 to escape from ropes to 9 to worm through the bars of a locked cell. A sluagh cannot use this Birthright when restrained or confined by cold iron. Sharpened Senses — Sluagh reduce the difficulty for all Perception rolls by one. They can also see through any illusory magic; this requires the expenditure of a point of Willpower and a successful Perception + Alertness roll (difficulty 7). Sluagh are also capable of seeing lurking ghosts. This requires the player to make a successful Perception + Kenning roll (difficulty 7). By spending a point of Glamour, the sluagh can also converse with these spirits (see p. 352 for more on wraiths). |
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Curse of Silence — No matter how hard they try, Sluagh cannot speak above a whisper. Even a scream only comes out as a soft sigh. They are very awkward in social situations and must add two to the difficulty of any Social rolls when interacting with anyone other than other sluagh. |
Trolls
Book Reference: WW92041 Changeling: the Dreaming (20th Anniversary) pg.#112-113
- Affinity Realm: Fae
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Titan’s Power — A troll grows most in power when they’re out fulfilling their duties. A troll gains an additional Bruised health level and dot of Strength when they take up their first oath, even if that takes the Trait above 5. Upon their second oath, the troll gains two extra dots of strength and two additional Bruised health levels (with a maximum total of nine health levels). See p. 264 for more on oaths. Strong of Will and Body — When a troll is at her duty, nothing can stand in her way. A troll gets an extra two dice to rolls to resist being seduced, persuaded, or even magically commanded away from her cause. Trolls also cannot botch Athletics or Alertness rolls. |
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Bond of Duty — A troll’s integrity is as much a part of her as her strength of arms. Should a troll break an oath or sworn contract, she loses her Titan’s Power Birthright and begins to sicken. The only way to regain her strength and vitality is to atone for her broken promise, which can involve fulfilling a new oath or making restitution to the aggrieved party. Because of how integral a troll’s word is to her very being, a troll chooses her oaths — and those to whom she becomes oathbound — very carefully. Should a troll be betrayed, the player must roll Willpower (difficulty 8) to restrain the troll’s rage. Should she fail, the troll attacks the betrayers until restrained by others or the player succeeds at another Willpower roll (difficulty 8); she can attempt this roll after a number of turns equal to the troll’s Glamour. |
Other Kiths
Ghille Dhu
Book Reference: WW92041 Changeling: the Dreaming (20th Anniversary) pg.#446-447
- Affinity Realm: Nature
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All Seemings
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The Kiss of Death - Ghille dhu rapidly age from seeming to seeming due to the crush of Banality. Should a ghille dhu suffer chimerical death, she automatically ages to her next seeming. Every time the ghille dhu gains a dot of Banality, her player must succeed at a Glamour roll (difficulty equal to the ghille dhu’s current Banality rating), or the character passes into her next seeming. Once she passes beyond Autumn, the ghille dhu’s body dies. |
Korred
Book Reference: WW92041 Changeling: the Dreaming (20th Anniversary) pg.#447-448
- Affinity Realm: Fae
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Testament — At the moment of his Chrysalis, the Dreaming entrusts one of its greatest secrets to the korred. It might be the hiding place of an ancient, powerful treasure. It might be the key to entering a freehold that was once the seat of power for the High Kings of antiquity. It might even be how to reopen Silver’s Gate. Whatever the secret is, revealing it widely would rock Kithain society. Additionally, once per scene involving places or creatures of the Dreaming, the korred may make an Intelligence + Gremayre roll (difficulty 8) to see if he knows any secrets relevant to the current situation. Balance - A korred’s quest for knowledge makes him intimately aware of the dangers of the Dreaming to an extent unparalleled by other Kithain. Because of this, he can recognize when he begins to favor Glamour at the expense of his mundane half. Once per story, a Korred’s player may spend a point of Willpower to negate an Imbalance. |
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Truth - As the chosen guardian of the Dreaming’s secrets and traditions, a korred is forbidden from altering any of it. He may never knowingly tell a lie. He may elect to not volunteer information, or word a statement in a misleading fashion, but the letter of everything he says must be true. |
Merfolk
Book Reference: WW92041 Changeling: the Dreaming (20th Anniversary) pg.#448-449
- Affinity Realm: Nature
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Apsara of Vatea - Mer bond at a young age with a sea creature, a fish spirit they call their Apsara. The mer then gains the powers of the creature in question, gaining one extra dot in an appropriate Attribute correlating to the abilities granted by the Apsara. For example, a tuna might grant a point of Dexterity or Strength, while a lionfish mer might gain a dot in Appearance. This dot may take an Attribute over 5. Additionally, the mer gains the capabilities of the Apsara in question. The Storyteller decides what Attribute gains the additional dot based on the Apsara, and what abilities the mer gains from their fish-spirit. Gills — All merfolk can breathe underwater, either through gills or by means of blow-holes and nostrils that close off. The means by which they breathe underwater is based on the mer’s Apsara. Those with blowholes can average six hours underwater before they must surface for air. Ocean’s Beauty — All merfolk are seductive and beautiful. A mer cannot botch an Appearance-related roll. Each mer gets an extra dot in Appearance, which can carry them beyond 5. |
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The Coldness - Banality is literally the death of merfolk. As a mer accumulates Banality and loses Glamour, she finds it harder to breathe underwater. Once she runs out of Glamour, the mer can only breathe air and will drown underwater. Mer who do survive are left in the middle of the ocean, naked, with nowhere to go. Out of Touch - Since merfolk separated themselves from mortal society, they cannot purchase Streetwise, Drive, Firearms, or Computer during character creation without the expenditure of freebie points (and some serious explanation). |
