Baduy Pride: The Magic of Changeling

In this episode of Baduy Pride, we talk about Changeling: The Dreaming and Changeling: The Lost and how much we love both game worlds and their corresponding systems and ideas. 

Inspiration: Elastic Heart

Intense.
Tremendously intense.

The Gentry have them.

Inspiration: Over the Garden Wall

Cartoon Network has a new limited series called Over the Garden Wall that magically has the wondrous feel of Hayao Miyazaki films and the narrative humor of American animation.  The series tells the journeys of Wirt and Greg as they find their way home after getting lost in the Unknown.  During their journeys, they befriend a bluebird named Beatrice, learn of an imminent threat called the Beast, the danger of black turtles, and seemingly are stalked by a mysterious Woodsman.

Learn more about the series here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over_the_Garden_Wall_(TV_series)
but be warned of huge spoilers if you read the page so best find a way to watch the series instead.



The show serves as amazing inspiration for Changeling the Lost games, with their adventures perfectly capturing the magical and frightening realm of the Hedge.  The game features many strange characters such as Auntie Whispas and others who can serve as great examples of Gentry.  Just truly inspiring stuff.

Likewise, the show's characters reminds me of how the Ven of John Wick's Houses of the Blooded can be, with their vast regions that cross over, or how the act of performing art is far more important than anything else.  My personal favorite is how in one episode, the inhabitants of a inn start singing about the roles they play and ask the two, "What are you?"  The way that episode plays out is just remarkable.  

"One cannot trade the soul of children as if they were tokens!"

This horror fantasy cartoon definitely deserves to be seen by those who love a touch of darkness within the brightness of laughter and light.

Inspiration: Beauty is Perfection

I can so see this as a story point for Changeling: The Dreaming or Changeling: The Lost.  Maybe even for something like Little Fears.

Faeredoom : Changeling the Lost : nWOD

08/2011 - 12/2012
FAEREDOOM
nWOD : Changeling the Lost

Mike Laird, struggling writer, and Martin Gray, former athlete, discover how the world they live in is far more insidious and stranger than they believe.   In a world where myths become real and monsters exist, the two discover how their lives have caught the attentions of something called The Collector and learn truths about themselves which they can never ever forget.

Mike Laird searches for a story.  Having sought to be a writer all his life, Mike struggles to find inspiration.  Almost as if to answer his search, he hears the sound of a small object hitting the floor.  A quick check leads him to finding a tooth, a human molar, resting on the floor panels.  Before he could do more, another tooth clatters down.  And another.  Soon, he realizes he is looking at a trail of teeth leading to a hole under the couch.          A hand suddenly emerges from the hold and takes the teeth he gives it.  When he takes the hand, he finds himself pulled into a strange world with piles and stacks and towers of teeth.  He awakens and discovers he's found his story, and he begins to write.

Martin Gray's story begins while attending rehab with a nurse named Jenny.  Martin lost the use of his legs when he fell from a wall-climbing event.  Nightly he meets with Jenny for rehab and the two begin to form a strong relationship - marred only by the fact Jenny is seeing an uncouth jock of a boyfriend named Brad, and the disturbing presence of a stalker who might not even be human.  Sadly, though the growing feelings he has for Jenny seem real, he soon uncovers a horrible secret:  He is not real.  His life is merely a simulacrum, a copy of another person's.  He is a Fetch, and the stalker is the man whose life he has stolen.

In the five sessions that follow, both characters discover how their lives have been forever changed by the Gentry known as the Collector.  Soon, Mike learns of the Fetch that has replaced him, gained the fame and happiness he sought, and conspires to kill him.  Martin on the other hand discovers the Martin whose life he had replaced seeks revenge, and finds himself kidnapped for some strange ritual that was to be performed.  But plans go awry and the real Martin is mortally wounded by others.   Just before death, Martin is given a choice, to accept a strange Goblin Contract that would have him switch lives with the real one.. or accept the life of being a false person.  Martin accepts.

By the end of the story, Martin and Mike form an unlikely friendship, both having lives that were seemingly torn from their control at the same time.  Mike rediscovers his Summer Court mantle as King and claims his weapon, the mythical spear of Destiny back.  They also discover that Mike's Fetch knew it wasn't real and had been writing books to exorcise the strange visions that he has been seeing.  But when word reaches them that the Collector is coming to recapture them, neither the Autumn nor Winter Courts present are willing to help them.  Mike's mother, on the other hand, is willing to help now that her son has returned, and steals away a child to use in an Autumn Contract -  one which would entail terrifying the child to death until the fear is sufficient to sate the Gentry's hunger.

The two rush to stop his mother, and eventually find themselves forced to face off with the Gentry on their won.  Martin uses the Contracts of Stone to rip the Gentry's armor aside, and Mike uses the Spear to grievously cripple the godlike monster.  Martin realizes from Mike's Fetch's book "Faeredoom" that the Collector despises "imperfections" and offers himself to the Collector in exchange for the rest of them.  Mike realizes Martin isn't "the real Martin" and decides to play along, forging a Pledge from the Gentry to leave the city in peace in exchange for its life.  The Gentry agrees and as she returns to the Hedge, she suddenly senses Martin's "difference."  The difference resonates upon her like poison and she is forced to throw him out of the Hedge in fear of her own survival.

The two defeat the Gentry and find years of peace following their lives, so long as they choose never to leave the city.

On the other hand, the young child that was being tortured and saved, grows up and finds himself obsessed with uncovering the truth about the Gathering Man and why the books seem to be hiding a secret truth.  And the game ends with the young child cutting a hold under the couch and holding out a tooth towards it.

And he waits.
To see if something will respond.
Something does.

* 

I thank Dennis and BJ Recio (who has made d20 books based on Filipino mythological beasts. Asuang: Shapechanging Horrors and Tikbalang: Guardians of Kalikasan) for being players in this game series.  It was a great run!

Once : nWOD

Around 2010
Once
nWOD : Changeling the Lost : Promethean the Created : Slasher

Inspired by the comics series Fables, the video game franchise Kingdom Hearts and Grimm's fairytales comes a game that mixes myth with murder, romance with re-imagination, and obsession with omnipotence.  Once explores the stories of a group of changelings who discover the very Gentry may be at war, and the hopes of a Promethean threat to achieve godhood may be the very thing that unites friends and foes together to face the one true antagonist of the world.

Here, four characters discover that their stolen identities might actually have some connection to one living a stolen life. Three of the players have begun to learn their lives are intimately tied to the tales of Jack the Giant slayer, Captain Hook and Briar Rose... and are learning even much faster that things aren't that simple. The Promethean in the game is slowly discovering more about herself, her past, and how her fate may be tied upon these prodigals of legend.

Mahar, Rocky, Adrian and Nabs were the players of this chronicle which gave new horrific meaning to Carpenter songs, answered the riddle of where Amelia Earhart vanished to, and gave us a glimpse of how the popular tales and myths can be twisted by a malicious force with the resources and reach of the Walt Disney Corporation.

Music was one of the biggest tools in this game, with a serial killer known as The Clipper stalking and murdering women all over the city with only a Carpenter's tune and a pair of scissors as his constant modus operandi.  Each time the Slasher would enter a scene, I would play an appropriate Carpenter's song to mark his presence.  It didn't take long for players to feel uneasy and worried at any point a Carpenter's song could be faintly heard.  Sort of like how the theme music of Jaws served as a thrilling device, Carpenter's became the ominous tune to be afraid of.

The game had loads of wonderfully funny and horrific moments too.   Rocky found himself struggling to find peace between the warring groups of political circles that he unfortunately was entangled among.  Nabs fought against her eternally diminishing sense of humanity as she slowly uncovered the truth of her Gentry past.  Mahar pondered over the importance of protecting one's children, even if one seemed to have the destiny expected of an anti-christ.  And Adrian discovered quite terrifyingly how the path to hell is indeed paved with good intentions.