Kith Compendium

Angelus Morningstar 

Dream Shard Kith Compendium

Acknowledgements

 Author: Angelus Morningstar  Additional writings adapted from concepts created by  Spook  and Spanglemaker of the Sh adow n Essence forum. Lost Shards are fan- made products products designed for use with  Artwork : Gavin Hargest the   World World of Darkne Darkness ss book, Change Changelin ling: g: the Lost. Lost.  A bsence of trademarks from from copyrighted materials does not constitute a legal challenge to the original owners. Any  origin original al mater material ial is the intellectu intellectual al prop property erty of Angelus Angelus Morningstar unless otherwise c redited. redited.

1

Angelus Morningstar 

Burrowling: Beasts who lived and burrowed beneath the soil cal l this kith th eirs; from from molemole- men to wurms wurms and other other changelin changelings gs of the underg ndergro roun und. d. T hey have the special blessing called the  Warren Race. With it, they may  spend a point of Glamour and, for the rest of the scene, they may move t hrough hrough soil and earth ( but not solid solid stone) at a rate equal to their half their speed as they tunnel. Danderhulk: Creatures Creatures of huge propo proportio rtions, ns, whether lev iathans of the depths to the hulking brutes brutes of the plains, they stand tall. They are are innately innately tall, with their their Brutish Stature, granting them the Giant Merit for free (which stacks with the effects effects of the Giant Merit itself). However, due due to their ungain ungainly ly girth girth they suffer suffer a - 1 penalt penaltyy on attempts attempts to move quietly or quickly quickly ( which increases increases to - 2 if they also purchase the Giant Merit). Dappleskin: Crea Creatu turres of the the wild wild who survive vived d through through blending blending in and adapting; adapting; liv ing c hameleons hameleons and beings of dark and light. If they spend a point of Glamour, these changelings can activation their gift of Blurry Form, and gain a + 2 bonus bonus to all their tests to remain unseen unseen as they blend in with their surroundings. This bonus goes up to their Wy rd, if they remain still. Grimlock: Either predators who lay in wait, or Beasts kept as watc hers and guardians guardians,, both highly val ued by their faeri faeriee master masters. s. These Beasts Beasts benef benefit it from from the bless blessing ing Sentinel’s Vigil: the changeling gains +2 Stamina for the purposes of determining duration before fatigue sets in, and + 1 to any Composur Composuree tests requiring them to remain still. Pathfinder: Many Beasts are nomadic creatures, used to traveling traveling far far and great great distance istances. s. Whether Whether they are the migrating flocks of birds, or the wild herds of the plains, they hav e knowledge knowledge of the places they are going and have been been too. too. This This is repr repres esen ented ted by their their gift gift know known n as Sojourner’s Blessing , giving the kith the Direction Sense Merit Merit for for free free (which adds adds to the bonu bonuss gained gained if the changeling also has that that Merit) . Proudwalker: Som Some crea creatu turres are are gif gifted ted with with extraordinar extraordinaryy displays displays of beauty, beauty, color and imagery, imagery, and have learned to show them off; the peacock guardian men and the women of the waves are examples of these.  Wild Display  is an innate gift they bear, which allows them to gain a +1 to social tests that rely on looks and appearance. Snickersnatch: Thieves of the sky, land and sea all pay  their dues to this kith. Swooping magpies, pack rats, jackals and the like all gain the blessing of  Nimble  Nimble Grasp,  which gives them a +2 to tasks involving fine manipulatio manipulation n with the hands. hands.

Darkling Kiths Blackguards: Such darklings were taught to fight and defend defend their masters masters in dirty duplicitou duplicitouss w ays. T hey have the knowled knowledge ge of  Dirty Tricks Tricks, which which allow allowss them them to ignore one point of their opponent's Armor, or two when taking their opponent by surprise. Bogeymen: These are monsters who have learned to thrive thrive on childhoo childhood d imaginat imagination ion.. They have the art to see eem m visib visible le only only to child childrren with with the the bles blesssing ing of  Imaginary Friend. By spend spending ing a point point of Glamour, Glamour, the

2

changeling can drop their Mask for a scene to the eyes of  children, without invoking a Clarity check. Breathdrinkers: Thes Thesee silen ilentt shad hades move lik like  whisper  whispers, s, stealing the breath breath and essence essence from from the lips of  those they pass. With their Stolen Kisses they can steal a point oint of Will Willp power ower from one pers erson with within in thei theirr proximity. The number of times per day they can do this is equa equall to their their Wyrd, Wyrd, but but every time time after after the first first costs costs them a point of Glamour. They cannot target the same person person more than once a day. Harrowmares: Creatures Creatures of the night that feed upon upon dreams dreams and dabble in deceits of dark magic. Such creatures are night haunts, dream weavers, sandmen, and other fell creatures like the Mara and hags. The Harrowmares have a pecu peculia liarr talen talentt called called Dream Dream Rider Rider,, grantin grantingg them uncann ncannyy fami familia liari rity ty with with dream reams. s. All tests tests involvi involving ng dreams, dreams, including Dream Dream Contracts gain + 1. Hushwardens: These are monsters who have learned to thrive on silence and quiet. Both stone angels of quiet quiet or the noise eater, they have the art granted to them from Golden Silence. By spend spending ing a point point of Glamour Glamour,, the changeling can drop a field of silence around them through through  which no natural sound can travel, which fills a smallish room (about 15' x 15' x 10' high) for the rest of the scene. Maverick: These changelings are creatures of chance, luck and a bit of chaos in the blend. They have a fondness for games of luck and chance and will be willing to take most wagers. Still, they like to Stack the Odds, they have a natu natura rall affi affini nity ty with with luck luck and and gain gain +1 on any any action action involving blind chance ( such such as games of chance) chance) or use use of  the Hearth Contracts. If a pool is reduced to a chance die, 8s, 9s and 10s 10s all c ount as a success, but a 1 still counts as a dramatic dramatic failure. Mountebank: Such creatures will always present a lie even eve n if a half half-- tru truth will will do, and and many many of them them are char charlata latans ns and and pranks ankste terrs with with a viciou viciouss strea treak. k. A  Mounteban Mountebank k is gifted with Riddled Prose,   which grants them the M erit Rigid Mask for free free ( the benefits of which combine with the Merit itself if purchased). Soothsayer: Songs, prophecy and presaging of doom and despair despair has long been the purview of these fae. By spending spending a turns to presage an Ominous Portent to their victim, the  victim suffer sufferss a - 2 to their next action. The v ictim must must be  within hearing hearing range of the Soothsayer Soothsayer for the blessing blessing to  work. Spindlebacks: These are the changelings who thrived in the cracks and crevices of the world, covered chitinous skin and walk with a creeping motion. The Spindlebacks are covered with a Calloused Carapace,  which gifts them with a point of Armor stacks with other A rmor. rmor.

Elemental Kiths Coraline: Born from the ocean reefs and marine forests of the sea floor, these elementals are walking colonies of  coral. Their form flourishes with Marine Regrowth, which allows them to heal one point of bashing for every point of  Glamour they spend. spend. Frailfold: A flurry flurry of petals, leav es or paper forms forms these changelings. They are buoyant flights wrapped around the human form. They are enveloped by a constant Cloud of  Tears, as a swirl of petals or paper folds around them. This

Angelus Morningstar  penaliz penalizes es attackers, attackers, by levying a - 2 on any attack agains againstt them either a imed or melee. Meldmask: These These synthet synthetic ic beings beings are made made of the flexible materials of rubber and plastic who wear faces of  artificial making. Their kith blessing, Contortionist Contortionist Trick, lets them squeeze into any opening that would normally  accept accept some somethi thing ng only only two S izes izes small smaller er ( so a Size Size 5 Meldmask could wriggle through a hole big enough for a Size 3 creature) creature) . Mistborn: Sultry creatures creatures of smoke, smoke, cloud, cloud, haze and mist. These Elementals have vaporous bodies that billow  and bubble bubble in their wake. T heir gift is known as the Bilious Body , their their touch touch to the grou ground nd is so light light that that any  any  attempts to track them or investigate physical evidence left by th em suffers suffers a penalty e qual qual t o their Wy rd. Muckraker: Creatu Creatures res of slime slime,, mud, mud, muck muck and all manner of vitreous ooze. These slithering heaps of bracken and and fou foul smell smellin ingg water waterss are are capab capable le of assu assumi ming ng a Gelatinous Form, once per day. T he changeling can spend spend a point of Gl amour amour to become resistant resistant to forms of physical damage. It lets the changeling can downgrade a number of  points of lethal damage to bashing damage from a physical source. Shadowhaunt: These are changelings who are made of  night, echoes of darknes darkness, s, giv en flesh. flesh. T heir close affinity  affinity   with the darkness gives them a Cowl of Dark, they add their Wyrd to Stealth and reduce negative modifiers to perception due to natural darkness by their W yrd. Shatterheart: Precious dolls, with hearts of glass and opalescent skin, or crystalline forms. They are enveloped by a Skin Skin of Shard Shardss, which which provid provides es them them a poin pointt of    Armor, Armor, and will inflict inflict a point point of Lethal Damage amage per per minute minute to anyone who grapples them. Silkskin: Stitched poppets bound in cloth and fabric, they are the living puppets of the faerie. Their soft fabric skin and stuff body body makes them diffi difficult cult to bruise bruise and damage through through the gift of Poppet Body . Once per day, the chang changel elin ingg can spend end a point oint of glam glamou ourr, and and the the changeling can absorb all bashing damage for a number of  turns equal equal to their Wyrd + 2. Stoneheart: Carved from rock, sculpted from stone, or solid solid marb marble. le. They are are the golem golemss of porc porcela elain in and and hardened clay or c arven figures. figures. Many are used to holding holding a Statuesque Poise , granting them the Perfect Stillness Merit for free free ( the benefit of which will c ombine ombine with the Merit if also held), and gain a single point of natural armor from their stony skin.  Waxwork: The chang changeli eling ngss are are those those of malle malleab able le shape shape and form, form, whether melded from from clay or wax. These creatures hold the blessing knowns as Dancing Flesh; for the expenditure of 1 Glamour they can move a dot from one physical attribute to another, which stays there for the remainder of the scene. They can only move a number of  dots less than or equal to half their Wyrd at one ti me.  Willowisp: These changelings were fashioned from the  very light itself, and all many of luminous energies. Often pale pale and and shro shrou uded in a an Lum Luminou inouss Cad Cadence, ence, the changelin changelingg can purcha purchase se the contra contracts cts of V ainglo ainglory ry for for ( new dots x 5) and gain the 8 Again rule for any any attempts at physic al disguise disguise or deception.

Fairest Kiths Courtesan: Such changelings are kept as companions and exemplar exemplarss of courte courtesy sy and breedi breeding. ng. While While never treated with equal status as their fellow lords and ladies, they were expected to be able to speak and understand the mores of faerie etiquette. This manifests in the Courtier's Boon, which allows them to treat all matters of etiquette and protocol as rote actions, and gain 8 Again on any  Persuasion Persuasion rolls done with the inte ntion of seduction, seduction, Fabulist: The Gentry Gentry have a deep deep love of stori stories, es, and highly v alue those who can artfully artfully tell tales. The Fabulis Fabulistt changelin changelings gs are are not not merely merely weavers weavers of fantasy, fantasy, they are masters of performance, able to subtly weave their words into visual images. This is their power of  Phantasmagoria ,   which which manife manifests sts a gentle gentle illusi illusion on of whatever whatever tale they   weave. Such illusions are never convincing enough to be thought thought real, but could provide provide a suitable suitable distraction distraction to penalize others with a - 2 to their visual perception. Gallant: Legends of the Green Knight, Tam Lin and other faerie knights knights rely on their majesty majesty and beaut beautyy as much as their mighty arms. Gallants enjoy the benefit of  the gift known as Shining Might, granting them the ability  to add half their dots dots in Wyrd to any combat tests inv olve d in a formal duel or any fight where they are aiding the defense of others. Imperator: The Fairest Fairest know that beauty beauty and grace grace are its own power. These changelings represent the Fae who  were adopted by the more regal Fae and molded in their liken likenes ess. s. Such Such chang changeli eling ngss are are imbu imbued ed with with a royal royal countenance that most kings and queens live to dream of. Each Imperator possesses Royal Grandeur, for those whose  Willpower is equal to or less than the changeling’s Wyrd  will find themselves captiv ated and the Imperator Imperator gains the 9- A gain rule rule on all Social tests with them. Librans: Gender is merely an illusion for these beings, caught between the binary binary of male and female female and all the places in between. So fluid is gender for these creatures that with the exertion exertion of a point point of Glamour Glamour they can under undergo go a Gender Gender Shift, liter literall allyy changin changingg from from one one biologi biological cal gender gender to the other. other. T hese hese gende genders rs are fully  fully  functio functional, nal, with the sole sole limitati limitation on of fertilit fertilityy usua usually  lly  denied the fae. If they also spend a point point of will power, they  can acquire acquire a transition transitional al gender gender form, form, bearing multiple sexual traits or none at all. Shimmerling: While most Fairest are known for the tal l and elegant stature, the Shimmerlings main feature is their diminutive form. These Fairest were those kept for their child-like forms forms,, deliberately deliberately made made to stay eternally eternally young young and and brigh bright. t. They have have the gift gift called called the Diminutive Dance: once a day, the changeling can shrink down to a Size 1 creature creature ( able to fit in the palm of the hand) hand) . While in this form form they can doub double le her speed speed and jump jumping ing distances. The downside to this is that these changelings are far more fragile in this form, as they reduce in Size also reduces reduces their Heal th boxes.

Berserkin: Changelings who are untempered and filled  with the savagery of the beast. Such creatures creatures are those of  the bear skins, the big bad wolves, that embody a primal fero ferocity. city. These These creatu creatures res bear the talent talent known known as the

3

Angelus Morningstar  Blood Blood of Wrath Wrath:: makin makingg them immun immunee to all wound wound pena penalti lties es and and gran grantin tingg them them a +2 to all Stamin Staminaa and and Resolve resistance checks. The downside is it places the Berserkin into a state of fury, fury, reducing reducing their Composure Composure by  2. Bezoans: These round and rotund figures are known for their enormous girth and guts. With forms like sweltering toads, hoggish pigs and forged from greedy appetites. They  are known known for for their their Prodigal Stomachs that that lets lets them them swallow and hold something of a Size equal to their Wyrd safely in their belly for a number of minutes equal to their  Wyrd. Bogwump: Swamp things, creatures of the deep lagoons and briny depths. depths. They are shambling shambling hulks hulks of detritus detritus,, flots lotsam am and and jets jetsam am and and unbid nbidd den hor horror. or. Thes These changelings have have the gift of Blood Dimmed Tides: As long as they are partially submerged in water, they double their Defense Defense as though dodging dodging and may add their Wyrd to any  attac ks made to people partially submerged submerged in water. Brindlehorn:   Whethe Whetherr tusk tusks, s, horns horns,, spine spines, s, fangs fangs,, talons talons or other other griz grizzly zly natural natural weapon weaponss ador adorn n many many a monster monster and ogre. For the Brindleh Brindlehorn orn,, it is their most most salie salient nt featu feature re.. The Brin Brind dlehor lehorns ns have such such natu natura rall  weapo  weaponr nryy which can be fears fearsom omee in combat. combat. They have Terrible Terrible Maul, which which pier pierces ces object object and and armo armorr alike alike,, allowing t hem to ignore up to half their dots in Wyrd in an object's Structure or a target's armor. Crookshank: These These goblins goblins of the urban rban area area have given birth birth to such myths as spriggans spriggans,, sprin springg heeled jack  and Mr. Hyde. Hyde. They are are imbu imbued ed with the Song of Sin, making them far more in tune with their own V ice. Instead of gaining the usual one point of Willpower for indulging in their Vice, they gain two. Deep Ones: Not all the ogres are born on land, the  waters are filled with sea serpents and leviathans. Creatures of the deep and monstrous monstrous fishermen. Such creatures draw  their Strength from the Sea , and as long long as they are in the proximity of a large body of water (within the same scene and large enough to go swimming in) they gain 9 Again on any Strength based test. Diremaw: Creatures who held stones of fire or burning stoves in their bellies, the fire breathing ogres wreathed in smoke and flame. Once a day, when the changeling spends a point point of Glamour Glamour,, they stoke stoke the the fires fires burning burning in their guts to produce a V olley olley of Flame from their mouth, mouth, the size of which is equal to 2, and has an intensity equal to half the changeling's Wyrd. Fury: Many myths speak of women of vengeance, ladies of cruel cruel kindn kindness ess and broke broken n oaths. oaths. T hese hese agents agents of    vengea vengeance nce are are so fine finely ly attu attuned ned to the the worki working ngss of  righteousness that they can use their Smell of the Vow to sens ense when when a form ormal pled ledge (eithe (eitherr wyrd wyrd bou bound or otherwise) has been broken in their immediate vicinity. Gorgon: The ogres ogres are a sorry sorry sight to behold, behold, as their keepers keepers brutality brutality has fashion fashioned ed them into some hideou hideouss miss isshap hapen thin thing. g. Thes These crea creatu turres gift gifted ed with with the the unwho unwholes lesom omee bless blessing ing known known as Petrifying Petrifying Gaze. By  spending a point of glamour, and inflicting their horrible countenance upon a single target, penalizing the victim’s Speed Speed and Initiati Initiative ve by the changelin changeling’ g’ss Wyrd for the remainder remainder of the scene.

4

Grindlehag: Very litera literally, lly, the mother mother of mons monster ters. s. These poor creatures were kept by the fae as brutal nurse maids maids and caretakers of their monstr monstrou ouss brood brood.. These substitute substitute mothers forced to become a s dire as the children they cared for. Each Grindlehag was fashioned to provide sustena sustenance nce and nourishm nourishment ent through through the gift known known as Red Mother’s Mother’s Milk , wher whereby eby once nce per day, they they can produce a milky red fluid that when drunk will heal either 2 Lethal damage, 1 Lethal and 2 Bashing damage, or 4 Bashing damage (healing the most critical wounds first). Grumpkin: Some Some of the mons monster terss of are are willo willowy, wy, twisted mockeries of humanity; old and gnarled, or grizzled and cantankerous. They may be the giant wicker men, or the shambling shambling tree mound moundss whose whose form form is knobbly and cont conto orted ted. When When thes thesee crea creatu ture ress stand tand still, till, thei theirr Brickabrac Seeming allows them to appear as a natural feature of the landscape, a rock, a tree, or lawn. This gives all c reatures reatures a - 3 perception perception bonus bonus to noticing noticing them when they stand still still in a natural environment. Thunderheads: The storm storm giants and thunder thunder trolls, trolls,  who lived in the forges of lighting and the castles upon the cloud. These monstrous being have the Bellowing Voice ,  which allows them to add their dots in Strength to their Presence tests when they speak.

Wizened Kiths  Actor: Made to traipse across the stage and live the many many roles roles of the stage stage for for the enterta entertainm inment ent of their masters masters.. A ctors have learned learned to assum assumee many roles and many many habits habits,, throu through gh the crafts crafts of  Many Masks,  which allows each of them to gain 9 Again on all attempts to disguise themselves, and their Wyrd to any test they use to reading and understanding crowds or swaying them. Chauffeur: Whether beast driver, dragon fliers, ferriers over river, river, maste masters rs of mechanical mechanical cars cars or dirigib dirigibles les.. All these changelings were tasked with the duty of locomoting travelers through their realm. They have the special gift over all carts and transports with Pharamond's Blessing granting them 8 Again on all drive rolls, and always earn the initiative in any c ar chase. Harlequin: Thes These are are the the dwar warf- like like jest jester erss and and perf perfor orme mers rs of the court court.. Whethe Whetherr they they are are the devilevilclowns, or Punch the Fool, HopHop- Frog or Sc aramouche, aramouche, they  are all gifted with the talent known as Cutting Capers,   whils whilstt perf perfor ormin ming, g, the changeli changeling ng may subs substitu titute te his Dexterity (along with the 9 Again bonus if active) for any  Manipulation tests. Furthermore, Furthermore, if the c aper is an insult or jest, that bonus increases to 8 Again. Logician: Sometimes Sometimes changelings are shaped shaped to be the living beings beings of pure pure reason reason and thought. thought. S ome will serve serve as calculated advisors to their faerie master, while others are are give given n tasks tasks of great great magn magnitu itud de and and ord order. er. These These changelings have the powers of  Deep Thought, it allows them to add their dots dots in Wits to their Intell igence t ests. Merchant: Simila Similarr to the merch merchan ants ts at the Gobl Goblin in Markets Markets,, these these changeli changelings ngs were plied plied into the trad trade of  trade itself. Often utilized by their faerie masters to seek  out out and negotiate deals with their neighbors. neighbors. Merchants gain the blessing of the Mercantile Eye: It grants them the 8 Again Again rule for all all trad tradee nego negoti tiat atio ions ns,, and and a free specialization in Social ization for the Goblin Markets.

Angelus Morningstar  Purloiner: Not all Wizened performed performed honest honest trades for their masters. masters. When a Gentry Gentry covets something something of their allies, he simply sends his talented thieves to acquire it for him. Light Fingers, is the blessing of the Purloiners, letting them treat all Larceny tests as rote. Tailor: The crafters of the emperor's new clothes, the   weavers of enchanting garments, hedgespun fabrics. They  have the Gift of the Loom granting them any attempt to

forg forgee Hed Hedgespu gespun n objec objects ts with with a +1 mod modifie ifier, r, which which increases to + 3 for Hedgespun Hedgespun raiment. Tinker: Masters of the physical crafts involved in the manufacture of toys, gadgets, objects, trinkets, jewelry and the like. T hese tinkers tinkers hav e knowledge of the workings of  all mechanical objects. They are gifted with Craftsman's Hands, it gives gives them them a 9 Again Again on any any craf crafts ts rolls lls involving mechanical objects, and a free specialty in Crafts for every two dots of Wyrd they have.

5