GIZMO
By Timothy J. Lanza (tjlanza@aol.com)
Description
Gizmos are sort of a cross between Nocker and Pooka. While they possess a shapechanging ability similar to Pooka, it has a heavy Nocker bent to it. Gizmos are capable of transforming themselves into mechanical objects. Gizmos are the product of a curious combination of old dreams and new. There have always been stories of either cunning craftsman or powerful wizards using mechanical contrivances. Modern children dream of fantastic mechanical men and galaxy spanning craft. These dreams are the root of the Gizmo's existence.
Appearance
Gizmos often have appearances very similar to whatever mechanical object they are associated with. Take this to mean whatever you would like, but as an example: A television Gizmo will usually be stocky and wide with a very expressive and bright face; meanwhile, a rifle Gizmo will be tall and thin, with long spindly limbs. Use your imagination.
Lifestyle
Childlings often have ridiculous amounts of energy. Like a new toy, other childlings always want to play with them. They always have lots of friends whom they help get into lots of mischief.Wilders are usually flashy and flamboyant, just like the latest model car. They're the most likely to spend time in their mechanical form, as they look damned fine that way.
Grumps have acquired an immense amount of knowledge. They often spend time relating their experiences to anybody who will listen. However, like an old, broken-down TV, people rarely pay attention.
Affinity
Birthrights
Mechanix: Every Gizmo has an affinity with a specific mechanical or electrical object. While these forms are widely varied, they tend to be something useful.Despite the fact that most objects cannot manipulate themselves, members of this kith are fully functional without any help (within the limits of their mechanical form). A car Gizmo could drive itself around, turn on and off its radio, and open its doors, but would be hard pressed to fill its own gas tank.
Unlike Pooka, it does require a Kenning roll (difficulty equal to 10-the Gizmo's Glamour) to determine a Gizmo's mechanical aspect. They are simply not as obvious as Pooka.
Breakdown: Depending on the seeming of a Gizmo, they get different bonuses to their attributes. A childling's friendly and out-going nature bestows upon them both a point of Charisma and a point of Appearance. Upon reaching the wilder stage, they lose a bit of their cuteness, to be replaced by not too little haughtiness or slyness. They lose the bonus dot of Charisma, but gain a dot of Wits or Manipulation (player's choice, based on Mechanix form). After becoming a Grump, a Gizmo loses both bonus dots from prior seemings. They gain two dots in Intelligence.
Frailty
Nothing but the Truth: While pooka are unable to tell the whole truth, Gizmos always tell the exact truth as they know it. Everybody knows a machine can't lie, so neither can the Gizmos. If a Gizmo really needs to lie, she must succeed at a Willpower roll (difficulty 3). Unlike a pooka, a successful roll only allows a single untruthful phrase. Every further attempt to lie increases the difficulty by 1. The only way a Gizmo can lie for more than a single statement is to spend a temporary Willpower point.
Special Merits & Flaws
Batteries Included: (5 point Supernatural Merit) This merit removes certain limitations from a Gizmo's mechanical form. With this ability, the changeling does not require any sort of reloading or refilling for its Mechanix: a car Gizmo will never run out of gas while a boom-box Gizmo can function without batteries and without being plugged in, and so on.Comparable Mass: (5-7 point Physical Flaw) This flaw takes one of two forms. Either the Gizmo's human form weighs as much as its Mechanix form, or vice versa. This change of mass (or rather, lack of change) does not affect the Gizmo's own motions, but the friends of a Gizmo with the mass of an airliner will find it incredibly difficult to move him if he gets injured. In the opposite case, somebody with the mass of a handgun would have difficulty walking in the wind. The exact value and effects of this flaw are subject to determination by the Storyteller. When deciding effects, please recall that the mass differential has no effect when the Gimix is moving himself in normal conditions.