TRUE FAE

By Jason (jmc@writeme.com)

Introduction

Before the Shattering, Changelings were rare. Because there was very little Banality, most fae at that time were True Fae. They had no mortal seemings and were not in nearly the danger that they are now. Even now changelings, who spend too much time in the Dreaming, ignoring their mortal seemings, are in danger of losing them and reverting to true fae. Cool, huh? No. You see, the fae chose to become Changelings because Banality made it too dangerous for them to remain in their true states. There are a few fae who prefer their true natures, even with the dangers, but they tend to rarely, if ever, leave the Dreaming. For the most part all of the fae (even the Sidhe who have returned) realize that it is safest to become a Changeling, much as they would prefer not to.

Changelings who do not take care to maintain a small amount of Banality in their natures, are in danger of becoming true fae again. Here are the rules. (I have removed the concept of Bedlam entirely. These rules completely replace it.)

Slipping into the Dreaming

A Changeling who spends a number of weeks equal to his Banality rating entirely in the Dreaming or a Freehold is in danger of losing memory of his mortal seeming. When a Changeling has spent a number of weeks equal to his Permanent Banality in the Dreaming or a Freehold, and his temporary Glamour becomes greater than his Permanent Banality, he begins to lose one point of Temporary Banality per day, until it drops to zero. Each day some memories of his mortal seeming are covered by the Mists, until all the Temporary Banality is lost, at which point he has completely forgotten his mortal seeming. If he then gains a point of Temporary Banality, he regains his mortal seeming's memories again. Extended time spent in the Dreaming without memory of one's mortal seeming will very slowly reduce Permanent Banality. (One point every 2 or more years, depending on what the character does.)

If a Changeling's Permanent Banality ever reaches 0, his mortal seeming dissolves and he becomes a True Fae again. All memories of his mortal life, while trapped in the seeming, that were lost by slipping into the Dreaming, are now permanently lost -- they go with the mortal seeming.

Nature of True Fae

Unless otherwise stated True Fae, follow all the normal rules for Changelings. True Fae have no mortal seeming. Anyone, enchanted or not, sees them in their Fae Mien, although the Mists may still cloud the viewers memory. In effect they are considered to have Called on the Wyrd all of the time; that is their natural state. This also affects their chimerical possessions and companions, just as Calling on the Wyrd normally does.

True Fae have the ablility to "go chimerical" for a scene, by simply spending one point of Glamour. When they do this, they are considered chimerical, and thus only Changelings, and enchanted beings may interact with them. In both their natural Wyrd state and when Chimerical they suffer the same effects from Banality as Chimera do. They have a Banality of 0 and never gain points of Banality; instead they suffer wounds just as Chimera do. However, they are never shunted into the Dreaming by Unbelief; they always remain and take the damage instead. Glamour may be spent to prevent wounds from Banality, exactly as Glamour may be spent to prevent gaining Temporary Banality for Changelings. Nightmare dice may be gained in the same manner. Sidhe True Fae always suffer twice the wounds, just as Sidhe Changelings always suffer from double Banality. True Fae do not take different types of damage. All damage from any source is treated as real damage to them.

When slain by chimerical means (or by any means other than cold iron, when in the Dreaming) they are subject to the same effects as chimera are: make a roll to prevent death, then assume insubstantial form while healing from wounds. If slain when insubstantial, the fae is slain for good. True Fae heal at 1/2 the rate of mortals when in the mortal realm (even if they are chimerical), but when in the Dreaming or a Freehold, they heal at the rate of one Health Level per night. True Fae have a Banality of 0, which is used in casting or being the target of Cantrips. They cannot use Banality to resist a Cantrip.

Chimera and Banality

Chimera take one Health Level of Damage for each turn spent in close proximity to a being with a Banality rating of 2 or more greater than their Permanent Glamour. They also take one Health Level of damage for each scene spent in an area with a Banality (Banality = Gauntlet) of 2 or more greater than their Permanent Glamour. True Fae suffer the same effects, although they may spend points of Temporary Glamour to avoid taking damage, as explained above.

Temporary Undoing

When a Changeling's Temporary Banality becomes higher than his Permanent Glamour, he begins to lose one point of Temporary Glamour per day until he is temporarily Undone when it is all lost. Another Changeling can infuse one point of Glamour into a Temporarily Undone Changeling to restore his fae mien and memories (i.e., undo the Undoing).

The Gauntlet in the Past

Okay, well why is it that True Fae didn't have much of a problem in the past? Simple: the Gauntlet was much lower. Also normal people tended to be correspondingly less Banal themselves at times in the past.

Here is a chart listing the Gauntlet for different times: (Note that a Gauntlet of 0 means that their is no Gauntlet: the Penumbra and the material realm are the same place in such areas)

	Modern World	Pre-Shattering Mythic Age	Early Mythic Age
Powerful Node, Caern, Freehold, etc. (level 5)	2	1	1
Average Node, Caern, Freehold, etc. (level 3-4)	3	2	1
Minor Node, Caern, Freehold, etc. (level 1-2)	4	2	1
Deep Wilderness	5	3	2
Rural Countryside	6	4	2
Most places	7	5	3
Downtown	8	6	4
Technocracy lab	9	N/A	N/A

There we go, simple rules for True Fae. Although I said that I totally remove Bedlam, that isn't to say that I might not cause insane Changelings or True Fae to experience Bedlam -- simply don't use it as a punshiment for too much time in the Dreaming and Freeholds.