Seeming Curse (CTL)


 * not to be mistaken with Curse sanction

Seeming Curse is a particular disfavorable condition inherent to the fae. Each of the Changeling seemings have their own curse.

Overview
The seeming curse reflects the hardships that specific kind of changeling has endured during their time in Arcadia at the mercy of their True Fae keepers.

Beast Curse
Although the Beasts regained their consciousness when they came through the Hedge, their time as beings of thoughtless instinct has taken its toll on each of them, and most find it very hard to make use of academic or trained skills. A Beast’s player suffers a –4 dice untrained penalty when trying to use a Mental skill in which the character has no dots. Further, although Beasts can be very clever indeed, they’re out of practice making those leaps of ingenuity that so characterize human genius. A Beast’s player doesn’t re-roll 10s when using a dice pool involving Intelligence.

Darkling Curse
Darkness and twilight so define these changelings that their magic falters somewhat when the sun is in the sky (that is, not at night, or at twilight). Darklings suffer a –1 die penalty to all rolls to enact Contracts during daylight hours. The penalty increases to –2 dice if the sun is directly visible to them.

Elemental Curse
The Elementals are further removed from humanity than other changelings, and find humans harder to understand and to influence. An Elemental doesn’t get the benefit of the 10 again rule on any dice pools involving the Manipulation Attribute and the Skills Empathy, Expression, Persuasion or Socialize.

Fairest Curse
The Fairest, similar to the creatures who stole them, can be callous and unfeeling, vicious and prone to toy with others, even people who love them. Their inner balance suffers for this. One of the Fairest suffers a –1 die penalty on dice pools to avoid losing Clarity (for example, the player of a Fairest with Clarity 5 who kills another changeling rolls two dice to avoid losing Clarity, rather than three).

Ogre Curse
Not all Ogres are necessarily stupid, but most are fairly gullible, weak-willed and prone to impulsive, thoughtless actions. An Ogre doesn’t get the benefit of the 10 again rule on dice pools using Composure (with the exception of Perception rolls using Wits + Composure, which suffer no penalty). The character also suffers a –1 die penalty to Composure when using it as a Defense Trait (that is, when subtracting it from another character’s dice pool).

Wizened Curse
Spite infects the Wizened. It comes out in their appearance, and in their manner. Their appearance, which is rarely attractive, and their general tendency not to be approachable means that the Wizened don’t benefit from the 10 again rule on dice pools involving Presence. For the same reason, while Social Skills aren’t completely barred to them, the Wizened suffer a –2 dice untrained penalty when trying to use a Social Skill in which they have no dots, rather than the usual –1.