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A Chimera is any object, animate or inanimate, from the Dreaming, or made of the essence of the Dreaming. In practical use, "chimera" refers to an animate and likely sentient creature of the Dreaming, while an inanimate object would be referred to as "chimerical" (e.g. a chimerical sword). Even so, an inanimate object from the dreaming is still technically a chimera. It is unclear what is formally a chimera and what is not as one progresses deeper into the Dreaming. By technical definition, anything that exists in the Dreaming that is not fae or an exotic material (such as a visiting mage) would be a chimera, down to every last blade of grass, grain of sand, and particle of dust.

Chimera are generally visible only to those who can see into the Dreaming, and are highly susceptible to Banality. They possess a sort of magic called redes. Redes are given as a hodge-podge of powers to a chimera using a specific point-based system, or by the Storyteller. Some redes include the ability to deal aggravated damage, or to become Wyrd for a time.

Inanimate Chimera

Inanimate chimera are things and raw stuffs that make up those things.

Incidental Chimera

Brought about through minor daydreams and fantasies. These chimera are flimsy and fragile like soap bubbles at best.

Dreamed Chimera

Much sturdier; tend to come about by the act of a changeling undergoing Chrysalis. These chimera still may not stand up to the abuses of everyday banality.

Voile

Voile is chimerical clothing and is often brought into existence when the changeling awakens. Unlike most dreamed chimera it has staying power as it is tied up with the faerie's understanding of him or herself.

Crafted Chimera

Chimera that have been formed using traditional means of crafting handiwork and the Changeling's own personal Glamour. These Chimera tend to be able to stand up to more abuse.

Forged Chimera

Only Nockers, Boggan, and some Eshu have enough skill needed to bring on the Art of Infusion. This Art, an act of pure creation in and of itself, is what helps bring about Forged Chimera. Only Nockers (and a few members of the Sidhe of House Dougal) are allowed to practice this Art. Chimera brought about in this manner are the most resilient of chimerical things.  

Animate Chimera

Imaginary friends and invisible playmates, Childlings particularly like animate chimera, at least the ones they consider safe and friendly. Of course monsters exist as well and they are rarely cute and cuddly. Animate chimera feed on Glamour and can even, occasionally, project themselves into the mundane world in the presence of creative humans. However, being sensitive to Banality, most animate chimera flee in the presence of mundane humans and clever changelings who don't fear a little banality can use their own disbelief to wound then as well.

Friends and Helpers

Animate chimera are rarely, if ever, purposefully created. They usually spring from the Changeling's unconscious mind. Many kithain, on awakening, create counselors for themselves; human seeming, animal-like, or fantastically formed beings, and reveal their problems and hopes to them. Some have the power of speech and some of these may even have the mind to do something with that speech, though many are not sentient and only mimic discourse. They often act as travel companions, servants, entertainers, guards, or "decorative residents" in the home.

A popular animate companion is the fairy steed. Often beautiful horses, though not always, they can be decked out with chimerical finery like jewel-encrusted saddles, bridles, and rich saddle clothes, and offer proud mounts for the nobility who ride them to hunt or joust. Some may be unicorns or griffins or other fantastical beasts but they are exceedingly rare and banality quickly erodes their forms. Some chimerical beasts may develop awareness and then either counsel their creators or leave them to explore the Dreaming alone.

Adversaries and Foes

Some animate chimera become the enemies or adversaries of the fae who birthed them. Whatever they may look like, they often are reduced to cannon fodder for the faerie who wants to practice their martial or hunting skills and tracking a "wild and dangerous" chimera through the woods is a favorite pastime for the fae.

Monsters

For mortals, the creatures of horror films may be shrieked at and then forgotten, Changelings aren't as fortunate. Chimerical monsters do not only exist but can seriously harm the kithain. These monsters can even interact with the Autumn world if no mortals are present so putting a real-world door between you and the creature won't work. Like chimerical weapons, the teeth and claws of chimerical monsters can harm the fae; rending and tearing the fae self while detroying, even, the memory of the fae self. Though this isn't as horrible as death in a dragon's jaws that destroys fae and mortal seeming, losing yourself is painful and, while that memory can return with time and Glamour, some changelings never remember and their faerie soul is cast back into the wheel of time to be reborn.

Some monstrous chimera take the forms of classical beasts of fantasy like dragons and griffins. Other shapes are goblin-like, feral creatures, or shapes that never existed beyond the human mind. They can be created by changelings or from the subconscious of humanity as a whole. Some are gigantic, fearsome, and old and claim they are the remnants of real creatures forgotten in earth's past or laid they were created by the sidhe for their knights to fight and keep the commoners in line.

Two specific types discussed elsewhere are the Nervosa and Noctnitsa.

Banal Chimera

While most Chimera tend to be helpful, there are also dangerous forms of Chimera. One form, even more dangerous than most, is called a Banal Chimera. A living paradox, Banal Chimera are very dangerous indeed. Possessing both Glamour and Banality, they go about wreaking terror and putting all Kithain they come into contact with in danger.

Banal Chimera can come about in many ways, just as any other Chimera, from broken oaths to the fears and doubts of Kithian themselves. They, however, need glamour to survive, for their own banality will eventually undo them.

References

 

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