Chimerical Damage only affects the Fae and Enchanted Mortals and can be of any of the other types of Damage.
Overview[]
Changelings suffer chimerical damage from purely chimerical sources, such as the horns of a nervosa or a chimerical lance. These wounds are visible only to those capable of seeing the faerie's fae mien; normally other Kithain and enchanted mortals. (Purely chimerical wounds are more dramatic than normal wounds and it is encouraged for Storytellers to play up their descriptions... and to get medieval.) Of course, unenchanted mortals will see nothing outwardly wrong with a Mauled fae who is screaming for aid.
An Incapacitated changeling falls into a coma-like state and must be taken to a freehold, glade, or other strong source of Glamour to recover. The faerie does not wake until all chimerical Health Levels have been healed. Childlings and Wilders usually reawaken on the next day after being healed. Grumps may require any other special aid the Storyteller feels appropriate.
Chimerical damage heals at a normal rate, unless the changeling is in a freehold or a glade. While in such a Glamourous place, a changeling heals one chimerical Health Level per night spent there. In the Dreaming, a changeling heals one chimerical Health Level per hour.
Changeling Death[]
Changelings heal with amazing speed, but their dual natures make them fragile as well. Changelings are neither human nor fae; the true death of either part is the death of the whole. The fae mien can be "killed" by chimerical damage and still be reborn. Perhaps this fragile nature is also responsible for the wisdom and vitality of many fae. They experience many times what most mortals known only once: Death.
Banal Death[]
When the human part of a changeling dies (Banal Death), the fae self may live on, but that changeling will never come into existence again. Commoners are reborn into another human host who has a different appearance and upbringing from the previous mortal seeming. No one knows what happens to sidhe souls. Many sidhe comfort themselves with the notion that they are taken to Arcadia, but no one knows for sure.
The death of the human part of a changeling while they are on the Silver Path is an amazing sight. The fae souls of commoners stand over the corpses of their human hosts. Others present in the Dreaming can converse with those souls, but memories of their last Earthbound lifetimes deteriorate as the minutes pass. As this happens, they begin to remember more and more of Arcadia. At the moment their memories of the human life fade completely, and their ancient lives in Arcadia and the pre-Sundering Earth are remembered, a fist of purple chimerical flame pulls them fighting and screaming all the way back into the World of Darkness.
The soul of the sidhe changelings killed on a Silver Path shine forth in all their glory and stride off into the Deep Dreaming, beyond the powers of the Silver Path, as if on some great mission.
It is said that all fae killed off of a Silver Path wander the Dreaming looking for Arcadia. Direction is hard to determine away from the Silver Path, and those dying in the Near and Far Dreaming may never find Arcadia. Those killed in the Deep Dreaming, with its host of chimerical horrors, are closer to their goal, but in much greater threat of Final Death.
Sorcerers of House Eiluned are said to know of cantrips capable of capturing the fae souls of changelings and investing them in new human hosts. This task is extremely risky (and unethical).
Chimerical Death[]
Chimerical Death occurs when a changeling suffers more chimerical damage than they have Health Levels. The faerie passes out immediately, and has only fleeting and often nightmarish memories of their fae life when they regain consciousness. They believe they are mortal, and only mortal.
The changeling can be restored with Glamour, though only after the requisite amount of time has passed (see the Mists Chart). Chimerical death also earns the character a permanent point of Banality.
Fae Death[]
Fae Death occurs whenever a changeling is killed by Cold Iron. The death blow must come from a cold iron weapon. If this tragedy occurs, not only does the changeling die a physical death, but their faerie soul can never be reborn in a mortal host. They are lost to the Dreaming for all time. (Some members of House Beaumayn would dispute this. See the article Geremin's Heresy for more.)
If a changeling is taken to the Injured Health Level by a cold iron dagger, and is then slain by a chimerical sword, they face Chimerical Death. If the death blow is from the cold iron dagger, or if the assailant finishes the character off with the dagger, the victim experiences fae death.
For more on Death and Changelings, see the article on Grumps.
References[]
- CTD. Changeling: The Dreaming Second Edition, pp. 246, 248.