The Man With the Ergot Smile is a True Fae who was banished from Arcadia.
First Edition[]
This Other, usually appearing as a peculiar man in an antiquated black suit, has been linked with historical accounts of infestations of the fungus ergot, hence his name. These outbreaks are often associated with such mass hysteria as the Salem Witch Trials and the Terror that followed in the wake of the French Revolution.
Eventually, his fellows among the Gentry grew bored with his antics, leading to his banishment from his home "until a thousand madmen dream as one".
An accomplished oneiromancer, the Man With the Ergot Smile has begun his attempt to lift the banishment by creating, with the aid of a group of naïve mages, a spell-warped, contagious dream-poison that creates a shared dreamspace, drawing in infected individuals.
Should he be confronted, the Other will attack by inflicting madness and palsy on his attackers, striking out with lashes made of fire, or sending the victims of the dream-poison after them.
Second Edition[]
The second edition of Changeling: The Lost reutilizes this Other in almost the exact same form, with the only apparent distinction being the terms of his banishment, which are significantly lighter: That is, until one hundred madmen dream as one.
References[]
- CTL: Rites of Spring, p. 55-57
- CTL: Changeling: The Lost Second Edition, p. 272
