The Autumn Sidhe are sidhe, usually of House Scathach, who did not flee the Autumn World during the Shattering but instead stayed and undertook the Changeling Way. They are usually considered half-breeds and mongrels by their Arcadian "betters", but are treated with respect by other Kithain who view them as braver and more willing to lead from the front.
Overview[]
Fae history talks about the Shattering, when the gates to Arcadia slammed shut and the sidhe fled the Earth, leaving the commoners behind. When those gates reopened on July 20, 1969, the sidhe that returned to the mortal world thought that all those nobles left behind perished in the cold winds of Banality. They thought they were the only members of the Shining Host in the mortal world. They were wrong.
Nobles from Houses Scathach and Liam chose to remain behind and take on the Changeling Way so as to survive the harsh centuries of Banality. Upon the Shining Host’s return, these sidhe of the mortal world emerged to greet their Arcadian cousins and offer assistance in adjusting to their new circumstances. Instead of being accepted, the sidhe of the mortal world were greeted by the Arcadians with distrust and fear. Dubbed Autumn sidhe, they were judged by many Arcadian nobles to be flawed, tainted by their long centuries of death and rebirth. In return, Autumn sidhe embraced the name with pride and became the shining examples of the synergy between true fae brilliance and the perfection of the mortal condition.
Autumn sidhe are markedly different than their Arcadian counterparts. While Arcadian sidhe are noted for their inhuman splendor, the grace and power of an Autumn sidhe lies in her more down-to-earth beauty. Autumn sidhe appear to be the pinnacle of human beauty with all its foibles, oddities, and asymmetry. These sidhe are stunning in a human way that makes them more approachable and understandable then the alien glory of the Arcadians. Being born and raised in the mortal world also gives these sidhe the grounded perspective their cousins lack. Autumns believe they are not owed power only through noblesse oblige, but by right of their time facing the Autumn world side by side with the commoners. That does not mean that they are always accepted by the commoners, and often find themselves trapped between the disdain of their fellow sidhe and the distrust of the commoners they wish to embrace.
The Autumn sidhe have a significant advantage to their Arcadian brethren in their understanding of the mortal world. Autumn sidhe are more in touch not only with the needs of the commoners but with mortal society and technology, giving them an edge when maneuvering through culture, industry, business, and society. Their sidhe beauty is seen as the pinnacle of human charm, charisma, and affability, a benefit that opens many doors for them in the mortal world. It’s not unusual for Autumn sidhe to gain celebrity status easily, and mortals flock to them. Despite their grounding in the mortal world, the Autumn sidhe are as powerful as any of their cousins and are not to be underestimated. In fact, their success in merging with the rest of the changeling population and modern society has convinced many Arcadian sidhe to take up the Changeling Way to join the Autumn sidhe in adapting to the mortal world.
Ferocious pride bonds these changelings together. They have survived in the Autumn world through dedication, perseverance, wisdom, and hard work, earning them the right to rule their Arcadian cousins so often take for granted. These sidhe straddle the line between the inborn otherworldliness of Arcadia and the earthy, complex beauty of mankind.
Traits[]
Appearance[]
Autumn sidhe have been changed by the act of taking on the Changeling Way. Not as flawless as Arcadian sidhe, these changelings instead embody the wild beauty of human complexity. Their features may be asymmetrical, their bodies of all types and sizes, their eyes all possible colors. Yet Autumns walk with the same noble bearing, their power apparent from the tips of their pointed ears to their impossibly graceful feet. Autumn sidhe dress as they like to fit their changeling lifestyle, always cutting a beautiful figure among the fae, a mixture of old-world beauty and stylish new evolution.
Lifestyles[]
Autumn sidhe are just as dedicated to the notion of power and rule as the Arcadians, but in a more down-to-earth way. They are more likely to apply their skills as organizers and thoughtful leaders, grounded in mortal world and commoner concerns alike.
Seemings[]
- Childlings: Marked by their striking beauty and charm, Autumn sidhe childlings are constantly reminded that though they are privileged, they are born to responsibility. Schooled in the ways of the court, an Autumn childling is often taught to roll up her sleeves and pitch in to earn her power. Those early lessons in humility can often temper a childling’s knack for haughtiness, though they can also breed resentment and rebellion.
- Wilders: When an Autumn sidhe becomes a wilder, she enters the world of court and governance alongside her Arcadian counterparts. Armed with the lessons of her childling years, the Autumn is taught not only the rules of the nobility, but is urged to keep good contact with the commoners and to maintain a connection to the mortal world. This can lead to a delicate balancing act for the wilder, who can become overwhelmed by the pressure or flip back and forth from one extreme to another in search of her place in the world.
- Grumps: An Autumn grump has walked the balance of the wilder years and come out a grounded noble, full of grace and hard-earned experience. She has embraced her inherent power and tempered it with thoughtful consideration for the changed mortal world around her. The best grumps lead by example in the battle to maintain the spark of Glamour in an ever-colder Autumn world. Those who lose themselves to Banality are too soon Undone, while those who hide away in their freeholds lose sight of the mortal world and sink further into Bedlam.
Birthrights & Frailty[]
Birthrights[]
- Affinity: Fae
- Unearthly Beauty: Sidhe stand out in a crowd due to their beauty and regal bearing. Sidhe receive two additional dots of Appearance, even if this brings that rating above 5. When they invoke the Wyrd, this beauty becomes overpowering. If a sidhe invokes the Wyrd in the presence of a character, the player must roll Willpower (difficulty 8). If that roll fails, the character can only stare in awestruck wonder at the sidhe for one turn for each dot of the sidhe’s Appearance.
- Noble Bearing: Sidhe carry a quiet dignity at all times. Cantrips designed to humiliate them or make them look foolish automatically fail (that does not prevent cantrips from harming them, of course, they just don’t lose their poise when it happens). Sidhe cannot botch Etiquette or Politics rolls.
Frailty[]
- Adoration: Autumn sidhe are better with mortals than their Arcadian cousins, but that carries problems of its own. Any time an Autumn sidhe successfully enchants or even meaningfully interacts with a mortal (successful use of Intimidation, Expression, Leadership, etc.), the Storyteller should roll the mortal’s Willpower against a difficulty of the sidhe’s Glamour rating. Failure means that the mortal takes an extra interest in the sidhe, which can manifest as anything from persistently offering favors or discounts to asking personal questions or sharing unwelcome confidences, or even asking for pictures or autographs. It also means the mortal has no trouble remembering every word and detail of the interaction, which can be a problem for sidhe trying to remain inconspicuous. A botch on the roll indicates the mortal either develops an unhealthy fascination with the sidhe in the case of a positive interaction, or an obsessive hatred in response to a negative one.
Revelry[]
Autumn sidhe find inspiration among those thoughtful leaders and creators who search for new solutions and think outside the box. They breathe in the energy and power of creative problem solving and drink in the Glamour of someone reveling in their true potential unleashed.
Unleashing[]
Autumn sidhe unleash their cantrips in passionate waves of Glamour, tied deeply to their personalities and the mortal world around them. Each Autumn’s Unleashings are as unique as a fingerprint, easily recognizable as their own. Seelie Autumns may let loose beautiful music, cleanse the dirt from around them, or cause rosy lights to dance. Those Unseelie Autumn, on the other hand, can cause rot to erupt along stone walls or cracks to appear in sidewalks, or call up blustering winds to batter those around them. Much like their Arcadian counterparts, Autumn sidhe unleash their cantrips in waves or bursts of light if they are Seelie, or else a terrible darkness if they are Unseelie, terrifying to behold.
References[]
- CTD. Changeling: The Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition, pp. 108-109.