Snowskin

Snowskin is one of the sub-types of the Elemental seeming. These changeling are the children of the cold, who can be as powerful as the Arctic ice or as delicate as a snowflake. Theirs is the blessing of The Voice of Ice.

First Edition

There are many stories of virtuous people being turned out into the Winter cold, where they meet with embodiments of Winter itself. Sometimes they are spared for their kindness and virtue; sometime they are frozen by the icy Faerie’s whim. The Snowskins are those who suffered both fates to some degree. Arcadia is not lacking in lands of perpetual Winter.

Tied as Snowskins are to an element more regional and seasonal than the others, Snowskins are more likely to be found in colder climes, or at least in heavily air-conditioned domiciles. Snowskins have no particular vulnerability to heat, but it’s a palpable absence of the element in their veins. Cold brings these changelings comfort, just as an Earthbones likes the feel of dirt between his toes. Similarly, Snowskins aren’t all as emotionally cold as they might seem. They’re very good at projecting an icy reserve, and they do have that certain Elemental distance, but they’re also still partly the human beings they were before their abduction. Though they may prosper in the Winter Court, the Snowskins aren’t drawn to it in quite the majority one might expect. For many, it’s all the more important that they find emotions other than sorrow and loss to feed on, to prove that their hearts at least aren’t frozen.

Snowskins are quickly recognizable for their pale skin and hair, usually a deep glacial blue or the pure white of driven snow. Some, particularly those with high Wyrd, may have actual icicles for hair or fingernails of glacially hardened ice. They emit a soft aura of cold, and even those who are deceived by the Mask will note that a Snowskin always seems unusually cold-skinned. Female Snowskins can rival the Fairest in beauty, though some say the more lovely the Snowskin, the colder her heart.

Durance

A Snowskin had to bear cold that should by rights have killed her. Sometimes their transmutation occurred after their escape, and took place as they struggled through Faerie snowdrifts until they found their way to the Hedge. More frequently, Snowskins were altered so that they could serve in palaces made of ice. These alterations had little to do with the changelings’ comfort, of course — more often, it was to keep them from melting the delicate ice ornamentation with their horribly warm mortal breath.

Folklore

Naturally, spirits of ice and snow are traditionally associated with frozen emotions or a lack of mercy. They can have a trickster aspect, however, like Jack Frost.

The Japanese yuki-onna sometimes shows a softer side as well, taking pity on certain victims for various reasons. The Russian Father Frost is also merciful to a girl who bears his cold politely, though he freezes her rude sister to death. Vanity is also a common trait of snow goblins and faeries. Mirrors, or even halls of mirrors, reflect the nature of ice and the vanity of one cold enough to love only oneself. This pride may come from beauty or even strength.

Frailties

Cannot enter a home through a window, repelled by crying babies, attracted to mirrors, cannot wear red, may not harm those who praise their kindness, may not drink alcohol.

Second Edition

Formed of stable and self-sufficient mortals, Snowskins were taken to and frequently abandoned in realms of Faerie that were bitterly cold, to the point that survival necessitated they follow suit. Both physically and in temperament, changelings of this kith become chilly. Escape relied, much as the Winter Court does, on an emotional shutdown — after all, the Gentry tend to be attracted to bright, vibrant souls.

Kith Blessing

Passive Blessing: These changelings excel in the use of Subterfuge to hide emotion.

Heart of Ice: Snowskins may spend Glamour to lend a supernatural edge to their derision, striking their target with a penalty to Social actions by shutting them down in front of an audience.

References

• CTL: Changeling: The Lost Rulebook, p. 110
• CTL: Winter Masques, p. 76-77
• CTL: Changeling: The Lost Second Edition, p. 58-59