The Shadow Court is a guide to Unseelie Changelings, and also details the Shadow Court and introduces the Thallain to Changeling: The Dreaming.
Summary[]
From the White Wolf catalog:
- The Secrets of Winter
- Tear aside the veil and learn the sinister secrets of the Shadow Court. Discover their dark rites and forbidden Arts. But beware - the Unseelie do not take kindly to those who pry into their affairs.
- The Shadow Court is a complete guide to the Unseelie for both players and Storytellers. This book offers a wealth of information - from playing Unseelie characters to running Unseelie chronicles. It offers everything from new Arts, kith and noble houses to secret societies, Unseelie festivals and customs.
- The Shadow Court features
Contents[]
Introduction: An End to Innocence[]
An overview of the book, including a brief discussion of the theme, mood and purpose of the Unseelie and Shadow Courts.
Rebirth[]
Fiction. Darkain, a sidhe noble, returns to his brother Aubergin's court in the Catskill mountains at Samhain, having joined the Unseelie Court. Challenging his brother to Fior, the rite of trial by ordeal, he is commanded to take his brother's place for the night as the Changelings of House Eiluned celebrate their Unseelie sides for one evening - and to reveal the secrets of the Shadow Court.
Chapter One: Endless Winter[]
The origins and history of the Unseelie Court, and the possible future of the Endless Winter.
Chapter Two: The Way of Shadow[]
The nature of the Unseelie, from characters to the factions, traditions, noble Houses and secret societies of the darker Court.
- Romantic Legacies of the Shadow Court
- Analyst
- Heartbreaker
- Obsessive
- Tormentor
- Trader
Chapter Three: Wheel of the Year[]
Unseelie spirituality and the Unseelie calendar.
Chapter Four: Shadow Courtiers and Other Unseelie[]
Detailed character creation, including write-ups on Unseelie fae of the Kithain, plus the kiths of the Thallain.
- New Background: Prestige
- Condemned
- Guardian
- Pretender
- Mastermind
- Instigator
Chapter Five: The Dark Arts[]
Rules for and descriptions of the Arts exclusive to the Unseelie, as well as new possibilities for Ravaging.
Chapter Six: Storytelling[]
Storyteller hints and tips for running an Unseelie chronicle.
Chapter Seven: Samhain[]
The history, rites, traditions and practices of Samhain explored in all its glory.
- Weapons of Dishonor
Chapter Eight: Notorious (and not so notorious) Kithain[]
A collection of Unseelie and Shadow Court characters.
- Templates
- The Littlest Beastie - Unseelie (Shadow Court) Thallain Beastie
- Goblin Arsonist - Unseelie (Shadow Court) Thallain Goblin
- Eshu Revolutionary - Unseelie (Shadow Court) Eshu
- Machiavellian Manipulator - Unseelie (Shadow Court) House Ailil Sidhe, Several (Motley/Society)
- Satyr Edge-Dancer - Unseelie (Shadow Court) Satyr
- Sluagh Childling Assassin - Unseelie (Shadow Court) Sluagh, Children's Crusade
Background Information[]
The Shadow Court is considered one of the rarer Changeling books and regularly fetches high prices on eBay. Because of its popularity and rarity, it was one of the first books released by White Wolf in ebook format, available for download from their web site as a scanned PDF. It has since been re-released on DriveThruRPG as a clearer, OCR PDF.
The back of the book contains an ad for Arcadia: King Ironheart's Madness, "The Madness begins December of 1996."
Memorable Quotes[]
"Here now, you've only got one woman in charge? And she wasn't elected? Bah! We'll soon sort that out, mate." - Boggart kith quote
Characters[]
- Darkain - Sidhe
- Aubergin - Sidhe, House Eiluned
- Otho - Troll Bodyguard to Aubergin
- Lucas the Wanderer- Unseelie Eshu, Aubergin's court
- Monica - Unknown Unseelie fae,
- Caitrin - Unknown fae, Shadow Court
- King Ailil
- Lugh of the Long Arm - House Balor Founder
- Balor of the Evil Eye - Fomorian
- Lady Leanhaun - House Leanhaun Founder
- Yrtalien - House Ailil Sidhe
- Etienne duBois - Redcap
- Tyria Winter - House Leanhaun Sidhe
- Duke Aeon
- Johnny Light - Winter Solstice bandmember, left the band
- Darren Gilmore - Winter Solstice bandmember, died
- Malcolm Frawley - Tyria's lover, Winter Solstice bandmember, died
- Edna Bayler - House Balor Sidhe
Terminology[]
House Ailil, Annwn, Arawn (Lord of the Dead}, Arts, Autumnal Equinox, House Balor, Beasties, Beltaine, Boggarts, Bogies, Bright Road (Ancient Trod), Carnival, Cliques: Graybeard Clique, Ravaging Clique, Pretender Clique, Obeisance Clique, Ritualist Clique, Jamming Clique, Chaos Clique; Endless Winter, The Escheat - Winter Version, Goblins, The Greening, Highsummer, Imbolc, kith, House Leanhuan, Lughnasa, Manifesto of Endless Winter, The Midnight Court, Midsummer, Midwinter, Morrigan (Corax believed to be descended from, by Lucas), Nursemaiding, Ogres, Pennons, Political Impulses: Purist, Repudiator, Anarchist, Ritualists, Modernist; Ravaging, Rhapsody, Realms, Samhain, Secret Societies: Knights of the Cold Watch, The Glowing Eye, Pilgrims of the Bright Road, Children's Crusade, Cat's Cradle; Shadow Court, Shadow Court Romantic Societies: Mockers, Masquers, Danseurs; Thallain, Unseelie Bunks, Unseelie Court, Vernal Equinox, Yule
References[]
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