Supernatural Flaws

Surreal Quality: (2 point Flaw)

Though the Mists still protect you from mortal detection, there is something about you that mortals find fascinating. At inappropriate times, they will stare at you and strike up conversations in the hopes of getting to know you better. Worse still, those mortals who are of less savory nature will choose you over other potential targets for their illicit acts.

Echoes: (2-5 point Flaw)

Your connection to the Dreaming is stronger than that of most Kithain. As a result of this powerful connection, you are more susceptible to the things that traditionally affect faeries, as told in ancient wives' tales. While Echoes is purchased as a Flaw, it often has some beneficial side-effects. The points received with this Flaw reflect the level of your connection to the Dreaming and even to Arcadia. You must have Storyteller approval in order to take this Flaw. The effects of this Flaw are cumulative. For example, a character with a five-point Flaw also suffers the setbacks of the two through four-point Flaws.

• Minor: Salt thrown over the shoulder for good luck offers a mortal protection from faerie powers. The same is true for throwing bread over a shoulder. Any mortal who does so cannot be affected by your cantrips in any way for the duration of the scene. You may physically hurt the person, but cantrips simply do not work, or worse they may well backfire. Additionally, any mortal knowing your full name can command three tasks from you, which you must accomplish before you can be freed of that mortal's influence. However, you need only follow the exact wording of the mortal's requests, not the desire behind them. (2 points)
• Moderate: You may not enter a home without invitation unless you perform some small favor for an occupant. However, the invitation to enter a home may come from anyone in it, not necessarily the owner. Cold iron in a residence will bar you from entering the place whether you are invited or not; religious symbols have the same effect. Religious symbols of any sort will prevent you from physically or magically affecting mortals. The sound of ringing church bells causes you pain, just as cold iron does (at this level there is only pain, but with a four-point Flaw, the changeling gains one point of Banality for every turn he is forced to endure the sound). (3 points)
• Serious: Four-leaf clovers in the possession of a mortal prevent you from using your Arts against that mortal for good or bad. However, four-leaf clovers picked by you are sure to bring good luck (you cannot botch, or perhaps you temporarily gain the favor of a powerful individual) for as long as the petals of the clover remain intact. The clover must be worn or carried in order for this luck to remain. Any mortal wearing his coat inside out is invisible to you. You may not cross running water, save by means of a bridge. Religious symbols are now repellent to you, forcing you away from those who wear them. The shadow of a cross falling upon your person causes one Health Level of chimerical damage for each turn the shadow is cast upon you. You may no longer enter holy ground without suffering chimerical injuries (one Health Level per turn), though this damage may he soaked. (4 points)
• Extreme: Wherever you dwell, mushrooms tend to bloom in faerie rings — even on your plush carpet. The Mists no longer hide your powers. Many people will remember you if you use your Glamour while around them. Chimerical creatures tend to become more real for you than for others, and their attacks cause real and permanent injury. By the reverse, your chimerical weapons can cause damage to anyone, even mortals. People will likely follow you if you request it, gaining dazed looks as they follow you even into dangerous situations. Your difficulties in casting cantrips might be reduced by a substantial amount (Storyteller's discretion), but those wearing cold iron or religious symbols are immune to any Arts you might use. You must make a Willpower roll (difficulty 7) in order to enter holy ground. Even if you succeed in your Willpower roll, actual physical damage (one Health Level per turn) occurs whenever you enter holy ground. (5 points)

Iron Allergy: (3-5 point Flaw)

Most of the Kithain only suffer pain and Banality when in contact with cold iron. You suffer from actual wounds. Cold iron reacts like superheated steel when it touches your skin. The very least you will endure is severe blistering. For each round in contact with iron, you suffer one Health Level of chimerical damage. When this is taken as a four-point Flaw, you take one Health Level of real damage for every three rounds in contact with cold iron. As a five-point Flaw, you suffer this damage if you stand within a foot of the iron.

Chimerical Magnet: (5 point Flaw)

For some reason, chimera notice you more often than usual. In some cases this is beneficial, hut more often than not it causes problems. Chimerical beasts on a rampage will tend to turn on you before attacking others. Nervosa find you irresistible, and sprites of all types surround you constantly, often making you the butt of their harmless but annoying pranks.

Throwback (1-5 point Flaw)

One or more of your past lives still affects you... badly. Fears come back to haunt you in your dreams, and you have flashbacks of the past lives' worst memories. Worse still, a past life personality could encroach on your own. For bad dreams or flashbacks, take a one- to two-point Flaw depending on the severity of the condition and how much it will affect your studies or performance in dangerous situations. For a "roommate in your head," take a three-point Flaw (whether you know the personality exists or not). For the package deal and a truly miserable existence, take a five-point Flaw, but expect the Storyteller to take every opportunity to use it against you. This Flaw can be "worked off' during the course of play, but only with difficulty.

Cursed: (l -5 point Flaw)

You have been cursed by someone or something with supernatural or magical powers. This curse is specific and detailed. It cannot be dispelled without extreme effort, and it can be life-threatening. Some examples follow:

• If you pass on a secret that was told to you, your betrayal will later harm you in some way. (1 point)
• You stutter uncontrollably when you try to describe what you have seen or heard. (2 points)
• Tools often break or malfunction when you attempt to use them. (3 points)
• You are doomed to make enemies of those to whom you become most attached (so whatever you do, don't get too close to the other characters). (4 points)
• Every one of your accomplishments or achievements will inevitably become tainted or fail in some way. (5 points)

Magical Prohibition or Imperative: (1-5 point Flaw)

There is something you must or must not do, and your life, your luck, your magic and perhaps your very soul depends on it. This imperative may he something that has always been upon you; a geas prophesied by Druids at your birth, a sacred oath or vow you swore, or a promise or bargain you made. Someone (with a capital S) witnessed you make the commitment and is going to hold you to it. If you disobey, the consequences will be dire, if not deadly.

Characters may have several magical prohibitions or imperatives, and these may come into conflict. In Celtic myth, Cuchulainn had the geasa to "Never refuse hospitality" and "Never eat dog meat." Three hags once offered him roast dog for dinner, and Cuchulainn died soon after eating. Consequently, most changelings keep their magical prohibitions and imperatives secret, lest they be used against them by enemies.

Storytellers should examine each prohibition or imperative and assign a point value to it, as well as a punishment for violating it. Easily avoided circumstances, such as "Never break bread with a red-haired man," are worth one point, while more common or difficult things, such as "Stop and pet every cat you see," are worth two points. Particularly drastic or dangerous circumstances, such as "Never back down from a fight," are worth three (or more) points. Consequences are worth points as well. Automatically botching the next major cantrip you do is worth one point, having bad luck for the rest of your life is worth two, losing all your friends and worldly possessions is worth three, dying is worth four, and being deserted by your faerie soul is worth five. Characters and Storytellers may come up with variants of these.

Traditionally, there is very little that may be done about geasa, which are simply facets of one's destiny, and curses are devilishly hard to lift (the Flaw must be bought off if they are). Characters who accidentally violate prohibitions or imperatives may attempt to atone for their crimes, righting whatever they did wrong. A witch who has vowed to never eat any red meat, and then suddenly finds beef in her soup, might be able to atone for the trespass by fasting and sending checks to PETA. However, if a changeling violates an oath willingly and with full knowledge — and survives — he becomes an oathbreaker, one of the foulest epithets among changelings. Oathbreakers are psychically marked. It is virtually impossible for them to find tutors or any sort of aid.

Characters who wish to begin as oathbreakers should take the Flaw Dark Fate or some curse, as well as Oathbreaker, worth four points.

The Bard's Tongue: (l point Flaw)

You speak the truth, uncannily so. Things you say tend to come true. This is not a facility for blessing or cursing, or an Effect that can be ruled by any conscious control. However, at least once per story, an uncomfortable truth regarding any current situation pops into your head and passes through your lips. To avoid speaking prophecy, you must expend a Willpower point and take a Health Level from the strain of resisting (especially if you bite a hole in your tongue).

Haunted: (3 point Flaw)

You are haunted by a ghost that only you (and mediums) can see and hear. It actively dislikes you and enjoys making your life miserable by insulting, berating and distracting you, especially when you need to keep your cool. It also has a number of minor powers it can use against you (once per story for each power): hiding small objects; bringing a "chill" over others, making them very ill at ease with you; causing a loud buzzing in your ear or the ears of others; moving a small object such as a knife or pen; breaking a fragile item such as a bottle or mirror; tripping you or making eerie noises, such as chains rattling. Yelling at the ghost can sometimes drive it away, but it will confuse those who are around you. The Storyteller will likely personify the ghost in order to make things all the more frustrating for you. (More ideas for this Flaw can be obtained from Wraith: The Oblivion.)

Cleared Mists: (3 point Flaw)

The Mists are the results of the Shattering on the human world. They cloak the powers and enchantments of the Kithain, hiding fae presence in their tendrils. Unfortunately, the Mists do not hide your magic or abilities. Should a mortal witness your actions, he will not forget the effects of your Arts or other fae abilities. As a result, you may reveal your nature to the mortal world, triggering dire consequences for the rest of the Kithain.

Chimerical Disability: (1-3 point Flaw)

Part of your fae seeming is damaged and no longer exists due to a past altercation. This disability is permanent. Examples of this Flaw would be a missing chimerical hand (two points). Your chimerical seeming is missing one eye; your view of chimera lacks depth perception (three points). One of your chimerical legs is missing; you can still walk, but it becomes extremely difficult to ride a chimerical creature (one point).

Changeling's Eyes: (l point Flaw)

Your eyes are a startling color, maybe emerald green, violet or yellow. This is a sign that you are a changeling, recognizable to those who know the ancient lore.

Winged: (2 point Flaw)

You have beautiful wings, be they feathered bird wings or batwings or colored butterfly wings. They are chimerical, but need to be free or they will subtract one die from Dexterity rolls. You may have to explain why you have cut slits in all of your coats. If you have taken this as a Flaw, you are not able to fly, but you do get an extra die if you are the recipient of the cantrip.

Slipped Seeming: (l -5 point Flaw)

Your fae seeming bleeds into your mortal seeming and makes you obvious to those mundanes who know what to look for. A one-point Flaw would mean a slight bluish cast to the skin of a troll. A five-point Flaw would mean a pair of horns for a satyr. It may be difficult to explain yourself to mortals: "Ah, I got my head caught in a mechanical rice-picker. Fortunately there was a skilled plastic surgeon nearby." This Flaw will not give you the benefits of certain portions of your seeming (goat leg's will not allow you to run at advanced speeds).

Dark Fate: (5 point Flaw)

You are doomed to experience a most horrible demise or, worse, suffer eternal agony. No matter what you do, someday you will he taken out of the picture. In the end, all your efforts, your struggles and your dreams will come to naught. Your fate is certain, and there is nothing you can do about it. Even more ghastly, you have partial knowledge of this, for you occasionally have visions of your fate — and they are most disturbing. The malaise these visions inspire can only be overcome through the use of Willpower, and the malaise will return after each vision. At some point in the chronicle you will face your fate, but when and how is completely up to the Storyteller. Though you can't do anything about your fate, you can still attempt to reach some goal before it occurs, or at least try to make sure that your friends are not destroyed as well. This is a difficult Flaw to roleplay; though it may seem as if it takes away all free will, we have found that, ironically, it grants freedom. Combining this Flaw with the Destiny Background is very appropriate — Elric and Vanyel are classic literary examples.