Changeling the Podcast

It's the most spoopiest tiiiime of the year...! As we enter Halloweek, it seems appropriate that we're delving into a stack of antagonists gruesome and strange for Changeling: the Lost's first edition, namely Night Horrors: Grim Fears. Heartless changelings (literally, in at least one case), peculiar hobgoblins, and stranger things abound. This was the first book in the line after their decision to extend it beyond the initial six books, so it had a lot of expectation to live up to. It's focused on its brief—seriously, it's just write-ups for possible foes, one after the other—but they're done with remarkable diligence and depth. We're talking about each one in turn this week, highlighting some favorites and talking about their utility in games, so get your shields up and dive in with us. The book is available for purchase at https://www.storytellersvault.com/en/product/58364?affiliate_id=3063731, and until the end of October, it's 40% off as part of the Month of Darkness sale. Consider browsing and picking up some of our community's homebrew titles while you're there, which are now conveniently laid out in this handy-dandy spreadsheet. Otherwise, feel free to reach out and metaphorically touch us via the following: https://discord.me/ctppodcast@changelingthepodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPodhttps://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Pooka G (any pronoun/they) knows there's nothing to fear except fear itself. And also that guy who locks eyes with you while licking a dagger. Amelia Fetch (she/her) painted the living room grim, but did the ceiling cheery to bring it in a bit, and confusing on an accent wall for variety. We have met the enemy and he is us. —Walt Kelly, Pogo

We're about a month late to the balance-of-day-and-night party, but it's still very much a season of shifting light, so it's appropriate that we're wandering down the Equinox Road this week. As the last book planned for the original run of Changeling: the Lost 1e, there was a lot riding on this conclusion to the line that dealt with endgames and the final portentous trek into Faerie... except the developers then decided to keep going because the game was so popular, and the road wound on. So! We've done our best to do justice to its twists and turns, in the hopes that Storytellers might find it useful at any step in their chronicle's journey. Hang out a while, flip some pages with us, et cetera. The book is available at https://www.storytellersvault.com/en/product/57384?affiliate_id=3063731, and currently 40% off for the Month of Darkness sale on the Storytellers' Vault. The devastating opening story that we mention in this episode can be read by clicking on the Preview for the title. We also encourage you to check out other titles, especially Changeling homebrew by members of our community (of which there is ample). Otherwise, find us at: https://discord.me/ctppodcast@changelingthepodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPodhttps://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Pooka G (any pronoun/they) wonders if anyone has used "Equinox" as a name for a brand of horse tranquilizer. Amelia Fetch (she/her) played a move in the Game of Immortals with this recording, but it'll be a while before the consequences are apparent... End, begin, all the same. Big change. Sometimes good, hmph, sometimes bad. —Aughra in The Dark Crystal

At long last...! So, one thing after another happened in our lives this summer, and the hiatus lasted longer than we anticipated or intended. But! We are back for another handful of episodes to round out the Season, kicking off today with a readthrough of Lords of Summer. This volume for Changeling: the Lost's first edition explored the concept of freeholds and provided a wealth of information for the four main Courts, giving us a much-needed look at the politics and society of the fae. We also get some fascinating new Entitlements for the Lost who needs some added purpose in their life. As with the other books in the game's first wave, this one is dense with material, and a lot of our discussion has been cut or condensed to fit into the episode. But equally, we hope as always that it's informative and sheds some light on the lore of the 'lings. You can snag a copy of the volume at https://www.storytellersvault.com/en/product/56375?affiliate_id=3063731, and note that it's currently 40% off for the Month of Darkness sale on the Storytellers' Vault. (Maybe fill out your collection with some other discounted books while you're at it, especially the homebrew Changeling stuff created by the community...!) Apart from that, if you'd like to reach out and bother us politely, feel free to do so via the following: https://discord.me/ctppodcast@changelingthepodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPodhttps://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Pooka G (any pronoun/they) qualified for an Autumn Court Scrivener position thanks to some fiercely effective bullet journaling. Amelia Fetch (she/her) would rather the Winter Court specialized in the Contracts of the Blanket-Wrapped Hot Chocolate Book Club. Never speak disrespectfully of Society, Algernon. Only people who can't get into it do that. —Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

Shh, we're not really back yet... it's still the lazy days of summer, and much needed rest and recuperation is taking place. But the slow grind of content waits for no fae, and so we are dipping our toes back into the airwaves with an episode here and episode there for the next handful of weeks. To that end, today we present On the Umber Road, a homebrew book from Thomas Milare that dropped on our heads pretty unexpectedly. The book gives a thorough treatment of the Barony of Nutfield in New Hampshire, detailing places both real and chimerical, a cast of eclectic characters, and some goings-on beneath the surface that suggest the charming town of Derry is more than meets the eye... We chatted with the author to find out more about the book and see what it can bring to the fans. Make yourself a nice cup of tea and settle in as we explore this first volume of The Nutfield Codex—we're keen to see what comes next. (This episode also overcame technical difficulties to manifest, so hopefully no wonky sound artifacts made it through post-production. Apologies in advance if they did.) You can pick up the book itself at https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/526970?affiliate_id=3063731, and Tom has created an Instagram account for visual inspirations around Derry at https://www.instagram.com/the_nutfield_codex/. For all your other socialization needs, we humbly suggest our own winding road of links: https://discord.me/ctppodcast@changelingthepodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPodhttps://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Josh Hillerup (any pronoun) holds with those who favor fire. Pooka G (any pronoun/they) has promises to keep, but miles to go before they sleep, so leave a message after the beep.

As we drift into midsummer night dreams, it remains only to give an accounting of the State of the Podcast before we take a semi-hiatus for the next several weeks. There are a couple episodes planned, but otherwise we'll see you on the airwaves again in mid-August or thereabouts. In the meantime, we've got some data about listenership in the last six months, an update on the Changeling 30th Anniversary Project, some discussion of upcoming episodes, and the nervosa in the room: the rumors around Changeling 5th Edition. Is that enough to keep things tidy until our return? We hope so...! Stay cool in the summer heat (or warm if you are in the winter half of the planet), and in the idle times, feel free to reach out to us at one of our usual haunts: https://discord.me/ctppodcast@changelingthepodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPodhttps://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Josh Hillerup (any pronoun) finds the word "swelter" to be most unseemly in mixed company. Pooka G (any pronoun/they) doesn't sweat, but instead slowly evaporates into pitiful and rainbow-hued wisps of steam. ...and at last one morning the diffident and delaying dog-rose stepped delicately on the stage, and one knew, as if string music has announced it in stately chords that strayed into a gavotte, that June at last was here. —Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows

Summer is arriving with a vengeance in the northern part of the globe, so it's a bit odd to be going back a season... and yet, we regret it not, as we open up the pages of Rites of Spring. This supplement for Changeling: the Lost 1e is a compendium of magics and Glamour, folklore and rumor, all of it steeped in the eponymous Court's energy of desire. In a sense, that emotion underlies the principle of magic to begin with: the desire to reshape the world as one wishes. But fae being fae, such workings are as treacherous as they are beautiful. We're looking at new Contracts, mystically-flavored Merits and Flaws, a thorough treatment of dream interpretation, and more scandalous ways to manipulate the Hedge than you can shake a stick at (if that's your idea of a good time). Like all the other books for the line we've examined so far, this one is dense with ideas, so bear with us as we navigate its primrose paths. And mind how the way seems to shift as you walk it, leading where you did not expect... ...but where you might indeed expect to be led is, first to the page for your own purchase of the book, namely, https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/54401?affiliate_id=3063731, and thereafter to our usual cross-platform Hollow: https://discord.me/ctppodcast@changelingthepodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPodhttps://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Pooka G (any pronoun/they) regains one point of any given day's lost Clarity with each shot of espresso consumed the next morning. Amelia Fetch (she/her) tried to write a poem where everything rhymed around "hobgoblin", but every single attempt was NSFW. Nitimur in vetitum semper, cupimusque negata. [We are always striving for things forbidden, and coveting those denied us.] —Ovid, Amorum, III.iv.17

Cantrips and oaths and Unleashings (oh my!) are all perfectly respectable kinds of magic, but what others might the fae be heir to? We're tackling that question with another entry in the Changeling 30th Anniversary Project lineup, as the anniversary itself approaches... The book-in-progress of our discussion today is Book of Gremayre, a compendium of systems and setting options that build upon what's in the C20 system. Inspired by the never-finished Book of Glamour for 2nd Edition, we've let our imaginations run riot with possibility when it comes to doing more with Glamour. Rarely-explored topics like infernalism and cantrip dueling make appearances; bespoke kith sorceries and new powers abound. We aim to have the final product ready this summer, but in the meantime, perhaps this chat will whet your appetite for what's to come. We will be collecting suggestions on the Discord linked below for the next few weeks. In particular, we're gathering questions and contradictions that we can help resolve in the book's Q&A, and suggestions for creative applications of Arts. Do come hang out in our digital freehold or leave a message through one of our other portals: https://discord.me/ctppodcast@changelingthepodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPodhttps://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Josh Hillerup (any pronoun) believes that Glamour should be like pizza: variegated, shareable, and just as good cold the next morning. Pooka G (any pronoun/they) hangs out at the Crystal Circle's monthly meetings, but only for the (boggan catered) refreshments. Amelia Fetch (she/her) formally requests an explanation for why redcap rituals are "unacceptable behavior in this establishment." Wisdom never comes to those who believe they have nothing left to learn. — Charles de Lint, "The Forest is Crying"

The emotion espoused by the Winter Court of the Lost is sorrow, but it's hard to feel too down about the sheer volume of material provided in their nominally associated book, Winter Masques. (Maybe we can shed a tear for the wild inconsistency in font sizes between sections?) While Autumn Nightmares was more of a Storyteller-facing guide, this one introduces a wealth of options that players can take advantage of as well: new kiths, new Contracts, alternate Court systems, and so forth. There are some deep dives into the nature of each Seeming and descriptions of new corners of Arcadia (and new Hedge-paths to reach them). The book insists upon diversity as a theme, and while its take might look a bit quaint nearly twenty years later, it still points to the vast potential scope of the game. So put on your thickest mittens and turn some pages with us as we delve into what's inside... You might wish to pick up your own copy of the book, in PDF form or otherwise, at https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/51347?affiliate_id=3063731. And regardless, you can attend our own masquerade at: https://discord.me/ctppodcast@changelingthepodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPodhttps://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Pooka G (any pronoun/they) isn't kithless, but plays one on TV. Amelia Fetch (she/her) insists that any Winter Masque needs a capable chatelaine to handle the goblin hors d'oeuvres. How beautiful, if sorrow had not made Sorrow more beautiful than Beauty's self. —John Keats, Hyperion, I.35–36

The nature of evil is a wiggly thing in all the World of Darkness games, but especially in Changeling. Who's to say whether a rabid beastie or a diabolical Eiluned is more dastardly than the other? Surely it's a matter of perspective. Still, among the various groups in the game, the Thallain and the Dauntain in particular are treated as Bad News, suitable as antagonists due to their extreme disalignment with the goals and values of Kithain and Gallain. Naturally, that hasn't stopped players from wanting to play them. We're talking today about whether that's a good idea—or perhaps, how to make that less of an evil idea. Can they mix with others in a motley? What sorts of stories can you tell with a thoroughly corrupt or broken changeling? The main takeaway is that you shouldn't just jump into playing a character from one of these groups without some extensive considerations. We've done our best to lay those out so that if you do indeed stroll down that primrose path, you'll be prepared to do these fiendish fae justice. We're primarily discussing from a C20 perspective, but if you're unfamiliar with the older editions' takes that we reference here, it might behoove you to go WAY back in time and listen to our episodes on the books Autumn People (https://changelingthepodcast.com/podcast/episode-9-autumn-people/) and The Shadow Court (https://changelingthepodcast.com/podcast/episode-19-the-shadow-court/). For all your other communicative needs—the ones that have to do with our show, anyway—consider one of these links instead: https://discord.me/ctppodcast@changelingthepodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPodhttps://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Josh Hillerup (any pronoun) runs a tasting event every second Wednesday of the month, pairing Nightmare Legacies with fancy cheeses. Pooka G (any pronoun/they) suffers under the Brand of the Scribbler, unable to write just one word when ten will do. Und wenn du lange in einen Abgrund blickst, blickt der Abgrund auch in dich hinein. [And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you.] —Friedrich Nietzsche, Also Sprach Zarathustra

So, we had thought, surely the supplements for Changeling: the Lost's first edition can't be as dense as the corebook. Surely there will be some let-up in the sheer volume of material crammed into the pages. And yet, here we are with the first book in the line, Autumn Nightmares, applying nostrums to our eyes and brains after the sea of tiny text and dizzying array of concepts and creatures contained therein. Have we regrets? Always, but not about this one. The book is focused on antagonists for the Lost: their fellow changelings, their former Keepers, their fetches and so forth. Underneath it all is the idea that the Autumn Court's pet emotion of fear is a defining part of the Lost experience... so if we forged ahead through these pages without stopping, is that bravery? Better philosophers than us will have to answer. In the meantime, as we recover our wits, here are two hours of our findings! The book is available for purchase at https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/50679?affiliate_id=3063731 if you're so inclined. And another inclination you may have is to get in touch with us! If so, a smattering of options include: https://discord.me/ctppodcast@changelingthepodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPodhttps://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Pooka G (any pronoun/they) keeps a small farm of Hedge-squirrels who are superb dream-thieves, but have worryingly started to unionize. Amelia Fetch (she/her) is still paying the price for giving Lady Bolevile only three stars on Yelp. Let us not speak of it further. Fear cannot be without hope nor hope without fear. —Baruch Spinoza

If you've been listening to our show for a while (or hanging out on our Discord!), chances are you've heard Josh mention Dr. Jenna Moran's game Nobilis. In some ways adjacent to the World of Darkness and Exalted, in some ways adjacent to its own distinctively hallucinogenic blossom-laden spatial warp of hyperconsciousness, it seemed like a good choice for our first discussion of games outside of our usual bailiwick. And indeed, there is lots of inspiring cross-pollination to explore! We're giving an overview of the game's third edition corebook in this episode—mostly Josh explaining and trying to alleviate Pooka's confusion—and some thoughts on parallels for Changeling players. Perhaps other entries in this series of episodes will follow, where we examine other games outside the WoD? It's always best to start with the trippiest and see how things go from there. As discussed in this episode, Nobilis has had kind of a torturous publication history, but a version of the third and most recent edition—the one we talk about here—is available at https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/89003/nobilis-the-essentials-volume-1?affiliate_id=3063731 (and hey, it appears to be on sale at present!). Some other links that might be of use are the usual passel of socials we espouse: https://discord.me/ctppodcast@changelingthepodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPodhttps://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Josh Hillerup (any pronoun) committed a level 9 Domain miracle and only got this lousy T-shirt. Pooka G (any pronoun/they) would be the Mimulus God rather than the Hollyhock God, but the dental benefits are terrible. There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion. —Francis Bacon, "Of Beauty"

At long last, with this third installment, we are at last finished our readthrough of the Changeling: the Lost 1st edition corebook. Here's hoping that when we get to 2nd edition, we can just breeze through and say "nyaaahhh, it's mostly the same but here are things that have changed." (Doubtful.) This week, we're talking about Entitlements, the sample freehold setting of Miami, our thoughts overall on the book, and listener questions that we've been saving til the end. But of course, this is only the first step in our considerations of 1e Lost, for there's a handful of supplements that we will work through in the coming months, and after that, who can say? Until then, we hope this deep dive was informative, and whether you're learning about CtL for the first time or thinking "thanks the fates they finally got more into the other Changeling," may it have whetted your appetite for more. One last time, you can pick up the PDF of the 1e corebook if you're so inclined, at https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/50010?affiliate_id=3063731. And more socially, points of ingress to our own digital freehold include: https://discord.me/ctppodcast@changelingthepodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPodhttps://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Pooka G (any pronoun/they) can't believe that Appendix II passed up the chance for a manatee Beast motley politely guarding the coast. Amelia Fetch (she/her) secretly thinks the book's covers should've had actual thorns, to dissuade all but the most dedicated players. The trick is to combine your waking rational abilities with the infinite possibilities of your dreams. Because, if you can do that, you can do anything. —Guy Forsyth in Waking Life

Another week, another as-rapid-as-we-dare readthrough of the Changeling: the Lost 1st edition corebook. This time, we're having a look at Chapters Three and Four. "But Pooka and Fetch," you might say, "this was supposed to be a two-part series, not a trilogy. How could you spend just under two hours talking about two measly chapters?" Well, when those two chapters clock in at ~120 pages with small text, little art, and extensive detail on both the intricate bespoke systems of the game and how to run the damn thing... as you'll discover, we had plenty to talk about. Still, we hope that the brisk clip of our discussion and the occasional wisecrack will help keep you engaged. (And seriously, there's only one more episode left for this book before we put it down, if not for good, at least for a breather.) As indicated previously, the 1e corebook is available for purchase at https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/50010?affiliate_id=3063731. Our usual passel of links below as well: https://discord.me/ctppodcast@changelingthepodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPodhttps://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Pooka G (any pronoun/they) spun the Hedge like a roulette wheel, and just look what happened... Amelia Fetch (she/her) sells jewelry made of seashells and mysteries at the goblin market for the low low price of only three soul fragments! This was the way he had to go; he had no choice. He had never had any choice. He was only a dreamer. —Ursula K. LeGuin, The Lathe of Heaven

As the light half of the year breaks over the horizon, it's time at last for us to take the deepest of breaths and open the tome that is the Changeling: the Lost 1st edition corebook. The density of the text and the number of pages meant that this was always going to be a multi-part endeavor, but we did our best to keep the wild tangents we could have gone down to a minimum. In this installment, we're covering the introductory material and the first two chapters... which is a solid 170 pages of material with very tiny font, so we really still had to pack it in. We're commenting on elements as they relate to Changeling: the Dreaming throughout, so for any veterans who haven't tried one of the games but are curious to know about what they could bring into the other, we hope it will be of use! And as a historical curiosity—for now the second edition has obviated many of our comments here—perhaps it will show the roots of the setting to newer Lost players. About this trilogy of episodes, we've got hopes and perhaps left and right. And what, besides abductions and transformations and oneiromancies, could be more fae than that? If this preliminary dive inspires you to purchase a copy of the book, you can do so at https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/50010?affiliate_id=3063731. And if you are otherwise inspired to get in touch with us, that is also possible, through the links below: https://discord.me/ctppodcast@changelingthepodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPodhttps://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Pooka G (any pronoun/they) greatly prefers hanging out with Alec Bourbon's lighthearted and garrulous cousin, Bill Tequila Sunrise. Amelia Fetch (she/her) has three dots in Back to School Mantle and Court Goodwill with Christmas in July. I saw pale kings and princes too, Pale warriors, death-pale were they all; They cried—'La Belle Dame sans Merci Hath thee in thrall!' —John Keats, "La Belle Dame sans Merci"

We're visiting other shelves on the bookcase again, this time to dig into World of Darkness: Hong Kong. As with the Tokyo citybook, this was a Year of the Lotus supplement that was ostensibly for all the oWoD gamelines, but in truth was more vampire-centric than anything. Still—the tilts at the other games are present, and to help us sort through the Prodigals, we were joined by Terry Robinson from Mage: the Podcast (recorded before his passing) and Josh Heath from Werewolf: the Podcast (with whom Pooka recorded a follow-up segment more recently). From a Changeling perspective, the book notably contains example of hsien that are not quite built like Kithain, but are still a far cry from those in Land of Eight Million Dreams, which would not come out for several more months. The book overall is a richly described take on the city, and while its approach and accuracy are... debatable, some of it surprisingly prescient for what would follow in the next 25 years. If you'd like to go beyond taking our word for it, you can pick up a copy of the title at https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/344?affiliate_id=3063731. And as with the Tokyo episode, some links for the ad hoc World of Darkness Podcast Network: Werewolf: the Podcasthttps://keepontheheathlands.podbean.com/OpCasthttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/opcastMage: the Podcasthttps://magethepodcast.com/https://changelingthepodcast.com/podcast/episode-8-werewolf-changeling-with-josh-heath/https://changelingthepodcast.com/podcast/episode-14-mage-changeling-with-terry-robinson/ And for our usual passel of links: https://discord.me/ctppodcast@changelingthepodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPodhttps://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Josh Hillerup (any pronoun) warns you not to meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with hoisin sauce. Pooka G (any pronoun/they) has few weaknesses, but a maximalist signage aesthetic such as found in Kowloon is one of them. We all need stories. What happens in our daily lives changes our stories. —Wong Kar-Wai

It's rare that the fae and the dead have much to do with each other, which is surprising given that within the latter category, the wraiths called Sandmen are oneiromancers extraordinaire. Manipulating the dreams of mortals from beyond the grave, they should be one of the more likely sorts of Prodigal a changeling may encounter. They are suggested as antagonists (in the C20 corebook, if not elsewhere), but what do these dramatic ghosts get up to on their own time? We're opening up their splatbook, Guildbook: Sandmen, to answer this question and learn more about being a theatre person for all eternity, for better or worse. Perhaps you'll be inspired to introduce them on the fringes of dreams in your own game for an unsettling bit of mystery... We previously talked about crossover between Changeling: the Dreaming and Wraith: the Oblivion waaaay back in Season One; check out that episode (#25) here: https://changelingthepodcast.com/podcast/episode-25-changeling-and-wraith-crossover/. And if you'd like to purchase the guildbook in question, you can follow the mist-shrouded path to https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/143?affiliate_id=3063731. Aside from all that, should you want to send missives in dreams to us, you have a range of options: https://discord.me/ctppodcast@changelingthepodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPodhttps://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Josh Hillerup (any pronoun) makes use of a relic shepherd's crook to ensure no vaudevillian Sandmen get too fast and loose with Phantasm. Pooka G (any pronoun/they) worked in a haunted theatre during university, but the ghost mostly just hid among remaindered prop furniture. To die, to sleep; — To sleep, perchance to dream: — ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause. —William Shakespeare, Hamlet, III.i.64–68

When talking about these games that we love, sometimes we may give the impression that we know more about the history behind the scenes than we let on. It's when we have the opportunity to interview an actually knowledgeable person that the extent of how much we don't know becomes obvious. So it goes today, as we talk with Pete Woodworth about the creation and development of Changeling: the Lost back in its earliest days. As one of the stewards of Changeling: the Dreaming who helped carry over some of the ideas in the new World of Darkness, Pete had anecdotes to share and perspectives to illuminate about how one game informed the other. (And secrets, too, that fall somewhere between curious and earthshaking, but we'll let you decide towards which end of that spectrum these tidbits fall closest.) We hope you'll find these stories as intriguing as we did for this rich and complicated game. Pete's website, Positively Woodworthian, can be found at https://peterwoodworth.com/, from which you can check out his various works around the TTRPG sphere. As for various links on our end, you might try any of the following: https://discord.me/ctppodcast@changelingthepodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPodhttps://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Pooka G (any pronoun/they) feels the lack of mixed goblin fruit salad mechanics was a significant oversight by the writing team. Amelia Fetch (she/her) wants to know who is responsible for Vainglory and what in the world they were thinking. If change is inevitable, predictable, beneficial, doesn't logic demand that you be a part of it? —Captain Kirk in Star Trek, "Mirror, Mirror"

For a solid year now, we've been going on about the Changeling 30th Anniversary project, a celebration of three decades of this game we all know and love and dedicate too much headspace to, probably. We've also mentioned that one of the things we're trying to do for this Season is a series of books produced by the podcast for release on the Storytellers' Vault. Well—the day has finally come. This week, we're talking with guest Andrew Goodman in his capacity as co-author on the first two volumes, The Changeling Cookbook and Kithbook: Swan Maidens. We recorded this back in early February, back when we foolishly thought that both books would be out in a matter of days. Here we are, nearly two months later, eating humble pie—for which there is not actually a recipe in the Cookbook, unfortunately. But may these nevertheless be a catalyst to get the other ones done in timely fashion; we'll be releasing episodes in tandem with the other books as they come out. If you'd like to pick up the Changeling Cookbook, it's available now at: https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/517123?affiliate_id=3063731. Kithbook: Swan Maidens is coming soon, and this page will be updated to reflect its release. And if you have comments on either book, or on this project as a whole, or you just want to chat about whatever fae-flavored business, herewith our usual passel of links: https://discord.me/ctppodcast@changelingthepodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPodhttps://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Josh Hillerup (any pronoun) prefers diffident pie, which is like humble pie, but with more boysenberries and whipped cream on top. Pooka G (any pronoun/they) advocates instead for a slice of arrogant cake, many-tiered and covered in garish pink fondant. A cookbook is only as good as its worst recipe. — Julia Child

Apologies for skipping an episode release last week—there's a point at which even a pooka must throw in the towel for a day or two to recover from the wheel of reading, preparing, recording, editing. Now that things are a bit settled, we're back on track as we delve into the Changeling-adjacent library again today to talk about Sorcerer[s]! The hedge magicians of the World of Darkness haven't made many inroads into the game line, but today we're talking about a few groups that might be relevant, a few fae-impacting powers they possess, and a few tips for including them in your chronicle. (How many fews does it take to make a several? or a many?) Scattered across a number of books all somewhat titled "Sorcerer", these unexpectedly powerful mortals provide potential antagonists and allies for any motley. The three books in question, should you wish to snag them for your own: World of Darkness: Sorcererhttps://www.storytellersvault.com/product/339?affiliate_id=3063731Sorcererhttps://www.storytellersvault.com/product/263?affiliate_id=3063731Sorcererhttps://www.storytellersvault.com/product/401413?affiliate_id=3063731 And you too can start your journey on the sorcerous Path of Podcasting by getting in touch at: https://discord.me/ctppodcast@changelingthepodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPodhttps://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Josh Hillerup (any pronoun) advocates for more dank eldritch grimoires on audiobook and in readable EPUB format. Pooka G (any pronoun/they) sold their soul to learn the Path of Rock and Roll. 🎸 Magic is not science, it is a collection of ways to do things — ways that work but often we don't know why. — Robert Heinlein, Glory Road

The gravity of Changeling: the Lost's first edition corebook is slowly pulling us in... but before we get there, let's make a few stops along the way. Two whole months before the game was officially released at GenCon 2007, there were a number of introductory and ancillary materials that helped drive up interest. This includes the Demo rules summary and quickstart adventure, "Dwelling in Darkness", featured in previews on the White Wolf website, as well as the usual swag: Storyteller's screen, character sheet pad, fancy dice. While we're focusing mostly on the first one today, the others helped to set the aesthetic of the game that was about to launch, If you're looking to dip your toes into 1e, then the quickstart may be just the thing for you, before the headlong plunge. Listen along as we try our best to give comprehensive and spoiler-free summaries of what is found therein! Naturally, things are available on the Storytellers' Vault, namely https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/28293?affiliate_id=3063731 for the Demo, https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/50484?affiliate_id=3063731 for the Character Sheet Pad (but why, in this day and age), and https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/126290?affiliate_id=3063731 for the Screen, although if you print it out, you'll want to stick it to something sturdy. Dice are unfortunately not yet available for print on demand. And as for our own links...! https://discord.me/ctppodcast@changelingthepodcast.comhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPodhttps://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Pooka G (any pronoun/they) was forced to check for Clarity after snorting a handful of Pixy Stix. Amelia Fetch (she/her) suspects that most of the Miami freehold's political intrigues could be solved with a well-placed pack of Hedge-gators. Percy: Oh, Edmund, can it be true? That I hold here, in my mortal hand, a nugget of purest green? Blackadder: Indeed you do, Percy. Except it's not really a nugget, but more of a splat. Percy: Well, yes, a splat today, but tomorrow, who knows, or dares to dream! —Blackadder II, "Money"