Changeling the Podcast

And thus we come once again to a moment of pause in our madcap readings, as winter's chill settles over the land (in this bit of the world, anyway). We may have an episode or three up our sleeves in the coming weeks, but assume that things will be fairly quiet until about mid-February—so we hope this report on the state of the podcast will tide you over until then. The usual episode data, some reflections on accomplishments from 2025, and fervent plans for Season Five(!) make up the core of our discussion, but as with all things of the Dreaming, you never quite know where the discussion will lead you... In the meantime, if you want to keep in touch with us, the doors of the digital freehold are always open: 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) will be building an army of snow people to defend the Kingdom from syrup-smuggling ne'er-do-wells. Pooka G (any pronoun/they) plans to brew some eggnog from whichever oviparous chimera are available. Sphinx nog? Fenghuang nog? Amelia Fetch (she/her) has the aurora borealis localized entirely to her kitchen (but no, you may not see it). There’s a certain Slant of light, Winter Afternoons – That oppresses, like the Heft Of Cathedral Tunes – —Emily Dickinson

Ahoy ahoy! We've moved forward to step back (in time) as we reach, at long last, the final supplement for Changeling: the Lost's first edition, Victorian Lost. This short-ish volume nevertheless packs in the information as the one historical book for the line, although we will get some shorter bits in the Dark Eras sequence coming up soon. Victorian Lost is also one of the earliest books in the Onyx Path canon, as the success of Vampire's 20th Anniversary Edition showed there was still enough of an appetite for World of Darkness material to keep the books coming. It seems fitting to wrap up one era and begin another, transitioning between editions, as we come to the end of the year and Season Four. This will be the last full-length episode before Interregnum, so we hope it is much to your anarchic and anachronistic tastes. Naturally, the book is available for purchase through the usual channel at https://www.storytellersvault.com/en/product/102468?affiliate_id=3063731. And supernaturally, we are available for discourse through all the others: 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) speaks the language of flowers and has a marked propensity for singlestick, as any foppish dandy should. Amelia Fetch (she/her) is down by the wharf with goblin fruit for sale! Goblin fruit for sale! Two for a ha'penny, ten for a groat! History is merely gossip. But scandal is gossip made tedious by morality. —Oscar Wilde

Changelings aren't the only ones who step outside the fleshly realm from time to time. Human magi have also been known to wander the farther spaces, and it's not unreasonable that a fae might encounter one of these upstart travelers. Mage: the Ascension's 2nd edition supplement Book of Worlds provides an in-depth treatment of how these willworkers perceive and navigate the Otherworlds. The text mainly deals with the Umbrae, but also contains the first detailed description of the Dreaming—or "Maya", to use their term. (It was early 1996, so very little had even been written for Changeling: the Dreaming at that point.) In this episode, Josh and Pooka pull some highlights from the book that are most relevant to CtD players, from the dreamscapes of Hollywood to mysterious spirit-muses, a smattering of those corners of the Dreaming mages have thus far explored, a space that is indeed vast... but what percentage of infinity is that? If you'd like to flip through the Otherworldly gazetteer yourself, check out https://www.storytellersvault.com/en/product/62217?affiliate_id=3063731 for options. Other links you might wish to click include our socials, such as: 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) is only two planets away from a free gift on the Magrathea punch-card! Pooka G (any pronoun/they) grudgingly accepts Leibniz's principle that this is the best of possible worlds, but only because baklava exists. As for me, I am tormented with an everlasting itch for things remote. I love to sail forbidden seas, and land on barbarous coasts. —Herman Melville, Moby-Dick

Once in a while, you actually want to play the game you're into. But if you can't think of a good complex plot for your players or don't have the time, what to do? Why, the pre-packaged story, of course! The first edition of Changeling: the Lost had two of these released in the "Storyteller Adventure System" or SAS format: ENnie Award-winner "The Fear-Maker's Promise" and "The Rose-Bride's Plight". And here nearing the end of the run, The Fear-Maker's Promise Compilation collects them in print, along with a pre-generated "Personae" motley. Fetch took the extra step of running both modules for extra Storytelling insights, so tune in as we talk structures and characters while desperately maintaining our pledge of no spoilers. NOTE: these two modules, the first one in particular, both feature some heavy themes. We don't go into deep detail about those topics in each during our discussion, but we do list some content warnings for your information, especially if you're going to pick up this book. And speaking of picking up the book, you can do so here: https://www.storytellersvault.com/en/product/92561?affiliate_id=3063731. (For reasons unclear, it's listed as the Compendium on the Vault, despite the cover title...) The individual modules are also available at: https://www.storytellersvault.com/en/product/50110?affiliate_id=3063731https://www.storytellersvault.com/en/product/58429?affiliate_id=3063731https://www.storytellersvault.com/en/product/63120?affiliate_id=3063731 And as for us...! 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) is more of a cheer-baker than a fear-maker. Stuffing waffles for everyone! Amelia Fetch (she/her) knows there's no pledge so entangling that it can't be resolved by a dance-off. True, I talk of dreams; Which are the children of an idle brain, Begot of nothing but vain fantasy... —Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, I.iv.97–99

Whatever you need, chances are you can find it—along with a few things you absolutely don't—in the goblin markets of the Hedge and similarly liminal spaces. The market is a dumping ground for any and all story hooks, an opportunity to dole out all kinds of boons, and a space to explore the more ordinary side of fae socialization. While markets are regularly featured in Changeling: the Lost books, the eponymous book Goblin Markets goes into brisk yet exquisite detail about their mechanics and possibilities. It's a short one, clocking in at less than 50 pages, but the density of crunch gives us plenty to talk about the wonders and dangers lurking behind every tent flap. Get your fistful of trinkets for trade at the ready as we delve into the winding passages of changeling commerce. Who knows what deals you might find today? If you're in the mood to explore a more digital market for things fae, you can pick up this volume at https://www.storytellersvault.com/en/product/64285?affiliate_id=3063731. And while you wander the online Hedge, maybe you'll stumble through one of these gateways and therein find us: 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) prefers night markets where nobody can see how many goblin fruit you've quietly pilfered. Amelia Fetch (she/her) is ranked #17 in the Professional Hagglers' league due to judicious deployment of the table-flipping gambit. Commerce! beneath whose poison-breathing shade No solitary virtue dares to spring. —Percy Bysshe Shelley, Queen Mab, IV.45–46

Once more unto the breach, dear listeners, once more... Pooka is doing the PAX Unplugged thing this weekend, and spent their Friday accosting various TTRPG creators in the expo hall for short on the spot interviews. Herewith the fruits of those labors! As always for these convention minisodes, shouting through a mask over thousands of people in a cavernous space doesn't make for the best acoustics, but hopefully everything is still audible enough for you to get a sense of these games and their creators. If you also happen to be in attendance, do check out their booths (indicated below); if not, well, that's why the gods created the internet. The interviewees and their presences: Absurdist Productions https://www.absurdistproductions.com/TransformationSeven Murders til MidnightThe Bodhana Group https://www.thebodhanagroup.org/Branch RidersThe Storyteller Squadhttps://www.thestorytellersquad.com/ Bully Pulpit Gameshttps://bullypulpitgames.com/Zhenya's Wonder Taleshttps://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/bully-pulpit-games/zhenya-s-wonder-talesDurancePlus One Exphttps://plusoneexp.com/Gossamer Coasthttps://www.gossamercoast.com/Hinterlighthttps://www.kickstarter.com/projects/glasscutter/hinterlighthttps://www.instagram.com/robbiaburns/ And then our usuals: 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 host Pooka G (any pronoun/they) will carry on with the ritual of acquiring remaindered 90s TTRPG books until time reverses and THAC0 lives again. It is a happy talent to know how to play. —Ralph Waldo Emerson

The start of each day is the beginning of a new world, or so they say. As we open up the other half of our pair of liminal books, Swords at Dawn, we are reminded that this is a time of change and transition, new opportunities and new directions... in theory, at least. Whether or not the book itself bears out that theme is something we discuss at length in this week's episode. This is the "player-aspected" book of the dusk/dawn pairing for Changeling: the Lost's first edition, and the last of the full-on hardcovers to be produced for that line. Information about wars and duels, new talecrafting systems, a passel of tokens and treasures, and the optimistic Dawn Court round out this volume, each of which we consider in turn. Join us for the readthrough and see what light through yonder podcast breaks...! The book can be purchased at https://www.storytellersvault.com/en/product/63362?affiliate_id=3063731, to which we herewith add our usual smattering of links for chitchat and whatnot: 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) has perfected the art of hitting Snooze on the alarm and diving back in for the last dream's post-credits scene. Amelia Fetch (she/her) suspects that there is a secret conspiracy of early birds bent on cornering the worm market. Mole stood still a moment, held in thought. As one wakened suddenly from a beautiful dream, who struggles to recall it, and can re-capture nothing but a dim sense of the beauty of it, the beauty! Till that, too, fades away in its turn, and the dreamer bitterly accepts the hard, cold waking and all its penalties... —Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows, "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn"

Back to the Dreaming bookshelf this week...! Pooka once again attempted to flex some language skills (with a little bit of help from WordReference) to read through Sueños en Guerra, a supplement produced as part of the Kickstarter to translate Changeling's 20th Anniversary Edition into Spanish. This short adventure has never been released in English, but the folks at Nosolorol, the official Spanish publisher for White Wolf content, were kind enough to provide a copy for review so that Pooka could skim and summarize. This minisode will cover some basics about what's in the module and a bit of discussion around the game's localized versions; mostly, this is an intermezzo until the next full-length installment. Although the module itself is not available online for purchase, we can point you towards the Spanish–English Glosarios produced by Biblioteca Oscura (the official Spanish writers for White Wolf content) at https://www.bibliotecaoscura.com/recursosydescargas/glosarios/. The basic one for C20 that was created for the Kickstarter is in PDF form, and an extended version with terms from the rest of the line is available in GDoc form. The other X20 lines are also represented there, if you're interested! And then, depending on your Spanish or your determination to translate the auto-generated transcript, you can watch a short interview on the module with its author, Concepción Perea, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvbAY8a7pWA. Meanwhile, the rest of the links are all about us, sorry: 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) has drunk many times from the Font de Canaletes and will get back to Barcelona one day for good... Por la calleja vienen extraños unicornios. ¿De qué campo, de qué bosque mitológico? [Through the lanes come strange unicorns. From what fields, from what mythological forest?] —Federico García Lorca, "Procesion [Procession]", tr. Lysander Kemp

The fae are all about liminality and change, an idea reinforced by the next pair of books we'll be considering in Changeling: the Lost's first edition run. We begin with Dancers in the Dusk, a hodgepodge of strange mechanics, curious foes, subtle magics, and new allegiances that all hearken back to the notion and feel of twilight. Sometimes this is overt, as with the Dusk Court and their focus on fatalism, and sometimes more abstract, such as when we flip through an astrological schema to talk about the symbolic nature of dreams. It's a heady mix of things that push the game into several new directions at once, which every good TTRPG book should strive to do. Join us for a spell as we talk about what worked and what didn't for each of us in this particular attempt... You can pick up the book for your own collection at https://www.storytellersvault.com/en/product/60527?affiliate_id=3063731, and while you're clicking links (or walking through dream-gates, as the case may be), do consider stopping by one of our social spaces 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) gets a thrill out of conjugating gloam as a verb and finding new translations; some individuals are just like that. Amelia Fetch (she/her) wanted to dance in the dusk, but ended up just kicking people in the golden hour and had to leave the establishment. My candle burns at both ends; It will not last the night; But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends— It gives a lovely light!. —Edna St. Vincent Millay, "First Fig"

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"