SO YOU WANT TO PLAY A CHANGELING? CHARACTER CREATION 101

Rules

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Character Submissions

You must submit your character at least two days prior to game to be able to play that game night. The STs have a great deal of prep work on game days, on top of our day to day lives. The Lead ST also takes off the Saturday before game and so is not available for character approval. Games are every two weeks, so this still gives plenty of time for character submissions.

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Age

All Players and PCs must be at least 18, physically and mentally.

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Backgrounds

We realize that backgrounds will get fleshed out a little during the course of play, however all major life events must be approved by the STs before entering play. This includes traumatic events, deaths, etc. If through the course of play, you wish to add a major even, please get it approved by an ST first. This is so that we can keep consistency in the game.
While yes, this is the world of darkness, and bad things do happen, many settings in our world do have safeguards against these. There are safeguards that prevent the worst from happening, especially when it comes to children.
Please also be mindful that if your PCs have a traumatic past, that while it can add flavor and enhance RP, it can also be triggering for others. Please be mindful of this and do not force your PCs trauma on everyone.

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Base Creation

All characters are started the same way, regardless of creature type. Using The World of Darkness core rule book create your base character. (pg 34) Use a character sheet that will be posted in your player room.
All player may have a maximum of 3 characters, a seasoned character, expert character, and heroic character, though they must all be different creature types. IE. You can play a Vampire, Changeling and Mage for example, but you could not play two vampires and a mage. The only exception to this is in the case of mortals, though you cannot apply a template to more than one mortal. You are also limited to one Restricted creature type. Please keep in mind this does not mean that everyone will be approved a restricted template, these types of characters are rare, and as such will be heavily limited. As the game progresses, restrictions will change
When you create your character/s you must determine what type it is (Seasoned, Expert or Heroic)
1. Select Attributes.
Prioritize the three categories (5/4/3). Your character begins with one dot in each Attribute automatically. The fifth dot in any Attribute costs two dots to purchase.
2. Select Skills.
Prioritize the three categories (11/7/4). The fifth dot in any Skill costs two dots to purchase.
3. Select Skill Specialties.
Take three Skill Specialties of your choice. There is no limit to how many Specialties can be assigned to a single Skill.

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Add Changeling Template

1. Choose a Seeming (no restrictions). Seemings are labels for changelings who have undergone similar transformations while being held prisoner in the Faerie realm. It is largely a reflection of the experiences and environment the Lost was held in before escaping. Changelings who share a Seeming often share not only physical traits, but psychological and emotional ones as well; they have shared common experiences of Faerie, and were often captured by or drawn to their Keepers in similar ways.
Each seeming comes with a particular blessing and curse, and their respective Kiths add an additional blessing to the mix. Within each seeming there exists a variety of kiths, which are a way to more carefully define the Changeling's fae nature.
Changelings share very specific similarities beyond those of their Seeming. While their supernatural changes might be similar, however, Changelings of the same Seeming, or even the same Kith, may have radically different Miens. Changeling Seemings are as Follows: Beast, Darkling, Elemental, Fairest, Ogre, Wizened.
2. Choose a Court
Each Court represents both a philosophy and a supernatural pact with an aspect of the world that helps Changelings bolster their existence in the mortal realm, making them less vulnerable to the attentions of the Fae. Most Courts also draw power from a specific emotion which is associated with the powers of the Court; Changelings of the Court find it easier to harvest Glamour from their Court's emotion.
Seasonal Courts (No Restrictions)
Spring Court - Focusing on hiding from the Fae by living amongst the mortals. They thrive on Desire.
Summer Court - Seeking to strike out against the Fae directly. They thrive on Wrath.
Autumn Court - Exploring the powers of faerie magic and the enigmas of the unknown. They thrive on Fear.
Winter Court - Masters of deception and keepers of mysteries. They thrive on Sorrow.

Directional Courts (Restricted)
Court of the North - Become hard, detached, and ascetic; give yourself so little to lose that you are no longer attractive to the Fae. They thrive on Suffering.
Court of the East - Accumulate wealth and power to be rooted firmly in mortal society. They thrive on Envy.
Court of the South - Seeking enlightenment and joy in the Changeling condition. They thrive on Ecstacy.
Court of the West - All life is war, and the virtuous must win. They thrive on Honor.

Diurnal Courts (Restricted)
Sun Court - Believers in morals, the rule of law, and righteousness. They thrive on Shame.
Moon Court - Valuing freedom and chaos, and reveling in what they have become. They thrive on Disgust.

Transitional Courts(Restricted)
Dawn Court - Creators of their own destinies and a better future. They thrive on Hope.
Dusk Court - Accepting of their doomed fate, but not going down without a fight. They thrive on Fatalism.

3. Choose Starting Contracts
Each character begins with 5 dots of Contracts, which can be allocated as the player chooses. At least two dots must be devoted to a character’s seeming or court contracts.
4. Determine Wyrd
All Lost characters receive the Wyrd advantage at one dot for free. Wyrd can be increased with Merit-point expenditure at a rate of three to one at character creation. That is, a player may spend three of his character’s seven Merit points for Wyrd 2, or spend six of his character’s seven Merit points for Wyrd 3. Wyrd is described on p. 83-84

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Finishing Touches

1. Merits- A beginning character has seven dots worth of Merits, which may be distributed at the player’s discretion. Vampires can have additional Merits from a special list (see p. 77). Please keep in mind that some merits are not appropriate to the setting (resources, locations) and may not be allowed
2. Determine advantages Defense = the lowest of Dexterity or Wits Health (Stamina + Size) Initiative (Dexterity + Composure) Clarity (7 for starting characters, you may choose to drop this) Size (5 for most humans) Speed (Strength + Dexterity +5) Willpower (Resolve + Composure) and Virtue/Vice
3. Background Write up a background. This can be as detailed as you would like, but the more you give the STs to work with, the more you will see in return, both in personal plot, and bonus point. At ST discretion, you will be awarded 10-30 xp points as well as other possible awards.
4. Add starting XP
Seasoned characters: add 45 experience points
Expert characters: 85 experience points
Heroic characters: 125 experience points
*Note, when spending these points and you want to go up more than one dot in a trait, you need to pay for all the intervening levels. That is, if you go from 3 to 5 in an Attribute, it costs you 45 experience points