Morwen Ardry

Morgan Ardry (a.k.a. Morwen Ardry)

Morwen Ardry was born Morgan Ardry - the older sister of David Ardry. They were raised in relative privilege, the children of the New York governer (David Sr.).
The moon landing in 1969 was an exciting and wonderful moment for Americans all over the world, but it was more than exciting for the fae. It was the start of a revolution.
The sidhe - the nobles of fae society - returned from their time in Arcadia. Since the Middle Ages, they had sequestered themselves in that ancestral homeland away from the banality of the modern world (known to them as the Autumn).
The newfound wonder and hope of the moon landing signified to the sidhe that, perhaps, it was time to return to the Autumn, but they found themselves in the same position as the commoner kithain (fairies) that they had left behind: even with this global inspiration giving the fae a breath of fresh air in the suffocating crush of banality, they still can't survive as pure fae spirits as they did in ancient times.
So, the sidhe took it upon themselves to conduct a protracted version of the ritual that has safeguarded the commoners for hundreds of years: the Changeling Way. It allows the fae spirit to live within a mortal vessel, mingling memories and abilities from both mortal and immortal lives, and upon the death of the mortal body (provided they don't die to cold iron) the fae spirit can find another mortal soul to latch itself onto.
Some of the sidhe took the longer, more stable option: to be a dormant part of the human's psyche until such a time as they could safely awaken to their true nature (in a process known as the Chrysalis, culminating in the Dream Dance). Others - like Morwen and the fae spirit that would come to live in her brother's body - chose the short cut option, hijacking various humans and forcing a fusion of the souls.
But the Dreaming is not only a place, but an entity - and a fickle one at that. So imagine Morwen's dismay to take on the form of Morgan Ardry, to feel their memories coming together to become one, and realize that her lover had become part of David Ardry... her younger brother.
As a member of House Gwydion, the House of the Falcon, of wise and just rulers, she has swallowed her own disappointment and refused to sully her own mixed and confused feelings of both romantic and fraternal love by breaking boundaries with David.
Besides, there were more important things happening.
See, the commoners were not exactly happy to have the noble fae, who had not only abandoned but shut them out of Arcadia hundreds of years ago and left them to die, but now had returned to the Autumn and were asking - no, demanding their thrones and crowns back.
The commoners of Concordia (America) refused to hand anything over to those that abandoned them and left them at the mercy of Banality. Minor skirmishes, assassinations, and blackmailing grew increasingly common in Kithain society, and it didn’t take long for the nobility to wield their command of the Sovereign Art to enforce obedience. Despite conflicts, both parties openly declared their intent to find peaceful solutions, regardless of acts of violence intended to derail such hopes.
Then came the night that changed everything.
The nobles invited the commoner leadership to a Beltaine Ball, a celebration of the transition from winter to summer and one of the most important holidays in fae society (its sister holiday being Samhain in the fall). But instead of it being a time to celebrate and find camaraderie despite their differences, the commoners were ushered into the ballroom, the doors locked behind them, and nobles and their commoner servants attacked the leaders of the resistance with iron knives. This not only killed the commoners, but scattered their fae essences completely, never to be reborn again. This travesty, the Night of Iron Knives, led to the declaration of the Accordance War. For the nobles and their commoner armies, it was a conquering. For the commoners, it was a flagging, scattered resistance that was quickly swallowed up whereever the nobles put their fist down.
Starting in San Francisco, the nobles have swept their way northwest, and the fighting, war atrocities, and brutality on both sides has been monstrous.
But Morwen has seen none of this. Her, her brother, and a handful of other young sidhe have been living in upstate New York with the bard and kinain (child of a fairy) known as True Thomas. But as New Year's 1973 has approached, Thomas has urgently packed up his charges and headed into New York City, citing a threat of a commoner motley approaching his estate.
It's been chaotic, with the merry making of the new year mingled with the ongoing assault by the nobles to take out all the commoner resistance in a desperate battle to hold onto their last bastion of major control in Concordia. True Thomas has been moving the childlings (young fairies) when he can and avoiding the fighting, but it's been hard to avoid it entirely, and the young sidhe have already had to defend themselves more than once.
And now, the news has come that the High King was assassinated by commoner insurgents with cold iron....
What, Morwen wonders, do we do now?

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

Morwen exhibits a wild beauty, with her luxurious, honey-brown hair and large, hazel eyes, she could attract anyone in Concordia, but she carries herself with an aloofness that belies her fiery inner nature. Her protectiveness toward David and the dream of Concordia shows in her actions and in her coiled movements.

Mental characteristics

Mental Trauma

Like all of the Arcadian sidhe, Morwen remembers none of her time in Arcadia. She assumes that they returned to the Autumn in response to the outpouring of Glamour from the moon landing - also known by the changelings (kithain) as the Resurgence - that the world was ready for dreams again.
But some of the sidhe believe that their return to the Autumn was a punishment - an exile ordered by the nobles that remained in Arcadia. But who knows who remained and who came back to the land of the mortals? No one remembers who was part of that journey at all.

Personality Characteristics

Savvies & Ineptitudes

Morwen is one of the most powerful sorceresses of the modern age, and is known to have a patient wisdom uncharacteristic of many Gwydion.
She keeps her own loyalties and strengths close to the chest, but that doesn't mean she won't show how badly mistaken people were to underestimate her abilities when the time calls for it.

Likes & Dislikes

Morwen doesn't much care for commoners, seeing the ones who have taken up arms against the nobles as defying the Dreaming's natural order. The sidhe are the manifested dreams of nobles and royalty after all - why would they not fulfill their role as the leaders of fae society?

Age

19

Date of Birth

April 18, 1954

Birthplace

Washington, D.C.

Eyes

Large and hazel

Hair

Curly, honey-brown

Related Historical Events

• 1971
  High King David Finds Caliburn

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN

• Kith: Arcadian Sidhe
• Court: Sidhe
• Legacies: Squire/Riddler
• House: Gwydion
• Seeming: Childling
• Birthrights/Frailty: Unearthly Beauty and Noble Bearing/Curse of Banality
• Antithesis: Sitting on the throne, even as a joke
• True Name: Thauma
• Musing/Ravaging Thresholds: Create Calm/Exploit Dependence
• Glamour 8
• Willpower 6

STATS

Physical

Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3

Social

Charisma 3, Manipulation 4 (well-reasoned), Appearance 6 (wild beauty)

Mental

Intelligence 4 (logical), Wits 4 (cool headed), Perception 3

Talents

Alertness 2, Athletics 1, Empathy 3, Expression 2, Intimidation 1, Kenning 3, Leadership 3, Subterfuge 4 (it wasn't me)

Skills

Drive 2, Etiquette 4 (sidhe), Firearms 2, Melee 2, Stealth 1

Knowledges

Academics 2 (ethics), Enigmas 3, Gremayre 5 (Glamour), Investigation 3, Law 3, Politics 4 (Seelie court)

Arts

Autumn 2, Legerdemain 4, Metamorphosis 3, Sovereign 4, Wayfare 3

Realms

Actor 2, Fae 3, Scene 2, Time 3

Backgrounds

Chimera 2 (moonbeam gown), Contacts 2 (government), Dreamers 2, Mentor 4 (True Thomas), Remembrance 4, Resources 3, Retinue 3, Title 3

---

Merits

Higher Purpose, True Love

Flaws

Cleared Mists, Judgemental

Legacies

Squire

Quest: When you are vital to an accomplishment, but take no credit for your role, regain Willpower.
Ban: Never contradict or undermine your hero.

Riddler

Quest: Regain Willpower when you confuse or mislead someone.
Ban: Never allow anyone to discover the truth about you or your origins.

Additional Information

Birthrights and Frailties

Arcadian Sidhe Birthrights

Unearthly Beauty — Sidhe stand out in a crowd due to their beauty and regal bearing. Sidhe receive two additional dots of Appearance, even if this brings that rating above 5. When they invoke the Wyrd (p. 259), this beauty becomes overpowering. If a sidhe invokes the Wyrd in the presence of a character, the player must roll Willpower (difficulty 8).
If that roll fails, the character can only stare in awestruck wonder at the sidhe for one turn for each dot of the sidhe’s Appearance.
Noble Bearing — Sidhe carry a quiet dignity at all times. Cantrips designed to humiliate them or make them look foolish automatically fail (that does not prevent cantrips from harming them, of course, they just don’t lose their poise when it happens). Sidhe cannot botch Etiquette or Politics rolls.

Arcadian Sidhe Frailty

Curse of Banality — While the commoner kiths have learned to make their peace with the mortal world and live within it, the Arcadian sidhe still live with their minds and hearts in the Dreaming. As such, they are even more susceptible to Banality. Each point of Banality a sidhe would receive becomes two.

House Boon and Flaw

House Gwydion Boon

House Gwydion holds itself to a high standard, striving to be open and honest in its reign. They expect no less from those around them. Members of House Gwydion can sense whether someone is speaking the truth or telling a lie with a successful Perception + Kenning roll vs the liar’s Manipulation + Subterfuge. House Eiluned, the House of Secrets, is immune to this power.

House Gwydion Flaw

House Gwydion has clung to the Dreaming and the society that used to be more dearly than any other house that returned to Concordia during the Resurgence. A Gwydion’s honor is paramount, and she will not forget a slight, nor will she forgive it. If anyone insults the honor of a Gwydion or her house, the Gwydion must take revenge commensurate with the slight before the next sunrise or suffer a Banality trigger.

Merits and Flaws

Merits

Higher Purpose - Safeguard David (1 pt. Merit) — All changelings have some vision of their path, but you’ve a special commitment to it. You don’t concern yourself with petty matters, because your higher purpose is everything. Though you sometimes behave in ways contrary to the needs of survival, your purpose grants you great personal strength. The difficulty of any roll that has something to do with this higher purpose is reduced by two.
True Love (1 pt. Merit) — You have discovered, and possibly lost, true love, providing you true, if painful joy. Whenever you are suffering, in danger, or dejected, the thought of your true love is enough to give you the strength to persevere. In game terms, this love allows you to succeed automatically on any Willpower roll, but only when you are actively striving to protect or come closer to your true love. In addition, the power of your love may be powerful enough to protect you from other supernatural forces (Storyteller’s discretion). However, your true love may also be a hindrance and require aid from time to time.

Flaws

Cleared Mists (3 pt. Flaw) — Your magic and abilities are not in any way hidden by the Mists. Should a mortal witness your actions, she will not forget the effects of your fae abilities. You may therefore inadvertently reveal your nature to the mortal world, triggering potentially dire consequences.

Judgmental (2 pt. Flaw) — You aren't as open-minded as a true ruler should be, and you form opinions about people quickly. The difficulty to detect if a person lies is raised by two, as you're inclined to trust your prejudices rather than your senses. What's more, if you fail, you must make an Intelligence + Empathy roll (difficulty 6) or automatically assume that they're lying or telling the truth, whichever you're already inclined to believe.

Chimerical Items

Moonbeam Gown (Voile ••)

Woven from the light of the full moon, this gown clings to its wearer and flows effortlessly with their every movement. A swirling confection of dappled light, anyone wearing such a piece is sure to command the attention of everyone who lays eyes upon them, inspiring both their awe and their deepest desires.
Mechanics: The wearer of this garment may spend 1 Glamour to turn a botch on a Social roll into a regular failure.