Page 43 - Hunter the Vigil - Mortal Remains

CHAPTER TWO: ALL IS LOST

Perspectives

Those who have played Changeling: The Lost will recognize the fae in this chapter; Changelings, True Fae, hedgebeasts, and
hobgoblins. Unlike the Lost, however, the focus here is not on the interplay between Arcadian victim and predator, but instead on
the role those fae creatures play in a hunter’s world.
Hunters suffer from a plethora of (often contradictory and frequently inaccurate) information when dealing with Changelings
and their ilk. Thousands of fairy tales and folklore stories exist; every country has their own version. And, because of this ubiquity,
it’s easy for hunters to assume that they know about the fae. But, because each Changeling’s reality is shaped in no small part by
their own experiences, the “rules” laid forth in folklore rarely apply to all fae equally, and often don’t apply at all.
This section expands and offers greater insight into the “Pretenders” material from Hunter: The Vigil pp. 308-310. In places
where contradictions occur, this material should be given precedence.

The Lost are countless sub-groups that further define the experience that
sculpted the Changeling from “human” to “other.”
Changelings used to be human. They were born human, Unfortunately for hunters, they will find an infinite num-
grew up human, and many think of themselves as human still. ber of variations in how these Seemings can manifest in appear-
But they’re not. ance, abilities, and attributes. It is not unusual for a hunter
Some time ago, something happened in their past that to mistake a Changeling for a bloodsucker, werewolf, zombie,
changed them. An alien being kidnapped, seduced, bribed, or or other commonly found creature. For example, a mermaid
blackmailed their freedom from them, and swept them away to Changeling may be a fish-Beast, a deep sea Darkling, a water
a place where the rules of the human world no longer applied. Elemental, a siren-voiced Fairest, a river troll Ogre, or a pearl-
Time, physics, even reality itself bent to the whims and desires diving Wizened. Likewise, two Changelings who share a Seem-
of their omnipotent captors in those fae demesne. Their lives ing may manifest utterly unlike one another in their bearing,
were taken from them; humans were altered, modified, and re- nature, and capabilities. A loyal hound Beast may have nothing
made into whatever form suited their Keepers. For the length in common with its cobra assassin brethren, and both might be
of their Durance, the Changelings were forced to serve their utterly unlike their social butterfly cousin.
masters’ inhuman wishes. A general overview and examples of each core Seeming fol-
And then, somehow, against all odds — the Changelings lows.
escaped. Scrambling back through the no-man’s land between Beasts: Changelings of the Beast Seeming were used as
the fae dimension and the real world, they somehow found animals like pampered pets or abused hunting beasts
themselves at home once again. Now, the Changelings suffer during their Durance. Their humanity was stripped
once again. Changed into an otherworldly being, a supernatu- from them and replaced with something more feral.
ral veil called a Mask is the only thing that hides their mon- Upon their return, many of those bestial traits and
strous nature from humanity. attitudes have remained. Examples: beast of burden,
Sound implausible? That’s because it is. And yet, hundreds
— perhaps even thousands, or tens of thousands — of inhuman messenger bird, spying cat, tracking hound, hunting
prey, venomous assassin.
creatures prowl the world, professing this story is true.
Their sheer numbers, combined with their inhuman na- Darklings: Darkling Changelings are the creatures of
ture, ensures that Changelings and hunters will cross paths shadow and nightmare, the literal monsters under the
now and again. Most, however, may remain blissfully unaware bed. They are marked by fear and secrets, bound to never
of each other’s calling, so long as the Lost has retained enough be fully comfortable in the light of day, even after their
sanity to continue masquerading as a “normal” human, and the Durance has long ended. Examples: creepy librarian,
hunter has no specific means of identifying the Lost creature flesh-eating zombie, invisible man, goblin miner, cursed
behind their human Mask. vampire.
However, the Lost’s oft-decaying lucidity rarely allows
Changelings to keep up appearances in the long run. Eventu- Elementals: Changeling Elementals were transformed
ally, the pressures of trying to balance their comings and go- when their humanity was stripped from them. Their
ings in the world of the supernatural against their false human Durance was spent in a non-sentient form, where they
lives become too much. Their sanity dips, and their Mask slips could not access a single trace of their former humanity.
enough to allow their true nature to be seen. Even after regaining a human form, Elementals find it
Seemings nigh impossible to feel, think, or behave as a human
would. Examples: storm cloud, stone guardian, clockwork
Changelings are roughly grouped into six Seemings; each toy, ice queen, lake monster, dryad.
is based loosely on the experiences they had during their Du-
rance. Though they share some common experiences, every Fairest: Narcissistic beauties, one and all, Fairest
Changeling’s experience is different. Within those Seemings Changelings were used for their social prowess,

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