Page 47 - Hunter the Vigil - Mortal Remains

CHAPTER TWO: ALL IS LOST

die in a life cycle that mimics humans and animals. Others Arcadia
seem to exist outside of the realm of possibility, creatures of Beyond the Hedge, lies the True Fae’s realms. It would be
light, of sound, of ephemera. Some were made by magic, or extremely unusual for a hunter (or cell) to wander into Arca-
perverted from human beings through prolonged exposure to dia. Unlike the Hedge, the paths that lead to the True Fae’s
the Hedge. domains are not traveled by any mortal means, nor are they en-
From Goblin Market stall owners to full-grown men no countered accidentally. It is almost impossible to enter a True
bigger than a fingertip, hobgoblins and hedgebeasts that man- Fae’s demesne without its knowledge and permission.
age to survive in the Hedge are a strange lot. Some are overtly But, almost impossible is not the same as impossible. If a
hostile, relying upon travelers and other hedge-denizens as a hunter cell was dedicated to make the journey — researching
food source. Others, given half a chance, would strip the un- routes, bargaining for supernatural maps and keys, hiring hob-
wary of their blood, goods, wits, will, or sanity. goblin guides, and surviving the likely-fatal trek — it is theoreti-
Hunters rarely encounter denizens of the Hedge, for hob- cally possible for them to reach Arcadia, home of the True Fae.
goblins and hedgebeasts don’t stray into the human world Once there, hunters would have to content with the True
very often. Those cells brave or foolish enough to travel to the Fae and all its servants. Even if a cell makes it to Arcadia alive,
Hedge, however, may find themselves at the mercy of creatures there’s no guarantee those hunters could return.
far more deadly, cunning, and amoral than they’ve ever dealt
with. Some sentient hobgoblins may venture outside of the
Hedge, and will rely on stealth to hide, or adopt a Mask to mas- Systems
querade as people. A hedgebeast that’s escaped from its home-
realm might draw the attention of a hunter cell, just as easily as Changeling: the Lost contains several complex systems
a Changeling or a fetch. and rules to represent the Lost’s multi-faceted existences. These
Arcane Realms systems are designed to be used with Changeling player charac-
ters and story arcs that are primarily fae in nature. This section,

The Lost have the innate ability to create supernatural on the other hand, offers a human-centric view of the Lost’s
doorways to another world, as described in the Dread Power powers, perfect for a Hunter campaign.
Dark Gate (see p. 147). Changelings use these doorways to trav- In places where the two systems conflict, assume these
el from place to place in the mortal world by taking shortcuts rules take precedence when portraying the Lost in a Hunter:
through an alien landscape: the Hedge. And, sometimes, hunt- the Vigil chronicle.
ers who are tracking Changelings find themselves on the other Price of Being Lost
side of a Dark Gate as well.
Changelings have certain inherent weaknesses and
The Hedge strengths, regardless of their diversity. All Lost share the fol-
The Hedge is a labyrinthine realm, a supernatural buffer lowing traits:
zone between the human world and that of the True Fae. It
tends to mirror the foliage and flora of the world it butts up A Changeling’s true fae appearance is hidden from
against — like a supernatural sideshow mirror reflecting reality. mortal eyes unless she uses the Dread Power Revelation
The Hedge near a temperate zone may be filled with thick pines to reveal it.
and berry briar underbrush, and those trees may be sentient, Lost can enter the Hedge through any open doorway,
explosive, or bear blood-sucking batbirds instead of leaves. The gate, window, or other opening by expending a
Hedge’s diversity is only surpassed by its dangerousness. Willpower point. Likewise, they can do the same to exit
Two locations separated by thousands of miles in the mor- the Hedge through any spot that has been used in the
tal world may be an hour’s journey by foot in the Hedge. How- past to enter it.
ever, that journey may take a traveler through territories filled
with wolf-like beings, swamps of quicksand where time slows By spending a Willpower point, a Changeling can
for trapped victims, or past an oasis full of impossibly beautiful enter into a Manipulation + Willpower vs. Composure
beings who offer succor and shade — at the price of a soul. All + Willpower challenge to incite a target to emotional
benefits come with a price, and the tolls taken by the Hedge’s extremes: desire, wrath, sorrow, or fear. Storytellers can
inhabitants can be more than any sane human is willing to pay. assess appropriate modifiers based on the emotion being
Distance and terrain are not only different, but mutable in raised, the volatility of the situation, and the target’s
the Hedge. Not only is the environment inconstant, the True mood at the time.
Fae, certain hobgoblins, hedgebeasts, and the more powerful
Lost can exert their will upon the Hedge and mold it to their Dread Powers
whim. A traveler may make a journey a dozen times only to
find that, on his thirteenth trip, the way has utterly changed. A As a supernatural race, Changelings possess certain Dread
once-trusted route now leads him deeper and deeper into the Powers inherently. Dread Powers can be found on p. 144, as
realm of the fae. well as pp. 276-282 of Hunter: the Vigil.

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