Page 63 - Hunter the Vigil - Mortal Remains

CHAPTER TWO: ALL IS LOST

Setup: The orders have come down, and the targets kid could be the son or daughter of the cell’s ally, or it could be
acquired. Over time, it’s harder for the hunters to ignore clues the child of one of the hunters, too. When the hunters move to
that the source of their orders is far more inhuman than the investigate, they notice the child is causing mischief, and there
targets themselves. Will the hunters continue to do their sworn are other idiosyncrasies as well. Using whatever methods are
duty, walk away, or try to tackle something far bigger than known to them, the cell’s likely to realize the child has been
they’d bargained for to undo the wrongs they’ve committed? swapped out for a fae creature. Should they look closely, they’ll
Tier One: Tier-one hunters may not be following the direct notice that someone — a privateer, perhaps — snatched the child
orders of a clandestine organization or employer, but they may in a hurry. Will the cell go to extreme lengths to track down the
be influenced to take a job by those who have information, kidnapper, even if it means traveling through the Hedge to the
resources, or services they desire. When the “favor” requested Goblin Market?
is to take a particular supernatural target into custody, the Tier Two: A rumor has driven tier-two hunters into town.
cell may believe it’s a small price to pay for continued good This time, local folklore includes tales of boogeymen cursing
relations with their ally. But, when one request becomes two, naughty kids with dark rituals under the light of the full moon.
and a few becomes many, the cell’s likely to take a harder look Children who don’t go willingly are dragged out, never to be
at the source of the requests. When they discover they’re doing seen again, and replaced with fetches. What will the hunters do
the True Fae’s work for them, will the hunters continue or try when they figure out the fae are making supernatural bargains
and rescue those they’ve consigned into fae slavery? with eight-year-old children? What is it the fae wants from so
Tier Two: Many compacts are loosely-organized groups many kids? And, why does the fae want the kids to go with them
with a local focus and little overarching hierarchy beyond that. willingly? Whatever the hunters decide to do, one thing is clear:
Considering the True Fae’s expertise at treating others like they might need the help of their compact to take down the fae.
tools, it would be easy for one of them to take control of a Tier Three: Tier-three hunters will hear about a fae plot
compact’s local branch. When that compact begins focusing its from their conspiracy. The True Fae are attempting to build a
effort on apprehending members of the local fae population, it town on this side of the Hedge for some nefarious purpose. And,
may take a while for the cell to notice the True Fae’s influence, the True Fae are enslaving human children as bargaining chips,
and even longer for them to question it. When they do, the to force their parents to construct it. The minute the hunters
hunters will face some difficult decisions, especially when it believe they have a handle on the situation, they might discover
becomes clear that their real boss is more of a monster than dozens of affected towns scattered all across the globe. Will
their victims ever were. the hunters be able to join forces with other cells to pool their
Tier Three: Orders come down from on high in a tier- knowledge together and stop this epic-level threat in time? Or, will
three game. There are many layers of authority between the the hunters find that, once they’ve destroyed the town, they’re
hunter group and the head of their conspiracy. Any of those destined to track the True Fae back to their own demesnes?
layers might contain the True Fae who is issuing the fae-
hunting assignments. What this translates to, for the cell, is
potential layers of allies, both above and below the True Fae, Inspiration &
once they realize what’s going on. Unfortunately, it also means
that there’s the possibility that some of those layers are loyal to Sources
the True Fae, whether they realize its nature or not.
While classic fairy tales, mythology, lore and legends are a
Cursed Youth large part of the inspiration for Changeling: The Lost, they are

Summary: Something strange is going on in the far from the only material available to inspire a fae presence in a
neighborhood. The local kids are acting strange and, in some Hunter: The Vigil game. Many sources that aren’t fairy-focused
cases, their erratic behavior is downright dangerous. The embody the conflicts that are rife in a Changeling/Hunter plot.
hunters are called in to investigate, and will have to figure Stephen King’s Cujo is a monster, but not one of his own
out how to deal with upset parents, well-intentioned police, making. The family pet-turned-murderous beast is an awesome
innocent kids — and the fae. analogy for the Lost condition; rabies represents the madness
Setup: Something or someone is targeting the children to infected upon Changelings through their Durance. The fact
affect their behavior. The kids may have fallen under a dark that the novel features sections written from the disease-stricken
curse, or they may not be kids at all. If fetches were put there to dog’s point-of-view only adds to the poignancy and applicability
take their place, then how will the hunters convince the parents for this type of story. A science fiction example of the “sleeper
to “test” whether or not their kids are human? Have a handful agent” tropes that may be prevalent in hunter/fetch crossover
of kids been impacted, or does the curse cover most of the town? tales is the Cylon plotline spread throughout the 2004-2009
Worse, what do the adults know? Were they cursed as children reimagining of the television series, Battlestar Galactica. In
and the cycle is repeating itself again? If the “real” children are many cases on this show, and the related franchise products,
alive, are the hunters clever enough to follow the clues and brave Cylons believed themselves to be human, as fetches most often
enough to rescue them from the Hedge or Arcadia? do, even after their inhuman natures were revealed.
Tier One: In a tier-one chronicle, a friend of one of the Still, there are several examples of dark or re-imagined
PCs may contact the cell directly about an unusual child. This fairy tales to draw upon for inspiration. In Pan’s Labyrinth,

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