Editing Umbral Domains: Changeling - Shadows of a Dream
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However, their offspring remained behind: Those mostly human but with the taint of fae blood in their veins. Of these most in time forgot their fairy ancestry, succumbing to Banality and taking refuge among their human kin. A few passed the carefully recorded secrets of fae lore and magic down through the generations as a family heritage. Even for these faithful few the acquisition of Glamour (that very substance of Dreams) was difficult to come by, rendering their eldrich abilities more theoretical than practical. | However, their offspring remained behind: Those mostly human but with the taint of fae blood in their veins. Of these most in time forgot their fairy ancestry, succumbing to Banality and taking refuge among their human kin. A few passed the carefully recorded secrets of fae lore and magic down through the generations as a family heritage. Even for these faithful few the acquisition of Glamour (that very substance of Dreams) was difficult to come by, rendering their eldrich abilities more theoretical than practical. | ||
− | Still, some Kinain have managed to cling to their Fae heritage more securely, rooting out renewable sources of Dross such as Dream Stones and Fonts, making forrays along the Trods to barter for the food of the dreamlands, or dreaming up chimeral allies to provide them enchantment. At one time those who sought out such methods of Glamour gathering were rare and frequently misunderstood the very nature of the stuff they sought. However, Kinain (and other Enchanted mortals) have become better informed and persistant in their pursuit of Glamour since ''The | + | Still, some Kinain have managed to cling to their Fae heritage more securely, rooting out renewable sources of Dross such as Dream Stones and Fonts, making forrays along the Trods to barter for the food of the dreamlands, or dreaming up chimeral allies to provide them enchantment. At one time those who sought out such methods of Glamour gathering were rare and frequently misunderstood the very nature of the stuff they sought. However, Kinain (and other Enchanted mortals) have become better informed and persistant in their pursuit of Glamour since ''The Resurgance''. |
− | === The | + | === The Resurgance === |
==== The Aonide Conspiracy ==== | ==== The Aonide Conspiracy ==== | ||
− | Over the years the nature of the Dreaming shifted subtly and in more | + | Over the years the nature of the Dreaming shifted subtly and in more permenant ways than the ever-changing Firchlis could account for. While the Dreaming never became fully cut off from the Autumn World, most of the Trods and Raths which led there fell into disuse and few Fae ventured to it's humanity's banal shores. Those who did so most frequently were the Aonides or "Muses". |
− | To most Fae it was consided merely a quirk of the | + | To most Fae it was consided merely a quirk of the Aonides nature, a Frailty perhaps, that they gathered their Glamour frequently among humans rather than simply drinking in the rich bounty the Dreaming it's self had to offer. However, in the long fulness of time a certain Sidhe lord, expert in the lore of Gremayre, grew curious and sent various minions to investigate the Aonide gathering of Glamour and it's uses. His discovery proved shocking: |
Somehow, overlooked by the majority of Fae but well known to the Aonides, Glamour derived directly from human sources posessed special qualities which more incidental Glamour (that found in Chimera and occuring naturally throughout the Dreaming) lacked. By gathering significant quantities of this "mortal Glamour" and employing it in the use of certain transformative Arts (particularly Naming and Dream-Craft) one could create changes to the Dreaming on a fundamental level, reshaping even the fabric of fae history and the entire Realm's metaphysical underpinnings. | Somehow, overlooked by the majority of Fae but well known to the Aonides, Glamour derived directly from human sources posessed special qualities which more incidental Glamour (that found in Chimera and occuring naturally throughout the Dreaming) lacked. By gathering significant quantities of this "mortal Glamour" and employing it in the use of certain transformative Arts (particularly Naming and Dream-Craft) one could create changes to the Dreaming on a fundamental level, reshaping even the fabric of fae history and the entire Realm's metaphysical underpinnings. | ||
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==== The Secret History ==== | ==== The Secret History ==== | ||
− | + | No one knows for sure what events in the history of the Dreaming might have always been or what thing now taken for granted might once have been otherwise. Still, there are oddities here and there, hints of pasts that never were or limits that might not always have been. Two of note include: | |
'''The Medieval Paradigm''' - It's well established that the Dreaming is largely stuck in a "medieval paradigm". Few inventions of modern advent work well in the Dreaming and few more recent than the Renaissance function at all the deeper one goes. Until recently many assumed that this effect was simply due to the amount of time it took for the Mists to get used to the idea of such innovations. However, with the revelation that lost histories might exist some masters of Gremayre have pointed out flaws in this old assumption. The most often cited of these cases is the Great Engine. | '''The Medieval Paradigm''' - It's well established that the Dreaming is largely stuck in a "medieval paradigm". Few inventions of modern advent work well in the Dreaming and few more recent than the Renaissance function at all the deeper one goes. Until recently many assumed that this effect was simply due to the amount of time it took for the Mists to get used to the idea of such innovations. However, with the revelation that lost histories might exist some masters of Gremayre have pointed out flaws in this old assumption. The most often cited of these cases is the Great Engine. | ||
− | Residing in the Deep Dreaming as it does the Engine is in the place it would be least likely to exist or endure for long. Technically, according to common wisdom, the Great Engine is a thing that should not be, an anachronism even among the Dreaming's vast store of strange juxtapositions. Yet there it is, | + | Residing in the Deep Dreaming as it does the Engine is in the place it would be least likely to exist or endure for long. Technically, according to common wisdom, the Great Engine is a thing that should not be, an anachronism even among the Dreaming's vast store of strange juxtapositions. Yet there it is, embeded far within the land's most mythic recesses and untouched even by the Firchlis. |
− | Recent speculation contends that the Medieval Paradigm may not always have been as strongly enforced as it currently is, that at one time it may even have competed or shared dominance with a myriad of other world-views. But the Aonides found it more suited to their own uses than more technologically advanced paradigms. And so, perhaps in the latter part of the 19th | + | Recent speculation contends that the Medieval Paradigm may not always have been as strongly enforced as it currently is, that at one time it may even have competed or shared dominance with a myriad of other world-views. But the Aonides found it more suited to their own uses than more technologically advanced paradigms. And so, perhaps in the latter part of the 19th centuary or early 20th, they began musing mortal fantasy writers to gather sufficient glamour to effect the appropriate changes. |
And the changes appear to be rather effective. UFOs and chimera of "the grays" seem to be scarce as Autumn World hens teeth when they should practically black out the skys in the Near Dreaming around locations such as Roswell and Area 51. Chimeral soldiers with modern fire-arms are outnumbered 10 to 1 by those resembling armored knights or warriors in ancient Celtic motif. And even in Silicon Valley few chimeral computers function correctly unless created as Treasures. | And the changes appear to be rather effective. UFOs and chimera of "the grays" seem to be scarce as Autumn World hens teeth when they should practically black out the skys in the Near Dreaming around locations such as Roswell and Area 51. Chimeral soldiers with modern fire-arms are outnumbered 10 to 1 by those resembling armored knights or warriors in ancient Celtic motif. And even in Silicon Valley few chimeral computers function correctly unless created as Treasures. | ||
− | Yet the Great Engine appears to be a more | + | Yet the Great Engine appears to be a more persistant dream than these others. The Mists attempt to obscure and encrypt it's inscriptions and the Dreaming it's self seems to have relegated the device to a somewhat inaccessible and out of the way realm, but modern sages still marvel at the force that must be at work allowing the continued existence of such a device in a world which has moved on. |
− | But perhaps the secret of technology is not entirely lost to the Dreaming, nor the riddle of the Great Engine. Even now certain factions, backed Nockers and members of | + | But perhaps the secret of technology is not entirely lost to the Dreaming, nor the riddle of the Great Engine. Even now certain factions, backed Nockers and members of house Dougal, have operatives hard at work gathering glamor from dreamers in the Autumn world. Their ultimate intent being to shift the Dreaming's paradigm once again, ushering in a new era of Science and innovation. Or at least to re-awaken the Engine from it's slumbers and fulfill whatever grand purpose it may have had. |
− | '''The Tuatha''' - | + | '''The Tuatha and Arcadia''' - ***** |
− | + | ==== The Fools Crusade ==== | |
− | + | The revelation of the Aonide conspiracy spread among the Dreaming's Adhene and Kiths like wildfire, and while many Fae seemed to feel it made no great difference in their life personally (the Moirae smiled when informed but generally showed no particular concern) an equally large number voiced sentiments of betrayal and jealousy. Shortly after individuals and contingents of Fae began seeking out trods and piling into the Autumn World in search of their own mortal Glamour. This hasty rush has since been termed the Fools Crusade and is one of the more tradgic incidents in recent Fae history. | |
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− | The revelation of the Aonide conspiracy spread among the Dreaming's Adhene and Kiths like wildfire, and while many Fae seemed to feel it made no great difference in their life personally (the Moirae smiled when informed but generally showed no particular concern) an equally large number voiced sentiments of betrayal and jealousy. Shortly after individuals and contingents of Fae began seeking out trods and piling into the Autumn World in search of their own mortal Glamour. This hasty rush has since been termed the | ||
Most Fae reaching the Autumn world seemed to expect it paved with mortal Glamour, ripe for the taking. Instead they found a Banal wasteland, baren of dreams, whose toxic atmosphere quickly eroded their powerful Meins. Most lacked even basic knowledge of the Autumn Way cantrips and could never figure out why they passed through this world of mortals as ghosts, unable to interact with anyone. | Most Fae reaching the Autumn world seemed to expect it paved with mortal Glamour, ripe for the taking. Instead they found a Banal wasteland, baren of dreams, whose toxic atmosphere quickly eroded their powerful Meins. Most lacked even basic knowledge of the Autumn Way cantrips and could never figure out why they passed through this world of mortals as ghosts, unable to interact with anyone. | ||
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Other fae went around heedlessly ravaging glamour from mortals like a farmer chopping entire branches off a tree to get at the apples. Then they wondered why glamour was so scarce in their vicinity and banality so much more predominant. | Other fae went around heedlessly ravaging glamour from mortals like a farmer chopping entire branches off a tree to get at the apples. Then they wondered why glamour was so scarce in their vicinity and banality so much more predominant. | ||
− | Within a few months the | + | Within a few months the Fools Crusade had ended with nearly half it's contingent being undone and a majority of those who remained retreating to the Dreaming with deep psychic scars and a permanently haunted look in their eyes. Fae society's interaction with the Autumn World was far from over, but the next steps taken would be more careful and well thought out. |