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In Short

The Good: The advice on using fate to drive the game forward is excellent, especially when it steps back to consider how this could potentially frustrate players. Lots of ideas related to dream travel and magic help fuel the imagination. The small mechanical tweaks are nicely thought out, and do a fine job of changing the feel of the game while being small enough not to dramatically alter play. Many of the new Hedge creatures are very neat.

The Bad: Much of the content only works if a group bases a chronicle around fate or dreams as a central theme.

The Physical Thing

Under the Cover

Chapter One Dusk Dreams - 38 pages.

Dreams are briefly touched on in Changeling: The Lost, but here we have at least a partial system for exploring dreams. The Skein, a metaphysical realm that is composed of all dreams past, present, and future, is a world set apart from the rest of the universe. Here a dream walker, which can include any changeling or True Fae, may walk into the dreams of others though doing so is fraught with peril. To reach a destination the dreamer begins with their own dreamscape and then has to travel through other dreamscapes to reach their target's dreams.

Much of the chapter is dedicated to different types of dreams, classifying them loosely by concept to provide both ideas for the Storyteller and a framework for discussion. For example, dreams of Mercury tend to focus on science, the nature of reality, or even administrative work. Someone experiencing or remembering the dream watches the dreamer go through the work of a normal day in the science lab or what not, and if they can overcome the problem introduced in the dream then they may treat it as sleep teaching for a relevant Skill. The entry provides a minor mechanical effect, creates a challenge within the dream, gives the Storyteller an idea for a short dream adventure, and offers a way for the dreamer to discuss the event with others (“I experienced a most interesting Mars dream recently...”).

Dreams aren't only a place for introspection, though, as many dangers lurk within the minds of countless dreamers. These entities are detailed, with full game stats, and occupy a variety of niches for play. I like how they're largely drawn from existing concepts, and the entities have enough of truth or urban legend about them to make a lot of sense in a Changeling chronicle. Night Hags, for example, are included which is a natural choice since they have existed in popular folklore for some time. Most of these creatures have something interesting going on that makes them far more than a combat challenge, and an entire adventure could easily be set around any one of them.

I like the addition for what it is, a simple option that can expand the game in a different direction. I would not include this content with any of the other toolkit options presented so far for Changeling, including the fate addition here, for fear that it would be too much extra stuff to keep track of.

Chapter Two Tangled Fates - 30 pages.

Another worthwhile subsystem, here fate is presented as a powerful entity that pushes things towards patterns and predestined outcomes. Fate has an agenda, one filled with many events it wants to see happen, and those that understand fate can gain from it. While many of the ideas in this chapter could be implemented with no mechanical boon at all, small perks are offered to give fate a little more weight in shaping events.

Three primary ways of using fate at a base level are suggested. The first involves tying characters together through fate, which is not at all unlike how many RPGs play out to begin with. Recurring characters, allies and villains, and maybe even recurring situations between those characters demonstrates that there's a connection through fate between them. Unlike a standard game, though, here the changelings may figure out that it's fate behind the whole thing. This realization may change their relationships, and introduces a lot of philosophical concerns that would be fun to work through at the table.

Option two involves repeating motifs. One example provided is using the motif of “lone candle in the night.” This will flavor the window dressing and scenes throughout the chronicle. A literal lone candle might be a great addition, but situations where there is only one entity (or one small group) working to hold back the darkness should occur again and again. Fate savvy characters will recognize this, and it's up to them to decide what it means for their own destiny.

The final option is through prophecy. Prophecy is just as you would imagine, a saying that foretells a future event that is to come to pass. The mechanics surrounding it are neat in that they simply offer substantial bonuses and penalties to bring about the prophecy as it draws nearer, while still acknowledging that it may be avoided. It's a simple way to add mechanical weight to the event, and when combined with motifs and character ties an entire game centered around a major prophecy could be a blast to run.

Great Storyteller advice is included here in its focus on clearing a game based around prophecy with the players first. It wouldn't be any fun to spring this on a group who doesn't understand why large bonuses and penalties are being doled out, so to prevent misunderstandings I think this is a great way to proceed. Speaking of Storyteller support, most of the rest of the section offers more monstrous entities and example prophecies to deal with in order to provide a framework for designing your own content. A few new Goblin Contracts (based on insanity and hidden magic) and a new system for curses that treats them as forced pledges are also introduced, though I don't feel like they have the same connection to fate as the dream support material does to dreams.

Chapter Three Shadows Cast by Thorns - 44 pages.

Goblin places among the hedge and the things that dwell there, that is what chapter three is concerned with. Like the rest of the book, these entries definitely have the Storyteller in mind and almost function as a bestiary for Changeling. What they are are pregenerated encounters waiting to happen, each one interesting and unique. If you've had trouble imagining goblins and creatures of the Hedge as anything more than brutes then this chapter will definitely help you expand your mind.

A central idea here that I really like is that the Hedge is timeless, extending back to creation (or at least the creation of our world). Because of this, strange ruins from eras long past are an excellent addition to any Hedge adventure. That can be expanded even further, with cultural artifacts and even descendents of ancient civilizations dwelling somewhere within the Hedge, managing to make out a meager existence.

Some attention is also provided to the motivation of, and lives of, the typical goblins that exist within the Hedge. Their lives tend to be poor in quality, limited to bare survival, and it makes a lot of sense that some might see returning a Changeling to its master as a wonderful way to advance station. On the whole, though, this chapter is really about strange encounters within the Hedge and I'm always happy to have more of them. Without a doubt, I'll be making use of this the next time I run Changeling.

Chapter Four The Deepening Dusk - 24 pages.

A mix of content, chapter four kicks off with a strange optional rule. When a character uses any Glamour under any circumstances they roll Wyrd. If successful they gain 1 Wyrd. This very quickly pushes Wyrd to 10. I'm not entirely clear on the goal. Rushing Wyrd to 10 also rushes the character out of play as Wyrd 10 with starting character options seems like a sure death sentence for a variety of reasons. The supposed effect on play is to fore characters to careful weigh whether spending Glamour is worth it, creating a grittier game. However, I'm not convinced that this is what will actually occur in play. It takes for granted that the players will use meta-think to support character decisions, and I also think it has serious problems if every player isn't on the same wavelength.

Fortunately, this isn't the only optional rules tweak and a hodge podge of better ideas are included, though most amount to little more than XP or Glamour tweaks to slightly change the tone of a game. Tweaks for the overall game aren't the only addition here, however, as several character options are also available. The Dusk Court is a new Court focused on living in the now. It accepts that fate is largely immutable, so instead of struggling against it the Court takes a more fatalistic attitude. It's just the thing to add to a game where fate takes a major role. To add even more incentive, a group of new Contracts based on entropy is also included.

A few new entitlements are also introduced. The Family of Silent Nights use their knowledge of dreams to trap nightmares, spy on foes, and generally influence the greater world through expertise in dream control. The Hedge Wardens work together to police parts of the Hedge. This is an incredibly difficult job, but no doubt those who succeed will find themselves highly respected by their local kin. The Squires of the Broken Bough are fanatical freehold defenders who recruit changelings who have lost everything. Finally, The Twilight Gleaners are brokers of fate and use their understanding of fate to gain power within changeling society.

On the whole, the offered additions are worthwhile and do a good job of supporting the game tweaks introduced in the earlier part of this product.

My Take

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