Seeming and Mien The Dreaming taints everything a changeling sees. The colours are brighter, invisible beings and objects are everywhere, and even the mundane might appear fantastic. Freeholds in particular almost always seem spectacular in some way; this effect is called chimerical reality. A changeling who sees another changeling always sees that changeling's fae mien, 'though she still recognizes the mortal seeming "buried" underneath. This chimerical vision is not turned on or off, but both are always on at the same time. In a sense, a changeling gets two views of the world around her: the mundane and the magical. It is not surprising that others often consider changelings to be somewhat flighty and distracted with all of this sensory overload. |
This concept of how a changeling appears to himself and to others (mortal or supernatural) is perhaps one of the most complex in Changeling. The concept of mortal seeming and the fae mien is discussed at length in the core rulebook, The Shining Host and elsewhere on this site, but some further explanation could not hurt. Changelings live in two worlds: the banal and the Glamourous. To the mundane world, they appear as typical, albeit eccentric, people. Behind this facade, they lead lives guided by magic and mystery. Kithain have to accept both magic and mundanity as components of their lives. In fact, banality and Glamour are both integral parts of their being, and their appearances reflect this. Changelings have two appearances: an outward, obvious mortal form (called the Seeming) and a second, hidden faerie form (called the kith). The Mortal Seeming A changeling's mortal seeming shows everything that is mundane about him. It allows him to interact with the so-called "normal" world without attracting too much attention. A fae's mortal guise often slightly reflects her true nature. For instance, a troll hero may masquerade as a tall, stoic man tinged by sadness. A well-esteemed boggan might appear to everyday people as a short, plump woman with a cheerful disposition. Even a redcap with flaming hair, facial tattoos and an intricate pattern of screws affixed in her forehead might prefer to appear as an acne-scarred hellraiser with dishwater blonde hair and a few piercings. By walking about in mortal guise, the fae find it easier to interact with mortal society and hide from the tides of Banality. The Fae Mien Most people with changeling blood don't realize they carry such until the day that they awaken to their faerie heritage. The mortal seeming is developed first; the fae is blissfully unaware of her true self during this time. When the faerie spirit awakens, the changeling undergoes a process known as the Chrysalis. Newly awakened changelings are suddenly aware of the magic around them and soon understand the dangers of mundanity. The world instantly becomes a much larger place. Behind the reality lies the Dreaming. After the Chrysalis, changelings can sense the hidden world of the fae. A playground might actually be a court of young faeries. A sewer tunnel can lead to an underground kingdom. A homeless man in an alleyway might be a wandering knight resting from his quest. It's all a matter of perception, of seeing the imaginary hidden behind the real. In the same manner, the essence of a changeling hides behind his mortal seeming. Faeries walk in the midst of human society, but they hide their true selves. Fae can sense -- or "ken" -- the faerie appearances hidden behind mortal guises. This hidden appearance is known as the fae mien. By kenning the souls of other fae, a changeling can spot her brethren. |
Katheryn Ann Sykes has written a brief article on costuming for Changeling players. Some of the ideas there could be quite useful.
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