hedge gate guide

8/12/2019 Hedge Gate Guide

1/17

hangeling the Lost

1

A young woman falls asleep beneath a cypress tree and awakens surrounded by thorn bushesand unable to remember her name. A teenaged boy walks through a cemetery gate and walksout through a tangle of brambles, then hears the distant baying of hounds on the hunt. An oldman stands with his shadow falling over an open grave and whispers a word his grandmothertold him never to say, then watches as the briars fade into view around him. This is the Hedge, abarrier between the realms of the Fae and the world of humanity. The Hedge does not conformto human expectations of time, distance or mass. The Hedge appears (and disappears)according to rules and laws laid down thousands of years ago, and not even the Fae can trulycontrol it. Changelings fear the Hedge because it can lead them back into slavery, but theyrecognize its utility as well. They can enter the Hedge through the appropriate gates. Mortalsnormally enter the Hedge by accident or trickery only, but a few mortals know secret rules andrites that allow them ingress. Of course, once someone has entered the Hedge, whether mortalor changeling, her life is in danger. Getting out of the Hedge is often much more difficult thangetting in.

-Changeling the Lost, pg. 210

Through various magics, emotional events or just chance permanent gates to the Hedge literthe valley. The following is the OoC list of Hedge Gates and their keys of activation. Alsoincluded is a listing of those destroyed gates that still have an aura of faerie power. This guide iscreated for non-Changeling VST use and how to deal with Keyed Hedge Gates. The informationmay be altered during the course of the chronicle and notification will come [email protected] . This guide will also contain and encounters guide withinformation if a non-changeling enters through the gate.

Keyed Gates: Some mortals know (or discover) keys to the Hedge. The Hedge isnt actually a place so much as a barrier, and so a key to the Hedge is, in truth, a key to Faerie. Its just thatone has to walk through the Hedge in order to reach Faerie. In any event, all cultures the worldover have legends and fables about entering other realms. The tales might refer to entering thelands of the dead or of spirits, the Dreamtime of Australian aboriginal legend or the mythicalMag Mell of Irish folklore. At least some of these legends actually refer to Faerie, and themethods of entering these realms might allow a mortal to access the Hedge. Its not enou gh todiscover a key, though, because keys are usually specific to time, place and circumstances. A setof standing stones might allow sometime to access the Hedge if that person stands betweenthem at sunset on the summer solstice and turns around in place three times. A certain hillmight allow ingress if the traveler spills his blood on the ground and curses a close family

member. Keys can be highly specific, only working for one (probably long dead) family line, orcan be so general and simple that people fall into the Hedge on a comparatively regular basis.

An area with a high disappearance rate might actually contain a gateway with a simple key.

-Changeling the Lost, pg. 216-217

Refer to the following map link for the exact locations: http://goo.gl/maps/zWyCO
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://goo.gl/maps/zWyCOhttp://goo.gl/maps/zWyCOhttp://goo.gl/maps/zWyCOhttp://goo.gl/maps/zWyCOmailto:[email protected]


2/17

hangeling the Lost

2

Keyed Gates in the Valley of the Sun

The Basilica Gate

Location: Downtown Basilica Van Buren St. (Phoenix)Status: ActiveTo activate - can only be done on the night of the new moon. The doors must be shut (will needWD-40). Then one needs to knock on the door three times. The door will open on its own (backto its original setting) and will reveal a door into the Hedge and an established Trod. The doorremains open for 1 minute. This trod is always in daylight regardless of the time of day.

The Snake Point GateLocation: Midway between Mill & College on Curry Rd. (Tempe)Status: Active

This cluster of rocks is known to some as "Snake Point" because the rock has the shape of aserpent's head. Following the rock down leads to a man-sized crack. If blood is split on theserpent or the crack, a Hedge Gate opens up into a Hedge Mine. The gate remains open for 1minute. Also note - that once you fall through - only supernatural or outside help can pull youout, unless the gate closes. This trod is always in twilight regardless of the time of day.

The Salt River GateLocation: Near the W 202 & N/S 101 Interchange (Mesa)Status: ActiveThis gate is only visible when the area is flooded after a rain. Those walking along the levee cansee soft glowing lights in the water. If they decide to swim down and investigate, they arepulled down as if they are caught in a rip tide. They are emptied out into a swampy Trod. Thisgate remains open only if the area is flood, otherwise it is always closed. This trod is always indusk regardless of the time of day.

The Kiwanis Pier GateLocation: Kiwanis Park Lake (Tempe)Status: ActiveThere is a rickety security gate that prohibits access to the pier. If silver (any kind) is droppedbetween the wood planks on a full moon night, the gate can be opened into the Hedge - in thiscase a small lake in the thorns. This gate remains open for as long as the security gate is

opened. Once it is closed - the gate's magic shuts off. This trod is always in night regardless ofthe time of day.


3/17

hangeling the Lost

3

The Whispering Canyon GateLocation: Phoenix Mountains Reserve (Phoenix)Status: ActiveA pair of saguaro cactus reach out to each other creating an archway. If a conversation iswhispered before the archway - the gate will open up. However because of the lay of the land -conversations carry on the wind which lead to this gate opening on its own at random interval.They gate opens for a 1 minute at a time. This trod is always in daylight regardless of the timeof day.

The Mission Bell GateLocation: Farm Crossroads (Queen Creek)Status: DestroyedThis cross road used to possess an adobe archway with a bell. Through the actions ofchangeling in the 1980s - this gate was destroyed for unknown reasons. It required the users toring the bell (3) times during a half moon to open.

The Spirit Trod GateLocation: Skyline Regional Park (Buckeye)Status: DestroyedWithin an overgrown trail is collapsed cave entrance. This was rumored to be the path to theGreat Spirit but was destroyed by Sarah Largent and Honovi Tallfellow.

The Turtle GateLocation: 600ft Southwest of Salvia Dr. (Gold Canyon)Status: ActiveThere is small cave (size 4 and under) entrance that acts as a permanent archway into a HedgeMine. However, it is a labyrinth of tunnels. Many things that enter die due to exhaustion, lackof food and water. Where it exits is unknown.

The Crossroads GateLocation: Crossroads District Park (Gilbert)Status: ActiveThe crossroads complex was built on an older crossroads. By spilling blood in the center of thecrossroads, four gates will open up - all leading to different parts of the Hedge. This trod isalways in twilight regardless of the time of day.

The Sacred Trust GateLocation: McDowell Mountain Regional Park (Scottsdale)Status: DestroyedThe location was once the site of the original freehold of the Sacred Trust. The ruins here wererumored to possess a Hedge Gate though it is unknown how to open it.


4/17

hangeling the Lost

4

Hedge Gate Encounters

If a non-changeling character activates a Hedge Gate or is in the area of an active Hedge Gate please refer to the following to determine how they will fair in the Hedge. This guide only

contains information for Vampire the Requiem and Werewolf the Forsaken. If the domainexpands its reach of games, this guide will be updated.

Vampire the RequiemFor the most part, a vampires Disciplines work normally in the Hedge. Changelings aresusceptible to Disciplines just as supernatural beings normally are (that is, they add their Wyrdratings to resistance rolls, etc.). Hobgoblins, however, are a slightly different case.

Some hobgoblins can be affected by the Animalism Discipline, while others are only affected bythe "higher functioning" powers of Dominate. The Storyteller needs to make that decision on a

case by base basis, and unfortunately, theres no way for a vampire to tell until he tries it. Aftersome time in the Hedge (and a few mishaps, probably) the vampires player might be allowed aWits + Animal Ken or Occult roll to determine at a glance if a given creature operates on ahuman (or human-like) level of cognition.

Vampires cannot eat food, and so cannot usually partake of goblin fruits (though there is alwaysthe possibility of something like Bloodroot, as mentioned on p. 250 of Changeling: The Lost). Tofind a Bloodroot a Vampire must roll Wits + Survival and gain a minimum of 3 successes onthe draw. If they have Auspex 1, add +2 to the pull. But some of the animals in the Hedge havemystical properties to their blood, and the vampire is uniquely suited to discovering theseproperties. In game terms, the possibility of having such animals gives the Storyteller a way toallow vampire characters all the fun of guessing whether a given goblin fruit is going to bebeneficial or deadly in the long run, and to give the vampire a way to interact with the Hedge abit more directly.

Remember that stepping off the thorns doesnt strip a vampires Morality (called Humanity),but it does sap her blood as the thorns slice her flesh open. This is described on p. 222 ofChangeling: The Lost.

Bloodroot A new goblin fruit has turned up in the Hedge near the freehold, and though this goblin fruit has

no apparent effect on changelings, it works as a narcotic for vampires.

Mechanics: Bloodroots act as heroin with a potency of 2, as per MET p. 244, with an additional+2 bonus to Wits tests related to perception. Failing to resist the effects of Bloodroot inflicts themental flaw Addiction as per MET p. 312. While in the Hedge, it gives the consumer 1 point ofvirtual vitae.


5/17

hangeling the Lost

5

Werewolf the orsaken

Gifts, for the most part, function in the Hedge, subject to the restriction listed above. Spiritsdont venture into the Hedge - the Hedge is a barrier between Earth and Faerie, and the spiritworld has no dominion here. A spirit forced or tricked into the Hedge Materializes, and overtime, Glamour can replace ephemera, making the spirit into a hobgoblin (indeed, some theorizethat this is how the Hedge become "populated" in the first place). A spirit bound into a fetish issafe from this effect.

Rites, like Gifts, only work if they dont rely on direct intercession from a spirit. As such, SharedScent works in the Hedge, but Blessing of the Spirit Hunt does not. Gifts that affect animals,such as Beast Speech, are subject to the same restrictions as the Animalism Disciplinementioned above - they only work if the hobgoblin in question is truly animalistic in nature.

Werewolves can eat changelings for Essence (and, of course, face the same possibility ofHarmony loss as for eating people), but derive no such empowerment from hobgoblins, nomatter how human- or wolf-like they might seem.

Hedge Gate Encounters

Once a gate opens, begin the timer & have the PC draw a card. They must add their Resolve +Composure and the card pull. They need to achieve 1 success. If they do, they have the choiceof exploring the gate or they can choose to walk away from it. If they fail to Resolve +Composure, they are drawn into the gate. Please account for PC Flaws and Derangements thatmay modify their draw.

If they lose the draw or choose to explore the open door, have them draw a new card. Use thefollowing chart to refer to what they will find.

1 2 Drudgeman3 4 Harvestman5 Laughing One6 Will O Wisp

7 Shadow Wolves8 Song Wraith9 Terradont10 Nothingnadabut they dont know that


6/17

hangeling the Lost

6

Drudgemen

Description: Drudgemen aresmall, hairy creatures with

long beards, thick tails andbushy eyebrows. Their facesbear an unsettlingresemblance to those of oldmen, but the Drudgemen walkon all fours with a hunchedback that gives them a strange, rolling gait and their "paws" have prehensile fingers tipped withlong sharp claws. Although vaguely humanoid looking, they are sometimes mistaken for cats,dogs or raccoons by those who chance to catch a glimpse of them out of the corner of theireyes. It is rare that anyone, including their wards, actually fully sees a Drudgeman, however.Drudgemen never intentionally reveal themselves to others. Perhaps as a magical reflection oftheir shy natures, Drudgemen are capable of making themselves invisible and prefer to use thismethod for spying on others or going about protecting their wards as much as possible. Thisinvisibility is, however, notoriously imperfect. The nearer an individual is to the hobgoblin, themore likely the human is to see through the Drudgemans invisibility, meaning that many timesthe hobgoblins ward will witness a glimpse of the creature out of the corner of its eye when i tgets too close, as may those who the Drudgeman feels it necessary to take action against to"help" its chosen charge.

Storytelling Hints: Much like mortal relationships, obsession is a dangerous emotion. From themoment a Drudgeman imprints upon a particular individual, the Drudgeman focuses entirely

upon that person, doing everything it can to covertly aid him in all his endeavors and help himaccomplish all his goals and desires. Drudgemen, however, have no real understanding ofhumanity; they are entirely amoral by human standards.

For a Drudgeman, there is no right and wrong. There is only aiding their chosen "ward" inwhatever way possible. Unfortunately, both for their ward and those around the wards, theDrudgeman has no sense of empathy for things such as human values and absolutely nocompunction about taking the wards expressed or evidenced emotions and desires completelyat face value. Drudgemen use any means within their considerable grasp to aid their wards.Drudgemen have access to some inn ate abilities that they use on their charges behalf.Unfortunately, much as the drudgemen themselves, these abilities often result in mixedblessings. They also are more than willing to take direct physical action to do what they believeis aiding their c hosen target. If his spouse turns off the game the Drudgemans charge washappily watching, the hobgoblin is there at the head of the stairs when his wife coming downwith an armful of laundry, making certain she trips and injures herself so she doesnt bo ther herhusband again.


7/17

hangeling the Lost

7

Stats & Powers

Attributes Merits Misc.Intelligence 3 Strength 2 Presence 1 Direction Sense Willpower: 6 Speed:16Wits 4 Dexterity 3 Manipulation 2 Fast Reflexes 2 Initiative: 6 Health: 5Resolve 5 Stamina 2 Composure 3 Fleet of Foot 3 Defense: 2 Wyrd: 3

SkillsCraft (Traps) 2 Athletics 2 Empathy 4Investigation 4 Brawl (Ambush) 2 Persuasion (Actions) 4Occult (The Hedge) 2 Larceny 4 Subterfuge (Red Herrings) 3

Stealth (Invisibility) 5Survival 3

PowersProtector s Knack: As an innate ability costing no Glamour, the Drudgeman has access to the following Contracts.However, the target is limited to the hobgoblins ward or items and objects that will directly affect the human. Ifthe Drudgeman is not bonded, it cannot access this ability.Hearth: Favored Fate - Target gets a +4 to an actionHearth: Beneficient Fate - Target gets a single successHearth: Fortunas Cornucopia - Target gets the 8 Again quality for 1 actionHearth: Triumphal Fate - Target gets 5 successes on a single uncontested extended challengeArtifice: Blessing of Perfection - An item get a +3 equipment modifier until sunsetVainglory: Mask of Superiority - Target seems to "belong" when questioned about his presenceVainglory: Songs of Distant Arcadia - +3 to either Expression or Persuasion for one drawVainglory: Splendor of the Envoys Protection - Gains Striking Looks 4, and cannot be harmed if they take noaggressive actions for the sceneGoblin: Trading Luck for Fate - Receives a moment of good luck, followed by bad luck the next dayGoblin: Fair Entrance - Allows entry into a locked building but an enemy can open a secured place of theirs

Goblin: Delayed Harm - Delays 1 level damage for 1 round, but upgrades the next hit: Bashing becomes a lethal, aLethal becomes an Aggravated, 1 Aggravated becomes 2Goblin: Good and Bad Luck - Can make a successful lucky guess but at the price of some bad luckGoblin: Lost and Found - Allows for a fair escape from a current pursuit, but will be found by another enemy

Clear the Path: As an innate ability costing no Glamour, the Drudgeman has access to the following Contracts.However, the target is limited to someone the Drudgeman feels is harming, interfering with or otherwisebothering its ward or items and objects that will directly affect those who are doing so. If the Drudgeman is notbonded, it cannot access this ability.Hearth: Fickle Fate - Target gets a -2 to an actionSmoke: Murkblur - Target is blind for the sceneArtifice: Touch of the Workmans Wrat h - Renders an object unworkable unless repaired for 2 turnsArtifice: Unmakers Destructive Gaze - Renders an object unworkable for 3 turns and at -3 penalty to repairDarkness: Creeping Dread - Target takes a -3 to resist fear & intimidation drawsDarkness: Touch of Paralyzing Shudder - The targets Speed, Defense, Initiative and all of the targets dice poolsinvolving Strength and Dexterity are halved (round up).


8/17

hangeling the Lost

8

Harvestman

Description: Harvestmen are hobgoblin-spiders. They have proportionately small oval

bodies, supported by eight long and slender,but deceptively strong, legs. Harvestmen (alsocalled reapers) come in a variety of sizes; onewith a body the size of a large house cat willsport legs six to 10 feet long, but because of itsarched build, would look a human roughly eyeto eye. Larger reapers, with a torso roughly thesize of a human, might easily stand as tall assingle story building without problem, whilethe largest may have horse-sized torsos andtower over trees. Stats given below arepresumed to be for an average sizedHarvestman, with a human-sized torso and 12to 15 foot legs (giving it an eight- to 10-footheight). To represent larger Harvestmen,Storytellers are encouraged to increase Size from 7 to 9 and raise the Strength, Dexterity andStamina by a point or two (along with the resulting Health, Initiative and Speed). Unlikemundane spiders, Harvestmen have only two eyes, located roughly at their temples, allowingthem excellent peripheral vision while maintaining their ability to perceive depth andperspective. Below, set where humans would have cheekbones, are a pair of pedipalps, viciouspincers designed to grasp, tear and stuff flesh into its maw. These pedipalps also can be (and

frequently are) used for fighting, contrib uting to the Harvestmans highly dangerous bitingattack. Harvestmen have no venom-injecting fangs (their spinnerets create both the silk of theirweb and the contact sedative that coats it), but their mandibles are well suited to bite attacks.Although their heads and bodies seem small compared to their long legs, their eyes and mouthsare proportionately very large. A Harvestman with a human-sized torso will sport globular eyesthe size of dinner plates, and a mouth wide enough to bite a mans head off in a single snap.

Storytelling Hints: Harvestmen tend to be territorial, rarely straying far from their chosen area,although a large hobgoblinspiders range might incorporate a dozen square miles. Their Hollow -homes are subterranean, with as many as a dozen entrances all leading into a central lair. Allbut one of the routes is capped with a double layer of webbing: the ground-surface layer isstrong enough to support a fine layer of vegetation and detritus, but will give way beneath theweight of even a child-sized human. Further down the vertical tunnel, a thicker layer ofwebbing awaits those who fall through the first layer. This heavier web is coated withHarvestmans poison, a thick syrupy glue that not only binds anything (other than theHarvestman itself) to the webbing, but that also contains a contact narcotic to subdue thetrapped victim. The spider uses the uncapped entrance, building other openings nearfrequently traveled paths within the Hedge. The capped tunnels may be as much as a mile away


9/17

hangeling the Lost

9

from the main lair, and larger Harvestmen may dig similar pit-traps along the tunnels to stopthose who somehow manage to escape the original pitfalls.

Harvestmen prefer not to risk taking their prey by force, relying instead on their web-traps forhunting. Once their webs have snared a victim and the sedating coating has taken effect, theywill approach from within the lair (so as not to expose themselves unnecessarily to thepredations of those who might have been attracted by the victims fall) and begi n to cut theweb around their sleeping prey from the supporting wall, using the web itself as a shroud orstraitjacket to keep the prey immobilized even if he awakens. Before moving their enrobed andincapacitated victim to the main room of their lair, the hobgoblins will repair the lower(heavier) net, both to re-set it for its next target and to ensure that no one follows the tunnelinto the main Lair. Later, when the prey has been dealt with, the Harvestmen will returntopside and repair or replace the lighter ground-level webbing and, if necessary, re-bait the trapwith a craftily laid trail of treasure (including that taken from their new prey).

Attributes Merits Misc.Intelligence 2 Strength 3 Presence 3 Ambidextrous Willpower: 4 Speed: 21Wits 3 Dexterity 4 Manipulation 2 Brawling Dodge Initiative: 8 Health: 9Resolve 2 Stamina 2 Composure 2 Fast Reflexes 2 Defense: 4 Wyrd: 3

Fleet of Foot 2SkillsCrafts (Webs and Traps) 3 Athletics 3 Survival 4Investigation 1 Brawl (Bite) 3 Empathy 1

Stealth 3 Intimidation 3,Animal Ken 2

Harvestmans Net The silken web of the Harvestman is designed to hold even the strange and sometimespowerful prey it comes across in the Hedge. The silk itself varies in diameter from as thin as ahair with the smaller hobgoblin-spiders to as thick as yarn with the larger ones. Regardless ofthe diameter, Harvestman silk is supernaturally strong, with a Durability of 3. The contactsedative that the web silk is coated with is quite sticky. All individuals and items coming intocontact with it are treated as though under an immobilizing grapple (see pp. 157-158 of theWorld of Darkness Rulebook) and must make a successful Strength + Brawl roll to break free.This roll is penalized by the webs Durability. The rol l to break free may be made once per turn,before the webs toxin test is made. If an individual falls under the sway of the webs sedation,he falls asleep and cannot make another test to break free for an hour, until he wakes. After

that point, the sedation properties of the web are assumed to have worn off, and the trappedindividual may attempt to break free each turn without testing for the webs toxin. The webssedation properties require a Stamina + Resolve roll - 4 (to represent the toxins strength ) at theend of each turn the target is immobilized in the web. On a failure, the target falls into adrugged sleep for an hour. Success allows him to continue to attempt to break free the nextturn, but he must test against the toxin again at the end of each turn.


10/17

hangeling the Lost

10

Laughing One

Description: The Laughing Ones are adeptshapechangers, able take on many forms. When they

appear as humans, they are often beautiful to behold,strong of limb and fair of face. They can take on maleor female forms, and often appear dressed inseductive clothing when wearing human shapes.When in animal forms, Laughing Ones can appeareither quite docile and mundane, the better to temptpotential riders onto their backs, or spirited andstriking, the crme de la crme of their species, inhopes of raising the greed of those who might want toown (or sell) such an amazing animal. While theLaughing Ones can take any sort of form, historicallythey are fond of those types of animals that mightmost easily lure humans into putting themselves atthe phookas mercy - hence Laughing Ones love ofappearing as a beautiful human or riding beast.

Storytelling Hints: The Laughing Ones tend to have a mean and capricious streak. Their brandof mischief shows up often in tales from around the world: they might emulate the Japanesetanuki, the British phooka, the American Indian Coyote or any of the hundreds of othershapechanging menaces from world folklore. And as many of these stories, crossing a LaughingOnes path is often fatal. It seems absurdly

comical to the shapeshifting hobgoblin, of course,but few others would find it funny.

The Laughing Ones hide a deep resentmentunder their laughter. The nature of their banvexes them greatly, reminding them that theirpower over themselves is limited. Thus, they loveto take advantage of others, proving the LaughingOnes power over those who cross thesehobgoblins. And, since the ultimate power is thatover life and death, many of their "tricks" arelethal.

There will always be more targets for another romp. Laughing Ones can take on the form of anyanimal, plant or inanimate object, natural or fantastic, and gain the natural abilities of thatcreature as long as they remain in that form. However, they rarely leave the Hedge, where theyare more familiar with the local roads and trails.


11/17

hangeling the Lost

11

When they do venture outside, they rarely take fantastic forms outside of the Hedge, especiallyin locations where the shapes can be witnessed by more than one person or recorded in anyfashion. The Laughing One s particular bent of mischief relies not only upon trickery but inproving the stupidity, gullibility and witlessness of their targets. The greatest goal is to convincea person to do something particularly foolish, such as clamber on the back of a strange horse orcross a treacherous suspended bridge to reach an inviting half-naked temptress. Despite theirobvious physical prowess, they rarely engage in combat, however. It does not suit a LaughingOnes sensibilities to be reduced to throwing blows or usi ng weapons. Their chosen battles arethose of wit and subterfuge, offering pain while risking little in return.

Attribute Merits MiscIntelligence 3 Strength 3 Presence 3 Fast Reflexes 2 Willpower: 5 Speed: 20Wits 5 Dexterity 4 Manipulation 5 Fleet of Foot 3 Initiative: 9 Health: 9Resolve 2 Stamina 4 Composure 3 Iron Stamina 3 Defense: 4 Wyrd: 3

Striking Looks 4

MeritInvestigation 1 Athletics (Running) 5 Animal Ken 3Medicine 2 Brawl (Defense) 2 Empathy (Seeing Weaknesses) 4

Stealth 3 Expression (Singing) 3Survival (Navigation) 4 Intimidation 3

Persuasion (Temptation) 5Socialize 3Subterfuge 5

Shapeshifting: Laughing Ones are consummate shapeshifters able to take on new forms at will.They are able to emulate natural w eapons (such as a bears claws or a wolfs teeth), movementmodes (swimming like a mermaid, flying as a crow) and in some cases may even gain armor (iftaking the form of, say, a boulder). They may swell up to Size 10, but not beyond that. EachLaughing One has a particular ban that limits its shifting in some way. For some, it may be assimple as cannot take the form of any birds, while others may have to show certain colorationpatterns in each shape, or may only be able to change shapes in certain situations. Knowing thisban often enables someone to hold a great deal of power over the Laughing One, whether itmeans the creature is easier to identify regardless of the form it takes, or the creature can be"locked" into a form by preventing the circumstances required for the Laughing One to change

from coming about. Because of this, the metamorphosing hobgoblins are very secretive abouttheir bans, and few will even admit to they (or others of their kind) having such limitations.


12/17

hangeling the Lost

12

Will Wisps

Description: Will O Wisps are luminescent globes of lightthat range in size from fire-fly-sized sparks to balls the size of

a mans head. They are often white, light blue or eerie greenin color, although yellow, red or orange Wisps are notunheard of. Some appear to be made of flame; others shinewith the cool glow of the full moon. They tend to hover atroughly shoulder height, although some witnesses reportWisps playing in the tree tops of a thick forest, or evenrolling about beneath the waters surf ace in a swamp or sea.Wisps are nocturnal, appearing only during dusk or darkerconditions, whether that is produced by nightfall, storms,thick forest canopy or supernatural means. They alsosometimes appear in dark internal structures: subterraneancaves, windowless rooms and hallways or the like.

Will O Wisps have no tangible form. They are ethereal entities without shape or physiology,appearing only as a shimmering, luminescent globe of light. They sometimes are credited withproducing soft whispering voices, mournful sobs or mischievous, seductive giggles thatencourage others to follow after them, but are apparently incapable of real verbal or psychiccommunication. Scholars have conjectured that both the form and sounds attributed to Wispsmay actually be a manifestation of the desires of those who witness them. A traveler who hasrecently lost a loved one may hear what she believes to be his voice coming from the glowinglight, and may even imagine that she sees his profile reflected in the unearthly glow. Similarly, a

witness who has sworn to protect children or women may imagine he hears a babys whimperor a womans sobs. This theory is supported by reports of different individuals within the samegroup hearing or seeing different qualities while fol lowing the same Will O Wisp. As Wisps areincorporeal, they cannot do (or take) physical damage; blows pass through them, magic doesnot affect them, and they seem immune to fire, cold or other environmental influences. If theyare imprisoned, they will simply discorporate and reappear in another location. Being not truly"alive," they cannot be killed or injured by physical means, and dont have a sentience that canbe negotiated with or forced into Contract.

Storytelling Hints: Will O Wisps do not seem to possess the self-awareness required to enterinto negotiations with other creatures, or at least their intellect is alien enough to makenegotiation impossible. Their ability to lure travelers into compromising positions, however, issometimes used by the True Fae or other predators who hunt around areas Wisps are known tofrequent. If a swampy area is home to Wisps, a hob may well make her home there as well,offering "succor" (for a price, of course) to those who are foolish enough to follow the Wispsinto the marshlands and become lost. Similarly, an enticer or bloodsuckle may lurk in an areawhere Wisps frequently lead people, counting on the glowing balls to conduct prey directly intotheir waiting maws.


13/17

hangeling the Lost

13

While Wisps have an empathetic ability to project tempting stimuli out to those who witnessthem, Wisps have no overt methods of attack or hostile magics. Their abilities do not forceothers to follow against their will or dominate their self-interest, Wisps merely prey uponothers fears, weaknesse s or morals to encourage them to do so. Storytellers are encouraged tothink of Wisps as carrots, tempting characters, rather than leashes that force others to follow.Wisps Attributes and Abilities are given only for the purposes of attempting to lure ot hers tofollow them, and do not represent an equivalent personality in a humanoid-creature. Wispsare, at most, a minor annoyance for those who are wary and do not follow their enticing.However, there is no end to the mischief or harm that can fall upon someone who is foolishenough to follow their lead.

Attributes Merits Misc.Intelligence 1 Strength 0 Presence 4 Fast Reflexes 2 Willpower: 5 Speed: 18 (flight)Wits 5 Dexterity 5 Manipulation 5 Fleet of Foot 3 Initiative: 9 Health: N/AResolve 3 Stamina 5 Composure 2 Defense: 5 Wyrd: 3

SkillsNone Athletics 5 Empathy 4

Stealth 3 Expression 4Persuasion 4Subterfuge 4

Mirroring: Will O Wisps have an empathic mirroring ability that allows them to "reflect back"

the appearance or sound of that which will be most likely to tempt an individual into following.The effect affects only the perceptions of those who see the Wisp, not the Wisp itself. The Wispdoes not actually take on the image or sounds thereof, and another person witnessing the sameWisp will perceive it differently, projecting their own personal temptations onto the Wisp.

Intangible: Will O Wisps have no physical form, existing solely as a manifestation of Hedgeweirdness. They cannot be affected by physical or mental att acks, and arent susceptible toContracts or other supernatural powers. Wisps are, essentially, Hedge window dressing, havingno impact on the world around them, unless individuals are foolish enough to follow them.


14/17

hangeling the Lost

14

Shadow WolvesDescription: Shadow wolves look much like normal wolves ifyou ignore the fact their very skin seems to be made ofdarkness. Three to four feet in length, every bit of the

hobgoblin is black as night, including teeth and eyes. Theirgrowls rustle the leaves of the Thorns with bass vibrationsand their howls are the awful, coughing retch of a dyingcancer patient. Their movements are completely silent, evenwhen passing over dry leaves or other substances thatshould betray their presence.

Storytelling Hints: Normal wolves rarely attack humans,unless they are rabid or starving. The majority of wolf attacksare the result of humans too stupid to back down when theycome too close to a wolves den or after theyve trapped orinjured one of the animals. But shadow wolves hunt for

pleasure. They enjoy the feeling of chasing frightened prey, of ripping into soft flesh with theirblack teeth. Shadow wolves do more than just hunt prey, however, they terrorize. The wolvesleap from shadows to nip at flanks or barrel into their victims from behind, knocking them tothe ground.

Again, though cruel, these tactics are no different than any number of similar fae predators thatcan be found in the Hedge. Shadow wolves are much, much more than simple predators. Theeyes of a shadow wolf are listless orbs of black that refuse to reflect any light. To stare into theeyes of the beasts is to become lost in them and open the way to your soul. When a pack first

catches the scent of prey, the pack alpha glides forward to scout. If the prey turns out to be asingle victim, the alpha howls for the rest of the pack and the hunt begins. If, on the other hand,their prey travels in a group, the alpha will slink around that group until he manages to catchthe eye of one of the travelers. As soon as the alpha makes eye contact, he leaps, becomingpure shadow, and attempts to invade the body of the prey. If the possession is successful, thealpha uses the body to lure other members of the group off one-by-one to his waiting pack. Ifnot, the alpha races away to reunite with the pack, running just slow enough to make sure theprey is following.

Hobgoblins know better than to chase anything through the Hedge. Changelings cant seem toresist. The battle between pack and prey becomes a running fight, with shadow wolves poppingout to attack before running off again. Eventually the prey will tire, from fatigue and blood loss,and the pack will slow the pace to move in for the kill. Usually. Sometimes, the pack continuesto run, always staying maddeningly just out of reach. At first the chase is a voluntary one, withthe pursuer eager to catch and kill his attackers. As the chase wears on, though, the victim feelsas though hes being pulled along. His shadow stretches out in front of him, dragging himthrough the Thorns like a dog on a leash. As he tires, the victim begins to stumble, cuttinghimself on the thorns of the Hedge over and over again until he bleeds from a thousand shallow


15/17

hangeling the Lost

15

cuts. When he finally collapses, ragged beyond all endurance, his shadow continues to run,pulling his soul clear of his body. The shadow begins to take on the shape of a wolf and soon it joins the pack, the newest member leading the way back to fresh meat.

Attribute Merit Misc.

Intelligence 3 Strength 4 Presence 2 Danger Sense Willpower: 5 Speed: 26Wits 4 Dexterity 4 Manipulation 4 Direction Sense Initiative: 6 Health: 6Resolve 3 Stamina 3 Composure 2 Fleet of Foot 3 Defense: 4 Wyrd: 2

SkillsNone Athletics (Lope) 5 Expression 3

Brawl (Bite) 4Stealth 5Survival (Scent) 5

PowersShadowskin: The body of a shadow wolf is only partially solid. Physical attacks can injure the beast, but thedamage is always less than might be expected. This grants the wolf an effective Armor Rating of 2 against allattacks. In addition, the wolf gains a +2 bonus to all Stealth rolls as a result of its natural camouflage. Theirshadowy natures do come with some disadvantages, however. If the wolves are exposed to any light sourcestronger than a candle flame, they suffer a -2 penalty on all actions and lose the Armor Rating from Shadowskin.

Pack Tactics: Shadow wolves use their feral intelligence, cunning and pack awareness to attack as a team, ratherthan as individuals, each strike benefiting from the one that came before it. Any character that is attacked by ashadow wolf has her Defense reduced by two for that turn (rather than the usual one) for the next attack byanother member of the pack.

Windows to the Soul: Only available to the alpha of a shadow wolf pack, this Aspect lets the wolf attempt topossess their pre y. Roll the alphas Presence + Manipulation +2 versus the targets Resolve + Composure. If the

target wins the roll, the attempt at possession fails. If the alpha wins the roll, the target becomes possessed for theremainder of the scene. If the possessed takes damage from any source while under the control of the alpha, thepossession immediately ends and the alpha is ejected from the body. Alphas may only use this Aspect once pernight.

Strength in Numbers: Only a fool chases the unknown through the Thorns. For each turn a character chases theshadow wolves she must make a Stamina + Resolve roll at a cumulative -1 penalty (maximum of -5). If a roll isfailed, the character takes one point of lethal damage as her shadow seems to pull her into the Thorns. A charactermay choose to stop chasing the wolves at any time, unless he suffers a dramatic failure on the Stamina + Resolveroll or suffers a total of five points of lethal damage. In either of these circumstances the character must make aStrength + Composure roll in order to rein in her shadow and come to a halt. Other characters that tackle orotherwise hinder the character as she runs, must hold the character still for two turns before the compulsion tochase the wolves is lifted. This may call for opposed grappling checks (see the World of Darkness Rulebook, p. 157).If a character fills the last point of her Health track with lethal damage inflicted by chasing the pack, her shadowand soul pull away from her body and join to become a shadow wolf. The body left behind exists in a coma state(and gravely injured) and if some way is discovered to reunite body, soul, and shadow, the character may recover.

Smoke 1: Removes all traces of physical evidences of one s presence from an area.Smoke 2: Can mask a personal scent to another scent of your choosing.


16/17

hangeling the Lost

16

SongwraithDescription: The Songwraith appears vague at first glance, which alwaysoccurs from a distance, and usually either at night or late in the daywhen the light is dim. As she gets closer, her features begin to sharpen

and take on more detail: the color of her eyes, the color and length ofher hair, the style of dress, and so on. By the time she can be seenclearly, she has taken on the exact appearance of the one woman theperson viewing her loves the most - wife, lover, friend. Male Songwraithsexist, but these are far more rare. If more than one person is viewing theSongwraith, the Songwraith is only visible to her chosen victim, making itmore difficult for the targets acquaintances to help defend him. TheSongwraiths appearance is usually young. Female Songwraiths can andwill go after lesbian females as victims, and male Songwraiths will preyon homosexual men. The only necessary prerequisite is desire.

The Songwraith has no fixed appearance, and between feedings, exists as a cloud of disincarnate shadow, restingin a thin layer along the ground in places where large numbers of people have died, such as battlefields andcharnel houses. Storytelling Hints: Because the Songwraith is composed of shadow, physical attacks are of limiteduse against it. Enchanted weapons and tokens will harm one, but standard weapons are of no use.

Attributes Merits Misc.Intelligence 3 Strength 2 Presence 5 Harvest 2 (Emotions) Willpower: 6 Speed: 10Wits 2 Dexterity 3 Manipulation 4 Striking Looks 4 Initiative: 6 Health: 8Resolve 3 Stamina 3 Composure 3 Defense: 2 Wyrd: 3

SkillsCrafts 2 Athletics 3 Empathy 4Occult 3 Larceny 2 Expression 4Politics 3 Stealth 3 Persuasion 3

Survival 1 Socialize 2Weaponry 3 Subterfuge 5

PowersBewitching Melody: When a Songwraith has chosen her victim, she begins to sing. The target must resist by rollinghis Resolve + Composure versus the Songwraiths Presence + Expression. If the roll fails, this song begins to sap thevictims Glamour at a rate of one per Turn. The victim may reroll once per every three turns. Once the victimsGlamour is drained, the song then drains their Health points at the same rate as it did their Glamour, until thevictim finally dies.

Fleshly Guise: The Songwraith is capable of taking on a specific form for an extended period of time in order todraw out the deception. During this time, it has a corporeal form, and will appear to eat, converse, and carry outthe same sort of activities as any normal changeling. When engaging in such long-term hunting, it will appear as a

changeling of the Fairest kith.

Vainglory 1: Mask of Superiority (2) - Target seems to "belong" when questioned about his presenceVainglory 2: Songs of Distant Arcadia (9) - +3 to either Expression or Persuasion for one drawVainglory 3: Splendor of the Envoys Protection (8) - Gains Striking Looks 4, and cannot be harmed if they take noaggressive actions for the sceneMirror 1: Riddle Kith Changes your appearance to that of a different SeemingMirror 2: Skin Mask (5) Can change a feature on your face/bodyMirror 3: Transfigure the Flesh (5) Alters your height


17/17

hangeling the Lost

17

TerradontDescription: A Terradont is an extremely large, mostlystationary scavenger that resembles a large pile ofleaves and other vegetable detritus. However, thehobgoblin is a master of camouflage, and the details of

its appearance change not only according to season, butto specific locale as well. It may mimic a heap of brownand gold oak and maple leaves in a deciduous forest inOctober, a pile of broken sticks and brown pine needlesin an evergreen forest in January, a mound of greenvines and creeping flowers in a wildflower field in April,or a morass of fermenting fallen fruit in an old appleorchard in August. Tropical variations, sub-arcticversions, and even subspecies are adapted to blend in togoblin towns and market areas, usually by disguising itself as a compost heap. The debris that makes up the toplayer of the Terradont is composed of protoplasm shaped and colored to mimic specific types of vegetation.Underneath the top layer is a moraine of stones, gravel, and sand, whic h acts as the creatures teeth. TheTerradont has no sense of sight, but it compensates for this with extremely well-developed senses of hearing,smell, and touch. A full-grown Terradont can spread out in a roughly circular area almost 15 feet across, and mayweigh almost a ton.

Storytelling Hints: The Terradont has two ways of devouring its prey. Its favorite method of trapping victims is toslowly excavate a deep hole in a suitable spot in a secluded location, incorporating whatever rocks it finds in thesoil into its make- up. It then spreads itself out over the hole, similar to the leaves and twigs that cover a hunterspit trap. It completes the trap by extruding a pseudopod of protoplasm shaped to look like something valuable.This can be anything from a bit of gold jewelry, a piece of goblin fruit, or an imitation of a smaller, weaker animalthat flops about as if injured. When an animal, hob, or changeling happens along and attempts to retrieve the lure,the Terradont collapses into the pit, enveloping the target and smothering her. The Terradont is also known to sitat the edge of cliffs that overhang roads and other areas where prey creatures pass underneath. When it sensesapproaching prey, usually through soundor vibrations in the ground, it will slide off the edge of the cliff,hoping to

land atop the animal underneath, crushing it with its weight. This method of hunting is by far less successful thanthe other, however, and is rarely used unless the pit method has repeatedly failed. The Terradont is, above all, avery successful scavenger, and will digest anything organic that it can devour. Plants, animals, and rotting carrionall serve to nourish it. Because of this trait, at least one goblin town is known to have captured a Terradont when itwas young, imprisoned it in the bottom of a pit, sealed off the opening to the pit with a barred grate, and used thecreature as a giant, living trash disposal. At least one Keeper is known to use the creature in the same way todispose of changelings that have displeased her.

Attribute Merits Misc.Intelligence 1 Strength 5 Presence 1 Fast Reflexes 2 Willpower: 4 Speed: 15Wits 3 Dexterity 5 Manipulation 3 Iron Stomach Initiative: 7 Health: 11Resolve 2 Stamina 3 Composure 2 Strong Back Defense: 3 Wyrd: 3

SkillsCrafts 1 Brawl 3 Expression 1Investigation 2 Stealth 4 Intimidation 2

Survival 2 Subterfuge 5

hedge gate guide

Documents