Changeling the Podcast

In this installment, the hosts dive deep into the intricate world-building and kiths from the Changeling universe. They tackle how ancient civilizations, like the Sumerians, shape magical folklore while critiquing cultural representation in gaming. The discussion highlights the complexities of integrating rich narratives, especially regarding African folklore and colonial histories. With humor and insight, they navigate themes of authenticity and inclusivity, urging for better storytelling that honors diverse cultures.

Dive into the whimsical world of romance within tabletop RPGs! Explore the delicate balance between love and conflict, with insights on societal norms shaping interactions. Discover the significance of consent and communication in navigating complex relationships. From enchanting matchmaking adventures to the unique archetypes of love, the discussion highlights how past experiences can influence gameplay. Safety tools are also emphasized to ensure a respectful and enjoyable atmosphere for all players.

Dive into the captivating blend of science fiction and changeling narratives. The hosts explore how sci-fi themes enrich fantasy storytelling, from technological dilemmas to ethical quandaries found in shows like 'Black Mirror.' They discuss genre intersections, drawing inspiration from classics like 'The Matrix,' and highlight innovative storytelling opportunities in futuristic settings. Listen as they merge cybernetics with changelings, transforming gameplay and character dynamics. This thrilling exploration promises to inspire your next game!

The discussion kicks off with an exploration of politics and society among the Kithain, diving deep into themes of governance and community engagement. Unique character creations, like Red Robin Hood, highlight the vibrant storytelling potential. The hosts tackle the complexities of different factions and the evolving political landscape within Concordia, drawing parallels to real-world systems. They also critique the representation of disability in character narratives, promoting nuanced portrayals. The balance between structured mechanics and freeform gameplay adds another layer of intrigue to their analysis.

Charles Siegel, a passionate video game expert, joins to unpack how video games inspire tabletop RPGs. They explore beloved titles like American McGee's Alice, Braid, and Final Fantasy, highlighting their gothic aesthetics and narrative depth. The conversation dives into character evolution, societal themes in Persona, and the whimsical mechanics of games like Psychonauts and Untitled Goose Game. Siegel emphasizes the intersection of video gaming and tabletop storytelling, revealing how both mediums inform and enrich one another.

For many years, the Changeling community has longed for a better take on the hsien of East Asia. In our previous episode on their introductory 2e supplement, Land of Eight Million Dreams, we discussed at length how these fae were portrayed in... not the greatest fashion, and it's a characterization that the 20th Anniversary didn't really fix. But! The latest release from Hsienfan on the Storytellers' Vault, In the Realm of Gods and Dreams, breathes new life into what was a sometimes confusing, often cringey group of changelings, and manages to re-write many of the assumptions about the game along the way, both systems and setting. We had the opportunity to sit down with the author and walk through the book in its entirety. The open dev process used for its creation means that you may have seen glimmers and drafts along the way; now we have a 300+ page chomker in all its glory to digest. lf you've been eagerly looking for some thorough information about its contents, well, here goes... (Hsienfan's appearance on our show is also dedicated to his wife, Coco Vanille, without whose publishing prep and prowess this book would not exist. Forgetting to mention this in the outro is purely on Pooka, who is terrible at reading everything in emails, and missed this request. Many thanks from us as well to Coco for helping make this tome a reality!) You can pick up the book at the Storytellers' Vault by visiting https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/492660?affiliate_id=3063731, and here are some other internet places to check out on the side: The RPG.net forum thread to ask author questions: https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/in-the-realm-of-gods-and-dreams-q-a-on-asian-urban-fantasy.922068/ Reddit Q&A: https://www.reddit.com/r/WhiteWolfRPG/comments/1f115so/in_the_realm_of_gods_and_dreams_qa_hsien_nostalgia/ Our episode on Land of Eight Million Dreams, for reference: https://changelingthepodcast.com/podcast/episode-54-land-of-eight-million-dreams/ And as usual, you can bother us via: Discord: https://discord.me/ctp Email: podcast@changelingthepodcast.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699 Mastodon: https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPod Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Josh Hillerup (any pronoun) has waiting been waiting too many years already for the film Moderate Trouble in Sensible Canada. Pooka G (any pronoun/they) journeyed into the West and all they got was this lousy T-shirt. Half of the poetry of life would be gone, if we did not feel that life was either a dream, or a voyage with transient travelers. —Lin Yutang, The Importance of Living

Dive into the enchanting world of the Fair Folk with insights on their role in the game. Discover the visual upgrades and challenges in the second edition of a beloved role-playing book. Engage with the rich lore surrounding Raksha and the game mechanics that keep players hooked. Explore the intricacies of character creation, including the concept of unshaped versus shaped beings. The discussion touches on abstract timelines, combat mechanics, and the deeper themes of humanity, all while maintaining a light-hearted tone.

One more minisode for the summer! We'll be back to our usual schedule of full episodes in September, but we thought we'd share a cross-production that we participated in a couple weeks ago. Barney Smith from Storycomic reached out to do an interview with us about Changeling: the Dreaming, our podcast, and associated thoughts. So we have shamelessly appropriated the audio from that interview and are sharing it here, which we hope will tide you over for a bit longer... Over at Barney's site, there are a dizzying number (nearly 400! how does one even) of chats with authors of all stripes. Go have a scroll through and find a few that interest you, why don'tcha? The website: https://www.storycomic.com/ The podcast (or one of them): https://storycomic.podbean.com/ The YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm6frhFag219q2lHM7Fa4qQ And as usual, if you'd like to get in touch with us, our socials are below: Discord: https://discord.me/ctp Email: podcast@changelingthepodcast.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699 Mastodon: https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPod Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Josh Hillerup (any pronoun) has been spotted at anywhere that's anywhere in the best parts of Ottawa. Pooka G (any pronoun/they) has scuttled away from detection behind the finest trash cans in Philadelphia. Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence. —O. Henry

A surprise minisode, just in time for Highsummer week! We've talked about the Immortal Eyes novels, we've talked about the Anthology of Dreams, and we've even mentioned Pomegranates Full & Fine... but what about the rest of the Changeling fiction from the 90s? This includes The Splendour Falls, a short story collection released in tandem with 1st edition; "Playing with Fire", part of the Essential World of Darkness omnibus; and "The Muse", a story in the following Quintessential World of Darkness omnibus. Pooka managed to get their hands on physical copies of each—since they are not available in PDF form, and long out-of-print—to read and expound upon their contents. It's a bit of filler until we get into the second half of Season 3 (soon!), but hopefully will whet your appetite for more. For our previous episodes on TTRPG tie-in fiction and its relevance to the game, check out: Our episode on the original Immortal Eyes trilogy: https://changelingthepodcast.com/podcast/episode-33-the-immortal-eyes-novels/ Our conversation about Vampire/Changeling crossover, which touches on the novel of same: https://changelingthepodcast.com/podcast/episode-47-changeling-vampire-crossover/ Our recent diversion into the C20 fiction offerings: https://changelingthepodcast.com/podcast/episode-81-anthology-of-dreams-cup-of-dreams/ Per the announcement at the start of the episode, please also check out friend of the show Fetch's new game, The Necromancer, at: https://ameliafetch.itch.io/the-necromancer! This was written for the QUEER WRATH game writing jam (https://itch.io/jam/queerwrath) and has been simultaneously submitted to the Trans FURY jam (https://itch.io/jam/trans-fury-jam). And while we are lazing our way through the days of summer, you can find us as always at: Discord: https://discord.me/ctp Email: podcast@changelingthepodcast.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699 Mastodon: https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPod Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your host Pooka G (any pronoun/they) believes that life is indeed stranger than fiction, but pretty mundane when compared to sea shanty. I am always at a loss to know how much to believe of my own stories. —Washington Irving, "To the Reader"

And so we come once again to a bit of downtime, as we wind up the first half of Season 3. It's just another minisode on the eve of the solstice, to let you know where things stand and what we've been up to, plus some of our plans when we return in six weeks, give or take. We're getting our schedule of recordings together and making plans for getting through some books we want to read, and thinking ahead to our Changeling 30th Anniversary celebration next year... but mostly we're looking forward to a bit of rest and relaxation. Thanks for your continued support, and keep an eye out for our return! In the meantime, stay up to date with our summery goings-on at: Discord: https://discord.me/ctp Email: podcast@changelingthepodcast.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082973960699 Mastodon: https://dice.camp/@ChangelingPod Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/changelingthepodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChangelingThePodcast your hosts Josh Hillerup (any pronoun) will be spending the break perfecting that flan recipe. Flan for everyone! Flan for ever. Pooka G (any pronoun/they) is typing this from the other side of the planet, due to Secret Piskey Tendencies. Vacation is what you take when you can't take what you've been taking any longer. —The Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz