Changeling the Podcast

Television, it turns out, is massive. When we set out to choose ten television shows that we found inspiring for Changeling, we had no idea that there were so many options we'd end up with, even considering the criteria we set for ourselves. (We looked at shows we had seen ourselves, and ideally ones that weren't already called out as inspiration in the books.) And that was before listeners started suggesting a bunch more. Nevertheless, we feel pretty happy with our picks; these are entries which we are fond of on their own, but also find well-suited for consideration through the lens of the game. Herewith some of their trailers/theme songs/selected scenes in chronological order: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) random scene from the pilot, "Emissary", that gives some characterization and talks about the Trill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McyJA93MGhU Gargoyles (1994–1997) opening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygrEVnrg3Ic Recess: (1997–1999) opening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zObiglKZKZc The 10th Kingdom (2000) trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbrXWWYopq8 Carnivàle (2003–2005) Emmy-winning opening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouTCtwNIYaQ Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (2004–2009) teaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djNHGRkg2R4 Lost Girl (2010–2015) trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W057R9MNRw4 Adventure Time: (2010–2018) opening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMDaAcfCYow The Almighty Johnsons (2011–2013) trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd80D347iSI Stranger Things (2016–) trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9EkMc79ZSU We hope that if you're in the market for some inspirational material of this variety, one or more of these will help up churn up the Glamour of game planning. And if you've got Thoughts about what we've chosen—or have other ones to suggest which we haven't seen!—feel free to get in touch via the links 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) built a chimerical companion out of vacuum tubes and SMPTE color bars. Pooka G (any pronoun/they) enjoys the sound of the phrase "sweeps week" much more than its meaning. Television: An advanced technical method of stopping people from making their own entertainment. —Leonard Rossiter, The Devil's Bedside Book

Something fishy is going on this week, as we plunge into the murky waters of Blood-Dimmed Tides. Technically, this is a general World of Darkness sourcebook rather than a Changeling sourcebook, with material for the "Big Five" game lines of mostly 2nd Edition. (Coming at the start of 1999, this includes both notes about Vampire's recent Revised rules, and helpful instructions for how to party like it's.) But Changeling has the lionfish's share of material, with practically an entire mini-Kithbook in its chapter, dedicated to those mysterious and beguiling merfolk of the deep. Combined with things like aquatic story hooks, underwater combat rules, and ample crossover opportunities, we believe that it's still a worthy edition to the canon. In fact, it left us thirsty for more! (But listen, if you're thirsty, don't drink seawater, because there are probably mechanics in the Appendix about how quickly it will kill you. And don't drink fishmilk unless you're into that kind of thing.) Have a purchase of the book at https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/342?affiliate_id=3063731 if you're so inclined! You can also put messages in bottles and drop them in various bodies of dank water: 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/@ChangelingT your hosts Josh Hillerup (any pronoun) has a vial of tetrodotoxin ready for the next person who mocks Aquaman. Pooka G (any pronoun/they) informs you that a shark on whiskey is mighty risky. (A shark on beer... is a, uh... a beer engineer.) The very deep did rot: O Christ! That ever this should be! Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs Upon the slimy sea. —Samuel Taylor Coleridge, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"

There are at least as many styles of Storytelling (or DMing, or Gamemastering, or whatever) as there are Storytellers, most of whom have Strong Opinions about the best way to do things. We've had a bit of discussion here and there over our two seasons, but this week we—along with special guest and veteran Storyteller, Fetch—are having a roundtable on advanced Storytelling techniques we favor. This is especially geared towards Storytellers who have run a few Changeling games and gotten the hang of things, but are looking to try some new and more complex methods at their table. Have a listen, and perhaps you'll get some ideas to deploy for your next session...! We also have a whole mess of links this time around. First, two other episodes that are centered on the ins and outs of the Storytelling role: Episode 38 (Session Zero): https://changelingthepodcast.com/podcast/episode-38-session-zero/ Episode 51 (Storyteller's Guide): https://changelingthepodcast.com/podcast/episode-51-storytellers-guide/ Three other media outlets whose work we appreciate and recommend for game-running guidance: Simulacra Studios: https://www.patreon.com/SimulacraStudios Mage: the Podcast: https://magethepodcast.com/ Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff: https://www.kenandrobintalkaboutstuff.com/ A book of Pooka's that got mentioned for story hook ideas, and a link to Fetch's Discord for many gaming opportunities: Book of Days: https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/412055?affiliate_id=3063731 Fetch's Discord: https://discord.gg/cuMTVAxF And our usual battery of social media posts: Discord (where you can also find Fetch!): 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/@ChangelingT your hosts Josh Hillerup (any pronoun) is a Síocháin who bears the Mantle of the Flowchart Maker. Pooka G (any pronoun/they)'s chimerical companion is a Star Wars-style opening crawl at the start of each game session. Our audience must experience not only the ways to free Prometheus, but be schooled in the very desire to free him. —Bertolt Brecht

White Wolf's "Year of the Lotus" initiative was an attempt to explore the World of Darkness' various game lines through the context of "the East" with... uneven results. Changeling was not spared, and the last book of the Year was Land of Eight Million Dreams, covering the hsien of China, Japan, and environs. There's a lot of interesting material in this book; there is also a lot of cringey, baffling, and/or confusing stuff. We're joined by special guest LewCid for a wide-ranging discussion on Orientalism in Changeling, the ways in which the fae of Asia are presented, and whether we can redeem anything from this book. The hsien in C20 core are handled quite differently, but much more shallowly, so for anyone who wants a deeper game involving them, we do our best to tease out the helpful options here. (It is also the case that our podcast gets marked "Explicit" by default because of one error way back in the day. But we certainly have a few swears in this episode, because this book can be, to put it as mildly as possible, the occasional exercise in frustration.) You can purchase the book at https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/180?affiliate_id=3063731 if you're so inclined. Furthermore, as of this writing, it and all other Changeling books are 25% off on the Storytellers' Vault! As mentioned at the start of the episode, if you do stop by the STV to round out your collection, please consider supporting our show by adding our affiliate code (?affiliate_id=3063731) to the end of any URL on the site. We welcome discussion and feedback on this and other sundry Changeling topics at any of the several points of social contact we espouse: Discord (where you can also find LewCid!): 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) gathers strength from the prayers of functionaries sobbing over their virus-ridden machines. Pooka G (any pronoun/they) folds paper charms and writes haiku for the elemental alchemy of Camp. 不知周之梦为蝴蝶与, 蝴蝶之梦为周与? Bùzhī zhōuzhīmèng wèi húdié yǔ, húdié zhī mèng wèi zhōu yǔ? [Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly, dreaming I am a man.] —Zhuangzi, tr. Lin Yutang

After teasing the nymphs in various shapes for nearly four years, Changeling's 2nd edition finally got around to giving us a supplement dedicated to the fae of nature. In this book's fullest presentation of who they are, Inanimae (and their Secret Way) are elemental dreams, the product of human imagination interacting with noteworthy hunks of rock, majestic trees, pools of water, etc. They sidestep a lot of the cultural issues and relativity of Banality that complicate the other kiths, providing another way to explore the world of Changeling. Flipping through these pages reveals much about their society, history, ecology, and magic, especially given the dearth of information that they get in C20. Read along with us as we learn who they are and what they're about... The book in question can be purchased at https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/62211?affiliate_id=3063731. (Pooka's homebrew publications, Kithbook: Ghille Dhu and The Emperor's New Coat, are also mentioned in the episode; they can be acquired at https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/381967?affiliate_id=3063731 and https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/375875?affiliate_id=3063731, respectively.) some inspirations Given how squicked the Inanimae are by the meatiness of humans (and changelings!), reading through this book gave some vibes of Terry Bisson's short story "They're Made Out of Meat." Various fun adaptations are out there, of which Stephen O'Regan's is maybe the best known? Embed below, link is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6JFTmQCFHg And then, when it comes to films, books, etc., the classic sources for Changeling stories don't quite do justice to the Inanimae experience. Some possible alternatives: Treebeard and his Entish kin from Lord of the Rings, in any version, are great inspiration for wizened kubera Toy Story and Dr. Who provide examples of mannikins that range from cute to terrifying It's debatable whether the spirits of Hayao Miyazaki's films are metaphysically more like Werewolf/Mage-aligned Naturae, or Changeling-aligned Inanimae, but either way, they make good fodder for whimsical and powerful characters The systems don't exactly line up, but the elemental magic of Avatar: the Last Airbender, directly controlling the elements of its framework but expanding out into more metaphorical uses, is helpful to think about the working of Slivers If you have more to share, please consider doing so on our Discord! And where's the link to our Discord? Why, it's listed first here, with the rest of our social contact-points: 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) cautions anyone against crossing the Inanimae spawned from the Para-Elemental Planes. Pooka G (any pronoun/they) has reached the third dot of Mirrorball, the Sliver that deals with the element of Disco. "Even a wounded world is feeding us. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy." —Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass

Senses and memories and fae (oh my!) mix in very particular ways. Enchantment brings mortals into the chimerical world; the Mists blur the details of that world even for changelings. While the mechanics in are solidly established in Changeling: the Dreaming, more or less, it can be tough to incorporate those two aspects into a game. This week, we're exploring how to handle that from a Storyteller and player perspective, across editions of the game. We talk about the role of enchanted mortals, the particulars of memory loss, mechanics we think would enliven the systems a bit, and more...! Have a listen, and you'll be forgiven if you can't recall any of it afterward. A couple shout-outs from this week: Check out the World of Dark Ages podcast, from Jacob Klünder and Peter Wrede Pooka's book Fairy-Faith on the Storyteller's Vault (for Mage: the Ascension): https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/418295?affiliate_id=3063731 If you want to remain around sufficient Glamour to keep your knowledge of the podcast from fading in your mind, we've got a few different balefires you can sit around: 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) proposes that the Mists are at their most irritating when you can't find those keys you were just holding. Pooka G (any pronoun/they) believes that eggs and paper airplanes are in the top 5 most appropriate Glamour vehicles for enchanting mortals. "How happy is the blameless vestal's lot! The world forgetting, by the world forgot. Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind! Each prayer accepted, and each wish resigned." —Alexander Pope, "Eloisa to Ableard"

We're jumping over the Lughnasa bonfires to bring you our first full-on episode in six weeks...! Herewith our dive into the Changeling Storytellers' Guide. This is the only proper ST-focused volume the line ever got, and while it's uneven, there's still plenty to enjoy within. Advice on planning the story and managing the table, reprinted crossover rules and thoughts on alternate settings, art that baffles as much as it inspires and an attempt at what the charitable would call a game-wide index—it's all here. Join us as we flip through its pages and get back into the groove of the podcast. We missed you all! For the completionists, the book in question can be purchased at: https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/55?affiliate_id=3063731 Our merry selves can be found and contacted 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) keeps adding more Storytellers' screens to the table despite the players' pleas. Just keeps on adding 'em. Pooka G (any pronoun/they) runs games where everything's made up but the points do matter. "To hell with facts! We need stories!" —Ken Kesey

Surely you didn't think we were going to leave you all completely hanging during our summer hiatus...? Granted, this is only a mini-sode, but we hope it still serves a pleasant tidbit in between are larger installments. On this occasion, we are exploring the (general) World of Darkness supplement, The Bygone Bestiary, full of all your folklore-steeped medieval-and-Renaissance creature needs. The book claims that it can be fairly easily integrated with Werewolf, Mage, or Changeling, but in practice, it's more of a Mage: the Sorcerer's Crusade book. We are nevertheless giving our best effort to talk about how you could use this for Changeling. A system for building chimera, examples of interesting lore for common creatures, ideas for bringing actual mythic beasts into the Autumn World... the possibilities, if not endless, are at the very least intriguing. The book is available on the Storytellers Vault at: https://www.storytellersvault.com/product/50?affiliate_id=3063731 Herewith also a shout-out to our sister podcast, Mage: the Podcast, whose episode on the book can be heard at: https://magethepodcast.com/tomes-of-magick-bygone-bestiary/. And then, share your questions, comments, or screams of terror about your favorite beasts with us 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) has a permanent observership among the College of Sea Cardinals. Pooka G (any pronoun/they) created three perytons yesterday while trying to reheat a Lebanese rice bowl. "O to be a dragon, a symbol of the power of Heaven — of silkworm size or immense; at times invisible. Felicitous phenomenon!" —Marianne Moore, "O To Be a Dragon"

A merry solstice to all! Keep an eye peeled for any fae wheelings and dealings in your neighborhood today, and be sure not to stray into any mysterious mushroom rings... In the meantime, you can also have a listen to this state of the podcast for the first half of Season 2, where we do an assessment of how things are going so far and our plans for the rest of the year. (Just a short audio morsel to tide you over.) The biggest news herein is that we are finally converting episodes to video format for upload to YouTube. A link to the podcast channel will be included in our social media bundle moving forward, and the individual episodes uploaded so far—in case you want to go back to the beginning—are as follows: Episode 0 — introduction to the podcast: https://youtu.be/ienEt1JT3uo Episode 1 — introduction to Changeling: the Dreaming: https://youtu.be/ppCGutqzkRI Episode 2 — the fae before Changeling: https://youtu.be/OkOTqIdYDg8 Episode 3 — first edition corebook: https://youtu.be/r2zaimaaO-g The rest of the usual links: 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/ Thanks for your listens and supports! And we are steadily working away for our own late-summer Resurgence...

Our fiftieth (full-length) installment! Thanks to all who have been listening, especially those with us from the start, and we hope the next fifty are enjoyable. It seemed right to close out that milestone, and the first half of Season 2, with something a bit more relaxed. So here we are with another inspirations episode, this time on thirteen films that we think are particularly suited for Changeling: the Dreaming. (It would've been ten like the other inspirations episodes, but there was no way we could have kept it to that few.) This is a mix of movies officially recommended in the books and some of our own picks, a balance between overtly fae-themed films and others that more generally reflect the themes of the game. In order of discussion, here are the trailers. Some of them are excessively Hollywood, for which you have our apologies: Amélie (dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUECWi5pX7o Labyrinth (dir. Jim Henson, 1986) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2yd4em1I6M Mirrormask (dir. Dave McKean, 2005) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd4DGnYk37A The Princess Bride (dir. Rob Reiner, 1987) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNNUcHRiPS8 Paprika (dir. Satoshi Kon, 2006) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn7U1KIGeuQ The Fisher King (dir. Terry Gilliam, 1991) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E65wgbFGGeM Pleasantville (dir. Gary Ross, 1998) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-4pnXcqyt0 Hook (dir. Steven Spielberg, 1991) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrGpgcQHroY Spirited Away (dir. Hayao Miyazaki, 2001) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByXuk9QqQkk Pan's Labyrinth (dir. Guillermo del Toro, 2006) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcHasH-nLhU Tideland (dir. Terry Gilliam, 2005) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-80Zh60skLw What Dreams May Come (dir. , 1997) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmZ-FuBThuQ Were the World Mine (dir. Tom Gustafson, 2008) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLJe1QakzX4 We also mention like thirty others at different points, including those suggested by our listeners. And where can you get in touch with us if you have comments or contributions to share? Well: 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 Our freehold is always welcome to you, so do stop by. your hosts Josh Hillerup (any pronoun) moonlights as a nocker projectionist at the local cinema.. Pooka G (any pronoun/they) daylights as a sluagh handing out sentient bags of popcorn. "Un film est une source pétrifiante de la pensée. (A film is a petrified fountain of thought.)" —Jean Cocteau, Le testament d'Orphée