Wolpertinger
The wolpertinger aren’t new to the Dreaming, but they are new to Kithain society. Until the Resurgence, they were a race of chimera birthed by dreams of mysterious, unknown creatures hidden away in the inaccessible wilderness. While they originated in Germany, their myth spread the world over, taking on many different names, such as jackalopes in the United States or skvader in Sweden. They were hunted as pests by the Kithain for their tendency to nest in freeholds and extinguish them.
The Glamour of the Resurgence fortified their dream so strongly they became a kith in their own right. Some wolpertinger believe that a great sacrifice was also involved, but try as they might, they can’t remember any details. Now, they’re trying to find their new place in the world — a task made more complicated because they try not to stay in one place long for fear of damaging the local freeholds.
| Wolpertinger | |
|---|---|
| [No Symbol Available] | |
| Name | Wolpertinger |
| Plural | Wolpertinger |
| Pronounced | WOHL-pur-teeng-ur |
| Dream of... | Prey |
| Affinity | Nature |
| Birthrights | Voracious Grazing, Prey Alertness |
| Frailties | Unquenchable Appetite |
Kith Notes[edit]
Appearance[edit]
Wolpertinger are hybrid creatures. They usually have the hind legs of a rabbit, wings of a hawk, and antlers of an elk, but other combinations of animals are known. They prefer professions that keep them close to nature such as biologists, ecologists, or park rangers.
Revelry[edit]
Nature holds a certain forbidden allure for humans. Once they are safely away from the glare of civilization’s lights, people might indulge in behavior that would be too embarrassing in front of the rest of society, such as singing songs around a campfire or walking naked under the light of a full moon. These sorts of acts contain Glamour, which a wolpertinger can gather if she can convince a human to participate.
Unleashing[edit]
A wolpertinger’s Unleashing always contains the essence of the natural world. It may be tinged with the scent of fresh blossoms or the stench of a skunk’s spray. Her Unleashing might take the form of thousands of vines strangling her target or the relentless torrent of water from a creek flooding its banks.
Kith Mechanics[edit]
Affinity[edit]
Nature
Birthrights[edit]
Voracious Appetite[edit]
As chimera, competition for Glamour was fierce. They developed a method of quickly consuming as much Glamour as possible. When a wolpertinger gains Glamour from a freehold, she gains one additional point of Glamour.
Prey Alertness[edit]
Before they were Kithain, wolpertinger were prey animals hunted for their Glamour. To survive, they developed a keen situational awareness. Any attempts to sneak up on or surprise a wolpertinger by mundane means automatically fail. Additionally, she gains a –2 difficulty to see through magical means of deception.
Frailty[edit]
Unquenchable Appetite[edit]
What was once a survival mechanism is now a liability. A wolpertinger takes Glamour from freeholds faster than the balefire can replenish itself. For every week she spends in a freehold, its rating is reduced by one. If the wolpertinger leaves the freehold before it’s reduced to zero, the freehold regains its rating by one dot per week.
References[edit]
- Changeling: The Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition, pp. 452-453