Swan Maiden
Gentle, shy, but deeply passionate, the swan maidens (masc: swan princes, neutral: swan lovers) have only emerged in notable numbers in the Kithain community recently, though legends of their singular and often tragic love lives have circulated for far longer. They are renowned as some of the greatest and most thoughtful lovers of the changeling world, but also seem to suffer terrible, tragic fates at a far higher rate than other fae. Nevertheless, these true believers never lose faith in the power of love and romance.
Born of dreams of purity, grace, and most of all, true love, swan maidens are most numerous – if a word suggesting many exist can really apply – in Italy, France, and parts of Germany. In the past century they have slowly migrated to other areas, often in response to a passionate affair of the heart. Outside of their ancestral homelands, they usually either live in big cities (to be near people) or out in very rural areas (to avoid them after a broken heart). No matter where they go, however, swan maidens always gravitate toward places of great beauty, whether it’s a pristine forest glade or a museum district full of breathtaking masterpieces.
Thanks to their unique magical heritage, in their personal lives many swan maidens identify as passionately romantic asexuals, and they put great care into relationships as well as thoughtful displays of love and affection. Their love lives are legendary among their friends, and they are usually either intensely monogamous or exuberantly polyamorous, with Seelie gravitating to the former and Unseelie the latter. Though they are naturally graceful and often enjoy dancing, the idea that they are all prima ballerinas is a bit overblown. Still, they can usually find a place for themselves in most any profession where their natural love of benevolent etiquette, agile movement, or matters of the heart can work to their advantage: counselors, yoga instructors, art restorers, matchmakers, dance teachers, and the like.
| Swan Maiden | |
|---|---|
| |
| Name | Swan Maiden |
| Masc | Swan Prince |
| Neutral | Swan Lover |
| Pronounced | SWAHN (MAY-dehn, PRIHNS, LUH-ver) |
| Dream of... | Pure Love |
| Affinity | Actor |
| Birthrights | Swan's Blessing, Love Conquers All |
| Frailties | Profound Loss, Mantle of the Maiden, True Love's Curse[1] |
Kith Notes[edit]
Appearance[edit]
Despite their most common sobriquet, there are swan maidens of all genders. As a rule, between their finely sculpted features and natural inclinations, they tend to lean heavily toward non-binary and/or genderfluid presentations. They also usually favor elegant, ornate attire, though whether that means classic Victorian dress, immaculate couture, or Gothic Lolita fashion depends on the changeling in question. Even those of humble means carry themselves with great poise and dignity, and their manners are always faultless. In their fae mien, swan maidens have beautiful wings extending down from their arms, with feathers ranging from white to gray or even black in color. Some have hair that actually proves to be very fine feathers on closer inspection.
The Rules of Attraction[edit]
Romantic relationships are at the heart of this kith, and as such, it is important that the Storyteller work with the player to ensure that the love interests in a swan maiden’s life aren’t just game mechanics but fully developed people who feature in the story in interesting ways. In return, players should understand that selecting this kith naturally invites complex and often tragic romantic entanglements, and embrace such twists and setbacks accordingly. Finally, all parties – the Storyteller, the player of the swan maiden, and other players in the group – should discuss what they’re comfortable with seeing in game regarding roleplay and depictions of romance and intimacy, as well as any related sensitive topics.
Revelry[edit]
Swan maidens are drawn to romance and love a good happy ending, though tragic heartbreak and bittersweet loves can fuel their Glamour too. They delight in hearing about the love lives of others and are superb active listeners, quick to ask excellent questions to provoke deeper reflection or understanding.
Unleashing[edit]
When a swan maiden Unleashes her magic, the fluttering of great, soft wings can be heard, often accompanied by slowly falling feathers that match her own coloration. Everything glows with a warm, inviting light, and delicate floral notes scent the air as flower petals scatter across the ground – those of a beloved’s favorite flower, naturally.
Kith Mechanics[edit]
Affinity[edit]
Actor
Birthrights[edit]
Swan's Blessing[edit]
Swan maidens receive an additional dot in both Dexterity and Appearance, even if it takes them above five. In addition, thanks to their innate grace, they cannot botch Etiquette or Performance rolls. By default swan maidens cannot fly, but the cost of the Winged Merit is reduced to 2 points. The Winged Flaw remains unchanged.
Love Conquers All[edit]
Once per session, if a swan maiden has a romantic interest in her life, she may think of her beloved and spend 1 Glamour to reduce the difficulties of all rolls by 1 for the rest of the scene. (This affection need not be mutual, but the swan maiden’s emotions must be genuine.) If the swan maiden possesses the True Love merit, she may spend up to two additional points of Glamour to further reduce roll difficulties on a one-for-one basis for the scene. Once per story she may make similar Glamour expenditures, but receive automatic successes on a single roll instead of reducing the difficulty. These automatic successes are doubled if she possesses True Love, and may be “banked” to be used over the course of multiple rolls during the scene (any unused successes are lost when it ends). Swan maidens who are not currently experiencing a romantic attraction cannot benefit from this Birthright.
Frailty[edit]
Profound Loss[edit]
Whether it’s the innocent puppy love of childlings, the impassioned flings of wilders, or the devoted attachment of grumps, swan maidens love profoundly… and losses devastate them accordingly. Any time a loving relationship ends, for whatever reason, the swan maiden suffers a Banality trigger. Note that this is not limited to romantic connections, but can apply to close family and friend relationships as well. Should the relationship be especially deep – a long-term lover, a best friend, a sibling – in addition to the usual Banality trigger, the swan maiden must roll her Glamour (difficulty 8). If she fails the roll, she gains a dot of Banality.
Mantle of the Maiden[edit]
Due to their origins in dreams of idealized romantic purity, swan maidens cannot regain Willpower or use their Love Conquers All Birthright for three full days after enjoying consensual sexual intimacy, even if it was with their beloved. Despite rumors to the contrary, however, physical intimacy is not actually harmful or painful and swan maidens can still fully enjoy sexual relations. As a rule, simple acts such as cuddling, hugging, holding hands, and even some chaste kissing are fine, but anything beyond that triggers this debility. The Storyteller is the final arbiter of whether an encounter is intimate enough to set off this Frailty. Nonconsensual encounters never activate this Frailty, though it’s worth noting that Storytellers should definitely discuss well in advance whether players are comfortable confronting topics such as sexual violence and molestation before including them in game.[2]
True Love’s Curse[edit]
One of the great secrets of the swan maiden kith is that within seven days after they find True Love – most often this is romantic love, though on some rare occasions, a friendship or family bond qualifies – the swan maiden is confronted with a terrible choice. Either they must acquire the Dark Fate Flaw, or their beloved will. Unlike most who suffer from this Flaw, the swan maiden has a strong sense of how close the Dark Fate is to being fulfilled, and she often has visions of what form it will take. Ending the relationship puts this doom on hold, so to speak, but it must be a clean break – if the other person enters their life again, even just for a short time, the Dark Fate resumes, and this time it cannot be stopped. It also unstoppably resumes if the swan maiden finds another emotional connection on this level. If the True Love is another player character, both players must agree on who receives the Dark Fate. This Frailty does not apply unless the True Love Merit is purchased.