Merit Manual

Angelus Morningstar 

Dream Shard  Merit Manual

 Author: Angelus Morningstar  Artwork : Gavin Hargest

Acknowledgements Lost Shards are fan- made products products designed for use with the   World World of Darkne Darkness ss book, Change Changelin ling: g: the Lost. Lost.  A bsence of trademarks from from copyrighted materials does not constitute a legal challenge to the original owners.

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Angelus Morningstar  This document collects a number of various merits for changeling chronicles chronicles from from ac ross ross the differ different ent systems. systems.  What is presented here are the Merit names, dot costs and prerequisite costs. Since Since they they canno cannott be repl replica icated ted here here in a way that that  would  would remove remove the need to purchas purchasee the books, I have left the content blank. Instead, content has been provided if  the merit is wholly original, original, or if the flavour text has been altered to allow the Merit from from another system system to work in changeling (some examples being merits from Ghouls).

Asset Merits Archive ( • to •••••; special)  Prerequisite: Hollow  [Rites of Spring]

Facade ( • to •••••; special) 

outca outcast stss to take take their their areas areas of know knowled ledge ge with with them. them. Shared Facades Facades should should be marked with an asterisk asterisk ( * ) on   your character sheet. See the description of the Hollow  Merit for details on how to allocate dots.

Fae Mount ( •, ••, ••• or •••••)  [Rites of Spring]

Hedge Beast Companion ( • to •••)  [A utumn utumn Nightmares]

Hollow ( • to •••••; special)  [Changeling: the Lost]

Resources ( • to •••••)  [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Ritual Doorway ( ••• •••) 

Prerequisite: Hollow  Prerequisite: Hollow Doors (•••••) Effect:  Your character Hollow opens up onto property  [Rites of Spring] owned directly by the changelings. This could be a shop front, a hidden shack, or an estate. The dots of this merit represent the Size of the space that it takes up in the real  world. This represents a place in the real world where your [Changeling: the Lost] character character can go where no one one else else ever goes. goes. Whatever Whatever this hidden place is, the character can access it in nearabso absolu lute te secr secrecy ecy and and squ squirre irrell away away her little little trin trinket ketss  without fear of detection. When someone tries to track her Prerequisite: Hollow, Hollow, Hollow Hollow Size equal equal to point pointss in back to her den that person suffers a penalty equal to the  Workshop dots in this Merit. [Rites of Spring] By extension extension,, the Size and S ecurit ecurityy of the outwar outward d manifes manifestation tation of the Hollow Hollow are determine determined d by the Size and Wards of the Hollow itself. To begin with, a Facade can only have a Size equivalent to one, but the owner of  the Hollo Hollow w can extend extend the size size of this by assi assign gnin ingg additional additional dots bought bought for their Hollow to the Facade. Facade. That is, if the changeling has a Hollow with Size 3, and Prerequisite: Strength •• and Brawl • buys buys a Facad Facade, e, they could could increas increasee the Facade Facade to 2 by  [World of Darkness Rulebook] buying the fourth dot dot of Size and assigning it to t he Facade. In this way the total Size of the Facade and Hollow can equal 6, but it will always be divided between the two. Prerequisite: Dexterity ••• and Weaponry •• They may have a Facade of Size 5 and a Hollow only Size [World of Darkness Rulebook] 1, representi representing ng a vast mansio mansion n with a secret hollow cache, or the inverse representing a small wardrobe that opens up onto a vast valley . Prerequisite: Dexterity ••• and Weaponry ••  An archive is located in a Hollow and is protected by  [World of Darkness Rulebook] the Hollo Hollow’ w’ss ward wards. This will will mani manife fest st in a mann manner er shrouded by the Mask. Barriers manifest as strong locking systems, veils of invisibility become a surveillance systems. Prerequisites: Dexterity Dext erity ••• ••• and Firearms ••• ••• See the Hollow Merit on p. 94 of Changeling: The Lost. [World of Darkness Rulebook] Special: Characters Characters who share share a Hollow can also share share Facad acade dots ots, with with each each cont contrribu ibuting ting to its its area area of  knowledge. knowledge. These characters each receive the full benefits benefits Prerequisites: Dexterity ••• of the Facade Facade.. It may happe happen n that changeli changelings ngs suffer suffer a [World of Darkness Rulebook] falling-out, in which case one or more might be asked to forfeit their research privileges by the others. Those who are banned lose whatever dots they contributed, unless an agreement is worked out to split the Archives, allowing Prerequisite: Strength •• and Weaponry •

Token ( •+ •+) 

Workshop ( • to •••••; special) 

Combat Merits

Brawling Dodge ( •)  Disarm ( •• ••) 

Fighting Finesse ( •• ••)  Gunslinger ( ••• •••)  Quick Draw ( •) 

Weaponry Dodge ( •) 

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Angelus Morningstar  [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Fighting Styles Dots Dots purchased purchased in these Merits allow access to special special combat maneuvers. Each maneuver is a prerequisite prerequisite for the next.

Archery ( • to ••••)  Prerequisites: Strength ••, ••, Dexterity ••, Athl etics •• [Armory]

Spear Combat ( • to ••••)  Prerequisite: Stren Strengt gth h  Weaponry ••• ••• [A damantine damantine A rrow] rrow]

Chain Weapons ( • to ••••)  Prerequisites: Strength ••, Dexterity •••, ••, Weaponry  ••• ••• [Armory]

Combat Marksmanship ( • to •••••)  Prerequisites: Strength ••, Dexterity ••, Composu Composure re •••, and Firearms •• [Armory]

Fencing ( • to ••••)  Prerequisites: Dexterity Dext erity •••, •••, Weaponry ••• ••• [Armory]

Gladiatorial ( • to

Dexter exterit ityy

••

and and

Staff Fighting, ( • to •••)  Prerequisites: Strength ••• •••, Dexterity ••, Weaponry 

•• [Armory]

Two Weapons ( • to •••••) 

Boxing ( • to •••••)  Prerequisites: Strength •••, Stamina •• and Brawl •• [World of Darkness Rulebook]

•••,

Dext erity ••• ••• and Weaponry ••• ••• Prerequisites: Dexterity [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Mental Merits Bureaucratic Navigator ( •• ••)  [Asylum]

Common Sense ( ••••) ••••) [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Crafter s Sense ( ••• •••)  Prerequisite: Craft ••• and a Specialty  [Free Council]

Danger Sense ( •• ••)  ••••) 

Prerequisites: Strength •••, Presence Presence ••, Weaponry  ••• [Requiem for Rome]

Grappling ( • to •••••)  Prerequisites: Strength ••, Dexterity Dexterity •••, Stamina ••• and Brawl •• [A damantine damantine A rrow] rrow]

Improvised Weaponry ( • to •••)  Prerequisites: Wits •••, •••, Weaponry • [Midnight Roads] Roads]

Knife Fighting ( • to ••••)  Prerequisites: Dexterity •••, Weaponry •• [Armory]

Kung Fu ( • to •••••)  Prerequisites: Strength ••, Dexterity ••, Stamina •• and Brawl •• [World of Darkness Rulebook]

[World of Darkness Rulebook]

Dream Combat ( • to •••••)  Prerequisite: Wyrd •••, Empathy ••• [Rights of Spring]

Eidetic Memory ( •• ••)  [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Encyclopedic Knowledge ( •••• ••••)  [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Hedge Duelist ( • to •••••)  Prerequisite: Wyrd ••• [Rites of Spring]

Hedge Gate Sense ( •)  [Rites of Spring]

Hobgoblin Trainer ( •• ••)  [Rites of Spring]

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Angelus Morningstar 

Holistic Awareness ( ••• •••)  [World ]

 Language ( • to •••)  [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Market Sense ( •)  [Rites of Spring]

Wisdom of Dreams ( ••• •••)  Prerequisite: Wyrd ••+ [Rites of Spring]

Physical Merits Arcadian Body ( •••• ••••)  Prerequisite: Three Three or more more dots ots on the affe affected cted

Meditative Mind ( •)   Attribute [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Multi-Lingual ( • to •••••)  [Midnight Roads] Roads]

Soujourn s Way ( • to •••••)  Effect: Investigative changelings who have spent spent much time in the Hedge have gained some knowledge of the vast and and com complica licate ted d syste ystem m of trave travell netwo etworrks that that interconnect t he different different spaces. This M erit indicates how    well the character character knows knows this interconn interconnectin ectingg suite suite of  tunnels in the local commons. commons.   At lower lower levels the changelin changelingg is familia familiarr only with pathw pathways ays of the local local Hedge Hedge,, know knowin ingg only only the most most common and major routes through its twists and turns. Those who have higher levels of the Merit have plumbed the depths of the Hedge's more arcane trods. trods. The charact er knows the Hedge in an up-close and personal way. This giv es the c hangeling a number of mechanic mechanic al bonuses. bonuses. Firstly, the changeling may add her dots in Sojourner for for any any roll roll asso associa ciated ted with with naviga navigatin tingg throu through gh the  wilderness,  wilderness, be it the Hedge, or ev en the dreaming dreaming realms. Secondly, Secondly, for ev ery ery dot dot that the changelin changelingg has the Sojourner Sojourner may reduce reduce negative modifier modifierss associated associated with traveling through the Hedge by one. Lastly, for every dot the changeling possesses, she may  possess possess knowledge and ac cess one sure trod to a destination of her choice that can be accessed via the Hedge.

Territorial Familiarity ( • to •••)  [Blood of the Wolf] Effect: Effect: Your character has spent a great deal of time in a specific area and has preternatural preternatural familiarity w ith the a rea.

Tunnel Rat ( • to •••)  [Chicago] Homeless or investigative changelings who have spent all or most most of their time under undergrou ground nd may have gained some some knowled knowledge ge of the vast and complicate complicated d system system of  connected el tunnels, tunnels, abandoned abandoned freight tunnels, tunnels, deep tunnels, sewers and commuter commuter train tunnels that riddle riddle t he land beneath the city.

Well-Traveled ( •)  [Midnight Roads] Roads] 4

[Rites of Spring]

Ambidextrous ( ••• •••)  [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Arcadian Metabolism ( ••• •••)  [Rites of Spring]

Brute Force ( • to ••••)  Prerequisites: Strength •••, Brawl ••• [Strange Alchemies] Effe Effect ct:: This This figh fighti ting ng styl stylee isn’t isn’t a trai traine ned d styl style. e. Changeling characters do not learn it so much as embrace the monster within, and use the monster’s pent-up rage to unleash unleash brutal, brutal, powerful powerful attacks. attacks. This so-called so-called style style is particularly common among Ogres.

Demolisher ( • to ••)  Prerequisites: Strength ••• or Intelligence ••• [Blood of the Wolf] Effect: The character has an innate feel for the weak  points in objects.

Direction Sense ( •)  [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Fast Reflexes ( • or ••)  Prerequisites: Dexterity ••• [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Faerie Healing ( •• ••)  [Rites of Spring]

Feral Mien ( ••• •••)  Prerequisite: Wyrd ••• [Tome of the Watchtowers: A Guide to the Paths] There’s There’s some somethin thingg bestial bestial and untam untamed ed about about the changelin changeling, g, as though though she’s she’s been living with a pack of    wolves or swimming with sharks. She has a pronounced anima animalis listt tendency tendency in the way she she moves, moves, or in certain mannerisms she possesses.

Fleet of Foot ( • to •••)  Prerequisites: Strength •• [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Fresh Start ( •)  Prerequisites: Fast Reflexes ••

Angelus Morningstar  [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Giant ( •••• ••••)  [World of Darkness Rulebook]

High Performance Driving ( • to ••••)  Prerequisites: Dexterity •••, Resolve ••, Drive •• [Midnight Roads] Roads] Effect: Your character is trained in advanced driving techniques. Maybe he’s a cop or a federal agent. Maybe he’s a stuntman for film film and TV or the wheel man in a heist gang.

Iron Stamina ( • to •••)  Prerequisites: St amina ••• or Resolv e ••• ••• [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Iron Stomach ( •• ••)  Prerequisites: Stamina •• [World of Darkness Rulebook]

 Lethal Mien ( •• ••)  Prerequisite: Wyrd ••• [Rites of Spring]

 Long of Days ( •• ••)  [Rites of Spring]

Natural Immunity ( •)  Prerequisites: Stamina •• [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Outdoorsman ( •• ••)  Prerequisites: Surviv al ••• ••• [Midnight Roads] Roads]

Parkour ( • to •••••)  Prerequisites: Dexterity •••, A thletics •• [Strange A lchemies] lchemies] The sport of parkour began in France, and has quickly  spread spread to other parts of the world. Parkour demands demands a lev el of athleticism from its practitioners that few other sports do. do. The purp purpos osee of park parkou our, r, which is also also called “free “free runni running” ng” or “urb “urban an runni running, ng,”” is to move move as quickly quickly as poss ossible ible thr through ough an envir environ onm ment ent with with a varie variety ty of  obstacles, sprinting through the terrain and using a variety  of climbin climbingg techniq technique ues, s, leaps, leaps, rolls rolls and other athletic athletic movements to navigate. Watching an expert traceur (one of the terms for someone someone who practice s parkour) parkour) at work is aweawe- insp inspir irin ing, g, like like some somethi thing ng out out of an actio action n film film.. Thou Though the the techni techniqu quee comes comes from from well-dis well-discip ciplin lined ed traini training, ng, imbed imbeddi ding ng a certain certain body body of movemen movements ts and techniques techniques into the parkou parkour’ r’ss instinctive instinctive reactions, reactions, the goal is a flawless, flawless, seamless seamless flow of movement from one obstacle to the next, with hardly any pause in speed or movement.

Perfect Stillness ( •) 

[Rites of Spring]

Quick Healer ( •••• ••••)  Prerequisite: St amina •••• •••• [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Strong Back ( •)  Prerequisites: Strength •• [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Strong Lungs ( ••• •••)  Prerequisite: A thletic s •• ••• [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Stunt Driver ( ••• •••)  Prerequisites: Dexterity ••• [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Toxin Resistance ( •• ••)  Prerequisite: Stamina ••• [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Weatherproof Weatherpro of ( •)  [Strange A lchemies] lchemies] Effect: Effect: A lthough lthough changelings age slowly and endur enduree many hardships, most still feel the cold and the heat. Most still still have to keep warm. warm. A changelin changelingg with this Merit Merit doesn’t doesn’t feel the c old or heat at all.

Social Merits Allies ( • to •••••)  [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Barfly ( •)  [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Contacts ( • to •••••)  [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Court Goodwill ( • to •••••)  [Changeling: the Lost]

Devotee ( • to •••••)  Prerequisite: Wyrd ••••• •• [The Equinox Equinox Road]

Enchanting Performance ( •••• ••••)  Prerequisite: Expression ••• [Rites of Spring]

Faerie Favor ( ••• •••)  [Rites of Spring]

Prerequisite: Stealth •

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Angelus Morningstar 

Fame ( • to •••)  [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Famous Face ( • to •••)  [Strnage A lchemies] lchemies] Effect Effect:: The changelin changeling's g's form former er identi identity ty belongs belongs to someone well-known. The True Fae are often ignorant of  the nuances of human culture, and don’t often take into account the significance of who they steal. However, often as the case may be, the changeling has returned returned not quite quite looking the same as before even to mortal ey es.

New Identity ( •, •• or ••••)  [Changeling: the Lost]

Network ( • to •••••) 

Prerequisite: Changeling, member of a freehold Like mortal trade networks, changelings have a number of commo commod dities ities that that they they like like to exchang exchangee amon amongs gstt themselves. These commodities relate to various products, and items items that have a specif specific ic relevance relevance to c hangeli hangeling ng existence existence.. A changelin changelingg with this Merit Merit has a stron strongly  gly  develop developed ed network network with a numb number er of other other changeli changeling ng guild guildss and and even Gobl Goblin in Marke Markets ts.. He has has suf sufficie ficient nt [Tome of the Watchtoers: A Guide to the Paths] influen influence ce with these groups groups that he can gather and collect The changeling has less of the human world about him the products products of their trade with relat ive ease. and and sees sees the worl world d more more as an anim animal al thank thankss to the This Merit is like the Contacts Contacts Merit, in that each dot changeling’s durance. Animals sense this, whether by scent represents one group with which the changeling maintains or some some other awareness, awareness, and they accept him as one of  trade relations, and specifically relates to the Fae procuring their own. any items or substances substances of a faerie nature. Each dot represents one single type of resources with  which your character has connections to and from which Prerequisite: Wyrd ••• he may draw. If he has Network •••, his dots might be [Rites of Spring] assigned to an associate in a Goblin Fruit guild, a purveyor of Faerie Faerie Dust Dust with the c hangeling hangeling mafia mafia syndicates syndicates and a negotiation with a weaponsmith conclave. Networks can include individuals whom you or the Storyteller defines, but more likely they comprise an array of people, especially  [Second Sight] guild guilds. s. The Networ Network k Merit Merit relat relates es stri strictly ctly to faer faerie ie prod produ ucts. Networks Networks do not not perf perfor orm m services services for for your your character or rush to his aid. Those actions are the purview  Prerequisite: No dots dots in Fame, Fame, Wy rd equal equal to Hidden Hidden of other Merits such such as A llies and Retainer. Life Gaining such objects requires a successful Manipulation [Rites of Spring] + Per Persuasio asion n or Socia Sociali lizze roll, oll, depen epend ding ing on the the relatio relations nship hip between between your your character character and the targets targets in question. question. Penalties might apply if t he information sought sought is Prerequisite: Hollow •+ hard to acquire (-1 to -3), restricted (-3), or if sharing it [Rites of Spring] could get people people in trouble or harmed ( - 3 to – 5). Dramatic Failure: The network network prod produces uces shoddy shoddy or dangerous products that manage to land the character in trouble, this might be faerie dust imbued with homicidal memories, or unstable tokens. Prerequisites: Manipulation ••• Failure: The network network doesn’ doesn’tt have the prod product uct y our our [Midnight Roads] Roads] character needs. Success: The network is able to provide some product that’s helpful to your character. [Strange A lchemies] lchemies] Exceptional Success: The network is able to provide Effect: Effect: It's possib possible le that the monstro monstrous us mien of your products products of ex ceptional quality or number. number. changeling can slip past the Mask, and others can glimpse  your character’s true grotesqueness, but the fact is . . . he’s ugly anyway. The Mask of your character is in some way  [Rites of Spring] hideous.

Friend of Beasts ( • or ••) 

Gentrified Bearing ( •••• ••••)  Ghost Ally ( ••• ••• to •••••) 

Hidden Life ( • to •••) 

Hob Kin ( •• ••) 

Ingratiating Wanderer ( •• ••)  Hideous Anyway ( •• ••) 

Pledgesmith ( • to •••) 

Inspiring ( •••• ••••)  Prerequisite: Presence ••••

Mentor ( • to •••••)  [World of Darkness: Rulebook]

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Pred Pr edat ator or s In Inno noce cenc nce e ( ••• •••) 

[Tome of the Watchtoers: A Guide to the Paths]   A wolf wolf does oes not not dege egene nera rate te when when it kills kills its prey; prey; likewise, the changeling doesn’t suffer when she makes a clean and natural killing.

Angelus Morningstar 

Prophet Circle ( • to •••••)  [Rites of Spring]

Retainer ( • to •••••)  [World of Darkness: Rulebook]

Rigid Mask ( •• ••)  Prerequisite: Subterfuge •• [Rites of Spring]

Siren Song ( ••• •••)  [Rites of Spring]

[Ghouls]   Your Your character character perfo perform rmed ed her daily duty uty with such such apparent apparent single- minded minded purpose purpose that she seems to fade into the periphery of the Keeper's perception. Granted, Keepers rarely rarely notice changeling servants anyway, but but this Merit refle reflects cts a featu feature re of a changelin changeling’s g’s service service that is truly  truly  unusual and useful. Your character has trained herself to notice details without appearing to pay them any heed at the time, storing them for retrieval from from memory memory l ater. She makes makes an excellent excellent spy, spy, retain retaining ing infor informat mation ion withou withoutt consciously noticing it, so that even the most discerning subjects subjects tend to ignore her.

Wyrd Merits Age Reversal ( •) 

Sexualized ( •• ••)  [Ghouls] Maybe it’s it’s somet somethin hingg brou brought ght on by Glamou Glamour, r, or perhap perhapss it’s it’s the perver perverse se functio function n she she served served for for her Keeper. Keeper. Regardless Regardless,, the changeling now has an intangible intangible undercu undercurre rrent nt of sexual power and ex perience perience that those those exposed to her cannot help but notice. This carnal aura can be a potent potent tool in taking advantage of weak- willed or lustful individuals.

Social Maneuvers ( • to ••••)  [Night Horrors: Grim Fears]

Source Sympathy ( ••• •••)  Prerequisite: Empathy ••• [Ghouls]   A good servant servant respon responds ds unerrin unerringly gly to her master’s master’s emotional state. With this Merit, a changeling holds an emo emotio tional con connecti ectio on with with thei theirr Keep Keeper er.. Som Some changelings develop develop this ability ov er decades of service, service,  while a few rare ones seem to do so almost immediately immediately .

Staff ( • to •••••)  Prerequisite: Resources (varies) [Ghouls]   You Your character character has official official comma command nd over a staff staff of  employees. These people are mundane mortals, but they’re also professionally trained and capable of taking on a host of roles. A n aristocratic aristocratic househo household, ld, for example, might employ a number of maids, valets and cooks, while a social predator might have publicists, investigators and lawyers on the payroll.

Status ( • to •••••)  Prerequisites: Varies (see below) [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Striking Looks ( •• •• or ••••)  [World of Darkness Rulebook]

Unobtrusive ( ••• •••)  Prerequisite: Stealth ••

Prerequisites: Wyrd •••• [Night Horrors: Grim Fears]

Brownie s Boon ( •)  [Rites of Spring]

Charmed Life ( •• ••)  [Rites of Spring]

Destiny ( • to •••••)  [Mage: the A wakening] wakening] Effect: Effect: Your charac ter’s thread stands out out in the skein of  fate. It may be cut short through through tragedy or catastrophe, catastrophe, but but until then, she has the ability to weave it into a sound pattern of her c hoosing. She is fated for great triumphs, triumphs, and this Merit helps her achieve them. Like any true hero, she finds success a little more easily than mere mortals. In true heroic heroic fashion, fashion, she also has a fatal flaw — no matter how  how  strong her destiny might be, it ha s one weakness others can use to tear it apart.

Dual Kith ( •• •• or •••)  [Rites of Spring]

Goblin Vow ( • to •••••)  [Rites of Spring]

Harvest ( • to •••••)  [Changeling: the Lost]

Mantle ( • to •••••)  [Changeling: the Lost]

Manymask ( • to •••••)  Prerequisite: Wyrd ••••• •• [The Equinox Equinox Road]

Plant Empathy ( •)  [Second Sight] Effect: Plant Empathy makes a psychic a natural “green thu thumb,” b,” givin givingg him him alm almost ost superna ernatu turral tale talent nt at cultivating plants. 7

Angelus Morningstar 

Soul Sense ( •• ••)  Prerequisite: A liv ing fetch fetch [Rites of Spring]

Sublime ( ••••• •••••)  Prerequisite: Wyrd ••••• •••• [The Equinox Equinox Road]

Tokenmaster ( ••• •••)  Prerequisite: Wyrd ••••• ••

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[The Equinox Equinox Road]

Visionary Dreams ( •• ••)  Prerequisite: Wyrd ••• [Rites of Spring]

Wyrdskill ( ••••• •••••)  Prerequisite: Wyrd ••••• • [The Equinox Equinox Road]