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pandoraships · 4 years

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The Changeling Courts:

A Mage-centric primer.

The world around us Is not a Vacuum

While much of our foray into the Universe of the Awakened depends deeply on understanding the tensions and faults of the Mages of the world the World of Darkness is larger than that. There are creatures that still baffle and frighten mages because despite them knowing the coding of the universe.

They are “Glitches” by Free council terms, while other orders have more derogatory terms for them. And while the reputation is not unearned, after all these are the creatures the original Dragon Dreamers were given the abilities to fight, they are not unknowable forces of nature. A wise mage will temper their fears and try to work with them more than fight them.

Why do they exist?

A loaded question That none the less most mages must confront in their lives. Mysterium mages have spent Millennia debating this, and more than a few cabals have fallen out with each other over just this question.

For those with the belief that the Fall of the world created all ills the answer is simple. Sleepers who are exposed to magic but the lie never full leaves them. Interestingly for this point most Non-Mage supernal creatures align to some path.

For those who are more big picture the belief is closer to “these have always existed” But the Lie has stripped a normal human of it’s ability to even attempt to deal with them, which has made it easier to prey on humans. Now that Mages who care are a sliver of the population it’s impossible to stop people from being preyed upon or becoming what they are.

Changelings are one of these creatures,

What are Changelings?

Calling themselves the Lost Changelings are humans, normally kids though one can be taken at any time, who were targeted by creatures they call “True Fae”. They were dragged away their domains and forced to serve them.

If they were lucky.

Because they are not willing participants, and because the paths they walk are not artificially kept up those who cross into “Arcadia” (determined in most mage circles to be a splinter of the True Arcadia that lies across the abyss.) never come out whole or unscathed from their trip. They are forced through the “Thorns” that separate the fallen world from Arcadia, which rend the soul and rip from them any sense of reality. This is believed by mages to be a way for their abductors to keep them disoriented, since they suffer no ill effects, until such time as the Sleeper is secured.

Once secured the Sleepers are altered to fit the needs of their abductor, which from here on out will be known as their “Keeper”. They are kept for various purposes, from production of goods, Pets or farm animals, all the way up to fine decorations and entertainment.

Some small sliver of the Changelings can break themselves from their chains and escape. They make it back through the hedge, tearing their souls further, and to the real world. For some only minutes have passed, for others hundreds of years, but all of them find one thing in common.

They’ve been replaced.

A creature, known as a fetch, has been created. It is exactly like them to the point of possessing all memories of the Changeling, all habits and even their individual personalities. It has integrated itself into their lives, and is functionally indistinguishable from the Changeling.

Meanwhile the Changeling itself is no longer that thing. It is a different person all together, different memories, different form and, they swiftly come to find Different needs .

Changeling needs- How do you feed a Soul?

There are three major needs in a changelings life.

1. The need to stay fed

2. The need to stay hidden

3. The need to stay sane.

The need to stay Fed-

The most pressing matter of a Changelings life is their food. While eating normal food is important, their time spent in the other realms has added a second, spiritual need to consume. In Arcadia Emotions and passions are all that need sustain someone and as such they have been fundimentally adapted to have that as their primary food source.

Which would be easy to get around save for one factor: Changelings can no longer generate emotions in a tangible way. That is not to say that they do not feel, but their emotions are muted and don’t generate power they can use meaningfully.

Which, since their power to blend in and make magic runs off of emotions, makes it difficult for Changelings to reenter the real world. Some try to ignore the hunger, refusing to become what ultimately they were forced to be. Often these types are loners who barely keep up the power that keeps them looking human. They fed only when needed, often through emotional self abuse, and don’t try to engage with their Changeling side at all. At best this drives their magic to become weak. At worse they can unintentionally drain and kill everyone they interact with once the Self abuse no longer works.

Mages often chalk this up to another control tactic. Forcing the entirety of the Lost to be unable to power themselves for long periods demands that they return eventually.

The need to Stay hidden-

This one is pretty self explanatory, but for the sake of fullness we must cover this. Keepers are varied, Alien creatures who function on a Blue and Orange mortality system that is bound tightly in agreements, oaths, and stories. They can be cruel or Benevolent, help or hurt, and come in every shape size and aesthetic you can think of. They only really share one factor in common:

They are Greedy, and what is theirs is theirs.

Changelings are viewed by Keepers as property. At best some see them as dolls or Pets who can speak. They expect Changelings to do the job they were made for and stay quiet outside of that. So you can Imagine their shock when one decides to leave.

I mean if your Coffee table left in a huff you would be confused too.

And since it is their property, even if they have thrown it in a corner to gather dust, they rather like keeping it. So they go searching for it. it becomes their obsession to return it to it’s place by their side.

Regardless of how a changeling feels about it.

Luckily Changelings have an edge here, assuming they can get out of the hedge proper. After all if you went charging down the street after your escaped coffee table it would be easy to spot it.

Once it gets into a furniture store though...

Similarly once the Changeling escapes into the Mundane world the Keepers have two major obstacles-

1. They may not be able to enter the World of the Mundane due to a pact made , or their power levels, or just because they themselves have no clue how to blend in.

2. Every mortal looks the same. How do I find my mortal?

Because Changelings automatically adopt a their former Visage upon entering the world, where as Fae do not (they don’t have one), its easy to spot your Keeper a mile away and as long as you don’t do anything to appear different from the other Mortals it’s hard for them to spot you.

Still this is a temporary measure, given time, other Changelings willing to serve the Keepers, and the effect they exert on the world around themselves, they often can be found just through sheer patience.

You would know your coffee tables dings and scrapes after all if you could look through the store slowly.

3- The need to keep healthy.

A Changeling is traumatized most often by the events it saw, and just as one who broke their leg is not expected to walk, the mental trauma is treated as an illness. When they are well it’s fine, they can be human and except for up-keeping their diet and not showing off, they can live happily and normally.

When it’s not they can exhibit all sorts of reactions to it, and spread their illness to others. This spread of their illness is what often attracts their keeper. As such they must attend foremost to their needs to re adapt to the human world, meaning they have to find a cycle and concrete things to tie them to the world. Relationships, jobs, family, their favorite anime. Anything that pulls them down from their illness to the real world.

But having any of those is a risk, Others can hurt them to get to you, they could ask too many questions, or if you lose control? You might hurt them, or worse... make them like you.

So The Changeling life is,with all three of these needs, difficult. Indeed many would call their struggle hopeless, but they have found a way around it all.

Changeling Society - Japan and beyond

Over all Social structure.

Changelings have formed groups, called Freeholds to provide for all the lost in a given Area. These courts are creations of desperation that use the Keeper’s power against them. Groups of Changelings will pledge to something. In return for protect, powers that allow them to control their feeding, and connection to the world they take on responsibility towards the Something and those who join them in the pledge.

These somethings can be varied, but it’s always an aspect of the world that is both unchanging and part of a cycle. The most common of them are the seasons, but it can be the Day night cycle, the directions , and even the Moon and stars. The more integral to the real world the more powerful the connection.

Sure you could pledge yourself to the human life cycle, but that would be less powerful than the seasons, because humans don’t have a set life length.

These Freeholds are then split into groups called Courts. There are most commonly four, though the minimum needed is 2 and the maximum seen has been 12. Odd numbers are not common, though they exist.

Each Court section will take on a part of the cycle, and the symbolism there of. They further Pledge themselves to that specific portion. They are tasked to keep the symbolism of the court they have chosen, to keep the cycle, and provide something to the other courts to bind themselves together. If they break the promise the protection is revoked. In turn they began to prefer the emotion connected to their court patron.

An example : A Free hold approaches the Cycle of Seasons, and they pledge. They then divide up into seasons and are given a task. Spring for instance is the Court of desire and must strive to meet their own desires at all times and encourage others to do the same and provide for their needs in that pursuit,

Each Court will be gifted a crown which will choose the next queen or king of the court. This is the undisputed keeper of the Oath and rules those that pledge to it. Each Monarch is then given a time to rule that corresponds to their Oath. So In Spring the Spring Monarch reigns, but when summer comes they must give up control of the Freehold to The Summer Monarch. In the Autumn they give up control to the Autumn courts. And around the cycle goes.

In Japan - .

In Japan many of our concepts of Yokai are based off of the close association the Japanese people have with spiritual beliefs that touch on Spirits and Changelings by nature. Their cultural identity is wrapped up very much in the Social orders of the Changeling, and it has been observed that many Thyrsus and Ancanthus are born in the land of the Rising sun compared to other paths.

Similarly the Changeling population of Japan is considered, by those who care, strangely high. While the debate on why is ongoing, the fact remains the same: In the Cities of Japan the Lost often find cracks to hide in and thrive.

In Japan there are two competing Court types. The Traditional Courts of the Directions, and the newer Courts of the Seasons imported from Europe. Most cities ascribe to one of the two, though in a few they coexist.

The City of Musutafu is firmly a Directional Court City. That means the Changelings vow themselves to the Winds. The Directional courts compact demand that they become Enlightened to avoid the Fae. Each court has a different Mandate on how to do this-

Court of the North - Strive to be hard, detached, and ascetic. Think Monk's. You have to give yourself so little to lose that you are no longer attractive to the Fae. They thrive on and devour the Emotion of Suffering. The current monarch is Hekiji Tengai. They use a large Monastery in the city as cover. They are the law of the Freehold, and enforce the secrecy they need to survive.

Court of the East - Accumulate wealth and power to be rooted firmly in mortal society. If you have money you can hire mortals, have a thousand different identities. The more you are established here the harder it is for the Fae to find you. They thrive on and devour The emotion of Envy. The current Monarch is Kazuho Haneyama. She currently runs a trading house. They are the merchants and lawers of the Freehold, and much of their profit is placed in coffers to keep the worldly needs of Changelings met.

Court of the South - Seeking enlightenment and joy in the Changeling condition. The mixture between who you were and who you are is the way to escape the Fae. By accepting your contradiction you become more than they made you. They thrive on and devour Ecstacy. The current monarch is Kayama Nemuri . They are based in a club owned and operated by her and tasked to gather emotions to store them for lean times. They work as the spies and courtisans of the the courts

Court of the West - All life is war, and the virtuous must win. To truly test the grit of an idea you must fight it. Backing down from a fight only leaves you open, and if you do it too much you will be left behind for the Fae to devour. Their current Monarch is Fōsu Kaindo They thrive on and devour Honor.They are based out of a series of Dojo’s that constantly compete with each-other. When not trying to out do each other they work as security for the other courts and patrol the city.

@freezesunshinebreeze asked : On a side note, can you may be explain more on who Nemuri is in this universe?

She is a Changeling, specifically what the Sleepers around her would call a Kitsune. She currently Reigns over the Court of the South in Musutafu, though she holds other titles. She is in charge of the upkeep of the Emotional stores that allow the Freehold fed when they run short on options for hunting. She also offers a place for Changelings of all courts to partake in their urges as changelings or humans alike.

She is also one of the only Changelings willing to work with will workers, and is rumored to hold close friendship with a few.

If you have any other questions please don’t hesitate to ask!

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forumtechgq-blog · 7 years

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Survey: Fitocracy application conveys a RPG touch to working out Level up and get jacked: this wellness application additionally includes social features.

If you experience considerable difficulties on the treadmill or dragging yourself to the exercise center all the time, you realize that it can be hard to remain roused. Without individuals throughout your life to help you stick to wellness objectives, it can be considerably harder. Perhaps you're one of those individuals who is truly dependent on the delights of preparing for a particular game or for wellbeing reasons. Or, on the other hand perhaps, in the same way as other of us, you're some place in the center. You work out with some normality, however you now and again require a little lift to get your running shoes on.

Nowadays, our contraptions tail us into the weight room or the running trail, and there are as of now a lot of applications that help track your preparation exercises, running courses, and nourishment. Some of my top choices incorporate RunKeeper, DailyMile or LoseIt. Throughout the years, I have attempted many these applications, and a couple have helped me track my exercises to an astonishing level of detail. In any case, my encounters with these applications are typically mine alone. Finding different runners or quality preparing companions by and large occurs outside the applications. On the off chance that you utilize your cell phone to help you prepare, you may feel desolate after so much information section tapping. The wellness application Fitocracy conceivably comprehends this issue. Fitocracy has just been around for under two years, however it is as of now assembling a taking after as a stage that empowers train and consistency through social and gaming components.

How it functions

Fitocracy begun as a welcome just Web application. After some time, the organization's client base has developed to 600,000 individuals, as per CEO Brian Wang. The application is presently accessible on the iPhone; iPad and Android adaptations are in progress. The key to Fitocracy's current surge of achievement is basic. The application requests that you track your exercise information, and you are compensated by an arrangement of catalysts, accomplishments, and difficulties that come straight from the universe of pretending computer games. Fitocracy likewise urges you to get more social with different wellness devotees, making a group of individuals who are rivaling you, additionally acclaim you for your accomplishments.

Beginning with the application is basic. You can enlist for another record in the application (or on the Fitocracy site) by utilizing an email address, or your Twitter or Facebook certifications. Since the application is intended for social collaboration, the instructional exercise livelinesss incite you to first round out a profile. Fitocracy keeps things straightforward; you'll just be requested a client name, profile pic, and bio. You can likewise enter your weight, yet the application won't show that to kindred companions and contenders. It's a pleasant touch of security, and includes a touch of help in the event that your objectives are identified with weight reduction and you're stressed over what others may think.The application route is isolated into five noteworthy ranges (with a catch for every one): Feed, Groups, Track, Leaders, and You. Under the nourish, you'll discover an encourage of notices from different clients, and in addition declarations about who has stepped up and vanquished new difficulties in the application. Bunches give access to a pleasant gathering of various specialty interests in wellness, and the choices are quite great. I discovered gatherings concentrated on quality preparing, powerlifting, Crossfit, yoga, running, and even dietary/way of life gatherings, for example, Paleo. When you join a gathering, you get a scaled down sustain of people groups' inquiries and remarks about the subject. I found that most exchanges in these gatherings were extremely dynamic, despite the fact that it's made out of short status messages. You can't post pictures, however the gatherings do bolster hyperlinks.The gatherings are one reason that Fitocracy feels like a genuine group. Not everybody is a runner, and not everybody is keen on weight training. By finding the gathering that works best for your particular advantages, you can start to take after different clients who you may have more just the same as.

The Leaders catch takes you to a leaderboard where you can see the top clients of the application. You can likewise see just clients you take after or clients by gender.Tracking is basic. By utilizing the Track catch, you can include many preparing sets and reps from an inherent, searchable library of exercises and set up together an exercise for a solitary day. Including sets and reps just takes a fast tap, and you can expel them with a swipe. Once you're done entering your information, you can present your exercise. The application grants you focuses for each of your day's exercises, and the sit tight for the figuring is pretty fun. In the event that you get enough focuses, you'll level up, much the same as you step up your mage in diversions like Final Fantasy.Fitocracy can import information from RunKeeper, so in case you're utilizing RunKeeper to log your preparation, it can make things less demanding. Still, Fitocracy doesn't bolster the GPS following components found in different applications. You can likewise send out your own information at whatever time as a CSV file.Similar to Facebook's Like catch, Fitocracy gives clients "a chance to offer props" to their companions to energize greater movement. This social mix makes it simple to take after individuals and make new companions. It's somewhat reminiscent of the beginning of Twitter, when clients took after numerous new records in light of the fact that the group was littler and individuals were becoming more acquainted with who was there. Accepting props is shockingly a standout amongst the best parts of the application. At the point when clients energize you after your exercise, you feel an extraordinary measure of support.

Step up and warnings

Turning points in wellness can truly help with one's self-assurance. In the event that you've at any point embarked to do an arrangement of ten jaw ups, you realize that it can take weeks to achieve it, and when you do, you have a craving for celebrating. Fitocracy has an inherent database of these points of reference, and when you track exercises, you are once in a while compensated for finishing these "journeys." For my situation, I was remunerated for running 5K, preparing on the seat, and logging ten arrangements of activities in seven days. Getting remunerated for remaining steady and working with little, incremental objectives truly can rest easy.

Fitocracy shows your accomplishments appropriate in your profile, and different clients can jab around to perceive how far you've come. I see myself as quite fit: I do quality preparing and I keep running around 5-6 times each week. Indeed, even with my past experience, I was as yet charmed each time the application lauded me for finishing journeys. Most accomplishments originated from physical deeds, such as running 1,000 miles or performing 30 pull-ups in a solitary set. Others originated from being social, so in case you're great at conversing with other individuals and empowering them, you can likewise procure these accomplishment badges.Fitocracy is free, however you'll need to pay for one of its all the more intriguing components. For $4.99 every month, clients can take part in a one-on-one wellness challenge. You can pick the style of battle, regardless of whether it's a maximum rep squat or running a half marathon. Those difficulties are additionally conspicuously highlighted in the application.

The application's purple and white interface is exquisite, however the signals expected to recover notices can get somewhat tedious. It's barely noticeable the warnings that show up in the upper right-hand corner, and exploring through them to get to other client's profiles includes excessively numerous swipes. I wound up losing a considerable measure of valuable time backpedaling and forward to get the opportunity to individuals I took after or to give props.

Conclusion

Following your wellness information is just the same old thing new in the realm of Web and versatile applications. What I loved about Fitocracy is that it has made an inviting spot and a unique interface for individuals who are new to wellness. In the event that you will likely get more fit or take up a mobile regimen, it can be a decent space to discover others that will energize your endeavors without judgment. I was additionally shocked by the group of more propelled clients. Some Internet gatherings for running, continuance games, and quality preparing are home to debate and trolling, yet I've found that Fitocracy's propelled clients are exceptionally promising.

Is Fitocracy really like a computer game? Not so much. It's certainly all the more a social application, however you can tell that the engineers appreciate a decent RPG—the point framework and accomplishments are fulfilling. I fixate on following exercise information, and the application helps me keep a decent record of my endeavors while associating with new individuals. I trust all the more gaming components show up later on, since I discovered them so rousing following a day in the weight room and after my runs.

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