Separation

Seeming Contract

Winter Masques p.40
Fairest
This box: view · talk

One of the deepest truths about the Fairest is that they are at least somewhat removed from the realities of the physical world. The sense of superiority many feel sometimes extends to the mundane details of life and the rules that govern the physical world. This Contract, alternately said to be struck with tools such as scissors, axes or scythes, allows a character to draw upon and enhance this separation in ways that allows her to circumvent many of these limitations.

Contract Levels

● Tread Lightly

The changeling can partially remove herself from gravity’s influence. She cannot fly or even jump further than normal, but she takes only bashing damage from falling, regardless of the distance. In addition, she can walk or run over any solid surface even if it would not normally support her weight, such as tissue paper or thin panes of glass. She can also walk across mud, dry sand or any other surface without getting her feet even damp.

• Cost: 1 Glamour
• Dice Pool: Dexterity + Wyrd

Suggested Modifiers

-1 The character is running or jumping.

+1 The character moves at a normal walking pace.

• Action: Instant
• Catch: The character is wearing fancy and delicate footwear that would be ruined if she did not use this clause.

Roll Results

• Dramatic Failure: The changeling trips and falls, landing prone. She must take one full turn to regain her feet.
• Failure: The clause has no effect on the changeling’s movements.
• Success: The changeling can move across any solid surface as if she weighed no more than a few ounces. She leaves no tracks, can run across snow without breaking through the surface and also takes only bashing damage from falls. Anyone attempting to track the character suffers a –2 penalty, due to the light impressions her footfalls make. The character can also climb up surfaces too fragile to support her normal weight, but cannot run, jump or climb any better or faster than normal. The effects of this clause last for the scene.
• Exceptional Success: The character can jump twice as far and climb twice as fast as normal for the duration of this scene.

●● Evasion of Shackles

The character can automatically slip out of any handcuffs, straightjacket or other restraints.

• Cost: 1 Glamour
• Dice Pool: Larceny Skill + Wyrd

Suggested Modifiers

–1 The character has previously struggled against these bonds.

+1 Since she was bound, the character has remained calm and not attempted to struggle or free herself by force or dexterity.

• Action: Instant
• Catch: The changeling has been unjustly imprisoned for some crime or offense she did not actually commit.

Roll Results

• Dramatic Failure: Knots grow tighter, locks jam and other attempts to remove the restraints suffer a –2 penalty.
• Failure: The clause has no affect on the changeling’s bonds.
• Success: The character is instantly freed of all restraints such as handcuffs, straightjackets or shackles. This clause can open locked doors only if the character is in a small compartment, such as a steamer trunk or trunk of a car, that significantly restricts her ability to move her body.
• Exceptional Success: In addition to removing all restraints on the character, the door of any room the character is locked into automatically unlocks.

●●● Breaching Barriers

The changeling can walk through any closed or locked door or window that he could fit through if it were open.

• Cost: 1 or 2 Glamour
• Dice Pool: Presence + Wyrd

Suggested Modifiers

–1 The changeling has no idea what is on the other side of the barrier.

+1 The changeling can clearly see what is on the other side of the barrier.

• Action: Instant
• Catch: The character has been deliberately imprisoned by another changeling.

Roll Results

• Dramatic Failure: The clause fails, and the portal lets out a loud bang or thump as if character had tried to batter it down and failed.
• Failure: The changeling does not succeed in walking through the closed portal.
• Success: The changeling walks through the portal as if it weren’t there. The door or window doesn’t open, but the changeling simply moves instantly and effortlessly from one side of it to the other without disturbing it or setting off any alarms. This clause also leaves no marks or traces on the door.
• Exceptional Success: If the changeling wishes, she can spend an additional point of Glamour and take along one other individual, as long as she holds this person’s hand while walking through the door or window. The changeling cannot take along more than one person in this fashion.

●●●● Elegant Protection

Attacks swerve to avoid the changeling. While using this clause, the changeling always looks elegant and poised when using her Defense or even while dodging.

• Cost: 2 Glamour
• Dice Pool: Dexterity + Wyrd

Suggested Modifiers

–3 The changeling is wearing armor.

–1 The changeling is ill dressed.

+1 The changeling is especially well dressed.

• Action: Instant
• Catch: The changeling is unarmed and not attempting to attack anyone. If the clause is invoked while using this catch, the clause will instantly end its effects and burn away three of the changeling’s Glamour if she attacks anyone while it is active.

Roll Results

• Dramatic Failure: The character suffers a –1 penalty to her Defense for the remainder of the scene as all weapons swerve toward her.
• Failure: The clause has no effect on the character’s Defense.
• Success: The clause adds the changeling’s Wyrd to her Defense. The changeling does not lose this bonus even if she is restrained, immobilized or unconscious, since attacks naturally swerve to avoid her body. This bonus applies to all attacks, including firearms attacks and attacks made when the changeling cannot normally use her Defense. In such cases, this bonus serves as the changeling’s only Defense. Otherwise, it is cumulative with the changeling’s normal Defense and is also added to the doubled Defense characters gain by dodging. In addition, even when dodging, the changeling always appears to be moving in an elegant and carefree and manner, and can use her Defense or dodge without spilling the cocktail she is holding or wrinkling her gown. This bonus to Defense lasts for two turns per success.
• Exceptional Success: The Defense bonus lasts for the scene.

●●●●● Phantom Glory

The changeling temporarily becomes completely intangible. In this state, she is immune to all physical attacks and can pass through all physical barriers.

• Cost: 2 Glamour + 1 Willpower
• Dice Pool: Persuasion Skill + Wyrd

Suggested Modifiers

–1 The changeling is intent on attacking someone.

+1 The changeling is being pursued and is not attempting to fight back.

• Action: Instant
• Catch: The changeling carries no weapons and wears no armor. If the changeling picks up or dons either while using this catch, the clause instantly ends.

Roll Results

• Dramatic Failure: The changeling becomes slightly less solid than usual, temporarily reducing her Stamina by one for the remainder of the scene.
• Failure: This clause has no effect on the changeling.
• Success: Becoming intangible requires one turn, during which the changeling can do nothing else. However, doing so does not cause her to lose her Defense. Becoming tangible again is a reflexive action. While intangible, the character cannot be affected by any physical attack. She is effectively in a state of Twilight, like a ghost, and can attack or be attacked by ghosts or other immaterial entities as if they were both solid. Everything the changeling wears and carries also becomes intangible, but the changeling cannot make anyone else intangible, even if the changeling picks the person up and carries him (at that point, the other person would fall through her arms). While intangible, the changeling can freely walk or stick her head through walls, drawers and all other objects. She cannot walk on air, though she can walk on still water as if it were solid ground; moving water may require a Dexterity + Athletics check to successfully navigate. She might also be able to leap partly through a ceiling and pull herself up to the next floor. If the character becomes tangible while part of her is embedded in solid or liquid matter, she takes three points of aggravated damage and is expelled to the nearest open space.
• Exceptional Success: The changeling can pick up small objects (anything small enough to fit into her closed hand) while remaining intangible. The object becomes intangible once her hand closes around it. This may allow her to retrieve small objects from locked boxes.