Sonata Background

Etienne Dreaux was born in the outskirts of New Orleans in 1907. Born the sixth son in a moderatly wealthy family he soon realised his futures would lie elsewhere. Bored of being overlooked in the family run company, He left to find his fortunes in the city. Dazzled by the bright lights, yet with no fortune to call his own, Etienne moved into a series of squats around the city's more shadier districts. It was there that he fell in with a crowd introducing him to the growing New Orleans jazz scene. He found a natural aptitude for a number of instruments including the guitar and piano and started to start a career as a fledgling musician. As time went by, Etienne began to make a name for himself, playing in many of the less legitimate estiblishments around the citys red light district, reveling in the bohemian nature of the scene. In an age where many struggled to find work, Etienne had a steady income, yet he squandered his earnings on excess and would often find himself sleeping rough in one of the many unemployment camps that dotted the city. It was here he learned to steal, often taking what little money the unfortunate souls of the camp had to fund his nights of debauchery, he soon found he had made many enemies in the city. This life style could only last so long and one night Etienne collapsed while on stage. Disgusted at his state, the bouncers left him beat up in an alley, slumped against a cold wet drain. This was the last thing Etienne remembered of his old life.

Etienne woke up in a world devoid of light and sound. It was as if only his concious remained, floating in the void. This world without sense and stimulation was as aneathema to former hedonist. He rebeled at first, desperate to scream out, yet without a physical body there was little he could do. Over time his mind slowly numbed as he accepted his fate, slipping in and out of conciousness without any way of telling the passage of time. He lingered there for what felt like centuries. 

And so when the sound came there was nothing he could do to resist it. Torrents of emotion rushed into his adled mind, twisting him as if but a puppet as the rapturous cacophony shock him to the soul. And then it was gone, leaving him in the darkness once again. 

This cycle would repeat, years of emptyness followed by intence burst of euphoric ectacy or the darkest of torments. The emotions weren't his, for this he was sure the sound was contorting him to its will. However after each time, the sound would leave him stronger and he began to long for the music to come. What at first appeared to be simply riotous noise began to fall into place and he began to understand the complex patterns that wove together. During his times of solitude he would go over the molodies each one invigorating him further until one day he simply screamed out. The sound, although pale in comparison broke the darkness and he felt a part of himself return, a hazy after image of his former self. It was as if his body was composed of swirling smoke, constantly trying to condence itself into its former shape. Although as faint as mist,  he now at least had form and Etienne felt him self fall through the darkness and tangle in the hedge. In a mad panic he tore at the vines and eventually found his way through to the mortal realm.

Reinventing himself as Sonata there are few people alive who remember his former life. Yet old archives and records of his footage can be found and continue to taunt Sinatre of the life that he lost. Although he has found some normalacy he still feels that he left most of himself back in the fey darkness and life feels like a numb shadow of his former self. Though he still tries, the drink and drugs no longer affect him like they used to, and he finds music is the only thing which seems to keeps his soul condenced. Perhaps if he can better understand the music that gave him back his form he might be able to become whole again and take revenge on his hidden captor.

[actual play] Changeling: the Lost

 

[actual play] Changeling: the Lost

 

Changeling: the Lost

Venice: Broken Masks, Shattered Dreams

Episode 1 - Promises - part 3

      The motely were once more in the hallway of the building of one of the previous victims. Their investigation was not over yet as they planned to go to the square where the the female suicide was last seen. Freki joined them there and they filled her in on what they had discovered. Asking around at the bars that opened up onto the square they discovered that the suicide had left with a local man, Cicero, and with a little more time they discovered the Cicero lived in a block of flats near the Ghetto. On the TV they heard that a boat had gone missing, but with the weather being so poor it was impossible for the police to find it.

*****

      The motely arrived at the block of flats where Cicero lived. Something was wrong, it smelt bad. outside the flat some dogs were barking and scratching at a door where the garbage bags for the flat were kept. Freki called upon her contracts and spoke to the Pomeranian in the pack. It spoke, as dogs do, of little that made sense. but Freki did work out that in the garbage there was meat, a different meat. More than likely the remains were a persons. Opening the door to the garbage they found numerous bags, and Stitches had a root about. He finalyl came upon a bag that to his trained eye contained human bones. They had been gnawed upon and the marrow sucked out. Stitches ran out and found a place to vomit.

Totra Kadlinsdottir - aka Freki

Everyday Life

 

The Taking

Constantly being a child under-foot, Totra was ordered to keep out of the way by family whilst preparing for Midsummers Eve. After escaping to the local woods, she befriended a fae who promised to play with her forever, if only she went to their 'home'. Home was Arcadia, and the lifetime of play was to be experienced through the eyes of a dog.

 

The Escape

Before the Escape, Totra never really thought of escape - thinking her family hated her, after twisting her own memory to think her parents dumped her with the fae - she thougt she had no-where to go. As she was taken so young, Totra had forgotten about the world of her birth and had melded the world of the Fae with the few memories she had left. It was only after she was sent on a mission to a place outside of her master's created kingdom, that she learnt of the rest of the Fae world. More and more she was sent on messenger missions to other Fae for her master, and through this she began to learn about the hedge and what lay beyond it. Typical of those who hear of stories of exotic lands, she craved to see it, until one day - after a particularly violent beating - she made her escape while on her next mission out of the twisted copy of Asgard, searching for a means to the hedge. On her journey, she came across bands of changelings making their way to the hedge, which eventually grew into river of people leading to a hedgemarket, where she made the final leg of her escape into venice - a world so different to her any she'd known before.

For now, she occupies and abandoned warehouse squat along with Sonata. With both being homeless, and after the creation of their motley, she leant Sonata the use of her warehouse den and scant belongings - A filthy sofa rescued from a skip and many washingline-aquired blankets, along with a rudimentary gas stove and water bucket. Technology scares her still.

??? How old are you?

Chronologically: 1125 - Physically: early 20s

When were you born? 

885 AD British Isles during Anglo-Saxon habitation

How long were you in Faerie? 

Seemingly about 15 years. She aged while she was in Fae to match the time she experienced there.

Is your fetch the same age and appearance as you?

After 1100 years, the fetch is long-gone

??? What do you look like?

What color is your hair? 

Sandy coloured, choppy and scruffy, mottled in places.

How do you dress? 

Unfashionable, but practical clothing. Some seems homemade and roughly patched - gives the appearance of a gypsy. 

Do you have distinguishing marks? 

Faint Facial tattooing resembling a stylised wolf skin pattern in small dots and thin lines around eyes and bridge of nose. Pierced ears, stretched with found objects - ranging from centuries old glass, smoothed by the waters of venice, to abandoned keyrings and other tat. 

What does your seeming look like?

Sharp teeth and a slightly protruding face, clawed hands and feet (not as far as paws though...), Pointy tufty ears that look half-way between Human and wolf, short tufty hair that grows down the side of the face, neck and upper arms slightly with a little bit around the elbows. Light-colored eyes. Medium height and a scrawny, almost emaciated look (think Machinist) with sallow skin - at a quick glance, looks a bit like a skag-addict. Is constantly afflicted with fleas.

??? What was your existence in Faerie like?

Who was your Keeper?

A fae masquerading as Odin. He had an incredibly un-healthy obsession with norse mythology and demanded to be seen as Odin, who he saw as leader of the gods. To complete his look, he took young children of nordic descent and manipulated them into Odin's entorage - some being twisted into avatars of the other gods, and a select few, like Totra, into Odin's wolves 'Freki' and 'Geri' - and his ravens 'Hunin' and 'Munin'. He took a horse and stretched it's very being into Sleipnir, a literal version of the 8-legged horse, and made his kingdom as a hideous representation of Yggdrasil, the Tree of Life.

 

Was he or she capricious, or cruel or sympathetic? 

Like a demonic master to a pet who has the misfortune of being used as a minion and experiment.

Were you a favorite servant, or despised? 

Favoured servant - sent out on errands and severely punished if not done correctly or quick enough. 

Does your seeming reflect your Keeper???s nature, or were you shaped to some other purpose?

Shaped to represent Freki, the true Odin's messenger wolf - but a bastardised form.

??? What are your motivations?

Do you want to regain your mortal life? 

It's too late for that. Although the shock of seeing the world today, and not being able to adjust to the new way, she gets by the best she can, pretty secretly. She's looking for revenge against the fae, and spends most of her waking time tracking down potential allies and dealing with potential threats.

How do you react to changeling society? 

She'll stick around as they're the only family she has, but she doesn't care much for the politics. She doesn't get on with most Changelings as they continue to treat her like an unwanted dog, which is still better than in Fae. Fortunately, her motley aren't afraid or disgusted by her looks - or at least hide it if they are.

Do you wish to be ???cured???? 

Never really thought about it. After being one way for so long, it's hard to turn your back on that. To 'cure' would take away the only powers left to her to live.

Is there a rival you want to defeat? 

Ultimately, 'Odin', but he's steriotypically overly powerful(?? rubbish...) For now she's trying to avoid direct confrontation with him, trying to avoid the 'Geri', 'Hugin' and 'Munin' avatars, paranoid they're out to find her.

A lover you want to woo?

not particularly - who'd want to woo a mangey wolf? There's a limit...

Cthulhutech

I have in mind a one shot of Cthulhutech where you are a team of mecha pilots

 

Here is some inspiration.

The Innamorati

[gallery] and Dr. Ether
Makeup/Wardrobe Styling: Kitty Napalm

Fading Suns - Space Opera with Boundaries

 

      In a not so distant future (relatively speaking if we are comparing to other Space Opera settings such as Warhammer 40,000 and Dune) Humanity has conquered numerous worlds thanks to the gigantic space gates. However, as with all things, there is hubris and so worlds have been lost, technology forgotten and science and magic blur in a future that seems to be at the end of time.

      At the writing of this Red Brick are in charge of sorting out a 3rd edition of a game originally created by Holisitic Designs (Some may recognise the style of art and writing from White Wolf. You'd be correct as the excellent Bill Bridges of Mage: the Awakening put this baby together). This means my books are a copy of the defunct 1st edition and all my books in pdf form (and I printed these suckers out, thank the gods for university book binding). If you are lucky you can find some of the books for sale in FLGS or online. In Paris I almost got a French edition since the French are happily still printing new material for the game.

      So what is Fading Suns? For starters it is science fantasy. There are starships, giant jump gates (more recently seen in Stargate thanks to the Ori), a lack of faster than light travel save for these jump gates, demons, psionics and theurgy. You have ancient noble houses, a form of interstellar unified church, Dune like shield fighting, an Empire racked with infighting, intrigue and superstition, and a ancient guild of technology.

     What does this all mean in play and why do I like this? OK lets talk the system, the much debated Victory Point System. This looks like, feels like and works a little like the old Storytelling system pre-new World of Darkness. You have an attribute and skill stat. Add them, that's the target. Modify it and roll under on a D20. But the twist is the higher you roll, so long as it is under the target, gives you a greater degree of success. I really like this as it then has a system for raising and lowering the target number so that you can have a) more chance of success but less degree of success, or b) less chance for success but a greater degree of success. So the system favours risk. Now the only gripe is the lamentable critical failure, where a roll of 20 is a critical fail no matter what. Now one mod often seen to remove the 1/20 chance of this is to use a 2D10 roll instead, making a natural 20 less likely (1/100) and giving a smoother range of results.

     Character creation is equally more interesting with a form of career path system, where you choose to belong to one of the big three factions (church, nobles, guild) or the few alien races, and these in turn give you options on the character career progression. So for example you could be a noble, be you need to answer questions about the strata they were born into, how their school was, and what they did after that. All of these options mean you get access to some skills over others, before a final few points are given over to the player to distribute to even out the character. Now you can do this all by points and throw out the career paths, but of course having a speedy way to make characters is good.

      With the system out of the way what about the setting? Why not play Star Wars? Why not Play WH40K? Well Fading Suns does a few things right. It's not too far in the future, making it easy to grasp and getting into as a player. Plus the focus is on purely human characters, unlike Star Wars, so it has that Firefly feel, but where the Western is replaced with the Dark Ages. But the best things about the setting? THe mythology and the inherent boundaries that are present.

      Fading Suns works on the premise that the jump gates are ancient tech from a race that no longer exists. That makes that technology something to seek out. But also the gates are activated by keys, at least ones that humanity had created. And so there is this wonderful feeling of caravans in space where guild ships guide others through jump gates to the next world. The other thing about the setting is the mysticism and feeling of the end of times. Fading Suns has the jump gates, which allow transport from one star system to another, no matter how far apart they are in real space. So stargates then. Well the stars themselves, all stars, are dimming. Yes before they are meant to, and in a way that opposes the rules of relativity and how light travels in space and nuclear fusion.Mad eh? So of course the Church and other faiths have a reason for all this (sin and demons etc).

      What about the church? Well it seems all the old faiths of Earth combined when a man found the Universal Flame (God of some form) when travelling space. But, of course, the Church is split into rival factions and each has it's own twist on faith. Add into the mix other mystics, the faith of alien races, and the issue with jumping through gates and the experience you feel if not shielded, and you have the perfect situation for tales about faith, hope, demons, sin, and the very nature of the universe as miracles are uncovered and science, faith and magic clash.

      One thing that is important about Fading Suns is the limitations of the setting. The setting has a system of known jump gate routes and the linked worlds are the Empire. There are worlds beyond these that once were part of the larger known universe, but they have been forgotten, or war has led to them being shut off. So straight away the ST running the game has a setting to run and no fear of being dropped in the deep end and having to come up with world after world like in Star Wars (it was such a daunting task). You can still do it for lost worlds where you can go exploring, but the inherent limitations make this task more manageable. It also means the game lends itself well to various levels of gameplay, be it courtly on one world, or flying to others, or even going beyond the boundaries of known space. For all these reason I love the game and suggest if you are tired of those well known Sci Fi games then you should pick this up for something that feels more mature.