[Proposal][Packet][Edition Change][Autopass] Changeling 20th Anniversary Translations

Greetings council!

This proposal is made in accordance with the Coordinator Bylaws, section 3.C. (Subsections ii. and iii.):
3. Coordinator Duties

C. Genre Coordinators

iii. Genre Coordinators must pass before Council any plot, enforced policy, R&U named characters, or binding edict they wish to use which they can reasonably expect to affect multiple chronicles and these proposals need not be seconded, but go immediately into discussion.

   1. If no opposition is voiced during the week of discussion, the proposal is considered passed and enforceable. Once passed these are considered binding to all chronicles and a chronicles refusal to adhere is grounds for OWBN disciplinary measures. Opposition must be in regards to the content of the proposal and must give those reasons why the objection is voiced. This is to allow Coordinator's the opportunity to respond and/or make changes/remove the proposal and its contents.

PROPOSAL

I, Eric Lyakhovetsky, hereby this, the official OWbN Changeling 20th anniversary edition translation packet.

This is a follow up proposal to the successfully passed proposal made late in 2017 by which council mandated an Edition Change for Changeling the Dreaming in OWbN from The Shining Host/Unrevised to Changeling 20th Anniversary edition. That proposal was contingent on the production of a set of translations to act as a new universal baseline for the changeling (but not inflexible set of house rules, please see below). This is needed because this will be the first time OWbN has seen a genre edition which is a tabletop rules set rather than a LARP one (as was discussed in the previous, already passed, proposal).

What does this packet do? It serves, along with the Changeling: 20th Anniversary edition, as the new rules set for OWbN changeling. Both are required and the packet will not allow for complete running of the game, as there is a need to avoid cutting and pasting to avoid copyright infringement.

Now, from that baseline, games will be free to design whatever house rules they like to suit the tastes of their region. There are even numerous suggested house rules for different styles of game in the appendix. Just as they would modify the shining host, laws of the night, or any other core rules set. A baseline is seen as needed by the changeling coord's office (and the creation of this baseline was charged as part of the edition change proposal) in order to allow everyone to have common ground from which to modify from.

The packet being displayed here is in something of a 'raw text' form. Our formatting monkey wanted a bit more time (and to take a break over the holidays) to make the PDF with links, our commissioned cover art and prettier formatting. No notable text will be changed once that is completed, but we will publish with a nicer looking document.

This document is the work of countless hours, but I have to give a big thanks to David N who was my co-author for it as well as a dozen+ playtesters, advisers, editors and reviewers from all across the country. We have gotten these translations out essentially in lock step with an entire new edition becoming legal for use (only delayed for the sake of the Holidays).

As per the original proposal, all changeling genre characters in the org will have their points spent in arts and realms reset and will be allowed to respend them. STs wishing to allow more complete 'respecs' may do so at their discretion. Characters should be rebuilt within a 30 day window.

FAQ:

1. Why can't every game make their own rules from scratch?:

That would be horrifically impractical and disruptive, particularly for multi-genre games or events who likely would not wish to translate the entire sum of a genre's power set. Games are absolutely free to modify whatever they like from these rules, however, making house rules just as they would from the Shining Host (though some things, like the core mechanics for casting, are likely better left alone if at all possible). There is no design here to inhibit game independence or creativity.

2. What guided the creation of these translations?

We primarily sought, first and foremost, to be true to the book. We wanted a translation relatively unfiltered by designer bias while still making sense in the context of OWBN and the MET system. We did do our best to make the game cross-compatible with other genres, but also to have its own unique identity. We employed feedback from many players/storytellers from numerous regions ranging from the West Coast to the Midwest, Chicago to the East Coast.

3. I, or a player, don't care for (xyz) specific rule, are you going to change it?

So, the short answer is no. This packet has been vetted by many different sets of eyes, has had dozens of changes based on their feedback (some quite fundamental) and then has been further refined from that. It has seen playtesting, both internally and against other genres. Unlike a simple clan packet, this is an entire rules set and it would simply be impossible to workshop that many rules through the filter of a hundred council members (and then their players as well). However, if there is a tweak, or even multiple tweaks needed to suit an individual ST, they can make those. For what it's worth, I will use a limited number of house rules even in my own game.

4. Missing things?

There are some items in the book which were not translated: specifically, esoteric fae types, as well as merits and flaws. The most recent changeling mechanics packet translated 90% of the merits and flaws already and few have changed significantly. Most esoteric fae (nunnehi, inanimae, etc) have individual kith populations right around 0 in the org. As noted in the packet, an update to this packet will be propped in 6-12 months to reflect org-wide feedback and will have those items added at that time; their absence should be minimally disruptive.

5. XYZ power seems quite strong:

It is notable that this set of powers composes the entirety of all changeling powers. It is to be compared to hundreds of gifts/rites, thousands of rotes, and hundreds of discipline levels/thaum/combos etc. Certainly there are very powerful effects, but the same is true for all other genres as well. There are also suggestions in the appendix for house rules to diminish certain power levels if they are felt to be too much.

6. Will the changeling games at Blood and Ice use these new rules?

No. I have already spoken to that staff and they will use the Shining Host. Avoiding confusion was part of the reason for the timing of this proposal (no one should be rebuilding before Blood and Ice), along with the holidays.

Thanks very much and happy new year!

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