White Wolf Game Studio $25.00/296 Pages Changeling: the Dreaming is the fifth and final of White Wolfs "Storyteller" role playing games, which allow players to become supernatural denizens of the "World of Darkness." It com, pares favorably with its predecessors (Vampire, Werewolf, Mage and Wraith), being self-contained and easy to absorb by newcomers. Those already familiar with other World of Darkness games can skip most of the rules and spend the bulk of their time on the background material, which is where White Wolf really shines anyhow. One reason the Storyteller system has worked well is that each game has a distinct atmosphere, despite coexisting in the same 'modern day" world. Changeling continues this tradition, winning the prize as the most light hearted and upbeat of these games (thus the bipolar opposite of Wraith). This is natural considering changelings are fairy creatures, most of whom have the bodies and minds of children and teenagers. The premise is that a human-looking child is sometimes born with the magical soul of a changeling. Eventually this fairy identity manifests, allowing the changeling into a fantastic world of illusions and dreams. This world is always just a step away, invisible to most mortals, and is filled with everything humanity has dreamed in myth and legend. Changeling culture is based loosely around a medieval theme of lords, ladies, the codes of chivalry, and noble houses. What this boils down to is a great framework for a Storyteller to create a fantasy setting while staying close to the modern world. Like other White Wolf products, character generation is nicely done. Players can choose one of many different types of changelings, adopted from the folklore of many cultures, each of which has unique strengths and weaknesses. Character creation can be as quick or thorough as desired, and the point-based generation system guarantees reasonably well balanced results. Despite the light tone and strong fantasy elements, the authors have fortunately included a strong dark side to Changeling. just like children, not all fairies are nice, and some are downright diabolical, such as the Unseelie Redcaps who were named after a habit of dipping their hats in the blood of their victims. Since these changelings share their world with vampires, werewolves and other nasty critters, even the well-behaved ones are capable of being ruthless and cruel. This gritty edge is nice in a game which might otherwise have been sickly-sweet. The only major flaw is the cumbersome system of changeling powers, termed "cantrips." he recommended method of using cards to combine Arts (the power itself), Realms (the target), and Bunks (a silly act required by the power to operate) is not described adequately and isn't particularly enjoyable. This is a minor complaint, however, since the rest of the game is nicely done. Changeling seems particularly suited to GMs who want to play modern fantasy but feel constrained by the lack of variety in existing systems. Changeling can be a good way to get hardcore fantasy players into a modern setting withOut the normal transition pains. Those who like a stronger dose of horror in their White Wolf products should stick with Vampire and Wraith, but others are likely to find Changeling a refreshing change of pace. Back to Shadis #23 Table of Contents Back to Shadis List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master List of Magazines © Copyright 1996 by Alderac Entertainment Group This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com