Changeling - Players Guide.pdf

product in their minds. But this is a necessary step, and those
boggans who do not "dream" their projects sufficiently before
beginning often spend their time redoing work that did not
come out right the first time.
Others claim that while working, boggans glow with an
unearthly light made of pure Glamour, and that any who look
on it will be forever blinded. Some whisper that boggans
transform into hideous lizard- or insectlike creatures while
creating. While it is certainly possible that some boggans may
have their own reasons for keeping out of sight while working,
most will tell you that they have their own trade secrets that
allow them to do such distinctive work, and that is the only
reason they choose to work alone.
Social Dynamics
It should come as no surprise that boggans are among the
most infamous meddlers and busybodies in all of Kithain
society. They always seem to know who fancies who, and who
is nursing a secret grudge. In fact, this is in some ways an
extension of boggan craftsmanship, as understanding the way
people function in a group is made up of equal parts observation
and "common sense." With a keen eye and an attention
to the nuances of a situation, many boggans can unravel the
whys behind a relationship with as much skill as understanding
the technique in weaving a tapestry.
Just as a good woodworker will look at the grain of a piece
of wood to see what patterns naturally suggest themselves, so
boggans are able to second-guess the way a given individual
will react in a particular situation. It is just a matter of seeing
what is already there beneath the surface.
Most boggans despise the social hierarchy of "owing"
others. To take what should be simple, uncomplicated friendships
and mar them by keeping a scorecard of what one person
owes another is contrary to the true nature of friendship.
Partly because they work so hard to steer clear of these
entanglements themselves, boggans are particularly aware of
this behavior in others. Although their unwillingness to join
in the social game of tit-for-tat often makes them outsiders,
they are usually respected for their ability to see through the
webs of intrigue that make up changeling courts.
Frailties
Call of the Needy
Boggans hate to see others in pain. While some Unseelie
boggans are annoying and even infuriating to their foes, they
rarely cause more than embarrassment or discomfort, which is
bad enough to many of their victims. Boggans truly want to
make the world a better place, and will never willingly harm
someone who may be shown the error of his ways. Of course,
sometimes the subject of their attentions would rather be
whacked soundly upside the head than disgraced or embarrassed,
but boggans only do what they feel is necessary.
It is said that boggans of a philosophical bent refer to this
as the "what goes around, comes around" principle. If you refuse
to help someone who is in need, what will happen when you're
the one who needs help? Being a highly superstitious lot, most
boggans would rather not tempt fate, even a little.
Even those who follow the Unseelie Court will help out
a soul in need, though their idea of "help" sometimes leaves
the subject wishing she had never asked. Boggarts will often
berate those they help for having gotten themselves in a fix
to begin with, and insist that "if it weren't for me happening
by just now, you'd have been a goner for sure!"
Courts
Although most believe that in the beginning all boggans
were loyal to the Seelie Court, this has not been the case for
many generations. When a boggan has been wronged, his
vengeance is often terrible to behold. Boggans drift between
the Unseelie and Seelie Courts more frequently than most
other kith, perhaps because at heart nearly every boggan
wants to think the best of people. Even Unseelie boggans
usually seek to show their victims the error of their ways.
Seelie Boggans
With their love of the simple things in life and the joy of
helping others, most boggans are naturally drawn toward the
Seelie Court. Even the majority of those who are wronged
and seek asylum with the Unseelie Court eventually return.
Although they are generally a shy lot, some boggans have
achieved positions of respect within the Seelie Court, often
as advisors to nobles. Their no-nonsense, common sense
approach, combined with their keen social insights, often
earns such boggans the respect of their peers.
Unseelie Boggans
Known as boggarts, Unseelie boggans are often those who
have been betrayed or hurt as a result of their attempts to help others.
They will avenge any slight—real or imagined—with a fervor that
causes even redcaps to quake in their boots. Some set out to test how
truly virtuous a person is, often undoing the work of others or
constantly plaguing a victim with annoying cantrips to see what the
limits of his patience are. Anyone who withstands this onslaught of
mischief with a sunny disposition intact will be respected and often
feared by the boggart and her companions henceforth.
While many Seelie boggans try to deny the Unseelie part
of their natures, nearly all boggans spend at least part of their
lives ruled by their Unseelie Legacy. It is unfortunate, but few
mortals or Kithain who devote their lives to helping others
avoid being taken advantage of at one point or another. When
this happens to a Seelie boggan, she will often fly into a rage,
seeking vengeance on not only the one who wronged her, but
anyone else who would abuse the kindness of others. Such is
their desire to punish, these Unseelie boggans often see wrongs
where there are none, and tonnent innocents instead.