IC: Changeling the Dreaming...
In reply to Cappadocius (msg # 9):
No predetermined plots, but not sandbox either. More like hooks or story starters and letting the players and characters just go after the initial set up. Create some threats, cultivate tension, and play to see what happens. But nothing resembling a predefined plot.
The premise of Changeling is mortal bodies infused with faerie souls. You have a mortal life and a changeling life. Delve too deep into your changeling life and you go insane; delve too deep into your mortal life and your changeling side withers and dies. So you have to go back and forth between them. Spinning plates on both sides of that divide. That's the mortal vs fae conflict I mentioned.
The Seelie and Unseelie courts are the changeling equivalent to the Cam and the Sabbat... sort of. The Seelie are all about keeping order and tradition, the Unseelie are all about change and revolution and a good time. Though Seelie aren't good, nor are the Unseelie bad. It's Order vs Chaos.
You also have Nobles vs Commoners. Just like it sounds. You have the ruling sidhe and the noble houses. They run the show most places, Seelie or Unseelie. The commoners are the working stiffs. They do all the work and keep things going while the nobles reap most of the rewards and own/control most everything.
The characters have loyalties all over that map. Your mother needs you to do something for her and no one else can help, but the Duke wants you to watch some redcap commoner who's stirring up trouble. The Unseelie court contacts you for a bit of a favor, but the Seelie court has warned against any contact. You have a physics test in the morning but your Oathcircle needs you to help clear the monsters out of a freehold they just discovered. The game is about how you juggle those. At least, this game is about how you juggle those. Other Changeling games focus on other things.
Going on the mythic quest and securing a new freehold but getting home in time for lights out. Doing that one favor for the Unseelie because as long as no one finds out, what could it hurt? Helping your mom, but sneaking out to watch the redcap and finding out he's not a rabble-rouser but was once a loyal friend to the Duke and was betrayed... only to get home and get the third degree.