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These Traits describe advantages of birth (or rebirth), circumstance and opportunity: material possessions, social networks and the like. Backgrounds are external, not internal, Traits, and you should always rationalize how you came to possess them, as well as what they represent. Who are your contacts? Why do your allies support you? Where did you meet your retainers? How exactly do you make enough money to justify your four dots in Resources? If you've put enough detail into your character concept, selecting appropriate Backgrounds should be easy.
Although it's uncommon to make rolls involving Back-ground Traits, your Storyteller might have you do so to see if you can obtain information, goods or favors. For example, you might have to roll Wits + Resources to keep your Stock options healthy, or Manipulation + Contacts to wheedle that extra favor from your smuggler "associate."

ALLIES
"Damn." The middle-aged man set down his fork and dabbed at his lips with his napkin. "I had no idea that the Nash girl was related to you. And your family wants it kept pretty hushed up?" He stifled a belch, then sipped at his wine. "Well, I dunno if I can get away without printing updates, but..."
His companion, who hadn't touched a bite of her linguine, raised a hand to cut him off. "Please, there's no need to endanger your position. I'm not asking you to deny her disappearance, or even to ignore it — simply run your case updates in a less conspicuous area of the paper." Her half-smile was a masterpiece of struggling with grief. "Keeping the affair less public...for the family's sake."
Allies are humans who support and help you — family, friends or even a mortal organization that owes you some loyalty. Though allies aid you willingly, without coaxing or coercion, they are not always available to offer assistance; they have their own concerns and can do only so much in the name of friendship. However, they might have some useful Background Traits of their own, and might provide you with indirect access to their contacts, influence or resources.
Allies are typically persons of influence and power in your home city. They can be of almost any sort, pending your Storyteller's permission; you may have friends in the precinct morgue, or perhaps even the mayor's ear, depending on how many dots you spend on this Trait. Your allies are generally trustworthy (although they probably don't know that you're a vampire, or even that vampires exist). However, nothing comes for free: if you wind up drawing favors from your friend in the Cosa Nostra, he'll probably ask you to do him a favor in kind in the future. This often leads to the beginning of a story....
• One ally of moderate influence and power
•• Two allies, both of moderate power
••• Three allies, one of whom is quite influential
•••• Four allies, one of whom is very influential
••••• Five allies, one of whom is extremely influential

CONTACTS
"Hey, my friend. No offense meant, okay?" The deadlocked man spread his hands wide. "Can't blame me for being a little curious. You just picked up two crates of some very sweet AK action, and pay so generously for the Dragonsbreath ammo that I know you ain't about to resell it to someone else. No way would some sucker pay so much that you'd turn a profit on this stuff." He tapped a finger under his nose speculatively. "I never hear tell of you doing this kind of dirty, brother. What, are you just stowing things away for a rainy day?"
Kincaid's smile was electric as he gently placed the autocratic rifle back in the crate. "Not at all. I never buy things I don't intend to use."
You know people all over the city. When you start making phone calls around your network, the amount of information you can dig up is almost terrifying. Contacts are largely people whom you can bribe, manipulate or coerce into offering informa-tion, but you also have a few major contacts — friends whom you can rely on to give you accurate information in their fields of expertise. You should describe each major contact in some detail before the game begins.
In addition to your major contacts, you also have a number of minor contacts is spread throughout the city; your major contact might be in the district attorney's office, while your minor contacts might include beat cops, DMV clerks, club bouncers or even hot-dog vendors. You need not detail these various "passing acquaintances" before play; instead, to successfully get in touch with a minor contact, you should roll your Contacts rating (difficulty 7). You can reach one minor contact for each success; of course, you still have to coerce them into telling you what you need to hear.
• One major contact
•• Two major contacts
••• Three major contacts
•••• Four major contacts
••••• Five major contacts

FAME
"Jesus, I'm sorry if I'm getting in your face, but I just had to come over here and say, uh...well, Jesus! What a show!" The teenager's grin split her face almost in half. "I mean, I drove all the way out from Alabama to see you play, and I just wanted to say it was worth it. Really, man!"
Karl feigned sipping from his beer, the better to keep from bursting out laughing. "Yeah? That's really great of you." He looked around, then leaned forward with a conspiratorial air. "Tell you what. Me and the guys are having a little bash back at my place after the show. Why don't you get directions from Renee — the redhead in the bustier over there — and drop by?"
You enjoy widespread recognition in mortal society, per-haps as an entertainer, writer or athlete. People may enjoy just being seen with you. This gives you all manner of privileges when moving in mortal society, but can also attract an unwanted amount of attention now that you're no longer alive. The greatest weapon fame has to offer is the ability to sway public opinion — as modern media constantly proves.
This Background is obviously a mixed blessing. You can certainly enjoy the privileges of your prestige — getting the best seats, being invited to events you'd otherwise miss, getting appointinents with the elite — but you're also often recognized when you'd rather not be. However, your enemies can't just make you disappear without causing an undue stir, and you find it much easier to hunt in populated areas as people flock to you (reduce the difficulties of hunting rolls by one for each dot in Fame) Additionally, your Storyteller might permit you to reduce difficulties of Social rolls against particularly starstruck or impressionable people.
• You're known to a select subculture of the city — local clubgoers or the Park Avenue set, for instance.
•• A majority of the populace recognizes your face; you're a local celebrity such as a news anchor.
••• You have statewide renown; perhaps you're a state
senator or minor star of local interest.
•••• Nationally famous; everybody knows something about you.
••••• You're an internationally famous media icon.

GENERATION
Ruyter took a step back, baring his ivory teeth in a grimace. His brow was furrowed, but no sweat came. "Damn you!" he hissed. "I Know your lineage, creature! You are the childe of that weak-blooded fool Pierre L'Imbecile! How is it that you—" He broke off abruptly, and leaned back as if trying to find shelter. But his neck would not shift away, and his gaze remained locked with — almost impaled by the Malkavian's cold stare.
"Communion brings one closer to our Dark Father." Anatole said in a quiet tone. His eyes flared with a shrouded glow. "Through his Blood, steadfastness—and insight. Here, allow me to share such glory with you."
Plain and simple, this Background represents your generation — the purity of your blood, and your proximity to the First Vampire. A high Generation rating may represent a powerful sire or a decidedly dangerous taste for diablerie. If you don't take any dots in this Trait, you begin play as a 13th-generation vampire. See p. 139 for further information on generations and what part they play.
• 12th generation: 11 blood pool, can spend 1 blood point per turn
•• 11th generation: 12 blood pool, can spend 1 blood point per turn
••• 10th generation: 13 blood pool, can spend 1 blood point per turn
•••• Ninth generation: 14 blood pool, can spend 2 blood points per turn
••••• Eighth generation: 15 blood pool, can spend 3 blood points per turn

HERD
The susurrant chanting slowly grew louder as the candles burned lower. Finally, as if responding to some inaudible cue, the indigo-robed man kneeling at the head of the throng rose to his feet and turned to face the other supplicants. "Hear us, Mother Without Mercy, Dark Lady of the Envenomed Fang, Moon of the Earth! Come to us and choose thy consort! Our will is thine!"
Then the packed-earth floor cracked, and crumbled, and a dark-skinned woman literally rose through the soil, welcomed by an ecstatic cry from the gathering.
You have built a group of mortals from whom you can feed without fear. A herd may take many forms, from circles of kinky clubgoers to actual cults built around you as a god-figure. In addition to providing nourishment, your herd might come in handy for minor tasks, although they are typically not very controllable, closely connected to you or even highly skilled (for more effective pawns, purchase Allies or Retainers). Your Herd rating adds dice to your rolls for hunting: see Chapter Six for further details.
• Three vessels
•• Seven vessels
••• 15 vessels
•••• 10 vessels
••••• 60 vessels

INFLUENCE
"Don't think this story won't get out if I disappear, either." The pudgy, sweating reporter did his best to look smug, but fear shone in his eyes nonetheless. "You can't just kill people and expect the American justice system to sit on its a**, buddy."
Hesha chuckled over steepled fingers "I believe you overestimate your fellow mortals' integrity, Mr. Laurent. Calls have already been made." He shook his head, an expression of grave sorrow in place on his features. "I'm afraid your autopsy will reveal a sudden but fatal heart attack — how tragic." Serpentine shadows began uncoiling from the corners of the room, and a low hissing began echoing in the chamber. "We are nothing if not thorough. Wouldn't you agree?"
You have pull in the mortal community, whether through wealth, prestige, political office, blackmail or supernatural ma-nipulation. Kindred with high Influence can sway, and in rare cases even control, the political and social processes of human society. Influence represents the sum of your political power in your community, particularly among the police and bureaucracy.
Some rolls may require you to use Influence in place of an Ability, particularly when attempting to sway minor bureau-crats. It is, of course, always easier to institute sweeping changes on a local level than a worldwide scale (e.g., having an "aban-doned" building demolished is relatively easy, while starting a war is a bit more difficult).
• Moderately influential; a factor in city politics
•• Well-connected; a force in state politics
••• Position of influence; a factor in regional politics
•••• Broad personal power; a force in national politics
••••• Vastly influential; a factor in global politics

MENTOR
Ramon bounded through the woods, dropping at times to all fours in his haste. "Tibur!" His voice was raised, but not yet a shout. "Tibur?" His nails gouged the soil, sending tiny showers of dirt into the evening air. "Please, sire, I need your help! Tibur, are you here?"
At last his was answered by a voice that seemed to well up out of the earth, a voice with the growl of a bear and the age of worn stone. "I am here, Ramon. What would you know? Speak quickly, for I am hungry and would hunt."
This Trait represents, in elder or possibly even more than one — who looks out for you, offering guidance or aid once in a while. A mentor may be powerful, but his power need not be direct. Depending on the number of .lots in this Background, your mentor might be nothing more than a vampire with a remarkable information network, or might be a centuries-old creature with tremendous influence and supernatural power. He may offer advice, speak to the prince (or archbishop) on your behalf, steer other elders clear of you or warn you when you're walking into situations you don't understand.
Most often your mentor is your sire, but it could well be any Cainite with a passing interest in your well-being. A high Mentor rating could even represent a group of like-minded vampires, such as the elders at the city's Tremere chantry.
Bear in mind that this Trait isn't a "get out of Jail Free" card; your mentor won't arrive like the cavalry whenever you're endangered. What's more, she might occasionally expect something in return for her patronage (which can lead to a number of interesting stories). A mentor typically remains aloof, giving you useful information or advice out of camaraderie, but will abandon you without a thought if you prove an unworthy or troublesome "apprentice."
• Mentor is an ancilla of little influence.
•• Mentor is respected; an elder, for instance.
••• Mentor is heavily influential, such as a member of the primogen.
•••• Mentor has a great deal of power over the city; a prince or archbishop, for example.
••••• Mentor is extraordinarily powerful, perhaps even a justicar or Inconnu.

RESOURCES
Kincaid smiled as he turned the key, enjoying the shudder of the Porsche's engine as it turned over flawlessly. It suited the others to take whatever they needed and discard it once they were done. Not him. In a half-remembered, long-gone life he'd thirsted for all the trappings of wealth, and it amused him no end to regularly shuck his "champion of the Sabbat" duties and dabble in the upper-class circles for all they were worth. Certainty, he couldn't enjoy the food and drink, and the savor of a beautiful woman had changed entirely — but luxury is luxury, even to the unliving.
Besides, he mused to himself as he roared out of the garage and into the night street, a car like this makes hunting so much easier.
This Trait describes your personal financial resources, or your access to such. A high Resources rating doesn't necessarily reflect your liquid assets; this Background describes your standard of "living," your possessions and your buying power. No dots in Resources is just that: You have no permanent haven and no possessions save a few clothes and possibly a weapon or pocketful of coins.
You receive a basic allowance each month based on your rating; be certain to detail exactly where this money comes from, be it a job, trust fund or dividends. After all, your fortune may well run out over the course of the chronicle, depending on how well you maintain it. You can also sell your less liquid resources if you need the cash, but this can take weeks or even months, depending on what exactly you're trying to sell. Art buyers don't just pop out of the woodwork, after all.
• Small savings: a small apartment and maybe a motorcycle. If liquidated, you would have about $1,000 in cash. Allowance of $500 a month.
•• Middle class: an apartment or condominium. If liquidated, you would have at least $8,000 in cash. Allowance of $1200 a month.
••• Large savings: a homeowner or someone with some equity. If liquidated, you would have at least $50,000 in cash. Allowance of $3000 a month.
•••• Well-off: a member of the upper class. You own a very large house, or perhaps a dilapidated mansion. If liquidated, you would have at least $500,000 in cash. Allowance of $9000 a month.
••••• Ridiculously affluent: a multimillionaire. Your haven is limited by little save your imagination. If liquidated, you would have at least $5,000,000 in cash. Allowance of $30,000 a month.

RETAINERS
Vykos clutched the edge of its fluttering cloak with one long-fingered hand, drawing it closer around itself. It strode quickly from the study, and the misshapen creatures in the hallway scurried quickly to its side as it walked. "No," Vykos hissed, glaring at the hideously resculptured monsters. "No, no, no. I require none of you. Where is Anya? Bring me Anya."
"I am here, lord" The voice was pure velvet, and yet the woman's face and form put it to shame. She slid from the shadowy arch of an antechamber, dropping to one perfect knee and bowing her angelic head before her domitor. "What, or on whom, would you have me perform this evening?"
Not precisely allies or contacts, your retainers are servants, assistants or other people who are your loyal and steadfast companions. Many vampires' servants are ghouls (p. 275) — their supernatural powers and blood bond-enforced loyalty make them the servants of choice. Retainers may also be people whom you've repeatedly Dominated until they have no free will left, or followers so enthralled with your Presence that their loyalty borders on blind fanaticism. Some vampires, particularly those with the Animalism Discipline, use "hellhounds" (ghouled dogs) or other animal ghouls as retainers.
You must maintain some control over your retainers, whether through a salary, the gift of your vitae or the use of Disciplines. Retainers are never "blindly loyal no matter what" — if you treat them too poorly without exercising strict control, they might well turn on you.
Retainers may be useful, but they should never be flawless. A physically powerful ghoul might be rebellious, inconveniently dull-witted or lacking in practical skills. A loyal manservant might be physically weak or possess no real personal initiative or creativity. This Background isn't an excuse to craft an unstoppable bodyguard or pet assassin — it's a method to bring more hilly developed characters into the chronicle, as well as to reflect the Renfieldesque followers for which the Kindred are notorious.
Don't abuse it.
• One retainer
•• Two retainers
••• Three retainers
•••• Four retainers
••••• Five retainers

STATUS
Silence greeted the newcomer as she entered the chamber. The sole movement, apart from hers, was the flutter of thin cloth blown by the ventilation currents — cloth that outlined, shroudlike, the lean forms of the vampires who stood motionless in the gloom. Only their, eyes moved, and even then just to follow the newcomer as she strode to stand, fists on hips, before the master of the manse. At last, it was the prince who spoke.
"Lucita."
She bowed her head only a millimeter, enough to let one midnight lock fall across her face. Her smile was that of a shark circling its prey, "I see my reputation precedes me."
You have something of a reputation and standing (earned or unearned) within the local community of Kindred. Status among Camarilla society is often derived from your sire's status and the respect due your particular bloodline; among the Sabbat, status is more likely to stem from the reputation of your pack. Elders are known for having little respect for their juniors; this Background can mitigate that somewhat.
High status among the Camarilla does not transfer to Sabbat society (and will most likely make you a notorious target for your sect's rivals), and vice versa. Similarly, anarchs can be considered to have zero Status, unless they have somehow garnered so much power and attention that they must be taken seriously. You may have occasion to roll your Status in Conjunction with a Social Trait; this reflects the positive effects of your prestige.
Note: Caitiff characters may not purchase Status during character creation. Caitiff are the lowest of the low, and any respect they achieve must be earned during the course of the chronicle.
• Known: a neonate
•• Respected: an ancilla
••• Influential: an elder
•••• Powerful: a member of the primogen (or bishop)
••••• Luminary: a prince (or archbishop)

Throughout your character's life, as described in her background, she will have acquired contacts, material belongings and personal strengths that aid her. She hasn't learned them and she can't train for them: they stem from happenstance, social ties and history. This broad category of Traits covers everything from the friends a character has made to her innate magical power. It's a catch-all category, and you assign points to your character's Backgrounds during character creation just as you do Attributes and Abilities.
Your character's Backgrounds have direct ties to her history. Thus, they help you to flesh out your character. As you choose and assign point values to these Traits, the Backgrounds help to define the character's exact nature. With the help and approval of your Storyteller, you establish how these Backgrounds
fit into your character's life.

Allies
William sneezed. "Excuse me." The realtor's offices had a dusty, dry interior that bothered his sinuses. "I'm interested in taking a closer look at the old plantation house out on Honeysuckle Lane," he explained.
"Oh, yes!" the realtor said, grinning. "I had a call yesterday warning me that you might be coming. I'd be very happy to show you that house. It's a magnificent structure, sturdy and with a style unmatched in these parts. I think you'll like it very much."
William smiled. His friend who knew the owner of the real estate company had worked fast. "How much are they asking for the house?" he queried.
"Well," the realtor replied with a friendly wink. "I have it on good authority that we can make you a deal you won't be able to refuse."
Allies are people (or other beings) who are willing to help your character. They may be friends, anonymous sponsors or someone for whom your mage did a favor at one point. Each dot that you purchase in this Trait gives your mage one ally or increases the usefulness of one particular ally. For example, if you put three dots in the Allies Trait, your character can have either three allies who are somewhat useful or one ally who is extremely helpful. Or, she can have one one-dot ally and one two-dot ally. You determine this allocation with your Storyteller and give your character's allies names, professions and personalities. Allies are generally Sleepers; more esoteric sorts of creatures fall under a different heading. Also, your allies may know that you are into some unusual things, but they are rarely in on the whole picture of mage society or even the facts of magic. Allies are more useful as warm bodies to give you a hand or a place to crash.
An ally can give your character access to information she wouldn't normally have, access, to products and services or even more direct aid. Your Storyteller may wish to create statistics for the ally and actually play the ally in the game as a character. Note that your allies have personalities and goals of their own, and from time to time they may cause problems, ask for favors in return or do things that further their own interests.
X No allies — you don't have any friends at all.
• One ally of moderate power
•• Two allies or one more powerful ally
••• Three allies or a combination of more powerful allies
•••• Four allies or a combination of more powerful allies
••••• Five allies or a combination of more powerful allies

Arcane
Flynn studied his reflection in the glass. Behind him, a never-ending stream of people walked either one way or the other, brushing shoulders, laughing, talking, glowering. Flynn noticed new wrinkles at the corners of his cherrywood eyes. He straightened the blue-black locks that writhed on his forehead and fixed his embroidered collar. Just tired, he told himself. I'm just fired. Slowly, his gaze shifted down to the diamond ring displayed in the window. He sighed.
The hammer in his pocket felt heavy as Flynn drew it out. He swung it toward the window, sending a bolt of magic along to increase the impact. The window shattered with a satisfying crash and the scream of alarms. Flynn reached into the window and took the ring. Shouts surrounded him, but he simply stepped back and blended into the crowd. As he walked away, he heard someone say, "It was that guy! That guy over there! Wait... where'd he go? I had my eyes on him just a minute ago. He went that way."
Mages walk the edge of what normal people consider reality. Because of their magical nature, they sometimes escape the notice of Sleepers. Their very existence is an anomaly, and some of them just evade notice. This effect manifests differently for different mages.
Although the Arcane Background doesn't make mages invisible, it makes them less noteworthy. An Arcane mage seems nondescript and not particularly noticeable. Features just seem to slip away from memory, and the mage just never seems to get caught on film. Records disappear, people forget the mage's name or even assume that discussions are about someone different, and witnesses can't garner more than "That guy. Girl. Whatever." The mage doesn't trigger these effects actively; they just happen. The mage can, however, consciously dampen the effect and allow others to see her as she truly is.
You add your character's Arcane score to any Stealth rolls you make, and your opponents reduce their Perception or Investigation dice pools by a number of dice equal to your score in Arcane. Note that Arcane only help when the mage is inconspicuous or absent; if the character is screaming, waving around a sword or otherwise drawing attention to herself, Arcane doesn't help. Of course, people might give conflicting descriptions later or be hard-pressed to remember her name. When your character is directly involved in combat, this Trait gives her no benefits.
Note also that a character with specific, extremely unusual traits — like purple hair, a peg leg or huge size — will not be able to conceal those traits; they stand out too much in peoples' minds. Still, "that one-armed guy with... uh... hair... of some color" is a start.
X You're just as noticeable as anybody else.
• You blend in with the crowd.
•• You're easy to forget.
••• You're difficult to follow.
•••• There are scant photos, papers or records of you, and people can't even agree on what you look like.
••••• In other people's minds, you don't even exist.

Avatar
Azure slid down the wall until her rump landed on the cool tile floor. The room echoed with dripping water, and the steam rising off the hot spring held an ethereal glow. Azure didn't feel too well. She could sense the disturbance in her body — internal injuries. No Quintessence. No Tass. Azure had come here, home, to regenerate her power so that she could heal.
Closing her eyes, Azure focused on the spinning crystal in her head. She knew the risk. Relaxation might bring unconsciousness, but she had to meditate. Focus, she repeated over and over, like a mantra. Azure wondered briefly if she would ever wake up. Focus. Focus. Focus. The crystal exploded with rainbow colors and expanded to consume Azure's consciousness. She followed the white path, dancing along with butterflies and rabbits, toward the purple grove she knew waited at the end.
All mages have an Awakened Avatar, and through that Avatar the mage alters reality. However, not all Avatars are created equal. The strength of your character's Avatar affects her Quintessence score directly (see "Quintessence"). It also determines how much Quintessence your character can reabsorb at any one time. It is wise to put at least one dot in this Background. Mages with extremely weak Avatars cannot channel Quintessence at all, which can make many magical feats difficult or impossible.
Whenever your character's Quintessence score drops below her score in this Trait, she can meditate at a Node, for at least one hour, in an attempt to rebuild her Quintessence levels. You roll a dice pool based on Meditation (Perception + Meditation; difficulty 7) for each hour spent at the Node, and the number of your successes determines how much Quintessence she regains. No matter how many successes you roll, however, your character cannot reabsorb more Quintessence than the number of dots you placed in her Avatar Background. Her Avatar score serves as a ceiling to the Quintessence points she can soak in through meditation at a Node. For example, if she has an Avatar score of three, she cannot absorb more than three points of Quintessence per sitting, no matter how many successes you roll.
The Avatar rating is also the limit to the amount of Quintessence that a mage may channel for an Effect. A mage cannot channel more Quintessence than her Avatar rating, so mages with weak Avatars are limited to smaller Effects.
Quintessence stored in the Avatar is "personal" and inviolable; it cannot be taken from the mage with Prime magic.
Note that the role of the Avatar may vary with the Storyteller's slant on the game, and as such this Background may be changed to represent other powers....
X Your Avatar is barely capable of magic.
• May rebuild a pool of/ expend one Quintessence.
•• May rebuild a pool of/ expend two Quintessence.
••• May rebuild a pool of/ expend three Quintessence.
•••• May rebuild a pool of/ expend four Quintessence.
••••• May rebuild a pool of/ expend five Quintessence.

Contacts
Sliding the note under the collection plate, Father Shelley moved up the pew and toward the front of the church while the nondescript old woman slipped out. Ever since the disappearance of his most promising student, he'd been working to find some lead, some clue to who might want to kidnap his apprentice or get at him. He still had to perform his duties, but even if he couldn't spend every waking moment looking for the poor girl, he could keep an ear to the street.
Father Shelley knew people, and they knew and trusted him. Although his congregation was small, they were a closely-knit neighborhood. He knew that if anyone saw Sybil, he'd hear about it within the hour.
"Word on the street is..." For a mage with contacts, the word is right in her ear. Contacts simply give your character information. They're not as reliable as allies, but they are well-informed, and what a contact doesn't know, he or she can usually find out. By calling on your contacts, you can usually dig up information about happenings, people or general weirdness in the area, although you may have to shell out a couple bucks or a few favors in the process.
When you choose some contacts, you should, of course, work with your Storyteller to determine the sorts of people your character knows. Contacts are essentially casual acquaintances, usually from your character's own walks of life. Outside their areas of expertise, contacts may have some trouble finding information, but they can usually get in touch with someone who will know what your character needs. Of course, contacts aren't an excuse to short-circuit the adventure; they're hardly all-knowing. Worse still, unreliable contacts might sell the information that your mage is looking for something, or tell other people the same things that they told your mage.
When calling on contacts, use a Social Attribute + Background roll (difficulty depending on the information desired). Success usually garners some information, while a failure indicates that your contacts don't know and can't find out. A botch means that your contact lies or sells your character out.
Each dot in Contacts represents a major contact, a fully fleshed character who can help you out. The Storyteller should design such a contact. Your character also can call on minor contacts in other locations and for other purposes, but the difficulty of getting information out of such "casual contacts" is usually a little higher, and the mage must first pay up or prove himself.
X No contacts; You have to do all the legwork yourself
• One contact.
•• Two contacts.
••• Three contacts.
•••• Four contacts.
••••• Five contacts.

Destiny
The strange cylinder gave off a grating, throbbing, pulsing noise just at the low end of audibility. Standing a full eight feet tall, two feet across, and dappled with strange cracks and protrusions, it looked like some haphazardly-carved piece of modern stone art, but Cathrine new that it was much more. As she pushed closer, she could feel the waves of sound emanating, rippling through her body painfully. Nearby, a lone corpse sprawled across the floor, testament to the thing's unusual destructive power.
As her nose bled, ears rang and vision blurred, Cathrine pushed forward to reach the cylinder. Pain rocketed through her body but determination filled her mind: she still had work to do in the Digital Web, and no thrice-cursed stone monolith would stop her! Her fingers glowed with light as energy collected in her virtual gloves, and she reached out to plant her counter-resonator on the thing — lesser souls might've cracked, but she still had a date to keep.
Some mages — or even Sleepers! — stand out heroically, pulling the threads of the Tapestry around them as they charge blindly on to an undeniable destiny. The fate of such a mage is generally known, though in a vague way. A prophecy, a vision or even just a "sense of greatness" follows this sort of mage. Her fellow mages sense this fate, as does she. Although none of the characters will know the exact nature of her fate, you should work it out behind the scenes with your Storyteller, or have your Storyteller determine it for you secretly. This final fate should remain mysterious — an enigma — within the context of the story.
The knowledge that she will go on to do great things gives your character a stronger sense of purpose and, thus, it increases her ability to exert her will. She knows that she will not die an ignominious death and this knowledge gives her the courage to go on when times get rough. Once per story (not each game session), if your character faces an end that goes against her destiny, you may roll her Destiny score versus a difficulty number of 8. Each success you roll allows you to regain one spent Willpower point. You may use these points to help your character avoid a cheap death. Destiny steps in and helps your character when she needs it the most.
However, your Storyteller may decide, at any time, that the danger your character faces meets the criteria of her destiny and disallow you any special saving rolls. Your character's fate, in this case, has come calling and she must survive on her own or fulfill that destiny.
A mage can fulfill his destiny, and at such a time, the Background goes away. The fulfillment of the destiny usually culminates in some large change for the character's life, though. Conversely, an otherwise mundane person may suddenly discover a powerful destiny. The course of fate is fickle indeed, and even mages cannot see the future with total certainty.
X You're just a tar-heel like everyone else.
• A minor destiny, roll one die
•• An impressive destiny; roll two dice
••• A crucial destiny; roll three dice
•••• A world-changing destiny; roll four dice
••••• An earth-shattering destiny; roll five dice

Dream
Dakota stood at the cage of the mesa, looking out over a landscape made rich in the light of the setting sun. The wind played in her long hair and kissed cool her sweat-misted brow. She spread her arms to the world, welcoming it, breathing it in. She closed her eyes....
Every one of her senses came alive, and she heard again the syncopated beat of her heart-drum. She let the music fill her and followed its lead into the sky. She flew, in her dreamplace, with her dreamfriends, with Eagle. Across the great waters, she drifted, holding close the image of Maria. Maria, sweet Maria, had a baby inside her — a baby that carried a strange curse. Dakota flew tonight in search of the curse. She saw it lurking there on the horizon. Her dreamcompanions left her, unwilling to get too close to the dark, cancerous entity. She continued on alone, toward the answers she sought.
With the Dream Background, your character has the ability to meditate and tap into the wealth of information carried within the universal mind. She must focus on a particular problem while meditating, and the amount of time it takes her to glean the information will vary based on its complexity. This process has its drawbacks. She may not get exactly what she wanted, but instead may find herself possessing an intuitive understanding that she didn't expect. The universal mind knows better than she does what will help her, but that doesn't mean she'll figure out why this particular bit of information applies to her dilemma. Furthermore, she only has access to the information until she sleeps again. Once she sleeps, the knowledge flies out of her mind and she loses access to it.
Your Storyteller may ask you to roll Perception + Dream to see how well your character can focus and reach a meditative state. Each character will have her own unique way of bringing forth the dream. It doesn't have to be sitting in a full lotus with incense burning. Some take long walks by the beach or vegetate to rock music. Whatever method your character uses, she must have no interruptions for the amount of time the Storyteller determines necessary. The information your character receives isn't concrete information, but rather an intuitive, guiding sense about something.
She can't find a person's address this way, but she can sense that the person probably lives near the river, for example. Roll your character's Perception + Dream (difficulty 6) to determine to what extent the information she receives is helpful.
Once per day, after your character has meditated, successfully, you can substitute her Dream score for an Ability in a dice roll pertaining to the topic of her meditation, This applies whether she has the Ability or not. For example, if she's seeking some insight into her friend's emotions, you can roll Intelligence + Dream instead of Intelligence + Alertness, even if your character has no Alertness score. If she does have an Alertness score, you can still substitute, if you choose. However, you cannot add her Dream and Alertness scores. You roll either one or the other.
X The collective intuition of the cosmos is a mystery to you.
• You catch hazy bits of information.
•• You gain helpful insight.
••• You can access worthwhile lore.
•••• You glean a wealth of knowledge.
••••• You make amazing leaps with your insight.

Influence
Nicky sat down on the ratty couch and stared at Patricia in amazement. "It's the weirdest freakin' thing," he said. "Yesterday, the cops dropped the charges against me. This morning, the lab called an' offered me my job back. And, this afternoon, this publisher guy asked if I would be interested in writing a book about my... what was that word he used... travails." Nicky watched Patricia look down and try to hide her smile. A light bulb went off over his head. "You had somethin' to do with this, didn't you?"
Patricia shrugged elegantly. "I couldn't let Dedmund destroy you. I pulled a couple strings, that's all. Dedmund's an a*****e, a child playing in a grown-up game. As soon as I realized that he was the one who set you up, I just... dropped a word or two to the right ears and... well..." She grinned crookedly and waggled her eyebrows.
As visionaries and leaders, mages have often held some influence over the course of the mortal world. You tailor your character's influences to her background and decide, with the help of your Storyteller, what type of influence she has. This sway you hold may be political, business-related, fame-based or religious in nature. Perhaps your character owns a major corporation, is a successful politician, sings in a popular rock band or has many followers who listen to her speak each week at the local PTA meeting. Whatever the case, your character can direct certain currents in society to flow the direction she wants. She can use her influence to get things done or to block the activities of others.
You can roll your character's Influence score in conjunction with Social Traits in order to have your character gain special favors. When combined with Mental Traits, it could represent your characters search for information via her connections in the area of her influence. This Background can also help your character acquire new acolytes. By rolling Charisma + Influence, you determine her success at swaying others to follow her. Unlike the Allies Background, Influence just enables your character to get things done; it doesn't supply you with "mooks." Similarly, you might hear a few choice tidbits from a local scene with Influence, but for the full range of dirt in the city, you need Contacts.
X Nobody pays much attention to you.
• Your peers recognize you.
•• You have many local associates, and you know who to call.
••• You're respected regionally; people seek your opinion.
•••• Your word is gold on a national level.
••••• You are vastly influential on a global scale.

Library
Barbara went straight to the library, as instructed by the note, and found Chin seated on the floor surrounded by books, in amazement, she watched the diminutive old man fuss and cluck over the tome in his lap. He had the look of someone who'd been up all night, further evidenced by the empty pizza box and soda bottle on the desk.
"What are you doing?" Barbara asked.
Chin lifted his round face, shocked out of his concentration. But then, his wrinkles spread and rearranged to produce a broad smile — including that one missing tooth. "Barbara! Come. Come! Look at this. I found it! It took me all night, but I finally found it. You remember that name Mosha mentioned? I looked it up. The man was a Tibetan monk in the late 1800s who supposedly Awakened and turned to the dark side." Chin adored movies. "Well, look at this. He's still alive, and I can prove it."
With this Trait, your character has access to a great wealth of information, This "library" may take the form of books, old scrolls, computer databases or even of friends who have it all in their heads and who are happy to share it with you. Most importantly, your character can access this information whenever she wants and study it at will. The knowledge contained in your character's library can include both mundane and occult elements. Although it may not always prove entirely reliable, more often than not your character can take her time, cross-reference and check her information.
Best of all, such a library is often a wealth of information that your particular mage considers important, so it has useful knowledge about magic, the supernatural and other obscure topics that wouldn't be found in a more mundane collection.
Libraries are especially useful in unearthing new lore, Sphere knowledge or specialized information. Use a Mental Attribute + Library roll to look up information regarding an arcane or obscure topic. Success helps your character in such an endeavor, possibly justifying the expenditure of experience on such Traits.
Depending on the nature of the "library," your character may choose to keep it somewhere that everyone in her cabal can use it. In such a case, all players involved can pool their Library scores and benefit from the increased wealth of information (pending Storyteller approval). However, they may run into duplication of information. Thus, a pooled library is only as effective as the best Library rating in the group, plus one for each additional Library thrown in.
X You have no particular information resources.
• You've got some New-Age paperbacks.
•• Your library is 90% pulp and 10% substance.
••• You have numerous useful texts.
•••• You have an enviable collection, both occult and mundane.
••••• You can access lore, lost secrets, common wisdom and obscure facts.

Mentor
The concrete room had steel bars and magical barriers. Ashe couldn't get out. She couldn't avoid the smell of sewage that burped up from the drain in the floor. She could only watch as the drain gurgled and began to overflow with dirty, brownish water.
Ashe didn't begin to panic until the water had reached her neck. She couldn't climb the walls. She had no escape. Someone's perverted mind had imagined drowning her in sewage, and the plan was succeeding. Ashe floated to the ceiling and waited for the water to cover her head.
"Ashe..." The call came softly into Ashe's mind, whispering across her consciousness. She knew that voice. It was Nicole! Nicole! Ashe had never loved her mentor as much as in that moment. Surely, Nicole had come to save her. But the filth kept rising and Ashe went under. "Ashe... dive down, grab the bars... hold on, Ashe..." Ashe did as instructed, holding her breath until her lungs ached. "Don't give up... Ashe... don't give up..." With a sudden, rolling rush, the pressure of the water burst open the door and it all flowed out, trying to drag Ashe with a into the grinding teeth of the processor. Ashe held on for dear life, taking grateful gulps of the rancid air.
Only the most naive Orphan discovers magic without some sort of help, training and instruction. Often, a character's mentor has a more profound influence on her personality, beliefs and knowledge than any other person since her Awakening. If she has no mentor, then she doesn't have the benefit of a teacher. If she has a lousy, abusive or over-protective mentor, then the things she learned could scar her. A mentor can be a mage, a spirit or any other Awakened being. You should work with your Storyteller to give your mentor an identity and personality.
Your character can use her mentor in many ways, though her mentor may also use her in return. The mentor-student relationship can be a complex thing, especially if the mentor requires favors in exchange for the wisdom he imparts. Furthermore, your character's actions reflect on her mentor, just as her mentor's reputation reflects on her. If your character does something to disgrace herself, her mentor may step in with a hard lesson in retribution for the stain to his own reputation.
Mentors are key in teaching characters about new skills, knowledge and magical practices. A mentor could instruct a mage in some obscure lore or special techniques, offer the advice of experience, loan a magical item or intervene in a nasty situation. Obviously, a mentor is much more active than a library, but using this help requires that the character repay the debt in some fashion.
X No mentor or teacher—how did you learn to do magic?
• Unimportant or distant mentor.
•• Helpful, but eccentric, mentor.
••• Good and notable mentor.
•••• Wise and respected mentor.
••••• Powerful or influential mentor.

Node
The spirit swelled and manifested, bringing with it the stench of decay. Its maw gaped, lined with row upon row of razor teeth. Its eyes gleamed a rancid nuclear green. "You trespass!" it howled, voice pitched to break glass.
Xavier stood his ground and his cabal stood with him. "No!" he shouted back at the creature. "You are the one who trespasses. We claim this Node and will defend it with our lives!"
"Pitiful, tiny creatures, you are." the spirit screeched. "So be it! Today, then, you will lose your lives!" Power surged in the air around the place, the lines of magic almost becoming visible as spirit and man clashed for the forces of reality itself.
One of the most hotly contested prizes in the war between mages is the possession of Nodes. A character with a Node has access to a place of power where she can replenish her Quintessence and gather Tass. Your Node can be located anywhere — in a cellar, a grove, a high-rise, a glade, a crystal cave or an old church — but mages protect them like the treasures they are. Quintessence thieves may attempt to overthrow the current custodians of a Node and take the location for themselves. Your character may have to fight to keep her Node.
You and your fellow players can pool your characters' Node scores to increase the value of one particular Node rather than having several small ones scattered around the area. The Node's rating determines how much Tass the place produces and how much "free" Quintessence a character can absorb from it per week. Your character can stockpile Tass, but the magical energy may lose its potency after a short time if not used. The form this Tass takes reflects the nature of the Node. If the Node is in a cemetery, the Tass may take the form of grave moss that your character will have to boil down to remove the Tass. Or, if the Node sits in a cave by the ocean, the Tass may take the form of salt-like deposits that your character will have to gather up and sift out to separate sand and silt.
The Quintessence available from a Node counts for all uses of absorption. Thus, characters who meditate to refresh their Avatar rating must draw on the Node and deplete it, and the Node may temporarily run out of power. The exact amount of power that a Node holds is up to the Storyteller. For a game with scarce magic, a Node might only supply one point of Quintessence per week per dot, while a more generous Storyteller might give ten points per week per dot. The higher the rating of the Node, the more energy it holds and the weaker the Gauntlet in its location.
X No access to a Node: Like most mages, you only have what power you can scrape up.
• A minor Node, barely worthy of mention.
•• A small Node, holding a useful trickle of energy.
••• A significant Node, able to power several mages.
•••• A major Node, hotly contested.
••••• A powerful Node, one of the few sites of magic left on Earth.

Resources
"You can't keep living this way Jamie," Boyde commented. He started to lean on the table, but it wobbled so badly he almost stumbled. "Christ!" Brushing his hands off, he shook his head.
"I've got a job interview," Jamie replied. He, in turn, eyed the diamond in Boyde's ear, the gold tie-tack, the silk tie. "Tomorrow. Down at Bateman's."
"Bateman's? That's good." Boyde stood in the center of the room. "You own a suit?"
Jamie shook his head, "No. I figured I'd just go down to the laundromat, wash my jeans, maybe my blue shirt." His confusion showed on his face as Boyde reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He stared in amazement as the other man put five one-hundred-dollar bills on the table. Never in his life had he even seen one of those.
"Get a suit," Boyde said, sliding the calf's leather back into his pocket.
Even mages must eat. This Trait represents the financial assets and income your character starts out with at character creation. It describes your character's standard of living and helps to determine what kind of property she owns. If your character has no dots in Resources, she has the clothes on her back, a few belongings and a small amount of spending cash. She may have to live with someone else and she doesn't have a job. Work with your Storyteller to decide where your character's income and assets come from, what kinds of property she owns and what she will have to do to maintain her standard of living.
Any mage can make a little money with some clever magic, but such feats tend to attract the unwanted notice of other mages, especially the Technocratic Syndicate. For beginners, it's usually easiest and safest just to have a "real" source of income.
X Flat busted: No job, no money, no prospects.
• Small savings, tiny apartment, cheap vehicle, can liquidate $1000, monthly income of $500.
•• Middle class, apartment or condo, sturdy vehicle, can liquidate $8000, monthly income of $1200.
••• Large savings, small house, mid-sized vehicle, can liquidate $50,000, monthly income of $3000.
•••• Well-off, large house, luxury vehicle, can liquidate $500,000, monthly income of $9000.
••••• Rich, mansion, limousine, can liquidate $5,000,000, monthly income of $30,000.

Wonder
Though normally self-reliant, Lee Ann wouldn't pass up a little help when offered. She hadn't counted on running afoul of...
critters ...at the soup kitchens, so she wasn't totally prepared for the rotting, zombie-like birds that had swooped down to drive away all comers. People were depending on that place, and flighty as some people might call her, Lee Ann did her part to help her community. She just needed a little magical hand, herself.
Digging through her duffel bag while crouching behind a stairwell, Lee Ann wrapped her hands carefully around an aged statue depicting Kali. Some would consider the goddess an ill omen, but Lee Ann knew better — besides, the simple object had a power of its own, if you knew how to tap it. Heaving a deep sigh, she let its ambient energies flood into her, filling her with a sense of enormity, of cyclical beginning and endings. Then, letting the talisman guide her consciousness, she cast out with its power to set the dead back into their natural place....
Wonders are objects like Talismans and Technocratic Devices that have power and that produce magical Effects (usually when wielded by an Awakened being, such as a mage). Although they are rare, a few lucky mages have objects that carry their own power; legend holds that Masters can even manufacture their own. For the most part, only an Awakened being can use a Wonder, although your Storyteller may make exceptions to this rule. Your Storyteller may also limit the number and/or power of the Wonders that she will allow into the game. Any item can be a Wonder if it has somehow been imbued with magic. Tree branches, mechanical devices, jewelry, wands, bones, and stones can all suffice as magical items.
When triggered, Wonders produce magical Effects just like mages do. Each Wonder has a special purpose. A Wonder's Effect comes from one of the magical Spheres, and you determine with your Storyteller exactly what occurs each time that your character triggers the item. Sometimes, it may misfire or the Effect may not turn out exactly as your character intended, but for the most part, your character has an idea of what to expect.
When creating a Wonder, you also determine what exactly each of its Effects does. You base these effects on the magical Spheres. You may choose the Sphere that represents the. Effect, but the Effect is limited to a Sphere level equal to the level of the Wonder. Note that the level in this Background does not correspond directly to the level of the Wonder possessed. A Wonder is rated by the power of its Spheres, but the level of this Background simply indicates a general categorization of the Wonder's powers.
A Wonder may have an Arete rating that allows the holder to use the Wonder's score when rolling for its Effects, and it may store its own Quintessence. (Some Wonders, called Periapts, are little more than Quintessence batteries.) Others simply have one magical Effect that's always on, or that works automatically
when called.
Spirit Wonders, called fetishes, may work differently in story terms, but you purchase them the same way. These objects contain spirits who have, either by force or by choice, entered into the items and who perform a service. Some of these spirits have strong personalities, and they may cause the wielder some frustration and trouble, depending on how the mage treats the spirit. When your character uses up all the Quintessence in a fetish, the spirit departs. Your character cannot refuel a fetish, though your mage might undertake a quest or deal with a spirit to try to keep a fetish empowered. Many mages use Wonders as foci. Although doing so may not make the magic coincidental, it usually helps the mage to focus. Any Paradox triggered by a Wonder's Effect goes directly to the item itself, possibly destroying it.
As always, the Storyteller has final say on the potencies and potentials of any Wonder.
X You haven't run across any magical items.
• A Wonder with a trivial Effect, or a small stash of Quintessence.
•• A Wonder with a useful Effect, or a reasonable battery of Quintessence.
••• A Wonder with a reasonably handy Effect, or a large supply of Quintessence.
•••• A Wonder with a very useful or commonly used Effect, or a generous helping of Quintessence.
••••• A Wonder with an associated potent Effect, or a legendary power source.

Background Traits describe the special advantages your character derives from her environment, including possessions, contacts and influences. Before randomly dumping points into whatever looks good, think about how your character came to possess these particular things. This will help you to flesh out your character and establish a more complete history and background for her. You can use your character's Backgrounds to obtain information, resources or favors. Some of them can be rolled in combination with an Attribute to determine the success of certain actions, such as bullying another changeling into following your orders (Manipulation + Title) or obtaining an important bit of information (Charisma + Contacts).

Chimera
This Background is a catch-all for both chimerical items and chimerical companions that a character can possess. When purchasing this Background, the play must designate one or both of these options on the character sheet. This can be done by simply writing Chimerical Companion or Chimerical Item in the appropriate space. Characters who choose to take this Background for both may take up to five dots in both options.
Chimerical Items:
Every changeling instinctively creates a chimerical suit of clothing when she experiences her Chrysalis. Any chimerical items she owns beyond that must be bought by sinking points into the Chimera Background. The level of this Background that the character possesses determines what chimerical items the character may possess.
• Basic: You own a chimerical conversation piece.
•• Minor: You own a chimerical item with some benefits.
••• Useful: You own a useful chimerical item.
•••• Significant: You own a powerful chimerical item.
••••• Incredible: You own a chimerical item of legendary power.
Chimerical Companions:
Companions are the living chimera either born of a changeling's unconscious nature or purposely created through the sculpting of Glamour. Players should consult their Storytellers as to the type of Companion they have. Players should also be aware that higher level Companions have minds and personalities of their own, which may come into conflict with the character's goals. The number of dots a character has in Chimerical Companion determines how many points he has to create a companion based on the rules for chimera creation.
• Basic: You have a simple chimerical creature as a companion. (10 Points)
Examples: A small patch of mold that bubbles obscenely on your shoulder, a speck of light that flitters around your head, or a sock puppet named Bob that curls up to sleep in your pocket.
•• Minor: You have a semi-intelligent chimerical companion with language capabilities and its own personality. (15 Points)
Examples: A small jeweled dragon with a smoking problem, a giant teddy bear with a Brooklyn accent, or a talking moon cat.
••• Useful: You have a chimerical companion that can speak and communicate quite well, and that has a mind of its own, often being more of a nuisance than a help. (20 Points)
Examples: A speed demon that looks Like a chimerical sports car, a talking chimerical ferret that hoards shiny objects, or a small green alien that sniffs at everything it sees.
•••• Significant: You have a highly intelligent chimerical companion that can be of great help to you. (30 Points)
Examples: A griffin that can fly, a unicorn that can appear to mortals, or an owl that quotes Shakespeare and knows the trods well enough to serve as a guide
••••• Incredible: You have a chimerical companion with a sharp and quick mind and extensive magical abilities. (50 Points)
Examples: An ancient djinn that can affect both the Dreaming and the real world, or a dragon with a broad variety of Redes at its disposal.

Contacts
Your character knows certain people in useful places to whom she can turn for information and assistance. The Contacts Background defines how influential these people are and how helpful. Major contacts are friends on whom your character can rely to provide her with accurate information in their fields. When creating your character, you should describe her contacts as completely as possible, with profession and area of influence.
This Trait also gives your character a number of minor contacts. When your character wants to get in touch with a minor contact, roll a Dice Pool equal to the number of dots you have in Contacts (base difficulty 7). For each success, she can touch base with one of her minor contacts. At that point, she can attempt to bribe or charm the contact into giving her what she needs.
• Basic: You have one major contact.
•• Minor: You have two major contacts,
••• Useful: You have three major contacts.
•••• Significant: You have four major contacts.
••••• Incredible: You have five major contacts.

Dreamers
Changelings gather Glamour from the Dreamers they inspire or find along the way. This Background represents the number of Dreamers your character knows and from whom he draws Glamour. These Dreamers can be used to perform a number of services, although they are not nearly as loyal or efficient as a Retinue.
• Basic: You benefit from one Dreamer.
•• Minor: You benefit from two Dreamers.
••• Useful: You benefit from four Dreamers.
•••• Significant: You benefit from six Dreamers.
••••• Incredible: You benefit from eight Dreamers.

Holdings
Your character has inherited a faerie freehold. Such freeholds are greatly coveted by other Kithain, and you may be required to spend much of your time protecting it from squatters and other greedy changelings. Most freeholds are held by nobles, but some freeholds belong exclusively to commoners, in rare instances, a freehold may be secreted away and held by an individual, but if the nobility discover it, they will more than likely come to take it away. The Trait rating not only reflects the size of the freehold, but the amount of Glamour that may be gained from it each day.
• Basic: You are in charge of an insignificant freehold that produces one point of Glamour.
•• Minor: You are in charge of a small freehold that produces two points of Glamour.
••• Useful: You are in charge of a medium-sized freehold that produces three points of Glamour.
•••• Significant: You are in charge of a large freehold that produces four points of Glamour.
••••• Incredible: You are in charge of a huge freehold that produces five points of Glamour.

Mentor
Changelings tend to look after one another, educating and protecting those who have recently experienced their Chrysalises. The relationship between a changeling and his mentor is often very close. A mentor can serve as an invaluable guide to changeling society.
Mentors may also protect a changeling from danger and inform him of social opportunities. However, a mentor may expect some favors in return for the information or assistanceshe provides. This could be as simple as cleaning her manor or as perilous as protecting a faerie glen from Unseelie redcaps.
• Basic: Your mentor knows little of import.
•• Minor: Your mentor has some noteworthy pieces of information to share.
••• Useful: Your mentor has significant secrets to share.
•••• Significant: Your mentor has extraordinary knowledge to pass along.
••••• Incredible: If your mentor doesn't know it, no one probably does.

Remembrance
Remembrance defines your character's connection to the Dreaming and her unconscious knowledge of the fae. Most Kithain have very little memory of their faerie selves or of the past lives they have lived. Those with high levels of Remembrance still retain some memories or have periodic flashbacks of previous lives.
Anytime the character is interacting with changelings or other creatures of the Dreaming, roll a Dice Pool equal to his Remembrance rating. The number of successes can be added to the character's Etiquette Dice Pool when interacting with the person or creature. This number of successes can also determine how well a character understands the unwritten laws of faerie society and the Dreaming. In the latter case, the Storyteller may offer hints as to how the character should behave in a given situation.
• Basic: You may remember hazy bits of information when triggered by an event or other reminder.
•• Minor: You can glean reasonably accurate informa¬ tion with a reminder.
••• Useful: You have access to worthwhile lore; you experience flashbacks that deliver information without a reminder.
•••• Significant: You are able to remember remarkable information, including memories of important events from your past lives.
••••• Incredible: You have an astounding wealth of information available to you, including large portions of your past lives or even entire lifetimes.

Resources
The Resources Background quantifies your character's financial resources or access to such funds. The resources are not always completely liquid, but your character can sell them to gain money. It may take weeks or even months to do so, depending on how much needs to be sold.
This Background also determines your character's monthly income. Your Storyteller may ask you to define the source of your character's income, because the well might "dry up" depending on the circumstances of the chronicle.
• Basic: You might have a small savings, an apartment and a motorcycle. (Assets: $1,000—Income: $500/month)
•• Minor: You might have an apartment or condominium and a reliable rustbucket. (Assets: $8,000— Income: $1,200/month)
••• Useful: You might have a large savings and own a house and a nice car. (Assets: $50,000 — Income: $3,000/month)
•••• Significant: You are well-off and might own a large house or rundown mansion and a new car, (Assets $500,000 — Income: $9,000/month)
••••• Incredible: You are a millionaire. (Assets: $5,000,000 — Income: $30,000/month)

Retinue
Your character has one or more enchanted humans or retainers under his sway. This Retinue answers to your character and is under his control, either through enchantment or by some more mundane method of control. They will tend to be loyal to him, although some may betray him if they are ill-treated.
Members of a changeling's retinue are not infallible. You should define them clearly and assign each a weakness. For instance, one might be very loyal, but not very skilled. Another might he powerful, but have a very independent mind. Retinue are meant to be characters in and of themselves. They should not be abused if you want them to remain loyal.
• Basic: You have one member in your retinue.
•• Minor: You have two members in your retinue.
••• Useful: You have four members in your retinue.
•••• Significant: You have six members in your retinue.
••••• Incredible: You have 10 members in your retinue.

Title
This Trait denotes your character's rank in changeling society. Not all Kithain have a title; in fact, few rise above the rank of squire, if they attain any title at all. The Title Background bestows little in the way of actual power, but is the most important source of social influence. The holding, land that is bequeathed to a noble, is covered separately under the Holdings Background, and it is quite possible to have a landless baron or even duke.
Usually only sidhe are granted titles, though it is possible for commoners to gain titles, especially those of squire and knight. A few commoners hold higher titles, most of these granted under the Treaty of Concord.
• Basic: You are a squire.
•• Minor: You are a knight or a lady.
••• Useful: You are a baron or a baroness.
•••• Significant: You are a count or a countess.
••••• Incredible: You are a duke or a duchess.

Treasures
Treasures are mortal items that have been imbued with Glamour, thus giving them the power to perform specific Glamour-based effects. The Treasures Background allows your character to begin the game with a treasure already in her possession. Many high-level treasures are unique, meaning that, there should never be more than one of their kind in a chronicle. It might have been a gift from a mentor, an incredibly lucky find at an antique shop, or a family heirloom. A treasure has both a mortal and a faerie appearance. For example, Behn'ir's Sword of Fire appears as a normal sword to mortals whereas it has a flaming blade when viewed by changelings. Since treasures are invested with Glamour, they have the effect of enchanting mortals who touch them.
The rating of this Trait determines the power of the treasure. Although a treasure usually does only one thing in specific, the ratings below are listed in number of dots in an Art. This is to give you an idea of the types of things a treasure at that rating can do. A treasure will only do one effect. It does not have access to the Arts in the same way a changeling does. When determining your character's treasure, choose one effect based on the Art you assign to it and the level that you purchase. For example, Behn'ir's Sword of Fire is a 4-dot treasure that shatters solid objects on contact (Holly Strike). It doesn't get all the benefits of the Art. It still does normal damage to mortals and changelings. It is given one specific effect inspired by Holly Strike. Your Storyteller has the final say in approving all treasures and may wish to impose time constraints on both their activation and the duration of the effect.
• Basic: Common, one dot in an Art
Examples: A lucky coin (Soothsay 1/Fair Fortune), rose-colored glasses (Chicanery 1/Fuddle), a large horseshoe magnet (Legerdemain 1/Gimmix)
•• Minor: Uncommon, two dots in an Art
Examples: A dunce cap that induces temporary amnesia (Chicanery 2/Fugue), a thermometer that heals as it reads the target's temperature (Primal 2/Heather Balm), a kingly scepter that allows its carrier to command others (Sovereign 2/Dictum)
••• Useful: Rare, three dots in an Art
Examples: A piece of chalk that when used to draw on a flat surface opens a portal (Wayfare 3/Portal Passage), a lump of clay that forms itself into whatever the holder is looking at (Legerdemain 3/Effigy), a flashlight that when turned on becomes a saber of light and causes fear in its wielder's opponent (Chicanery 3/Haunted Heart)
•••• Significant: Unique, four dots in an Art
Examples: A shimmery veil that when worn makes the changeling invisible (Chicanery 4/Veiled Eyes), a hammer that will shatter any solid object (Primal 4/Holly Strike), a crystal ball that give glimpses of the future (Soothsay 4/Augury)
••••• Incredible: Unique, five dots in an Art
Examples: A cigarette lighter that when flicked blinks the holder directly to whatever location he is holding in his mind (Wayfare 5/Flicker Flash), a golden picture frame that can hold any normal photo and which allows the carrier to look exactly like whatever is in the current picture (Primal 5/Elder-Form)