episode 43 – book of houses

In case it wasn't clear, the sidhe are the star kith (some might say "Marys Sue" or "prime donne") of Changeling: the Dreaming. More metaplot space was devoted to their intrigues than any other, players seem drawn to play them (possibly for those sweet House benefits), and while they never got 72 or 96 pages of proper kithbook, they got ~400 pages of House book divided across three supplements. (And that's putting aside Nobles: the Shining Host and The Shadow Court, each of which could also arguably be called "Kithbooks: Sidhe"...) It is to the first of that trilogy that we turn this week, as we discuss Noblesse Oblige: The Book of Houses, covering the five "core" Seelie Houses from 1st edition. It's a weighty tome with a lot of information about the history and culture of these groups, but we do our best to get through them at a brisk clip...!

Granted, you might not have time to listen to in-depth descriptions of the Houses and their role in the broader landscape of Kithain society. We thought it might be best to reduce each one to a phrase or two that summarizes their ethos, but we wanted to jazz it up a bit, so here they are as flavor profile descriptions, complete with cheese pairings:

• House Dougal: robust with little variation, notes of stone fruit, smoky finish; pairs nicely with a sharp Cheddar
• House Eiluned: complex and (actually) acidic, a succession of flavors, velvety mouthfeel; goes well with an aged Gruyère
• House Fiona: effervescent and bright, with a balance between vanilla and citrus; even out with a mild goat cheese
• House Gwydion: intensely flavorful with cedar notes, but a slight metallic aftertaste; only Roquefort can match its power
• House Liam: simple and bittersweet, with occasional tartness and a nutty finish; best with a smear of honey-coated Brie

Feel free to agree or disagree with these picks on our social media, where you can also share and discuss other Changeling-flavored whatnot:

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your hosts

Josh Hillerup (any pronoun) grew up in the suburbs of Arcadia, where light rail is affordable and organic co-ops abound. Pooka G (any pronoun/they) isn't keen on adjectives gone wild, but syntax gone wild is something up with which they will gladly put.

"I had been too long away from the nobility; I had forgotten how silly even the best of them could be." —Laurell K. Hamilton, "Geese"