Description
The most famous (and infamous) Fae of Ireland, the Leprechauns are a difficult kith, belligerent and easily angered. The great cobblers of the Fae, their footwear is unparalled in its craftsmanship, and many Sidhe and Eshu will pay substantial sums for tailor-made leprechaun footwear.
Prone to many vices, the Leprechauns can be awkward companions, lacking control of everything except their purse strings. To other kithains dismay, they are incredible skinflints, hoarding material goods and wealth with a fanatical passion, loathe to spend a single penny or cent even when their lives depend on it. Generally wealthy (although you wouldn't know it to look at one), the myth of a Leprechaun's pot of gold isn't that far fetched.
Given to excess, nothing appeals to a Leprechaun like a binge of whiskey, Guiness, pipe tobacco and snuff, and despite their small stature they can handle surprising quantities of alcohol. Unseelie Leprechauns (called Clurichauns) are even more wayward than their Seelie kin, resorting to crime, violence and trickery to obtain wealth. Stealing horses and livestock, brawling, raiding bars and drinking was their agenda in times of old. They have changed little, save for stealing cars instead of horses, and making some moves into organised crime.
A great myth of Leprechaun legend is their ability to grant 3 wishes to any mortal who caught them. Full of blarney, the Leprechauns were of course, lying through their teeth to escape captivity. They used clever cantrips to grant the gullible 'wishes'. Inevitably the granted boon would be illusory, typically covering a worthless or potentially embarressing object or trick. Many a Leprechaun has fallen off his drinking stool laughing at the trickery they have performed on hapless mortals. Indeed, the 'I'll grant you 3 wishes if you let me go' trick is the oldest in the books of most Fae, but humans never learn...
Appearance
A short and slender kith, Leprechauns have large round faces and twinkling green eyes. Their hair is a thick red nest and they grow large curly sideburns and beards as a symbol of maturity. Fair skinned, their cheeks and nose are rosey, and like most kithain they have pointed ears.
They strongly favour garments of green, but their clothing is never extravagant. Extravagant clothing costs too much. Their only concession to pride in dress is their footwear and the occassional cap or hat. Painfully proud of their skill at cobbling, all Leprechauns possess the best footwear they can make, usually of supple black leather with a polished silver buckle. They always had some affinity with headwear (see Grump seeming below), and they've always favoured crimson, three pointed hats. Many Clurichauns wear clothing of crimson and white to set themselves apart from their Seelie kith.
Seemings
Childling Leprechauns are greedy and wicked, prone to fits of angered jealousy if another child has a better/more expensive toy. Tantrums are common among these childlings and they begin to horde everything they possess. Clurichaun childlings are even worse, stealing anything they want, however worthless.
Wilder Leprechauns learn the trade of their forebears (which they realise can generate a tidy sum). They are swiftly introduced to the vices of their kith, commonly imbibing great quantities of whiskey, smoking pipes, taking snuff, flirting like crazy, and desperately trying to grow sideburns and beard. Clurichauns of course, go a step beyond the raucous antics of a Leprechaun, taking to theft and crime, muggings, brawls, stealing cars and burglary. Many join street gangs or organised syndicates (especially the Irish Mafia).
Grump Leprechauns are moody and dour, clinging ever more desperately to material wealth. It doesn't help their mood that they go bald very quickly, and they have to purchase hats to cover their embarrassment. (In fact, Leprechauns and Clurichauns can't stand ridicule of any kind, and it's likely to drive them into a rage). They tend to become quite reclusive, paranoid that someone will steal their treasures. The thriftiness of Grump Leprechauns tends to reach painful levels, and even Clurichauns tend to 'retire' at this age, coveting their ill gotten gains, maintaining a shadowy hand in the Irish Mafia.
Lifestyles
Some traditional Leprechauns run small cobbling shops, often dingy affairs that attract surprisingly wealthy clientele due to their excellent craftsmanship. Others work in industries close to their heart, becoming brewers, barmen, and tobacconists. Some few enjoy working in the banking field. Clurichauns on the other hand live criminal lives, rarely using their cobbling skills, except to keep themselves in boots.
Affinity
Actor
Birthrights
Have Another Tipple: With a successful Sta roll, a Fae of this kith can shake off the effects of any single alcoholic drink. Difficulty is 9 for childlings; 6 for wilders; and 4 for grumps.
Luck O' the Irish: This kith is born lucky, but their luck fades greatly as they age. Childlings may reroll any botched or failed roll twice per day at no cost. Wilders may also do so only once per day. Grumps may do it once per day for the cost of a single Glamour point. No member of this kith will ever botch a Crafts (Cobbling) roll.
Pot O' Gold: Newly created characters of this kith start with +1 dot of Resources (if wilder), +2 dots (if grump).
Frailties
How Much!?!: This kith really detest having to use their resources for anything not 100%, absolutely, utterly necessary. They must make a Willpower check (diff 6 for childlings; 7 for wilders; 9 for grumps) to part with goods or wealth. This doesn't apply to their vices of drinking or smoking, but they'll be damned if they buy anyone else any! They tend to be slightly more generous when inebriated (lower the diff by 1), but they are much more touchy...
Temper, Temper: This kith is really foul tempered, smiling one second, flying at yer throat the next. They add +1 to all Willpower difficulties to resist flying off the handle. The difficulty increases to +3 if they're drunk...
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