Twilight Gleaners

Sir or Madam, Soothsayer, Fateblind(insulting)

Dancers in the Dusk pps.156-158
Preqs	Wyrd ●●● Occult ●● Empathy ●●
This box: view · talk

Although most changelings have great power at their disposal, they are still human at heart, and in times of danger or uncertainty they are just as likely to turn to whatever sources of certainty they can find. To these souls seeking guidance, the Twilight Gleaners often seem to be a blessing from the Wyrd. They bring with them assurance that the choices their clients make are guaranteed to success, and such confidence carries many changelings forward on their path.

The Gleaners are not mere charlatans, however. Each member of the Entitlement has forged a connection with Fate itself. Although they do not have the power to control its course, they can see hints of the plans and goals that it holds, and by relaying that information, they can guide their charges to follow Fate’s plan. Although some see this as just another servitude, the Gleaners disagree. Fate, they argue, is a greater force than any changeling, and it is better to follow its lead than to waste your effort trying to avoid it. To that end, the Gleaners learn the secrets of teasing out which courses of action carry the blessing of destiny, and which are doomed to failure. Through that end, they argue, changelings can be assured of taking action with Fate at their back, rather than in opposition to it.

Mien

As a general rule, Gleaners prefer to appear humble and unassuming. They are not the masters of Fate, teach the elders of the Entitlement, but merely its servants, and excess pride is something to be avoided. To that end, simple colours are favoured, tending towards the drab.

The primary sign of a Gleaner’s devotion is the milky silver tint that grows in his eyes: at first seeming only faint, but gradually expanding as his Wyrd increases until the whole of his eyes appear covered with tarnished silver cataracts. This does not affect his actual vision, but it can be unnerving to see, especially if it begins to bleed into the Mask. The second sign is that the strands of Fate that the Gleaners watch leave traces across their skin and clothes; Gleaners often appear to have silver threads running through their clothing, and faint silver can be seen across their veins.

Sensing Fate's Strands (Privilege)

Any member of the Twilight Gleaners may, at any time, discover whether a planned course of action is fated to succeed or fail. To do so, the character need simply spend 1 Glamour and specify what they seek to discover. This functions only for plans that could succeed or fail — for example, a Gleaner could ask whether a planned raid against a Loyalist encampment will succeed, but not whether a given Gentry will be present.

If Fate indicates that the plan will be successful, the plan gains the weight of destiny, as it is more certain to succeed. (That doesn’t mean it will succeed, though — Fate can be thwarted, of course.) Any roll made, by anyone, that directly furthers the plan receives a +1 die environmental bonus, and any roll made that directly opposes the plan receives a –1 die penalty. If Fate indicates that the plan will fail, the bonus and penalty are reversed.

If a Gleaner attempts to help the enacting of a plan fated to fail, or directly opposes a plan fated to succeed – including by lying to a client about whether a plan they are inquiring about will succeed or fail – she is considered to have broken her oath to Fate. This does not remove her from the Gleaners, but she does suffer a penalty: for one month after she broke her oath, she suffers a –2 die penalty to all Persuasion rolls, as Fate twists her words against her. Furthermore, she must roll for degeneration as though she broke a pledge.

Joining

To become a Gleaner, one must come to understand that her Fate is not entirely her own, and that there is no shame in listening to the wisdom of others. Gleaners also watch out for signs of attunement to Fate’s wishes in those they meet, and offer the possibility of recruitment to the few that they think will be responsible and reserved.

Once a would-be Gleaner finds herself a teacher, she must spend arduous months learning to accept whatever visions she receives, rather than trying to push or prod them into the forms she wants. During this time, anyone who fails to demonstrate a properly reverent attitude towards the mysteries they are uncovering is gradually weeded out, leaving the most dedicated to undergo the final initiation rituals. Any Gleaner is able to initiate one of their fellows into the secrets of the Entitlement, and such ceremonies are usually extremely private, attended only by the new Gleaner and her mentor. There, she affirms her connection to Fate, and swears to stand by it for the rest of her life. At the end of the ritual, she enacts her first divination, asking Fate whether she will become a Gleaner. Those who are turned down are never allowed to make another attempt, but it is rare for one who has reached the final test to be denied her goal.