Tolltaker Knighthood

2016-04-23T00:21:21Z

Saeyer:

Scarecrow Ministry

2016-04-23T00:05:25Z

Saeyer:

{{Infobox Entitlement
|Name=Scarecrow Ministry
|Nickname=Scarecrow Ministers (or just Scarecrows)
|Wyrd=3
|Prerequisites=[[Prerequisite::Manipulation]] {{dot3}} [[Prerequisite::Mantle|Autumn Mantle]] {{dot2}}
|Court=Autumn
|Source=Changeling The Lost Sourcebook
|Pages=p. 313-316
}}{{Quote|I become the ghost in the attic, the rats in the walls, the shadow in the trees. I remind them all that they can’t be scared enough. Fear is my weapon. Better than any sword or rifle. Fear is my ally. Better than any friend or lover|#008000}}

Urban legends are about fear, and more importantly, about keeping people in line with that fear. Implicit in every legend is a lesson: don’t talk to strangers, don’t court danger, don’t sneak away to have premarital sex and so on. The Autumn Court changelings of the Scarecrow Ministry seek to use these urban legends to convey their own lessons. They become the monsters in the tales, continuing the purportedly fictional work of the Hook-Hand Man or the Jersey Devil or whatever legend works in a given area. Many Ministers change their names to those of the mythic monsters, embodying fear in a way that most within the Autumn Court are afraid to do.

Why do they do it? Humans, and even other changelings, aren’t scared enough. The world is dangerous, what with the Gentry out there, snatching lost souls through the Hedge or setting traps for the unsuspecting. And it’s not just the Others, either. All kinds of terrors exist out there in the night ― bloodsucking fiends, Soulless changelings with hell on their minds, men who steal the skins of animals and become feral things hungry for raw meat. The Ministers work to scare people away from such evil.

The Scarecrow Ministers face two prominent dangers. The first is a physical danger: keeping people away from the other horrors sometimes puts the Ministers in direct confrontation with those horrors. The other danger is to their Clarity. They become fake monsters to keep people away from the real monsters ― but, in doing so, it’s very easy to lose perspective. Sometimes, to enforce the old legends and keep people properly afraid, real blood needs to be spilled and people get hurt. The Scarecrows walk a thin line that sometimes is hard to see ― at what point do they become exactly what they work against?

===Mien===
Many Ministers dress at least in part like the legends they hope to embody. A Scarecrow who wishes to become a sorrowful or vengeful ghost may wear gauzy gray wisps of clothing, even painting her face with kohl or ash. A changeling hoping to appear as the Hook-Hand Man might wear a long coat and a face-concealing hat, with a rusty gaff hook concealed on his person, of course. Some eschew such melodrama and prefer instead to wear the nondescript rags of the homeless or simple blue-collar garb; whatever it takes to remain hidden until the time is right to drive home the horror.

Generally, a Scarecrow of the Ministry appears in the guise of the Autumn Court, revealing the bloody reds and pumpkin oranges so common to the season. A Minister does find that his miens changes upon joining this noble order, with various elements possibly appearing (and often without the character’s choice) as part of her flesh. Most such changes are minor, and evocative of an actual scarecrow: black button eyes, flesh raised in some places with the texture of a burlap sack, various one or two limb joints marked by rope stitching, pits a few bristles of sharp hay and straw sticking out of sleeves and, pant legs. Upon joining, most only show one such element in their seeming. But as time goes on, with Wyrd increasing and Clarity dropping, other elements manifest into one’s being. Particularly old or potent Ministers appear as iconic scarecrows with mean jack-o’-lantern grins painted onto their sack-flesh faces, all shadowed beneath the ratty brims of farmer’s old hats. Most only have one such element added to their seeming, though these can increase with Wyrd gain. Higher-Wyrd changelings sometimes begin to adapt their seeming to whatever monstrosity they’ve chosen to mimic (imagine a changeling whose hand literally becomes a hook or whose eyes glow the flickering yellows and reds of the Mothman). Mortals tend to feel weak and frightened around any Minister with higher than normal Wyrd scores, often needing success on a Resolve + Composure roll to even remain in the character’s presence.

===Bugbear's Mask {{dot3}} (Privilege)===
Upon joining this so-called noble order, one is allowed to pick out his own mask (either from a local store) or from another Minister’s potentially egregious collection. From there, the pledge to become a Minister and create fear infuses the mask with Glamour and forms from it the token found below

This token appears to be like any rubbery Halloween mask that one could buy for $10 down at the Wal-Mart or corner store. Whether the mask is the visage of a bandage-swaddled mummy or the angry face of a Frankenstein monster, the resultant supernatural effect is still the same. When the mask is worn, the changeling chooses a single target and meets the victim’s eyes. The victim gains the Phobia [[Derangements|derangement]] (mild), with the mask-wearer as the focus of the derangement’s dread. The victim literally sees the mask as real flesh and actual bone, its grisly countenance appearing as wretched as the human’s imagination can make it (often manifesting as something the person was already afraid of, whether that be a face of crawling spiders or the countenance of a violent alcoholic father). The derangement lasts for the rest of the scene. This token can only be used once per day.

'''Action''': [[Action::Instant]]

'''Drawback''': The changeling who uses this token suffers his own mild derangement for the rest of the day: Narcissism. (A character who already possesses the Narcissism derangement sees it become the severe version, Megalomania.) This derangement lasts until the changeling sleeps.

'''Catch''': A mortal or any other character who uses the token without paying the proper cost (Wyrd roll or Glamour point) finds that the
mask is particularly stubborn to remove. The rubbery fringe at the bottom of the mask seems to literally bond with the flesh of the neck.
Removing the mask also removes a layer of skin, conferring one lethal point of damage.

===Joining===
A changeling doesn’t choose the Scarecrow Ministry, the Ministry chooses her. In fact, for the most part, the Ministry remains secret, known only to a select few within the Court of Fear. The Ministers, once a year (usually Halloween or the Day of the Dead), go through the ranks of the Autumn Court and see if any belong within their order. If they find a worthy candidate, they begin an odd campaign of fear and paranoia against that changeling, testing him at a distance to see how well he handles fear (for one cannot cause fright if one is easily frightened). Maybe they break open the lock on his front door and see how he reacts. Maybe they spread whispers about how that changeling’s Keeper has been seen in the skies above the freehold. Over time, they gauge the changeling’s reactions and try to break him down to see what he’s made of. If they find him capable enough, they extend an invitation to join the order. Refusing the invitation is fine the first time, and fine the second time, for the order always extends the invite three times. The third rejection, however, earns the ire of the Scarecrows. They may do nothing except deny that changeling’s friendship ― or they may continue their campaign of fear against him.

It’s not universally true that the Ministry chooses all of its Scarecrows. Certainly some have uncovered the existence of the order, which is impressive all on its own. Some who discover their presence have begged to be in the order, and have are been chosen for if their talents at manipulating fear and generating terror are up to par (or at least have the potential to be) ― but that is the exception to the rule, not the rule itself.

{{Links|Entitlements|Parent2=Autumn}}{{footer|ctl}}[[Category:Changeling: The Lost]]

Scarecrow Ministry

2016-04-22T23:47:03Z

Saeyer:

2016-04-22T23:18:59Z

Saeyer:

Scarecrow Ministry

2016-04-22T23:17:11Z

Saeyer: Created page with "{{Infobox Entitlement |Name=Scarecrow Ministry |Nickname=Scarecrow Ministers (or just Scarecrows) |Wyrd=3 |Prerequisites=Prerequisite::Manipulation {{dot3}} [[Prere..."

2016-04-22T06:28:29Z

Saeyer: Created page with "{{Infobox Entitlement |Name=Satrapy of Pearls |Nickname=Satrap, Pearl Satrap |Wyrd=3 |Prerequisites=Persuasion {{dot2}} [[Prerequisite::Ma..."

Sacred Band of the Golden Standard

2016-04-22T06:25:24Z

Saeyer:

{{Infobox Entitlement
|Name=Sacred Band of the Golden Standard
|Nickname=Gilded Aspirant (also, within the order they sometimes refer to themselves as “Standard Bearers”)
|Wyrd=2
|Prerequisites=[[Prerequisite::Presence]] {{dot3}}
|Source=Changeling The Lost Sourcebook
|Pages=p. 306-309
}}{{Quote|You have my word. This is what I seek. My glory for the freehold, and my name in all the tales.|#008000}}

For as long as they’ve been around, the fae of the Sacred Band of the Golden Standard have been warrior-poets and glory-hounds, hungry for recognition by their own kind and all the changelings of the freehold. To have stories told about them makes them timeless ― it enters their name into the invisible annals of history.

On the surface, what they do is protect the freehold. They serve whatever Court is currently in power, regardless of whatever Mantle or Court Goodwill its members have earned over the years. The changelings of this order are noble warriors serving the military needs of the reigning powers and the personal safety of every individual changeling within the freehold. It all sounds very dignified and righteous.

What these warriors do is noble, but they don’t do it for the sake of nobility. They do it for the fame and praise, for the vainglorious pleasure brought on by being the focus of tales and myths. It’s ultimately all about the legends, and being in them. The changelings of the Sacred Band love to hear their own names and stories recounted back to them. An Aspirant is not immune to corruption, either. While many wouldn’t dare besmirch their own honor, others would do it gladly ― as long as they don’t get caught. A rare few turn to outright barbarism, realizing that if they can’t earn a place in the stories as heroes, then perhaps they can earn it as monsters, instead.

===Mien===
Changelings of the Sacred Band like to appear impressive. They wear whatever clothes will earn them attention. They train to physical perfection ― or, at least, groom themselves to grant that illusion. Even those Darklings or Wizened who join the ranks take care of themselves as best they can, standing tall and wearing whatever finery will draw others’ gazes. Local styles are not lost on them ― a cadre of urban Aspirants might wear the newest sneakers, white suits and gold or platinum medallions. Those with a more medieval predilection might wear a breastplate burnished to mirrored bronze. Many, too, present their weapons of choice in an almost fetishistic manner. It is unsurprising to see an Aspirant with an expensive rosewood-handled dagger (inscribed with poetry or symbols of glory such as crowns, scepters or heraldry) or a gleaming nickel-plated six-shooter used by some famous Wild West showman. Their weapons are often nearly as impressive as they are, as much symbols as tools of war.

An Aspirant’s seeming reflects some of his gilded glory, as well. Blemishes and scars fade away (unless they were a part of his seeming before). Teeth grow whiter, and the color or cast of his eyes deepens to a lustrous hue. The changeling’s head or body also becomes wreathed in a halo of colored light ― often a warm color such as saffron, crimson or the blaze of a righteous fire. Some, though, find that other colors frame them ― auras of holy white, flashes of sky blue or the glinting nimbus of sun-splashed steel. An Aspirant with a particularly high Wyrd finds that he has an easier time impressing people, as they can almost sense the aura of a champion as he enters the room. This has a downside. Those of the Sacred Band who possess higher than normal Wyrd rarely go unnoticed, no matter when they might want to.

===The Strength of One's Presence (Privilege)===
The Gilded Aspirants generally represent a powerful physical presence ― strong, tough, quick. This makes them impressive to most, and allows them greater social leeway than others may possess.

Once per scene, an Aspirant can spend a point of [[Glamour]] to add her highest Physical Attribute (whether [[Strength]], [[Dexterity]] or [[Stamina]]) to any [[Presence]] roll she makes. This doesn’t work, however, against those who have more cumulative Physical Attribute dots than the warrior herself possesses. For instance, if a target has Strength 3, Dexterity 3 and Stamina 3, that counts as nine Attribute dots total. If the Aspirant has only eight Attribute dots total (Strength 4, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2), then this ability cannot be used on any Presence rolls invoked to affect that target. The only exception to this is if the Presence roll is meant to affect a crowd; then this fails to be a concern.

===Joining===
A changeling joins the Sacred Band of the Golden Standard in one of two ways. The first way is that he does something worthy of talk and awe among the other fae. Anything that gets the grapevine talking ― saving an infant, delving deep into the Hedge, executing his fetch in a bloody rooftop duel ― thus draws the attention of other Gilded Aspirants. This order of legend-hungry warriors doesn’t see this changeling as competition, but as kin. In this case, the fae of the Sacred Band are the ones who extend the invite... and they fully expect all changelings to want to belong to their order. When a fae turns down the invitation to join such a “gilded legacy,” it’s an insult of the highest order. Some Aspirants let such a slight slide, but many engage in bitter reprisals, spreading slander (or digging up nasty truths and spreading them, instead) and ensuring that the changeling won’t be a part of any lasting legends. The Aspirants hate it when other changelings outside the order gain glory, and do what they must to stop that from happening.

The second way a changeling joins the ranks of the Sacred Band is by pleading to be a part of the order ― and most Gilded Aspirants really do demand that a changeling begs. If they find that such entreaties are humble enough and appropriately self deprecating, they ask the changeling to go out into the world and impress them. Some make this as ambiguous as possible, setting no single challenge beyond that vague charge. Others ask for a specific task to be performed: defeat a beast from the Hedge, steal an earring from a known loyalist or challenge another fae’s fetch to a duel and win. Most are honorable enough about this, and completing the task as asked is usually enough to warrant entrance into the order. A few Aspirants play a changeling’s eagerness or sycophancy, continuing to demand new tasks (usually ones that serve the Aspirant’s own selfish interests), making the puppet dance while the strings are still connected.

It’s worth mentioning that, out of the two ways to join, changelings of the first type are generally better regarded within the order than fae of the second. Those who begged to join must work to remove the reputation of being toadies and brown-nosers, even though that’s what the order demanded of them to join in the first place.

{{Links|Entitlements}}{{footer|ctl}}[[Category:Changeling: The Lost]]

Sacred Band of the Golden Standard

2016-04-22T06:09:18Z

Saeyer: Created page with "{{Infobox Entitlement |Name=Sacred Band of the Golden Standard |Nickname=Gilded Aspirant (also, within the order they sometimes refer to themselves as “Standard Bearers”) |Wy..."

{{Infobox Entitlement
|Name=Sacred Band of the Golden Standard
|Nickname=Gilded Aspirant (also, within the order they sometimes refer to themselves as “Standard Bearers”)
|Wyrd=2
|Prerequisites=[[Prerequisite::Presence]] {{dot3}}
|Source=Changeling The Lost Sourcebook
|Pages=p. 306-309
}}{{Quote|You have my word. This is what I seek. My glory for the freehold, and my name in all the tales.|#008000}}

===Mien===
Changelings of the Sacred Band like to appear impressive. They wear whatever clothes will earn them attention. They train to physical perfection ― or, at least, groom themselves to grant that illusion. Even those Darklings or Wizened who join the ranks take care of themselves as best they can, standing tall and wearing whatever finery will draw others’ gazes. Local styles are not lost on them ― a cadre of urban Aspirants might wear the newest sneakers, white suits and gold or platinum medallions. Those with a more medieval predilection might wear a breastplate burnished to mirrored bronze. Many, too, present their weapons of choice in an almost fetishistic manner. It is unsurprising to see an Aspirant with an expensive rosewood-handled dagger (inscribed with poetry or symbols of glory such as crowns, scepters or heraldry) or a gleaming nickel-plated six-shooter used by some famous Wild West showman. Their weapons are often nearly as impressive as they are, as much symbols as tools of war.

An Aspirant’s seeming reflects some of his gilded glory, as well. Blemishes and scars fade away (unless they were a part of his seeming before). Teeth grow whiter, and the color or cast of his eyes deepens to a lustrous hue. The changeling’s head or body also becomes wreathed in a halo of colored light ― often a warm color such as saffron, crimson or the blaze of a righteous fire. Some, though, find that other colors frame them ― auras of holy white, flashes of sky blue or the glinting nimbus of sun-splashed steel. An Aspirant with a particularly high Wyrd finds that he has an easier time impressing people, as they can almost sense the aura of a champion as he enters the room. This has a downside. Those of the Sacred Band who possess higher than normal Wyrd rarely go unnoticed, no matter when they might want to.

===The Strength of One's Presence (Privilege)===
The Gilded Aspirants generally represent a powerful physical presence ― strong, tough, quick. This makes them impressive to most, and allows them greater social leeway than others may possess.

Once per scene, an Aspirant can spend a point of [[Glamour]] to add her highest Physical Attribute (whether [[Strength]], [[Dexterity]] or [[Stamina]]) to any [[Presence]] roll she makes. This doesn’t work, however, against those who have more cumulative Physical Attribute dots than the warrior herself possesses. For instance, if a target has Strength 3, Dexterity 3 and Stamina 3, that counts as nine Attribute dots total. If the Aspirant has only eight Attribute dots total (Strength 4, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2), then this ability cannot be used on any Presence rolls invoked to affect that target. The only exception to this is if the Presence roll is meant to affect a crowd; then this fails to be a concern.

===Joining===
A changeling joins the Sacred Band of the Golden Standard in one of two ways. The first way is that he does something worthy of talk and awe among the other fae. Anything that gets the grapevine talking ― saving an infant, delving deep into the Hedge, executing his fetch in a bloody rooftop duel ― thus draws the attention of other Gilded Aspirants. This order of legend-hungry warriors doesn’t see this changeling as competition, but as kin. In this case, the fae of the Sacred Band are the ones who extend the invite... and they fully expect all changelings to want to belong to their order. When a fae turns down the invitation to join such a “gilded legacy,” it’s an insult of the highest order. Some Aspirants let such a slight slide, but many engage in bitter reprisals, spreading slander (or digging up nasty truths and spreading them, instead) and ensuring that the changeling won’t be a part of any lasting legends. The Aspirants hate it when other changelings outside the order gain glory, and do what they must to stop that from happening.

The second way a changeling joins the ranks of the Sacred Band is by pleading to be a part of the order ― and most Gilded Aspirants really do demand that a changeling begs. If they find that such entreaties are humble enough and appropriately self deprecating, they ask the changeling to go out into the world and impress them. Some make this as ambiguous as possible, setting no single challenge beyond that vague charge. Others ask for a specific task to be performed: defeat a beast from the Hedge, steal an earring from a known loyalist or challenge another fae’s fetch to a duel and win. Most are honorable enough about this, and completing the task as asked is usually enough to warrant entrance into the order. A few Aspirants play a changeling’s eagerness or sycophancy, continuing to demand new tasks (usually ones that serve the Aspirant’s own selfish interests), making the puppet dance while the strings are still connected.

It’s worth mentioning that, out of the two ways to join, changelings of the first type are generally better regarded within the order than fae of the second. Those who begged to join must work to remove the reputation of being toadies and brown-nosers, even though that’s what the order demanded of them to join in the first place.

{{Links|Entitlements}}{{footer|ctl}}[[Category:Changeling: The Lost]]

Margravate of the Brim

2016-04-21T06:29:23Z

Saeyer:

Margravate of the Brim

2016-04-21T06:16:39Z

Saeyer:

Margravate of the Brim

2016-04-21T06:12:30Z

Saeyer: Created page with "{{Infobox Entitlement |Name=Margravate of the Brim |Nickname=Margrave, March Lord (male), Margravine, March Lady (female) |Wyrd=2 |Clarity=5 |Court=Courtless |Source=Changeling T..."

Magistrates of the Wax Mask

2016-04-21T06:08:44Z

Saeyer:

{{Infobox Entitlement
|Name=Magistrates of the Wax Mask
|Nickname=Magistrate
|Wyrd=3
|Source=Changeling The Lost Sourcebook
|Pages=pp. 300-302
}}{{Quote|And so I give myself over to the will of the freehold and act on its behalf to ensure that the games and festivals of old are honored. I am a humble servant.|#008000}}

The Magistrates of the Wax Mask pretend that they are not a noble order at all, but are instead servants of the people acting in the interest of the freehold’s greater good. This is true, to a point, but hardly depicts the full nature of this order.

The Magistrates help to ensure that a Court keeps up its Contracts and pledges with the changelings of the freehold, providing them with the proper festivals, games and other events. Such events are critical to many freeholds; while some events are nothing more than mere celebrations, others are about renewing treaties and pledges with the world at large. If three sows aren’t sacrificed in the town square during the Harvest Festival, then the True Fae will have an easier time finding their lost changeling servants. If the Summer Court fails to hold its blood-soaked animal fights in the tunnels beneath the city, then Autumn will come earlier that year and the Court of Fear will have greater power.

Enter the Magistrates, who have a long legacy of providing the Courts with their aid in regard to such events. In many freeholds, this grants the Magistrates of the Wax Mask considerable power. Technically, the Magistrates have no allegiance to one Court over another, but sometimes this order finds itself composed predominantly of members from one Court, and this gives that Court substantial influence. The Magistrates aren’t nearly as charitable and impartial as they’d like the freehold to believe.

===Mien===
Many Magistrates dress professionally and humbly. Some wear simple suits and dresses, others plain robes. Not all resist dressing flamboyantly ― after all, they are the curators and creators of some of the greatest and most necessary events held by the freehold. The chance to enter the spotlight for a time is compelling to some, though other Magistrates often frown upon those that give into such brazen urges.

A Magistrate’s mien changes in one substantial way: the slowly oozing wax mask that the changeling may don over his normal face. The mask is largely faceless and featureless, with dollops of fresh wax occasionally breaking open and running in rivulets down the length of the face. Sometimes, the mask takes on the color schemes of whatever Court is in charge at the time ― green for Spring, reds and oranges for Summer and so forth. However, a telling sign is that a Magistrate belonging to one Court above others often finds that his wax mask reveals his allegiance: even if the Court of Fear is currently in power, if the Magistrate belongs to the Winter Court, his mask may show the icy blues and hoarfrost whites of his own people.

===Waxen Violet {{dot2}} (Privilege)===
The violet ― that small, purple flower with the sweet smell ― is sometimes considered a symbol of one’s humility and trustworthiness. That is, at least, how the Magistrates hope it will be perceived, and this token goes a good way toward ensuring that. This small flower, preserved in a thin coating of wax, is a token that one pins to his clothing (or skin if he’s willing to suffer a pinch and a few beads of blood). When activated, the Violet gives off a pleasing aroma that seems to linger around the Magistrate. Those who are within 50 yards must succeed on a Resolve + Composure roll, and must achieve successes that equal or surpass the Magistrate’s Wyrd score. Failure to do so indicates that the Magistrate appears ― as the flower suggests ― humble, and ultimately trustworthy. He gains +3 Social dice against those affected. The effects of this token last for the remainder of the scene.

'''Action''': [[Action::Reflexive]]

'''Drawback''': The Violet has its effect on the changeling who uses it, as well. Except for him, the effect is somewhat soporific. The lingering aroma has a sleep-inducing effect that, while thankfully delayed, is still quite potent when it finally strikes. The changeling has two remaining hours left awake after using the Waxen Violet. If he does not find a place to sleep before that time, he will collapse into slumber unless he spends a Willpower point. That Willpower point only earns him a single turn, however (though several points can be spent to grant several turns). Once asleep, the character sleeps for eight hours straight. If at any point he’s forced awake during this time, he suffers a –2 dice penalty on all rolls until he is able to go to sleep and finish his eight hours.

'''Catch''': In addition to the Drawback, a mortal or other character using this token without the requisite Glamour expenditure or Wyrd roll suffers one lethal wound upon its use. The Violet literally numbs the flesh beneath where it rests and “drinks” a wound level (its petals turning deep reddish-purple in the process). This wound always leaves a small, puckered scar shaped like a flower.

===Joining===
The official “party line” for becoming a Magistrate is that those who wish to join the order may join the order. No tests, no trials. One’s interest in serving the freehold by performing a rather rigorous job (and a known time-sink) is enough to warrant entry.

It doesn’t always work that way, however. The truth is that, in many freeholds, the Magistrates represent a rather exclusive club. Those within the order possess a great deal of potential power, even though it’s not meant to be such a socially profitable endeavor. Membership in this order is also perceived as a springboard to greater roles within the Courts or freehold, and the Magistrates know that “not just anybody” deserves access to that opportunity.

And so, they tend to freeze out potential Magistrates of whom the current Magistrates don’t approve. They make life difficult for such a novitiate (before he makes the pledge to become a Magistrate), or ignore his requests entirely. They never act so obviously as to make threats, but threats often become implicit in their actions.

Of course, that’s not to say a character can’t join the Magistrates after they’ve written him off. He simply has to play them at their own game, and find some leverage against them. Either that, or meet with their approval in the first place.

{{Links|Entitlements}}{{footer|ctl}}[[Category:Changeling: The Lost]]

Magistrates of the Wax Mask

2016-04-21T06:07:12Z

Saeyer: Created page with "{{Infobox Entitlement |Name=Magistrates of the Wax Mask |Nickname=Magistrate |Wyrd=3 |Source=Changeling The Lost Sourcebook |Pages=pp. 300-302 }}{{Quote|And so I give myself over..."

{{Infobox Entitlement
|Name=Magistrates of the Wax Mask
|Nickname=Magistrate
|Wyrd=3
|Source=Changeling The Lost Sourcebook
|Pages=pp. 300-302
}}{{Quote|And so I give myself over to the will of the freehold and act on its behalf to ensure that the games and festivals of old are honored. I am a humble servant.|#008000}}

The Magistrates of the Wax Mask pretend that they are not a noble order at all, but are instead servants of the people acting in the interest of the freehold’s greater good. This is true, to a point, but hardly depicts the full nature of this order.

The Magistrates help to ensure that a Court keeps up its Contracts and pledges with the changelings of the freehold, providing them with the proper festivals, games and other events. Such events are critical to many freeholds; while some events are nothing more than mere celebrations, others are about renewing treaties and pledges with the world at large. If three sows aren’t sacrificed in the town square during the Harvest Festival, then the True Fae will have an easier time finding their lost changeling servants. If the Summer Court fails to hold its blood-soaked animal fights in the tunnels beneath the city, then Autumn will come earlier that year and the Court of Fear will have greater power.

Enter the Magistrates, who have a long legacy of providing the Courts with their aid in regard to such events. In many freeholds, this grants the Magistrates of the Wax Mask considerable power. This leads to a problem: technically, the Magistrates have no allegiance to one Court over another. But sometimes, this order finds itself composed predominantly of members from one Court, and this gives that Court substantial influence. The Magistrates aren’t nearly as charitable and impartial as they’d like the freehold to believe.

===Mien===
Many Magistrates dress professionally and humbly. Some wear simple suits and dresses, others plain robes. Not all resist dressing flamboyantly ― after all, they are the curators and creators of some of the greatest and most necessary events held by the freehold. The chance to enter the spotlight for a time is compelling to some, though other Magistrates often frown upon those that give into such brazen urges.

A Magistrate’s mien changes in one substantial way: the slowly oozing wax mask that the changeling may don over his normal face. The mask is largely faceless and featureless, with dollops of fresh wax occasionally breaking open and running in rivulets down the length of the face. Sometimes, the mask takes on the color schemes of whatever Court is in charge at the time ― green for Spring, reds and oranges for Summer and so forth. However, a telling sign is that a Magistrate belonging to one Court above others often finds that his wax mask reveals his allegiance: even if the Court of Fear is currently in power, if the Magistrate belongs to the Winter Court, his mask may show the icy blues and hoarfrost whites of his own people.

===Waxen Violet {{dot2}} (Privilege)===
The violet ― that small, purple flower with the sweet smell ― is sometimes considered a symbol of one’s humility and trustworthiness. That is, at least, how the Magistrates hope it will be perceived, and this token goes a good way toward ensuring that. This small flower, preserved in a thin coating of wax, is a token that one pins to his clothing (or skin if he’s willing to suffer a pinch and a few beads of blood). When activated, the Violet gives off a pleasing aroma that seems to linger around the Magistrate. Those who are within 50 yards must succeed on a Resolve + Composure roll, and must achieve successes that equal or surpass the Magistrate’s Wyrd score. Failure to do so indicates that the Magistrate appears ― as the flower suggests ― humble, and ultimately trustworthy. He gains +3 Social dice against those affected. The effects of this token last for the remainder of the scene.

'''Action''': [[Action::Reflexive]]

'''Drawback''': The Violet has its effect on the changeling who uses it, as well. Except for him, the effect is somewhat soporific. The lingering aroma has a sleep-inducing effect that, while thankfully delayed, is still quite potent when it finally strikes. The changeling has two remaining hours left awake after using the Waxen Violet. If he does not find a place to sleep before that time, he will collapse into slumber unless he spends a Willpower point. That Willpower point only earns him a single turn, however (though several points can be spent to grant several turns). Once asleep, the character sleeps for eight hours straight. If at any point he’s forced awake during this time, he suffers a –2 dice penalty on all rolls until he is able to go to sleep and finish his eight hours.

'''Catch''': In addition to the Drawback, a mortal or other character using this token without the requisite Glamour expenditure or Wyrd roll suffers one lethal wound upon its use. The Violet literally numbs the flesh beneath where it rests and “drinks” a wound level (its petals turning deep reddish-purple in the process). This wound always leaves a small, puckered scar shaped like a flower.

===Joining===
The official “party line” for becoming a Magistrate is that those who wish to join the order may join the order. No tests, no trials. One’s interest in serving the freehold by performing a rather rigorous job (and a known time-sink) is enough to warrant entry.

It doesn’t always work that way, however. The truth is that, in many freeholds, the Magistrates represent a rather exclusive club. Those within the order possess a great deal of potential power, even though it’s not meant to be such a socially profitable endeavor. Membership in this order is also perceived as a springboard to greater roles within the Courts or freehold, and the Magistrates know that “not just anybody” deserves access to that opportunity.

And so, they tend to freeze out potential Magistrates of whom the current Magistrates don’t approve. They make life difficult for such a novitiate (before he makes the pledge to become a Magistrate), or ignore his requests entirely. They never act so obviously as to make threats, but threats often become implicit in their actions.

Of course, that’s not to say a character can’t join the Magistrates after they’ve written him off. He simply has to play them at their own game, and find some leverage against them. Either that, or meet with their approval in the first place.

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Duchy of the Icebound Heart

2016-04-21T05:35:19Z

Saeyer:

Duchy of the Icebound Heart

2016-04-21T04:14:34Z

Saeyer:

{{Infobox Entitlement
|Name=Duchy of the Icebound Heart
|Nickname=Icebound Duke (male), Icebound Duchess (female)
|Wyrd=2
|Prerequisites=[[Prerequisite::Persuasion Skill|Persuasion]] {{dot2}} [[Prerequisite::Subterfuge Skill|Subterfuge]] {{dot2}} [[Prerequisite::Mantle|Winter Mantle]] {{dot2}}
|Court=Winter
|Source=Changeling The Lost Sourcebook
|Pages=pp. 297-299
}}{{Quote|I refuse to be a slave to love and a servant to grief. I prove this by breaking hearts and drinking the sorrow from within.|#008000}}

(description)

===Mien===
The Icebound Dukes and Duchesses dress to impress. Each member of the order has an angle to play, and exterior appearance helps to reinforce that angle. One Duchess plays the “troubled waif” role, appearing in the dress of a humble, oft-abused urchin girl. A Duke might alternately play up the role of the sensitive loner (clothes off the racks at the Salvation Army, white iPod headphones dangling from the ears) or powerbroker playboy (sharp-angled suits, polished shoes, engraved money clip). The changeling’s outward exterior always helps to reinforce whatever persona that character uses to get her way.

The fae’s mien changes, too. The normal trappings of the Winter Court are present, only moreso: breath of frost, icy skin, hoary eyes. Another change to one’s mien is the addition of frozen tears that cling to the character’s face. These tears are more symbolic than realistic, looking like frozen teardrops fastened to the cold skin of the character’s cheek. As one’s Wyrd increases, so do the number of tears. A Duke or Duchess with an abnormally high Wyrd score begins to have trouble at her task, because those tears seem to give off a palpable aura of sorrow. Those around them begin to feel overwhelmed by it ― which, as it turns out, makes it difficult for them to ply their trade in broken hearts.

=== (Privilege)===

===Joining===

{{Links|Entitlements}}{{footer|ctl}}[[Category:Changeling: The Lost]]

2016-04-18T04:37:02Z

Saeyer:

{{Infobox Entitlement
|Name=Office of Vizieral Counsel
|Nickname=Vizier
|Wyrd=7
|Prerequisites=[[Prerequisite::Politics Skill|Politics]] {{dot3}} [[Prerequisite::Occult Skill|Occult]] {{dot3}} At least 12 dots in various [[Contracts]]
|Source=Equinox Road
|Pages=pps. 52-55
}}__NOTOC__
{{Quote|My magic for my queen. Nothing else matters.|#008000}}

The members of this order all act as sorcerer-advisors to the kings and queens of the freehold. It is their sole purpose. While not all of them are addled madmen capable of leveling an entire town with some long-forgotten clause of some heretical Contract, many are, and joining this order helps keep their lunacies at bay.

===Mien===
The [[Wyrd]] bleeds off the Viziers in waves — and it seems to manifest as reflective of the character’s core persona. A lustful Lailokin might find that the air above his flesh is suffused with tendrils of sultry red smoke. A frenetic or angry Vizier may crackle with sharp snaps and pops of lightning or static. Charity as Virtue might cause a halo of burnished light, while a cruel and callous Vizier might simply be cast in an unsettling shadow.

===Privileges===
====The Eternal Advisor====
The Vizier does not age, at all. Her duty is eternal, for she is now bound as an advisor to the freehold and its rulers. She can still die, of course: a bullet to the head or an iron fireplace poker through the heart is still damage. She’s not immune to any source of damage except that which may come from aging. Whatever age she’s at when she joins, that’s the age at which she’ll remain... until she leaves the order, of course. Leaving the order means that her normal years will catch up with her (or at least “normal” in compared to how the Wyrd might have normally extended her years). If that puts her past the normal years of survival, then she withers and turns to dust, dead.

====The Clarity of Duty====
Joining the Office of Vizieral Counsel is like pulling back from the precipice to a stable, safe place. While a member of this order, a changeling gains +5 dice when making a roll (usually [[Resolve]] + [[Composure]]) to resist the manifestation of an existing derangement. She also gains +1 to any [[Clarity]] rolls made in an effort to resist gaining new derangements, too. Finally, she can ignore all Major [[Frailties]] (but Minor Frailties still apply).

Leaving the order, however, is damaging to a changeling’s sanity. Upon ceasing her Vizieral duties, she automatically loses a dot of Clarity.

====The Clausemaker’s Boon====
Magic comes easily to the Viziers. Frankly, it needs to — it’s their job. Provided that the Vizier’s player can explain how purchasing a given clause of a Contract will help her perform her duties for the king or queen, then purchasing that clause (i.e. that dot of a Contract) only costs the player the same as it would if she bought a Merit (new dots x 2). This is regardless of whether or not the Contract is affinity or non-affinity. Note that it still means she must buy the Contract one dot at a time — just because it’s useful to her duties doesn’t mean she can jump from Fang and Talon {{dot1}} to Fang and Talon {{dot4}}.

===Joining===
It’s easy to let one’s Clarity slip out of one’s grip, submerged beneath the tides of magic. Madness comes. Derangements manifest, and so do Frailties. It won’t be long before the Gentry start to see the character as more a kindred spirit than an escaped captive.

However, ways exist to help a changeling mitigate this and find some stability and sanity. The Office of the Vizieral Counsel is one such way. Joining this eldritch order gives the character a purpose and a vent for her magic. Becoming a Vizier allows her to feel anchored, not as if she’s going to float away at any moment and be snatched back to Faerie like a wayward balloon.

Most changelings that join the order do so at the summons of another: the Viziers offer the changeling a chance to join their estimable ranks, and unlike many other noble orders, this offer doesn’t come only once. They make the offer as many times as they’re able, actually — provided the subject hasn’t gone off the deep end or earned himself such enmity that the whole freehold wants his heart on a stick, then they will continue to urge the character to join the Viziers. Some even stage “interventions” for particularly troubled and troublesome fae.

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