House Liam

*May the light of the Sun burn my skin,*

*May the light of the Moon bring me fear,*

*May the food of the Earth bring me hunger,*

*May the waters of Life parch my throat*

*Should I forego the compass of my journey,*

*Should I neglect the care of the Dreaming,*

*Should I be blind to the needs of my charges,*

*Should I ignore the purity of my duty.*

**Pronounced:** LEE-um

**Court:** Seelie

**Nickname:** Monks, Oathbreakers (vulgar)

Criticized for speaking out on behalf of mortals, House Liam were shunned by the rest of the noble houses long before the Shattering. Many sidhe chose to view humans as little more than a source of Glamour, nuisances at worst and pets at best. House Liam insisted mortals had rights and value, just like the fae, a stance which made this house wildly unpopular among the sidhe nobility. The sidhe preferred to blame humans for the Banality encroaching upon the world, believing that culling all but the few true Dreamers would restore balance and push back the tide of Banality. By placing itself between the mortals and the rest of the sidhe, House Liam unwittingly orchestrated its own exile.

Some point to more specific incidents as examples of why House Liam’s exile was warranted. The house’s founder, King Liam, once believed that the coming of Christianity was not the death knell for the fae, as the other houses thought. He saw in the faith and devotion of these humans the same spark of creative passion found in other art and music. While visiting religious orders throughout Europe, he became enamored of a young novice nun named Melisande, whose melodious singing voice promised a source of all the Glamour Liam believed faith could provide. When a noble from House Gwydion learned of Melisande, however, he abducted the girl. Liam’s subsequent rage resulted in the utter destruction of the convent where Melisande had once lived, and the few surviving nuns carried with them the memory of Liam’s terrible splendor, which other sidhe point to as the basis of the Christian church’s hatred of the fae. Worse still, Liam’s anger led him to slay two retainers of the Gwydion lord. King Liam was put on trial, and in the end, his love and defense of humanity over the lives and rights of his fellow sidhe cost him his place within noble society. Liam and his house were banished at that moment, never to be allowed to return.

Though House Liam holds few lands — and those they do hold tend to be small and relatively barren urban fiefdoms, rather than the sprawling estates of other Houses — the sidhe swearing fealty to this House are among the most widespread. Liam hide in plain sight, mingling with other courts, with commoners, and with mortals. Their relationships with commoners tend to be positive, though few commoners swear allegiance to this house. House Liam’s love of humans, while well known, is widely misunderstood. Rather than seeing humans as above reproach or superior to the fae, House Liam recognizes and values the flaws in humanity. They fiercely believe humans should be able to live free from the influence of the fae. While Seelie houses all frown upon Ravaging on principle, viewing it as wasteful and ignoble, House Liam actively loathes this brutal means of forcefully harvesting Glamour.

Liam’s fondness for humans may hamper them in fae society, but it serves them well in other areas. More than any other house, the members of Liam are able to integrate into human society, gently guiding artists and performers down the most creative paths, defending the young and old, and making lasting connections that provide a continuing source for Revelry.

## House Boon

House Liam holds a particular affinity with mortals and those in pain, taking on burdens others cannot bear. If a member of House Liam lays hands upon a mortal, his player can spend one Glamour to reduce the mortal’s Banality by one. Likewise, if he lays hands upon another changeling, his player can spend one Glamour to reduce the changeling’s Nightmare by one.

## House Flaw

House Liam’s ties to mortals carry a price. Liam characters begin with one additional dot of Banality. Members of House Liam are also unable to Ravage for Glamour.

## Exile

The sidhe of House Liam were exiled before the Shattering took place, shunned by fae society for their fascination with mortals and the ire the other sidhe felt Liam brought upon them all through his meddling with the Christian church. When the other Houses fled to Arcadia during the Shattering, House Liam not only stayed behind, but a good many of them chose to surrender to Banality and remain among the mortals. The few members of House Liam who managed to retreat to Arcadia lived in ostracism on the edge of society, and were expelled at the first opportunity.

## Factions & Societies

* The Knights Templar are a group of fanatical Traditionalists functioning covertly to defend House Liam, particularly against courts that treat its members badly.

* The Gray Monks live amongst religious orders in hopes of gleaning Glamour from true believers.

* The Midnight Mummers are an Unseelie secret society that mocks self-righteous or hypocritical members of House Liam.

* Just Cause, a social work/community outreach group, serves extremely low-income mortal populations, providing impoverished children with toys and art supplies while quietly cultivating them for Revelry.

## Notable Members

Duke Gwilliam, a major noble seeking a new place for House Liam within the world, Ellen Rynson, a former eshu commoner who works as a photojournalist, chronicling broken families, victims of abuse, and other dark images to bring awareness, Harlequin, a member of the Midnight Mummers, High Lord Noman, the ranking noble of House Liam, who travels the words disguised as a beggar, Sir Odhran ap Liam, a veteran of the war to take Concordia, Countess Gwrly of the Birds, Queen Maria Teresa of Aragon, and Duke Benjamin Connor, an attorney whose firm defends imprisoned Kithain pro bono.