Capítulo 4 (CtL - SoD)

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# Chapter 4: The Coming Dawn

> All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy;
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> for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves;
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> we must die to one life before we can enter another.
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> —Anatole France, Le Crime de S ylves tre Bonnard
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## Storytelling On The Edge of Dawn

Dawn is a time of transition. As the seemingly endless night draws to a close and the rosy light of morning spreads across the horizon, anything seems possible. Black and grey are replaced by countless shades and hues, and shadows melt away fear and darkness to reveal reality once more. Dawn is change.

And change can be dangerous.

Lost seek the comfort of safety and stability — their Clarity is bolstered by predictable situations with predictable outcomes, regular patterns and the reassurances of the known quantity. They carve out niches for themselves, hidey-holes and Hollows where they feel safe and protected. When they travel through the Hedge, they are apt to use well-known and presumed-safe trods, rarely venturing a foot off the proscribed path. As individuals and as groups, after their escape changelings tend to surround themselves with the known and familiar. Perhaps, in doing so, they hope that in predictability it would be easier to avoid being taken by surprise should the Gentry come for them again. Perhaps they seek to build stability to attempt to ward off memories of the alien and unknowable world of the Others. Regardless of the reason, much of the changeling community’s sense of safety is rooted in lack of change, or at least in change coming in very predictable fashions.

However, predictability can bring as much danger to the Lost as chaos can. Any hunter will tell you that wellused paths make the best spots to set traps or spring ambushes on prey. Predictable habits make for easy targets.

Lost who are predictable are also vulnerable. Using the same door to enter the Hedge at the same time every day is just asking for someone to be waiting for you there. So is living in the same apartment night after night. Well-worn trods are commonly used by more than just the Lost; hobgoblins and Gentry may also haunt such pathways, laying in wait for those who think to take the “safe” road while in the Hedge. Rituals repeated over and over may fade into ineffective monotony. Their impact, and thus their usefulness, can become diluted over time through thoughtless repetition. And, perhaps most importantly, by clinging too tightly to tradition or the status quo, the Lost become even more vulnerable to and unprepared to deal with change when it does happen.

On a larger scale, no change means no improvement over the current situation. As the general state of the universe tends to be one of decline and entropy, a situation with no significant change is doomed. Any culture that does not change and improve its lot will, over years, decades or centuries, fall in upon itself, spiraling downward into despair, depression and desperation. If no change is introduced and no hope of improvement is possible, eventually the slow decline can take its toll on even the most stalwart of changelings, turning motleys and freeholds into nests of apathy and melancholy. While these are themes that are very appropriate for a Lost game, so is the glimmer of hope and the willingness to take the risk to make change in hopes of bettering one’s lot. Each Lost, by virtue of having escaped Arcadia once, has already shown that he has the wherewithal to bring about change to better his own lot in the world, or at least to take advantage of the opportunity to do so when it arose. Within each changeling is the potential to do what must be done to improve not only his condition, but that of the Lost as a whole — to take a step towards a brighter future, no matter how dark the current situation may be. Changeling is a game of survivors, but also of beings that are capable of creating something more than just survival, no matter how dire their situation may be.

Hope and change are just as important to players as they are to their characters. A chronicle where players feel their characters are locked into predictable cycles and are unable to affect the world around them can quickly become monotonous and boring, losing all tension or excitement. While some changeling characters may feel the need to do everything in their power to protect themselves from the unknown, it is the unknown and unexpected that provides much of the impetus behind a storyline and the enjoyment for players. Fortunately, many situations exist in which potentially-risky change is either offered to or forced upon the Lost, giving Storytellers ample opportunity to build the dynamic tension that drives a game forward and makes it interesting and challenging for players. Below are some examples of how different scenarios can be used to implement the theme of impending or sudden change into a chronicle. Storytellers are welcome to use any of these suggestions individually, to blend and merge them into a symphony of impending change on the horizon, or to utilize them as inspiration for creating their own change-laden situations.

### Changing Communities

Freeholds are the epitome of safety and protection for most Lost. They are representative of the type of change that doesn’t threaten changelings’ Clarity or desire for safety — predictable and methodical. While the tendency is often toward monarchs using some sort of rotating system, the changes in leadership tend to be slow and pre-meditated. Spring follows Winter, Summer follows Spring and the rulers progress through the year in the same fashion season after season. These organizations provide protection and support and tend to be the backbone of Lost tradition and stability. After all, it’s the concepts of regulated change and voluntary transmission of power that befuddle the Gentry, acting as a form of armor for a changeling society. But too much adherence to regulation can reduce a society to a tar pit of stagnation and status quo. When change does come on a freehold level, it tends to affect the lives of freehold members in ways beyond the direct ramifications of the change. Modifications to traditions, upsets in hierarchies, shifting borders, swiftly growing or declining populations — all can have dramatic and far-reaching effects on a freehold — and a Lost chronicle — whether the changes are instigated by the players’ characters or forced upon them by the outside world.

### Too Much ofa Good Thing

Freeholds tend to spring up wherever supernatural conditions funnel a higher population of Lost out of the Hedge and back into the mortal world. Most changelings emerge with little in the way of resources, and can’t get far from the point at which they exit the Hedge without assistance, so freeholds tend to be built near frequently used escape routes or gateways off of trods with a slightly lower death rate than most Hedge passages. This serves as a boon to both the escaping Lost and the established freehold. Newly escaped individuals are more likely to be found and assisted than if there was no freehold nearby, and the established Lost community receives a regular influx of new members, expanding their population, which in turn brings in more potential for resources and lends more hands to their security.

What happens, however, when a freehold becomes too big? When the location of a freehold (and the conditions that funnel Lost towards it) is too good and its numbers swell to inconvenient or dangerous levels? Huge freeholds are a relative rarity in Lost society. This is, in part, a safety issue. While an occasional large festival held between allied freeholds may not last long enough to call the Other’s attention, a massive permanent population of Lost acts as a virtual beacon to the Gentry. As well, the larger a population of changelings exist in a given area, the more likely it is that someone among those numbers might draw the attention of hunters, predators or mobs of humanity upon the entire group.

Freeholds also tend to stay relatively small for social and political reasons. While Lost may differ from humans in many ways, many of their instincts, habits and flaws remain the same. The larger the group, the more likely it is to have internal strife, emotional drama and divisive political machinations. Schisms develop in any group that is capable of differentiating between “us” and “them.” Those chasms only deepen when intensified by a feeling of being forced together with “them” as might be found in a freehold with a broad variety of seemings, kiths, Courts and entitlements. Eventually, with a large enough population, “us” and “them” will coalesce sufficiently for one group to decide that it would be better off without the other. This can manifest in a variety of ways, but all of them are likely to result in significant change for those involved, either directly or peripherally.

### A Place of Our Own

The most peaceful means for a freehold to deal with a seemingly irreparable schism within its swollen population is for one group to split off from the rest and forge its own freehold. In locations where the local resources (both within the mortal world and Hedge bounty) are abundant and there is a perception of relative safety, it is not unheard of for one group of lost within a freehold to either lay claim to a neighboring city or area and begin setting up their own freehold there, or to request an amiable annexation of a certain part of the existing freehold’s territory as their own. If there are plenty of (relatively) safe opportunities nearby for Lost to obtain the necessities (food, shelter, money and Glamour), the situation may resolve itself fairly easily.

If, however, quarters are close or resources scarce, the issue may not be so easily resolved. If a freehold is located in a geographically isolated area (such as on an island, mountain pass, desert oasis or even a single town with none other near by) a new freehold might have to either leave the area entirely or try to negotiate, bribe or bully the existing freehold into ceding some of its territory over to them. Depending on how this is handled (and how truly in demand resources and land are) this could well become the sticking point that turns an otherwise amiable parting of ways into a border war.

Within an already existing Changeling chronicle, this sort of evolutionary process within a freehold might be instigated by the players’ characters as a peaceful solution to problems with a powerful and oppressive monarch or hierarchy. If the power structure is heavily weighed against them, breaking off from the current freehold and losing its protection for the sake of gaining more freedoms might be a way for players to better their own situations and those of their allies. If the parting isn’t an amiable one, it might well bring the two freeholds into conflict anyway, resulting in a dispute over territory or resources (see Civil War for more information on how conflicts like this can bring change to a chronicle.)

Alternatively, the rift could be started by other freehold members. Such plans rarely spring up overnight, and Storytellers could provide an intriguing mystery plot for the player’s characters as they begin to pick up clues that all is not as well in the freehold as it once had been. Characters might choose to follow up on the clues and eventually discover the root of the dissention movement. At that point, they would be faced with many choices. Do they join forces with the rebels or tell the existing monarchy? Do they try to heal the growing rift, or accept the division as inevitable? Do they try to keep the parting friendly and diplomatic, or push the situation in a more hostile and potentially war-like direction?

Alternatively, they may choose to ignore the growing signs. When the announcement that the freehold will be dividing is finally made, their available choices may be reduced to two — to stay or to go. Either way, the split will undoubtedly affect their future, and the choices they make will direct the path of the chronicle from there on out.

Storytellers might also use a freehold dividing into two smaller communities as the starting point for a chronicle. The characters emerge from the Hedge to find themselves with two options: stay within the existing, traditional (and potentially tyrannical) freehold; or throw their lot in with the rebellious adventurers who are setting out to create a new freehold. The former offers more safety, but also greater restrictions and a more difficult path to creating a niche for themselves. The latter may be more dangerous, but is also ripe with opportunities for helping to forge a freehold that suits their own needs and desires. And whatever side they choose, if the situation turns ugly, they may find themselves with more change than they’d bargained for.

#### The Bright Side

What can splitting a freehold add to a Lost storyline? Whether the players’ characters are part of the new freehold or the old one, the situation offers great opportunity. In many freeholds, the same experienced Lost tend to take the seasonal thrones and hold other positions of power, season after season, year after year. Splitting a freehold into two means twice as many monarchs and other officers, which in turn means there is a good chance that new Lost will have a chance to fill those roles.

Alternatively, it could mean the opportunity for changelings to deviate from the traditional offices and create new infrastructure for either freehold. This could mean a shift from seasonal monarchies to another form of government, a chance to restructure freehold hierarchies or rethink the wording of the freehold pledge. New social structures also mean the potential for new allies (and, of course, new enemies.)

### Civil War

Whether because of a freehold division gone wrong, politicking between the Courts, or interpersonal squabbles and ideological power plays, sometimes the Lost population in a given area will polarize to the point where conflict escalates into full-scale war. While it is not unheard of (or even uncommon) for changelings to engage in figurative or literal backstabbing against each other, when the situation devolves into out-and-out war, it brings an entirely different set of concerns and opportunities to the game.

Freeholds are more than just gatherings of Lost. With Arcadia at their back and lives they can likely never reclaim before them, freeholds are an emotional sanctuary for their members. Between candid confessions and freehold gossip, it’s likely that any two freehold members know more about one another than any outsider knows about them. This knowledge and closeness protects them in many ways. Fellow courtiers can watch out for one another’s weak spots, provide protection and bolster each other’s defenses. However, it also means that, when war breaks out, one’s enemies are more likely to know those same weaknesses. When members of the same Court, entitlement or even motley find themselves at arms against one another, the damage is often devastating. Not only may a changeling be directly attacked, injured or killed, but his allies (Lost or mortal) may be targeted, his fetch might be tipped off to his location, or his Hollow sabotaged by those who know just where to strike for the greatest impact.

It is traditional for members of a freehold to swear oaths to the freehold (as represented by the reigning monarch). While wording and details vary, the most traditional of these is the Commendation (p. 189, Changeling: the Lost), which pledges a tithe and loyalty to the freehold in exchange for sharing in the freehold’s protection and blessing. While small vendettas between individuals within the freehold may not break the oath (as they are personal matters, not involving the health or safety of the freehold as a whole) taking up arms or actively plotting against the monarch or the freehold at large (as might be the case with a civil war) will almost certainly do so. Thus, a civil war in a freehold means that most of the changelings in an area could become oath-breakers in a very short period of time. This looming threat makes the possibility of civil war an extremely dire one, for those pledged to the freehold. Not only does the reputation of oath-breaker taint Lost with stains that few other changelings will forgive, but it also may well cripple the freehold at large, as member after member is impacted by the activation of poisoning of the boon when his oath is sundered.

Like a more amicable parting of a freehold, a civil war might be something that players’ characters are faced with in the form of actions begun by other characters. Whether they attempt to calm the stormy environment or react in warlike kind, the situation may escalate out of hand, leaving them little choice but to defend themselves and the rest of their motley. Or, it may be something that the characters themselves instigate in response to perceived tyranny or otherwise irreconcilable differences with the existing structure of the freehold.

Another option is to utilize the “freehold at war with itself” environment as a starting point for a chronicle. Upon emerging from the Hedge, the characters are taken in by one side or the other, and are faced with immediate choices. Do they try to diplomatically heal the rift? Do they throw their lots in wholly with those who rescued them? And if so, what happens when, after becoming more familiar with the local history and politics, they find that they are on the wrong side of the battle? Do they change sides, or try to bring their erstwhile protectors over to the “right” way of thinking by working from within? This can be an interesting and challenging scenario, especially for players who enjoy political machinations. It may seem a bit convoluted (and thus frustrating) for players who are brand new to roleplaying in general, as it relies more on subtle shades of right and wrong rather than obvious choices. However, if the characters are completely new to the Lost world as well, the Storyteller can use their situation to teach the players about the game world as their characters are learning at the same time.

#### The Bright Side

With such large risks at stake, what good might come from a civil war within a freehold? Some Lost will find the chance to prove themselves as diplomats and negotiators, others as warriors and strategists. Members of some Entitlements (the Satrapy of Pearls and Tolltaker Knights, among others) may find that war means big business as Lost scramble to purchase both the tangible (weapons, armor and supplies) and the intangible (favors, protection and secrets).

And, of course, to the victor go the spoils. Characters on the winning side of the war (assuming either side can be called a victor, considering all of the prices to be paid) may profit from the experience in many ways. Ransoms might be collected for captured prisoners, and Hollows and tokens ceded to new owners. Positions of power within the freehold might be won through might of arms or political savvy, or new secrets and information looted from “enemy” libraries as spoils of war.

Like any other political upset, civil war brings with it the opportunity for political changes to be implemented and new allies and allegiances to be made. It also is a unique chance for Lost to examine what is truly important to them. In a situation where they stand to lose everything (again), what is worth fighting for? Like many war veterans, changelings who survive a civil war may well come out the other side with a unique perspective on their own priorities, both as individuals and as a freehold.

### Impending Attack

While some of the most direct and farthest-spanning changes that might affect a Changeling chronicle are rooted in changes to the freehold itself, not all are internal in origin. Since the motivation to remain whole and intact is a strong one, freeholds are more often attacked by outside forces than those within. As well, anything which might assault a freehold is more than likely to be an even greater danger to a targeted motley or individual Lost who have fewer numbers and resources to deal with such attacks.

Minor skirmishes or conflicts may not be sufficient to spawn much in the way of change. If, however, the attack is large or threatening enough, or involves the Gentry, martial confrontations may act as a catalyst for change and open opportunities beyond what might be apparent at first glance.

### A Call to Arms

While outsiders exposed to the Lost might think them paranoid, most changelings consider it simply a healthy dose of awareness of the risks. After all, as the credo goes, it’s not really paranoia if they are out to get you. And, for the Lost, a veritable legion of “They” exist: Hedgecreatures; hobgoblins; hunters; fetches; the Lost’s own family members who no longer see the changeling as their kin; other supernatural creatures, many stronger, faster, older and more powerful and predatory than the average freehold member; even other Lost — freeholds seeking to take over resources, loyalists still devoted to their True Fae Keepers or privateers seeking to trade escaped “possessions” back across the Hedge for a profit. The world is a dangerous place, and it’s only a matter of time before that inherent potential danger comes knocking loudly on the door.

In some cases, attacks from outside will come swiftly and unannounced. One minute all is well, the next the world is at war, with no time to prepare and only a moment to react. A freehold member is slain. A motley-mate is kidnapped. An ambush is sprung, turning a once safe haven into a modern Alamo. Characters are forced to make quick reactions and near instant decisions, or else risk being bowled under wholly unprepared for the coming battle. Fast attacks ramp up tension instantly, but the price paid is sustainability. It’s difficult for a Storyteller to keep dramatic pressure high for an extended period when the apex of the scene is sprung right away. Players (and characters) may become numb to threats thrown at them too quickly, or it may be hard to build energy higher than that which was created during the initial attack.

Other times there are portents and warnings, threats and bravado that slowly ramp up towards impending hostilities. Minor attacks may lead to the gathering of forces on both sides, and increased tensions and conflict that lead up to a climactic battle. While the initial impact may be lesser than a surprise frontal attack might bring, such building techniques can be very effective for encouraging players to do research, make plans and build tactics rather than simply respond with a knee-jerk reaction. It also gives characters the chance to attempt something other than a martial reaction to the impending onslaught. Diplomacy, blackmail, even sneaky tactics like poisoning the opposing army or turning two factions of enemies against one another are alternative solutions that the Lost may come up with if given the opportunity to scheme.

In most cases, of course, this type of scenario will be happening to the players’ characters, rather than something they’re intentionally instigating. But there may be times when the characters’ actions bring this change upon themselves and their allies. A broken pledge with an outsider might leave the changeling (and their allies) defenseless against a now-enemy. A poorly handled deal in a goblin market could send a troop of revenge-seeking hobs against the freehold (or even worse, encourage the hob-merchants to sell the secrets of the Losts’ defenses to other, nastier foes looking for an easy way in.) While being an agent of change is sometimes a good thing for the changelings, there’s also times when they may well regret bringing it upon themselves – especially if their allies find out who’s really behind the current onslaught.

#### The Bright Side

Assault from outside forces shares many of the same opportunities for positive advancement that civil war does, without the messy complications of having to share a freehold with the enemy when you’re done. Creatures that the Lost can call monsters allow the martially minded to flex their might without as much in the way of moral ambiguity. Especially if the enemy is the obvious aggressor, retaliation in full force can also be an opportunity for tightly-wound changelings to take out some of their pent up aggressions on a justified target. After being abused by their Keepers, abandoned by their former families and friends, and replaced by fetches, it’s not just the Summer Courtiers who could benefit from the opportunity to burn off some hostility on a well-deserving foe.

As well, while direct confrontation with the enemy always carries the potential for loss, you can’t win a war that you don’t fight. Every triumph against the myriad forces lined up against the Lost is one to be reveled in, and a reminder that it is possible, through great effort and sacrifice, to sometimes win. Although it may only be one battle in an ongoing war, a victory is another small tip in the scales in the Lost’s favor, and every slain foe is one that is unlikely to rise against them again in the future.

### Seeking the Lost

Another situation where Lost are likely to have their worlds shaken up comes when the ever-present threat of a Keeper returning to claim an escaped Lost becomes a hard, cruel reality. For most changelings, a showdown with the True Fae that held them prisoner in Arcadia is one of the most terrifying things imaginable. Even in the mortal world, where the Gentry’s powers are far weaker than on their home turf, coming face-to-face with the being in whose care they lost their humanity is enough to strike a changeling near senseless. To make matters worse, many Keepers would not be content to simply abduct their former “property” and take it back home across the Hedge. Many, put out at their chattel’s insolent escape, might seek to toy with the Lost like a cat with a crippled mouse, tormenting it in any way imaginable before the final blow falls.

Most Lost loathe the Gentry more than any other single type of creature in existence. While many hold a special place (filled with hatred and fear) in their hearts for their own Keeper, few would hesitate to spring into action when faced with the possibility of one of the Others attacking. The question is, however, what action that entails. For some, a military reaction would be the course of the day, with the heavy-hitters rallying all manner of assault and defense, sorcerers and witches prepping magical resources and medics preparing for the inevitable wounded and dead that will arise from facing one of Them. Others might go into full stealth mode, attempting to hide themselves and those they care for from the Gentry’s perceptions. Whether that entails weaving illusions to help hide them from the Other’s sight or sequestering those they would protect as far away from the True Fae as possible, to simply not be found is a valid tactic when facing a foe that you fear is vastly more powerful than you could ever be.

Regardless of the tactics used, a direct confrontation with one of the Others is the epitome in climactic change for the Lost. While most live in daily fear that their Keepers will one day find them, the actual confrontation is rarely what they anticipated. Between the indistinct memories that most Lost carry away with them from the durance and the alien and unknowable natures of the Gentry, few changelings are really prepared to deal with the reality if and when it ever happens.

#### The Bright Side

For many Lost, facing one’s Keeper is, quite literally, looking one’s greatest fear in the face. After that, assuming one survives the encounter, nothing else is likely to hold the same terror. Regardless of the end result of the encounter, the world will never be the same again. The most terrifying nightmare in existence for that changeling has been brought into the light, and even if the end results are not permanent or another encounter is destined down the road, the first step towards long-term freedom from that monster has been made. And, should the Keeper be killed? What greater victory could any Lost truly have? Until, of course, he eventually learns that for the Others, “death” is not as permanent as for other beings.

Of course, not all encounters with the Gentry end well for the Lost — in fact, few do. Most end in pain and suffering, death or destruction, and with the targeted changeling (and frequently some of his allies) being dragged back through the Thorns. This threat is why the Others are the most highly feared enemy of the Lost, and to allow players to run rough-shod over the Gentry would be to dilute one of the greatest sources of drama and tension in the game.

Striking a balance between a terrifying threat and an overwhelming enemy is a difficult one, but necessary to allow the True Fae to fulfill the role they are intended to in a Lost chronicle. Some Storytellers may wish to keep the Others in a behind-the-curtain background role in their story, avoiding direct conflict, especially if the Lost have time and resources to build a force capable of defeating Them. After all, one does not survive in land populated by amoral and nigh-omnipotent godlings by charging in head first, particularly against an alert and well-equipped enemy on his home territory after having given plenty of warning. Far more in keeping with the Fae mindset would be to allow the Lost to build their defenses against a well-anticipated (but false) warning of attack, and then slip in through chinks in their defenses to mock the puny changelings from a secure and defensible position. This not only allows the tension to build as the Lost come to realize that even their best defenses are of little use against their nightmarish foes, but it also presents them with the opportunity to learn from their mistaken assumptions and over time, perhaps truly prepare themselves for the final showdown.

## New Days,New Ways

Protecting themselves, remaining hidden from their enemies and, above all, avoiding the attention of the Gentry are the highest priorities of Lost society, and their Courts and freeholds are based almost entirely upon promoting those goals. From pledge wording to power structures, much of Lost society is based on tradition and, to some extent, superstition tied to that tradition. Many changelings believe very firmly that the traditional methods of doing things are all that keep them on this side of the Hedge. Considering the abject terror of being forced to return to Arcadia that most Lost bear, if a certain Court structure or ritual seems to keep the True Fae away, then it is unlikely to be deviated from, even if the Gentry’s absence is wholly circumstantial.

All things change over time, however, whether through intention or accident. Certain rituals become abandoned when those to whom they were important die or move away. Wordings of pledges or ceremonies shift over time, changing the intrinsic meaning as the vocabulary changes. Emphasis is put on one aspect of tradition over another, based on the priorities, personal beliefs and motivations of those in power within a freehold. Whether rooted in faulty memory, imperfect translation or rebellion, new traditions come about and old ones fall by the wayside. This may have disastrous results — superstitions tend to become superstitions for a reason, and when dealing with creatures of fae, the ramifications of breaking them may be direct and immediate. However, with a little luck, it also may bring unforeseen change for the better along with the dangers.

### The Broken Wheel

One of the core areas where tradition impacts the lives of any established population of Lost is how they are governed. In many freeholds, the long-standing tradition is for the monarchy throughout the year to be shared, divided up according to the quarters of the year. As the seasons pass, so do the crowns. This rotation is believed to act to keep the freehold in balance and thwart detection by the True Fae — believed, that is, by those who follow it. Other freeholds, however, may disagree.

If, they say, the seasonal system is supposed to protect those who are ruled by it, then why are humans and Lost still taken in those demesnes? If the protection is spotty at best, then why tie oneself to an imperfect system?

Those who doubt the validity of the seasonal monarchy often create their own systems of government. Some do so hoping to develop what the seasonal reigns has not achieved: complete protection from the Others for their populations. Others claim to seek a more efficient, just and stable form of government for the benefit of their members, regardless of what supernatural effects it may or may not have.

Other freeholds may have never developed the seasonal governmental form at all. Areas where the seasonal paradigm is thematically invalid are unlikely to change monarchs based on a turning of seasons that is meaningless to them. Tropical climes, for example, where the ideas of winter and fall are all but non-existent, or high mountainous or arctic regions where summer’s warmth is practically unheard of, are unlikely to identify strongly with the four-seasons ruling model. As well, some cultures may simply have other priorities, not identifying as strongly with the seasons as they might with the elements or directions.

While there has not been a universal agreement about what governmental form best suits Lost society, each form has its own advocates. And, like any political group, fanatics exist in every group. Rabble-rousers who are dedicated to one system might attempt to convert freeholds using other forms to “see the light,” sharing their pet project with others regardless of their audience’s interest in the topic. Dissidents might attempt to force a freehold to implement their preferred form of rule, by sabotaging the existing government or even attempting a hostile take-over.

Political change can add both tension and depth to a Changeling chronicle. For traditional characters, it can serve to force them to examine and justify their beliefs in the current systems, perhaps even defending them in debate or by force of arms. For characters with other views, similar examinations will almost certainly be necessary. Convincing traditionalists to try something new can be challenging and frustrating, especially if they feel the safety and stability of their freehold is at stake.

#### The Bright Side

Changes in the traditional political system allow for the opportunity for a population of Lost to define and create the structure and government that may well suit them better than the traditional seasonal monarchies do. It also provides the chance for a truly charismatic or powerful individual to establish him or herself in a seat of power that is not inherently upset by the change of monarchs every three months.

On a larger scale, it carries with it the hope of something more than the status quo for the Lost as a whole. Among other goals, the seasonal transition system of monarchy is designed to help protect the Lost from the Others’ predation. It is, however, not entirely successful in doing so. Should a group of adept changelings discover a system that improved upon the traditional form’s effectiveness, it is likely that they would win not only the kudos of their own freehold, but a name in history as other freeholds adopt their teachings to protect their own populations from the Gentry. Is such a thing even possible? The final answer is, of course, up to the Storyteller, but the quest for a perfect form of government to provide a perfect defense (fruitless or not) could certainly serve as the basis for an entire storyline within a Changeling chronicle.

## The Mortal World

Not all opportunity for implementing the theme of change into a Lost game deal specifically with changelings’ internal structures or the foes they may face. Massive and dramatic change in the mortal world can affect the lives of the Lost as well, both as individuals and as a group. While changelings may feel themselves alienated and ostracized from the world of humans, they still dwell within it. Any significant change there will affect Lost as well, sometimes far more than it would “normal” humans.

The changes offered in this section are, by virtue of being focused outside of Lost society, greater in scope than those in the previous sections. Changes within a freehold of a few dozen Lost are easier to justify without changing the basics of the World of Darkness setting. Those that affect cities, countries or global human society are, of course, of a larger scale and thus may require more work on the part of the Storyteller to establish — especially if they’re being worked into an already existing chronicle. It is possible to introduce changes of this sort into a storyline midway through, and doing so has the potential for increased impact as the very familiar world of humanity gradually gives way to something drastically darker and more oppressive. Or, should the Storyteller desire, the setting can be established at the beginning of the chronicle, and these changes can be more “meta” in nature, with the characters (if not the players) already being accustomed to them.

### Threat Alert Red

Exponentially faster, cheaper and more prolific technology, coupled with heightened terrorist threats and increased potential for identity fraud has led to a tightening of security across the globe. Over the last few decades, it has become increasingly difficult for even normal humans with no criminal record to go about their daily lives without constantly proving their identities. Legal paperwork is required from birth to death, with verifications needed to enter school, get married, open bank accounts, rent a car, travel by air, shop online or cross many national borders. Authorities label people with identification numbers and track their movement, through purchases, phone calls, bank transactions and Internet usage. True anonymity is a luxury and a rarity that most people no longer truly possess.

While humanity may not pose the terrifying threat to them that the Gentry do, many Lost lack the tools to successfully interact with human society in one facet or another. Whether they’re unable to reclaim their birth name because it is being used by their fetch, or they’ve been gone long enough to no longer convincingly pass themselves off as the person they were, claiming an identity is one of the challenges that face many Lost upon their return.

How would it affect the Lost, then, if identification became not just useful in most areas and vital in some, but mandatory for everyday activities? If being unable to prove who you were was enough to keep you from making purchase in stores and restaurants, driving down the street or crossing local area borders? And if any “suspicious activity” went on a permanent record, accessible not only by the legal authorities, but also by prospective employers, creditors and landlords?

Several scenarios exist where such a change could come about. Given time, the steady increase in reliance on technology (and the commensurate focus on securing the information gained from the same) could continue to creep into more aspects of society until identification was necessary to purchase any product (instead of just firearms, spray paint and cold medicine) or contract for any service. Video and audio monitoring could spread to the point where any action or conversation not held in a completely private location would be recorded for use by business owners or the authorities for both marketing and legal purposes. Traveling between states or provinces might become as difficult as crossing international lines currently is, and random identification stops could be frequent occurrences. Those without identification would not only be charged with lack thereof, but also might be held on suspicion of other illegal activity. After all, if they had nothing to hide, they’d be carrying their identification, right?

While it is possible that such a change could come about as a form of technological evolution, it could also be born of some dynamic event that triggers knee-jerk reactions from global, national or local governments. Terrorist attacks, large-scale wars involving attacks against primary world powers, or epidemics could spawn such a reaction, as could increased deregulation of private mega-corporations to allow them to behave as mini-tyrannical governments in their own right.

#### The Bright Side

Tightening down movement and activity in the mortal world would likely shift more Lost to rely upon the Hedge for both transportation and potentially residence. Entire freeholds might shift their populations into the Thorns, carving out Hollow-communities and doing their best to “tame” the alien landscape; a futile effort, at best, but one that might be attempted if the outside world grew oppressive enough.

Ironically, making it necessary to prove one’s identity is actually likely to make it easier for the Lost to attain proof of their own identities than it currently is. In a world where even children and vagrants must have identification to avoid persecution, the demand for providing such is astronomical. And, of course, an increased demand for legal papers and verifications is likely to spawn an entire underground commerce system dealing specifically in providing such paperwork to those who do not have the means to obtain it legally. While serving the Lost is unlikely to be their intended goal, more demand for false identity papers means more suppliers able to profit from it. This, in turn, means more avenues for changelings to obtain new identities and legal documents for themselves than they’ve had in the past.

### The Great Depression

While a Big Brother-esque turn for humanity would certainly have a strong impact on the Lost, in truth any significant change to humanity would affect changelings as well. Picture a situation where unemployment has grown to historic highs, and the economic prosperity of the world (or even just the area in which the changelings live) has plummeted; where the average person is scraping through on handouts from those few government agencies or charitable organizations still viable enough to even make an effort at aiding the unfortunate; where a change of clothes is a luxury and the basic necessities of life — food, shelter, warmth and safety — are treasures that one fights for on a daily basis, rather than commodities earned with little effort. If another Great Depression fell on human society, what sort of changes would it bring to the Lost hiding among them?

One of the primary fuels for changelings’ fae magic is Glamour harvested from the emotions of human beings. While this is not the only source of Glamour, the impacts of a near-universal change in attitude and emotion could well have effects on the Glamour harvested as well. Like the cycle of the seasons and the separation of the Courts, the influx of emotions harvested by Lost has a certain balance that cannot help but aid in lending some stability and balance to Lost society as a whole. Even within each Court’s cardinal emotions, wide variations occur, with one Spring Courtier focusing on the unrequited love aspect of Desire, another on passion and sexuality, a third on aspirations of grandeur and glory, and a fourth on attaining physical wealth and luxury. Similar breadth, of course, is present in each of the Courts, and this variety helps provide counterbalance for each faction and individual within the Court and ensures that the organization in its entirety does not tilt too far off kilter and spin recklessly out of control.

In the most severe of times, every bit of Glamour harvested might well be weighed heavily with the hungry desperation of the individuals from which it is being taken. While humans are, and will always be, individuals, with unique and individual reactions to any given situation, as circumstances bind them closer together, their emotions and reactions may well grow closer as well. Just as great tragedy or triumph tends to bind at least a large portion of a population together, overcoming differences and establishing a common ground, a slow but inescapable downward spiral can act as a slippery slope down which the majority of humanity’s emotions risk sliding.

What sorts of changes might subsisting predominantly on desperation-imbued Glamour make in changelings and their magic? Some Storytellers might choose to implement famine-esque mechanical changes to the existing systems, requiring additional expenditures of Glamour for most uses of Contracts or the like. Another potential is for harvesting Glamour itself to become more difficult, as humanity’s belt-tightening reaches metaphysical levels and results in less available resources for the Lost as well.

#### The Bright Side

Some theorize that the reason the changing of monarchs over a freehold is a deterrent to the True Fae is that they, themselves, are both mercurial and unchanging. While they are driven wholly by their own whims and desires, they are and will always be what they are — no less and no more.

Broad-spanning changes in humanity, and thus in the Lost, hold the opportunity for individuals and groups to grow beyond their current definitions and become more than what they began as. Desperation, both human and Lost, is often a motivation for change beyond that previously thought possible. Not only might this lead Lost to new heights — stretching their Contracts to levels unknown to past generations, or developing previously unheard of expertise and abilities with dream-crafting — but any changes that come might serve to act as a further level of protection from the Gentry. After all, if the Others are thwarted by such predictable and ages-old changes as the turning of the seasonal Courts, what chance would they have to recognize Lost after truly drastic change. If the Lost managed to truly reinvent themselves, stretching beyond what they have always been, could they ensure their freedom from re-capture?

### UnMasked

One of the basic tenets of the World of Darkness is that supernatural things and creatures exist, but hidden from the majority of humanity. Although most supernatural races have strong prohibitions against unveiling themselves to mortal eyes (and to clean up any evidence if they do so), it’s not inconceivable that one day someone’s going to mess up big time and reveal themselves to humanity in a way that cannot be swept under the rug. How might such a change come about? What would it mean to Lost society to have humanity at large recognize their existence? What changes would it bring forth, and would the inevitable costs be balanced out by any potential gains this new openness might provide?

Several likely scenarios exist that might uncover the Lost’s existence to mortal society. The first, and perhaps simplest, would be for there to be some sort of mass ensorcelment among those in human society who are reputable enough to convince others of what they had perceived. It’s unlikely that the often identification-lacking members of society could gain legitimate audience with presidents, counselors, religious figureheads and other pillars of mortal society to convince them of the changelings’ true nature. But it’s possible that a concentrated effort by a sufficient number of powerful enough fae could do so. Other possibilities that could lead to the Lost being “discovered” include technology advancing to the point where it was possible for a high-tech digital recorder of some sort to capture a changeling’s mien. If this became common enough, hiding their nature could become nigh impossible for the Lost. It’s also possible that the Lost would not be the first supernaturals uncovered by mortal society. If vampires or werewolves or ghosts made themselves known in a very public and irrefutable fashion (and if they were not hunted and wiped out of existence for their troubles) it is possible that some changelings might seek the same public status.

However the Lost’s existence might come to light, if the general population was forced to accept their reality in an undeniable and irrefutable way, the impact on changeling society would be tremendous. First and foremost among the issues they would face, of course, would be whether they were considered “humans” by humanity. While it is likely that governments across the globe would have differing views on their newly uncovered populace, the possibility that some nation somewhere might offer them the same legal status as “normal” humans would be a godsend to many changelings. Such a nation might become a veritable Mecca to the Lost, with changelings fleeing oppressive nations that treated them as animals, alien invaders or worse, for those where they might finally be themselves without fear of persecution.

Depending on their own nature, the means by which supernaturals came to be known to mortal society, and what humanity’s reaction to this new knowledge was, some Lost might opt to attempt to clandestinely retain their secret and continue to masquerade as humans. This task, of course, would be made more difficult by the fact that mortal society now knows of their existence as something other than the stuff of fairy tales, and many individuals or groups might actively be seeking out those “closeted” Lost. If humanity instigated plans such as enforced registration, for example, it could be a crime for a supernatural to pretend to be a normal mortal. In such circumstances, clandestine changelings might be hunted not only by their Keepers, but by mortal authorities or bounty hunters as well.

If changelings gained full legal rights as if they were human, their secrets (and weaknesses) would likely come to light as well. Using their powers against others might become a crime, punishable by prison time in specially-formulated cells designed to deny them escape. It would be a truly cruel irony for a changeling to escape his Keeper and flee through the Hedge, find a world that had abandoned him and then finally regain a place within it, only to find himself captured and incarcerated in cold iron by humans, essentially held as a trussed pig waiting for the Gentry to find him once more.

Political issues and legal rights are not the only changes that unveiling would likely bring to the Lost. Some humans, drawn to the unique and exotic, might fetishize changelings, seeking relationships with them solely on the basis of their exotic and alien natures. On the other extreme, some people might treat them as less than human, discriminating against them for jobs, refusing to rent to those who can’t pass a humanity test, or even actively seeking to do them harm in historic mob-mentality fashion. Somewhere in the middle, of course, would be the seemingly-tolerant — those who seek segregation and separation from them, while professing not to look down on them. While some Lost might be content to be seen as “separate but equal” and be treated as such by human society, others might lobby for integrated schools, anti-discrimination laws, and the right to work, live and marry indistinguishably from any other citizen.

While in many of the circumstances detailed above, change is something that is happening to the Lost, rather than something they are intentionally bringing about, even within Lost society there are those who actively seek to create and foster change in themselves and others. Whether they envision themselves as anarchists or revolutionaries, martyrs or muses, some believe that change is not only good for Lost society, but that it is vital to the health and well-being of each changeling and to the group as a whole.
Many Lost of this mindset are recruited into the ranks of the Court of Dawn Others join the traditional seasonal Courts, using Wrath, Fear, Sorrow or Desire to spawn the change they perceive is necessary for the Lost to survive and prosper. Yet others refuse to align themselves with any Court, believing they can do the most good by remaining unaligned and unfettered by courtly politics or expectations.

#### The Bright Side

While the potential for persecution and even xenocide exists with the unveiling of their nature to humanity at large, the Lost also stand to benefit more from this single change than perhaps any other supernatural being would. If the Lost are able to educate humanity about the reality of the True Fae and convert the masses to their cause, it is possible that together the humans and former-humans might actually be able to take decisive action against the Others. Whether that consists of cutting off the True Fae’s access to the mortal world for once and for all, rallying a joint military excursion into the Hedge (or even Arcadia) to try to exterminate them, or simply educating humanity so that no more unwary victims can be taken across, if the Lost are able to bring the human race onto their side, anything might be possible. Of course, that is a very big “if”. But, as with any situation, risk and potential often go hand in hand. The greater the risk the Lost face, the greater the potential for gain.

## Dawn Court

(the Bloody Rose, the Auroral Court, the Court of Salvations)
Change is possible; the potential for a better future exists. However, every victory has its price. It is our sweat that turns the wheel, our tears that move the mountain, and our blood that sweeps away the chains. Nothing good comes without a cost, be it hard work, denial or sacrifice.

We are the agents of our own salvation. The future is in our hands.

Changelings are survivors. During their durances, they have been the playthings of an inhuman godling, endured that which would destroy most humans — and survived. They have traversed the Hedge, suffered soul-rending injuries and spiritual transformation — and survived. They have returned to a world that no longer holds a place for them, found themselves denied the comfort of their former friends and families — and survived. They have built a society of outcasts and refugees, bonding together with a sole common purpose — to survive at all costs. And yet...

Survival cannot be the be-all and end-all of a group’s long-term goals. There must be something more to keep them going. A degree of selflessness, compassion and generosity (or at least enlightened self-interest) is vital to any group’s continued health. A group where each individual is solely motivated by their own personal survival quickly degenerates into utter selfish chaos. In such an environment, resources and information are hoarded. Trust is never extended. Others are valued only as tools and resources, expendable in the face of even the smallest potential risk. Only the utterly ruthless survive, and in the end, they too become vulnerable as the rest of the group is thrown to the proverbial or literal wolves at the first signs of danger. By focusing solely on the immediate battle for survival, the long-term war, both for survival and for any hope of betterment, is sacrificed. At some point, individuals and groups who wish to survive long term must be willing to look beyond the immediate, to grasp the big picture, and to work towards a better future. It can be difficult, especially for those who have survived a horrific past, to believe that the future can ever be better than the present. But some Lost believe that it is possible. They have faith that, with effort and sacrifice, the night will not go on forever and bringing about the dawn is a task that rests firmly in their own hands. While the odds seem stacked against them and the road is certainly not an easy one, the Court of Dawn dedicates itself to the ideal that, with hard work — and sometimes painful sacrifice — creating a better future is possible.

### Potential and Sacrifice

Within Lost society, as in any group, members make certain compromises and concessions to keep the group viable and strong. Those who are not willing to make such sacrifices either find themselves alone or suffer the wrath of those who see the benefits of a group’s protections and are willing to protect and promote the greater good.

Most times, these sacrifices are either so small or come so naturally that they are hardly thought of as sacrifices at all. Pledges to a freehold are made. Protection and companionship are the reward, but restrictions on one’s behavior are the price. An outspoken individual holds their tongue (or accepts some punishment for not having done so) to keep the peace with those who share in the freehold’s defense. Grudges are settled in acceptable ways, before they degenerate into out-and-out war. Despite the possible reward, an individual member does not sell out the secrets of the reigning monarch at the Goblin Market, and the safety of the entire freehold is preserved. These minutiae are the sacrifices that foster the status quo, that give the Lost a sense of security and protection, and allow them to believe that they are safe, both individually and as a group. They do not, however, foster hope for improvement. At best, sacrifices made to support the status quo can only hope to allow a group to hold its own temporarily against the coming onslaught, with no real potential for betterment.

There are times, however, when a crossroads is reached and the potential for great change exists. When, with decisive action or great effort, going beyond the (often dismal) status quo and achieving a true step forward is possible. Great change rarely comes easily, however. Someone has to be willing to make the effort, break the calm, take the risk, in order for it to be achieved. Whether that means risking public ridicule and distrust by implementing a new form of freehold government, or standing up to lead a suicidally small force against an incoming army of Border Reavers, sometimes the greater good is served only through great individual sacrifice.

While any changeling is capable of rising to that occasion, the members of the Court of Dawn have made it their business to ensure that when those crossroads happen and potential exists for change to be implemented for the greater good, someone is willing to stand up and make the necessary sacrifices to bring about that change. Their certainty that it is not only possible but assured that things will get better for the Lost — so long as the necessary prices are paid — fills their courtiers with great optimism. However, their knowledge that those changes cannot be made without equally great sacrifice often balances that optimism with pragmatism and practicality, sometimes even to the point of cold-hearted ruthlessness; all in the name of the greater good, of course.

### Courtiers

While the plight of the Lost may seem an endless night of danger, separation and pain, the Court of Dawn believes that, like any night, eventually the torment the Lost endure will end. It is this potential, this hope (and the willingness to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure it comes about) that forms the core of the Court of Salvations.

Just as there are limitless ways for Lost to follow the tenets of Wrath, Sorrow, Fear or Desire, not all Dawn Courtiers view Hope in the same fashion. Some focus heavily on the idea of the coming dawn, with every action focused entirely on the idea that better times are just around the corner. These individuals rarely become long-term members of the Court, however, as they often eschew the hard work and sacrifice that the majority of the Court recognizes is vital to actually bringing that dream to fruition.

Others focus on the theme of sacrifice. They believe it is their personal mission, their raison d’etre, to surrender themselves in one fashion or another for the greater good. They often have escaped from their durance under improbable or seemingly miraculous circumstances, and hold that their escape was an act of destiny to allow them to survive until such time as they might give their all to help the rest of Lost society. While this faction tends to refer to themselves as Saints, they (and the rest of the Court of Salvations) are often called Martyrs or worse, Victims, by those outside the Court. However they are viewed, Saints have been responsible for turning the tide in many crucial situations in Lost history, carrying out suicidal missions to protect endangered freeholds, or gathering vital items or information to improve other changelings’ chances of survival, safety and prosperity. Many have paid harsh prices for their bravery — bearing the name of traitor from those who do not understand their work, being taken back across the Thorns or giving their life for those who cannot or will not comprehend the level of self-sacrifice that sometimes is required to instigate great change.

Much of the Court, however, believes in a combination of hard work, careful planning and painstakingly exact sacrifice to bring about change. Officially, the Court’s credo is that it works for change “for the greater good,” and certainly for many situations that is true. Like any other people, however, self-interest sometimes creeps in. Any individual member’s interpretations of what is “for the greater good” are of course colored by his own interests, viewpoints and philosophies.

Most members of the Auroral Court do not believe in the value of change simply for change’s sake, regardless of the cost or potential outcome. That mindset is, however, sometimes represented by sub-factions within the Court, as well as by members or allies of certain extremist Entitlements that view themselves as the rightful agents of change in the world. The main body of the Court tends to eschew connections with these anarchist groups, however. Such rogue elements are as likely to bring about utter chaos with no potential for positive outcome as they are to accomplish any improvement in the lot of the Lost.

### The Longest Night

Many Dawn Courtiers gather on the Winter Solstice to celebrate a ritual of remembrance for those who have fallen in service to the Court. Those that have been recently lost (killed or taken back across the Hedge) are remembered, as well as great Dawn heroes whose names have become legendary for their sacrifices. This celebration begins as a solemn one. The host lights a single large candle on the morning of the solstice, preferably just as the sun has fully breeched the horizon. Throughout the next day and night, as the first mention of any fallen Martyr is brought up, a member of the Court lights a small candle from the central one. By the time evening falls, the entire gathering place is lit by the flames of countless candles, each representing one of the Court who has paid the ultimate sacrifice in an effort to hold back the night and bring the possibility of dawn to the Lost.

Throughout the day, other members of the Bloody Rose gather together, spending the day in quiet conversation. Topics include not only stories of those of the Court who have fallen, but also of current threats and dangers to Lost across the globe, both active and passive. It is not uncommon for decisions to be made throughout the day on which situations need change to be brought about and which should be left for now, as well as what course of action would be best used by the Court to bring about change where it is deemed necessary. The talks and stories continue throughout the longest night of the year, waxing and waning between seriousness, storytelling, merriment and melancholy. As the night gives way to dawn, the gathering begins to break up. At last, only the host is left to extinguish the candles after the sun has once again risen past the horizon.

### Glamour and Hope

While humanity’s often jaded state of existence might seem at first glance to be a veritable famine for Dawn Courtiers hoping to harvest Glamour, a surprisingly large number of resources are available to them. In many ways, the more dysfunctional and disconnected with one another human beings grow, the more Lostlike they become. And like the Lost, their faith in the potential for things to get better sustains them. Many people cling as tenaciously as any Dawn Courtier to their belief that, through hard work and sacrifice, they can make the future brighter. Some manifest through efforts to educate themselves; the determined studies of an abused mother returning to college to make a better life for her children or the first in a family’s line to attend university would certainly be a potent source of Hope-inspired Glamour. Likewise, a hospital or research center populated with doctors, nurses and scientists who are dedicating their lives to curing or eradicating disease would serve a Dawn Courtier’s Glamour needs well. In many of the places where life is the hardest, Hope is the strongest: schools and libraries in poor neighborhoods; missions in slums or third-world nations; physical and speech therapy offices; animal shelters and wildlife rehabilitation facilities; and charitable organizations that facilitate people’s efforts to better themselves and their families’ situations. Those who have little, but refuse to give in to despair, attract the Auroral Court and serve to fuel the Martyrs’ own continued efforts.

### Change and Clarity

The need for safety is so strong within the Lost that any significant unexpected change to their existence has the potential to erode at their grasp of reality. One of the dangers the Dawn Court encounters is that, in attempting to bring about change in hopes of bettering Lost society, they may also bring about losses of Clarity for all those involved in said change, including themselves. In some circumstances, this danger can be mitigated through disclosure. By giving those who will be affected by it warning and opportunity to adjust to new ideas, the damage to their Clarity can be reduced or eliminated. But in some cases, secrecy or surprise is necessary to bring about change, or situations bring about unanticipated results. Some Martyrs see healing any damage that might come from changes they instigate as being their responsibility. These are likely to either have allies amongst the Blackbird Bishopric or study psychology and medicine themselves. Others see potential Clarity loss from change brought about “for the greater good” as an acceptable casualty, a regrettable but necessary sacrifice in the bigger picture. A pragmatic, if somewhat callous mindset, especially considering it is rarely the Dawn Court’s own Clarity at risk.

### Heraldry

As with many aspects of the Auroral Court, the symbols Dawn Courtiers choose to represent themselves and their philosophy may often seem to be a study in contradictions to those outside the Court. Some bedeck themselves in brilliant finery, choosing gold and rose colors and eye-catching patterns. They may, like their sister Court of Dusk, favor medieval stylings, although their tastes tend to run to velvets and silks rather than simple wools. Others take the opposite view, eschewing all finery and embracing an utterly austere visage they feel is more in keeping with the Court’s theme of sacrifice. They may wear burlap or other rough fabrics, or dress all in rags, with the most severe wearing hair-shirts and other items of clothing specifically designed to be uncomfortable and unpleasant for the wearer. These individuals tend to be of the Martyrs, and their insistence on denial and discomfort

Symbols commonly associated with the Court of Salvations include, of course, sunrises and roses (often either dripping blood or with bloody thorns). Also frequently used, however, are wheels (especially mill wheels or wind mills’ turning blades), caterpillars and butterflies or moths, pelicans (especially heraldic representations of them feeding their blood from their own breast to a nest full of young), the Tower card from the tarot, the Greek letter Delta (which resembles an upright equilateral triangle), sickles, chameleons, toads and frogs, lightning bolts and any of the symbols associated with individual historic martyrs. While Dawn does not tie itself to the Scandinavian culture as their sister courtiers often do, it has also adopted several runes as traditional symbols of the Auroral Court. These include Thursaz (also known as Thorn, for its shape), Raidho (representing wheels), and Dagaz (or daybreak).

### Mantle

The Mantle of a Dawn Courtier represents both the wisdom to see where and when change should be made and the strength and self-determination to act, regardless of the cost. Thus Dawn Mantles are sharp and jangling sensory experiences, carrying with them the feeling of alertness and potential action. This may manifest as the smell of ozone in the air, the crisp crackle of electricity or the feeling of impending change that is found when one season or time of day is about to give way to another. Dawn Mantles can sound like the sharp crack of breaking glass, eggshells or bones, or the disturbing yet vibrant echo of a newborn’s cries. They always carry with them the aura of impending transition, but not of capricious whim or senseless destruction.

The Mantles of many Courts clash when those of differing Courts are near to one another. A strongly Mantled Winter Courtier’s icy breeze may push away at a weaker Spring Courtier’s gentle gusts, or drop the temperature around a Summer Courtier’s wrathful flames.

Dawn’s Mantles tend to warp those of other Courts when nearby. A Spring Courtier who is normally accompanied by a Mantle of classical music may find her tune changed to something more modern or upbeat, or a member of the Leaden Mirror find that his brightlycolored oak leaves have changed to maple or ash. These changes are always temporary, only existing when the Dawn Courtier is within five feet of another courtier’s Mantle, and they only come into effect when the Dawn Courtier’s Mantle is equal to or at a higher level to that of those she is near.

A member of the Dawn Court with Mantle •+ has begun to realize her potential for creating change in others. She receives the benefit of the Inspiring Merit at no cost. If she already has this merit, she can use its benefits twice in any given day (even on the same individuals).

A character with Mantle •••+ is fortified when exerting her will to make significant change in the world around her. Once per day, she can focus her efforts and receive a +3 die bonus to any single instant action in a situation on which her efforts are focused, creating significant change. Whether a situation is applicable or not is left up to the Storyteller’s discretion. A character with Mantle ••••• benefits directly from her efforts to break others out of their stagnation. At any point she successfully spawns a significant change in another individual her Glamour pool completely refills. “Significant” change is left to the Storyteller’s discretion, but might include things like changing a character’s long-time views on a certain issue, recruiting someone into changing Courts, talking someone into (or out of) something they’ve decided their course of action on, etc.

The Transitionists are a little-known subsect even amongst the main body of Dawn Courtiers. They believe the Lost are a supernatural evolution of humanity, with the Gentry acting as an unfortunate but necessary catalyst for the transition. Further, they believe that changelings are just the next rung above humanity on the evolutionary scale, and that further evolutionary “progress” is possible.
Exactly what sort of experience could rival or exceed a changeling’s durance and trigger the next stage in Lost evolution is a matter of conjecture amongst the sect. Some believe this secret lies hidden among ancient legends of the lost culture of Atlantis, while others believe that to fully achieve their potential they must become as powerful as the Gentry while somehow avoiding the Others’ utter loss of humanity.
Their views of the True Fae garner the Transitionists enough distrust and hatred that most hide their views from other Lost, communicating with one another only through clandestine Internet sites and mailing lists, or small in-person gatherings held well away from the eyes of other members of the Bloody Rose.

**Summer Court:** They rush in to every situation with the same ardent fervor. If they only understood how to direct that fire, they might actually accomplish something.
**Autumn Court:** There is no room for fear if we are to accomplish what we must.
**Winter Court:** There is a time to hide and a time to strike. Why do they care only for the former?
**Spring Court:** Capricious and unfocused. They have great desire but no discretion.

### Contracts of Potential

Entropy is an active force in the world, attempting to break down all aspects of reality. Left unguided and unsupported, all manner of things will deteriorate, whether they be objects falling to decay, politics tangling to disorder or ideals tarnishing into apathy. To combat this force and bring about positive change, active effort must be made. Determining where and when to bring about change is a heavy responsibility, but to ignore it is to concede the Lost existence to destruction, and that is an unacceptable fate to allow.

This is the basis of the Dawn Court’s philosophy, and the bargains they’ve struck with Potential reflect their views. Because Dawn Court believes not all Lost are capable of the insight or responsibility to Lost society that must be possessed to use the Contracts of Potential wisely, Court Goodwill for Dawn is required in order for those outside the Court to purchase the Contracts of Potential. It is their hope that all Lost will eventually come to see the wisdom of the Bloody Rose, and, in doing so, play their own vital role in Lost culture’s future. They are, however, pragmatic enough to know that time has not yet come. Contracts of Potential are non-affinity Contracts for any Lost who is not a part of the Dawn Court.

#### Light the Path (•)

Lost are as capable of duplicity and subterfuge as any other sentient beings, but an accurate understanding of another’s true motives can be vital when determining what path to take forward. For the Dawn Courtier whose life is at stake (along with the lives and Clarity of others), being able to sense others’ true motivations in taking a certain action can be vital.

**Prerequisite:** Mantle (Dawn) • or Court Goodwill (Dawn) ••

**Cost:** 1 Glamour

**Dice Pool:** Wits + Wyrd versus subject’s Composure + Wyrd

**Action:** Instant

**Catch:** The changeling has caught the target in a lie previously.

##### Roll Results

**Dramatic Failure:** The changeling receives an incorrect motivation about the specified action or statement, and believes it to be true.

**Failure:** The character cannot discern the target’s motivation.

**Success:** The changeling learns one of the subject’s motivations of the specified action or statement.

**Exceptional Success:** The character learns two motivations of the specified action or statement or that only a single motivation exists for it.

 Modifier
 +0
 –1
 +1
 –3
 –1
 –3

#### Read the Web (••)

No man is an island. When decisive action must be taken, knowing the relationship between those involved can help to minimize potential unexpected backsplash from said action. Being able to sense where one’s allies or enemies exist is even more helpful. A changeling with this clause can perceive and interpret the relationships of those around him, as represented by a web of ethereal threads perceivable only to him.

**Prerequisite:** Mantle (Dawn) •• or Court Goodwill (Dawn) •••

**Cost:** 2 Glamour

**Dice Pool:** Intelligence + Wyrd – subject’s Composure

**Action:** Instant

**Catch:** The changeling shares a pledge with the target.

##### Roll Results

**Dramatic Failure:** The character misreads the relationship threads between the target and other individuals. This could manifest as if no web existed, or in a wholly inaccurate set of readings.

**Failure:** The changeling is unable to perceive any relationship ties between the target and others.

**Success:** The character perceives the connections between the target and those presently around him as translucent threads that run between them. This effect lasts only for a single turn, and the amount of information gleaned is equal to the number of successes achieved (see Relationship Threads sidebar for details.) Examples of information gleaned include but are not limited to: whether the target has a relationship tie with the other individual, the general length of acquaintance, the intensity of the target’s feelings for or about the other individual, the dominant emotion the target is feeling for or about the other individual at the moment, whether the target shares an oath with the other individual and how significant that oath is.

**Exceptional Success:** As per a success, however the number of pieces of information gleaned is twice the number of successes.

The relationship threads brought to light by the use of Read the Web represent the connection between two individuals in a visible fashion. Read the Web gives the character using it the ability to see and understand the relationship threads connecting his target with others present at that time. The changeling can choose to gain one piece of information about a thread between his target and any other person present. The first success is enough to tell if there is a relationship thread present between the target and one other individual present. If more successes are achieved, the changeling can either note the existence of threads between the target and other individuals, or garner more details on the first thread noted (assuming that a thread exists.)
Relationship threads grow in dimension over time, so the bonds between two individuals who have just met might be as narrow as a spider’s web, while those between Lost who shared decades’ worth of a durance together might appear as a thick rope. One trait the changeling can look for is the thickness of the thread, from which he can garner a general idea of whether the target has known the other individual for a long time or is a recent acquaintance. As with all information garnered using this clause, the data is general. A lifelong acquaintance will obviously be thicker than newly-met individuals, but exact months, or even years of time are impossible to tell.
Other traits that can be learned from a relationship thread are the intensity and general emotion felt by the target for the person on the other end of the thread. Different relationship types are represented visually through different colors. Romantic love glows a bright and healthy pink, with lust and passion tinting the connections into the burgundy range. Anger or hatred flares a jarring orange, while loathing or distaste falls into the icy blue-white range. Bland or casual acquaintanceships are represented by threads that are likewise bland and dull in color, whereas intense emotions (positive or negative) appear vibrant or even luminescent.
Oathbound individuals’ ties to another person are woven through with tiny red decorative threads, with the ornamental threads being thicker to reflect weightier oaths.
Note that this clause shows only the general feelings of the target for the person on the other end of the relationship thread, not the other person’s feelings for them. While some relationships will be equal in both directions, if a stalker who is obsessed with someone was the target, his thread might show a bright and loving thread for his object of admiration. On the other hand, if the object of his admiration was the target, her thread to him might show apathy or distaste.

#### Martyr’s Will (•••)

Sometimes doing what must be done to help bring about change demands more than the average Lost can provide. For those who steel themselves to the task, however, using Martyr’s Will can bolster their resolve and supplement their bravery even beyond what Heroic Effort normally can reach.

**Prerequisite:** Mantle (Dawn) ••• or Court Goodwill (Dawn) ••••

**Cost:** 3 Glamour

**Dice Pool:** Resolve + Wyrd

**Action:** Instant

**Catch:** The changeling deliberately sheds a few drops of his own blood.

**Drawback:** Using Martyr’s Will stretches the potential of even the strongest Lost’s Willpower. After successfully activating this clause, the changeling may not regain Willpower by any means for the next 24 hours.

##### Roll Results

**Dramatic Failure:** The changeling’s will is simply not strong enough to bolster them. The Contract fails, and any attempts to spend Willpower to gain bonuses to actions or Resistance efforts garner one less die bonus than normal (ie: only 2 for Heroic Effort and 1 for Resistance efforts.)

**Failure:** The Contract fails to have any effect.

**Success:** For the remainder of the scene after activating Martyr’s Will, the changeling receives an additional +2 dice bonus (for a total of a +5 dice bonus) to any action where Willpower is being expended for Heroic Effort (pp. 132–133 of the World of Darkness Rulebook.) They also receive a +2 die bonus to any Resistance efforts where Willpower is expended (for a total of a +4 dice bonus.)

**Exceptional Success:** As with a normal success, but the effect of Martyr’s Will lasts until the next sunrise.

#### Shift the Foundation (••••)

Sometimes one’s own efforts are not enough to create great change, and allies must be formed or opinions swayed. This clause allows the Dawn Court to create fundamental (although temporary) changes in others, shifting their Virtue or Vice to one which is more conducive to the targeting changeling’s goals.

**Prerequisite:** Mantle (Dawn) •••• or Court Goodwill (Dawn) •••••

**Cost:** 3 Glamour

**Dice Pool:** Manipulation + Expression + Dusk Court versus the subject’s Composure + Subterfuge

**Action:** Instant

**Catch:** The changeling and target are actively involved in a conversation related to the Vice or Virtue he hopes to shift the target towards.

##### Roll Results

**Dramatic Failure:** The targeted individual’s Virtue or Vice is unchanged. Instead, the changeling’s Virtue or Vice (whichever he was attempting to shift) changes to match that of the target.

**Failure:** The clause fails to have any effect.

**Success:** The target’s Virtue or Vice temporarily changes to that specified by the changeling. If the target’s Virtue or Vice is already what the changeling is attempting to shift it to (either naturally or because it has been successfully shifted previously), that Virtue or Vice is strengthened, and the target must make a successful Resolve + Composure roll (or spend a Willpower) to avoid taking action in any situation where their Virtue or Vice comes into play. Either effect lasts until the next sunrise.

**Exceptional Success:** As with a normal success, but the target makes a Resolve + Composure check at the next dawn. If he fails, the effects continue until sunset. Tests are run at each dawn and sunset and the effects last until the target succeeds in his roll.

#### Tenacity of Hope (•••••)

Some victories are simply too important to allow anything to keep them from being accomplished. By using Tenacity of Hope, a changeling can supernaturally dedicate himself towards achieving a certain goal and be aided by the force of the Wyrd in their efforts.

A changeling attempting to activate this clause must focus it towards a certain specific goal that is achievable through the action of the Lost in question. The Storyteller is the final authority on what goals are acceptable to use for this clause, and whether a specific goal has been accomplished or not. Specific goals such as “To discover who betrayed my motley” is likely acceptable. “To bring about Mara-Zen’s social downfall” might be acceptable, although vague. “To have the sun come up in the morning” or other accomplishments that are assured to happen through no action of the Lost are not appropriate goals — unless for some reason the sun is currently being prevented from rising in some fashion and the changeling has set the goal of fixing the matter.

“To survive” is never an acceptable goal for the purpose of this clause. The Wyrd will not make bargains in a situation where its price (the drawback) has no chance of being fulfilled.

**Prerequisite:** Mantle (Dawn) •••• or Court Goodwill (Dawn) •••••

**Cost:** 3 Glamour and 1 Willpower

**Dice Pool:** Resolve + Wyrd

**Action:** Instant

**Catch:** The target is using this Contract for a selfless purpose (ie: to benefit someone other than himself, or Lost society as a whole.)

**Drawback:** Once the Contract is successfully activated, if the specified task is not fully accomplished before the Contract wears off, the character receives a penalty of –3 dice on all attempted actions and a –2 dice penalty on all Resistance efforts (not just those related to the goal) for a number of days equal to the duration of the clause. If the goal is achieved during the drawback, the drawback ends immediately.

##### Roll Results

**Dramatic Failure:** The changeling fails to receive any benefit to attempts to accomplish the specified task, and loses the benefit of the 10-again rule on any attempts related towards that task for the next 24 hours; attempts by the changeling to activate Tenacity of Hope on that that specific task within the next 24 hours will automatically fail.

**Failure:** The clause fails to have any effect.

**Success:** The changeling receives the benefits of the 8-again rule towards any actions taken to accomplish the specific goal focused on while activating it. As well, any action or resistance rolls directly related to achieving that goal are made as if they were under the effects of Heroic Effort rules (p. 132, World of Darkness Rulebook). These include a +3 die bonus to any actions taken towards achieving the goal and a +2 die bonus to Resistance efforts related to attempts to deter or delay their efforts towards the goal. These bonuses end when the task is completed, or after a number of days equal to the number of successes achieved, whichever comes first.

If the goal is accomplished before the Contract wears off, no drawback is enacted. Once activated, Tenacity of Hope cannot be voluntarily “turned off” before the duration runs out or the task is accomplished, whichever comes first.

**Exceptional Success:** As with a normal success, but the changeling receives the benefits for a number of days equal to twice the amount of successes rolled or until the goal is achieved, whichever comes first.

### Dawn Treasures

Like other Lost, Dawn Courtiers use all types of tokens, Hedgespun items or goblin fruits and oddments. However, the Court has discovered or developed a few tokens to aid them in their work. They are fairly open with some, sharing them to help encourage other Lost to do their own part in working to create a better existence for Lost as a whole. One, however, the Kingslayer, is kept predominantly secret from those outside the Court, both because of the damage it could do if put into the wrong hands and because its effectiveness would be drastically reduced were the general public to learn about it.

#### Kingslayer (•••••)

Even amongst freeholds where the seasonal Courts hold sway, sometimes a monarch or a set of monarchs takes control and reigns in a manner that is dictatorial or even dangerous to those who live within their demesne. While revolt is not the only tool used by the Court of the Dawn to attempt to free oppressed Lost from a tyrant’s hold, it is an effective method. By interfering in the Wyrd’s blessing of a reigning monarch (and eradicating their Wyrd-granted crown), a Dawn Courtier may begin to sow the seeds of dissent against an unfit monarch or tyrant.

Because its power is firmly rooted in raising suspicion and distrust of the target, Dawn Courtiers almost never speak about the existence of Kingslayers. It requires extensive research after seeing or hearing of the effect to uncover knowledge of their existence. (Make an extended Intelligence + Occult roll at a –2 penalty, with each roll representing a day of research and a total of 15 successes required to learn about the clause.)

Dawn Courtiers who acquire this token from other members of the Dawn Court are cautioned against using it lightly or speaking about it to those not of the Court, but the value of being able to manipulate the Wyrd’s manifestation of monarchy over a freehold has proved vital to protecting and promoting the cause of the greater good in many situations throughout history.

**Action:** Instant

Upon a successful activation of this item, the activating Lost may attempt to make a contested roll targeting any currently reigning monarch in his direct presence. The roll is the activating Lost’s Presence + Politics + Dawn Mantle versus the target’s Resolve + Politics + Court Mantle. This attempt is an instant action, and may be attempted once per turn for the remainder of the scene (with appropriate penalties, see below.) At the end of the scene, the Kingslayer grows dormant and may not be activated again (by any Lost) until after the next dawn.

Success indicates that the Wyrd rejects the target’s claim to rule her freehold. The currently manifested representation of the ruling crown (and any mechanical benefits thereof) disappears. This does not mean the target cannot utilize social or political influence or manipulation to still be seen by the members of the freehold as the reigning monarch, but no amount of support on the part of the freehold will re-manifest the crown of that freehold for the targeted individual for an entire year and a day.

 Modifier
 +3
 –1

**Mien:** Kingslayer tokens take many forms, although most are symbolic of some sort of assassination – a miniature guillotine, a hangman’s noose, or the like. Regardless of what material the token is made of, its surface carries a slightly oily texture, which leaves a residue on the hands that is difficult to wash away.

**Drawback:** The Wyrd dislikes being told what to do. If a Lost successfully uses a Kingslayer token to remove a reigning monarch’s crown-blessing, the Wyrd will never recognize the activating changeling as rightful monarch of the affected freehold. While the Lost may use political pressure or social acumen to be named as such by the members of the freehold, the Wyrd will not manifest a crown upon their brow for the affected freehold, no matter how great their public support as ruler might be. This is a permanent effect of having used Kingslayer even a single time upon one of that freehold’s reigning monarchs.

**Catch:** The Auroral Court distrusts Kingslayers in the hands of other Lost, and will actively seek to reacquire any of these tokens when their use becomes known. Should a non-Dawn Courtier speaks publicly about or uses this item (or a Dawn Courtier talks about it to those outside the Court or uses it irresponsibly), Storytellers should feel free to consider it an open invitation to bring the Dawn Court’s attention on the offending Lost as the Court seeks to recover the token.

### Lords Of Dawn

Change is a dangerous thing to the Lost. Too much, too quickly can erode their sense of self, and leave them without an anchor to hold onto. And yet, change is also a critical part of being human — to fall into stasis is to lose what it means to be alive.

The following Entitlements are emissaries and reactionaries to change. Each of them has seen the state of the world, and seeks to prepare for its changes, to forge a balance or overcome the limits of the present. These nobles are not afraid of a changing world — they embrace it, taking its Mantle for themselves. Any of these orders might be appropriate for a Dawn Court changeling, or they can fit into the structure of the Entitlements of the seasonal Courts.

## The Adjudicators of the Wheel

*I stand at the Wheel, and my actions will bring it to turn. For every one that rises, another must fall. For every blessing, a curse must be levelled. For every judgement, there must be a reparation. The innocent must be guarded, and the guilty must be punished.*

There is an essential imbalance in the world. The rich grow powerful off the labor of others, the poor work endlessly for little reward. Scions of “the right families” prosper while those born without connections must struggle, and brilliant but ruthless people crush their kinder rivals into the dirt. Success, be it fiscal, romantic, or social, even seems to be as much a result of chance as it is of talent.

The Adjudicators of the Wheel are firm believers in the principles of fairness and justice. They look at the inequalities in the world and are filled with the need to balance the scales. However, the Judges do not believe in spreading wide-scale social change, at least not by themselves. Instead, they function on a much more personal level. Adjudicators are silent observers and meddlers, a cabal that bears witness to actions and metes out punishments or rewards as they see fit, and takes care that neither their beneficiaries nor their victims can trace their sudden shift in fortunes to anything but simple chance.

The Judges hold to a philosophy that everything in the world changes, but is also in balance. For one person to prosper, another must suffer. For one to feel joy, another must feel sorrow. This is the nature of the world, and although it is a harsh nature, it is a simple truth. The most good, therefore, can be done by ensuring that the people who are prospering deserve their success, and those who fail deserve to be punished. This is a philosophy that many among the Lost find deeply disturbing. They would prefer to think that good luck doesn’t require bad, and that they can be happy without someone else suffering for the experience.

The Judges respond to such beliefs with an indulgent smile — let the innocent have their fantasies. They leave the responsibility for their actions to themselves.

Of course, there are other claims levelled against the Judges from time to time. Some say that they let their personal feelings strongly influence their decisions — not just on moral levels, but on political or personal ones as well. After all, if a Judge is a devout Christian, why not promote the pastor at the expense of the atheist? If he is a fervent Marxist, why not corrode the authority of the bank manager and help the protesters? If he hears of a dispute between a friend and someone he doesn’t like, why not just help the friend and hurt the rival, all in the name of balance? The Judges themselves claim that they view cases dispassionately, but many believe that such detachment is impossible.

Ultimately, such claims are hard to prove. The Adjudicators keep the list of those they help and harm close to their chests, revealing their activities only to one another. With nothing but hearsay and conjecture to work with, the Lost have difficulty determining if any sort of bias exists, and indeed it may only be the secrecy itself that makes them expect it. For their part, the Judges are unconcerned with the worries of others. As long as their fellows agree that they are doing a good job, that’s enough.

**Titles:** Judges

**Prerequisites:** Contract of Hearth 2, Investigation 3, Wyrd 3

**Joining:** Because of their role as arbiters over the lives of others, the Adjudicators tend to be very cautious about who they allow into their order. While they are happy to explain their ideology to outsiders, they generally require someone to approach them about the possibility of membership.

If a potential member asks to become an arbiter, he must consent to have his entire life examined. The Adjudicators gather and study every aspect of the applicant’s history and current situation. They are particularly interested in seeing how the applicant has dealt with the challenges and difficulties of his life, and with how actively and openly he uses his Contracts. If they decide that an applicant has been insufficiently subtle or overly partial in his life, they deny his application outright.

If, however, an applicant is deemed sufficiently skilled and appropriately behaved, the Judges will gather him and run him through a series of tests, during which he must study situations and identify the best people to aid or stymie. Explanations are required, and the methods by which the hopeful makes his decisions are every bit as important as the decisions themselves — the Judges prefer careful study and insight over hunches or magic. At this time, the Adjudicators meet alone, and vote on whether to allow the newcomer to join. A two-thirds majority vote is required for acceptance, and a rejected candidate is told firmly but politely to not bother re-applying.

If accepted, new candidates must attend a ceremony alongside the freehold’s current Judges, in which they swear to always work to balance the Wheel of Fortune, and to be impartial in their judgements. After the ceremony, the newest member of the Entitlement is immediately taken in to their first meeting, at which time they are able to see how the other Judges present and vote on evidence. They are expected to participate in that meeting, and to begin their own investigations shortly afterwards. Mien: Adjudicators prefer a simple look, the less ostentatious the better. They also tend towards clothing that conceals detail; heavy coats, low-pulled baseball caps, and scarves in the winter — anything that will help cover their features without standing out. Many are masters of disguise, and use hair dyes, contact lenses, and the like to observe their targets in a variety of guises without being discovered.

Whatever their natures, however, all of the Judges develop a few traits that give them away to changelings and, at higher Wyrd, can hint at their natures to others. The eyes of the Judges never match; most often, one eye turns blue while the other becomes a shade of deep grey, but other color pairings have been known to occur. In time, even the whites of their eyes change slightly, with the one becoming a brighter white and the other seeming almost a dirty grey. In addition, the hands of the Judges change as they grow in power — the left hand becomes increasingly lined, looking old and worn, while the right becomes smooth and uncalloused, with its lines barely visible. This trait carries over to any gloves or rings that a Judge might wear, leaving the left looking old and worn, and the right shinier and new.

**Background:** There are two general beliefs that tend to be common in those who become Adjudicators. The first is that life is not fair, and the second is that it should be. People who have suffered tragedies in their lives, and then risen above them, are the most likely candidates for being chosen. Of course, since most changelings can point to at least one major tragedy — their own durance — this is not a difficult task.

Members of the Adjudicators hail mainly from the Winter Court. Sorrow is considered an integral part of their task — they are bringing sorrow to those who don’t deserve their good fortune, and saving the worthy from a life of misery. The other Courts sometimes appear within the Entitlement, but they are much less common: the Spring Court focuses on giving or taking away what people want; the Autumn Court looks at delivering them from (or into) their fears; and Summer Court Adjudicators tends to focus on granting revenge.

Whatever an Adjudicator’s Court of origin, Social Attributes and Skills are very common among the Judges, as they use them to manipulate their charges into situations where they will benefit or suffer. Mental Traits take a close second, especially the Skills of Investigation and Politics. Physical Traits other than Stealth tend to come in a distant third — as far as the Judges are concerned, if you are taking direct action against your subject, and they know you’re there, you’ve already done something wrong. Adjudicators are fond of Contracts that allow them to hide themselves and control the fates of others — Hearth and Smoke are common choices.

**Organization:** The Adjudicators of the Wheel are wellaware that there are far too few of them to balance the lives of all, or even most, of the people that they meet. With that in mind, they prefer to concentrate their efforts rather than to spread out too thinly, leaving many areas of the world completely without their guidance to focus their efforts on a smaller region. Newly-accepted Judges are always admitted into the order on the understanding that they may have to relocate to a different freehold than the one they currently live in, if no other Adjudicators are present there.

Within a freehold, the Adjudicators form their own miniature tribunals, made up most commonly of five Judges, but with the potential to hold as few as three or as many as seven. In extreme circumstances, it has not been unknown for a tribunal to hold up to nine members, but such situations are always interim cases that end with three Judges leaving to form a new tribunal in another city. If the number of Judges in an area ever drops below three, for any reason, they suspend judgements until they can call to another tribunal for a replacement, or recruit a new Adjudicator from the local changeling population.

The nature and methods of the Adjudicators means that a host of rumours have been spawned about them, and circulate through the society of the Lost.
* Because of their over-use of the Contract of the Hearth, the Adjudicators sometimes accidentally create a major backlash, twisting luck and fate around one of their targets and turning them into walking coincidence magnets. Good luck and bad swirls around them for months, making their lives increasingly complicated, and the Judges just have to lie low and let things calm

down. In even rarer cases, the problem never resolves itself, and the Judges must remove the unfortunate victim.
* The truth is, there is a greater purpose behind those that the Judges help or harm. If you carefully studied all of their targets, a difficult task given the secrecy in which they shroud their work, you could discover a hidden agenda to create widespread social change and grant them power.
* The Adjudicators are a paper tiger. They almost never act on their abilities — they spend so much time gathering information and sizing people up that they don’t actually reach the stage of action except in rare situations. Most of the cases attributed to them are actually random chance for which they just claim the credit.

The Judges hold to the principle that all within their Entitlement are equal, and that while seniority and prior skill might grant one of their members a certain amount of social clout, there is no organizational rule to back it up. With that in mind, every tribunal follows a similar procedure. Each Judge seeks out a situation that involves one person who has suffered through no fault of their own, and one who has advanced without merit. In some situations, the two are involved in direct competition, while in others they don’t even know each other. Either way, the Judge spends time gathering the information that she needs, and then presents her evidence to her fellow Judges.

Following this, the Judges vote on whether to move against the target. The Judge who gathered the evidence is allowed a vote, and Judges tend to support each others’ decisions, but if a majority of the gathered Judges feels the people involved do not deserve the attention of an Adjudicator, the Judge who presented the information is bound by that decision. If (as is usually the case) the tribunal agrees that the evidence is sufficient, the Adjudicator moves into action, using his magics and skills to reverse the situations of his targets. Updates are given at periodic intervals, depending on the situation.

Usually, although there is a great deal of oversight after the fact, the Judges give each other free rein with their activities. Only when a tribunal suspects serious error or rampant bias do they step in against one of their fellows. In such cases, punishments can range from undoing all the work done by the offender, through enforced pledges, to the very rare possibility of expulsion from the Entitlement. Such punishments are not common, however; most Judges understand their responsibilities very well.

### Privileges

The natural balance of luck that the Adjudicators strive endlessly to create gives them access to a unique capability to manipulate chance, which is defined below:

#### Fortune’s Wheel

Adjudicators who stick to their tasks soon learn they can carefully displace luck, gathering it from one person with curses and distributing it to others, or vice versa. By combining their talents with their learned affinity for the Contract of the Hearth, they learn to shift luck from one person to another.

A Judge may choose to activate Fortune’s Wheel whenever she uses a power of the Contract of the Hearth; this increases the cost of the Contract by a point of Glamour. In doing so, she “stores” a Contract activation that opposes the one that she has enacted, and may trigger it against a second person later in the day.

Upon activation, Fortune’s Wheel creates an effect that is the opposite of the one provided by the initial Contract, as follows. Fickle Fate and Favored Fate simply reverse, with the former granting a +4 die bonus to its second target, and the latter applying a –2 die penalty. Beneficent Fate downgrades the subject’s next exceptional success into a standard success. Fortuna’s Cornucopia causes one target to lose the 10-again rule and have their 1s removed from successes on a single roll, and Triumphal Fate causes a single extended action to end disastrously, causing a dramatic failure on the first roll for an extended, non-resisted action.

Three special rules apply to the activation of Fortune’s Wheel. If the character does not release her Fortune’s Wheel within one day, it will automatically release targeting whomever she used her initial Contract on. Furthermore, Fortune’s Wheel cannot be used on a given target more often than the usual rules for each level of the Contracts of the Hearth — an attempt to do so will cause it to backlash onto the initial target in the same way. Finally, the character may only enact this Privilege once per day, which means that she can only have one Fortune’s Wheel prepared at a time.

## The Legion of the Iron Wall

*I am the line between safety and death, between the monsters and the hearth. If our enemies want to advance, they will do so only over my cooling corpse.*

War can come to a freehold for any number of reasons. Invasion from a Gentry force, conflict between the Courts, or enemies from the Hedge can force a freehold to gather its forces as best it can to defend itself. However, such gatherings are often small — while many changelings learn to defend themselves, few have any sort of advanced tactical knowledge or understanding. Often, invasions and problems build quickly, taking changelings who have become used to a peaceful status quo off-guard. In some cases, entire freeholds have been wiped out by enemies they never saw coming.

When such dangers threaten, however, some freeholds are fortunate enough to gain help from a powerful noble order. The Legion of the Iron Wall monitors the status of freeholds across the world, keeping an ear to the ground to find those that have become complacent and those that are in danger of being overrun by the threats that surround them. They pay special attention to rumors of gatherings in the Hedge, newly forming trods, and other warning signs of potential Gentry attacks. And when they find evidence that a freehold is in danger from a threat external or internal, they ride into town to try and sort things out.

In ideal situations, the result of this is that danger is undone before it begins. When a troop of loyalists comes raiding into town expecting some light resistance, and discovers organized tactical squads laying traps and drawing them into ambushes, they barely have time to understand the danger they are in before they are destroyed. When a host of Border Reavers crosses the Hedge to pillage and burn, only to come against a troop of experienced warriors, the damage they could have done is shattered in moments. And when the Legion looks back at a freehold that they have helped, and see it prospering, they know the feeling of a job well done.

The policy of the Warmasters is simple. It would be nice if the world were a safe and quiet place, they argue, but it is not, and nowhere is that more true than for changelings. A few years of peace can trick a freehold’s Lost into the belief that there is no more danger coming, and the purpose of the Warmasters is to disabuse them of that notion. There should always be soldiers ready to defend their home, and no Court should be unprepared for the possibility that their careful life will come apart around them.

They are not, of course, always successful. Sometimes, a threat is underestimated. Sometimes, a Legionnaire will choose to try and support a tyrannical king rather than lending aid to those trying to overthrow him, reasoning that he has the best chance at keeping the freehold safe. Other times, she might foolishly overthrow a Court Leader who really is the only thing holding a freehold together, and find herself forced to try and maintain things herself until the situation settles. But usually, the Legion’s arrival in a freehold is a good omen, a reminder that while danger is always around the corner, there are also always going to be those who remember that it is not only the bad things that will pass, but the good times as well.

**Titles:** Legionnaire, Warmaster (informal)

**Prerequisites:** Any of (Brawl, Firearms, or Weaponry) 4, Persuasion 3, Wyrd 4

**Joining:** The process for becoming a Legionnaire varies depending on which member of the Legion chooses to induct a person, but it includes a few common practices.

First, anyone who wishes to join the Legion must taste what it offers. This means spending a full year and a day taking the oath of the Freehold’s Defender (see below), following the orders of a Warmaster, and being both willing to fight to the end for the safety of others, and capable of winning difficult battles. Many Legionnaires watch their soldiers closely, and pay close attention to those who choose to renew their vows when the year ends.

If it becomes clear that a soldier has both the discipline and dedication required to devote their lives to war, and the skill to survive doing so, their commanding officer will suggest the path of the Legion to them when the time comes for their oath to expire. At this time, if the new recruit agrees to join up, there isn’t much of a ceremony. The Legionnaire issues the oath to his new charge, explains exactly what it means to walk the Iron Wall, and gives their charge one last chance to back away, and live a life free of violence. If the charge wishes to go ahead, she recites the oath of allegiance to the Wall, swearing to dedicate her life to defending freeholds and raising armies against the enemies of the Lost. At that time, the oath is complete and a new Warmaster is born.

In rare cases, when a freehold is badly beset, a Warmaster may choose the best of his soldiers and offer them membership without the usual lengthy observational procedure, so that if the Warmaster dies, someone else can take up the banner and keep the armies of the freehold fighting. This process works much the same as the one above, except that it is more likely to result in a Legionnaire who is uncertain about her role in the world once the current crisis ends.

**Mien:** Violence is the nature of the Warmasters, and it shows in their mien. Even at low Wyrd, a Legionnaire seems dangerous. Their smooth edges seem blunt, and their lines seem sharp enough to cut. Faint scars and signs of their many battles dot their skin and clothing, and their weapons never look shiny and new — they look used, but still intact, ready to inflict violence at a moment’s notice.

As Wyrd climbs, the second sign of the Legion is old, dried blood. Tiny flakes of it gather in their fingertips, long-dried patches of it form on their clothes, and dots of it swim behind their eyes. Death surrounds them like a shroud, enough to make some uncomfortable with the proof of the Legion’s life.

**Background:** The Legionnaires, without exception, come from martial backgrounds. They are those who aren’t willing to become complacent, people who have spent most, if not all, of their lives fighting. Many of them were forced to fight during their durances, and the marks of that violence resonate with them for the rest of their lives.

The majority of the Legion are, unsurprisingly, members of the Summer Court, whose attitudes are perfectly in line with the principles of the Iron Wall. Other Great Courts sometimes join, bringing their own perspectives and methods to the wars in which the Legion involves itself, but they remain a strict minority.

Physical Traits are, of course, the strong favorite among the Legion. After that, it varies drastically from Legionnaire to Legionnaire, but Traits and powers that improve leadership and tactical capability are much more common. The Legion defines itself by war, and its members are shaped by that into the ultimate soldiers.

**Organization:** A saying that circulates among those who have heard of the Legion goes as follows: “When one Warmaster comes to town, things are about to get loud. When two show up, leave.” The truth of the saying is debatable, but it can’t be argued that the Legion is often seen to go to where the action is. They arrive in war-ravaged freeholds and lands on the brink of failure, and they stay long enough to organize and fortify the freehold before leaving again. However, what is less obvious is that the Legion spends as much time in freeholds not facing imminent danger as though about to be destroyed — in such places, they leave only when the feel that the freehold has formed the martial forces needed to defend it if such a danger should come about in the near future. It is rare for a Warmaster to stay in a freehold for more than a year or two, and generally only happens in situations where one expects that his services will be of critical need.

With that in mind, the Legion tends to be solitary in nature with regards to one another, saving their organization for those that they form into freehold armies. There’s no real advantage to a freehold to have two Legionnaires present, beyond the general advantage of having two skilled soldiers, so Legionnaires usually prefer to spread out, traveling anywhere where trouble has broken out to calm things down again and forge a new peace at the blade of a sword. A few Legionnaires will meet from time to time to share a drink and reminisce, but they eschew the formal gatherings or festivals that most Entitlements enjoy.

On the other hand, the Legionnaires consider information-gathering and coordination to be critical activities. If the Legionnaires aren’t appraised of a situation, freeholds can fall while two Warmasters arrive independently in the same freehold to help fight its problems. If the Legion doesn’t send a member to a town lacking in soldiers, it might not last long enough for help to arrive if a serious problem breaks out. To forestall this, the Legion keeps detailed communications with one another, and warns members when a problem is seen developing in an area. They can’t keep track of every problem, and sometimes the Warmasters are simply too busy to intervene in a given situation, but they do their best to make sure that freeholds can always count on their support when it is needed the most.

Sometimes, in particularly problematic situations, two Legionnaires will arrive in a freehold with competing goals – one seeking to overthrow a corrupt leader to save a freehold, while another fights to keep him in power and preserve the balance of the seasons. Because they have no formal process to deal with such a situation, these freeholds can descend into bloodbaths as two immensely skilled soldiers start to maneuver against one another, drawing evergrowing numbers into a fight that can rapidly escalate into a personal feud. Such a situation will only be solved if the leaders of the two sides that the Warmasters have joined make peace, or if one Legionnaire dies.

### Privileges

By taking on the role of the war leader of a freehold, the Warmasters assign themselves the ability to swear any changeling to the freehold’s defense, forging impressive armies in astonishingly short periods of time. They do so with the following privilege:

#### Freehold’s Defender

The Freehold’s Defender is a pledge to which Warmasters can swear other changelings. The Knight swears it on his Title, without fail — in doing so, he allows others to use him as a fulcrum for their own oaths to the freehold.

For the Knight, the Freehold’s Defender Oath has the following traits, which cannot be altered or expanded upon:

**Type:** Corporal Oath, upon the Knight’s weapon, a Title Emblem / Nemesis Pledge: While the Warmaster must swear this oath upon his Title, those he swears it with do so by requiring him to punish them for forsaking their duties. The exact Contract penalty depends on the Warmaster.

**Tasks:** Endeavor, Medial (–2): The Knight and his new soldiers must serve as a soldier in defense of the freehold.

Tales follow the Legion like crows follow the smell of blood and death.
* Sometimes, a Warmaster decides that a Court leader isn’t a good fit for a freehold. When this happens, his oaths pull him to declare war, fighting until the leader is ousted and someone more to the Warmaster’s taste comes into power. Because of this, most leaders are terrified of the Warmasters, and secretly try to keep them from coming into power.
* The Legion is fanatical, and that fanaticism bleeds through their oaths. If you swear to serve them, your life will be marked by violence forever — even long after you’ve tried to quit. No one ever retires from being a Legion soldier.
* Because they would rather die than betray their oaths, the Warmasters have been known to stay on, fighting, long after a freehold falls. Guerrilla warriors will roam through the Hedge for months after a war ends, carrying on fights. Some people claim there’s still an old Legionnaire haunting the Hedge near Denver, his Clarity shredded all to hell, fighting for a king who died decades ago and unable to tell free changelings from a Keeper’s minions.

**Boon:** Adroitness: Persuasion (+1), Vow Focus (+1) / Adroitness: Brawl, Firearms, or Weaponry (+1), Blessing, Lesser: Fast Reflexes (+1): In addition to gaining a bonus die on all Persuasion rolls, the character gains the ability to become the second party in any number of Freehold’s Defender oaths. This functions much the same way as a Vassalage Oath does for the local Court Kings, and for similar reasons, although it provides no other bonuses. His soldiers, on the other hand, gain instant familiarity with weapons and ability to react quickly to danger. Note that they gain this dot of Fast Reflexes even if they fail to meet the prerequisites or have the Merit at its maximum usual rating.

**Sanction:** Banishment (–3): Those who betray the freehold must leave it, never to return.

**Duration:** Year and a day (+3)

**Invocation:** One Willpower point each; the Warmaster invests a Willpower dot as per the Vassalage oath, and recovers it at the end of his time as Freehold’s Defender. Typically, the Legion’s Knight will be careful about who he swears to defend a realm, and impress on them the penalties for failure. At the same time, his ability to swear large groups if needed allows him to gather a highly dedicated force to defend the freehold and fight on its behalf.

It is worth noting that in a civil war situation, both sides might believe that they are defending their freehold, and thus would not be guilty of violating this oath.

#### Master Of Combat

The second benefit granted to the Legion is their ability to train their followers in the name of war. After a week of training, followers may purchase any one of the following traits, even if they do not have the experience for it: Strength, Dexterity, Stamina, Brawl, Firearms, Weaponry, or any Fighting Style. The Warmaster must have the trait at a higher rating than the person learning it. The person who learns the trait, once they gain the needed experience, must spend it, and can’t buy anything else until they do. A given character may benefit from Master of Combat only once per year, even if they train under multiple Legionnaires.

## The Order of the Hallowed Garden

*Life should be approached as a garden. Sometimes, that means protecting a delicate flower. Sometimes, it means pruning weeds.*

The Order of the Hallowed Garden is an old one, its roots stretching back centuries to the dawn of the seasonal Courts. As the Courts first spread across the world, many of the Gentry noticed that their former slaves were creating places of safety, regions where they could live safely without fear of being snatched away at any moment. One of these Keepers, whose name has been lost to history, sought to duplicate the feat, but in reverse. He theorized that if he could send a group of loyalists to Earth, they could create an area that would welcome and support him, instead of turning him aside. Teaching five of his slaves the arts they would need, he sent them through the Hedge, promising them great rewards if they succeeded, and terrible punishments for failure.

Over a period of several years, the slaves toiled, secretly inserting themselves into a local freehold as they prepared the nearby area for their master’s approach. As time went on, however, they grew increasingly distraught over their plans. Without discussing their plans with one another, each began to secretly sabotage the project. Instead of forming a land friendly to the Keepers, they forged it as a trap to destroy him. When the day came for him to come, each of them launched a sneak attack simultaneously, prepared to die fighting the monster, only to be surprised and encouraged by each others’ treachery. At the end of the furious battle, their Keeper was destroyed, and the former slaves agreed to use the gifts they had learned to create new safe havens for mortals and changelings alike.

In modern times, the mission of the Hallowed Garden continues. Their nature is to reform and change populated areas, making new “gardens” in which certain ideas can grow and flourish, and preventing dangerous ideas from taking root. As a rule, the order prefers to work to create quiet, peaceful communities — places where those who have suffered can rest, and find new things to live for. They are architects of urban renewal and change, careful guardians of whatever ideals they believe in.

There are those who mistake the Gardeners for simple philosophers, but this order was formed in violence and death, and the keepers of the Hallowed Garden know that action is required to make their desires a reality. They form neighborhood watches, look after their fellow citizens, and do whatever needs to be done when their new friends are threatened. They stand on the front lines, leading by example, and their purpose and activities are clearly visible. The Gardeners are not secret benefactors — they are proud of what they are, and inspire others to follow in their footsteps.

On the other hand, the Gardeners are an intensely political group. They have the power to change society to match their ideals, and not everyone agrees with those goals. In plenty of freeholds, there are running rivalries between a congregation of Gardeners and any number of other forces that have different ideas about what the world should look like.

**Titles:** Gardener

**Prerequisites:** Politics 3, Socialize 3, Wyrd 3

**Joining:** Joining the order is a deceptively simple task, but a long one. To become a member of the Gardeners, a character simply has to express admiration for the work that they do, and offer to lend help as it is needed. Unless the offerer is dramatically at odds with what the local order thinks is appropriate, such help will always be accepted.

The admirer will be asked to do favors and work for the communities that the Gardeners oversee, and will receive favors in return — the arrangement tends to be a casual one, at this stage. This also gives the order a chance to see their prospective target in action, and his decisions and methods will be carefully, but subtly, scrutinized. Most of the time, the situation never progresses past this point; there are many people that the Gardeners consider to be skilled or virtuous enough to be allies, but not enough to be members.

If someone does meet their exacting standards, one of the Gardeners will approach them and suggest the possibility of their alliance drawing closer. Even at this stage, not everyone accepts — some are content to remain simply allies, not wanting to devote their lives to the principles of the order. If they do not wish to proceed, the order generally appears to shrug philosophically and resume their original agreements. In fact, however, they will usually begin to work behind the scenes to persuade their new target that he would be able to work with them, and would be happy to do so. Various forms of manipulations, subtle bribes, and even the occasional creation of a problem the target might be able to solve much better as a member are attempted, but only if they can’t be traced back to the order, and won’t cause actual harm.

When the target finally sees that her destiny is aligned with the Hallowed Garden, and agrees to join the group, all of the existing Gardeners in the freehold gather to welcome their newest member to the fold. After an elaborate and formal dinner, the newest member swears his oaths to the order, and the others warmly welcome him as one of them.

**Mien:** Generally speaking, Gardeners prefer to dress for the situation, rather than for their own preferences. With that in mind, they fall into two categories — the ones who want to stand out as the best of that situation, and the ones who want to blend in as part of the crowd. The former are as fashionable as they can be, whether they are wearing Court finery, immaculate business suits, or gang colors. The latter are much simpler, wearing clothing as close to the average of those around them as possible.

Whatever their clothing, there is always one sign that the order cannot, and rarely tries to, hide. Over time, the fingers of a Gardener are gradually stained green, as though she had been working with plants in the recent past and hadn’t had time to clean. As her Wyrd climbs, this becomes noticeable even in the mortal world. Gloves can cover this sign, but most of the order’s members are proud of their affiliations, and don’t care to conceal who they are from their fellow Lost.

**Background:** Social interest and understanding is the core to the Gardeners’ creed, along with a general belief that they’re better able to understand what people need than the people in question do. Pride and envy are common failings amongst the Gardeners, who look at the world and see the faults that they would correct.

With that in mind, most members of the order prefer to lead by example. Social Attributes and Skills tend to be primary, but every trait is considered valuable. Often, different Gardeners will co-ordinate their skills and magics so that they each have an area of expertise — one will become a physical defender of a location, another an information-gatherer, and a third will learn to sway the hearts and minds of those inside. Fleeting Spring is a very common Contract learned by the order, who find the ability to understand or, in a pinch, alter desires to be critical to their efforts.

The majority of the order’s Great Court adherents owe their allegiance to the Spring Court. Desire and its outcomes are at the root of what the Hallowed Garden stands for, and Spring is most aligned with their goals. Some hail from the other Great Courts, and there are a few well-known gatherings of Courtless fae who create areas free of the Great Courts entirely, but they are solidly in the minority.

**Organization:** The Gardeners organize into congregations of anywhere from three to six members. Lone members of the order occasionally take up residence on their own, but it is the exception, rather than the rule. Every member of a given congregation will have similar political and social views — when differences arise, the dissenting member will usually leave rather than stay to create trouble in the ranks.

As long as they are able to work closely with one another, the order will pick a single neighborhood or similar area, and work to transform it into a place that will attract the sort of people that they want to see more of. This is not something that is done lightly, however. The order will meet, and will hash out exactly what they are looking for in their new protectorate, how they intend to go about getting it, and what possible problems might arise. Having done so, they will divide their tasks appropriately before they take the step of actually swearing to make the location a place worth living in. They will also keep track of previous hallowed gardens, just to make sure that nothing is backsliding without their influence.

Usually, after a few areas are established, the Gardeners find that it takes more time than they have to both keep areas as they want them and establish new ones. At that time, they meet to decide whether to cut a few areas loose, trusting that they can grow and change on their own, or whether to stop forming new havens. Different groups make different choices on that front — some will end their patterns of growth for years at a time, while others will abandon havens as soon as they seem to be more or less stable. Usually, the order will keep watch over one or two stable areas, and let the rest grow as they will.

There is some communication between different branches of the order, but not extensive cooperation. Because individual congregations often have very different viewpoints on what constitutes a secure location, their ability to make large-scale changes tends to be limited, and there are no formal gatherings of Gardeners from different locales. Instead, they simply keep in touch as much as they want to, devolving into a sort of cell formation where each group of Gardeners is highly organized amongst themselves, but have essentially no oversight from one another. Of course, this also means that there’s no one to step in if a congregation turns dangerous, which has been rumoured to happen, but the order as a whole tends to feel they’re above that sort of problem.

### Privileges

The subtle powers that flow through the Gardeners grant them the ability to attune themselves to a particular area while they work to revitalize it. This capability is detailed below:

The origins of the order as a tool of the True Fae, along with their hardline attitude towards those who second-guess them, leads some changelings to distrust them and refuse to take them at their word. Rumours often swirl around the Gardeners, wondering what they might be keeping secret this time.
* When someone starts causing particular trouble for a domain, the order is not above using immoral or flatly illegal methods to remove them. Mortals who have tried to interfere in the societies that the order builds have been known to vanish, never seen again. Whispers abound that the order’s more fanatical members kill such problempeople — or even sell them to hobgoblins in exchange for help in other areas.
* In the fateful battle that founded the order, one of the Gentry’s slaves did not revolt. He escaped the death of his former master, and formed his own Entitlement with other loyalists — one that seeks to reproduce the effect their master worked towards. These dark Gardeners are not always recognizable as different from their counterparts, but the two groups have been fighting a shadowy war for centuries.
* Occasionally, the Gardeners will gather to create traps — by forming areas that are safe for a group that they hate or are opposed to. After some time has passed, and only those they hate remain, they spring the trap, letting their oaths to the region lapse upon expiry to remove the benefits from which the newly-assembled miscreants were benefiting, and then entering the area to end them. There have been stories of dangerous gatherings of hobgoblins wiped out in this manner, after careful planning with the Summer Court.

#### Oath Of The Hallowed Ground

The character pledges to care for and shape an area, and the region itself hears her calls. This functions as a special pledge that is sworn upon whatever the character chooses, which must be renewed each month. The character promises not to abandon the region, and will spend time every day looking in on it and working to make it a place she cares for. In exchange, the region promises to help her.

The character must define what she wants the area to be. An area can be any neighbourhood with an area not exceeding either a radius of (Character’s Wyrd x 200) yards, or a population of (Character’s Wyrd x 1,000) people. The definition can be anything that can be summed up in a single sentence, such as “artist’s haven”, “street free from crime”, or “business district”. Whenever someone within the area is not aligned with its principles, they feel faintly uncomfortable. Characters must make a Resolve + Composure roll. If he is not opposed to the principles of the region, but his presence doesn’t support it (such as a businessman staying at an artist’s haven without wanting to sponsor the arts), he gains three bonus dice, while if he or his goals are directly opposed to the principles, he gains no bonus. If he succeeds at the roll, he may remain for a number of days equal to the successes rolled. If he fails, he may spend one Willpower at the end of the scene to remain for another scene and make a new roll. Supernatural creatures of any sort gain three bonus dice to this roll, regardless of purpose.

On the other hand, people whose desires are in alignment with the area find it calling to them. While present in the region, they gain a +1 die environmental bonus on rolls also in direct alignment with the area’s goals. Furthermore, the feeling of security that the area gives them is subtly addictive. As long as the area remains pledged, anyone who is aligned with it and spends at least a full day there must make a Resolve + Composure roll every week or else return, for a period of at least a few hours. Most of those who find the area will come back more often than that, and will flourish there.

A character may only swear a pledge to one region at a time. If she forsakes her pledge by not caring for the area, it turns against her. The purpose of the region changes to “make the character’s life miserable”, and all of its effects change to support that purpose. The area will change into one where those friendly to the character feel unwelcome, and the things she hates most in life take root and flourish. This antagonistic region remains in place for three months.

## The Pilgrims of the Endless Road

*I will kneel at the altar of my own weakness no longer.*

Nearly everyone, if asked, will claim they want to change, to give up their failings and to improve themselves. Most of those people are lying. Change is terrifying, and a person’s weaknesses and foibles are as much a part of them, treasured and held close, as their strengths. Faced with the potential for self-improvement, they fear the possibility of failure, and thus never try to begin with. Others take their first steps down those pathways, only to find them too difficult, the price for their change too high. Most find a place where they are comfortable, where they can find a simple balance between strength and ease.

The Pilgrims of the Endless Road are not those people. As far as they are concerned, the journey of self-improvement is the most important journey that a person can take. Changing politics, changing the world, none of these things matter if you do not first master yourself, because the weak can only create further weakness, and the world is full of weak people. As far as the Pilgrims are concerned, very few people have the raw strength of will to understand the need for constant growth, to never become complacent or content with what you have made of yourself. For those few, however, the Pilgrims wait with open arms.

The Pilgrims hold to a philosophy of self-control and striving, a nearly-religious devotion to their ideals that admits no weakness. As far as they are concerned, no one should stop trying to improve themselves until they are perfect, and since perfection is unattainable, the process of self-improvement is an endless road. To walk the Road, as they put it, is to train the body and mind, to study the mysteries of magic to fine-tune them, to dedicate yourself to your own achievement. There are those who consider it a selfish philosophy, because it prizes self-improvement, and disdains asking for help and those who can’t keep up. As far as the Pilgrims are concerned, however, it is a simple logic. Everyone should work to improve themselves. Anyone who can’t doesn’t deserve to have the world handed to them on a silver platter.

Of course, there are those who are intimidated, or even outright frightened, by what the Pilgrims represent. Envious of their capabilities, they think that there must be hidden shortcuts or dark secrets that mask their intent. The Pilgrims laugh at these people, but they aren’t surprised. Such whispered stories are only more proof that the masses aren’t able to reach for what they think they deserve.

This mixture of intense self-focus and indifference to the beliefs of others leaves the Pilgrims without much of the political power that comes with many Entitlements. Where others provide great power or vast connections, the Pilgrims provide little more than a way to focus themselves and to find others that they understand. This is as they like it, however. One of the core tenets of the Endless Road is that one must choose to walk it; with no desire to gain large numbers of converts or to change the world, political power is nothing but a diversion from the Endless Road.

**Titles:** Brother or Sister

**Prerequisites:** No Attribute at 1, Resolve 3, Wyrd 3

**Joining:** Becoming a Pilgrim is not an easy task. The Entitlement demands absolute dedication from its would-be members, and rarely offers membership directly. More commonly, someone who is impressed by the demonstrated abilities of an existing Pilgrim seeks to join the order, and existing Pilgrims must decide if they are worthy.

The first stage in proving yourself to a Pilgrim is to demonstrate that you are not a slave to your weaknesses. Anyone who displays physical addictions, mental obsessions, or similar failings must overcome and abandon them to even be considered for membership. Pilgrims will carefully study their prospective members, and any lies about one’s weaknesses are considered to be a serious failing in and of themselves.

If someone is considered worthy of testing, the Pilgrims advance to the second stage, in which they put their prospective newcomer through an astonishing array of tests, challenges, and hardships to determine their strengths and weaknesses. This covers everything from trial by combat or complex riddles to spending five days without sleeping or swimming across a lake. They do stay on hand to make sure their attempted recruit is never seriously hurt, and passing every test is by no means required – everyone has weaknesses, after all, and these tests serve as much to find areas where the new recruit will have to train as to find their strengths.

Once the tests are complete, the final trial is put into place. As a rule, this involves forcing the new recruit to train and focus on one area of their talents where they are seriously lacking; they can train however they like, with whomever they like, and have a month to focus and dedicate themselves to improving. At the end of that time, a challenge based around their former weakness is put before them, and they must pass it to advance. Those who fail the test are sent away. If they wish to re-apply, they may do so in two years’ time, at which point a new series of tests will be undergone and a new challenge will be issued.

Those who are accepted are sworn in during a simple ceremony, by the Pilgrims who trained and tested them originally. New members of the order swear never to let their dedication lapse, and take on the features and traits of the Pilgrims as they symbolically cast off their old weaknesses.

**Mien:** The physical sign of the Pilgrims is perfection; in a way, that is often subtly off-putting. A proper Pilgrim has no hairs out of place, no stubble unevenly directed across the skin. Their hands don’t develop calluses and their legs are never too hairy — everything is symmetrical, just developed enough without being ostentatious. Buttons never hang loosely on their shirts and loose threads never dangle from their sweaters. This perfection doesn’t make them look more attractive, however — with most people, in fact, it is faintly disturbing, as though they are just a little too perfect to be real.

Pilgrims have no particular preference when it comes to clothing, aside from a tendency towards the functional — tight collars or long dresses are much less common than comfortable and effective clothing for whatever purposes the Pilgrims want. They often prefer simpler clothes, but this is far from a uniform choice on the order’s part.

**Background:** There are a thousand ways to walk the Endless Road, and the Pilgrims come from every walk of life and every area of focus. However, some things can be said as generalizations about the order. For one, Pilgrims draw from those who believe firmly in the ideals of the Road; lip service to the principles of the Entitlement are not sufficient for entry into the order, nor would someone who managed to make that modicum of effort be satisfied with the position in which she found herself. On the other hand, most of those who will become walkers of the Endless Road have a firm belief in their own superiority that only a few recognize as another failing to work to overcome.

Because the nature of the Endless Road is to overcome one’s weaknesses and confront one’s fears, the majority of its seasonal Court followers hail from the Autumn Court. Its principles of understanding and control resonate well with the concepts that the Pilgrims advance. The other Courts usually find their own emotions get in the way of the Endless Road’s beliefs, and only a few ever seek it out.

There are many pathways to the Endless Road, however, and Pilgrims are as varied in their abilities as in their outlooks. Strong focus on Resistance traits is common, with an emphasis on enduring hardships over bypassing them being common. They also tend to spread out their traits, having several rated at 2 to 4, instead of spending the time required to specialize an Attribute or Skill up to 5. A similar approach is taken to Contracts, with most Pilgrims learning low-level Clauses from a half-dozen sources instead of focusing in one area to the detriment of another. Because Pilgrims are focused on personal growth instead of material gain, they usually have Physical and Mental Merits, rather than Social ones.

Focus on Wyrd tends to run in one of two directions. Some Pilgrims consider Wyrd to be a measure of their personal might, and try to increase it as much as possible. However, most see the weaknesses that appear as Wyrd grows, and are wary of exposing themselves to new risks and problems, regardless of the benefits they might gain. Because of this, it is very rare to see a Pilgrim with a Wyrd rating above 5 — those who do generally raise it as far as they can, as quickly as they can.

Organization: Most of the time, the Pilgrims have no organization to speak of. Their philosophy is an intensely personal one, and their lack of interest in the political sphere as a group prevents them from gathering to use whatever clout they might have gained. Furthermore, there is no need for Pilgrims to gather to accomplish their purpose, and thus it is uncommon for more than a few of them to appear in any given freehold.

At the same time, however, there is a deeply spiritual aspect to their quest, one that any Pilgrim will say is not understood by most of those who surround them. Because of this, the Pilgrims keep in touch with each other. They pass on names and abilities, gossip about new recruits or failed tests, and come to visit one another from one freehold to another. When a Pilgrim indentifies a weakness in herself and seeks to overcome it, the most common trainer she will seek out is another Pilgrim. Similarly, when she is approached by a potential recruit, she will refer him to whatever one of her Brothers or Sisters she feels will best train him, rather than simply trying to do so herself.

In particular, the Pilgrims have yearly gatherings, where every Pilgrim in a region will come together to discuss their progress, what they have learned, and what they seek to advance. They strive against and encourage each other — after all, competition is among the most effective ways to improve. These gatherings will typically hold a dozen or more Pilgrims, from hundreds or even thousands of miles away. These gatherings rotate from freehold to freehold, always in a new place to prevent stasis from setting in, and the exact date varies from year to year. Individual Pilgrims will often go to different meetings in different years, to meet new followers of the Path and learn new ways to approach their endless quest.

Ultimately, however, the Pilgrims remain solitary people by nature, able to converse with each other but equally comfortable spending time training or researching alone. Despite their gatherings and conversations, they keep to themselves, and trust that others won’t waste their time with trivialities when important matters wait to be attended to.

Endless devotion to self-improvement, and disdain for the foibles of others, leaves the Pilgrims an ominous figure to many, and stories about their true purpose abound among those who have heard of them.
* Many of the Pilgrims come to consider humanity itself to be a weakness. They have decided that the Gentry are demonstrably powerful, far more so than mere Lost, and that they should strive to become like them. They are not loyalists, because no Gentry would subordinate themselves to another, but they are something far more dangerous, because they seek to cast off their empathy and mortality to become monstrous gods.
* The Pilgrims, in their endless quests, have uncovered tokens and Hedge fruits that allow them to transcend their mortal limits, becoming ageless and immortal. They keep their newfound powers a secret, leaving their old lives behind as people start to wonder why they aren’t aging, and only allowing the elder members of the order the benefits of the secrets that they have discovered — after all, why give such gifts to those who would only waste them?
* Many of the Pilgrims are willing to go several steps past simple self-improvement in their quest for perfection. They kill Hedge Beasts, and use arcane magics to steal the creatures’ power and add it to their own. Some people say they can even do this to changelings that the Pilgrims feel are wasting abilities that could be better used by others.

### Privileges

The Pilgrims of the Endless Road, upon joining the order, gain access to the support of their colleagues if they choose to seek it out, and most develop low-level Allies or Contacts with their fellow Pilgrims. In addition, the final ordeal and oath of admittance that each Pilgrim swears reshapes her body or mind, granting them the following benefit.

#### The Perfected Body

Upon becoming a Pilgrim, a member of the Endless Road must choose a second kith blessing, which may not be from the same seeming of which the character is a member. As a rule, pilgrims always develop new kiths that balance out their former flaws, especially those that they had to face as part of their final ordeal. For example, a Pilgrim who has focused on physical perfection and who had to train herself to memorize lengthy passages to enter the order may find that her mind sharpens, granting her the Antiquarian or Oracle blessing, while a Pilgrim who has focused on her social capabilities and had to endure punishing pain to enter the order will develop the power of a Broadback or the resilience of a Stonebones.

A character’s second kith will affect her mien, but never to the same degree as her primary kith. If the Storyteller is using any of the optional rules for blended kiths from Winter Masques or Rites of Spring, the kith granted by the Perfected Body does not count towards any maximums imposed by these rules.

# Chageling: The Lost

## A Storytelling Game of Beautiful Madness

Taken from your home, transformed by the power of Faerie, kept as the Others' slave or pet - but your never forgot where your came from. Now you have found your way back through the Thorns to home that is no longer yours. You are Lost. Find yourself.

"Deep into the Darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no moral ever dared to dream before."

We know deep down that the world is a far more terrifying place than we allow our racional acknowlegde.

Best to shut our eyes, pretend it's not there. If we don't see it. It might no see us.

Pretending something is not there, however, does not make it go away.

It only help it to hide better, and predators like to hide from their prey. Lest it be scared away.

It's hard to believe in something we can't see. Maybe they want it that way.

Welcome to the World of Darkness.

Don't just play a game, tell a story...