Pledges
The word-bond carries tremendous weight among the fairies, and even the renegade changelings understand the importance of one’s pledge. An oath is never given lightly, a promise never casually made, for who knows when the Wyrd may entangle those words, tying them to the speaker’s destiny?
Among the many secrets of the Others changelings bore with them when they fled is the understanding of how to entangle words in the Wyrd. This is more than simply a means of making sure both parties uphold their ends of an agreement, however — the art of pledge-craft is an ancient one. Those who uphold their word with honor and forthrightness shall reap rewards of the world; those who fail to do so are punished appropriately.
Types of Pledges
Vows A vow is the most basic sort of pledge-craft. The
changeling simply swears to accomplish some goal or fulfill
some task, outlining what is expected of the other, their
rewards for adhering to their pledges and the curses they
can expect for failing to do so. A vow is invested into the
changeling’s Wyrd.
Oaths An oath involves not simply the declaration of an intention to perform some duty, but the pledge is sworn by one’s true name, on the name of one’s former True Fae captor (if known) or in the name of a higher power the changeling believes in. Failure to adhere to this oath results in an additional penalty, levied by the Wyrd, based on the nature of the oath. No name can bear more than one oath for any given changeling.
• True Name, Obscured: This oath assumes that the changeling still has a fetch that also answers to his name. Swearing an oath on his true name, the changeling invests the power of that pledge into his very name, rather than his Wyrd. Though the changeling’s true name is shared by another, the changeling still have the right to swear oaths by it. Unfortunately, if he breaks this oath, he proves himself unworthy of that name in the eyes of the Wyrd, which strikes him with weakness the next time he encounters his
fetch. He loses any and all resistance to the fetch’s Echoes, and his Defense drops to 0 for the length of the encounter. He also receives a dice pool penalty equal to his Wyrd for the length of the encounter. These limitations last for one scene, and are activated the next time he encounters his fetch in person. The fetch automatically senses the weakness, and knows that his chances to strike are at their best in that moment.
• True Name, Unsullied: The changeling with no fetch must honor his true name above all, for it is tightly bound up now in his Wyrd and honor. Such an oath is invested into his true name, rather than his Wyrd. However, the failure to adhere to an oath sworn on a rightfully recovered true name jangles the threads of fate that tie to that name. In a sudden discordant moment, his Wyrd shatters all Wyrd-invested pledges he currently maintains, and he is penalized as though he’d voluntarily broken all of those pledges. Those who share in those pledges with him are instantly aware that he has violated an oath on his true name, and are likely to be wary dealing with him in the future
• The Name of the Keeper: Rather than investing a pledge into his Wyrd or his own name, a changeling may invest the name of his Keeper with an oath — or rather, he may invest the connection between himself and his former Keeper with the oath. Swearing an oath in the name of one’s former True Fae captor is a dangerous thing. In Arcadia, changelings who swear this oath understand that if they fail to live up to their end, their master will force them to do so, at the ends of a Thorn lash, if necessary. Those changelings who gain their freedom run an even greater risk swearing by the names of their former Keepers, however; violating this oath sends an immediate chord of resonance through the Wyrd, passing through the Hedge and into the Fairest of Lands, immediately alerting the changeling’s former Keeper to the whereabouts of his erstwhile servitor. The former Keeper gains a die bonus equal to the oathbreaker’s Wyrd rating to all rolls that have to do with finding and recovering the changeling. This bonus does not become active immediately; the True Fae may invoke the benefit when he chooses, within the next year and a day, enjoying the bonus for one full scene.
• The Name of a Higher Power: Regardless of what the changeling calls the Divine, he swears an oath by it and his belief in it, investing his honor with his belief. Though this may be the name of a deity or other culturally appropriate spiritual name (such as that of a spirit, ancestor or tradition), the changeling may also simply name a concept
or virtue that he upholds and considers important: Honor, Faith, Justice. Such an oath is literally sworn in the name of the changeling’s faith and belief, investing the pledge into that aspect of his soul, rather than his Wyrd or name. Should this oath be broken, the changeling is immediately
filled with a tremendous sense of despair, losing all current Willpower points. In addition, the next time he must make a roll to avoid losing Clarity, he receives a onedie penalty to this roll — the Fae believe in nothing and faith is a mark of mortals. The spurning of mortal faith is a
trademark of the Others, and can endanger Clarity.
Corporal A pledge sworn with a corporal involves at least one of the parties swearing on a physical symbol of some association. It might be the token of rulership carried by his freehold lord, a token that represents his affiliation with his motley. Ultimately, this can be sworn for any association the changeling bears. These corporals come in one of five varieties: mortal
emblems, seeming emblems, courtly emblems, title emblems and nemesis emblems. As with oaths, the primary use of corporals is in the investment of a pledge into something other than the changeling’s Wyrd. Non-changelings do not receive any additional penalties when forswearing a corporal; the pledge is bound to the emblem sworn on by the changeling
parties only. At any given time, a changeling may have only one of each kind of corporal active and invested.
Mortal Emblem: The symbols of mortal associations are precious things to changelings. These are, in many ways, tangible representations of the changeling’s longing to be human again. Others may consider them silly or frivolous, but they are certainly not. Mortal corporals can be nearly anything: a holy text, the lease for his apartment, a membership card for a nightclub, video rental place, country club or gym or some other similar distinctly mortal establishment. It must be something that he attends or frequents entirely out of mortal interest — the nightclub owned by a local member of the freehold does not qualify. Rather than investing the pledge into his Wyrd or name, the changeling may invest it into his connections with the mortal world. The most powerful emblems are those representing family ties, but few Lost are brave enough to swear on something as precious as a wedding ring… given the risks.
Should he break this corporal pledge, his Wyrd lashes out and works to separate him from the establishment or community. Within the next few days, events fall into place that cause him to be ejected or excluded from the organization. The video rental place closes his account, recording him as owing several hundred dollars, and the system won’t allow him to open another even if he pays it. His landlord finds him in violation of an obscure part of his lease, and ejects him. The preacher from his Bible study group approaches him and suggests that he might be better served with another congregation.
For anyone else, this kind of separation is of little import. But the changeling — who invested the power of his Wyrd in his membership there — can only watch as another connection to his lost humanity crumbles away, leaving him a stranger among mortals. This necessitates a roll to resist losing Clarity; this is a roll made with four dice, regardless of the changeling’s Clarity. This roll receives a –2 dice penalty if the corporal was broken as part of the changeling’s life among the fae, rather than his mortal life: sacrificing mortal concerns in favor of fae ones is a sure path to loss of Clarity. If this pledge was broken fulfilling a Virtue, the changeling’s player gains a +2 bonus to this roll; if the pledge was broken fulfilling a Vice, the roll receives a –2 dice penalty.
Generally, the changeling may only have one mortal corporal active at any given time. However, if the changeling possesses a Merit such as Allies, Contacts, Resources or Status that reflects the mortal institution she is pledging by, she may elect to invest that Merit with the power of this corporal. She may select to do this only once per Merit (or once per dot in Contacts, as appropriate). Thus, the changeling has the potential to swear a mortal corporal once for each appropriate Merit, plus the “free” such slot associated with an aspect of her mortal life not associated with a Merit. Should the changeling break a pledge bound into a Merit, she not only suffers the possibility of losing Clarity, as above, but also loses the Merit entirely (or the dot in Contacts, as appropriate).
Seeming Emblem: The changeling who swears on a seeming corporal swears on something symbolic to himself and his existence as a changeling, swearing an oath on his own nature. Woe to the changeling who breaks such an oath: it is tantamount to forswearing his very fae nature. Such an oathbreaker loses a point of Wyrd immediately. Generally, both parties of a seeming pledge swear on their own emblems, if they are both fae. Changelings with Wyrd 1 cannot swear this particular pledge, as they cannot invest enough of themselves into the corporal.
Courtly Emblem: The changeling who swears on a
courtly emblem swears on something symbolic of his association with one of the changeling Courts, investing the power of the pledge in either his Mantle Merit when swearing by his own Court or his Court Goodwill Merit, when swearing by a Court to which he is aligned. (Lack of the appropriate Mantle or Merit precludes this pledge.) Violating this pledge causes the changeling to immediately lose all his dots in Court Goodwill, or reduces his Mantle rating in half. For the next moon, members of that Court who encounter the oathbreaker immediately sense he has broken faith with that Court, and treat him accordingly.
Title Emblem: A title emblem is invested into a changeling’s entitlement, imbuing his connection with others of his entitlements with the power of the pledge. Violating this pledge causes the changeling to immediately lose the benefits of this entitlement, and sends a ripple of Wyrd through those of his entitlement he meets, marking him as an oathbreaker and betrayer of his entitlement. The mechanical benefits of
his entitlement return when he gains a point of Wyrd, but the esteem of his fellow changelings is broken; traditionally, the entitlement peerage has the right to give the oathbreaker a task to perform — one that upholds the ideals of the entitlement and returns him to their good graces. Such tasks are given out rarely, and never lightly. To offer an oathbreaker amnesty is to suggest that one has less respect for the creed of
the entitlement as well.
Nemesis Pledge: Swearing on the emblem of another changeling, however, binds that changeling as a punisher to the pledge; this role is referred to as the “nemesis” of the pledge, and the would-be nemesis must agree to this role. When the nemesis emblem is sworn, the changeling who has agreed to fulfill this function uses a Contract or other
ability. The oathbreaker suffers the effects of that power, without resistance, per the pishogue sanction of a power equal to the task, below. In addition, the nemesis becomes immediately aware which party has broken the oath.
How to read This:
IF your character takes a pledge this is the Type Of Pledge/ What it is/ specifics
The ancient pact — Take this token, as a sign of our pact. Let our dreams mingle
— I in your sleeping dreams, you in my waking. Friends, then, and beyond friends. Let this token be our pledge in this Ancient Pact. Will you be bound?
— You and me, against the world. Thicker than blood. No matter what, and damn the one who breaks the friendship. The Ancient Pact is the general term for any pledge that binds the fates of a mortal and changeling tightly together. This commitment is considered a very powerful, emotionally charged one, akin to a marriage or becoming blood-brothers. Those of the changeling’s Court are called upon to honor that pledge, as well, acknowledging the importance of the mortal to their fellow. Because of this, the Lost almost never offer the Ancient Pact to a mortal without consulting with their elders in their Court, and those elders almost never acquiesce unless that mortal has performed some deed or rendered aid for the Court. Type: Corporal, Court Token Tasks: Endeavor, Medial (–2, the mortal swears to aid the changeling in any way the mortal needs, provided doing so doesn’t endanger him), Forbiddance, Medial (–2, the mortal swears to never speak of changelings to those who are not changelings or other ensorcelled); Dreaming (–2), Ensorcellment (–2)
Boons: Blessing, Medial (+2, mortal is granted either a three- or four-dot Merit, or a +2 to a Merit he already has), Ensorcellment (+2, mortal); Blessing, Medial (+2, the changeling shares in the mortal’s blessing), Glamour (+2, changeling gains one point of Glamour per day)
Sanction: Curse, Greater (+3, both) Duration: Lifelong (+3) Invocation: 1 Willpower (both) + 1 Willpower dot
Commendation — I swear, by this token of my liege, that I shall be faithful to him, to cause him no harm unjustly and to give of my skills to the best of my ability for the good of the freehold. I shall render up to him the proper homage of Glamour in its proper time, and may I be banished forever from the warmth of his hearth should I be forsworn.
— I swear on this token that I’ll be loyal to this freehold and its master while I benefit from its protection. I agree to render my fair share of Glamour and stand up in defense when needed. The pledge between liege and vassal is the cornerstone of changeling society, forming the bonds between the lord of a freehold and those who acknowledge his sovereignty. The changeling who offers an oath of fealty to a freehold lord offers up his best skills and talents for the benefit of the holding. Type: Corporal, Nemesis Emblem Tasks: Fealty (–3, both) Boons: Vassalage (+3, vassal); Glamour (+2, vassal must render a tithe of Glamour equal to the liege’s Wyrd at some point during the year) Sanction: Banishment (–3, vassal); Poisoning of Boon, Medial (–2, liege must offer up an amount of Glamour equal to what he would have drawn) Duration: Year and a day (+3) Invocation: 1 Willpower (both) + 1 Willpower dot (liege; paid only when he first takes part in an Oath of Fealty as liege)
Good Neighbors Pact — Peace, then, peace between us. On our true names, we unclench our fists and clasp empty, peaceful hands, until the turning of the season. Let he who betrays this oath suffer the powers of the betrayed — enter into this pact truthfully, or not at all. So be it.
— No more bad blood between us. Let’s call a cease-fire, on the basis of our own good names. A whole year and a day without hostilities, and let the guy who breaks this promise get what’s coming to him at the other’s hands. Sometimes referred to as a “gentlemen’s agreement,” this oath is simply a vow to leave one another in peace for the turning of the year. Type: Oath, True Name Tasks: Alliance, Lesser (+0, both) Boons: none Sanction: Vulnerability, Glamour (+3, both) Duration: Year and a day (+3) Invocation: 1 Willpower
The heart’s oath -These are my words to you. In Winter, let me warm you. In Spring, let me sate your passion. In Summer, let me defend you. In Autumn, let me soothe your fears. Let me be your beloved, and you mine, loving you and no other, til the end of my days. I will be true to you, and you to me, never betraying
— by word or deed — our love. Let our hands and hearts be bound, in this, our pledge of love.
— There is not now, and there never will be, anyone for me but you. I swear my undying devotion to you not because it is expected of me, but because I can think of no truer way to express the power of my love. My heart is yours to cherish or to break. Take it, and take me with it, for all the rest of my life. Though lovers often exchange vows to be true to one another, the Heart’s Oath is rarely seen. Tantamount to a marriage, the changelings in question do not seek out another to bind them in love, but choose to do so of their own volition and Wyrd. The Wyrd blesses such strong unions with prosperity and increased ability to face their difficulties (with the adroitness boon often granting bonuses to Empathy or Expression), but a terrible curse and unraveling of fortunes awaits those who break these vows. Vernal Motleys Interestingly, the Heart’s Oath has been used to seal a compact of love between more than two changelings at the same time. Sometimes referred to as “vernal motleys,” some groups of changelings do not gather to pursue common agendas, hone mutual skills or for any of the other reasons many motleys form. Instead, vernal motleys form when changelings find themselves in love with one another. Type: Vow Tasks: Alliance, Medial (–2, both), Forbiddance (–2,
both, to never betray their love by word or deed) Boons: Blessing, Greater (+3, both), Adroitness (+1, both) Sanction: Poisoning of Boon (–3, both) Duration: Lifelong (+3) Invocation: 1 Willpower + 1 Willpower dot
The knight’s oath — On bended knee, I swear to protect my liege and freehold, to serve the good of both, though it may cost me my life. I shall serve faithfully and with honor, for the span of ten years. I give my oath, by this symbol of my standing in the Court of [Name], to hold this oath, lest death claim me. May my fellows shun me if I prove false.
— I swear my services as a soldier of the freehold, on this badge of my honor. I swear to be faithful, brave and strong, by sword or by bullet, in wilderness or street, in fire and in ice. Quite a bit more complex than the simple commendation pledge is the knight’s oath. Where the commendation is equivalent to simply joining the populace of a freehold, this oath is an oath to lay down life and limb for the good of the liege and freehold. The liege’s requirements are relatively minor, in comparison — though he holds the fealty of the Knight, as the liege does with any other in his freehold, the Knight owes him far more than he owes the Knight, by the terms of the pledge. In return for this sacrifice, however, the Knight reaps tremendous rewards, gaining Glamour from his lord at least once a month, as well as a skill at arms or any other talent for which the liege is accepting him as Knight — there are Knights who serve as computer hackers, skilled drivers and spokesmen on behalf of their lords. Type: Corporal, Courtly Emblem Tasks: Endeavor, Greater (–3, Knight swears to protect Tasks: Endeavor, Greater (–3, Knight swears to protect Boons: Glamour (+2, Knight receives Glamour from liege), Adroitness (+1, Knight receives benefit in a combat ability), Vassalage (+3, Knight); Blessing, Lesser (+1, liege) Sanction: Death (–3); Curse, Lesser (–1, liege) Duration: Decade (+3) or, in some cases, Lifelong (+3) Invocation: 1 Willpower (+1 Willpower dot if the oath is sworn at Lifelong duration)
The motley pledge — Hand to hand we stand, and side by side. Though my brother and I may quarrel, none may quarrel with my brother and not quarrel with me. This is my oath: friendship, assistance and the blessings that come of both, until the year has spun anew. May our prosperity desert us, and our talents fail us, should we break this vow of brotherhood.
— We had our families taken from us, but now we’re family, bound by more than blood. I swear to stand by each of you as you swear to stand by me, for a year and a day, and accepting all curses that may fall on me if I lie. Though not all motleys use this motley pledge this is perhaps the most commonly sworn pledge to bind motleys together. Of course, those who break this pledge not only lose the blessings of the motley, but suffer a loss of their own personal ability for a time — in stepping away from the motley and its preferred focus, the oathbreaker sacrifices some of her own ability and skill. To turn her back on her motley is to turn her back on the things the motley embraces. Type: Vow Tasks: Alliance, Greater (–3, all) Boons: Adroitness (+1, all), Blessing, Medial (+2, all) Boons: Adroitness (+1, all), Blessing, Medial (+2, all) Duration: Year and a day (+3) Invocation: 1 Willpower (all)
Oath of the rose and thorn — By my true name, I grant you sight for one moon. See the things of dream and wonder with eyes opened like the blossom of the rose. By your true name, you grant me the right to ask a boon, within the cycle of that moon. Swear that you shall grant it to me, so long as it does not bring you harm. Swear that you will keep this knowledge beneath the rose. And let he who is forsworn in this wake to find the thorns of this oath in him. Madness and ill luck follow you if you are false; I shall grant thee a boon, and be followed by misfortune should I prove false. Do you agree?
— Are you sure you want to see what’s on the other side? Be sure. Say yes, and I’ll show you the way to the people who’ve hidden themselves from you all along. You’ll get one moon, one month. But be sure. Swear it on your name that you won’t tell anyone else, or you’ll wish you’d never met me. The lovely, willowy woman gives her paramour a rose. She offers to tell him a secret, but he must keep that secret. He swears, and she swears, and they both p***k their thumbs on the rose, and let a single drop of blood fall on the already red petals. When he looks up, his lady-love is a creature of dappled sunlight through willow branches, her dreadlocks transformed into long, whip-like branches swaying in the breeze, and her eyes are the deep green of forest moss. Perhaps one of the oldest known pledges among changelings worldwide, the Oath of Rose and Thorn is used when introducing a mortal to the world of the fae. This oath is a short-term ensorcellment, meant to grant the Sight to mortals without demanding too much of them in return, save silence and the willingness to do a favor for the changeling who granted him such wondrous visions. The rose is used as a reminder — and a symbolic enforcer — that what he sees and learns are to be kept sub rosa. Type: Oath, True Name Tasks: Forbiddance, Medial (–2, mortal must not reveal the changeling’s true nature to anyone, or reveal anything of the fae world); Ensorcellment (–2, changeling) Boons: Ensorcellment (+2, of the mortal); Favor, Medial (+2, generally used immediately, with the changeling asking medial alliance of the mortal) Sanction: Poisoning of Boon, Medial (–2, both) Duration: Moon (+2) Invocation: 1 Willpower (both) + 1 Glamour (changeling)
Pledge of horn and bone — By this token of my wayward self, I’ll stand at the Gates of Dream. To my right, the Tower of Horn. To my left, the Tower of Bone. I shall grant you safe dreams, fine dreams, wonderful dreams. You shall grant me a sip of those dreams, to tide me well for the night. What say you?
— Go ahead and sleep. I promise you’ll rest easy. Even when you’re dreaming, I’ll watch over you. Your pleasant dreams are all the reward I need. One of the simplest of pledges, the Pledge of Horn and Bone is simply an oath to protect the dreams of a mortal. There is little expectation of the oneiropomp himself crafted into the pledge save silence about the mortal’s dreams, however — there is no endeavor task assumed above. Every evening that the changeling enters the dreams of the mortal and works to make them calm, pleasant and safe from fae incursion, the oneiropomp emerges from the dreamscape and gains a point of Glamour. Type: Corporal, Personal Emblem Tasks: Dreaming (–2, changeling), Forbiddance, Medial (–2, changeling may not speak of what he sees in the mortal’s dreams to another) Boons: Glamour (+2, changeling) Sanction: None Duration: Moon or Season (+2) Invocation: 1 Willpower
The reaper’s pledge — Let our prosperity be joined. The sweat of my brow shall be your riches; the depth of your gratitude shall be my power. For one week, this is our vow. May thy wealth dry up if you are untrue; may fortune rise against me if I am. This we swear.
— A favor for a favor. I’ll get things done for you this week, you just give me a little something to indicate we’re still friends. If you can’t do that much, then you’ll be all the poorer. Whether a brownie cleaning a house in exchange for a dish of milk, a fieldling who promises to guard the flock from wolves in exchange for a bit of bread and honey each night, or a harmless-seeming old neighborhood fixture offering to keep the street clean in exchange for a beer, the synergy between mortals and the fae provides sweet Glamour. In return for performing some task on behalf of the mortal, the changeling asks for some token gift easily within the ability of the mortal to pay. It isn’t the token that is important, but the Glamour that comes of the deal. Capturing the imagination and sense of wonder involved in these deals with mortals reaps a sweet Glamour that tastes of Spring and innocence. For each day that the changeling performs the agreed-upon task during the duration of the pledge, he gains a point of Glamour when he takes up the mortal’s token. Type: Vow Tasks: Endeavor, Medial (–2, changeling performs one task that contributes to the prosperity of the mortal); Endeavor, Lesser – 1, mortal must set out or otherwise give the changeling a token of appreciation) Boons: Glamour (+2, changeling gains one point of Glamour per day of performing the task); Blessing, Lesser (+1, mortal gains +1 Resources) Sanction: Curse, Lesser (–1); Poisoning of Boon, Lesser (–1, the changeling performs the task and the mortal fails to set out the token, his Resources are reduced by 1) Duration: Week (+1) Invocation: 1 Willpower
