House Beaumayn: Crusaders by Destiny Doomed

Prophecies Long Past

To: [Names withheld]

From: [Sender withheld]

Subject: Household History

Brendan here. Included are the long-awaited reconstructed scans of the text of the Marvejols Script. I'm very pleased with the quality of the reproductions, considering the amount of translation it took to work this into modern English. Everything else was re-created as authentically as possible, however, so what you see is what you'd actually be looking at, provided you could read archaic French, that is. Remember to send thanks to Dame Lillian next time you see her; without her efforts, it'd still be under a hill in France, and we'd all be missing a vital part of our own history. It's hard enough to do what we do even with these words, but without them, life would be simply unbearable. So read, learn, enjoy, and remember where we came from and why we're here.

-Count Brendan Beaumayn

The Mythic Age

From the Marvejols Script

We who have always been began in glorious times, when the realms were still hot from the fires of the forge and the world itself could be shaped by little more than imagination. Even in the early days, word spread far and wide of the rise of Gwydion the Grey and his band of noble warriors, who brought order and justice to ands where there were none. On one of the very first journeys Gwydion and his entourage made, they came across a village of mortals slaughtering another village, putting women and children to the sword and burning the buildings of their enemies with whole families trapped inside. What amazed Gwydion, though, was that a sidhe warrior was watching the destruction from a nearby hilltop, weeping as though his heart would burst and yet making no effort to stop the carnage. Thinking him a coward, Gwydion's band made to ride past him and save who they could, but at the sound of their approach the young noblesprang to his feet and blocked their path.

Gwydion was outraged. "What manner of warrior do you call yourself, that you can watch the slaughter of innocents and yet do nothing but weep?"

At this, the young sidhe drew himself up nobly, his eyes flashing wih light like twin moons riding over a haunted moor, his words ringng with distant thunder. "I am the warrior Jalendrel, strange lord, and I am no coward, but weep only for the knowledge that it was destined to be thus." He raised his blade, and the assembled nobles saw that one of his hands was twisted nd blackened, as if by flame. "Know this: Neither you nor I nor any of your knights may change that, on te pain of my life, else the greater evil be served."

"What greater evil is there than the deaths of innocents while warriors stand by and do nothing?" Gwydion asked.

"The greater evil, strange lord," responded Jalendrel, neither voice nor sword wavering before themightiest sidhe the world had yet seen, "is that a good man should act at all, if he knows his actions would serve only to advance a wicked design further."

Before the puzzled lord could respond, a terrible monster leapt out of the flames of the burning village, its ancient lair at alst uncovered by the destruction around it. Roaring fire and dripping poison from its jaws, the ferocious creature began striking down attackers and defenders alike in itsrage. Gwydion and his followers fell back, dazzled, but Jalendrel prepared and averted his eyes in time. He then fell upon the monster with equally savage fury, wielding his great sword one handed as he hacked into the beast's stony hide. Round and round they dueled, with blood spilling from both combatants, but in the end the young warrior prevailed and slew the monster with a final, tremendous thrust through its heart.

At once, the fascination that had falledn over Gwydion and his soldiers was broken, and they gave a cry of triumph as they rushed to Jalendrel's side. Their joy was muted, however, when they found him weeping once more. "You have slain the beast, noble sir, and for that you should be proud, for if you had not lain in wait for it as you did, a monster such as that one would have taken ten thousand innocent lives rather than just the population of this humble village."

Jalendrel raised his head at this, and the sunset light of his eyes washed over Gwydion in a wave of grief. Yet his words were calm and measured as he replied, "That is true, strange lord, but the folk of this humble village were my kin. If others have been saved by my actions, I must carry to my death the knowledge that my family's lives were the coin this victory was paid in. The future has alwas been my curse," he whispered, 'for though I see what must come to pass, with that ability comes the knowledge that I am sometimes powerless to stop things from happening so." Mustering the last of his will, he raised his blackened hand. "I tried once beofre, and earned this for my folly, for it was not the destined time to slay the beast, and I knew it." With that, he slipped to the ground, mingling his essence with the blood and ashes.

Moved by such devotion to duty, Gwydion summoned his greatest healers, who used their magic to restore the noble young warrior to health; only his hand, burned by the fire of the beast long ago, could not be saved. Gwydion welcomed his company, and in time Jalendrel the Good Handed became one of the greatest knights of the age, renowned not only for his courage and strength at arms, but also his compassion for the common folk, mortal and fae. When he at last passed into the Dreaming, a shower of stars fell from the sky in homage, and blue flowers bloomed where they blasted the earth away. To this day, it is said among the wise peoples of the world that when the blue flowers bloom once more, Jalendrel will rise again and lead his house against the evils his prophecies foretold long ago.

The Sundering

Like the nobles of House Liam, whose lands we frequently shared, we grew attached to the mortals around us, as much in tribute to the regard Jalendrel had given them as our own fascination with their preciousness. Our reputation among the faerie waxed as well. We were known as great seers, more trustworthy than the snakes of Eiluned. Our skills in the field were valued as well. Whenever the knights of Gwydion rode into battle, you would find members of our house charging by their side. So when the Sundering arrived and the First Crusade soon followed, it was only natural that our highest nobles asked leave of House Gwydion to go with our mortal allies on their quest, in hopes of finding some help for the faerie realms as well. Since we had long served the Shining Host with great distinction, and the lords and ladies of the fae courts proved eager to remedy the spread of Banality, our request was granted. Duke Geremin's force was seen off with much ceremony and celebration, but it was the last time our house would be gathered.... until our trial.

The Shattering

House Beaumayn was further devastated when an oathcircle of Harbingers of Exodus were discovered while returning from a small outpost near Antioch in the Holy Land. They bore a load of cold iron weapons and scrolls inscribed with many hideous rituals involving faerie sacrifice and other foul practices; the names in their wicked books included some of the highest of our house. Accordingly, a great tribunal of the faerie lords was called and our entire house put on trial. They accused half of the house of condoning these hideous experiments and the other half of covering the tracks of their kin while they committed their dark deeds. What could be done? Our lips were sealed by the oath of the brothers, so we accepted their insults and condemnations in stoic silence. They would not understand the agony it was to watch as our brothers went mad at their iron forges, the pain of doing battle with our own kin even as we fought the minions of evil without, and so they judged us all guilty of the crimes of a few

The judgment for our treason is thus: the nobles are to be imprisoned in the dungeons of Arcadia, and the commoners who stood by us are condemned to death. So heinous have our crimes been judged that our standard is to be stricken from all halls, and a great ritual known as the Caul of Silence has been enacted by the Eiluned, removing all memory of our existence from the minds of those outside Arcadia's gates. We ahve been given a season - under guard - to set our affairs right, and then we will be marched to our waiting cells, there to remain indefinitely. I can hear the dark ones laughing....

We have given them nothing but the truth, and they reward us with oblivion.

Geremin's Heresy

As you may have noticed, there's a significant omission in the manuscript - namely, the original text of the legend of Duke Geremin. Good news: We actually do have the original text of the legend. Bad news: Unfortunately for everyone concerned, the pages have deteriorated badly, much worse than the rest of the manuscript. Given the fragile and fragmentary nature of the pages, I didn't want to expose them to the scanner, so I've enclosed a summary below. Read it carefully, though, because it goes to the heart of our House's feud.

Duke Geremin was a popular leader at the time of the First Crusade. Unlike many members of our house, he was charismatic and outgoing and a brave warrior, passionate lover and cunning courtier all at once. During the Crusade, Duke Geremin fell in love with Zubaidah, an eshu princess. Their love was cut short with a cold iron blade, however, and the duke went mad with grief after her death, descending into deep depression and uttering horribe prophecies to any who would listen, until one nihgt when he simply disappeared. Accusations of a murderous conspiracy began to circulate in his absence, and the eshu caliphate had no choice but to heed the will of their subjects and declare war on the Beaumayn host in their midst, leaving only a few survivors to return with the tale. But that is not quite the end of the tale - not yet.

Two hundred years later, Duke Geremin reappeared in the household of two sidhe brothers, the highest lords of our house at the time. Swearing them to secrecy, he told the brothers his tale. Consumed by grief, he had wandered until finally he found himself at the edge of a strange realm, a grey trail winding through a silver forest, where a blinding light as if from a rising sun came through the trees. While he watched, Zubaidah came out of the light, smiling broadly. After a moment it became obvious that neither could cross the threshold of the land, and the Duke pleaded with her to explain what had happened, how she had escaped the iron's curse. In reply she told him that iron is not the end of our souls; as the essence of everything we oppose, iron burns away the impurities we acquire through our contact with the human world, leaving only our true faerie nature behind to begin a new journey.

She then told him that he must find the Iron Road, the path she traveled to reach that forest, and guard it, for it is the one way that will always offer true passage here. Second, she said that as its painfulness increases, fewer will take the iron willingly, so he was to gather those of his line who were worthy and train them in special rites so that they would be able to show others the way and give the worthy the release of paradise. Duke Geremin told the brothers that they must not speak of this toanyone not of our blood, for, as with all the futures we speak of, none would believe us until it came to pass, and in the meantime we would be hunted and abused.

If his instructions were not undertaken, the duke warned, the Dreaming would continue to wither and weaken until there came a time when a dark star shone in the sky. Under its light, the Fomorians would rise from the depths of the Dreaming once again, send the host of the Thallain before them and sweep the Kithain from the Earth and into the chill oblivion of Winter. So saying, he pulled a cold iron knife and killed himself, a contented smile on his face.

The Brothers' War

Even there it doesn't end. The two brothers immediately began to argue over what Geremin had told them. The younger held that it was all in keeping with the increasingly dark nature of he visions that house members were receiving, and that it was a matter of blood loyalty that they should carry out a hero's last request. The elder was suspicious of such a neat tale of paradise and believed that sinister forces were trying to manipulate their visionary gifts into bringing disaster on the Dreaming. Before long the argument fell into outright hostility as each tried convince the other of the rightness of his actions, and soon the house was split into two factions. Both sides were still bound by their vow of secrecy from revealing the heresy to those outisde the house, however, and so they began a shadow war instead, pitting kin against kin in a struggle that lasted until the time of the Shattering.

Imprisonment

The manuscript ends there, presumably because the author hid it before the sentence wascarried out. It's not a really big problem, though, all of us remember our imprisonment only too well. Shame. Anger. Isolation. Helplessness like nothing you've ever known. Oh, we were treated well - we were still sidhe, after all - but cozy prisoners are prisoners just the same. So while the world turned and the ages rose and fell, we remained the same, pacing our cells and muttering our portents to ourselves. The injustice of being caged while the real enemies of the Dreaming walked free scarred many of us deeply, but we endured. We kept hope alive by planning for the day when we would be called ot duty once more. We knew it would come and dreaded and anticipated it all at once, for we knew all too well that the price of our freedom would be high indeed for the fae.

The Resurgence

During the Resurgence, we watched helplessly as the Arcadians sent the other houses back to Earth, ostensibly to combat the spread of Banality, but in fact because their ship of paradise was sinking and they sought to bail out as much as they could. Meanwhile, the cause of that Dreaming's sickness, namely the stirring of the slumbering Fomorians, continud on because the Arcadians could not bring themselves to admit that they had been wrong. They sent the others with little mor than hazy pride and ill-defined goals, and we could do nothing but watch, sick with anger and despair, as they nobly went back to the world and fought the wrong fight. Those were the worst years of all the centuries of imprisonment - the years we spent listening to their confused cries and smelling the smoke of their useless wars.

Jalendrel's Code

Honor the Future and remember its secrets.
- Ignoring our gifts of prophecy is denying what you are. You must honor and record all your visions and omens, no matter how terrible they may be, and warn others of our house when you see dire events on the horizon.
Do not burden others with the Future lest it break them.
- Many others think knowledge of the future would solve all their problems, but the truth is that it usually only makes them worse. After all, do you really want to know whether you and your love are meant to be, or what day you're going to die? Others are seldom ready for all the consequences accepting a prophecy entails. Do not share your visions to those not of our house unless there is great need to do so.
Accept your destiny and leave others to theirs
- This applies to both the good and the bad we see; while we must fight to change what we can, there are some visions even we cannot alter, some events too great for one fae to master. When the future is in your grasp, learning when not to act is as important as learning when to take action, if not more so.

Dark Star Ascendant?

Just before the century's end, word came of the light of a dark star and the return of the Thallain, and not even the Arcadians could deny that such news foretold the imminent return of their ancient enemies, just as we predicted it would. Not that we were shown any gratitude, of course - as one, we were brought before the lords and ladies and given a new charge. We were to travel back to Earth and battle the Thallain and other agents of the Fomroians wherever we found them, to bring unity to the Seelie forces and weed out the agents of true corruption from the Unseelie ranks. They said that upon completing these deeds, we would clear the name of House Beaumayn at last. They acted as though they were doing us a great favor instead of simply using us as the cannon fodder against the enemies they themselves were unwilling to face. So saying, they freed us from our chains and sent us back to the waking world, all the while acting as if we were their champions instead of their chattel.

But that's beside the point, really. Just as we knew the Fomorians would return one day, so too did we know we'd be the ones called to lead hte charge. It might very well destroy us, but as Jalendrel came to understand with his own village, we must accept that cost if it means destroying the greater evil. So it was foretold; so shall we uphold!

Society

Apologetic warrior, chalk one up for the visitors

Casting fearsome light into the shadows of midnight -

To the underground we descend

With our whole generation to defend

- O.C. Supertones, "Unite"

It is often very difficult for us to get along in moddern fae society - there have been so many changes since our imprisonment! The mortal world alone is intimidating, though I'm here as proof that these strange devices can be conquered (if not always understood). It doesn't get much easier when you add that to the fact that we represent the return of a house long ago disgraced and stripped of its rights, even of the memory of its existence. Still, we endure because we must.

The Beaumayn Blazon

Unseen for all the time of our imprisonment, our blazon depicts a purple star against a black background. Though not correct according to the later heraldic customs, our house blazon was created before such laws became the rule. Thus, our unusual blazon depicts our house quite well, as we ourselves exist outside the fae norms. This dark star is both our beacon and our burden, calling us to witness the coming of Endless Winter and to battle those who bring it to the Autumn World and the Dreaming The Seelie Court

It would be nice if the Seelie Court members made more of an effort to understand us rather than simply pointing their fingers and bringing up the tribunal every time we show our standard. Of those who can cast off the Caul of Silence and remember that we exist, most don't seem to grasp our history very well. If anything, we were too Seelie in the old days, not the reverse. We held our tongues because we knew it was the only way we could properly serve our lords, not because we wished to keep anything from them. A thin line, but still, there's one part about the equation that they never quite understood, no matter how hard they might have tried: They dont see what we see. If they did, even for just one day, they wouldn't be so quick to judge us. Instead, they come to us for counsel expecting a glimpse of the future to solve all of their problems, then get angry or turn deaf ears to our words when we tell them exactly what does lie in store. It's so frustrating!

But the Seelie have to be saved from themselves if the Kithain are to survive the Winter, and we've been chosen as the ones to do it. Never forget that. No one says it's oging to be easy, or even that we'll survive to see the outcome; there are some things even our greatest oracles cannot predict, after all. But we must do it just the same, though it cost us everything. It is our way.

The Unseelie Court

Few of our house pledge allegiance to the Unseelie Court, and most of those who do only join its ranks temporarily, usually as the result of a fit of depression brought on by a particularly troubling vision. Others may succumb to their Unseelie nature in reaction to the jests and persecution of other houses, letting their bitterness get the better of their judgment. Some others fall when they realize that the future is not only disturbing but inevitable as well. A few - very, very few - embrace their Unseelie nature willingly, using their talent for divination to gain advantage in everything from finance to warfare, sometimes even selling their skills to those willing to pay handsomely for a glimpse of their future. They are a small minority, though, and a hunted one as well; we do not tolerate those who would abuse mortals and abandon their duties to the Dreaming.

The Shadow Court

We alone never doubted its existence for a moment, for we saw its shadows swirling around the foulest deeds in Kithain history long before the other houses even knew of the Shadow Court, but as has happened too often in our history, no one listened to us. We did what we could to root it out and destroy it wherever we could, but ultimately we were forced to watch as the Shadow Court steadily grew in power, reaching its claws into everything from mortal wars to Kithain politics. Worse still, we saw its master plan unfolding - the release of their Fomorian allies - and still could do nothing to stop it. The Shadow Court was simply too big for us to fight alone, and the few other fae we did manage to convince of its existence weren't enough to sem the tide. I'm ashamed to admit to such a failure, but in our defense, we did all we could. At least now more of the other nobles seem willing to believe that the Court exists and is a real threat, rather than just a puppet counsel presiding over every Samhain. If only they would act!

Factions

The vast majority of the house emulates Brandell, the elder brother, in following the Code of Jalendrel. We believe that our gifts of prophecy should be guarded carefully lest they be abused by those who don't understand, and we offer guidance only when we feel out audience is ready to accept the consequences of that knowledge. The current chaos is the work of sinister forces seeking to divide the Kithain so that they are easy prey when the Fomorians cross back into this world. We do our best to bring harmony and understanding to embattled fae on all sides of the conflict, as well as to banish the dark creatures of the Dreaming wherever we find them. Above all, we strive to uphold the Escheat and the Seelie Court, cleanse the ranks of the Unseelie, do battle with the forces of the Shadow Court and guide all fae to a new, unified Spring.

Harbingers of Exodus

Some of our benighted kin follow the teachings of Markesh, the younger brother, who taught the heresy of Duke Geremin as gospel to all the fae of our house (and some others as well, I'm ashamed to admit). Under the leadership of Lord Vandermere, their main goals seem to be to locate and map out the lost Iron Road trod, then to reconstruct the rituals of cold iron that will allow them to set faerie souls on the path of the Exodus they seek. They are supremely dangerous enemies, for they share our gifts for prophecy, remember much of the time before the Shattering, and, most terrifyingly of all, they have few qualms about using cold iron on their enemies, since they see it as granting "salvation" to the target's soul! Remember, though, that we are still bound by the ancient oath of the brothers to keep this conflict within our house alone; the Harbingers are our problem, and we must deal with them on our own.

It is also important to note that while the few of our house who choose to remail Unseelie make up a number of the Harbingers' ranks, most of its members are all too Seelie in their outlook. They truly believe they are doing what must be done to save the fae race, and if the means they must employ seem hideous, it's only because the truth is usually ahrd to endure. Twisted logic, yes, but their logic just the same. Remember that before you cast them all as wicked, heartless villains.

House Boon

All members of House Beaumayn are natural prophets - glimpses of possible futures regularly come to them during dreams and meditation, These visions are often quite cryptic, although the changeling may attempt to decipher them with a successful Intelligence + Greymare roll (difficulty 8). Remember, however, that no matter how well understood they might be, they are still only possible futures and may not necessarily come to pass. Obviously, these prophecies are the province of the Storyteller, who decides both when and how they appear. When in dire need, however, the Beaumayn may attempt to "bring on" a vision by meditating for several minutes, spending a willpower point and rolling her Glamour against a difficulty of 11 minus her Remembrance score. One must be careful not to invoke this Boon too often in this fashion, however, or else the threads of probability become tangled, the Dreaming is upset and the visions the character receives become increasingly inaccurate, perhaps even dangerously so!

In addition, due to their relatively fresh memories of Arcadia and their imprisonment, all Beaumayn sidhe receive Remembrance 1 for free during character creation.

House Flaw

The unswerving dedicaiton and gifts of prophecy of House Beaumayn have long been a thorn in the side of the Shadow Court and its dark masters. Now with the return of the Fomorians so perilously close to success, the efforts of House Beaumayn pose a bigger threat than ever. Worse, Shadow Court members, those creatures of darkness, cn sense the fires of the dark star that burn within house members. Thallain and Shadow Court fae can generally sense when Beaumayn nobles are in the area (Perception + Kenning, difficulty 7), which naturally leads to all sorts of conflicts and story hooks. This doesn't mean they can automatically detect hidden or invisible Beaumayn nobles. Nor should they all try to maul the character on sight - after all, some of the most sadistic methods of inflicting harm are mental or emotional - but they will do their best to make the Beaumayn's life miserable once they discover her identity.

Additionally, because of the infamy surrounding their imprisonment, when their true lineage is known Beaumayn sidhe suffer a +2 difficulty on all Social rolls with sidhe of houses other than Liam or Fiona.

Merits and Flaws

Here are some merits and flaws of members of House Beaumayn. While not absolutely exclusive to Beaumayn sidhe, these traits so define the house that Storytellers should consider carefully before allowing any other fae to possess them.

Psychological

Fortune's Fool (4-Point Flaw)

All House Beaumayn sidhe must bear the weight of future events; a character with this Flaw, however, believes for one reason or another that she cannot affect the future she sees. She might think it is a judgement from her particular deity, believe in predestination, or simply be a very fatalistic soul, but whatever the reason, she believes that events she sees in her visions are inevitable and cannot bring herself to act in ways that would alter the outcome. After what's the point? Even if a vision is later proved false, the character simply rationalizes it somehow (I must have seen it wrong) or even believes that some greater misfortune will befall her the others responsible for "interfering" with the true course of events.

Any actions whose success might directly lead to contradicting a vision the character has had are at +2 difficulty, and actually initiating a plan to prevent a foreseen occurence requires the Beaumayn to spend a point of Willpower.

Supernatural

Melody of Days to Come (2-Point Merit/3-Point Flaw)

A character with this Merit has an affinity for a particular type of vision and finds it easier to receive auguries related to such subjects. This affinity is typically a particular theme, emotion or event, although a certain person or persons close to the character are also possible with the Storyteller's permission. One sidhe might constantly see visions of future battles, another could dream of romances yet to come, and so on. All difficulties to consciously "bring on" such omens are at -2 difficulty (minimum 3), and in general they will occur more often than other types of visions. This Merit may be purchased only once without express Storyteller permission - it is very rare to have such control over precognition, let alone specialization.

When this affinity is taken as a Flaw, the character receives no bonuses for bringing on visions and must also choose a specific motif. However, she can receive visions regarding that particular object or theme only, thus narrowing the scope of her gift considerably.

Burning Gaze (3-Point Merit)

Beaumayn with this Merit are especially attuned to the presence of their ancient enemies, the Thallain, and can even detect members of the Unseelie Houses or minions of the Shadow Court with close enough scrutiny. The character must concentrate for a turn, then make a Perception + Gremayre roll (difficulty 6 for Thallain, 8 for Unseelie House or Shadow Court fae). Success means the Beaumayn sees such fae for who they truly are. This Merit may even detect those fae if they are hidden or disguised, although the character must score more successes than the hidden character and must succeed at a difficulty 1 point higher than normal. While this Merit is active, the character's eyes burn with the purple fire of the dark star, a sure giveaway for those who know the mark of this house.

Other Common Merits/Flaws

Several Merits and Flaws seem particularaly suited to characters from house Beaumayn. These are the following: Art Affinity (Soothsay), Bard's Tongue, Iron Resistance (Harbingers of Exodus), Geas, Code of Honor (Jalendrel's Code), Dark Fate, Higher Purpose, Enemy, Concentration, Nightmares, and Eidetic Memory.

Oaths of House Beaumayn

Like all sidhe, we take our oaths seriously; unrepentant oath breakers are run from the house without delay. Given our unique gifts, it's not surprising that we have some unique oaths as well, known only to members of this house and those who swear service to it.

Oath of the Dark Star

This day I swear loyalty to the Book and the Blade, to the future that is my destiny, the present that is my duty and the past that is my treasure. I swear loyalty to the members and goals of House Beaumayn, and may the dreams of the damned haunt my mind should I ever break this trust. As the dark star burns above, so does my heart burn in service to thee.

Unlike most others of our kind, both sidhe and commoners swear the same oath upon joining the house - in the eyes of the future, all are the same. Those who willingly betray this oath immediately gain the Flaw of Nightmares, which lasts for twice as long as they served the house.

Oath of the Foretelling

As the Dreaming is my witness, so shall I speak the truth of what I see and nothing else. I shall not close my eyes to any image, nor bend any sound to suit my ears, nor twist my words to shape anything other than the entire truth. May the flames of the dark star consume me if my account is anything but pure.

Obviously, this oath was designed to convince skeptical audiences that a Beaumayn is speaking truly, and it is now traditionally sworn before imparting any inportant visions to others. A character swearing this oath regains 1 point of Willpower but suffers 2 unsoakable levels of lethal damage if it is broken. Additionally, the chimerical tattoo of a dark purple star appears on the offender's forehead, clearly visible, and remains there until some great atonement is made.

Fostering

Our fosterage is painfully short these days, and the actual fostering process is fairly straightforward - none of this fighting and riddling of the other houses for us. We know our children by the touch of the future on them, and so the newcomer is asked to share all dreams, visions and other omens they've received in their lives. If their blood is true, at least one of these centered around a dark star, always one they feel is significant enough to mention, and that's all the proof we need. After that, new house members swear an oath of loyalty and are told about house history, Geremin's Heresy, the Caul of Silence, the Brother's War and anything else their tutor cfeels they need to know. Simple but effective in these lean times.

Relations with Other Houses

Most of the other Sidhe don't remember us very well yet, which is probably for the best, because if they're anything like their ancestors (and I'll bet they are), it's not going to be pleasant when they do.

House Gwydion

House Gwydion members treat us worse than any of the other houses when they uncover us, and that hurts much more because they used to be so close to us. We were the voices who guided their proclamations, the blades that guarded their backs in battle, and what thanks did we get? Never mind that half of our house submitted to their justice willingly, even helped track down our own kin because we knew it was the right thing to do. We didn't tell them the secrets they weren't ready for or betray our own kin fast enough, and for those "crimes" we were labeled traitors and thrown in the deepest dungeons they could find. I wish I could say we got some satisfaction when they in turn were exiled, but we couldn't. True to our blood, we knew it was just one more step of the dark design that's close to overwhelming both worlds. Why couldn't they have just listened to us before?

Hurt their pride and they'll hurt you bad, and that's all there is to it with these tarnished monarchs. Someday maybe they'll come to their senses and remember why Gwydion the Grey once counted Jalendrel the Good Handed as his closest lieutenant, but until then, avoid them. They're nothing but trouble.

House Liam

Our poor cousins have suffered so much, and not a little for the devotion they demonstrated toward us during our time of need. If there's anything the other houses really hate, it's being shown up, and their grace and compassion went a long way to doing that when everyone else had their high Inquisitor's robes on and were ready to start a big Beaumayn bonfire. After we were gone, there was no one left to stand up for them and, well, you've seen what the others did to them in our absence. We have to wake up our cousins, tear the Caul of Silence and remind them of the greatness they used to embody; maybe then they'll reassume their rightful place as the conscience of the Shining Host. Avenge the slights that are done to them as best you can and always aid them when they call - we owe them no less.

House Eliuned

The Gwydion respected us, and that was fine, but these sorcerers always seemed a little too friendly, if you know what I mean. They didn't like it when the same circles that turned them away welcomed us. They could never seem to accept the fact that our prophetic abilities are an inherited trait and not some kind of hidden Art. More than once they tried to pry our "secret" from us with wine or warfare. If they knew what they were really asking for, though, they would have turned even whiter than normal and vanished that instant. Just because you can see the future doesn't mean you want to, especially when you can't always control your "gift".

House Fiona

These fearless lovers and warriors also shared our lands in ancient times and were long the opposite side to our coin: Where we were brooding and intense, they were merry and foolhardy; while we spoke prophecy, they matched us with poetry. They never heeded our advice and loved the battle itself more than fighting the real enemies behind their troubles. Still, they never cared a whit for what the other houses thought of us, and they alone stood with Liam in our defense, despite the objections of the others. They also did well by the commoners in their domain, a tradition they keep alive even to day. When they returned they took over most of our old lands and managed them well, and for that we owe them our gratitude.

House Dougal

When our house was brought to the tribunal, no one in House Dougal lifted a finger in our defense. Then again, when it was time to reach a verdict, none of the Dougal delegation voted to convict us, either, so I don't really know what to think of them. They also seem to do fairly well by the commoners in their lands, which is good, and their ethic is very similar to our own in many ways (though I doubt they'd see the similarity as wella s we do). I just hope they stick their heads out of their workshops every once in a while and see what's going on in the world around them, before the kinds of machines they love so much knock down the walls for them.

House Scathach

We've always desired a certain kindhip with this house; their nomadic ways are much like our own, and hteir stoicism in the face of the other houses; displeasure is an example we would do well to learn from. Their own abilities with prophesy would seem to link us as well, were it not for their constant attempts to thwart what fate decrees. At the same time, though, our wanderings always have a destination in mind, no matter how unclear, whereas the knights of Scathach seem to wander simply for the feel of the road under their feet. That's fun for a while, but eventually you must choose some purpose or fate will find one for you, and believe me, you want to take the first option if you can.

The Other Houses

We have watched the return of the Unseelie Houses (like we watched the rist of the Fomroians) with a mixture of sorrowful resignation and building fury - sorrow for the miserable wretches of House Leanhaun, who are trapped in their evils by their ancient curse, and fury for the bastards of Ailil and Balor, who are little better than serpents and rabid dogs, respectively. They have all long been deep in the intrigues of the Shadow Court, and if you meet one you would do well to remember our ancient enmity. Their memories are not nearly as bad as those of their Seelie cousing, and few of them would have a problem with planting a blade in your chest if it suits their fancy to do so. Fortunately for us, we have no problem returning the favor, if need be.

We also have hazier memories of other Unseelie Houses that returned from the Dreaming around the same time we did and have since scatteres around the world in an attempt to hide from the Seelie Houses and strike up pacts with their Fomorian masters. Thanks to our imprisonment, we know little of them, save that they are wicked to the core and seek nothing less than the destruction of the Seelie Court we hold dear. Unless different facts come to light, that knowledge alone is enough to make them our enemies. Be careful around any strange sidhe you come across, and if it is one of these fellow new arrivals, learn what you can, then report back to the rest of us. If the Shadow Court has new puppets, we must discover whatever we can about them as soon as possible.

Views on Other Kith

Commoners have always been close to our hearts. We've never been the largest house, for one thing, and if you know anything about the First Crusade, you know it was more of a peasants' mobilization than a force of knights and nobles; its faerie counterpart was little different. Our visions of the future showed us early on that mistreating the common kith would only lead to disaster, even if we couldn't convince the other sidhe to follow suit.

Unfortunately, the discovery of the Harbingers of Exodus and their plans to begin the genocide with the commoner kith poisoned the minds of many commoners against us, and I can't say that I blame them for that. The current hostilites between nobles and commoners make this an even more dnagerous time for us to reappear. Still, we left behind a lot of friends and lovers when we went to our punishment, and some of them still remember those bonds, even if the Caul of Silence has kept most fae from recognizing us.

Boggans

The heart and soul of the common kith, they were close to firgiving us when we were imprisoned, and more than a few have welcomed us back so far, especially in the Old Country. We didn't unburden the worst of our visions on others back then and we still don't now, but that doesn't mean we can't find peace sipping some hot cider before an open fire and sharing our other worries with a sympathetic ear. Just watch out for the Unseelie ones, tho\ugh; they haven't forgiven us by far, and they're the ones who smile to your face while they slip poision in your drink.

Eshu

Just thinking about our history with the eshu makes my heart ache. We began as the closest of allies and respected their system of titles and prestige even while the other sidhe looked odwn on them as little more than desert barbarians. We still have a lot in common with them - a love of story and travel, a deep sense of destiny and a strong sense of honor. Yet the circumstances that surrounded Zubaidah's death and Duke Geremin's disappearance haunt us to this day. They held us responsible not only for her murder but of the actions of the other fae during the crusades that followed, especially as they became increasingly bloody and useless over time. The eshu determined back then to make it blood for blood, starting with ours, and, barring some miracle, amond those who remember us, that won't change much.

Nockers

We don't have much business with nockers; we are beings of prophecy, principle and honor, while they are workes of sweat and grease. They are very similar to the sidhe of House Dougal in outlook and attitude, and generally you should treat them the same way, except be ready to make a lot more allowances for their colorful language and impatient manners. Those heretical members of our house who have created cold iron weapons to use in their insane attacks learned their skills from the nockers, which makes us somewhat nervous around them. Still, as Dame Lillian has very ably proved, and we know they're basically a good kith at heart - just don't expect them to ever wear it on their sleeve.

Piskies

All Ive seen of this kith comes from meeting Delphine. It woul dseem that they are a cross between the eshu and the boggans with a mischieous dose of kleptomania mixed in. I'd love to see if this holds true of all of them or if she is just a unique case, but so far, so good!

Pooka

We speak of the future, and no one listens; pooka tell the truth, and no one believes them. See any similarities there? They also do a lot to protect children and animals, and that earns even more respect from us. They see the evil falling over the world and do their best to fight it, in their own way. All in all, pooka are a very underestimated kith, even by themselves. Approach them openly and let them know you share the sadness in their hearts, and you'll never find a truer friend.

Redcaps

These dark faeries have never paid attention to anything more than the sound of clashing metal and the cries of the anguished, let alone given thought to the future. They actively avoid examining hte consequences of their actions in favor of relishing the moment (or meat) at hand, and that makes them even more repugnant to us. We do not provoke them, however, but simply avoid them for the time being, and they avoid us in return, which suits everyone just fine.

Satyrs

A lot of satyrs these days tend to stop thinking around groin level, but we remember the brightest members of this kith past, who could carry on a deep conversation and... well, you know. Some of them still carry on the tradition of being well rounded mentally as well as physically. You usually can't beat a grump satyr for philosophical debate. If you come across one of these more scholastically inclined Kithain, hold them close because they are some of the only ones who understand what it is we do. Firsthand knowledge of all those Greek oracles, I guess. Otherwise, satyrs are good for taking your mind off of your troubles for a night, as long as you don't mind being sore all over in the morning.

Sluagh

We have a great deal in common with these reclusive fae as well: They labor under a dark cloud like we do, and they know all too well the toll it extracts to keep secrets that no person was meant to know. Some of our most surprising aid during our return to this world has come from solitary sluagh who slid out of the shadows, offered us some measure of kindness of hospitalito, then vanished back into the night before we could really thank them. It would be really interesting to compare notes sometime, that's for sure, if we could only get them to open up to us more.

Trolls

If any kith understands our dilemma and the place we once held in the hierarchy, it's the trolls. They share our sense of honor and sympathize with the conflicts of loyalty that we often face between revealing the visions we have had and the need to keep such troubling information from those who aren't prepared for it yet. Trolls also refuse to back down from a quest, no matter how terrible the odds may be, which we respect immensely. Many trolls once swore loyalty to our house, and though we also contact during the Interregnum, as the Caul of Silence begins to fade we are starting to find more and more of them seeking our standard out once more. They are welcome in any of our lands, regardless.

Beyond the Gates: The Others

We've been back only briefly, and so we're still getting our bearings in the modern world; however, we've already encountered a few different forces out there that merit some attention.

Nunnehi

I don't know much about these mysterious kith, but from what I understand, some of them have ancient legends about a dark star appearing and the bloom of mysterious blue flowers tha twill accompany it, and that these were old tales centuries before our lord Jalendrel was even bron. Supposedly these legends also talk of this event as foretelling some great disaster. I would dearly love to talk to one of the nunnehi and find out more about this legend; hopefully, someday I will.

Thallain

Like the Unseelie Houses and the Shadow Court, these dark fae are actually getting bold enough to come more into the light these days, and the other Kithain seem to do nothing about it. Are they that blind? These twisted mockeries of everything faerie are a sign of the impending return of the Fomroians, and yet the other Seelie do little other than give lip service to how they abhor their kind. well, if the others can't or won't be beothered to do something about it, then we'll have to make up for the lack ourselves. Everything that's been said about mercy or justice goes out the window when dealing with the Thallain; these foul monsters are an abomination on the Kithain, and doing away with them is no worse than the modern-day use of antibiotics to kill a virus. Remember that if you meet one.

Centers of Power

Currently the house's main base of activity is New Orleans, where my brother and I are trying to organize and suppor the returning house members. Our other center of influence is the small hill town of Marvejols in southern France, traditional birthplace of our house and site of the recent discovery of the eponymously dubbed manuscript containing our history and some of our most sacred codes. Given our wandering natures, however, Beaumayn members can be found almost anywhere in the world by now - you just have to know how to look.

Members of Note

In any noble house, certain individuals stand forth. Whether the follwoing members rise above the main body of our family or plumb the depths of villainy is for you to decide. As with any kin, the more we differ, the more it seems to mark how we are related.

Duke Jeremy Beaumayn and Count Brendan Beaumayn

My brother and I were two of the first of our house to remember ourselves, and I guess you'd call us the heads of House Beaumayn at the moment. We're fraternal twins - Remy's a minute and a half older, just so you know - and our Chrysalis came early, so we were still pretty young. We were both raised to think we were of House Eiluned, as do quite a few of our house before their true nature finally shines through. Remy was to be the head of the Principality of Jazz when he was old enough, and all was right with the world.

Then the revelations came. Lord Vandermere appeared, first innovently as our court magician, then showing his true colors by kidnapping remy and trying to take over the court as part of some twisted scheme to locate the iron Road. With the help of a commoner alliance and several Prodigal allies, however, I managed to thwart his designs and help bring Remy home. In the course of these struggles, I began gettnig visions as our true heritage gradually came to the surface, so when Remy returned, together we finally abandoned the colors of House Eiluned for the symbol of the dark star. We had to abandon control of the Principality of Jazz in the process, but with the arrival of more members of the house and the recovery of the Marvejols Script, we've definitely had our hands full. Things are improving, but so too is the Caul of Silence tearing, so now we're racing against time to brace ourselves for the day the rest of the fae remember who we truly are.

We were night and day growing up: Remy's a smokin' blues guitarist, handsome, cool and good with people; he dresses way better than I do, too, and is never seen without his trademark "blues guy" sunglasses. I, on the other hand, was the first sidhe to need glasses in decades, can never seem to get my hair to stay the way I like it and got hooked on computers early enough to give myself a nice pasty skin tone. He handles the speeches, diplomacy and other face-to-face PR work. I take care of letters, records, strategy, organization and other fun details like that. It's been a winning combination so far, so it seems.

Dame Lillian

This talented nocker wilder is responsible for perhaps the most important event since our return, the recovery of the Marvejols Script. An American who had only recently awakened to her faerie nature, Dame Lillian was an exchange student who was living in Marvejols for her time abroad when she came across a small cave in a hillside during a hiking trip. Making her way past the traps inside as only a nocker could, she discovered an ancient tome on an altar in the very last chamber. Recognizing the surge of Glamour that marked it as a powerful Treasure, she brought it back to the States with her, where the magic of the text immediately called my brother and I up from new Orleans. Once we realized the enormity of her find, we knighted her on the spot and began deciphering the work in earnest. She has since shown a remarkable grasp of both ancient and modern French and proven herself a fierce fighter and able crafter as well. I would not hesitate to call her one of my closest friends.

Dame Lillian is a tall, pretty brunette with a friendly and unassuming manner that belies the sour reputation of her kith. Her temper is rare but white hot when kindled, as more than one foe has discovered to his regret. She especially loves working in theatrical set design and is currently awaiting her freshman year at a small college in the Kingdom of Apples.

Lord Vandermere

Every evil legend ever told about the Harbingers of Exodus finds expression in Lord Vandermere. Not much else is known about him or his past, though, save that he's ruthless, hellishly clever and utterly dedicated to the Exodus and the goals of Geremin's Heresy. He's a formidable threat by himself, having mastered a frightening array of Arts and gotten possession of a number of powerful Treasures as well. He usually makes little effort to hide his sinister designs and actually seems to enjoy flaunting his image as a "dark wizard" - black cloak, sinister props and all. Don't be fooled though; he has more than enough power to back up his reputation.

What puzzles me is how this obviously Unseelie magician has taken the leadership of the Harbingers of Exodus, with its largely Seelie backing. Perhaps he presents a different face to them, or maybe his twisted goals really do conform with their narrow view of reality. Regardless of the real reason, Vandermere is supremely dangerous and must be stopped before he brings the wrath of all the Kithain down on us again.

Sir Thomas Magbane

Sir Magbane is perhaps the most puzzling of the members of our house to awaken to himself since out return. Born into a Gwydion household, this somber and solitary knight was one of the first to reclaim his heritage when I announced our return, and he was instrumental in defeating the plans of Lord Vandermere. Since then, however, it seems that despite our once close friendship, he believes I am destined to serve the Harbingers of Exodus and he has sworn to prevent that from happening. In human form, he's tall and imposing, with an athletic frame and confident gait. In fae form, his features sharpen, his cloak swirls about him restlessly and his eyes softly glow like an animal's. He is also a master swordsman, and his treasured long sword is never far from his grasp.

Since he broke away to begin his strange crusade, sotries have begun to circulate about this mysterious wanderer: that he can change into a wildcat and stalk his foes undetected, that he has slain a half-dozen Dauntain single handedly, even that he has died and returned to life through strange magic. Whatever the truth of these rumors, I only hope my firend comes to his senses soon and realizes that our goals are one. Right now, though, he is a political wildcard in a house already too tory by politics.

Delphine Achidou

Delphine is a piskie and a native of Marvejols who became a friend of Dame Lillian during her stay there and who helped her recover the Script and keep it safe from the alrcenous efforts of a gang of wilders under Vandermere's control. We offered her a title for her actions, but she simply laughed and said that she was heppy knowing that she'd done her friend a favor. Now she's overseeing the founding of a freehold in a small cafe in town; she also acts as a guide for those of our hose who wish to travel to France and reopen some of our old centers of power. All her mortal friends know is that Delphine will disappear for days or even a week at a time, but she always comes back with a few more stories to tell.

Like most of her kith, Delphine is small and thin with bright eyes and a perpetual bounce in her step. Her smile is contagious and her hands seldom stop movin. Those who would bully her on account of her size, however, are in for a rude surprise - her kicks have downed trolls more than twice her size. She has a passion for dancing and usually insists that her contacts meet her at a club near town. She gives extra respect to those who can keep up with her on the dance floor all night.

Treasures

Being held prisoner doesn't do much for your choice of accessories; nonetheless, we have found some of our old house Treasures and begun making new ones. Here are a few we have recovered so far.

Masquer's Eyes

Rare Treasure, Level 4

This Treasure is actually a pair of normail, if very exquisitely decorated, domino masks. When activated, they create a connection between the wearers, allowing the two to share senses and even emotions at range. The user dons the mask and spends 1 point of Glamour, and the other Kithain may see and hear everything her counterpart does as long as the mask is worn. She may even borrow her friend's voice, as long as her friend consents to the message. By expending 1 point of Glamour, the user may also use her friend's perceptions to cast cantrips that require a line-of-sight target. Such cantrips cost 1 extra point of Glamour beyond their usual expenditure to cast.

Additionally, if the two share any deep personal oathbonds - friendship, love, adoption, etc. - they may sense the other's general emotional and physical state by making a Perception + Empathy roll (difficulty 6). The Beaumayn brothers are the only known owners of such a Treasure at this time, but there are rumors of others at large.

Passion Bracelet

Rare Treasure, Level 1 to 3 (variable)

Dame Lillian specializes in crafting these Treasures. They appear as simple cloth or silver bracelets but in reality act as Glamour or Willpower "batteries," storing magic or resolve for their owners until it is needed. Given the great stresses we face, these bracelets are a godsend. Cloth bracelets are always woven with a changeling's favorite colors and hold Glamour, while silver ones are inscribed with the wearer's name and hold Willpower. Each can hold a number of the appropriate type of points up to the level of the Treasure. To add or remove points, one need only concentrate for a moment - this does not count as an action. So far only a few bracelets are known to exist, personal gifts from Dame Lillian all, but as her talent grows more will no doubt be forthcoming.

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