by Eloy Lasanta (Dark Ages: Fae | Resources)
The little kids, no more than a dozen in the group and none older than 11-years old, sat around a campfire outside. They had run away that night, to gather and play and laugh, with no word to their parents (who no doubt were still resting in their comfortable beds). In this type of atmosphere, it was obvious that ghost and boogieman stories would bound to told. Then the new kid, no older than 8-years old, got a smirk on his face. The children gathered around with their smiles twinkling and began to listen to his tale.
"There is a beast in these very woods... called the Faxon by the woodsman who hunt here. Stories regale that it stands some 15-feet tall and breathes a sulfurous smoke that eats away at its victim’s tender and fragile skin." The other children tremble in mock fear, enjoying the story so far.
"It is well known that the Faxon loves the taste of kids... well, kids exactly like us. Ones that gather together into bundles as well; the better the games can be played to see just how many it can gobble up before they get away. The Faxon also loves fire... it is lured to it like a moth, the bigger the better. But the monster isn't the thing devoured when it reaches the flame. The kids are." They kept themselves close to the flame, yet the kids, big and small, began to tremble a bit more. These rumors of the Faxon were not entirely made up, and the other kids knew it.
"Even though the Faxon stands so tall, it creeps with the silence of a whisper. No child can hear it approach before it is too late. Even the faint and small voice of a boy telling a story,” he paused, “would overshadow its wide footsteps." The smaller children begin to cringe, as the light from the fire begins to reflect off the new kid in a strange, eerie way to their eyes.
Then the boy leaned in close, each child's attention solely on him, and clapped really loud. The clap startled everyone present and the entire group roared with laughter afterward. Each one giggled at their fright. The story had genuinely scared each of them. They laughed and laughed and laughed, until they realized that one of them was missing.
The gathering became very hectic, as each child panicked. Some suggested that they huddle closer to the flames to make sure they stay safe, while the others say they should go searching for the missing girl. She probably only walked away for a second, right? But, just as quickly as each of them made up their minds as to their next actions (wise or otherwise), several bursts of wind hit the camp. One by one, the children vanished, seemingly gobbled up by the air itself.
Until the new kid was alone.
The blast of wind stopped before the small boy, however, standing close to 15-feet tall and resembling the description of the Faxon the boy only just spoke of. "Your oath is fulfilled, young one. Your family need not worry for their lives nor yours." and then just as quickly, the monster was gone.
The new kid stared at the nothing and silence around him, sat on the log, gazed into the fire... and wept.
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This article will give more detail on how to choose Echoes and how to forge Oaths. The tools presented here will help with establishing the mood and drama of a Dark Ages: Fae game, propelling it into something even greater. Any comments can be forwarded to kendril1@gmail.com or taken to the forums for debate.
The first question that must be asked is: What is an Echo anyway? Different fae speak of different kinds of Echoes and numerous origins. Seldom do fae picture their Echo as a weakness; rather, it is an obstacle to overcome. The fae have toppled other obstacles and Echoes will be no different.
In the years that the fae left the world to the humans, they gifted them with something that humans had not had – true freedom. There was not a day that went by that the fae did not envelope every moment in a human’s day. They were forced to constantly appease or entertain the fae, leading many to resent the fae. That first spark of hatred is where Echoes began.
The inner Faith of humanity blossomed without the fae and has become its own entity entirely. These are not simple spells or parlor tricks that are afflicting he fae. These are expressions of the human’s ability to weave the very fabric of the fae themselves. Luckily, not every human has complete control his or her awesome power.
As stated above, the inherent Faith of humanity has taken a life of its own in the Dark Medieval. There are the Inquisitors that have complete control over their Conviction, but the majority of humanity still must rely on their sporadic use of powers over Weaving. Below are some examples of origin of Echoes, because it is always important to know where your character’s Echo came from. There are 2 more prominent origins of any kind: Old Wives’ Tales and The Church.
In the old day, humans and fae lived together. Not side by side, since the firstborn would never let that truly happen, but in full knowledge of each other. In this time, the humans were forced to keep note of the things their fae rulers expected from them, their duties, and which things their rulers disliked and would punish humans for. They took these lessons and they would be put to good use in the future.
As the course of time went on and humanity began to forget the old ways, there were still a few who remembered. These humans would be referred to as the Old Wives. The name came from the elder women of towns developing sewing groups, gossiping about town affairs and passing stories of how to appease different fae. They were the ones that remembered that Tapin, the hairy man who lived in the village mines, disliked the miners’ constant whistling and would warn them to stay quiet. They remember that sitting around the fire is good for warmth, but also good for your children to be snatched by the Faxon. This information is good to know for humans to better defend themselves from he fae’s wrath.
It would be these lessons that would ultimately mold many Echoes in the modern day. Old Wives would compose limericks about how to keep the fae at bay and taught these lessons to the children as if they were games. They were really weapons to protect themselves. Soon, hearing one of these songs about one's self, became an Echo against the fae. As well as the things they once abhorred, except they now had a true reason to hate them. Thins like whistling, playing, even speaking the fae’s name, became Echoes.
The biggest effect of Old Wives’ Tales and their power is their ability to create Echoes that a fae had never even heard of before. The Old Wives were notorious for their claims of knowledge of everything fae and were hard-pressed to deny an answer to a faerie question – even if they answered it incorrectly. News spread quickly and soon a completely false and made up weakness of a fae, would become true, simply from the mass belief of humanity and their latent powers of Weaving. Fae everywhere have been tortured due to some of the more outrageous claims as well. Such as water inanimate who all of a sudden could not stand to even dive into their own lake or firstborn who could be warded off by throwing toenail clippings at them. Many fae despise the Old Wives of every town, avoiding them like the plague so their true names never cross the women’s tongues.
The Church and its teachings have now ushered in an entirely new belief system for most humans and with it, a new arsenal against the fae. As humanity becomes ever more endoctrined into the worship of the Nailed God, as many fae call Christianity, they are constantly refining their powers of Weaving, but learning that the fae are nothing but demons and monsters. In the eyes of the church, the word of the lord is the only thing to set the humans free. This statement could not be further from the truth in the faes’ case.
The first thing new inductees are taught is that prayer has power. Before, humans prayed to the fae and they carried with that the power of Oaths that aided their protectors (or extortionists, depending on the fae in question). Now, they pray to protect themselves from the fae and are becoming more adept every day. The simple sound of prayer, the calling of the lord’s name, the casting of he fae as if he were a simple demon, all of these actions now cause harm to all fae.
The ceremonies of the church now can also act as Echoes. There are some fae who cannot effect any who have been to mass in the last week or who can’t even enter a town that has a substantial church, due to the mass amount of holy ground created in such an endeavor. Baptism has become the #1 enemy of changelings in the Dark Medieval, as they are forced to accept the lord into their heart, thus erasing any spark of the fae they once held within. As the church’s weaving power progresses, becoming more powerful, the baptism ritual has become even more powerful. Now, a firstborn subject to this ritual – and only one has actually been reported as going through it thus far – is all but totally destroyed. The firstborn doesn’t die, but does lose the spark that made him a firstborn. It drains the fae of his or her power over Unleashing and their Dominions and knocks them down until they are nothing but a lowly sprite. They need to be Resained and Renamed and Reinducted into their Court to reclaim their power. However, on a sadder note, inanimae who get either duped into or are forced to partake in Baptism become simple a pile of their base parts. Wood inanimae become a pile of planks or sawdust, while water inanimae splash on the ground and are simply absorbed into he earth.
When talking of the different types of Echoes there are, you must consider that every one of them are special to that particular fae. There are, of course, the few basic ones such as wielding the cross, prayer, nursery rhymes or a pinch of salt over your shoulder. Similar classic Echoes exist even in today’s Dark Medieval, but there are a number of different factors to consider when discussing the diverse style of Echo.
The most common type is Situational Echoes, those that are acquired through experiences, rather than things that are common among all fae. Any kind of Echo can be gained in this way, as each human’s weaving is expressed in a different method. If a fae is forced out of a home by force, he may acquire the Echo to never enter a home without invitation. If someone pulls a cross on them and calls the name of the Lord, then they will feel an Echo whenever someone called on the Lord’s name. If a human says the fae’s name with great disgust, the fae may cringe at the sound of his own name forever more. These are just some ways to acquire Echoes, as an actual list would require its own book.
Another type, Warding Echoes, is used to keep a fae at bay or keep them from entering a home or specific place. A simple cross or blessed grounds does the trick in most cases, but others suffer if the windows and doors are lined with salt or garlic. Others include splattered pigs blood on your doorstep – the fresher the better – or a horseshoe over the entryway. Fae bear these Echoes in different ways, yet these are the most tried and true methods of keeping your home safe.
A Conditional Echo is takes place only when the fae performs a certain action. For example, virgins are often the bane to a fae’s powers, but not all in the same way. They may only suffer the Echo if kissed by a virgin or only if they attempt to use magic on a virgin or only if they hear a virgin sing. Simply being in the presence of a virgin would not harm the fae or trigger his Echo. If so, that would mean unmolested child and even babies would make the fae run in terror or become stone on the spot. Priests with strong faith will have the same conditional Echoes present at most times.
There is a third kind that is rare among the fae, but is becoming more and more prevalent: Aggravated Echoes. An Aggravated Echo is one that adds another item with which the fae may be destroyed. In game terms, this means that these new items will cause Aggravated damage to the fae, similar to Cold Iron. His has become widely known to inanimate-ruled kingdoms, as they were the first to be hit with these Echoes. An oak inanimae would suddenly be killed by wooden oak weapons or a pine inanimae may receive Aggravated from pine cones thrown at her or even water inanimae that could not stand to have water from their own lake thrown at them. These types of Echoes are rare, however, and should be accompanied by the Esoteric Echo merit.
Deciding which Echo is exactly right for your fae takes some delving into whom the character really is. Many will take the easy way out, choosing the cross or prayer as their Echoes, since they have become the most abundant in the Dark Medieval. But Echoes are a part of the character that must be crafted just as carefully as an oath or how the character abilities and Dominions are chosen.
First, look at the character and decide who it is. Is he a nightmarish creature of the night that preys on the children who run from home or are lost in the forest? Is she a saintly, winged fae that flies through the skies to bless those who she crosses paths with? Most likely, your character falls somewhere between these two extremes.
Then, you take the character design and you must decide what the character hates most in the world or what it loves most. Say the nightmarish creature hates the sound of whistling, as most Winter-kin do. That could easily be his Echo. But at the same time, there are other ways to interpret, even the simplest of character description. Why does the creature prowl at night, maybe his Echo stems from daylight. Maybe he preys on the blood of children, because he cannot affect adults, due to his Echo. Maybe he only hunts the forest, because the town has walls made from a certain material that wards his entry.
On the other hand, the saintly, winged fae will have some interesting Echoes as well, especially if she is courtly. After offering her blessings to the humans and having them rejected, she may develop an Echo whenever this happens. The humans may insult her, thinking her vain in her beauty, causing an Echo whenever she gazes into a mirror.
So, have fun, and consult with your Storyteller, but make sure that your fae is unique in both appearance, Oaths and Echoes. And as you’ve seen, even more fun can be had with a fae that believes in morally good deeds, as humanity usually distrusts any and all fae in the Dark Medieval.
Many of the details of a fae’s very being are reflective of the Oaths he crafts. Each Origin and Court has different ways of assembling their Oaths and various methods of carrying them out. But what is an Oath? Is it simply a bond between the Fair Folk and humanity? Some think of it that way, but the truth speaks of so much more.
Oaths are a fae’s first line of defense against Echoes. While Sprites can be used to shield themselves as well, their servants prove time and time again to only have so much power to draw upon. The fae need Oaths to survive in today’s Dark Medieval moreso than any other time in their history. Other than that, Oaths are usually a fae’s only real interaction with humanity at large. Few go much farther than to forge an Oath, as humanity’s Faith is suffocating to the fae, even if their control of it is only subconscious.
There are different levels of Oaths, all based upon when they placed and their varying power. Gold Oaths were those forged before the Battle of Stone, a pivotal turning point in the War of Seasons. These stand as the most powerful, having encompassed entire nations of people in its pledge. Today, these oaths are also the most forgotten, as more and more of these nations fall to the Church who teach that the Oaths are evil pacts with devils and baptize humanity, instantly breaking that human’s link to the Golden Oath. Some fae were diligent with the upkeep of their Oath however, keeping it going strong even today. However, as long as the fae has at least one human performing the Oath, it stands strong in the face of the coming legions of the Lord.
Stone Oaths were those made after the Battle of Stone, but before the Oath-Truce took place. These are less powerful than a Gold Oath, but could still hold sway over entire cities at a time. Also, the magnitude of the Oath itself, its terms, its punishments, are much grander in scale than that of the next type, Iron Oaths. There are few of these, however, because the fae were greatly reluctant to interact with humanity during this time.
The most modern, but weakest of all the Oath Types, are Iron Oaths. These can be made with individuals or small groups of humans, but are miniscule in their control of humanity. Most fae learn at least to the basics of Gramarye, so they are able to make pacts with several different humans with low-level Iron Oaths. Besides, several weak Oaths usually can defend the fae just as well as one powerful Oath can. These are the most common today, both because of the weakened state of many modern fae, but also because they are the easiest to craft.
Standing Oaths are those that are laid out for a human to bite, leaving the forging of the Oath in the hands of the human. These are usually on a one-on-one basis and being with the words “If you call upon me, I will…” These types of Oaths were popular after the Battle of Stone, leaving to the fae to ignore humanity unless they were called specifically. Oaths of this caliber require at least a Level 3 or Level 4 Stone Oath rating to have, because it is a blanket Oath that can be done with any humans who beckons he fae to him.
So, who the hell makes these deals anyway? The main candidates are those in humanity that still adhere to the old ways of worshipping the fae, almost as gods. This is the reason why many fae populate rural areas that have had little to no coverage by the Christian missionaries. The local fae make short work of encroaching missionaries and the humans thank them for rescuing them from the oppressive hand of the Nailed God. The fae can weave such marvelous stories. While, the rural areas are the targeted, prime areas for Oath, it is still possible to make new pacts with humans who live in very populated, church-filled cities as well; these are just harder to procure. Even being of the church doesn’t make one immune to Oaths (unless they have been baptized); so, there is still room to work with.
Fae find it easier to forge Oaths from two main groups of humans: First, the hopelessly downtrodden, the forgotten, and the banished. Many people wish revenge on their “betters” and the Fair Folk can make this dream a reality. Some wish only shelter from the biting cold or from the sweltering heat of their jungle prison and the fae could gladly help the human. Other Oaths are forged with the second group, big wigs of the world, the politicians, landowners, and the rich. Many politicians wish for secrets to blackmail their opponents and the other city officials. The fae can easily make that happen. Landowners wish for the lands to be kept safe from bandits and the rich simply wish to be richer. The Fair Folk can gift a human with all this and more, for a price. Those humans that fall somewhere in the middle are somewhat harder to gain Oaths with, as they are not needy or greedy enough to forge Oaths so easily.
Each fae will approach Oaths based on their needs or wants and their Court’s needs or wants. But how exactly do you approach an Oath? How do you go about convincing the human to agree in the first place? This can be as easy or as hard as needed for the desired Oath to take place.
First, the fae must find a human that he seeks to pledge an Oath with. This can be difficult at times. The fae do not forge Oaths lightly and no fae wants a broken Oath; it does them no good at all. So, they seek out humans very carefully, to make sure they’ve chosen just the right one. The fae whose power lies in the growing of gardens and wilting of crops would not go to a housewife to make a deal. Just as a fae who has special magic to make sure a house is forever clean would not go to the farmer to make a deal. The fae must make sure he knows his audience.
When the human is chosen, the Oath was must be painstakingly displayed. There cannot be a sliver of confusion in either party, although vagueness is always allowed and employed more often than not. Depending on the type of Oath crafted, the fae will be able to get certain results out of it. The deal must be equal as well, at least in the eyes of the human. Most humans would gladly give up wearing certain color clothing to keep their life. The human may not be so willing if they get only a candy bar in return. The humans may also almost immediately accept if the fae’s role is much larger than the human’s. Below are a few examples of deals to be made.
Level 1 (Iron): “I will clean your home, inside and out, before your rise every morning and you will wear this brooch,” or “I will make sure your garden stays healthy and blooming and you will give me the most beautiful bud from each planting.”
Level 2 (Iron): “I will not prey upon your children and you will permit me permanent invitation to your home,” or “I will hunt for your family and you will cook the meals and give me half.”
Level 3 (Iron): “I will make sure your acres of vineyards stay fruitful and you will supply me with at least 3 dead bodies a month to feed my own garden,” or “I will not destroy your entire bloodline and you will bring a mutiny to the church’s doorstep.”
Level 3 (Stone): “I will ensure that your family line always has an heir and your family, each generation, will provide care for one of my heirs,” or “If you call upon me, I will punish your parents, cursing them to unimaginable nightmares for one week, and you will bring a present (doll or other toy) to my home, with a drop of your blood on it.”
Level 4 (Stone): “I will kill all those who threaten members of your family and you will make sure my lair is kept secret for all time,” or “I will sever 3 people of your choice from this mortal coil each year in the name of your house and your house will deliver me two noble children whose blood I may bathe in each year.”
Level 5 (Stone): “I will ensure the safety of your heirs throughout their mortal lives and you will provide what I need to birth 3 heirs of my own,” or “I will keep your village free from sickness and the plague and you will sacrifice one human in my honor each season.”
Level 5 (Gold): “I will keep all travel through the river safe (shipping, fishing, no drowning, etc) and you will keep the river waters fresh and unpolluted for all time,” or “I will bring your village prosperity and wealth and you will send your elders to my domain on their 50th birthdays.”
There may be hidden deals within deals, even without the human knowing. For example, in the first example of the human simply wearing a brooch, there could be many different uses for that. The brooch may be a sign of his court; to let them all know to leave that human alone. It could also be an item that let the fae use their Dominions much easier on the human. The most beautiful flower bloomed from the crop in the second Level 1 Iron example, could be the catalyst for any number of potions needed by the fae. A fae may need to bathe in the blood o noble children to feed their Oathcrafted armor. The 50-year old elders of the village may be taken and used as slaves or rejuvenated at the hand of another Oath. Be creative.
It is important to note that at the start of the game, you may wield any level of Oath as will be allowed by your Storyteller, even if you have not bought the appropriate amount of Gramarye needed to forge that Oath. There are many fae who have slumbered away or lost their minds only to forget their ancient lessons of Gramarye. This does not invalidate the Oaths they forged in the past, only inhibits any new ones they will be able to forge in he future. This is how you can have a character with a Gold Oath, but only 3 in Gramarye. The knowledge is lost in the passing of so many years.
Violating an Oath can be very simply. If you were supposed to do something and don’t do it, then you have broken your oath – and vice versa. This is the reason why many fae apply a negligence clause to the agreement. Many violations will only be counted as such if the fae does nothing to stop it. If you Oath is to protect the family line from bandits and the fae fights the bandits, but lets one bullet through to kill the farmer’s daughter, the fae is not accountable. He was there defending as he promised…nobody’s perfect. Below are examples on breaking the Oaths that appeared above.
The Oath will break if…
Level 1 (Iron): “…I do not clean your home before you rise in the morning or …you no night wear the brooch at night,” and “…your garden wilts or …you do not deliver the most beautiful bud from each planting or try to keep it for yourself.”
Level 2 (Iron): “…I prey upon your children, with magic or tooth, or …you deny me sanctuary within your walls,” and “…I fail to deliver food eat day or …you refuse to share half with me.”
Level 3 (Iron): “…your vineyards dry up or …you do not supply 3 bodies a month,” and “…I kill your entire bloodline or …you do not fight against the church.”
Level 3 (Stone): “…your family line has no heir at any time or …your family refuse to care for my heir,” and “…If I do not punish your parents or …if your parents did not deserve their punishments.”
Level 4 (Stone): “…I let any threat go without action or …you or your heirs divulge the location of my lair to an outsider,” and “…I do not accomplish all three killing within 3 lunar cycles or …you fail to deliver two noble children.”
Level 5 (Stone): “…one of your heirs dies due to my negligence or …you do not aid in the birth of 3 heirs of my own,” and “…any in your village die from sickness or the plague or …you do not sacrifice one human in my honor each season.”
Level 5 (Gold): “…if a ship crashes, boats sink or humans drown due to my negligence or …you allow the river to be polluted,” or “…if your village becomes deserted but to my negligence or …your elders forget or refuse to enter my domain on their 50th birthdays or if they are late.”
The last step of he Oath forging process is to decide what the punishments will be for both the human and the fae. This is a crucial part of the deal, because the human may not agree to the Oath if the fae’s punishment is too light or if they are not equal. A clever fae has already placed his negligence clause on the Oath and will no doubt be able to minimize the amount of punishment he gains without the human noticing there is a difference.
Some punishments have steeper consequences than others. For example, a punishment for breaking a Gold Oath is far harsher than that of a weak Iron Oath. Although, any punishment is damaging when it is an outcome from a broken Oath. Some last one lunar cycle, while others will last a year and a day, while others are forever. Some of the Gold Oaths are simply indefinite, unless the grievance against the Oath is repaired. No matter what the punishment is or how long it lasts, remember that it is enforced not by the fae, but by the Mist itself. The fae and the human must have the abilities to fulfill their ends of the bargain, but if either fails, it is out of their hands. The Mists will often alert the fae if the human has broken the Oath as well, but does nothing to warn the human. Below are example punishments from the above breaking of deals.
If the Oath breaks, the punishment in shame is…
Level 1 (Iron): “…I must declare to my court, every morning, that I am incapable of keeping a mortal’s house clean or …you are to be beaten publicly if you ever wear another brooch of the same type,” and “…my touch will bring death to any plant for a year and a day or …no garden will grow under your care for a year and a day.”
Level 2 (Iron): “…I will not be able to enter anyone else’s home again or …your children become infertile, ending your bloodline,” and “…I will fail in every hunt I attempt or …you will never again taste meat without falling ill.”
Level 3 (Iron): “…my gardens will die and I must begin again or …your fields will all die and you must begin again,” and “…I will not kill anyone or anything for a year and a day or …I will kill and devour your entire bloodline.”
Level 3 (Stone): “…I will become barren or …all of your heirs will fall ill and die,” and “…I will fail to spark fear in anyone for 3 lunar months or …you will receive three times your parent’s torture.”
Level 4 (Stone): “…I will never be able to hide from anyone ever again or …you will not be able to keep a secret until your death,” and “…I will bound to the families service for any task for 3 lunar months or …I will take three times two sacrifices from your family.”
Level 5 (Stone): “…I will become barren, never again to bare children or …your children become mine to be my heirs till the end of time,” and “…any in your village die from sickness or the plague or …I will take three sacrifices of my choice per month from your village.”
Level 5 (Gold): “…I will never seek refuge in the flow of water, until I have rectified the Oath or …your blood will become polluted, spreading sickness throughout your people until the river is clean,” or “…I will never again know wealth or companionship or …your villages life expectancy will cease to be more than 30-years old.”
