The Hound Tribunal

Requirements: Wyrd 2+, Investigation 1+, Weaponry 3+, Stealth 2+, Not currently a Monarch

Origin tales:


 * 1) The first hound lived on the emerald island. When he arrived at the freehold, he came across a hedge beast and attacked it, thinking it was a threat. In reality, it was the Summer King’s prized hedge companion. The ogre swore to replace the animal he would be the Freehold’s Hound for a year and a day. The Kings and Queen’s used the young warrior to strike their enemies and soon the practice of having a “Hound” spread. Soon everyone would know there was a Hound but not who.
 * 2) The Queen of Spring awoke with a dagger to her throat. “My queen,” a voice breathed, “You will never know who we are but we pledge our loyalty. Give a word and your enemies will fall. Carve it on this stone and throw it out your window and it will be done.” The darkling razorhand faded away. He was not smart but knew she was. His paranoia menat he could never be known to this monster but he knew he could turn his keeper’s curse into a blessing if only She would direct him.
 * 3) The first Hound was no killer but instead a judge. He stood watch over the other changelings from freehold to freehold, judging their sins and passing judgement. Yet he was so very busy. He asked the various Kings and Queens to carve the names of those he must judge on a stone in the Hedge and he would have his hounds research the case before he arrived for judgement. Over time, the meaning was lost but the loyal hounds still would watch for wrongdoing and investigate the people their Kings and Queens deemed guilty.

Legends:


 * 1) Clean up the streets, that was his job. Every night his king would put the name of a local brothel owner down on the tablet, and every night there would be a new corpse lying in the street. Usually it wasn’t the owner, but it was a worker. This one was sending a message.Slowly but surely the fear and terror cleaned the streets up.
 * 2) Slowly down the halls, he walked. A name scrawled on the wall so familiar it made his blood boil. Forced to investigate the king of kings for treason. The king was found wanting. His blood would be spilled tonight. The sounds of his sandals echoed through the hall as he approached the arrogant king. Without warning he raised his hand and plunged the Bitter Fang into his friend’s back. As his friend laid there dieing his last words were “And you, my friend?”
 * 3) The Elemental moved through the land. He was the Freehold’s champion but they did not realize he was more than that. They thought he was a Bounty Hunter and just damn good at his Job. Yet he watched for those that would harm the freehold and when the words came of enemies he marshelled himself for War.

What We Do in the Shadows:

Somewhere in the Hedge near every freehold there is a Stone Pillar. The Pillar is old and marked with small cracks. The Kings and Queens of the Freehold instinctively know its location and when their term ends they lose the knowledge. If they go to the Pillar and carve upon it the name of one who is an enemy of the Freehold, the Hounds begin their hunt.

The Hounds are a secret entitlement, called upon to rid the freehold of both internal and external threats. While they constantly watch for traitors and often lead assaults against enemies, their true calling comes when the Monarchs of their Freehold give them a target. A Hound will hunt for months if needed to take down an enemy of the Freehold.

Their charges are simple.


 * 1) Answer the Call of the Monarchs and Hunt their Enemies
 * 2) Keep the Tribunal Secret
 * 3) Judge the Hunted; If they are not Loyal to the Keepers, give them a chance to flee.

There are two exceptions to this oath. First, should a Hound’s name ever be carved upon the stone, the Tribunal will make its own judgement. If the Monarch has misjudged, they will in turn Judge them. This is a Majority decision of the Hounds in a Freehold. Second, should any hound break their second pledge, all the others will know and Hunt them for the Tribunal.

Mask & Mein:

Highly variable. The Hounds are a Secret Entitlement, dedicated to destroying the enemies (both internal and external) of the Freehold. Wearing that badge would make them ineffective at their job for the internal and so the Wyrd does not mark them externally.

However, there is a small change that is hard to realize. The smell of rust is barely perceptible in their meins. Only other Hounds and perhaps the Gentry can smell this rust but to each other it's a badge of office.

Bequeathal:

So, how does one go about actually claiming a seat among the Tribunal? The Tribunal is ostensibly a court of assessors that operates wholly in secret. A changeling cannot petition to join this noble order if she doesn't know about it. For the most part, that means a changeling does not choose the Tribunal, but the Tribunal chooses her. Upon seeing one of the Lost perform some notable task in service to the Freehold, the Hounds begin to keep track of her. Maybe she takes a bullet for the King. Perhaps she exposes one of the knights of the Court as a clandestine privateer. Could be that she becomes a right-hand advisor to the King, sacrificing all her free time -- and more than a bit of her sanity -- in attending to his needs. Over time, those who stand out might be selected to learn what it truly means to serve the Freehold as one of the Honorable Hounds when they are brought to the Stone Pillar to be initiated… or removed if the Hounds felt they chose wrongly.

There is no retiring from the Hound Tribunal.

Token: Bitter Fang [1-5]
 * This simple dagger is just that until activation. Upon activation it turns into a fang, salivating, looking for its next victim. The tooth cuts through armor, gaining the ability to pierce this token’s rating in armor. In addition, you may choose one other person in the scene and lower their initiative by your token rating reflexively on your turn.


 * Catch: Before ending their Quarry’s life a Hostile Oath is offered. The oath must include that the quarry leave the city to never return. In turn they are spared, offered safe passage out of the city, and time to gather their belongings. If the pledge is ever broken the Changeling will know where, exactly this Oathbreaker is. It may have more contingencies, but that is up for the hound to determine. If this is offered after the tokens activation, the spent glamour is returned, up to the Changeling’s maximum.


 * Drawback: Any attempt to investigate the scene of a murder that this knife was used in get the 9 again rule.


 * (Conditional)

Blessings
 * [1] This blessing lets the changeling regain 1 Glamour whenever she regains Willpower through her Needle in direct pursuit of her role. She may spend the Glamour immediately on anything she likes or store it in her heraldry token for later use. The token can store up to her Wyrd in Glamour. If she can neither spend nor store it, it’s lost. All stored Glamour empties at the end of the story.
 * [1] Choose one of the following specialties: Investigation (Crime Scene, Background checks), Survival (Tracking), Stealth (Shadowing) or Subterfuge (Misdirection). The chosen speciality also gains exceptional on three successes instead of five.
 * [1] Additional Thread.
 * [1] Hidden Identity: Gain a bonus to all Subterfuge checks equal to your Wyrd/2 (Rounded down)
 * [1] Listening Stone: When a monarch speaks to the pillar, you hear his words. You learn of whom they speak of and gain the 9 Again rule on all investigation and tracking checks. If you spend a Willpower instead you gain the 8 again rule for the scene.

Touchstone: A person who was emotionally harmed by a previous hunt.

Clarity Curse: Clarity attacks suffered while opting not to pursue an active Quarry add damage dice equal to ranks invested in this Merit.

WP: Regain WP when a successful hunt goes uncleaned.