Duchy of Truth and Loss
The Duchy of Truth and Loss is an entitlement that hunts down and kills fetches.
Background
| “ | I swear to save mortals from the dangerous and alien fetches that invade their lives and to deal with all fetches in such a way that the mortals around them will never suspect the greater truth of abduction. | ” |
Those within this entitlement almost universally hold fetches as dangerous abominations whose death is far better for mortals around them than living with the lie. To this end, Dukes usually kill whatever fetches they find, while ensuring the remains are never found. However, a substantial minority of Dukes spirit the fetch away, rather than killing it, either selling it to the Goblin Markets or convincing it to disappear elsewhere in the mortal world.
The work of the Duchy is not easy, as fetches are remarkably difficult to locate, being identical to mortals in almost every way. This is made even worse by the Capgras delusion, a psychological disorder in which one is convinced a loved one has been replaced by an imposter. As such, even the most successful Dukes rarely find more than a handful of fetches per year, spending most of their time chasing down false leads.
Organization
On joining, new members of the entitlement work alongside veterans, who ensure that the greenhorn is not killing innocent people. All hunters, new and old, work under a single Hunter-Lord, who governs the Duchy. This position is appointed by the previous occupant, but it can also be won by gaining the approval of at least a dozen other Dukes and challenging the current Hunter Lord in some contest of physical prowess and cunning. The Hunter-Lord keeps track of fetch hunts and approves investigations of suspect hunts. To this end, all Dukes and Duchesses keep their neighbors and the local Hunter-Lord apprised of their work.
Joining and Membership
Prerequisites: Wyrd 2, Resolve 3, Investigation 3, Mantle (Winter) 1
Title: Duke or Duchess of Truth and Loss
To join, a changeling must successfully identify a fetch without the use of the order’s tokens. Then, this aspirant must explain his reasoning to three Dukes, who decide if the methods were meticulous enough and if the target is, in fact, a fetch at all. If the target is a fetch, the Dukes will wait nearby as the aspirant deals with it. Those who fail must wait for at least one year before trying again. Dukes and Duchesses are often physically powerful and skilled with weapons and fighting. Many are also careful investigators.
Mien
The primary changes to a Duke’s mien involve the lengthening of the fingers into almost skeletal-looking claws and the minor change of his facial structure into something slightly predatory.
Privileges
- Hedgespun Raiment (••): A piece of armor that has the mien of a simple but elegant leather breastplate with polished bone buttons carved in the form of the False Face of Truth. Not immediately discernable as armor, mortals trained to find such details will notice the armor with a successful Wits + Investigation roll.
- False Face of Truth (••): This token takes the form of a small (~two inches in diameter) badge or pin made in the shape of an inhuman-looking doll face of painted porcelain. The mouth is slightly open. On activation (by touching a drop of blood or a strand of hair to the face), the user instantly knows if the target is a changeling, a fetch, or a mortal.
Action: Instant
Drawback: After each use, the changeling must feed the face a small amount of her own blood, dealing one level of bashing damage.
Catch: At least a tablespoon of the target’s blood must be fed to the face, as well as one level of lethal damage’s worth of the user’s blood.
Gallery
Duke of Truth and Loss
References
- CTL: Lords of Summer, p. 121-124