LloydSkyLion (guest) 17 Feb 2011 04:07
Whether they work toward similar goals or against each other, one thing’s for certain: demons don’t play nice… Machiavellian plots, hostile takeovers, blatant intimidation and treason (sometimes the schemes are brutal enough that could make vampiric plots look like children games) are somehow common among the Returned. They live a fierce race to attain power and the strong can only truly rely on themselves. It is in the nature of the Daemon to rule alone. It has been that way since the Old Times…
But things have changed… and the Fallen must adapt.
Unlike other denizens of the World Of Darkness®, demons are not social creatures, there’s no pack mentality like with werewolves and even with the predator’s taint lurking beneath, vampires still manage to maintain certain social values strong enough to hold clans loosely together. But regardless of the myths and lectures of many demons claiming to be lords over legions or one voice in a great choir, the loyalty seems to have faded away, perhaps it was the ravages sustained during Exile or maybe the loss of former grace has left an inner void of apathy, but whatever the reason, all smart demons must learn soon that this is a dog eat dog world and that the hounds of hell always hunger.
So how can the Houses work efficiently after their agendas? Simple, it’s all about oaths. Oaths are what hold demons together. There is power in words, once upon a time the word of the Daemon could forge mountains and fill rivers, now the Returned harness the same power to create alliances and to bring their foes at bay.
Legend tells of the First Six, they rose from the Abyss and after tasting the cool breeze once more they swore to each other. What exactly they promised to each other is a subject of debate amongst demonologists. Popular belief is that they swore to prevent Exile from happening again, but some cynics claim they swore not to destroy each other and then they agreed on the rules and ritae that govern the Houses until today.
Oaths
An Oath is a mystical pledge between demons or more specifically between a demon who binds himself to the oath, known sometimes as the debtor, and the receiver of the pledge’s benefits, known as the entitled or the master*. Unless the entitled knows the debtor’s Secret Name**, no demon can be forced to take an Oath to another, even if the debtor yields to bullying or other forms of intimidation he must participate throughout the entire Binding Rite that creates the Oath. At Storyteller’s discretion an Oath might be more or less a formal ceremony (think of a dark mass with many witnesses for example) or very casual (like just saying ”cross my heart” for instance) but essentially some elements can always be identified.
• The Oath type and conditions must be openly disclosed.
• The Entitled must provide at least one clause that could end the Oath, it could be a time frame or some conditions that must be met (although they could be vague enough that they may never happen), after that the Oath has been fulfilled and the debtor no longer hold any obligation.
• The Debtor must agree to the conditions of the Oath and swear aloud on his Name (it doesn’t have to be the Secret Name)
• At ST’s discretion Faith must be spend to seal the pact.
After that the Oath is complete, and the debtor is mystically compelled to follow it. Breaking an Oath is almost impossible to accomplish, save for some demons in rumors and urban legends, no demon has been able to break one. However, there are always ways to cheat, and many Debtors will be more than willing to conspire against their Masters. Killing the Entitled Host will effectively cancel all Oaths, even if the demon manages to return again.
The Entitled may also choose to renounce to the Oath any time. This is called a Pardon and must be given in person and spoken aloud.
The Bond of Obedience
Unlike the Vampire’s vinculum, the bond between demons inspires fear not fake love. The relationship between Entitled and Debtor would be more like the one between a tyrant and a submissive slave. The crushing will of the Master generates a special type of urge in the Debtor that will force him to obey or else might never find peace again. Depending on the demon’s personal experience, the urge can be described as a drilling static sound in the head, as the pains of withdraw experienced by cocaine addicts or some other horrible persistent torment.
Types of Oaths
Oaths serve many different purposes and they are different kinds. The following is a non- exhausting list with examples to inspire ST to create their own:
Oath of Duty
The Oath of Duty compels a demon to perform one task for his Master. The demon may try to complete the task to the best of his abilities and comprehension, in cases where the task might be confusing or imprecise it’s left completely to the Debtor’s interpretation (Popular legends and stories told by demons warn Masters on being clear or they might end up having the Oath backfire on them). Similarly to Dominate 2, the task can be somewhat elaborate but may not ask to put the demon’s life in danger. Unlike Dominate, the demon is completely aware of his actions, but feels an incontrollable urge to fulfill his duty. If the requested task takes more than one scene to complete - for instance, the demon is asked to find an ancient Grimoire lost in time - he may roll Dominion + Composture, Difficulty Master’s Dominion, to resist the urge to seek the book relentlessly one day per success (I’ll leave roll mechanics alone for now…).
Oath of Servitude
Like the Oath of Duty but this is a more powerful and slavering version. Allows the Master to ask for favors multiple times one task at a time.
Oath of Flesh
This powerful tool allows demons to secure protection from other demons. The oath is a mystical bond between Master and Debtor. The Debtor then is forced to share the Master’s physical pain or violent demise.
Oath of Truth
This Oath prevents the Debtor from lying to his Master when confronted directly about any subject. Note that it doesn’t prevent the Debtor from holding information or having secrets.
Oath of Loyalty
This Oath allows the Master to reap faith from the Debtor anytime. When a demon pledges to a House he must bind himself to the House members through this Oath.
Oath of the Soul
Allows the Master to reap the Daemon from Debtor on command resulting in the destruction of the Debtor. This Oath is a terrifying, excruciating punishment left only for the worst of offenders. Obviously the Oath of the Soul is not to be taken lightly since owing one of these to another demon means he can destroy you anytime. Many House leaders will demand them from their retainers and bodyguards. Also, Arbitrators are the one group more likely to bind other demons to the Oath of the Soul.
Oath of Devotion
Usually an Oath breaks if the Master is destroyed. This Oath, however, allows the demon to ask for one last task (see Oath of Duty) that will last after the death. It’s not uncommon for clever Master to ask to be brought back from Exile.
Oaths, views from the Houses
House of Coming Darkness - Perhaps ironically to those who believe the Ravagers to be nothing more than a bunch of anarchists with a biblical agenda, the House of Coming Darkness holds oaths as if they were dark sacraments. The End of All demands dedication and those zealots who have proven themselves driven above all may demand loyalty from their brethren and to be bound to serve those better than one self should be taken as a honor. Those in the House of Coming Darkness consider themselves selfless no matter how much they demand from their subordinates, after all, it’s still a small price to pay for being part of the Grand Plan. While receiving oaths is somewhat a formal ordeal gaining the recognition from other house members for being worthy that’s something different. There are no guidelines to be the “better bad” nor there’s any way to measure how much one’s actions help to bring the End to come, so reclaiming status becomes sort of a flexing muscle contest were contestants flaunt their reputations and victories, there’s no official jury ruling over these campaigns, but the purpose is to gain followers among those impressed by the demons claims.
House of Enlightenment – Segregation. That’s the greatest evil the Exile inflicts. The Reconcilers know this and weep for humanity, whom they see making blindly the mistakes they once made. The return of the Reconcilers promises betterment for demon- and mankind, but only if they stay united. Demons in the House of Enlightenment see oaths of servitude a little bit as internships, the Master takes the roll of mentor and teaches those under his wing his personal views on demon existence. After a while the disciple is released when his considered ready. In general a Master may instruct a small number of demons, no more than 3 to 5 at a time and the teachings might widely vary from Master to Master, and as a result the House of Enlightenment is a very diverse group. As a consequence of that, other oaths are commonly taken to strengthen a general sense of House unity.
House of Judges – To exist as mediators of the most deviant creatures in the planet is to be hated by all. They prove to be the strongest just by doing what they do. The Arbitrators are masters of extortion; they must always be one step ahead and that requires having the best connections. The Arbitrators have long memories and some dedicate themselves only to keep records of who owns whom what. These demons are responsible for some part of the House’s success because when a troublesome demon refuses to cooperate they can sometimes come up with testaments of secret names or obscure oaths taken long ago against that same demon. Arbitrators meddle in the affairs of other Houses offering protection in exchange of Oaths. And finally they can keep others in line within their ranks using oaths of flesh. In fact, a strict hierarchy of debtor-master extends throughout the entire House based on status. So a Status 1 arbitrator must turn to a Status 2 local superior for help and so on.
House of Mortal Desires – “I can make it happen, but it’ll cost ya…”. To the Faustians control over other demons may be perhaps the greatest asset one can get. Not only is useful but it can make you popular among your peers. Demons talk after all…To Faustians is all about numbers, if you offer your card to all you meet you’ll end up receiving a few calls. Some skilled plotters in the House even play a game of reverse psychology offering Oaths to others, even mortals, with ulterior motives. Perhaps this inspired the tales of Genies granting wishes.
House of Resurgence – Those destined to rule must do so overtly and without having to answer to no one. The Adversaries can only see being bound to another as a weakness in character, an act of submission that has no room in the heart of an all-powerful God. It’s all about pride. The Adversaries are dominant territorial creatures and they respect only power. Ironically, they do expect others to follow their commands. It’s not uncommon for an Adversary to demand service from any demon within his territory, just because said demon is in the Adversary’s turf. Being in debt to a lesser being (read: anyone else) might bruise one’s reputation, so the Adversaries tend to keep their affairs discreet.
House of Renegades – Although not exactly a House per se, the renegades may have different views on demon society in general, is up to the ST to come up with their social dynamic.
- Although uncommon, it is possible for a demon to offer an Oath to any other supernatural creature or mortal. This is considered to be blasphemous to most demons.
** Knowing a demon’s Secret Name confers power over that demon. A demon can be instantly summoned, but also can be bent into servitude.
