Scarecrow Ministry

The Scarecrow Ministry is an entitlement that uses nightmarish legends to convey lessons.

Background
"I become the ghost in the attic, the rats in the walls, the shadow in the trees. I remind them all that they can’t be scared enough. Fear is my weapon. Better than any sword or rifle. Fear is my ally. Better than any friend or lover." In the World of Darkness, urban legends often are not legends at all. The Scarecrow Ministry seeks to assume the forms of these legends to frighten innocent people away from danger. These ministers risk their Clarity to prevent monsters like the Others, Vampires, and other such creatures from taking their prey. In this endeavor, the Ministers face two primary threats: first, the physical danger from the very creatures they mimic, who seldom appreciate the interference; and second, the danger to their Clarity by stepping into the skin of another — the risk of turning into a monster. The Ministry has no sympathy for such low-Clarity changelings, keeping a record (the so-called “Black Book”) of the horrifying punishments these people might face.

Organization
A secret order, the Ministry only becomes truly organized in freeholds where the Autumn Court has strength of numbers. In these places, they are often arranged in motleys who devote themselves to bringing specific fears to the local community, arranging among themselves how best to do so. In areas where their numbers are fewer, individuals are left to their own devices. Order members usually maintain the secrecy of the entitlement by either living a double-life or by dropping off the grid entirely. The latter, naturally, is more likely to lead to a drop in Clarity, as the monster identity begins to subsume the changeling’s own personality.

Joining and Membership
Prerequisites: Manipulation 3, Mantle (Autumn) 2, Wyrd 3 Title: Scarecrow Ministers, Scarecrows

Not surprisingly, the focus on fear ensures that the Ministry only takes on Autumn courtiers. Only these changelings are acquainted enough with the emotion to embody it properly.

Mien
Changes to the mien that Ministers face often invoke the image of a scarecrow: black button eyes, burlap-textured flesh, stitching-marked limbs, and bristles of straw sticking out of sleeves. As Wyrd rises and Clarity drops, a changeling might develop a jack o’ lantern grin shadowed by the brim of a farmer’s hat. Especially high-Wyrd Ministers might adapt their seeming to whatever creature they mimic. Mortals often feel weak and frightened around such changelings, needing to succeed on a Resolve + Composure roll to even stay near them.

Privileges
Action: Instant Drawback: The user suffers the mild derangement Narcissism for the rest of the day. Someone already suffering from Narcissism finds it upgraded to the more severe Megalomania. Catch: The mask cannot be removed without removing a layer of skin, causing one point of lethal damage.
 * Bugbear’s Mask (•••): Bearing the appearance of a low-budget rubber mask, this token, when worn and activated, causes a target to develop a mild Phobia derangement for the rest of the scene, with the wearer as the focus. The victim sees the mask as flesh-and-bone, often manifesting as something of which he was already afraid. The token can only be used once per day.