Charmed Circle

The Charmed Circle is an ancient order composed of what they consider true kings and queens.

Background
"I join this legacy of kings and queens, of emperors and empresses, and I swear here upon this torc that all the joys and blessings given to me as befits my gilded station shall be shared among all those who love me truly."

In the eyes of the Charmed Circle, too many rulers simply play at being a big fish in a little pond — ultimately, doing little with their time on the throne. They lead for however long before being ousted, killed, or just abdicating, and nothing changes. This entitlement seeks those who would make something of their time in power.

Organization
At first glance, the Circle appears to be nothing more than an esteemed club for rulers. In truth, it acts as a council. Each member has a single vote on any issue, though things endemic to certain freeholds are usually determined by their member kings. Each ruler is beholden to the judgment of the Circle: If a vote has gone through, then all involved rulers must accede to the demands. Those who refuse find a dispatch of Gilded Kings and Queens at their door, seeking to “correct” the arrogant noble. This usually ends in rescinding the ruler’s membership, but has been known to devolve into violence.

Joining and Membership
Prerequisites: Mantle 5, Persuasion 4, Willpower 7, Wyrd 7 Title: King, Queen (often known as “Gilded” or “Charmed” King or Queen)

To put it simply, joining the Circle requires being a leader who does something. The order is uninterested in those stuck in stasis. Whether kindly or tyrannical, a Charmed Sovereign must be active. While it is naturally easier for Court sovereigns to come to the Circle’s attention, it is technically possible to join without being of the Courts at all, so long as one is a natural leader capable of marshalling a considerable contingent of Lost to follow her. When the Circle has found a worthy leader, it will send a greeting party with a torc and a written contract. Joining is as simple as signing. Those who refuse do not get a second offer, though they face no other consequences.

Those within the Charmed Circle possess the traits of leaders: Social Skills (bar perhaps Animal Ken and Streetwise) are key, given their importance in stirring followers to action. Individual Charmed Sovereigns often tend to favor one Social Attribute over the others.

Mien
A changeling’s mien does not shift dramatically upon joining this eldritch order, though, given their Court status and Wyrd, they will already have a powerful mien. All that changes is that parts of the changeling’s form offers occasional glimpses of precious metals and stones: one eye might appear a glittering sapphire, or nails might seem to shine with a platinum sheen etched with whorls, or skin may take on a golden hue glinting in the sun. The mien doesn’t show always, and often seems to appear to most changelings when they look away: in the periphery, they see and even feel the gilded royalty radiating off the sovereign in waves. Turn to look directly at the monarch, though, and that mien seems harder somehow to see.

Privileges

 * Success Begets Success: The changeling gains another five Merit dots to be spent solely on Social Merits, even if it brings a Merit up to five total dots. Note that this is genuinely magical: the changeling needs to do nothing to earn it other than join this order. Perhaps she “inherits” a large sum of money or property from a distant and now-dead uncle (Resources). Could be that a local mortal agency suddenly pledges its allegiance to her for all her “charitable work” (Allies or Contacts). Maybe a human ensorcelled attaché appears and claims he has “always” worked for her in some capacity or another (Retainer).


 * Friend or Foe: Once per story, the changeling may touch a target (may necessitate a successful touch attack) and vocally declare the subject “friend” or “foe”. A “friend” gains a +1 to all non-Social rolls. The target gains two Willpower upon waking in the morning thanks to “pleasant dreams.” And, finally, the target gains +3 to any Social rolls made involving the changelings of the freehold (though the sovereign is excluded from this). By contrast, a “foe” suffers a persistent –1 to all non-Social rolls, loses a Willpower point upon waking every morning instead of regaining any (due to “troubling dreams”), and the suffers a –3 penalty to any Social rolls involving the changelings of the freehold (though once again, rolls involving the sovereign are excluded). The Gilded Queen can revoke the curse or blessing, though, at any time. Doing so, however, doesn’t allow her to use it again immediately: she must still wait until the next story.

Action: Instant Drawback: If the queen chooses to take a Skill, she suffers three bashing points of damage as the torc tightens for but a moment, bruising her neck. Catch: The character must suddenly make a Stamina roll. Failure indicates that the character passes out as the torc tightens about her neck and cuts off her air supply (unconsciousness lasts for one scene). Success means she remains conscious, but she still chokes for a turn. In addition, she feels dizzy for the rest of the day whether knocked unconscious or not, suffering a –2 to all rolls.
 * Gilded Torc: Granted to a charmed ruler upon joining, the torc is a twisted golden band that lies heavy and rigid upon the neck. Once a day, the changeling may activate it while a subject kisses her hand. She can either take one Skill from or give one Skill to the subject. The Skill comes or goes completely; if she only has Crafts •• to give, that’s all she can give. If the subject has Athletics •••••, then the ruler must take all of those dots, no more, no less. (In addition, if the Skill taken or given is equal to a Skill already possessed at that level or above, no change occurs.) That Skill is lost for the day. If the queen offers her Craft, then she no longer has it to roll. If the queen thieves a subject’s Subterfuge, then the target will surely have trouble conjuring a lie for the remainder of the day (and this can be the reason the queen steals it in the first place, not because she wants the Skill, but because she hopes to rob the subject of its benefit).