Magistrates of the Wax Mask

The Magistrates of the Wax Mask is an order that maintains the pledges and Contracts of changeling society, providing festivals and games to that end.

Background
"And so I give myself over to the will of the freehold and act on its behalf to ensure that the games and festivals of old are honored. I am a humble servant."

Many freeholds have old traditions rooted in the fulfilment of certain Contracts (e.g. sacrifice three sows during the harvest festival to stymie True Fae efforts). The Magistrates provide their aid, either by adding their help when asked for, or by organizing the events wholesale. Members of this entitlement pretend as though they are merely public servants, doing their duty. In truth, they gather for themselves considerable power, firstly through the social power of controlling invitation lists, and secondly through the ability to simply let the Contracts fall through, bringing doom upon the Court’s head.

Organization
The Magistrates have a strict three-tier organization. The bottom rung are the Quaestors, who deal with administrative matters (lists of names, inventory, finances, calendars). Above them are the Curule Aedile; the Aediles meet with the Courts and are the public face of the order. At the top is a single Magister Equitum, one per freehold, who acts as a guiding force and often has the current ruler’s ear. Outside of this structure are the bodyguards that Magistrates sometimes take on; they are known as Lictors, and take this position largely to curry favor with the entitlement.

Joining and Membership
Prerequisites: Wyrd 3 Title: Magistrate (though other internal titles are used; see “Organization” above)

Officially, any who wish to join may do so; no trials are required. Unofficially, the order is an exclusive club, capable of being used as a springboard to greater roles in a freehold; as such, Magistrates will freeze out the “unworthy”, making life difficult for novitiates until they give up.

Those within the entitlement often are either those who genuinely seek to better the freehold or those who wish to use the order’s status to improve their own lot. Mental or Social Traits are common, though the former find themselves relegated to administrative duties.

Mien
Unsurprisingly, given the name, one of the primary changes to a Magistrate’s mien is the formation of a slowly oozing wax mask over his face. Largely featureless, globs of fresh wax occasionally break open to run down the length of the face. It will occasionally take on the features of the prevailing Court, though Magistrates who themselves bear a Mantle will find that their own Court will inform the mask’s decoration.

Privileges
Action: Reflexive Drawback: The aroma has a soporific effect on the Magistrate who activates it. The caster has two hours before falling asleep. He can resist sleeping after that point for one point of Willpower per turn. This sleep lasts for eight hours. If forced awake during this time, rolls made suffer a -2 penalty until the eight hours of sleep are completed. Catch: In addition to the Drawback, the Violet “drinks” the caster’s blood for one level of lethal damage, leaving a flower-shaped scar.
 * Waxen Violet: A small violet preserved in wax, this token is pinned to the clothing or skin of a Magistrate. When activated, it gives off an aroma that affects those within 50 yards. If an affected individual fails the subsequent Resolve + Composure roll, the Magistrate appears humble and trustworthy and gains +3 Social dice against said individual. These effects last for one scene.