Eternal Echoes

The Eternal Echoes are an entitlement that records the memories of important events that they witness.

Background
"I, Shayndel Leahdine, beloved of Rainian, fosterling of Amelia Kettlesworth, witness of the Battle of Boston and the taking of Mal Coleche, swear that I shall not forget the things I have seen. I will remember, so that the past may be learned from. I will remember, so that mistakes shall not be repeated. I will remember, so that our glories will live on. I will remember, this I swear, and should I fail, may I myself be forgotten."

Having faced the fate of being forgotten by their friends and family during their stay in Arcadia, the Eternals have devoted themselves to ensuring none meet such a fate again. To this end, they seek out and record in their memories historic moments — a duty made particularly important by the dangers of Others or their Loyalists getting access to paper copies. The memories kept by Lords and Ladies of Echoes remain undiluted by time or distance, all sensory detail perfectly unchanged. These memories can be passed along to other Echoes, as well, though the changeling giving it up loses that memory entirely.

Organization
The organization of the order is akin to an information network in which different “types” of Echoes exist. Court Attestants prefer to witness Court and political events; these changelings are held to rigorous standards of truthfulness, being shunned if a lie is discovered. Martial Correspondents ride into danger, be it in travels with adventurers or serving on the front line of Hedge battles; members of the Sacred Band often hire these Echoes to serve as witness to their actions. Navigators are those who prefer to accompany exploring parties in the Hedge (though the mutable nature of the Hedge renders the title somewhat inaccurate). Other Echoes may specialize in a freehold’s important events (Historians), may follow the life or lineage of a particular individual, motley or kith (Biographers) or may travel from area to area witnessing a particular rite or ceremony as celebrated by Lost from different locations (Sacramentists).

Rumors persist of a final segment of the order that gives itself over to the duty of acting as repositories for horrific, important, or dangerous memories. These Silent Echoes willingly enter coma-like sleep, spending their dreaming hours curating their collections. The Silent Echoes are said to keep memories dating back to the earlies years of Lost history.

Joining and Membership
Prerequisites: Wyrd 3, Eidetic Memory, Intelligence 3 Title: Lord/Lady of Echoes, the Eternals (collectively)

The order keeps an eye out for changelings with a deep interest in the history of the Lost. Additionally, those who have already begun recording important events may stick out as kindred souls. Only rarely do more “active” individuals enter the Echoes, as the order’s mandate is to act as watchers, rather than the movers and shakers of the world. This is not to say that shy, retiring souls would do well; a Lord of Echoes must be prepared to ride into the thick of battle to serve as a witness to either victory or loss.

Mien
The mien of an Eternal will shift as she records more and more memories. Her pupils will enlarge to the point of subsuming the rest of the eye, while her ears will become more pronounced (in some cases becoming pointed humanoid ears, in others taking on feral aspects). An aura of attentiveness surrounds the Eternal, producing a constant sense of being watched or eavesdropped on. Additionally, the sound of unintelligible whispers haunts the area around her.

Privileges

 * Perfected Memory: Spend a point of Willpower and a point of Glamour during a scene to store that scene in memory. The memory is etched into the Echo’s mind and can be recalled at will for the rest of the Echo’s life with no degeneration of detail. Supernatural effects which normally erase, change or steal a memory cannot such scenes. The Echo receives a +5 bonus to protect against all attempts of any sort to coerce her into revealing details of scenes which she has used Perfected Memory to remember. She cannot use this ability to recall things which happened outside of her sensory perceptions at the time, although supernatural enhancements to her perception at the time of the memorization allow her to access those perceptions at a later time as well.

An Echo may remember up to a 10 x Wyrd number of scenes using Perfected Memory at any given time. If an Echo has remembered her maximum number of scenes and wishes to remember another, she must purge one of her previously remembered scenes in order to make room for the new one. To do this, an Echo can spend a point of Willpower to choose to instantly flush a memory from her mind, or she can use the Perfected Memory Transferal ability to give it to another willing Echo. Regardless of which method is used, the formerly Perfected Memory is gone from the Echo’s mind entirely. She can no longer recall any aspect associated with that scene.


 * Perfected Memory Transferal: Any scene memorized by an Echo can be willingly transferred to another Echo. This transfer happens by way of a ritual, where the original Echo makes skin-to-skin contact with the receiving Echo and allows him to enter her mind, where she gifts him with the Perfected Memory through the spending of one point of Willpower on each side. No harm may come to either side in this mental-sharing scenario, and either may end it at any time. The Perfected Memory includes not only what the original Echo witnessed, but her thought processes, emotions and reactions to the things she saw and encountered, which makes this a very personal exchange. Few Echoes are willing to use this other than at the end of their lives, due to the intimate nature of the transferal.

For 24 hours after an Echo has died, it is possible for her to still give her memories to other Echoes by the same ritual, though (obviously) the dead Echo does not need to expend Willpower. The scene takes place in silence, with the original Echo appearing as an emotionless automaton version of herself in the dream. Conjecture has been made as to whether it is truly the Echo herself who is giving the memories away or some automated function of the entitlement that is working to ensure that the committed memories are not lost with the Echo’s death.