Huntsmen

Huntsmen are Arcadian natives twisted by the True Fae into merciless hunters of escaped changelings.

Overview

The Gentry did not always dwell in Arcadia. Before their coming, that realm had another native people. Their original name for themselves is lost, but they still reside on Arcadia's borders, far from the revels of the True Fae. Here, the terrain reverts to cold, dark woodland, just before crossing into the Hedge, and here is where the verders of Arcadia may be found.

Huntsmen are strong believers in rules and order, which naturally puts them at odds with the chaotic and mercurial True Fae. They do not suffer frailties like other creatures of the Wyrd, which is why the Gentry use them as agents; a Huntsman can stay indefinitely in the mortal world with no ill effects, and they have no fear of iron. Some serve the Gentry willingly, but for others, their status as Huntsmen is as much a durance as any changeling's.

On the Hunt

When a Keeper desires the return of an escaped changeling, they select a Huntsman and remove his heart. One of the Keeper's Titles takes it place, imposing its own desire for the changeling onto the Huntman's will. The heart is hidden away in the Bastion of a sleeping human, and no matter their power or prowess, the Huntsman will never be able to track it down on their own. However, while in the Hedge or Arcadia, a Huntsman's own will may begin to bubble up around the edges of the Title imposed on them, which may be the only chance a captive changeling has of escaping.

Huntsmen always announce themselves with a herald, though they may have already been watching their quarry for some time. The visitation from the herald, however, signals that the hunt is about to commence in earnest. The herald takes the form of an animal appropriate to the Huntsman's nature, and the Huntsman can speak through it and use it for remote observation.

Huntsmen can be killed, but as long as their true heart is hidden, they'll always reform and come back. Even if a given Huntsman's heart is destroyed, the Title that empowered and enslaved them returns to its owner and can be implanted into a new Huntsman and sent back on the trail. If the Huntsman's heart is returned, the Title is still returned to its owner, but this particular Huntsman is freed from its effects.

Appearance and Abilities

Every Huntsman has a panoply, a set of two or more distinctive items that always mark their identity. One is usually a garment or accessory, and the other a signature weapon. Huntsmen can otherwise vary their appearance dramatically, but the panoply will remain constant: the One-Eyed Highwayman will always have an eyepatch, for instance, even if their apparent age, race and gender change from moment to moment. This panoply is protected by the Mask just like the changeling's fae mien, so mortals will not notice or remark on the antique musket or other strange accessories the Huntsman carries. If part of their panoply is dropped, lost, or taken, they can summon it back to them by spending Glamour.

Huntsmen can resist an attempt by changelings to seal their words. If the sealing is successful, however, the penalty for breaking their word is heavy; Huntsmen, like the True Fae, are weighted by their words more strongly than other beings. Huntsmen can swear oaths to changelings and the Gentry, but not to each other. Swearing an oath to a changeling in the presence of their heart is one of the few ways a Huntsman can override the will of the Title they carry.