The Oath of the War Band is the Oath that forms a circle of House Daireann warriors.
Words[]
Brothers and Sisters, by the edge of the sword and the bond of blood do I swear the strength of my arms and the courage of my heart to defend you and our cause from the might of our foes. Never shall you stand alone on the battlefield as long as breath remains in my body. Should I break my oath, may a rain of cold iron daggers pierce my breast and send my soul forever into darkness.
Overview[]
To break an Oath is an unthinkable breach of honor in House Daireann and so those who take oaths do so solemnly and for life. Should a Daireann break an oath, it would only be because a greater matter of honor had demanded it. Usually, an oath is sworn on some type of weapon, and a gentle bloodletting is almost always part of the ceremony.
The most feared of House Daireann warriors are those who have sworn an oath to form a war band. Those entwined in such an oathcircle fight for each other's lives and honor, no matter what. They are single minded and unbending in their protection and loyalty to one another. Daireann bards sing many long laments about how some of these bands have been slain, one by one, until the final warrior takes their own life rather than stand alone on the battlefield. At the swearing of this oath, each fae makes a cut on his or her palm and in turn grasps the palm of all members of the war band.
Effects[]
When fighting as part of their oathcircle, each member gains 1 Willpower point to be used only in the combat. They also all gain 1 extra Bruised health level. Both the Willpower and the health level fade at the end of combat, which can have terrible consequences to the Daireann who fights on beyond their normal health levels.