Tadhg

Lore

• 

  A small collection of material from Changeling: The Dreaming that help to elucidate bits of Tadhg's background and moral character. Annotations by me will appear in italics. He's also adaptable to the canon of Holly Black's Modern Tale of Faerie series.

• Tadhg's Legacies

  Life is a balancing art - banality and bedlam - Seelie and Unseelie

  Even though fae generally identify as either seelie or unseelie, nothing is ever 100% and so every faerie has a legacy from each court. Unseelie dominates Tadhg, but he can slip into his seelie legacy occasionally
  
  Unseelie Legacy, Outlaw
  You live to break the rules; you owe society nothing and it owes you everything Quest: Regain Willpower whenever you do something to shake up the status quo Ban: Never do anything that helps others more than it hurts them over the long term
  
  Seelie Legacy, Wayfarer
  You live for the moment, and do things on impulse Quest: Regain Willpower whenever you survive a situation through your own cleverness Ban: Never plan for the future
  
  As exiled nobility, sidhe also have romantic legacies, personality traits left over from the court life and pageantry of days long since past.
  
  Unseelie Romantic Legacy Gamester
  Love is a grand game, full of danger and excitement. You may have one partner or many, but the affair must be constantly challenging and in motion.
  
  Seelie Romantic Legacy Empath
  You are highly sensitive to the moods, wishes and desires of your paramour. If she isn't happy, neither are you.

• The Unseelie Code

  Mocker of Traditions

  
  Though Tadhg has reluctance identifying with the courts, a system he deems largely oppressive, he did spend most of his early life at court and the Unseelie Code remains an essential piece of his philosophy.
  
  Change is good.
  
  Security does not exist. The slightest of circumstances can transform a king into a peasant. Nothing is certain in a world where change is the only constant. Embrace change or be destroyed by it. Chaos and discord rule the universe. Adapt or die.
  
  Glamour is free.
  
  Glamour is worthless unless used. Hoarding Glamour makes no sense, since it is an eternally replenishable resource. So long as humans exist, there will always be dreamers — hence, there will always be more Glamour. Acquire it by any means possible, and you will never be without.
  
  Honour is a lie.
  
  Honour has no place in the modern world. It is a fairy tale constructed to hide the essential emptiness behind most traditions. Only through enlightened self- interest can truth be attained.
  
  Passion before duty.
  
  Passion is the truest state of the fae spirit. Follow your instincts and act on your impulses. Live life to the fullest without regard for the consequences — they will come about no matter what you do. Youth passes quickly, so have fun while you can. Death can come at any time, so live without regret.

• Tadhg's House: Balor

  The Coat of Arms

  
  Tadhg comes from House Balor and inherited the title of baron from his father. Though he has been banished from Arcadia forever, old ties run deep and his old Balor habits die hard.
  
  Though it has been forgotten by all but a few of the eldest fae, the Kithain of House Balor trace their ancestry back to a line of sidhe who mixed their blood with that of the Fomorians. Most changelings believe that the house name is simply an Unseelie joke, a slap in the face to the proud Seelie. The twisted members of House Balor have no intention of disillusioning them. Because of this, most Seelie believe that members of House Balor are like bad children, they since they are dissatisfied by their place in fae society, they say and do things merely to shock their Seelie cousins. Few understand the true danger House Balor poses.
  
  The house reckons their founder as Lugh of the Long Arm, grandson of Balor of the Evil Eye, king of the Fomorians. Thus, they believe they are doubly royal and laugh at the pretensions of House Gwydion. As Lugh slew his own grandfather, they believe that they are destined to ride themselves of the weak and foolish Seelie, and take their rightful place as the rulers of the fae. They would then demand tribute from all their subjects, and rule the mortals as overlords. House Balor believes that the Endless Winter is almost here and the a strong hand needs to guide the helm to steer the fae through it. They actively work to bring on the Winter so they can seize power as soon as possible.
  
  Most sidhe from House Balor belong to the Reformist party. They want power in both the mortal and supernatural world and seek to gather as much Glamour as possible to aid them in their takeover attempt before the Endless Winter. Some among them see no future for the fae at all and these follow the anarchists. They care for nothing but spreading chaos and fulfilling their current desires as completely as possible. Believing they are doomed anyway, they want to spread the wealth.
  
  All members of House Balor are marked by some sort of deformity, a throwback to their Fomorian blood. Such deformities are not always apparent, nor are all of them physical. Thy might also be mental or emotional. Many changelings of House Balor flirt with disaster by carrying and utilizing iron weapons as a way of thumbing their noses at other sidhe. They do no suffer from Banality's Curse, the frailty of most Sidhe. They are even more likely to fall into fits of depression, however. Unlike Balor's burning eye, they deformities give them no special powers.
  
  Members of House Balor can often be found pretending to be from other houses (especially Eiluned or Dougal). They are highly skilled in both warfare and infiltration. Many bide their time, worming their way into the confidence of Seelie they perceive to be weak and ripe for the takeover, acting as knights, confidants or courtiers. While some members of House Balor operate with the Shadow Court, the house has its own agenda, which it hopes to eventually implement.
  
  House Balor's blazon is sanguine, a tower, or entwined by a serpent sable barring a door gules (a black wyrm entwined around a golden tower and barring a red door on a field of purple).
  
  The Oath of Majority
  "By the serpent which twines around the golden tower,
  by the crimson beam that streams from Balor's Eye,
  by the blood that runs like fire through
  my veins, I pledge my heart,
  mind and body to the will of House Balor.
  To the threshold of death and beyond,
  my spirit belonds to my house.
  My eyes see through the eyes of my ancestors:
  my heart beats with the anger of vengeance denied:
  my tongue cries out for justice and restitution in the name of Balor and all his children.
  Let the challenge that makes my body as different from all others serve as
  a constant reminder of my birth and my destiny,
  and let no one deter me from my service to my house.
  May I suffer the agony of a thousand flames if I betray my house or any of its members.
  This I swear, by the tower and beam and blood.
  May the Dreaming hear my oath and exact its penalties should I forswear it."
  
  Upon surviving the period of fosterage and the Fior, each new member of House Balor takes this solemn oath before all the members of her freehold or clique. Usually sworn by the light of a full moon, symbol of Balor's Eye, this oath confers all the benefits and responsibilities of house membership upon the oath taker. The oath taker speaks the words of the oath while holding an iron dagger to her throat. At the completion of the oath, the House Boon takes effect; the oath taker demonstrates this by cutting herself at the base of her throat with the dagger held while taking the oath. Should the Dreaming reject the oath for any reason (signified by the loss of Glamour from the wound caused by the iron dagger), the administrator of the oath has the right to use the dagger to slay the oath taker on the spot.
  

• Tadhg's Kith: Sidhe

  Those FUCKING Sidhe

  "Fucking Sidhe!" might as well be Tadhg's trademark exclamation. He hates the sidhe and everything they represent as a kith. Most of his fae friends are not other sidhe, preferring instead the company of redcaps, goblins, beasties, ogres, and sluagh. The irony of his ire is that he himself is a sidhe with a noble birthright. He has rejected this life, though-- giving up his lands and wealth (not entirely by his own choice) in favour of a life with less materialism.
  
  As exiled nobility, the sidhe remember a time when they ruled proudly in a living dream. Known and feared as the Good Folk, their whims enchanted and terrified mortals for millennia. Now that tale has ended. The gates to Arcadia have closed, the song has ended, and their new kingdom grows cold. For sidhe, the age of wonder has died, and they mourn its passing. This mourning, however, has not ended their lives. Though they fear death like few faeries ever could, they are facing their fate with regal bearing. While others consider them cold and arrogant, the sidhe refuse to lie down and die. For them, the dream is still alive, and they strive to awaken the world from its slumber. The very presence of a sidhe inspires supernatural awe. The sight of a sidhe in her true form captures the hearts of mortals and the essence of the Dreaming.
  
  Faerie passions run deep — love or vengeance is never forgotten. The ideals of the sidhe are even fiercer, and cost them dearly. Such passion has its price, though. Even Seelie heroes would rather destroy themselves in a blaze of glory than fade away. Their less energetic brethren lose hope and become self-indulgent, letting their freeholds fall into despair as easily as they fall into melancholy. Others become Unseelie tyrants, ruling through cruelty and intrigue. Though exotic in their beauty and lost in their ideals, a few travel among commoners. No matter what path they choose, sidhe are far from human and always stand out among those with whom they associate.
  
  The blessing and curse of the sidhe is to live deeper in the Dreaming world than most fae ever will. This walking dream-state gives most sidhe a glazed look and unfocused air. Bards' songs say that the eldest sidhe live in the past, present and future all at once. Sidhe are also notorious for switching between Courts without warning. Considering their whims, it's no wonder few changelings trust them.
  
  Banality is a deadly curse, and sidhe suffer more from it than any other Kithain. Death is an even greater fear, for sidhe are not believed to be reborn as other changelings are. In these dark times, most never return from death; and it is speculated that the few that do are reincarnated as commoners — for them, a fate worse than death. Faced with this dire fate, they resent the Arcadian sidhe for exiling them from paradise. The most hopeless of the Earth-bound sidhe quest in vain for Arcadia or throw themselves into orgies of Glamour-gathering to sustain themselves.
  
  The thought of simply fading away is too much for them, and they will do anything to stay alive. Tormented by their dreams, the beautiful sidhe are outsiders in a human world.
  
  Appearance: The sidhe resemble humans of unearthly beauty; their bodies are perfect, their features pleasing and their hair richly colorful. They are ethereal and carry a hint of sadness even when they laugh. Tall and lean, they are fierce and regal, with tapering pointed ears, angular features and a commanding gaze. Their eyes are of odd yet striking colors, such as violet or silver. They rarely wear anything but the finest clothing.
  
  Lifestyle: Just as the sidhe have positions of esteem in the courts of the Kithain, they tend to hold valuable positions in the mortal world as well. Wealth and privilege are common to them, and they are expected to live affluent lives. Those who cannot often become resentful and fall into a very Unseelie state of mind.
  
  Opinions on the Sidhe from other Faeries:
  Boggans — The sidhe are all too often misunderstood. It's admirable that they carry the ideals of another world. It's too bad this one is so hard on them.
  Eshu — Their dreams are made of glass. If they studied this world a little more closely, perhaps they would not live in so much pain.
  Nockers — They always seemed a little distant to me, but I'm not gonna turn down a fat commission from 'em!
  Pooka — So regal. So elegant. It must be wonderful to be the centre of so much intrigue and politics, but the emperors have no clothes.
  Redcaps — Stay clear of the sidhe. They may look weak, but they'll turn you into sushi with their blades. And if they sick the freehold on you — sucks to be you.
  Satyrs — I'll never understand the sidhe. One minute, they're fragile and delicate; the next, they're the greatest of heroes. How odd.
  Sluagh — They are not without their shame, the mightiest of off. If you knew what I know of them....
  Trolls — They may be pompous, but they do uphold chivalry. If a sidhe is strong, you must support him. If he falls, then you must replace him.
  
  The sidhe, whose memories stretch back to the earliest times, claim that all fae are descended from the Tuatha de Danaan. This arrogant assumption that their Irish ancestors are the only stock from which the fae sprang not only infuriates commoners not of Celtic stock such as the eshu, but blinds them to a terrible danger that resides within their midst -- the Unseelie fae of House Balor. This secretive house claims to be the progeny resulting from Tuathan-Fomorian unions.
  

• Unseelie Sidhe

  So what if I value freedom and wildness over chivalry?

  As Unseelie, Tadhg served in the Shadow Court in Arcadia for years. There was a time he believed in some sidhe traditions and understood the need for a hierarchy. He could again, too. But lately he preferred to wander, searching for a Court or Freehold on Earth where he can make use of his talents, but not be stifled by rigidity and "tulip-tossing" Seelie.
  
  Even Shadow Court Fae tend to think Unseelie sidhe are a little extreme. They tend to fall within two categories: schizophrenic or epic antiheroes. The first category is more relevant to Seelie sidhe nobles. Some have been known to shift their court from honorable rulers to Machiavellian tyrants with the merest stirring of the breeze. Perhaps if they were in Arcadia, their fragile psyches would stabilize, but in a world of ethical ambiguities and lost faith, the Shining Host is like a glass menagerie waiting to be smashed.
  
  Antiheroes sink into the dregs of the Shadow Court. A truly unseelie sidhe will treat his Legacy as an epic journey, not psychotic aberration. First, he will grow weary of his Seelie life. Next, he will rear himself away from all that he held dear, and then finally he will reject his own nobility as a weakness and come to terms with the taint within his heart. All other acts, no matter how base or ignoble, are merely distractions from the conflict within himself at this point, for nothing else truly matters. Some courtiers of the shadows write this off to typical sidhe arrogance, but it does help to give the Unseelie concept of the Pageant its meaning.
  
  They have a weakness, however. It is almost impossible for them to purge themselves fully of their sense for chivalry. They will deny this, but it has prevented them from fully taking over the Shadow Court. Fortunately for the Unseelie, their nobility can become as tainted as their souls, and their sense of honour often becomes twisted and situational. Unseelie honour is a very personally defined thing, so a villain may very well redefine what he considers chivalrous to accommodate his corrupt morality.
  
  A heartfelt appeal to a sidhe's hidden chivalry may cripple him, as most sidhe are egotistical enough to want to finish off a rival with style rather than with simple butchery. Those who undertake the Quest of the Darkest Heart may try to hide their sense of personal honor beyond an image of villainy. Hidden chivalry is the most valuable quality any Unseelie sidhe can possess, and some have been known to take on Banality if they turn down chivalrous challenges. Then again, some of them would rather be slowly undone by Banality than exhibit chivalry openly.
  
  The circumstances under which one sidhe would kill another outright would still have to be rather extreme. Shadow Court fae have speculated that the only reason why the sixth portion of the Escheat, which prohibits the killing of Kithain, was articulated by the sidhe because few of them understood what happened to their souls after death. The reason why most sidhe either return as commoners or never return from the Bright Road remains a mystery.
  
  Many Unseelie commoners have little fear of death, as they understand the need for reincarnation and the change it brings into the world. Sidhe have intensified the amount of intrigue three courts persue because it destroys enemies slower than cold steel. The ultimate victory over another sidhe lies in turning his legacy to serve your cause instead of someone else's. Within the Shadow Court, there are often debates of which would be more efficient: killing them quickly with cold steel, or destroying them slowly with Banality. Such debates make cold night pass quickly.

• Tadhg's Seeming: Wilder

  With youth comes innocence, trust and belief in the magical

  Tadhg is still a Wilder, still idealistic and thirsty for adventure. His seeming is everything to him and he wants to enjoy the remainder of his Wilder years to the fullest before he becomes a Grump.
  
  Wilders
  Age Range: 13-25
  
  Typically rebellious, devious and hedonistic, wilders are by far the most numerous of the Kithain. Because of this, they often strive to be the leaders of both the Seelie and Unseelie courts. After all, the childlings are too young, and grumps obviously don't have enough energy, so what other choice is there? These young, wild Kithain have lost the naiveté of childlings, but they haven't yet succumbed to the cynicism of grumps. Nonetheless, they tend to be arrogant and full of themselves. Known for their daring and adventurous ways, wilders love to be young. Mortal culture fascinates them, especially its creative aspects. Their prospective on creativity becomes more acute, and the Glamour of music, movies or anything on the cutting edge draws them like moths to a chimerical flame. When the fires of creativity consume them, they fully realize what it is to be alive. That flame can sometimes be a little too compelling. Burnout is the wilder's greatest fear. They don't want to miss a moment of their enchanted existence. After all, growing old brings with it Banality and eventually the Undoing. The most extreme wilders would rather die than lose the memory of what it is to be young and fae. Living on the edge, wilders follow ambitions that propel them into positions of responsibility without authority. Rebelling out of desperation is the natural response. Those who still hang on to a second mortal life also feel a overwhelming need to escape. Those who don't are often consumed by their passion. Either way, wilders live lives filled with constant energy and motion. Chaos and adventure fuels their very essence.
  
  Sidhe Wilders know they have the opportunity to indulge their every whim outside of court. Although high spirited and presumptuous on occasion, they are Watched carefully once court begins. Seelie wilders are overconfident that their chivalry and nobility will prevail; Unseelie wilders are rebellious and scheme for power.

• Tadhg's Faerie Magic

  Tadhg's Arts and Cantrips

  Cantrips, more simply known as "faerie magic," are how fae and changelings manipulate Glamour to create magical effects. Arts are the defined means by which a changeling can mold and shape Glamour and produce certain effects. There are many Fae Arts and the following are just a list of Tadhg's Arts (or magic powers) that he can perform under the right circumstances.
  

  

  
  

  

  Sovereign. In ancient times, the sidhe used Sovereign to regularly enforce their noble dictates upon commoner kith. A few highly conservative (and unpopular) nobles still adhere to this custom. The Art of Sovereign forces commoners and nobles of equal or lesser rank to obey the caster's dictates. Thus, a knight could not use Sovereign on a baron.
  
  This art is the most widespread grievance that commoner fae have against sidhe nobility. As such, wise nobles use this Art sparingly, lest they risk revolt among their subjects. Traditionally, this Art was jealously guarded by the nobility.
  
  

  

  This cantrip allows nobles to conduct business and hold court functions without being perpetually interrupted by noisy childlings or commoners. Protocol ensures that everyone affected behaves as noble etiquette requires. When this cantrip is cast, no one may speak out of turn, and sudden combat and tomfoolery are out of the question. Duels between persons of equal rank to settle disputes are acceptable, if the reigning noble permits it.
  

  

  This cantrip enforces the power of authority and command over commoners and underlings. The target is simply unable to disobey the requests of the caster, although the target is aware when Dictum is being used upon him (even if he is unfamiliar with the Arts).
  
  A target under the sway of Dictum attempts to carry out the caster's requests to the spirit and the letter, unless the request would somehow place him in immediate danger. A target couldn't be told to attack a werewolf, but he could be asked to guard the door against werewolves, as the command does not place the target in immediate harm.
  
  This cantrip, more than any other Sovereign cantrip, is the major point of contention between commoners and nobles. Commoner kith seem to take less of an affront to a user of Grandeur than a user of Dictum. After all, most Kithain already respect and feel a certain sense of awe for the nobility, but they do not appreciate being forced to bow and scrape before every noble whim.
  
  

  

  
  Contempt. While Unseelie nobles have been known to use the Sovereign Art, some have chosen instead on countering it with their knowledge of the Art of Contempt. Commoners with jamming and pretender cliques have also found it useful. There has been much debate over whether commoners outside the Shadow Court should learn its intricasies, but for the nonce, commoners in the shadows practice it

  

  Change the etiquette in a given Court, either producing random lawlessness that puts all on equal authority, or allowing the voices of Unseelie nobles to rise to the top.
  

  

  An individual affected by this cantrip will show a flagrant disregard for authority for one scene. It will not cause those effected to assault authority figures, but it may result in physical acts of violence. Once-logical arguments will seem shallow, and warnings or dictums against certain courses of action will seem offenseive. This can be resisted with an opposed Willpower roll. If a noble is nearby, this Art can instead be used as a counter to the level two Sovereign cantrip: Dictum. Unseelie nobles have been known to use Dictum, but usually prefer to use it only on so-called "Prodigals," or members of other races. It's opposite, Disobedience, can be used to inspire a commoner, mortal or animal (depending on the realm) to reject the Dictums of nobles. Before this compatriot has an audience (or a conversation) with a noble, the Unseelie can give a few words of wisdom to bolster his or her (or its) confidence. For each success, the user of this cantrip lowers the difficulty of the disobedient one's Willpower to resist Dictum by one. If the user gets four successes, the commoner is immune to commands for the duration of one scene. Since Shadow Court cliques are more prone to interacting with other supernatural races, this cantrip can als be used to overcome some vampiric Disciplines (such as Presence) and particular werewolf Gifts that affect the mind. This is at the Storyteller's discretion.
  

  

  Insolence can be used to inspire groups of people to riot. It's useful at raves, rock concerts, labor negotiations, lynchings, and other such entertaining gatherings. For each success, one individual will be herded by the user into attacking something or someone else. (You can't, unfortunately, choose whom that will be!) Anyone affected by this magic can attempt to resist by using Willpower. This cantrip can also be used to negate Grandeur. If a fae can overcome the effect of Grandeur by normal means, she can rally others against it. Only one Shadow Court fae can attempt Insolence; if that indivudla fails, the others are on their own. For each success, the caster lowers the difficulty for everyone else present to oppose Grandeur by one. If the shadow fae gets four successes, everyone in the area is immune to it -- the remark or display was timed well enough to negate the commanding presence of the noble.
  
  

  

  Oneiromancy While this Art is mostly known among Denizens, certain changelings might be able to learn it if they can find a willing teacher.
  
  Oneiromancy is far more -- the power of sleeping dreams made flesh. Believed to be a creation of the fomorians (who reputedly practiced it at levels far exceeding those discussed here), this Art is not widely practiced, even among the Dark-kin. It nevertheless remains a valuable tool in the hands of the returning Denizens. Changelings have found it particularly difficult to battle this Art, which effectively blurs the borders between reality and fantasy, sleep and waking. Some returning Denizens use it to steal or destroy changeling Dreamers, claim freeholds, or for assassination. To affect someone with any of the following cantrips, the caster must have a valued personal item from the target.
  

  

  This is the ability to send dreams. The caster has little control over the dream's actual content, but can dictate the type of dream – generally anything definable in two words or less (e.g., calm flying, sexual nightmare, or good fortune). The caster may also plant one "image" in the dream (a sight, smell, melody, etc.).
  
  OOC note: Faerie magic is very complex and takes a long time to learn and even longer to master. Tadhg's highest Art is Contempt, with 3/5. These are entirely optional in our RP, but are here for those interested in a little CtD. I will always roll for them, and spend the necessary glamour, in order to prevent godmodding and exaggerated results. I've only listed the Cantrips that Tadhg is capable of performing. A full list can be found here.

• OOC Playstyles Chart

  Always	Sometimes	Maybe	Never
  Always Long term RP Short term RP Adult RP (violence, language, et. al.) Post Modern settings Whisper Friendly Fae / Changeling / Supernatural RP Transtemporal continuity Realism and probability Plots, story telling Urban fantasy	Sometimes Other settings Other chronology High fantasy	Maybe OOC chattering Whisper RP	Never Mixing IC and OOC God modding Really strange shite Players under 18
• For more information visit the CtD Lexicon
  Body art and reference images are based on the likeness of Stephen "Elijah" James Hendry.