Oaths of the Dreaming

The following encompasses most of the base-line Oaths that changelings may utter to one another in various circumstances. Little more needs to be said about them, about why the fae would bother, and the benefits and drawbacks of such promises. The main thing to note here is this: non-Kithain changelings, like the Nunnehi (but even hsien), also make Oaths. Just like Kithain, they stand to gain Banality or suffer other effects upon breaking their word. Indeed, for the Menehune, breaking or violating an Oath is considered kapu (taboo). Observing kapu is so central to the Menehune that all penalties for breaking Oaths among them are doubled, including Banality gains.

Note also that hsien (mostly the Shinma and Daitya factions, rarely the vile Kura Sau) also suffer if they break Oaths. But as they do not have Banality, they instead lose points of Tao in its place. (If the hsien in question has no points of Tao, then the loss is counted against potential gains, though points that would be gained in that Story only). Finally, substitute yugen for Glamour. Because Oaths are connected to the Dreaming, and the hsien have little truck with that place, true Oaths can only be made with the assistance of one of the po jen, an advisory hsien specializing in Meng Tan (the “dream alchemy”). Indeed, the Oath must be sealed with an I Chih (cantrip) of that alchemy’s second rank. Hsien, especially Shinma of the more traditional courts (the mandarin-styled Ministries of Elements and the noble Yü) make the most frequent use of Oaths. For them, Oaths have nothing to do with whimsical dream-promises. They are obligations under Heaven itself, and such mandates carry the power of destiny – which is quite accurate, though the fae recognize it as Dán. Additionally, Oaths are taken as part of that intricate network of prestation and reciprocal social obligation collectively known as guanxi. Hence, Oathbreakers among the Shinma suffer as much if not more than Oathbreakers do among the Kithain. Because guanxi often connects Shinma courts to unwitting human allies and even other shen, Oathbreaking hsien may find themselves completely alienated. (But the Kura Sau would always be willing to accept a desperate Oathbreaker into their midst…)

Most of the following Oaths are taken directly from Changeling: The Dreaming core books. There are a few canon Oaths not here listed, primarily because they are forbidden and foul (e.g., Oaths for joining the Shadow Court or setting oneself on the path to becoming Dauntain). There are also several new Oaths, including one appropriate only to aboriginal fae.

Oath of Clasped Hands
Blood for blood, bone for bone, life for life, until only we stride the earth. My life is in your hands, my blood is in your veins. Hold me well and I will lend you my strength, break your bond and may we both perish. Friendship I swear to you, an oath of clasped hands and shared hearts.
This oath is never made lightly; these words are only for those who feel a bond for a friend as strong as any they might feel for a lover. To make this oath, the oathmakers’ hands are clasped around a double-edged blade while the words are spoken. As the blood of the oathmakers is mixed, their friendship is reaffirmed and strengthened.
Benefits/Drawbacks: Makers of this oath gain a Willpower point when it is completed, but lose two if it is ever broken.

Oath of Crossed Blades
Where two stand, there will be one. I swear enmity unto thee until the setting of the last sun. May my heart cease to beat and my hand lose its strength should ever I show favor to thee, and the bones of the earth are my witness.
Only trolls and sidhe generally speak this oath; members of the other kith consider it counterproductive to announce one’s enmity. Still, there is a certain style to swearing eternal hatred, and the oath serves as a bold step in the intricate dances of court. A fae swearing this oath instantly trades a point of Willpower for one of Glamour.
Benefits/Drawbacks: In addition to the Glamour point, the oathmaker also has the difficulty of any roll involving his enemy reduced by one. Should, however, the oath be broken, a point of Willpower is lost permanently, and a pair of matching scars, akin to those that would be left by a rapier’s point, appear on the face of the oathbreaker.

Oath of Escheat
I take you as my vassal. You are of my house, even as the very stones. I pledge to hold you, to guard you, and to keep you. I pledge to honor your service as it deserves, and to reward loyalty in kind. As the moon to the seas below, my will to yours. I pledge the Escheat to you.
With these words, a ruler formally signifies that she accepts another fae as a vassal. The oath is commonly spoken in conjunction with the Oath of Fealty, but not always (many Unseelie lords never utter this oath). When these words are spoken, the speaker loses one Glamour point, and a chimerical gold coin, stamped with her visage, appears in her hand. The oath is not actually binding until the oathmaker offers, and the proposed vassal accepts, this token.
Benefits/Drawbacks: Failure to abide by the terms of this oath indicates a fall from the ways of true fae honor, and thus causes the acquisition of a Banality point. Anyone currently bound by (and holding to) the terms of this oath, even if it is to be one vassal, gains an extra Willpower point per week.

Oath of Fealty
I swear fealty unto you, lady/lord. Your command is my desire, and your request my desire. May my service always please, and may my sight grow dark if it does not. As the tides to the moon, my will to yours, my liege.
This is the wording of the formal Oath of Fealty, commonly used at investitures, knightings, and Sainings. Speaking the words of this oath requires the investment of one Willpower point, and a formal obeisance that lasts a full quarter-hour must be made.
Benefits/Drawbacks: Once the oath is taken, the difficulties of all resistance rolls against any form of mental domination are reduced by two. Breaking this oath causes the loss of three Willpower points. In cases of extreme betrayal of this oath, the offender can be struck blind for a year and a day.

Oath of Guardianship
As the sun guards the Earth by day, as the stars by night, so shall I serve thee. This is my duty I shall not abandon [object of oath] till [duration of oath], else may the stars close their eyes and sleep.
This is a fearful oath, and those who do not uphold to it are cursed to never spend two nights in the same bed until a century is passed. The Oath of Guardianship binds the oathmaker to keep a single object, place, or individual from any and all harm, to the point of ultimate self-sacrifice.
Benefits/Drawbacks: There is no cost to make the Oath of Guardianship, save that extracted by its keeping.

Oath of Guidance
As the old to the new and wisdom to youth, I shall share all I must with thee to temper thy fire with my water, thy storm with my soil. I shall guide thee until our paths part, this I promise unto thee.
Typically, Chrysalids find guidance in the form of an older changeling. This mentor assists the young faerie out of a sense of obligation and/or compassion. This oath, however, formalizes that relationship. It is more common among the nobility, where such patrons are often assigned by a liege. Generally, the oath is considered to be resolved when the mentored beneficiary becomes a full-fledged member of Kithain society. Both the oathmaker and the beneficiary know when it ends, because a chimerical owl suddenly appears, takes flight over both their heads, and promptly vanishes.
Benefits/Drawbacks: Swearing this oath bestows a point of Willpower upon both the mentor and mentored. Breaking this oath causes a loss of three Willpower points from both parties.

Oath of Retainment
I pledge service to you alone, lady/lord. Your needs are mine; your command is my duty. May my labors always satisfy you, and my feet shrivel and warp should it not. As the wheat and barley before the wind and sun, my will to yours, my liege.
This describes the formal oath that commoners who serve noble lords undertake. Before becoming a permanent retainer of any sort (such as thane or steward), most nobles expect this oath before accepting the commoner into her household. Benevolent and honor-bound lords/ladies will swear the Oath of Escheat in return.
Benefits/Drawbacks: Once the oath is taken, the retainer gains an extra point of Willpower every week. Breaking this oath causes the loss of a permanent point of Willpower. In cases of extreme betrayal of this oath, the offender may develop awful and untreatable cases of gout or even outright warping of the flesh of the feet, rendering him lame for a year and a day.

Oath of Secrecy
As the Mists enshroud mortal minds and Arcadia’s gate stands unfound, so shall I keep close and secret the knowledge I gain in this time and place. Never shall it pass my lips, else may night become as day and all things hidden be exposed.
Changelings utter this oath to each other under relevant circumstances. It may be one of the most common and also one of the weakest oaths to undertake – though breaking even this oath carries the usual penalties.
Benefits/Drawbacks: Oathtakers gain an additional point of Willpower. Breaking the oath costs two points of Willpower.

Oath of the Accepted Burden
Lay down your burden, that I might take it up. The road is long, and I swear I shall bear it for you, until all roads end. I shall [the actual task is named here], else may the road cease to lay beneath my feet.
Superficially similar to a geas, this oath is a promise to perform a certain deed. The nature of the deed itself is irrelevant; it could be anything from a kiss to retrieving the still-beating heart of an enemy. This oath is always made to another, and is made to verify that a task that he desires will be performed.
Benefits/Drawbacks: When these words are spoken, a Willpower point is gained by both the oathmaker and the one to whom the promise is made. If the oath is not kept, each loses two Willpower points.

Oath of the Long Road
I swear that I shall [nature of quest undertaken] or lose my honor, that I shall [nature of quest] or lay down my sword, that I shall [nature of quest] or Dream no more. You and the sky as my witnesses, so mote it be.
The Oath of the Long Road is the most potent of the oaths known to the common fae. It is the voluntary acceptance of a quest to be performed, and its swearing is usually sanctified with the blood of both the oathmaker and her witness(es). It is always spoken in front of one one, or preferably three witnesses.
Benefits/Drawbacks: The oathmaker receives an extra Willpower and Glamour point, but there are dire consequences for failure. Simple failure to complete the quest causes the loss of three Willpower and three Glamour points. Abandoning the quest altogether strips the oathbreaker of all temporary Glamour and Willpower, strips a point of permanent Willpower, and adds two Banality points.

Oath of Truehearts
I give a gift of myself to thee. Take it freely; freely is it offered, and forever thou hast me in thy keeping. I swear love unto you and pledge my troth. May those who watch over this oath and those who keep it, and may we never find fault in their eyes.
The purpose of this oath needs no explanation. It is spoken in unison by the two (or more) lovers it binds, and it takes a point of Glamour from each to craft a chimerical songbird visible only to the lovers.
Benefits/Drawbacks: The instant this oath is broken, the bird ceases to sing, perching silently on the shoulder of the oathbreaker and now visible to all as a sign of betrayal. In addition, both betrayer and betrayed gain a Banality point as a result of this cowardly action. On the other hand, being true to the oath grants one additional point of Glamour from any Rapture the lovers participate in.

Oath of Unbound Passions
Drink deeply of this offering. In this draught, find my unquenchable thirst for thee. In this draught, taste my unbound hunger for thee. I swear unto thee that every moment of every hour of every day that we walk, dance, sing, and love together, I shall give thee all my joy. Let our bliss forever burn as brightly as the stars and be the envy of the gods.
True love is not the only kind of love among the fae. Pure and unadulterated lust is not unique to the Unseelie either. For those fae who do not want to commit to the Oath of Truehearts, but still feel undeniable and unending love and desire for each other, this oath is more appropriate. As the description suggests, it is spoken in unison while sharing a large beverage of some sort (wine, most often).
Benefits/Drawbacks: The oathing lovers both gain a point of Glamour after so swearing. Breaking the oath, which isn’t done through infidelity (as it would for Truehearts) but rather a failure to participate wholly in the relationship (“faking it”) causes both oathmakers to lose two points of Glamour and gain two points of Banality.

Oath of Unity
To [name of the group] I hereby swear my allegiance. I shall never release its secrets and I shall always uphold what [name of the group] values the most: [short list of the group’s primary goals and/or expected virtues]. Though I forever stand unique, I commit to [name of the group], for the whole is the sum of its parts. The wheeling constellations forever bear witness to this, my pledge and promise. Let the heavens curse me should I ever break trust.
This oath is one of the most widely used oaths because of its template utility. This basic version is the kind most often employed by motleys and households born of a particular need, crisis, or quest. (Rarely do nobles require this oath on top of the Oath of Fealty or Retainment.) Oathmakers are released when the group’s purpose is fulfilled and the members part ways. However, variations on this oath are also employed by factions and secret societies, demanding loyalty and a means to punish traitors. The Golden Sickle and Crystal Circle often attach powerful cantrips to the swearing of this oath that inflict even greater punishment than the Dreaming alone prescribes. The Oath of Unity’s formal circumstances vary depending on the nature of the group, but usually involves a short ceremony performed in the early evening.
Benefits/Drawbacks: The oathmaker gains a point of Willpower and enjoys a -2 reduction on difficulty rolls made to resist any kind of mental domination or intrusion that would expose the group’s secrets and inner workings. Betrayers of this oath (in addition to whatever the group itself might inflict upon him) suffer a loss of three Willpower points. Extreme betrayals of the oath can result in a stripping of all Willpower points and sends the character spiraling into Bedlam.

Oath of the Idol
To the heavens above and below, to the great spirit of the earth and gods of the sky, hear my plea. I beg you to guide me, to use me as your instrument in this world and beyond, and to assist me in worthy deed. Send you now your most trusted servant, as I am to you. With your patronage and friendship, I shall serve you to the best I may, lest my flesh fall to pieces and my soul scream unheard.
This powerful oath is reserved to the aboriginal Gallain: the Nunnehi, Menehune, Emere, Anangu, and Nahuani. It binds the changeling to a particular spirit, usually some sort of plant or mineral-spirit but sometimes an animal-spirit. This spirit becomes the character’s personal Totem (called the Aumakua by the Menehune, Lwa by Emere). Most Totem spirits require this Oath before joining with the changeling. The oath generally requires a lengthy obeisance (usually an hour), during which the fae makes offerings appropriate to the Totem he wishes to attract and bind himself to.
Benefits/Drawbacks: Consider this a prerequisite for the Totem Background for aboriginal fae characters. Breaking the oath, which generally means violating the Totem’s Bans, results most often in the Totem spirit abandoning the character. Only after proper atonement and at least one full lunar month can the faerie then hope to attract a new Totem (and it must be a new kind). A serious violation of the Totem’s bans can also result in the gain of two or more points of Banality.

Oathbreaker (4-point Flaw – Fae Society Ties)
Breaking any of these oaths inflicts a curse upon the betrayer. In addition to the listed penalties above, the character gains a form a notoriety made worse by the chimerical impact on his soul. Somewhere noticeable on the character’s person, usually the face or forehead, chimerical marks – usually forming an “X” – appears. It cannot be removed. All who encounter the changeling can immediately tell (if it’s even required, a Perception+Kenning roll at difficulty 4) by sight and intuition that the character is untrustworthy and a breaker of his own bond. Many Social actions automatically fail; almost all (even Intimidation) are at best much harder. Removing this status isn’t merely the pursuit of some noble quest. Trust lost has to be earned back the long, grueling, hard way.