[Homebrew] Hedgemarshals Legacy

[Cauthon]

Hedgemarshals (Bay City Marshals Mystery Cult)

Sometimes a Changeling Court cooperates closely with a Mage Consillium. When they do, especially in the US, cults such as the Hedgemarshals tend to crop up, echoes of the extinct Bay City Marshals. Born as an intersection of the Arrow, the Council, and the Ladder, the Hedgemarshals are the primary apparatus of coexistence between the XXX Consillium and XXX Freehold.

Marshals are sworn by Fate magic and Wyrd-backed Oath to defend the shared interests of Court and Order, upholding the Lex Magica and whatever laws have been accepted by the Freehold. Hedgemarshals are usually assigned a trod to patrol and keep as safe as possible, a task that can range from a simple daily walk to a grueling week-long tour. It is preferred to assign Marshals in pairs, one Changeling and one Mage.

Not all Marshals are combatants. A sizable minority are healers and messengers. There is some minor stigma attached to being unskilled in combat, but no Marshal will turn away an ally who can Mend flesh or grant Clarity.

Mages of the Marshals tend towards being Mastigos and Acanthus, and those not in the Hedgemarshals Legacy are overwhelmingly Daoine.

Changelings of the Marshals are most commonly Ogres or Beasts, with a surprising amount taking on the Entitilement of the Baron of the Lesser Ones.

Mages:
● The character gains the specialty Occult (Changelings)
●● The character gains a dot of the Ally merit, reflecting the local Freehold
●●● The character gains the Piercing Glance merit (two-dot version)
●●●● The character gains a variant of the Lex Magica merit, using their Hedgemarshal Mystery Cult initiation in place of their Consillium/Order status. Freehold laws are treated as being part of the Lex Magica laws, for the purposes of gaining the Yantra benefits
●●●●● The character gains either the additional Virtue of Just or the additional Vice of Vengeful. Whenever they gain Willpower from this additional anchor, they also regain a point of Mana.

Changelings:
● The character gains the specialty Occult (Mages)
●● The character gains a dot of the Ally merit, reflecting the local Consillium
●●● The character gains the Arcadian Metabolism merit
●●●● The character gains three dots of Fae Mount (Actormask, Dreamspun, and one other trait of the Marshal's choice), the Hedge throwing up a steed matching the Marshal's archetype.
●●●●● The character gains either the additional Virtue of Just or the additional Vice of Vengeful. Whenever they gain Willpower from this additional anchor, they also regain a point of Glamor.

Hedgemarshal
Wandering vigilantes and sworn lawmen, the Hedgemarshals as a Legacy belong to the Mystery Cult of the same name. It is all but impossible to be in the Legacy without being in the cult - Iron Stars are too entwined with the narrative of the Hedge.

Nicknames: Siderite Stars, Iron Stars (often derogatory), Marshals, Gatecrashers.
Organization: Siderite Stars can be broadly broken into two groups - Pledged, who have bound themselves to a specific Freehold; and Rangers, who drift between stretches of the Hedge. Pledged and Rangers rarely see eye-to-eye; Pledged think of Rangers as flighty, and Rangers find Pledged too prone to politicking. All Hedgemarshals have regular contact with their inducting superior, and will typically maintain a sworn bond to a patrolling partner.
Theory: All scales must be balanced, from lowliest Oath to grandest Destiny. Only in death does that duty end.
Background: Some members of the Hedgemarshal Mystery Cult took the tenants of their post so closely to heart that they shaped their own souls. While this was a relatively recent development -just over 50 years old- the Marshals have begun to spread to other Consilli with active Freeholds.

The Legacy's founders were a Cabal of Sentinels: two Mastigoi and an Acanthus. They were brought into contact with the local Freehold while investigating a Scelesci, who was revealed to have a Privateer accomplice.

The Silver Ladder member slid quickly into the role of mediator, as is only appropriate for a Mastigos Claviger. Though happy to find a polity that believed strongly in law and tradition, the constantly shifting nature of Court politics frustrated the Ladder to no end. Eventually, in conjunction with the Arrow's husbands, the Ladder was able to hammer out a variant of the Lex Magica that included the dictates of the Freehold. Though this "Lex Superno" is more mercurial than even the Iron Laws of the Lex, it has been instrumental in facilitating cooperation between the local Freehold and Consillium.

The Arrow member took quickly to the Changeling penchant for Oaths, the Acanthus becoming heavily entwined with the local Courts. As a neutral and relativly impartial party, and one who could bend the rules of the Wyrd, they became a figure of great respect and suspicion. Eventually they went almost completely native, questing to become the wedded champion of the Kings of Dawn and Dusk. In winning their hands, the Arrow secured the charter that authorizes the Hedgemarshals to enforce the Lex Superno.

The final member of the Cabal belonged to the Free Council, and was keeper of the local Lorehouse. Sinking into the stacks in search of information on their new supernatural acquaintances, the Mastigos found records of the local Free Council precursor-order; an offshoot of the Bay City Marshals. While the information they could uncover on the traditions of the old Nameless Order were scant, the Freak Ounce was able to construct a rough framework that the Cabal as a whole were able to leverage into a Legacy. The final Mystery they tackled to seal the deal was -supposedly- to locate the "Vengence" that the Court of the Leafless Tree allegedly Bargained with.

Parentage: Silver Ladder, Adamantine Arrow, or Free Council; Mastigos or Acanthus
Ruling Arcanum: Fate
Yantras: Writs, written orders, bounties, and Letters of Marque (+1); Star-shaped iron badges (+1); Courtrooms and Gallows (+2); Lawbooks (+1); Aiding a Changeling in maintaining or healing Clarity (+2); Assisting in Court Bargain rituals for your Freehold (+2)
Oblations: Patrolling a route, whether in the Hedge or the Fallen World; studying local laws and ordinances; gathering information on a quarry

Prerequisites: Fate 2, Mystery Cult (Hedgemarshals) 2
Initiation: Serve with an existing Marshal, proving your worth through training and deed until they decide to swear you in under the Lex Superno. Most candidates will have reached this requirement by the time they gain the second rank of Mystery Cult.

On Patrol
(Fate ●) Initiation
The first duty Hedgemarshals learn is the rectification of Oaths. The Iron Star learns at a glance if a target has broken any oaths, and can note any potential accomplices with a moment of study.

Interconnections
Potency = Fate
Duration = One Turn
Scale = 1 Target, 2 at Fate 2, 4 at Fate 4
Withstand = Composure
Range = Touch/Aimed
Casting Time = Instant (Reach)

Optional (Space ●)
Murmuring the liteny of their Oaths of retribution and Court loyalty, the Iron Star warps their own stride to pursue even the swiftest of foes.

Ground Eater
Potency = Space
Duration = One Hour, One Day at Space 2, One Week at Space 4 (Reach to Advanced Duration)
Range = Self
Casting Time = Scene
NOTE: Cannot be cast on others

Lucky Breaks
(Fate ●●) Mystery Cult (Hedgemarshals) 2, Police Tactics 1, Occult 2
Taking the time to auger the future in a short ritual appropriate to their Order and Court affiliations, the Iron Star receives omens of their mission. This forewarning nudges their future, granting them unexpected avenues to take advantage of.

Serendipity
Potency = Fate
Duration = N/A
Range = Self
Casting Time = Scene
NOTE: Two Reach to "Substitute Any Skill" Reach effect. Cannot be cast on others

Optional (Space ●●)
Like their Changeling allies, the Hedgemarshals are difficult to contain.

Break Boundry
Potency = Space
Duration = Two Turns, Three Turns at Space 4
Range = Self
Casting Time = Instant (Reach to Instant Casting)
NOTE: Cannot be cast on others

Roaming Wyrd
(Fate ●●●, Mind ●) Mystery Cult (Hedgemarshals) 3 Police Tactics 2, Occult 3
Most Hedgemarshals are assigned a particular stretch of the Hedge to patrol, keeping Trod and Hollow clear of bandits and predators. This task is made infinitely easier when they can open the door to these patrol areas without outside assistance.

Open Hedgeway Gate
Duration = Fate
Potency = 2
Range = Touch
Casting Time = Instant (Reach to Instant Casting)
NOTE: Must target an existing, closed Hedgeway gate.

Optional (Space ●●●)
Taking hold of some scrap of sympathy in one hand, the Iron Star tears open the air with the other. The jagged gap that remains becomes a one-way viewing portal, allowing them to spy upon their quarry. Only other members of the Hedgemarshal Mystery Cult in good standing -Mage or Changeling- can see the portal on the target's end, and thus it is occasionally used to give reports.

Scrying
Duration = Space
Potency = N/A
Range = Sympathetic (Reach to Sympathetic Range)
Casting Time = Instant (Reach to Instant Casting)
Note: Uses the Fate 2 added effect - limited to only members of the Hedgemarshals Mystery Cult who are not suffering the Oathbeaker Condition. This cannot be further limited - all individuals meeting the criteria can view the scrying window, regardless of the Marshal's desires to the contrary.

Constant Vigilance
(Fate ●●●●) Mystery Cult (Hedgemarshals) 4, Supernal Taxonomy, Occult 4
One of the Iron Star's more controversial tools is the ability to constantly monitor their constituents for violations of the Lex Superno. Taking the time to explain the target's rights and responsibilities, the Marshal weaves a fragile seal of approval. Should the target violate the Lex Superno -defined as the combined Lex Magica and Freehold laws- the seal is broken and the Marshal is instantly aware of the transgression. Further, the Marshal can track a violator as long as the seal's remnants linger.

This ability must be refrested on a target periodically - the Marshal may spend a point of Mana when a given activation expires, refreshing that instances Duration. The target does not need to be present for the refreshing, but an instance allowed to lapse will have to be recreated in-person.

Oaths Fulfilled
Duration = Fate (Reach to Advanced Duration)
Potency = 3
Scale = Up to 5 Size 5 Targets (Mana to Advanced Scale)
Range = Touch
Cost = 1 Mana
Casting Time = Scene
NOTE: "Everywhere" Attainment. 3 Reach to "vision of violator", "enhanced tracking", and "Mage Sight violation condition" Reach effects. Atypical: Attainment can only have the condition "Tagert violates the Lex Superno". The Attainment's Duration can be refreshed as a reflexive action for a point of Mana, regardless of the target's location, as long as it hasn't already expired.

Optional (Space ●●●●)
Wielding Space like a lasso, the Iron Star whips a bolt of warping ripples at their target. Should it hit, flesh mangles and one of the target's limbs is twisted into a crippling angle.

Warp
Potency = Space
Duration = N/A
Range = Aimed
Casting Time = Instant (Reach to Instant Casting)
NOTE: Reach to "Arm/Leg Tilt" Reach effect

Judge, Jury, and Jailer.
(Fate ●●●●●) Mystery Cult (Hedgemarshals) 5, Police Tactics 3, Occult 5
With grim formality, the Marshal recites the authority under which they pass judgement. If setting someone on parol, the Marshal then specifies the tasks they must undertake to clear their name. If taking someone in for judgement at Court, the Marshal bans them from trying to escape.

Divine Intervention
Potency= Fate
Duration = One Week (Reach to Advanced Duration)
Range = Touch
Casting Time = Instant (Reach to Instant Casting)
ATYPICAL: The Attainment's Duration can be refreshed as a reflexive action for a point of Mana, regardless of the target's location, as long as it hasn't already expired.

Optional (Space ●●●●●)
The only way to contain something as slippery as the Lost is to remove all egress. The Iron Star meditates briefly on the nature of their quarry, and prepares a void prison beyond the folds of Space. Quarry teleported in cannot leave without Awakened intervention, and are often presented for judgement via scrying portal.

Pocket Dimension
Duration = Space (Reach to Advanced Duration)
Potency = 3
Scale = A Large Room
Range = Self/Touch
Casting Time = Scene

[Obsidian Pharaoh]

Lucky Breaks
(Fate ●●)
Taking the time to auger the future in a short ritual appropriate to their Order and Court affiliations, the Iron Star receives omens of their mission. This forewarning nudges their future, granting them unexpected avenues to take advantage of.

Serendipity
Potency = Fate
Duration = One Day, One Week at Fate 4 (Reach to Advanced Duration)
Casting Time = Scene
NOTE: Reach to "Substitute Attribute-Group Skill" Reach effect

The Reach effect actually doesn't require Advanced Duration to take hold as the information to use it is immediately available on casting and can be used when the situation arises regardless of the spell's activity at that time. You should reallocate that Reach to Instant casting instead, or spend both Reaches on the upgraded Skill-substitution effect.

Optional (Space ●●●, Fate ●●)
Taking hold of some scrap of sympathy in one hand, the Iron Star tears open the air with the other. The jagged gap that remains becomes a one-way viewing portal, allowing them to spy upon their quarry. Only other members of the Hedgemarshal Mystery Cult in good standing -Mage or Changeling- can see the portal on the target's end, and thus it is occasionally used to give reports.

Scrying
Duration = Space (Reach to Advanced Duration)
Potency = N/A
Casting Time = Instant (Reach to Instant Casting)
Note: Uses the Fate 2 added effect - limited to only members of the Hedgemarshals Mystery Cult who are not suffering the Oathbeaker Condition. This cannot be further limited - all individuals meeting the criteria can view the scrying window, regardless of the Marshal's desires to the contrary.

You actually need to upgrade the range to sensory in order to use Scrying sympathetically. I think the Reach for that should be taken from Advanced Duration.
Also, the Fate 2 requirement here is redundant since you already need Fate 3 for the main effect.

Lex Talionis
(Fate ●●●●, Mind ●●)
The Iron Star has spent so long amongst the Lost that they are able to be included in Wyrd-backed Oaths.

Wyrdbound Oath
Duration = N/A
Potency = 2
Casting Time = Scene
NOTE: Two Reach to "Lasting" Reach effect

This is kind of weak for a 4th attainment because you could already get the exact same effect with the spell, minus the dispellation immunity. I suggest some luck-enhancing effect instead, such as Superlative Luck. Alternatively, you could go for Atonement or Sever Oaths to free others from unjust bindings.

Riding Into The Sunset
(Fate ●●●●●, Mind ●●)
The Iron Star brings their hands together, knuckle to knuckle. With a grinding crackle, they tear apart the brambles and open a ragged portal into the Hedge. While the gateway does not last long, repeated use has been known to result in the formation of a new Hedgeway.

Create Hedgegate
Duration = Fate
Potency = 3
Casting Time = Instant (Reach to Instant Casting)
NOTE: Repeated use in the same location can cause the gate to become Lasting

Underwhelming considering the third attainment. I think Divine Intervention (Instant, Advanced Duration) would work here better.
Also, if you're not changing the fourth attainment, then this one has the same redundancy with the Mind 2 requirement as the optional third one.

[KaiserAfini]

The Silver Ladder would normally focus on codifying and judging laws, they are leaders far more than fighters. The Arrow and Guardians enforing laws makes sense, since they have a prestigious history as Sentinels and Interfectors respectively. Not sure about Free Council though, since the writeup did not place an emphasis on culture or innovation.

The parent Path seems to be Mastigos. Ruling Arcanum os Fate, optional is Space and with some elements of Mind. One interesting detail to keep in mind is that the optional Attainment requires you to unlock the main ome first. So it can be either an expression of the optional Arcanum or something combining both, which can open a lot more design options.

Since their jobs seem to be law enforcement, I think it would be interesting to require skills a ranger would need, like Survival (which is very dangerous in the Hedge), Athletics (chasing down targets), grappling (for handcuffing), firearms or melee (reinforcing the idea of using lassos). Training in Police Tactics is another interesting one.

The Scrying Attainment does not have sensory range Reach or sympathetic range, so all targets being monitored within sensory range. This means members need to careful not to be repeatedly caught tailing a target.

Its odd that their two foci seem to be oaths and capturing a target. But they neither use Teleport (giving the ultimate in pursuit efficiency) or Sever Oaths (for those caught in unwanted or detrimental oaths).

Building on the idea of traversing the Hedge, the optional capstone could be Co-Location with Reach assigned to sensory range, advanced duration and making a 2D portal. Make it only perceivable to them or those they protect. Now they can have portals from their HQ to multiple parts of the Hedge, that way they make a network of escape routes and quick response to any calls for help.

[Cauthon]

The Reach effect actually doesn't require Advanced Duration to take hold as the information to use it is immediately available on casting and can be used when the situation arises regardless of the spell's activity at that time. You should reallocate that Reach to Instant casting instead, or spend both Reaches on the upgraded Skill-substitution effect.

Ah, I've never been quite sure on that one. I assumed it wasn't Lasting, since it basically has a "charge". Updated.

You actually need to upgrade the range to sensory in order to use Scrying sympathetically. I think the Reach for that should be taken from Advanced Duration.
Also, the Fate 2 requirement here is redundant since you already need Fate 3 for the main effect.

The Scrying Attainment does not have sensory range Reach or sympathetic range, so all targets being monitored within sensory range. This means members need to careful not to be repeatedly caught tailing a target.

Updated to Sympathetic range - it'll last for under a minute now, bit that certainly isn't a deal breaker.

This is kind of weak for a 4th attainment because you could already get the exact same effect with the spell, minus the dispellation immunity. I suggest some luck-enhancing effect instead, such as Superlative Luck. Alternatively, you could go for Atonement or Sever Oaths to free others from unjust bindings.

They're based on the Bay City Marshals, whose whole MO "Crimes must no go unpunished", and "the punishment must fit the crime". Sever Oath feels like it goes against the spirit of that.

Using Superlative Luck to bless yourself feels a bit boring, since it's what most Fate legacies go for. Using it to curse other people steps on the toes of the Daoine. Using it to bless others doesn't quite feel on-theme. You could limit it to "negating the penalties of broken oaths", in support of "the punishment must fit the crime", but that comes close to violating "no crime must go unpunished".

Underwhelming considering the third attainment. I think Divine Intervention (Instant, Advanced Duration) would work here better.
Also, if you're not changing the fourth attainment, then this one has the same redundancy with the Mind 2 requirement as the optional third one.

Divine Intervention would be an acceptable substitute, throwing a Geas on captured criminals would be on-theme.

The Silver Ladder would normally focus on codifying and judging laws, they are leaders far more than fighters. The Arrow and Guardians enforing laws makes sense, since they have a prestigious history as Sentinels and Interfectors respectively. Not sure about Free Council though, since the writeup did not place an emphasis on culture or innovation.

For the Free Council, I was leaning on the idea that they're the Inheritors of the Nameless Orders of yor. I could have written it better. That, and vigilante/mob justice seems more like an outgrowth of the Council than the Arrow or the Ladder.

The parent Path seems to be Mastigos. Ruling Arcanum os Fate, optional is Space and with some elements of Mind. One interesting detail to keep in mind is that the optional Attainment requires you to unlock the main ome first. So it can be either an expression of the optional Arcanum or something combining both, which can open a lot more design options.

I threw Acanthus in there since they're the closest in skill-set to Changelings, and a lot of the Fate attainments make the Mage similar to a Lost. Since the Hedgemarshals are a group-Legacy, it didn't seem too unreasonable to make it a multi-parent path.

I'm pretty happy with the Space Attainments, although if you have any replacement suggestions I'm happy to have a look.

Since their jobs seem to be law enforcement, I think it would be interesting to require skills a ranger would need, like Survival (which is very dangerous in the Hedge), Athletics (chasing down targets), grappling (for handcuffing), firearms or melee (reinforcing the idea of using lassos). Training in Police Tactics is another interesting one.

I thought about having Police Tactics as one of the Mystery Cult levels, actually. I may add it in as the Adept-attainment requirement.

Its odd that their two foci seem to be oaths and capturing a target. But they neither use Teleport (giving the ultimate in pursuit efficiency) or Sever Oaths (for those caught in unwanted or detrimental oaths).

I'm not a fan of Sever Oaths for them, since their shtick is "all crimes must be punished".

As for Teleport, that feels like a spell that would have trouble locking onto locations in the Hedge, which would be their main area of operations. It's not a bad choice, just not one I favor.

Building on the idea of traversing the Hedge, the optional capstone could be Co-Location with Reach assigned to sensory range, advanced duration and making a 2D portal. Make it only perceivable to them or those they protect. Now they can have portals from their HQ to multiple parts of the Hedge, that way they make a network of escape routes and quick response to any calls for help.

I'm not opposed to the idea, but creating an extra-dimensional cell that not even a Changeling can slip out of seems pretty on theme for them. Maybe change it to Quarantine, limited to only being usable on quarry? That eliminates the need to teleport the target into the cell, but does mean you'd need to keep them restrained for a scene.

[KaiserAfini]

In the case of Pocket Dimension, are there any special provisions to exclude or distort gateways ? Arches, doors and other non-locked gates would just require the changeling to ask to be admitted in, spend a Glamour and they are back in the Hedge. Its technically better than an extra-dimensional prison, but not by much. Maybe it would be interesting for the Mystery Cult to have something like a Safe House that acts as a jail with cold iron or siderite cells. Since its also meant to house mages, I imagine Warding would also be important so their cabalmates don't just teleport them out.

I wonder if a specialized version of Oaths Fulfilled would be interesting, allowing the mage to only detect breaches of the Lex Magicka and Court Law, getting a feel for the general direction of the culprit. Since it only works on that, there is nothing to fear from being tagged with it. I wonder how it would be affected when the ruling Court changes with the seasons, meaning that a violation would always ping on court members, but would only affect everyone else if they are in power.

[Cauthon]

In the case of Pocket Dimension, are there any special provisions to exclude or distort gateways ? Arches, doors and other non-locked gates would just require the changeling to ask to be admitted in, spend a Glamour and they are back in the Hedge. Its technically better than an extra-dimensional prison, but not by much. Maybe it would be interesting for the Mystery Cult to have something like a Safe House that acts as a jail with cold iron or siderite cells. Since its also meant to house mages, I imagine Warding would also be important so their cabalmates don't just teleport them out.

Pocket Dimension by default in RAW has no substance, it's just a space. Which I visualize as being like the umade sections of the Other Mother's realm in Coraline; an unbroken expanse of nothing that you can traverse, but can find no changes. So nothing that exists for the Changeling to Portal through. You have to manually Teleport/Co-locate whatever you want to put in, but you already have Space 5 at that point so it isnt a huge deal. Containing Mages will be harder, but nothing stops you from teleporting into your newly-made cell and setting up a Keyed Ward and an anti-magic field.

I wonder if a specialized version of Oaths Fulfilled would be interesting, allowing the mage to only detect breaches of the Lex Magicka and Court Law, getting a feel for the general direction of the culprit. Since it only works on that, there is nothing to fear from being tagged with it. I wonder how it would be affected when the ruling Court changes with the seasons, meaning that a violation would always ping on court members, but would only affect everyone else if they are in power.

Could be interesting, depending on where you put it in the Attainment chain. Replacing Lex Talionis' Wyrd-backed Oath ability with it would get you four Reach (Advanced Duration, all three Reach effects? Advanced Duration, Sensory Range, Instant Casting, "tracking" Reach effect?), and would be pretty on-theme.

[KaiserAfini]

My bad, I always mix up Pocket Dimension with Quarantine. The change to Lex Talionis sounds pretty good.

For the second Space Attainment, I would like to recommend the Hold The World spell, it allows them to confiscate any dangerous imbued items, Artifacts, Hedgespun items, tokens, mundane weapons and more. It also makes a powerful statement that the marshal is not to be messed with and is useful when there is a confrontation.

Since Fate also has the purview of intentions, I think the first Attainment could be a knowing spell revealing Aspirations and Intentions, but providing them a feeling when one is somehow connected to a violation of the laws. Basically a quick check to let the marshal know there might be something they need to worry about, letting them know they need to examine it further with things like Interconnections. Wonder how a related Destiny would be perceived under that.

[Cauthon]

For the second Space Attainment, I would like to recommend the https://m45t1g05.blogspot.com/2016/09/mage-awakening-2nd-edition-new-legacy-y.html"]Hold The World[/URL] spell, it allows them to confiscate any dangerous imbued items, Artifacts, Hedgespun items, tokens, mundane weapons and more. It also makes a powerful statement that the marshal is not to be messed with and is useful when there is a confrontation.

I'm a bit leery of that spell. It starts at Sensory range, which doesn't really jive with how Reach works.

Since Fate also has the purview of intentions, I think the first Attainment could be a knowing spell revealing Aspirations and Intentions, but providing them a feeling when one is somehow connected to a violation of the laws. Basically a quick check to let the marshal know there might be something they need to worry about, letting them know they need to examine it further with things like Interconnections. Wonder how a related Destiny would be perceived under that.

I feel like that swings a bit too far into thought crimes - the Marshals are more about punishing criminals than preventing them. It's a good idea for a spell in general, but it would likely be a Mind+Time combined spell of Know Nature and either Divination or Momentary Flux. "Does this person's goals present a threat to the Lex Superno?" "Yes/No/Inconclusive"

A violating Destiny 5 under that scrutiny would probably be like trying to look at a black hole.