HOUSE PARIAH

By Kevin Salcedo (ciaran@zipcon.net) in conjunction with his Doppelganger Kith

Description

In recent years, as more Houses have sprung up, it seems as if they have become increasingly selective in their memberships. Either a Faerie's hair is not the right color or her hands are to large. Of course, even without this absurdity, there are still those left out of nearly everything simply because they don't 'fit in.' Just after the Italian Renaissance, a group of Wilder from Kiths all over came together under the guidance of the last living Progenitor of the time -- Aedan MacGolwin and formed House Pariah. Its goal was to unite the outcasts and bring about recognition of their importance in the goings-on of the Court.

For some time, this reckless band tended to be scoffed and laughed at, but as time passed, they soon made their mark and have since then been a polite but constant thorn in the sides of the more stuffy and noble Houses. Their members are from all Kiths. However, there is a secret that House Pariah keeps that no one outside their circle knows of. The House does not only member those of the Changeling breed; in fact, by its purpose of 'inclusion of the excluded,' House Pariah is also a haven for Caitiff (although malignant members are soon 'released'), Garou and other Lycanthropes, Hollow Ones (Magi) and many others. They live by one simple creed:

"All are Welcome."

Affinity

Scene

Flaws

The Oath of The Good Host: Members of House Pariah can never refuse hospitality to an outcast. They could easily leave a high-brow Sidhe out in the cold, starving on a cold rainy night, but to refuse aid to another outcast is grounds for 'The Shunning,' punishment of the harshest kind. Shunning is the act of making an outcast of an outcast. No one willingly seeks this out, for it means that even the low-beaten will not come to your aid.

The Yoke: Along with the inclusion of the excluded, House Pariah has a secondary goal (although, this second is more the first; the Oath of the Good Host is a given). Members of House Pariah also must take an Oath of 'The Yoke.' It is their duty to carry on the goals and dreams of the Founder, Aedan MacGolwin. Infernalists, Wyrm-Tainted creatures, Nephandus magi and other similarly demeanored entities are immediately considered 'shunned.' The traditional term for these creatures often used by those in the House is 'Dark Ones.' There are bands of Members whose sole duty to the House is the seeking out and extermination of these creatures.

Lower-Class Aristocrats: Because of their alliances with groups generally deemed to be inappropriate or low-class company by the more 'prestigious' of the Changelings (eg: Caitiff vampires, Faerie-friendly Garou, Verbena mages, etc). Members of House Pariah are at -1 in all social rolls and Sovereign cantrips involving members of House Gwydion.

Boon

Home-Sweet-Home: There are chapterhouses all over the Tellurian and the Umbral Realms; even though most are relatvely small. A Member of the House may seek refuge there for whatever reason. The Chapterhouses are usually named "Mother (Something)." The inside joke is that when a Member goes to a Chapterhouse, she usually simply is "going to 'visit Mother Moira' or 'Mother Margaret'." The largest and oldest Chapterhouse is named 'Mother Gaia.' It was established just after the beginning of the House with the help of the Founder. Only the oldest Members of the House Pariah know where Mother Gaia is located, though some speculate it is purely Umbral. Members of House Pariah (this applies to all Members, whether Changeling, Cainite, Garou, etc) automatically gain the background: Contacts 2; or, add one to their existing Contacts rating, whichever is higher.

Organization

House Pariah is comprised of a Network of Chapterhouses. Each Kith, Tribe, Bloodline, Tradition, etc is represented by one member of their ilk to help judiciate matters in the Council. No one knows who these people are, and their identities are almost never sought out. The necessity for the secrecy came about after members of other Houses sent informants into House Pariah to learn its secrets and attempt to destroy it. The matter of this secrecy of the members of the Council is of little import to the Members, as the Council rarely has to interject in matters of import. Most Chapterhouses elect chairpersons on a regular basis to handle internal affairs.

History

Some of the Noble Houses run primarily by Sidhe are still seeking to do away with House Pariah. They have grown more and more enraged by House Pariah's refusal to send word only by writ. (The only known member of House Pariah of any significant import to ever be seen was Aedan MacGowlin, and he has long-past travelled on from this world. That means that not a single soul outside the Council has ever seen a Council member in the flesh. Most replies are purely by fax, email or old-fashioned pen and paper.) It is known that House Pariah is a haven for Doppelganger, and for this reason, Members are often treated with an extra air of contempt by Sidhe and Redcaps for harboring such 'abominations.'