PEOPLE IN TRENCHCOATS (PIT)

By Mike Dawson (med12@cornell.edu) (21 November 1995)

Description

With the advent of movies and radio early this century and later on televsion, a new figure appeared in the consciousness of humanity: the trenchcoated detective, smoking a cigarette and fighting to keep one step ahead of both the criminals and promotion to a desk job. Often the system itself was corrupt and one man had to stand alone against the forces of darkness. Never discovering the whole truth or enough evidence to bring the true mastermind to justice, he still manages to foil their plans and bring one criminal to justice. At least for a little while, he makes the world a better place.

Over the years, more and more of these trenchcoated avengers of justice have appeared, never fully understanding the truth of the situation, and never fully successful, but a force for good nevertheless. Be it Sydney Kolchak, the journalistic Nightstalker, Mulder and Scully of the X-Files, or Matt Malone of the Gargoyles cartoon, these characters are constantly searching for the truth and protecting mankind from dark and secret forces. The "Trenchcoat Brigade" of The Books Of Magic and the mysterious trenchcoated government agents of action movies and tv series have also contributed to the gestalt.

The Trenchcoated One's main goal in life is discovering the supernatural and protecting humanity against its threat. However, Seelie and Unseelie Trenchcoats attempt to accomplish this in different ways. The Seelie act as the heroes of the stories and attempt to reveal the truth to the world, believing knowledge offers the best defense. The Unseelie, however, attempt to cover it up to prevent panic and either deal with or make deals with the other forces on their own. However, the worst Unseelie Guy In Trenchcoat is far better than the nicest Man In Black, causing prodigals and Kithain in the know to refer to them as Men In Beige, Grey, or a Dark Shade Of Navy Blue That Goes Quite Nicely With Your Eyes.

People In Trenchcoats, like like the selkies, are skinchangers, and their glamour and seeming are invested within...you guessed it, their trenchcoats. No faerie abilities may be used without it, and if it should somehow be destroyed, although they are incredibly tough and only cold iron may harm them, the Trenchocoated faerie's seeming and perhaps mortal life are lost forever. These limitations are made up for by the incredible protective benefits of the coat, and no cold iron damage is done to the fae seeming unless the jacket is affected.

Also, because of cultural programming, the Trenchcoated are recognized as symbols of some higher authority, and are thus allowed to do things and go places that normal people would not, with complete trust and cooperation. The only people not completely affected by this are lower law enforcement officials who will only begrudgingly cooperate and then watch the 'Coat like a hawk, reporting anything suspicious to his generally uncaring superiors.

The Folks In Trenchcoats suffer a tremendous drawback however. Due to the fact that The Trenchcoated never "win" in any program or story, their fae equivalents are likewise affected. It is as if Dan or Fate herself is against the kith when they attempt to plumb the depths of the mysterious or reveal the truths they have learned. Evidence will spontaneously combust and ice slicks will materialize in the summertime, tripping the Trenchcoated and allowing the villain to escape. Unseelie Trenchcoated are also affected and some piece of evidence is always left behind in their coverups, allowing conspiracy buffs and Seelie Trenchcoaters to find it, often leading to huge elaborate and completely unfounded theories of what actually occurred.

Appearance

Without their trenchcoat, a 'Coat appears human to all senses. However when it is donned, Glamour fills both mortal and fae seemings and the 'Coated looks both attractive and unrecognizable, frazzled and focused. Unseelie trenchcoaters often appear, in their fae seemings, as the agents of the conspiracies they are supposadly upholding, and may thereby appear as large headed, large eyed aliens, or soulless creations of dark forces, as their mirror shades become huge abysses of darkness blending into their skulls.

Seemings

Childlings are few and far between among the Men in Trenchcoats due to the circumstances of the Trenchcoats transmission of their fae seeming. Spontaneously generated Trenchcoated could create paranoid or scary childlings who know much more than anyone would their age should, and believe their Substitute Teachers are Aliens and Baby-Sitters are Werewolves.

Wilders make up the bulk of the 'Coats and most resemble the examples they are formed from. They stay in this state usually till dying, accomplishing their mission (not bloody likely) or deciding to be Grumps in an attempt to help new Trenchcoaters.

Grumps have attained real positions of authority within government to help younger trenchcoaters, or are those crazy, all-knowing men in soiled shirts and strange locations who receive startlingly true information from their TV sets. At this stage they often pass on the coat to a younger seeker with fae blood.

Peculiarities

Trenchcoats, often at a particularly dramatic moment, such as when they lie dying with some strange piece of parchment in an indecipherable language or an impossible photo held out in their hand, pass on their coats to the kinain and those with fae blood. This is how the Trenchcoated pass on their fae self through the generations. (I'm not explaining this very well, at the moment look at selkies in Immortal Eyes: The Toybox for more concise info. I should just copy it, but that would be wrong.) They also have a fear of losing their trenchcoats, which explains why they look slept in and grime covered at most times. If they are to lose it they can track it down with a successful Wits+Kenning vs. diff.7 and and since the Trenchcoat is like an extension of the skin, the 'Coat experiences any sensations it does. (what perverse interpretations you may draw from this are entirely not my fault.)

Lifestyles

A Person In Trenchcoat assumes many different lifestyles. In "real life" a Trenchcoated may actually be a government agent or detective, or simply a conspiracy theorist, urban fantasy author, or acne scarred teenager with an overactive imagination. Only when their mantles are assumed do they become the imposing, strong, mysterious seeker of understanding.

Affinity

Scene

Birthrights

Trenchcoat: While the Trenchcoat is worn, it acts as level three armor, adding three soak dice against any form of damage, and increases stealth rolls by three also and prevents the botching of stealth rolls (Or, If Mage is also used it grants the Changeling second level arcane, capable of being raised by experience.)

Authority Figure: People assume the Trenchcoated is a government agent, and wishing to avoid trouble, will offer any assistance within their power after a successful Manipulation+Intimidation roll. This power works differently against street level and some other police officers and may backfire. (Storyteller's Discretion)

Frailties

You Can't Handle The Truth: Due to a quirk of their stories the Trenchcoated can never discover the full truth or find the true extent of any conspiracy. Minor victories and small pieces of knowledge may be gained, but large insights and victories take years and amazing amounts of effort to achieve (i.e. the whole campaign) Unseelie suffer from a similar flaw in covering up information and their own researches, as they don't always know what they work for. (All this is of course up to the Storyteller and Player to work together to decide. Gaining banality, the permanent kind, may allow them to overcome this, but that's really no fun and ultimatly more trouble than it's worth.)

Quote

Seelie: "There's more out there than you or I know, but I have found a definite connection between the Grassy Knoll and the similar large Burial Mounds of Native American tribes."

Unseelie: "Nothing happened; the authorities have taken care of it."

Outlook

The Guys In Trenchcoats aren't really clear on the other kith and tend to have their own theories and viewpoints on them based on personal experiences and pet conspiracy theories.

What Other Fae Think

As explained by an Unseelie Pooka: "They try really hard...bwahahhah, but you will never succeed to discover our true dark mysteries. Give up Losers!"