By Cloak (cloak@guild.bc.ca)
Since he discovered how to banish it, man has been fearful of the dark. A hunter by day, he became the hunted at night, believing the darkness had eyes with which to see him, a nose with which to smell, and teeth with which to bite. What may be worse is -- man was right.
Some say the shades originated as chimera born from fears of predators hiding out of the light. As with the fae, however, when the Interregnum came they bred with humans to become one of the many modern kiths. If the rumor of their origin was correct then, it must be possible for other chimera to eventually integrate into the mundane world. This has caused much debate amongst the scholars of the sidhe, eshu, and satyrs. If the sluagh have any idea, they are not talking. The revenants, meanwhile, quietly listen. . . and whisper.
The revenants are similar to the sluagh in many ways. They often remain hidden from the rest of fae society and have many rumors spread about themselves; there are stories of mental torture, ritual sacrifice, strange manipulations and great debaucheries. Like the sluagh, the rest of fae society frowns upon them. Like the sluagh they often speak in whispers, but it has been said that they can speak louder. They are just fond of this pretension.
There is one major difference between the two kiths. Many outsiders rarely notice it however because of its nature. Whereas the sluagh like to collect secrets and trade them or use them for blackmail, revenants are naturals in the area of manipulation and so cause their targets to create their secrets. The revenants are the hidden whisperers that speak of man's hidden desires and encourage to play them through. They are muses of the murderers.
Also, whereas many sluagh are not in fact evil, many revenants are quite perverted. Most tend to their unseelie nature and it is rare to meet one who is a seelie. They do exist, but they are rare. Often, because of the feelings of loneliness that these few revenants have, they cultivate friendships with mortals who suffer such ailments as chronic depression and suicidal tendencies. A bonding experience occurs and the mortal and fae keep each other from slipping towards oblivion.
It is not known what true debaucheries the unseelie revenants commit. . .
Wilders are mischievous but in a way far more serious than most pooka. They will often lead others to trouble, disappearing just before things get too hazardous.
Grumps look like someone who has remained away from the sun for many years, and many have. They are the most dangerous of the revenants for they have honed their manipulations to a fine razor. It is rumored that grump revenants hold contests to see how quickly they can drive a mortal to his doom.
Dark Whisperings: By whispering into the ear of the target a revenant can instill suggestions. The voices from the shadows have been the muse to many malicious deeds, but are often counted as schizophrenia when the target is administered psychological help. With the expenditure of a Temporary Willpower point and a successful Manipulation + Subterfuge roll (difficulty of the targets willpower) the suggestion will be followed. The number of successes determines the targets zealousness to completing the task. One success will cause the target to carry it out in a trance like state whereas five will create a fanatic. Additionally, revenants can never botch a Manipulation roll.
Eshu: Traders in lore. These storytellers often hold many secrets, but they also warn the others about us. We can both learn from and fear them.
Nockers: Spend a few nights with one of these and you'll have them building monstrosities the ancient Persians would be envious of.
Pooka: Foolhardy. Ridiculous. Silly. Deadly. Good thing no one ever believes them when they say the voices made them do it.
Redcaps: Disgusting creatures. . . if we want them to be. They play right along with us, having no conception of where we lead them.
Satyrs: The tragos will rejoice in the light and dance by the fire, but if they leave without another by their side they know we shall find them.
Sidhe: Nobility lasts for as long as you can have the masses believe in it.
Sluagh: Our allies. The underfolk are the greatest traders in hidden lore and dirty secrets. However, they do not realize how many of those secrets arise from our machinations.
Trolls: Stay away from their fists and everything shall be fine. What power they lack in their heads they more than make up for with their brute strength.