Den Contracts (Beasts)

A Beast knows the value of a safe home. The Contracts of the Den were struck with forces of cave and tunnel, of the womblike safety of the burrow. These Contracts allow the Beast to protect himself and those nearest and dearest to him -- or to strike into the dens of those who were not prudent enough to sign a similar Contract.


[ 1 ] Trespasser's Spoor ( Winter Masques -- Page 19 )

The simplest clause of the Contracts of the Den is a blessing of warning. The Beast who learns this clause is much harder to surprise in his own territory. His knowledge of the local terrain sharpens intensely, allowing him to sense threats almost before they're visible.

Cost: 1 Glamour

Dice Pool: No dice roll is necessary. For the next 12 hours, the character gains a number of dice equal to Wyrd +2 to all perception rolls made while inside his territory. For the purposes of this clause, "territory" is defined as something that is recognized by the local neighbors as belonging to the changeling, or that he is able to successfully enforce. A rented apartment is territory, but the whole building is not unless the Beast owns it or the residents look on the building as "his" -- for instance, if the Beast is the head of a street gang that protects the building, and his word is accepted as law therein. Similarly, a stretch of woods that locals say is the haunt of the Red-Eyed Devil counts as the changeling's territory if the Beast is that same Red-Eyed Devil. The clause's effects fade if the character spends more than five minutes at a time outside of his territory.

Action: Instant

Catch: The changeling writes his name on one of the entrances to the territory in chalk mixed with blood.


[ 2 ] Trapdoor Spider's Trick ( Winter Masques -- Page 19 )

A Beast may have need to hide the entrance to his den. This trick allows the changeling to do so, and in some cases elude pursuit as well. When activated, this clause covers a door, window, opening or other access point within five feet of the changeling with an illusion, making it appear as though it is either impassable or isn't there at all. A fire exit seems to be a stretch of graffiti-marked brick wall, an attic window appears to have been boarded up for years, a manhole cover just looks like a blank patch of worn asphalt.

Cost: 1 Glamour

Dice Pool: Wits + Wyrd

Action: Instant

Catch: The changeling is holding a live spider in his mouth at the time.

Dramatic Failure: The illusion begins to form, then snaps apart with an audible bang like a gunshot.

Failure: The illusion fails to appear.

Success: The illusion is successful. The door or window that the changeling passed through is disguised to appear as a normal section of wall. This strengthening of the Mask can't be pierced by casual fae sight, though a person running her hands along the wall can still feel the door as it is. The illusion lasts for a scene.

Exceptional Success: The illusion lasts for a day and a night.

Suggested Modifiers: The changeling is in his enemy's territory (-1); The door leads into territory that the changeling owns (+2).


[ 3 ] Cuckoo's Ruse ( Winter Masques -- Page 19 )

This clause is one of the dirtier tricks available to a Beast, as it allows him to violate the rules of hospitality by entering another person's house -- including her Hollow. The Beast simply appears to be one of the home's residents to the home itself. This clause does not function if the home Hollow being invaded belongs to a changeling who also possesses Contracts of the Den. She is under the Contract's protection, after all.

Cost: 2 Glamour

Dice Pool: Manipulation + Wyrd (contested by the rating of Hollow Wards in the case of a Hollow)

Action: Instant

Catch: The character has openly invited the owner of the location over to his home within the last three days.

Dramatic Failure: The clause fails to activate, and any alarms are set off.

Failure: The clause fails to activate, and cannot be used on the location again until 24 hours have passed. The character must risk the security systems normally.

Success: The character "convinces" the building or Hollow that he is one of the residents. He can then bypass the security systems as if he owned the place. Recording devices will show him as one of the residents, no less. Mortal security guards and animals aren't affected, though hobgoblin sentries in a Hollow will be. This clause can only gain entry to a given location. It doesn't remove barriers within that location. Thus, the changeling could open the front door of a mansion, and the security cameras would show him to be one of the family members who live there, but the clause wouldn't open any of the locked doors inside the house for him.

Exceptional Success: Anyone accompanying the character is affected by the clause's benefits.

Suggested Modifiers: The changeling has never set foot inside the location before (-1); The changeling has visited the location before as an invited guest (+1).


[ 4 ] Blessing Of The Burrow ( Winter Masques -- Page 20 )

This clause allows the Beast to make a safe den or hiding place in almost any location. The changeling calls on the power of Wyrd to excavate a burrow with astonishing speed. The opening of this burrow can be concealed with Trapdoor Spider's Trick, thus allowing a Beast with Glamour to burn the ability to construct a useful hiding place in times of duress.

Cost: 2 Glamour

Dice Pool: Survival + Wyrd

Action: Instant

Catch: The character is nude at the time of invoking the clause.

Dramatic Failure: The burrow collapses partway through excavation. The changeling is likely caught underground and must pull himself free.

Failure: The clause fails to work.

Success: The clause activates. The changeling can excavate roughly a five foot by five foot by five foot cube of earth, stone or concrete each turn, for up to one turn per success. A burrow dug into soft earth or sand gains hard-packed walls, and will not collapse on its own. The tunnel dug is rough-hewn, and bears what appear to be claw marks around its edges.

Exceptional Success: The changeling can choose to conceal the claw marks if he so chooses, making the burrow appear more natural or human-made.

Suggested Modifiers: Reinforced concrete (-4); Stone or concrete (-2); Packed earth (+1); Soft earth or sand (+2).


[ 5 ] Collapsing The Entrance ( Winter Masques -- Page 20 )

The ultimate clause of the Contracts of the Den is self-sacrificing in nature. What had to be built must now be brought low. Similar to an animal collapsing the entrance of its burrow to prevent an enemy from reaching the heart of the warren, the Beast is able to bring down a section of a building or burrow. The changeling must be standing within or on the threshold of the building in question.

Cost: 3 Glamour + 1 Willpower

Dice Pool: Strength + Wyrd

Action: Extended (one roll per turn, target number of successes needed is equal to half the Structure rating of the building)

Catch: The building to be damaged or collapsed belongs to the changeling using the clause.

Dramatic Failure: All successes are lost. The changeling takes one point of lethal damage from the strain. The character must spend the cost again to restart the Contract.

Failure: No successes are gained.

Success: Successes are gathered. If the total number of successes reaches the needed amount, the character brings down a section of the building. The area of destruction may reach up to five feet in radius for every point of the character's Wyrd, centered on the changeling. Depending on where the changeling is standing, this may bring down the entirety of the building. The Beast may make a reflexive Dexterity + Survival roll to avoid any incidental damage from the collapse, although he may still be pinned under debris if he couldn't reach a safe place with a standard move action.

Exceptional Success: No additional effect.
Building Size Successes Needed
Trailer, basement-sized burrow 5
Two-story house, small cavern 10
McMansion 15
Strip mall 20
Skyscraper 40


Exceptional Success: Nobody resides within the building (-3); The building was designed as a residence (+1); At least one family calls the building home (+2).