House Beaumayn

House Beaumayn is a noble house of Sidhe aligned with the Seelie Court. They were imprisoned in Arcadia but were allowed to return to Earth with the Second Resurgence.

History

Mythic Age

House Beaumayn counts as its founder a sidhe knight named Jalendrel, a great warrior and a prophet. According to legend, Jalendrel met Gwydion the Grey outside a village under attack; Gwydion did not understand why Jalendrel stood by weeping instead of trying to help, until a great monster rose up from underground, driven out of hiding by the burning buildings. Gwydion and his entourage were taken by surprise, but Jalendrel leapt into action and slew the beast. He explained that he had foreseen all these things in visions and knew they could not be changed: that is why he wept.

The Sundering

House Beaumayn's fortunes waxed until the Sundering: they were respected for their wisdom as much for their strength in arms. But then Duke Geremin lead a group of Beaumayn warriors along with the First Crusade, and fell in love with an eshu princess named Zubaidah. Her murder with an iron weapon drove him mad with grief. For two hundred years, no one heard from him, and he was presumed dead.

Then he appeared to two brothers, Brandell and Markesh, and swore them to secrecy before telling his tale. Geremin claimed he'd had a vision of his beloved, and that she'd told him iron was not the end of fae souls--in fact, it could purify them of Banality, and thus death by iron was a great gift. He pleaded with this two lords to carry on his work of finding the "Iron Road" in order to stave off Endless Winter, then committed suicide with an iron dagger.

The two brothers, and eventually the entire House, split over whether to believe Geremin's claims. A minority, lead by Markesh and called the Harbingers of Exodus, did begin experimenting with iron weapons and ritual murders. The rest, siding with Brandell, held to the Escheat and tried to stop the Harbingers' gruesome activities.

The Shattering

This schism was hidden from the rest of the fae, as Geremin had made both lords swear to tell no one outside the House. When the actions of the heretics came to light, all of House Beaumayn was put on trial, with half of the house accused of the atrocities and the other half accused of hiding and abetting or ignoring it. The house could do nothing because of the oath of secrecy sworn by the brothers to Geremin. The whole house was sentenced to eternal imprisonment in Arcadia, the commoners who sided with the house were condemned to death, and memory of the house was struck from the world through a ritual called the Caul of Silence enacted by the sidhe of House Eiluned.

Imprisonment: The Interregnum

Imprisonment in Arcadia was terrible. Shame. Anger. Isolation. Helplessness. They were treated well... they were still sidhe after all, but imprisonment is imprisonment. The world turned and they remained the same, pacing their cells and muttering their portents to themselves. The injustice of being caged while the real enemies of the Dreaming walked free scarred the Beaumayn deeply, but they endured, planning the day they knew they would be called on again, dreading and anticipating it both. They knew the price of their freedom would be high for the fae.

Resurgence

With the Resurgence, the sidhe of House Beaumayn watched helplessly as the Arcadians sent the other houses back ostensibly to combat the spread of Banality, but really because their ship of paradise was sinking and they wanted bail out as much as they could. Meanwhile, the stirring of the slumbering Fomorians continued to sicken the Dreaming and continued because the Arcadians couldn't admit they had been wrong. They had sent the others with little more than hazy pride and ill-defined goals, and the Beaumayn could only watch, sick with anger and despair while the others went back and fought the wrong fight.

Dark Star Ascendent?

Just before the Millennium, a dark star was seen and the Thallain returned and even the Arcadians could not deny that the news foretold the return of their ancient enemies, just like the Beaumayn predicted. But were the Arcadians grateful? The simply brought the Beaumayn sidhe before them and gave them a new task... to travel to Earth and battle the Thallain and other Fomorian agents, bring unity to the Seelie forces, and weed out the agents of true corruption among the Unseelie. They acted as if they were honoring the House, but were really only using them as canon fodder against an enemy they would not face. And so House Beaumayn returned to the Earth.

House Culture

The Seelie Court

It would be nice if the Seelie Court Houses made more of an effort to understand the Beaumayn rather than point their fingers and bring up the tribunal when they raise their standard. Those who can cast of the Caul of Silence and remember the House exists don't have a good grasp of their history. If anything, the Beaumayn were too Seelie in the old days, not the reverse. They held their tongues because they knew it was the only way to properly serve their lords, not to keep things from them. Plus they never get a very important part of the equation: they cannot see what the Beaumayn can see. If they could, even for a day, they wouldn't be so quick to judge. Instead they come to a Beaumayn for counsel, for a glimpse of the future to solve their problems, then get angry or turn a deaf ear when they get told the truth.

The Seelie have to be saved from themselves if the Kithain are to survive the Endless Winter and the nobles of House Beaumayn are the ones who've been chosen to do that. No one said it would be easy or that they would even survive to see the outcome; some things even the greatest oracles can't predict. They do it just the same, though it cost them everything. It's their way.

The Unseelie Court

Few Beaumayn pledge to the Unseelie Court and most who do only do so temporally, usually in a fit of depression brought on by a troubling vision. Others succumb to their Unseelie nature in reaction to their treatment by the other houses, letting bitterness get the better of their judgement. Some fall when they realize the future is not only disturbing but inevitable. A few, a very, very few, embrace their Unseelie nature willingly, using their talents for divination to get an advantage in everything from finance to warfare, sometimes selling their skills to those willing to pay for their skills. They are a small minority, and a hunted one too. The house does not tolerate those who abuse mortals or abandon their duties to the Dreaming.

The Shadow Court

Only House Beaumayn never doubted the existence of the Shadow Court. They saw its shadows swirling around the foulest deeds in Kithain history long before the other Houses. Of course, no one listened to them. The house did what they could to root out and destroy the court where they could but ultimately had to watch the Shadows grow in power, reaching claws into everything from mortal wars to Kithain politics. Plus, they saw their master plan unfolding: the release of the Fomorians, and could do nothing about it. The Shadow Court was too big for them to fight alone and the few fae they managed to convince were not enough. At least now more of the other nobles seem willing to believe it exists as a real threat far bigger than a puppet counsel presiding on Samhain. If only they would act.

Factions

Most members of the house follow Brandell, the elder brother, and follow the Code of Jalendrel. They believe their gifts of prophecy should be guarded carefully lest they be abused by those who don't understand, and they offer guidance only when they feel the audience is ready to accept the consequences of the knowledge. The current chaos is the result of sinister forces trying to divide the fae so the Fomorians can cross over again. The Beaumayn sidhe do their best to bring harmony and understanding to all fae on all sides of the conflict, as well as to banish the dark creatures of the Dreaming wherever they are found. Above all, they strive to uphold the Escheat and the Seelie Court, cleanse the ranks of the Unseelie, do battle with the force of the Shadow Court, and guide all fae to a new, unified Spring.

For more on the few who follow Markesh, the younger brother, see the article Harbingers of Exodus.

Boons & Flaws

• House Boons: All members of this House are natural prophets; glimpses of possible futures regularly come to them during dreams and meditation. These visions are often cryptic, though they may attempt to decipher them with a successful Intelligence + Greymayre roll (difficulty 8). It's important to remember, though, that no matter how well understood they might be, they are only possible futures and may not necessarily come to pass. (Obviously, these visions are the province of the Storyteller who decides when and how they appear.) When in great need, a house member may attempt to bring on a vision by meditating for several minutes, spending a point of Willpower, and rolling their Glamour against a difficulty of 11 minus their Remembrance score. It's dangerous to do this too often, though, as the threads of probability can become entangled. The Dreaming will get upset and the visions the character receives will become increasingly inaccurate, even dangerously so. Because of their recent arrival from Arcadia, all House members receive a free point of Remembrance at character creation.

• House Flaw: The unswerving dedication and gifts of prophecy of House Beaumayn have long been a thorn in the side of the Shadow Court and its dark masters. With the return of the Fomorians so close, their efforts are an even bigger threat to those forces. Worse, Shadow Court members and Thallain can sense the fires of the Dark Star burning in house members. Such fae can sense when Beaumayn nobles are in the area (Perception + Kenning, difficulty 7), which leads to all sorts of complications. This doesn't mean they can automatically detect hidden or invisible Beaumayn nobles, nor do they mindlessly attack such on sight. They will, however, do their best to make the noble's life miserable once they discover their true identity. Additionally, because of their infamy in their imprisonment, when a Beaumayn's true lineage is known, they suffer a +2 difficulty on all Social rolls with sidhe of houses other than Liam and Fiona.

House Oaths

• The Oath of the Dark Star is the Oath sworn by all members of the House, Noble and Common.
• The Oath of the Foretelling verifies the truth of the Changeling's prediction.

Fosterage

Fosterage is painfully short for the House these days, and the actual process is fairly straightforward... no riddling and fighting for them like in the other houses. They know their children by the touch of the future on them so the newcomer is asked to share all dreams, visions, and other omens they've received in their lives. If their blood is true, at least on of these centered around a dark star, always one that they feel is significant enough to mention, and that's all the proof the House needs. After that, new house members swear the oath of loyalty and are told about house history, Geremin's Heresy, the Caul of Silence, the Brother's War, and anything else the tutor feels they need to know.

Centers of Power

Currently, the house's main base of activity is New Orleans where Jeremy and Brendan Beaumayn live and try to organize support for returning house members. Their other center of influence is the small hill town of Marvejols in southern France, traditional birthplace of the house and site of the recent discovery of the Marvejols Script containing the house history and some of their sacred codes. But as a wandering house, individuals can be found almost anywhere in the world. You just have to known how to look.

Relations with Others

Most of the other sidhe don't remember this House very well, which is probably for the best. If they are anything like their ancestors (and they probably are) it won't be pleasant for the Beaumayn noble.

Houses

• House Gwydion: members treat the Beaumayn worse than any of the other houses when they uncover them and that hurts because they used to be so close to them. Beaumayn voices guided their proclamations and were the swords that guarded their backs in battle. What thanks did they get? Never mind that half the house submitted willingly to their justice and even helped track their own kin because it was the right thing to do. They simply didn't tell them secrets they weren't ready to hear or betray their kin fast enough. For such "crimes" they were labeled traitors and thrown in the deepest dungeons available. The Beaumayn didn't even get any satisfaction seeing their exile from Arcadia, knowing it was just another step in the dark design trying to overwhelm the two worlds. Why didn't they just listen in the first place? Hurt their pride and they will hurt you bad and that's all there is to it with these tarnished monarchs. Maybe someday they'll come to their senses and remember why Gwydion the Grey once counted Jalendrel the Good Handed his closest lieutenant but until then, they are best avoided.

• House Liam: Beaumayn's poor cousins have suffered so much and not a little for the devotion they demonstrated for House Beaumayn in their time of need. If there is anything the other houses hate, it is being shown up, and Liam grace and compassion went a long way to doing that when everyone else had on their High Inquisitor robes; ready to start a Beaumayn bonfire. When Beaumayn was imprisoned, there was no one left to stand up for House Liam and everyone knows what the others did to them then. House Beaumayn wants to tear the Caul of Silence from Liam and remind them of the greatness they used to embody; maybe then they will resume their rightful place as conscience of the Shining Host. Beaumayn nobles will usually try to avenge slights to Liam nobles as best they can and aid them when they call. They owe them no less.

• House Eiluned: The Gwydion respected the Beaumayn and that was fine, but the Eiluned always seemed a little too friendly. They didn't like it when the same circles that turned them away welcomed the Beaumayn. They could never accept that Beaumayn prophetic abilities are an inherited trait and not some kind of hidden Art. more than once they tried to pry the "secret" out with wine or warfare. They don't understand what they are asking, though. If they did, they would turn even whiter than normal and vanish in an instant. Just because you can see the future, doesn't mean you always want to, especially if you cannot control it.

• House Fiona: House Fiona shared Beaumayn lands in ancient times and were long the opposite side of the same coin. While Beaumayn were brooding and intense, the Fiona were merry and foolhardy; one spoke prophecy, the other matched them with poetry. They never heeded the advice of Beaumayn and loved the battle itself more than fighting the real enemies behind their troubles. Still, they never cared a whit what the other houses thought of the Beaumayn and they alone stood with the Liam in defense of the House, despite objections from the others. They also did well by the commoners in their domains, a tradition they keep alive even today. When they returned, they took over most of the Old lands of the Beaumayn and managed them well. For that, the Beaumayn are grateful.

• House Dougal: No one of House Dougal lifted a finger in Beaumayn's defense at their trial. Then again, when it was time to reach a verdict, none of them voted to convict them either. They do fairly well by the commoners in their lands, which is good, and their ethic is similar to Beaumayn's (though they probably don't see that similarity). They should stick their heads out of their workshops once in a while and see what's going on in the world around them before the machines they love so much knock down he walls for them.

• House Scathach: Beaumayn as always desired a certain kinship with Scathach. Their nomadic ways are similar and their stoicism in the face of the other houses' displeasure is an example Beaumayn could learn from. Their own abilities in prophecy would seem to link them to the house as well, were it not for their constant attempts to thwart what fate decrees. At the same time, Beaumayn wanderings always have a destination on mind, even if it is unclear, while Scathach knights wander simply for the the feel of the road under their feet. That's fun for a while, but eventually one must choose some purpose or fate will chose one for them. It's better to take the first option if you can.

• Other Houses: The Beaumayn have watched the return of the Unseelie houses with a mixture of sorrowful resignation and building fury; sorrow for the miserable wretches of House Leanhuan trapped in their ancient curse, and fury at the bastards of Ailil and Balor who are little better than serpents and rabid dogs respectively. They have all along been in the intrigues of the Shadow Court and if a Beaumayn meets one they would do well to remember their ancient enmity. Their memories aren't as bad as those of the Seelie and few have a problem planting a blade in an enemy's chest if it suits them to do so. Beaumayn has no problem returning the favor, though. As for the other Unseelie Houses who returned at the same time as Beaumayn, their memories are more hazy because of their imprisonment. Beaumayn knows they are wicked to the core and seek only the destruction of the Seelie Court and unless new information comes up, that is enough to make them enemies.

Commoner Kith

Commoners have always been close to the hearts of Beaumayn. They were never a large house, for one thing, but as they went on the Crusades. The mortal crusades was more of a peasant mobilization than a force of nights and nobles and the faeries counterpart was much the same. Beaumayn visions showed early on that mistreating the commoners would lead to disaster. It's too bad they couldn't convince most of the other sidhe of that.

Sadly, the Harbingers of Exodus began their genocide with the commoner kiths and so many turned against the house. Who can blame them? The current hostilities between noble and common makes it a difficult time to reenter the Autumn world. But Beaumayn left many friends and lovers behind in their imprisonment and still remember those bonds, even if the Caul of Silence keeps most from recognizing them.

• Boggans: The heart and soul of the common kith, the boggans were close to forgiving the Beaumayn when they were imprisoned and more than a few have welcomed them back now, especially in the old country. Beaumayn didn't unburden the worst of their visions on others back the and still don't, but that doesn't mean they can't find peace sipping some hot cider by an open fire and sharing other worries with a sympathetic ear. Watch out for the Unseelie ones, though; they haven't forgiven us by far and they'll smile to your face while slipping poison in a drink.
• Eshu: Thinking about their history with the Eshu makes most Beaumayn hearts ache. They began as close allies and Beaumayn even respected their system of titles and prestige while most sidhe saw them as only desert barbarians. The two groups have much in common: a love of story and travel, a deep sense of destiny, and a strong sense of honor. The circumstances around Zubaidah's death, though, and Duke Geremin's disappearance haunt relations to this day. The eshu held the Beaumayn responsible not only for her death but the actions of other fae during the crusades that followed, especially as they became more bloody and useless. The eshu determined to make it blood for blood back then, starting with the Beaumayn, and barring some miracle among those who remember these sidhe, that will not change.
• Nockers: The Beaumayn have little business with nockers. They are beings of prophecy, principle, and honor while the nockers are workers of sweat and grease. They are similar to the sidhe of House Dougal in outlook and attitude and should be treated the same way, generally, if making allowances for their language and manners. The heretical house members who made cold iron weapons learned their skills from the nockers so there is some nervousness around them for the house. Still, Dame Lillian has quite proved that they can come up with amazing ideas and the Beaumayn believe they are basically a good kith at heart.
• Piskies: What the Beaumayn know of piskies comes from meeting Delphine. It seems they are a cross between the eshu and boggans with mischief and kleptomania mixed in. More would have to be met before more could be said.
• Pooka: Beaumayn speak of the future and no one listens. Pooka tell the truth and no one believes them. See the similarities? They do a lot to protect children and animals and that earns them Beaumayn respect. They see the evil falling over the world and do their best to fight it, in their own way. All in all, they are an underestimated kith, even by themselves. Approach them gently and let them know you share the sadness in their hearts and you'll never find a truer friend.
• Redcaps: These dark fae have never paid attention to anything more than the sound of clashing metal and the cries of the anguished, let alone given thought to the future. They actively avoid examining the consequences of their actions in favor of relishing the moment (or meat) at hand and that makes them repugnant to the Beaumayn. They don't provoke them, however, but prefer to avoid them. The redcaps avoid them in return and that suits everyone just fine.
• Satyrs: A lot of satyrs these days tend to stop thinking around groin level but House Beaumayn remembers the brightest members of this kith past, who could carry on deep conversations and... well, you know. Some still carry on the tradition of being mentally well-rounded as well as physically. You can't beat a satyr grump for philosophical debate. If you come across one of there scholastically inclined, hold them close because they are some of the only ones who understand what the Beaumayn do. firsthand knowledge of al those Greek oracles, it seems. Otherwise, they are good for taking your mind off your troubles for a night, as long as you don't mind being sore all over in the morning.
• Sluagh: The house has a great deal in common with the sluagh as well: they labor under a dark cloud as the Beaumayn do and know all too well the toll it extracts to keep secrets tat no one was meant to know. Some of the house's most surprising aid during their return came from solitary sluagh who slid out of the shadows, offered some measure of kindness and hospitality, then vanished back before they could be thanked properly. If the two groups could compare notes some time, that would be interesting, but it's hard to get them to open up.
• Trolls: Of all the kith, the trolls understand the dilemma and place the Beaumayn hold in the hierarchy. They share Beaumayn's sense of honor and sympathize with the conflicts of loyalty that the Beaumayn face when revealing the visions they have had and the need to keep troubling information from those who aren't prepared for it yet. Trolls also refuse to back down from a quest, no matter how terrible the odds, which the hose respects immensely. Many trolls once swore loyalty to the House and though contact was lost through the Interregnum, as the Caul of Silence begins to fade they are starting to seek the standard of the dark star again. They are welcome in Beaumayn lands regardless.

Nunnehi

The Beaumayn know little about these mysterious kith, but from what they understand, some have ancient legends about a dark star appearing and the bloom of mysterious blue flowers that will accompany it... tales centuries before the birth of Jalendrel. Supposedly these legends also talk of this event foretelling a great disaster.

Thallain

Like the Unseelie houses and the Shadow Court, the Thallain are actually getting bold enough to come more into the light these days and the other Kithain seem to do nothing about it. Are they that blind? These twisted mockeries of everything faerie are a sign of the impending return of the Fomorians, and yet the other Seelie do little other than give lip service to how they abhor their kind. Well, if the others cannot or will not be bothered to do anything, the Beaumayn will make up for the lack themselves. Everything said about mercy and justice goes right out the window when dealing with such dark fae. They are abominations and doing away with them is no worse than the modern-day use of antibiotics to kill a virus.

Members of Note

• Brandell
• Eloyse Capetienne
• Eugene
• Geremin
• Gerrard d'Ivoire
• Jalendrel
• Jeremy and Brendan Beaumayn
• Lillian
• Markesh
• Thomas Magbane
• Vandermere
• Delphine Achidou

Treasures

• Masquer's Eyes
• Passion Bracelet

Pronunciation

"Beaumayn" is clearly mean to represent French for "Good Hand" (a reference to Jalendrel's burned hand, the result of him trying to slay the monster before the destined time). "BAU-mane" would represent a Middle French pronunciation of the name, but "BO-mane" seems to be the most widely used pronunciation by fans. (Modern French would be "BO-mẽh.")

References

• CTD: Book of Lost Houses: The Second Coming