Barred from the halls of power by the condescension of the other noble houses, members of House Scathach live on the periphery of kithain society, taking it as their duty to defend faerie-kind from hostile outside forces. Little is known of this house, save that its members typcally wear voile of black, grey or white, and that few can match them in a fight. House Scathach founded in the Sundering by a warrior-woman born of the union of a sidhe with a mortal. Although snubbed for her low origins, Scathach n Uanaind won the right to establigh her house by besting the champions of all the High Lords of Arcadia. Nonetheless, her house finds itself regarded as half-caste pretenders from more conservative fae in both Courts. Whatever their heritage, there is no denying that members of this house are the most accomplished warriors of the kithain, nor is their reputation founded solely on skill at arms. The Morphean Oracles, elite seers of this house, are regarded by those in the know as the most accomplished practitioners of the Soothsay Art.
If the sidhe of House Scathach played any role in restoring noble rule to the county, they did so without anyone being the wiser. There is a legend, however, that when the trods opened in 1969, the first to arrive in the county upon them was a solitary sidhe woman, dressed all in grey and bearing no device of allegience. She warned of wild chimerae newly come out of the Dreaming, and hinted that the kithain of Rowan-Oak had best lay in supplies. Enigmatic to the last, she refused to elaborate and in the morning, she was gone. Three years later to the day, the host of Lord Malcolm Mac Dougal appeared on the Greenwall Trod, but the mysterious traveller was never seen again.
House Scathach has no official presence within the nobility of Rowan-Oak, although many have noted that Master Coulkan of Ben Bison dresses very plainly, and is ununsually soft-spoken even for a Seer. If asked point blank as to his house of allegience, he will mention obliquely that where such matters are concerned, it is his custom to defer to his True Heart, Lady Ausmandine ap Fiona. Master Coulkan is known best as a sorcerer and healer, but also serves Ben Bison as master-of-arms.
In the long years of its earthly exile, House Scathach has learned to mingle amongst humanity much like the common kiths. Surviving the after-effects of the Shattering, when all sidhe were suspect by commoners, has made them silent and efficient warriors. Laying aside any claim to noble prestige, they instead concentrate upon defending the kithain from the perils of the Autumn World.
Boon
Unassuming but efficient warriors, members of House Scathach recieve an extra die to all Brawl or Melee rolls, and reduce the difficulty of any Stealth roll by one. Also, sidhe of this house do not suffer from Banality's Curse.
Flaw
House Scathach are so dedicated to their duty that once engaged, they find it difficult to back down from a fight. Members of this house must score three success on a Willpower Roll, difficulty 7, to retreat once combat is joined, until all of their opponents are vanquished. Also, as outcastes from the ranks of the nobility, members of House Scathcah cannot learn the Sovereign Art, and are at a +2 difficulty to all social rolls involving any other sidhe except for those owing allegience to House Liam or House Fiona.
Quote: "I support House Fiona fully in its rule of Rowan-Oak, both in the person of the Countess Rosamund, and as manifest in my dear lady and love. Rulership is not my concern, however. My talents and duties alike lie elsewhere."
- Master Coulkan, Seer and Master-of-Arms to Ben Bison Brugh
