What is a pact?

A pact, specifically between a mortal and a celestial, is a matter of faith and belief in its purist form. It is thru the cultivation of a close relationship that a mortal might be brought to trust the fallen enough to have a shot at a pact. The moment when the deal is proposed can take countless shapes, but the whole affair holds a few basic requirements. There are also a few options when it comes to the end of this devil's bargain.

Power to Offer:
The mortal must clearly believe that that the being/force they are forging a pact with has power to fulfil their desire. They might think they are dealing with a proxy like the "emissary of the forest spirit" or "mouthpiece of the dread lord". All that matters is that they need to believe that the spirit can give then the immortality of the black forest or that the dread lord could elevate them to power.

The Demon's Side:
The fallen must provide more then just power, but also any other portions of the bargain struck. Any violations of these conditions effectively shatters the bond of faith, the mortal firmly believing both consciously and unconsciously that such a pact functions in that manner. If a thrall bargained for a safe word which would stop the demon's actions, then the demon can ignore it all they want. The moment they do so, the have sundered the pact.

The Mortal's Side:
The mortal likewise has to have faith in the fallen and follow the agreements of the pact. Unlike the demon's half of the pact, failure to comply is a slower affair because the decision is in the hands of the soul and of the subconscious mind. Conscious rebellion is fine and dandy, but the deeper parts of the thrall believe even more strongly. You cannot rebel from what you do not believe in. No, the mortal's part of the bargain can deteriorate over time. When a thrall begins to lose faith and acts contrary to their half of the agreement, the fallen can sense this failure most keenly. While the faith still funnels in, it seems somehow impotent and flawed. Perhaps it is due to this fact that mortal society and mythology say that a pact is eternal. Few masters will permit such disrespect to occur, and ravaging has a miraculous ability to rekindle devotion in the soul-whipped thrall.

Faith Rotting on the Vine:
If this deterioration is left unchecked, after a couple of months the thralls would make a faith roll (diff 7, similar to Damned & Deceived pg 84) with success resulting in a dot of faith potential going fallow. Naturally, one dot of thrall enhancements goes along with it, disappearing due to the fraying bond. That process continues every couple of months until either they are convinced to mend their ways or every dot of their faith potential which had been used in the pact has gone fallow. At that point, the pact has frayed to nothing and the thrall is free. Well, the minute percentage whom don't get ravaged till they chose between devotion and death.

Cutting them Loose
For the Master, it is far easier to break the pact. It is a mere act of will to free the mortal from the agreement, taking away all of the thrall enhancements and losing all supernatural benefits of the relationship. Why would this be done though? What possible good would come of freeing a potentially useful resource? There are a few reason which might bring such a situation to occur.
*Protecting the mortal from the enemies of the fallen
*Preventing a dying thrall from becoming a Wraith (as thralls tend to do)
*Allowing a allied fallen into the mortal's body (Useful ST trick; thralldom is a new players trial period)
*Renegotiation of a pact, be annulling the old and forging a new one out of it's ashes.