Dormant Fire

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The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire.


Contents

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Game Information

Portland games are currently being held the first and third Saturdays of each month. Location will be announced on the Portland and surrounding list.

VST: Sean Morris

Game time is generally 12:00 - 5:00 or so.
PDX Changeling Site directions


The list for the venue (domain level) is hosted on Yahoo.

To join: [1]


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Upcoming Events

Mary Waverly is currently planning a beach party for late spring/early summer.

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Dormant Fire VSS

This is the VSS that the game is currently being played under.

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Freehold of the Dormant Fire

Location: Portland Oregon

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In a valley of rolling hills surrounded by sleeping giants of fire and stone, the Freehold of Dormant Fire has seen long forgotten fires rekindle and ignite. Beat down by annual rainfall that crush the spirits of the meek like wheat under a grinding wheel of a flour mill, and veined by countless rivers, creeks, and streams, this land is paradoxically one where old fires die hard and it is unwise to trust too securely in their slumber.

Plots simmer beneath the surface and erupt violently in full blaze after months, years or even decades of seeming calm. Trust is one of the hardest commodities to come by when so many bear the scars of being burned. The dark clouds and moist air hang over the residents who have little respite from the dangerous flares found in companionship of their fellow Changelings or the opposite dreary damp heart chilling loneliness without them. The Freehold of Dormant Fire is a place of extremes, both fiery and frigid, both calm and explosive. How long will the fire burn beneath the surface before it is released again?

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Freehold Structure and History

Since the 1960's the Freehold has followed the seasonal courts, each freely giving way to the next without strife. Each year the King or Queen of that season would resume their crown and rule justly. Should tragedy strike they were all prepared with a named successor who would rule in their season after them. That is how it used to be...

Last year's seasons have wrought a fallow harvest, leaving no successors in a wake of murder, madness and uncertainty. New people have to take the reins without years of mentoring. Like the pilgrim's first year this bodes to be one of loss and mourning, but it has the potential to be the beginning of a new age.

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Current Leadership

Mary Waverly is the Spring Queen; Nigel Barrett wears the Antlered Crown.


Summer Representative: Remmy Two-Hands

Autumn Representative: The Butcher

Winter Representative: Swan

Doer of Physical Things: Hogzilla

Advisor: Nigel Barrett

Advisor: Rattlefist

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Law of the Land

Whether enforced by the Wyrd, the Courts or the Freehold as a whole these are the laws while within the area controlled by the Freehold of Dormant Fire

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Pledges, Vows and Oaths

A collection of Pledges and Oaths commonly used in the Freehold, given that the Higher Law of the wyrd enforces these promises they are binding in the most real sense.


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Freehold Charter

1) Each Court shall rule in its due season, and each Court shall be free to select its own ruler, in whatever manner that Court does see fit.
2) All members of Dormant Fire shall be granted safe haven in the bounds of the Freehold.
3) All Lost not members of Dormant Fire shall be granted safe haven on the condition that they neither aid nor abet the True Fae, and take no action that would cause another Changeling to become enslaved to them.
4) While the members of the freehold may determine the wording of the freehold oath, all members of the Freehold must swear to the same Pledge of Fealty.
5) New Lost require a sponsor from one of the members of Dormant Fire until such time as they take the freehold oath.


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Decrees of the Courts

A list of decrees in effect when the issuing Court is in power.

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Spring

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Summer

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Autumn

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Winter

Reaffirmed the freehold oath and the freehold charter

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Characters

For members of the Dormant Fire Freehold (Portland, Oregon). Please keep all entries alphabetical. For frequent visitors, see the Visitors section. Make sure to add your contact information

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Motleys

Lost who have banded together to form groups within the freehold, some diverse, some specialized.

  • Briarthorn, A very tight motley that aggressively defends their own.
  • Favored Sons of Mercury, An intensely loyal group of Changelings specializing in being quick-witted and quick of body, in the fashion of the Roman god Mercury.
  • Menagerie, A varied groups of performers and similar ilk who have formed their own family.
  • Motley of the First Bud, A trio who share ties from their durance.
  • Ogre Motley, A strong trio of ogres who provide security to the freehold.
  • Recluse Atheneum, A small motley of a spider beast and an antiquarian, they specialize in research, the occult and investigation.



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Spring Court

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Current Monarch: Mary Waverly

Ascends to the Throne on March 20th



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Summer Court

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Most Recent Monarch: Mikhail Residing at the Summer Hollow

Ascends to the Throne on June 21st





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Autumn Court

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Most Recent Monarch: Shebeth Spry Cronin

Ascends to the Throne on September 22nd




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Winter Court

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Most Recent Monarch: Eden Tempest

Ascends to the Throne on December 21st


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The Courtless

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Frequent Visitors to the Area



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Rumors and Hearsay

  • With the madness, murder and conspiracy of last year's court how can we trust this year's leaders to not be affected by the Gentry? Those people served for years and were overcome by the will of the Others either in madness or death, how can we keep it from happening again?!
  • Distrust in the freehold is so thick you can cut it with a knife, but it'd probably stab you in the back before you get the chance.
  • Chrysanthamum and Mikhail are suddenly to be wed - does anyone really have a change of heart that fast, out of the blue?
  • The members of the freehold are tighter than ever, however newcomers and outsiders are treated with extreme suspicion and caution.
  • Many of the local Lost are reconsidering the liberal policy of hospitality the freehold has. Perhaps some kind of oath might be needed.
  • Gawaine and the Green Knight are one and the same.
  • The Demon of the Mist has a weakness so obvious and prevalent that it has been completely overlooked since the freehold first learned of this True Faes existence.
  • The Demon of the Mist has a false persona which is one of the changelings in the area that refuses to swear fealty. It walks among the local changelings with a smiling face as it plots to swoop them all up into slavery.


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Deceased or Vanished

Those that came before us, or who have disappeared from sight for now....
 ....in remembrance...


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The Hedge

Image:Antique-Thicket-Mire-Map.jpg

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Throughout much of the city, those who step through a doorway will find their feet wet, as they sink knee deep into murky swamp waters surrounded by a thick mist everywhere but the path. Dark, ugly fish and other foul scaled creatures swimming lazily through the waters, few appear to pay attention to the traveler, at first. The calm of the hedge is deceitful, one wrong step from the path and one is bound to disappear and the creatures of the Hedge are not as forgiving as they seem.

The paths are unclear at first, but discernible as shallows in the water and thinning in the mist. Close to the ordinary world of Portland, one might find stone or concrete slabs rising above the water, not quite making a complete path, but providing a respite from the liquid path. While on the paths slight breezes clear and thins the fog enough to make travel by referencing landmarks possible if one pays close attention; off the path, the fog swirls and it is impossible to see more than a foot or two.

If a traveler enters the Hedge from areas near the West Hills and Forest Park, a more traditional scene appears. Tall, tightly packed trees of a horrible forest make up the Hedge here, with the paths being barely noticeable twisting trails. Tree branches intertwine and briar patches merge with them to form virtual walls of vegetation that cut and trap any who try to push through them.The way through the Hedge is never easy to see.



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Known Threats

The hedge can be a very dangerous place, given the low visibility in the local hedge getting lost or losing sight of the physical world is especially easy. Drowning in the lowlands is a definite possibly as is hypothermia in the colder months. Of course things dwell in the mists, thickets and murky waters and it would be foolish to think any of them meant well for those who trespass in their domain.

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Demon in the Mists

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There is a creature that inhabits the misty regions of the Hedge in the Portland area, it is simply called "The Demon in the Mist". It has plagued the Lost of this area as long as anyone living can remember. Whether it is a banished member of the Gentry, merely a powerful hobgoblin, or perhaps a mad Changeling no one knows for sure. What is known is it likes to use deceit, spies and elaborate plans to lay siege against the Freehold of Dormant Fire.

Its calling card, a mysterious glyph, always marks those who it controls, occasionally it is shown in untrustworthy divinations and is often left at the scenes where its minions has done its dirty work. Because it never shows itself and its appears to have limitless patience, it is an potentially unconquerable foe, and only constant vigilance can safeguard against its machinations. Every visitor could be one of its servants in disguise, every seeming unfortunate coincidence could be a stumbling stone deliberate set in place.

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Briarwolves

These creatures prowl the mire of the lowlands and the thickets of the highlands, hunting for fresh flesh to rend and devour. They once were human, as one can always tell by their eyes. They stalk the shallows and hollows in the lowlands and roam far and wide in the highlands. There are a few packs in the area at least, making it particularly dangerous for lone travelers.

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Mireleeches

Foul beings who prey on those in the Mire or at its edge.

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Glamour Parasites

The parasites' brood mother has been driven into dormancy, but parts of her live on within her children; and as it is nigh-impossible to be certain that all of them have been eliminated from the local Hedge, one never knows if or when they will return en-masse as a true threat.

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The Green Knight

Little is known of this occasional troublemaker of local Lost. He comes from the Hedge, but it isn't known if he is from the Hedge, per se. He and his follower knights show up, menace, and vanish back into the foliage.

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Known Hollows

These Hollows are known to the local Lost if not open to them at Large.

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Spring Court's Hollow

This Hollow is currently overgrown and non-inhabitable. It is under reconstruction.

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Summer Court's Hollow

This Hollow is a heavily-defended keep, currently in possession of the previous Summer King, Mikhail, and a contingent of armed paramilitary ensorcelled mortals.

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Autumn Court's Hollow

This Hollow was recently razed by the Autumn Court, for reasons only they are privvy to. A new one has been planned, and is (or soon will be) under construction.

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Winter Court's Hollow

Located in the West Hills and surrounded by a thorned Hedge. It of course can't be seen from a distance despite its size. Within its walls is a deep abiding cold that makes loneliness or depression feel even more biting.

The Senechal of the hollow is Stiletto.









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Ogre Motley's Hollow

This Hollow has section that suits the tastes of all three of its inhabitants, which sums up how frightening the place is for visitors; it is a college frat house crossed with a morgue and literal pig pen. Needless to say they don't receive many visitors.

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Gateways

These are known gateways into the Hedge, and well traveled trods.

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Ankeny Arcade

The most easily overlooked, yet notable trod in Portland is at the Ankeny Arcade downtown of the city. Here, where various festivals and celebrations begin in Tom McCall Waterfront park, the events spill to this less organized nearby location. The Saturday Market is here, as is the most strongly-established Goblin Market, sometimes called Saturday Goblin Market. The Goblin Hallow that contains the Goblin Market only exists on Saturdays but the portal into the hedge is always there for any changeling to open and leads a major fairly stable intersection of paths.






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Shanghai tunnels

The most famous trod is in the Shanghai Tunnels, via a trapdoor in the Boiler Room nightclub. Over a century ago, Portland was known as the most dangerous port on the West coast, and many a seedy individual would contract with Shanghai Jack to obtain slave labor. While it is certain that Shanghai Jack was human, it is also certain that not everyone who thought they were dealing with Jack, were. It is likewise certain that not all who disappeared into the tunnels found their way to a waiting ship. It is not certain, though strongly suspected, that someone still operates the trade in the Tunnels. It is rumored that this one is even Keyed so mortals could use it, however what the key could be is never included in those rumors.






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Ambient Ivy

It is easy for the unwary to find themselves in the Hedge in certain areas of Portland. Ivy and other trailing plant-life are encouraged, and they often accidentally or purposely form around a weak place between the worlds. Many a human has disappeared there, never to be heard from again. A significant percentage of those were drawn into the Hedge. This weakness results in self-forming key portals actually in the vines themselves and can make getting into the Hedge easier. It greatly increases the danger as well as the paths are even less predictable and hedge predators stalk the area as if it were a feeding trough. Since the portals are in the vines they are constantly shifting, old ones disappearing and new ones appearing due to growth and seasonal die off. If you want into the Hedge and don't care where the path leads there are always portals here a changeling can enter without Glamour.




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Local Goblin Fruit, Tokens and Trifles

This is a summary of commonly known goblin fruit, tokens and trifles and roughly in which parts of the local hedge it can be harvested.

With the parasites' recent dispersal, the local Lost are still waiting to see what fruits spring from the fresh-cleared Hedge.

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The Goblin Market

The Goblin Market was, until recently, running concurrently with the Saturday Market on the other side of the Hedge. The recent infestation and growth of the Glamour parasites has prompted them to move to the river - though preparations are still under way, what follows are a few of the notable vendors already set up at the Floating Market.


Merv the Entertainer’s Entertaining Entertainment Supplies – Merv the Entertainer (never just Merv…really, never) is an emaciated figure with a raspy voice and a somewhat loose idea of what “entertainment” might be. His airship appears to have been painted by The Joker on an acid trip, and his entertainment supplies consist of anything that might possibly have any kind of entertainment value, from torture devices to any object that someone (anyone) could conceivably juggle to the super-rare Stradivarius viola (never played). It is, in short, a junk shop, but a junk shop in which one may find some actual treasure, trinket, or trifle.


Bernard’s Pets – Bernard deals in living things that one must care for. This includes formerly sapient creatures, like humans and hobs, that seem to have had their sentience driven from him. Bernard’s shop generally isn’t too popular with most Beasts – it’s all too familiar for most. Still, Bernard will jovially point out, he provides these poor things a decent service, as included in the purchase is a pledge that the buyer will care for his purchase. For awhile, at least. Bernard himself is very rotund, dressed in a garish clown suit, and a Ronald Regan rubber mask that only sometimes seems to have something behind it.


Ripe for the Eating – Mater Marta has recently exited the soothsaying business on the advice of her bones, though whether or not it’s her personal skeleton giving the advice is still open for debate. She will cook anything that has just reached adolescence or young adulthood; animal, vegetable, or mineral matters not to her. She has a custom sound-reflecting oven – she says the screams help to tenderize the meat. She is rumored to still provide a bit of foretelling if you pay her well enough. She is also rumored to do a brisk business with Bernard.


Out of the Box – Tomas’ vessel is almost completely submerged, and many odd slappings and slitherings can be heard against the tiny hull. Tomas himself is so dark as to almost be a shadow. Though it takes some time, and the price is very high, Tomas is a highly valued Market member for the one service he provides – he can find out any secret. The “secret” has a very strict definition, however, via the old Ben Franklin saying; “Two can keep a secret if one is dead”. Tomas can access knowledge that only one other person knows, period. If someone else knows, even if they don’t realize they know, that knowledge is out of Tomas’ reach. Whatever fee he charges, he always takes a quarter up front, remainder upon delivery. If he cannot access the secret, he keeps the initial investment, and makes this quite clear up front.

Ferdinand Foch is the author of the quote at the top of the page.

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