Essex
From Changeling Venue
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The Fortis Sodalitas Freehold of Essex
The Fortis Sodalitas Freehold of Essex, or the Freehold of Fort Sod as it is generally less formally referred, was founded on the principles of fellowship, camaraderie and friendship. Almost a hundred years have passed since this founding though, and times have certainly changed.
In 1911 a wandering motley led by idealistic Reggie Short made an interesting discovery in the hedge of Essex: The Essex Hedge Fortification. A large, easily defended and apparently ancient building sitting abandoned. Above the doorway entrance the words “Fortis Sodalitas” were carved, as legible and clear as if they had been carved that very morning. Following a thorough search of the area and the fortification, Short made a snap decision to settle down. When further investigation of Essex failed to turn up a freehold, Short’s Fellowship decided to begin their own one. After negotiations with the Onyx Courtiers of Canewdon were finalised in 1912, the Essex Freehold of Fortis Sodalitas was born.
The Courts of Essex
Winter - The Onyx Court
The Onyx Court hides under layers of deception like a seed under snow-covered ground, hardening themselves on a diet of midwinter sorrow.
Ever wonder why everyone in Essex seems so miserable? The Silent Arrow of Fort Sod perhaps has a lot to answer for.
The most influential and powerful Court in Essex for many years now, the Onyx Courtiers includes some very well known Changelings. Upon the death of Reggie Short in 1985, it was the Winter Court that seized control of the Essex Hedge Fortification, taking with it the secrets held inside.
The current monarch of Essex’s Onyx Court is Baroness Witte Wieven.
- Witte Wieven - Darkling, Antiquarian. Current Monarch of Winter since 2006.
- Ophellion - Elemental, Snowskin. Ex Monarch and one of the oldest surviving inhabitants of the Freehold.
- Jacks - Darkling, Mirrorskin. A prolific Darkling and devoted courtier of Winter, another long-standing Freehold member.
- Wednesday's Child - Beast, Runnerswift. Fresh out of the hedge, adopted by the Court for her most basic of personal philosophies.
Spring - The Emerald Court
The Emerald Court rejects the pain and sorrow of their time in Arcadia, drawing power from desire and joie de vivre.
Some would say that the Court of Spring have fallen a long way since the golden days of Reggie Short. A lot of Essex’s Emerald Courtiers are youngsters and new-comers to the life of the Lost. There is a lot of bad feeling between some of the Spring and Winter Courtiers, mainly based around the inhabitation of the Essex Fortification by the Onyx Court.
Lord Satrap Sam is the Spring Court’s monarch at the moment.
- Sam - Elemental, Mannequin. This member of the Satrapy of Pearls has found himself the Spring Monarch of recent. Embodying his court and their pursuits with the aide of his coffee shop: The Siddaan.
- Dancing Jack - Fairest, Dancer.
- Gale - Elemental, Airtouched. An outspoken conscience for all courts, taking leaps that often others are too afraid to make.
Summer - The Crimson Court
The Crimson Court draws power from the anger they bear toward their captors, gathering strength to fight against anyone who would enslave them again.
Captain Cyrano led the Crimson Court for the past dozen years or so, until his sudden, scandalous denouncement of the Changeling’s Court system at the closure of summer this year. Whilst in power, he never really established much of a court, and most of those left the freehold with him… It seems that Essex has been left with very few Iron Spear defenders.
Those Summer Courtiers that are still around are, on the whole, rather useless. Essex seems to attract the broken down and the feckless.
There is currently no monarch leading the Summer Court, a Duke or Duchess will be chosen in again in the summer of 2008.
Autumn - The Ashen Court
The Ashen Court finds its strength in fae magic, drawing the Glamour they need for their sorcery from the fears of mortals.
The Autumn Court has inhabited Essex for hundreds of years. Following the antics of Witch-hunter General Hopkins in the 1600s, the Ashen Court moved into position in Canewdon to monopolise on the terror generated in the county.
Even today, Canewdon is unequivocally an Autumn territory. Pacts made at the foundation of the Freehold guarantee it that way and allow the Ashen Court to claim the Hopkins Hollow situated there. It is well known by the Lost of Essex that the myths revolving around the village and church of Canewdon are suspected to be caused by the intense activity of the Autumn Court in the area.
Count Dominic Kruger is the current monarch of the Autumn Courtiers, the latest in a long line of succession that can be traced back to 1646. Who knows what secrets he keeps in that village of his?
- Kruger - Fairest, Draconic. Abrasive, to-the-point and sometimes callous man has become the Autumn Monarch for Fortis Sodalitas. He reminds the Lost of the Freehold that fear can be inspired through other means than simply what one can see.
- Sallow - Fairest, Muse. Odd, definitely odd. With a stuttering, mumbling desire to serve the Court Monarch, whomever that may be, he simply... he says... has the best interests of Autumn in mind.
Courtless - The Colourless Court
Those who choose to go their own path are sometimes said to belong to the Colourless Court, outsiders in a dangerous world.
- The Mayflower motley
News
- In 2007 the Summer King, Captain Cyrano, renounced his Court, leaving the Freehold and taking many of his recent courtiers with him.
- Apparently Gid, one of That Spring Motley, has vanished. Sam's looking into it.
Goblin Markets
There are several notable Goblin Market sites in Essex.
The largest common market is held at midnight of the 23rd of each month in the seafront amusement park Adventure Island. Whilst the Hobs deal in the usual trinkets, fruits and doodads found in all markets, in Adventure Island they specialise in dealing in desires and dreams.
Another market commonly visited by the Lost of Essex is a little harder to find. There’s a battered white van that often catches the eye of the Essex Changelings. Half of the van’s bonnet seems to be made up of brown paper but the company name on the side of the vehicle is constantly changing. The drivers of the van are, obvious to any Changelings observing them, market Hobs. By tracking down the parked van, usually in the car park of one of the large shopping centres scattered around Essex, and reading the name upon the side, any Lost can gain access through he back door of the vehicle into the white van roaming goblin market.
One notable Hob, a short vulpine-like creature that calls himself Winkle, seems to be some sort of contact between the different markets and often also acts as a kind of ambassador to the Lost of the Fortis Sodalitas. It is rumoured that Winkle was a friend to Reggie Short and helped to negotiate the treaty between the Fellowship and the Autumn Court way back in 1912. Oh yeah, Winkle seems to have been around forever.
The Hobs of Essex speak their own dialect of ‘Estuary English’, employing a form of rhyming slang quite difficult to understand. Most Lost believe they do this on purpose to give them a better position in bartering. It is also suspected they make up a lot of their ‘slang’ as they go along, although Satrap Sam of the Spring Court contests this claim…
Prominent Locations
Apart from the Goblin Markets and the Essex Hedge Fortification, there are several important places that all the Lost of Essex are aware of.
The Siddaan: a small coffee shop on the High Street of Southend-on-Sea owned by the current Spring Monarch – Satrap Sam. A meeting place for local Lost and a place where a down on his luck Changeling can always get a hot drink, a fresh sandwich and a quick job, for a favour in kind to Sam, of course. Apparently originally named the Sit-Down but the estuary accent quickly resulted in the name change.
The Hopkins Hollow of Canewdon: a Hollow located in the hedge of Canewdon, accessible through the village’s church tower. Created and maintained by the Autumn Courtiers, the rumours are that Monarch Kruger has a secret, hidden room in the Hollow, the contents of which vary wildly depending upon who you hear the rumour from. It is named after the famous Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins who began his reign of terror in Canewdon in 1645.
Jackson’s Pub: details to come
Timeline of the Freehold of Fortis Sodalitas
(Still in construction)
c.150 Proposed date of original construction of the Essex Fortification
1645 Witchfinder General Hopkins begins her terrorisation of the Essex countryside villages in Canewdon.
1646 The Autumn Court takes up residence in Canewdon and creates the Hopkins Hollow
1911 Rediscovery of Essex Fortification by Ronnie Short and his Fellowship Motley (Ronnie Short and Owen Larson, both of the Spring Court, Simon Donovan of the Winter Court and Beth de la Sarte of the Summer Court)
1912 Short negotiates a treaty between his Motley and the Autumn Courtiers of Canewdon founding the Fortis Sodalitas Freehold
1965 After the disappearance of Simon Donovan, Ophellion takes control of the Winter Court
1985 Death of Reggie Short on 1 May followed by the seizure of the Essex Fortification by the Winter Court
2007 Public renouncement of the Lost Courts by Captain Cyrano, retiring Monarch of the Summer Court
Changeling Venue Information
To contact the Essex Lost VST, please email Essex Lost VST
To contact the Essex Lost VC, please email Essex Lost VC
