Freehold of the Seven Hills
From Changeling Venue
Contents |
The Seven Hills
Seattle has long been a city of immense emotional upheaval. From its start as a pioneer lumber town, through the horrors of the great Seattle fire, to its place as a gateway to the Klondike Gold Rush, the city’s early history is fraught with adventure and tragedy. Seattle’s early economic booms, sustained by lumber, gold, and railroads, later gave way to giants such as Boeing, Microsoft, and Starbucks. The population remained as diverse as during the early phases of immigration, and despite the presence of powerful corporate interests it remains very liberal in attitudes.
These contrasts provide a rich emotional tapestry for the lost who have escaped from the Hedge to its verdant streets. But Glamour no longer runs freely in Seattle. A crippling disaster in late 1999 somehow changed the flow of Glamour and the Changelings of Seattle are still recovering.
The goal for this game is to provide a venue that explores the darker themes of Changeling: the Lost and provides a setting where the PC’s have the looming threat of the Gentry hanging over them. The memories of past mistakes are ever-present, and while some may choose to learn from them others may seek only to gain advantage over their fellows. These are the choices that face the Fae of Seattle, and survival and freedom is the price they pay when they falter.
History
The Fae have existed in the Pacific Northwest as long as people have. The indigenous peoples of the Duwamish, Suquamish, Snoqualmie, Snohomish, Lummi, Skagit, Swinomish, and other tribes were all subject to the occasional predations of the True Fae. When the pale immigrants from the East arrived, and brought with them all the affectations of burgeoning civilization, the True Fae expanded their interests.
Reliable records of these times are difficult to come by given the Changeling penchant for secrecy. Histories were passed orally within the Changeling community, and these histories were occasionally interrupted by some catastrophe that affected most of the Fae populace. The first such disaster occurred in 1889 in the form of a fire that wiped out the central business district. The most recent cataclysm happened in late 1999, when the long-reigning King of Summer, Adamant, led a large army of Changeling warriors into the Hedge in an effort to ambush and wipe out a small band of Gentry who had long preyed upon the Fae of the Puget Sound.
This battle, known popularly as Adamant’s Folly, destroyed the oldest, wisest, and most powerful Changeling in Seattle. Only a handful of Fae emerged from the hedge after a three day march to carry the news of defeat. And with those who had been lost, so too was lost the accumulated wisdom of the long-lived Freehold, as well as its mightiest and most dedicated protectors.
For those who survived and those who arrived thereafter this event acts as both a warning and a lesson in hubris. Seattle closed in upon itself, shadowed by a new awareness of its vulnerable fragility, and the Changelings left in mourning had to contend both with the sorrow of losing firm friends and loved ones, as well as the chilling knowledge that at least some of those beloved faces might return, twisted with malice and enslaved to the will of the Gentry, to drag their old comrades to a similar fate.
Game Information
Game Site - Games are held every 3rd Saturday at the Doric Hall in Seattle with the following timeline:
- 6:00pm - Check in Begins
- 7:00pm - Game Start
- 1100pm - Game Off and clean-up
Glamour - The acquisition of Glamour is something that concerns all Changelings. For those of high Wyrd, however, it is a matter of particular urgency. Changeling: the Lost provides a very general system for harvesting Glamour via human emotions, as well as a few more involved means of acquiring Glamour. Because of a desire to create a sense of player economy, and to reinforce the awareness of the effort required to gain Glamour, Seattle’s Lost Venue uses a slightly altered system for harvesting challenges both in game and during downtime.
Glamour Index for April 19th, 2008 - 6
- Fear 5 (Recession is in the air. Anxiety is high)
- Sorrow 4 (A break in the weather after a late snow has caused some uplife)
- Desire 7 (Tax refunds and economic stimulus make this a desirous time)
- Wrath 4 (The election is still causing a lot of heated debate)
Seasonal Bonus for April 19th, 2008
- +1 Harvest to Spring
- -1 Harvest to Autumn
Characters
For members of the Freehold of Seven Hills (WA-D - Seattle, WA). Please keep all entries alphabetical. For frequent visitors, see the Visitors section.
Spring Court
CURRENT MONARCH: Touchstone Madwise, the Gutter Prince - In season (Reigning)
- Aislynn - Beast. Survivor of Adamant's Folly. Hedge Ranger and Green Knight. Played by Aja Perbix.
- Clyde - Beast, Hunterheart. Member of The Georgetown Stingrays. Played by Brian K.
- Coal - Beast, Hunterheart. Played by Jesse Means.
- Douglas Newman - Darkling, Tunnelgrub. Survivor of Adamant's Folly. Played by B.J. Altman.
- Lleu Corrigan - Darkling, Mirrorskin. Member of The Georgetown Stingrays. Played by Doug Spaulding.
- Martin Pearl - Fairest, Draconic. Survivor of Adamant's Folly. The "Oathbroken". Played by Wolf Vanhee
- Touchstone Madwise, the Gutter Prince - Fairest, Flowering; Reigning King of the Spring Court. Played by Peter S..
- Vera Greensborough - Elemental, Waterborn. Member of 89 Days. Played by Bobbi R
- Quinn Denton - Elemental, Waterborn. Played by Kevin M
Summer Court
CURRENT MONARCH: Field Marshall Desert Wind
- Candlestick Jack - Wizened, Oracle; Survivor of Adamant's Folly; Haunted by his visions, he lives quietly in a sanatorium.
- Cinder - Wizened, Chatelaine; Survivor of Adamant's Folly; Former Queen of the Summer Court; Protector of Innocents; Housekeeper and Cook of The Driftwood House. Played by Jane
- Damia Elantra - Fairest, Draconic: Survivor of Adamants Folly; Bounty Hunter in Training. Played by Dinelle Dunda
- Elias Briarshear - Fairest, Draconic; Debt Settler, Hedge Tracker & Troubleshooter. Landscaper of The Driftwood House, and member of The Georgetown Stingrays. Played by G. Berry.
- Field Marshall Desert Wind - Elemental, Airtouched; Reigning King of the Summer Court, Member of 89 Days, and leading champion for the cycle of the seasons. Played by Todd Branch
- Horace "Race" Ardent - Ogre, Stonebones; Knight of the Summer Court, Hero of the People; Member of The Georgetown Stingrays. Played by Christopher W.
- Marrow - Ogre Gristlegrinder, Survivor of Adamant's Folly and now bounty hunter. Played by Jason Goodwin
- Kisa - Beast, Truefriend; Cat like beast who works best in the support teams. Recently escaped with her friend Dan. Heather New
- Silver Dan - Darkling, Mirrorskin; Recently escaped due to help of one of those lost in Adamant's Folly, along with Kisa. Cameron McCoy
Autumn Court
CURRENT MONARCH: Cavity
- Acacia Briarsight - Wizened, Oracle; Survivor of Adamant's Folly, Played by Ammie Hague
- Athanor - Elemental, Fireheart; Survivor of Adamant's Folly, Athanor is a Forgemaster and member of The Georgetown Stingrays. Played by Jon Wilkie
- Charles "Charlie" Aron - Darkling, Leechfinger; local cabdriver who claims to once have been the coachman for Death itself. Also claims to be the best driver in Seattle. Played by Ed M.
- Cavity - Darkling, Mirrorskin; Survivor of Adamant's Folly, Former King of the Autumn Court, Cavity in a known oneiropomp who seems to love his Autumn work perhaps a little too much. Member of The Georgetown Stingrays. Played by Trevor Schrock
- Dexter Robinson - Beast, Venombite; Survivor of Adamant's Folly, Goblin Marketeer & Underworld Don. Matt Skau
- Dr. Fouyr - Wizened, Chirurgeon; Former King of the Autumn Court; Currently no Motley; Healer to those in need. Played by Mark C
- Marlowe - Fairest, Muse; Survivor of Adamant's Folly; Former King of the Autumn Court, playwright and owner of local underground fringe theatre The Quill. Played by Jason Carl
- Mira Blade - Elemental, Manikin; Active in the freehold from 2000-2001 and 2003-2005; recently returned in late fall 2007. She and Tommy Blue are members of the motley called The Family Twist. A skilled stage-crafter, she assists Marlowe at The Quill. Played by Kathy Bunt
- Tombstone - Darkling, Leechfinger; One of the Driftwood set, but known to work for anyone who will pay. Played by Cory Sober
- Tommy Blue - Darkling, Mirrorskin; Another fixture at Driftwood since early 1998, Tommy has been a member of the freehold since 2003, when she found her brother Slick living in Portland, OR. She and Mira Blade are members of the motley called The Family Twist. Played by Kat S.
- Ghost; Autumn's child in 89 Days, more to follow
- Handsome Susan - Darkling, Leechfinger. Clandestinely come by rail, Handsome Susan is a drifter newly arrived in December 2007. His (or her) past is blank...but rumor says it started nearly 100 years ago. Played by Matt Smith.
Winter Court
CURRENT MONARCH: Althea Sexton
- Althea Sexton - Elemental, Water; Reigning Queen of the Winter Court; Proprietor of Driftwood, Lady of the Bitter Sea. Played by Ree.
- Cody - Survivor of Adamant's Folly. Played by chris buser.
- Harrison Rhys - Elemental, Snowskin; Barrister, Member of 89 Days, Played by Thomas Mc
- Herald N.O.S.M. - Elemental, Fireheart. Played by Shane Freund
- Jaden Patterson - Elemental, Snowskin; Resident of Driftwood. Played by Tammy Mickelson.
- Nine - Beast, Hunterheart; Wandering Artist. Played by Peg B.
- "Twisted" Thomas Smith - Wizened, Artist; Survivor of Adamant's Folly, Mechanic and Master Builder. Played by Vincent Foley
- Valanga - Ogre, Farwalker; Hedge Guide, ski bum, protector of the tiny. Member of The Georgetown Stingrays. Played by Natalie Wilkie.
The Courtless & The Creatures
- Wobble (NPC) - Hobgoblin proprietor of Pike Place Goblin Market
- The Hunchback - Known to inhabit the Hedge near Licton Springs, the Hunchback has been a recognized associate of Wobble and the Pike Place Goblin Market for several years. Originally assumed to be some form of hobgoblin or even a Hob, recent events suggest he is actually a Changeling. The most popular theory is that he is a Water-Dweller Ogre. He is known to possess remarkable knowledge about the Hedge and where to find all manner of Goblin Fruits and Oddments. - played by Tracy Soldan
Deceased and Vanished
Over time, all things die, and all things vanish away. Some are lucky, and end their natural lives on this side of the Dream. These are the names of those we remember:
- Dame Belladonna - Mama Bella, Former Queen of the Winter Court, Survivor of Adamant's Folly, the proprietor of Driftwood from 1953-2004.
- Hachua'bsh - Master healer and custodian of the Long House until his death in 2003. Hachua'bsh was the oldest Changeling in Seattle, and the last of the original indigenous Fae who watched the formation of the Freehold in the nineteenth century.
In the wake of Adamant's Folly, many names have joined the ranks of those presumed dead or vanished once more into the Hedge. These names represent only a small faction of those who have been Taken, in the hopes that they might one day return:
- Alice Cottington - Fairest Flowering of the Summer Court. Beautiful and wily, she had a reputation as a savvy politically player within the Freehold. Her genteel nature did not keep her from marching with the rest of the Freehold; she did not return.
- Big Mick O’Reiley - Ogre Gargantuan of the Summer Court. Harsh, but with a reputation for fairness. It was inevitable that Mich would be on the front lines during Adamant's Folly.
- Carpenter Mike - Wizened Smith of Fall. An affable older man, Mike had a reputation for being even-termpered and mellow. He liked to spend time at Driftwood and would occasionally spin his own yarns or scratch away at a fiddle he made himself. Despite being very well liked in the Freehold he wasn't a talkative man, and when the dust of Adamant's Folly settled, Mike was nowhere to be found. No one can recall seeing him in the fray, but there is no doubt that he vanished.
- Greg Martin - Draconic Fairest of the Summer Court. One of Adamant's closest friends, Greg was exemplified the honest working man. He did not hesitate to follow his friend into the Hedge, and like the King, did not come back.
- Kharri - Flowering Fairest of Spring, this well-liked girl almost never spoke of her past. Though she objected to Adamant's charge, she knew Fae friends would need her healing touch. She vanished in the fray, taken by the Lodgemaster's minions.
- Lyn Krash - Wizened Soldier of the Summer Court. Friendly, well liked, and fiercely loyal to his brother, Mon. Had Mon not followed Adamant back into the hedge, Lyn would never have gone. He did not return.
- Mon Krash - Wizened Smith of the Summer Court. As grumpy and unfriendly as he was skilled with his tools. Mon was a big supporter of Adamant's war plans, and suffered the same fate as his leader.
- Notable Nate - Wizened Chatelaine of the Spring Court. A tireless volunteer in the community, Nate was a conscientious objector to Adamant's War plans. He was lost trying to recover wounded from the Hedge.
- Shaemus - Ogre of the Summer Court. Beloved gardener at Driftwood, Shaemus marched with Adamant to protect others from what he saw as a grave error. He paid the final price.
- Silver Salmon - Beast of the Spring Court. An apprentice to Hachua'bsh and successor to the Long House. Killed in combat at Adamant's Folly.
- Thomas Linden - Beast of the Summer Court. Scruffy and sycophantic, poor Thomas said he would follow King Adamant to hell itself. He got his chance.
- Torin - Draconic Fairest of the Summer Court.
- Tree - Wizened Woodwalker of no Court.
- Zobak - Gristlegrinder Ogre of the Summer Court. Bombastic and thuggish, he was one of the first to fall when the Gentry entered the fray.
Local Motleys
Changeling Businesses
Places of Interest
For those areas known to the Changelings of The Seven Hills, both friendly and hostile.
- Driftwood - At Driftwood, there is always a hot meal and a helping hand.
- Ivar's Lighthouse - description, including hosility/friendly information
- Pike Place Goblin Market - Just over a hundred years old, Seattle's most consistent regular Goblin Market opens its doors every full and new moon, for those who know how to find it. Neither friendly nor hostile, it is a business first and foremost... but woe betide he who breaks the rules.
- The Quill - A strange little theatre in Bellevue offers theatre of the weird and a respite for some Lost
Frequent Visitors
- Warren Alexander Grimm - Pearl Satrap of the West, resident of Vancouver BC
- Nujalik - A Nomadic Hunterheart Beast, one of her many refuges is at Driftwood.
- Jamilah Rose - Formerly part of The Quill's stage crew, resident of San Francisco
- Elizabeth Ann Sexton - Althea's daughter who spends most of the year at school in NYC.
The Gentry
ST Contact Information
VST: Sean Alexander US2002021058
DST: William Altman US----------
