Oakhurst Gardens

From Changeling Venue

1 Description of the Freehold
2 History of the Freehold
3 Meeting Places
4 Local Residents
5 Motleys
6 Helpful Secrets

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Description of the Freehold

Photos of Oakhurst Gardens

What Meets the Eye
Oakhurst Gardens is situated along the banks of the White RIver in downtown Muncie, Indiana. The Gardens themselves are comprised of roughly 10 acres of gated gardens and woodlands that have existed since before the time of the first European pioneers. Oakhurst Gardens are owned by the City of Muncie and opperated through several trust funds given by different benefactors over the years. A Board of Directors makes exectutive decisions concerning the Gardens, while skilled employees and volunteers see to the day to day programming and preservation of Oakhurst.

Below the Surface
Oakhurst Gardens serves as the main meeting place and seat of power for the Changeling population of Muncie. The site has had special power for many different groups over the centuries, both supernatural and mundane, and continues to serve the Changeling community as an oasis of safety in the dark and dangerous city of Muncie. Though outwardly Oakhurst Gardens is owned and operated by the people of Muncie, those who know acknowledge that the Changelings of the Oakhurst Gardens Freehold are the real power behind the Gardens. Several Changelings work behind the scenes as members of the Board of Directors, project directors, gardeners, tour guides, educators and volunteers. No matter what role they find themselves in, the Changelings of Muncie work to make Oakhurst Gardens a freehold that serves as a bastion against the enemies of the Lost.

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History of the Freehold

City History
Muncie, Indiana was named after the Munsee tribe of the Lenne Lenape or Delaware Indians who settled near the White River in the 1770s after being forced west by white settlers. They found the area to have important mystic and spiritual properties which they explored during their exile from their homelands to the east. The tribe was forced to leave the banks of the White River and move further west in 1818, and in 1820 the area was opened to white settlers. The area was quickly settled. Shortly thereafter, natural gas was discovered in the area which led to an industrial and financial boom. Into the sudden wealth and decadence in the late 1800s, the Ball Brothers built their glass factories that remain to this day. With donations from their efforts, Ball State University was founded near the turn of the century.

While Muncie was often dubbed “Middletown” for its part in a research project to study the “Average American Small Town” it has also been called “Little Chicago” for the amount of crime and gang activity during the turn of the century. Due to the general wealth of all during the roaring 20s, people were willing to turn a blind eye to what happened in the shadier parts of town. For this reason, Muncie has always been a great place to lay low and work deals.

The Great Depression brought Muncie to its knees. The decadence faded and was replaced by despair. People turned slowly to religion, hoping to stave of the dark realities of the world. Industries closed and most people were destitute. Muncie got back into full swing with the start of the Second World War, however. Factories started producing again for the war effort and with new-found money came new-found crime.

Through the 70s and late 80s Muncie saw a great political and spiritual upheaval once more. The people spoke out against crooked and corrupt politicians and businessmen. Crime and violence was at an all time high which was only hindered shortly by a rash of riots and gruesome murders.

Recently, Muncie has seen an increase in mindless violence, wonton destruction and senseless murders. In light of these events, Muncie’s populace has assumed a more subdued approach to life. People hurry home after dark. No one trusts anyone else and with good reason. Muncie is and always has been a city of magic and mystery, where you are being watched, someone is following you, and bad things do go bump in the night.

Changeling History
The presence of the Changelings prior to the arrival of white settlers is tenuous at best. Those who maintain records of any kind say that few Changelings, if any, called Muncie home prior to the foundation of Minnetrista Cultural Center and Oakhurst Gardens at the turn of the last century. In fact, some who claim to understand such things say that the two locales have acted as a crossroads of fae activity since it was first set apart to serve the people of Muncie. Oakhurst Gardens, especially acts as a virtual oasis of life and beauty in the heart of the city.

Few Changelings alive today can still remember the foundations of the Oakhurst Freehold, though most still whisper tales of Father Acorn, a figure of legendary status among the Changelings of Muncie. The story goes that Father Acorn was one of the smallest and weakest of the Muncie Changelings, but his true power lay in his wits and his cunning. Seeing his small group of fellow Changelings at the mercy of the Gentry and the other supernatural powers of Muncie, Father Acorn is said to have made a pact with the oak trees along the banks of the White River. In exchange for his care and devotion to the trees, the trees agreed to protect the Changelings until the day of Father Acorn’s death. The oak trees at Oakhurst still offer their protection to this day, so it is often whispered that Father Acorn is still alive somewhere in Muncie. Some consider the tale nothing more than a story, but then again, that’s what most Changelings used to think about the Fae.

There have not been many Changelings over the years that have called Muncie their home. The few Changelings in the area usually had some kind of ties to the city before their durance in Faerie. Interestingly, almost all of the Changelings who have escaped through the Hedge back into the mortal realm seem to have tumbled out on or near the banks of the White River, often within the briars and brambles of Oakhurst itself. The appearance of so many Changelings returning within its borders has led many to believe that some power or fate lingers on the place. They are right.

As an oasis of beauty and emotion in the often dark city of Muncie, the small group of Muncie Changelings worked hard to make the Oakhurst Freehold a powerful bastion against their many enemies. One of the greatest achievements of the Changelings in Muncie was their work in creating the Minnetrista Cultural Center. The center served the fae by allowing them to harvest much-needed Glamour with which they could power their Contracts, guarding themselves against their foes. Not only was the Center a source of fae power, it also served as a cultural and political foundation through which the Changelings could help to influence the mortal populace of Muncie.

Recently, the story of the Changelings has turned bittersweet. Their beloved Minnetrista Cultural Center was burned to the ground by the workings of some unknown supernatural forces. This act was a low blow at an inopportune time. At about the same time, more and more fae have been finding their way through the Hedge into the World of Darkness. Some have postulated that the destruction of the Cultural Center may have been the major factor in this increased activity. One small ray of hope in this tragedy is the sudden increase in the appearance of Changelings returning from the Hedge. With the added support of these new Changelings, the Courts and the Oakhurst Freehold may find the luck and the strength they need to face the challenges they find in the World of Darkness.

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