The Cast of Shadows
From Changeling Venue
The Cast of Shadows is the Atlantic City Motley founded by four member who came together because of their initial performance skills in 2000. The draw of the Carnival strong within them, since then though the Motley has grown together.
Contents |
Hallow
Members
Alex
Arien Steele - Founding member known to belong to the Exhaulted Artisans Guild, performer on the Renaissance faire circuit, and stage performer for the casinos in Alantic City depending on the present show venue.
Clara - Founding member
Rya Ousel - Founding member
Vladimir Karakov - Founding member
Associated Places and People
Thorndale Manor - Clara's personal home turned Clinic for injured Changelings that many members help at.
Pigs May Fly: Quaint shop owned by Arien and Rya that caters to the occult minded, unique jewelry running from custom orders to pagan, costuming by Rya, and a blend of drinks straight from the hedge. Envision all the good things about an occult shop, borders, and a coffee shop and you have the Pig.
Coranation
All around the clearing are banners that depict the more daunting aspects of Autumn. The harvest moon passing behind a
house on a hill, a frightening jack lantern, a fall thunderstorm, the eyes of an owl from a dark branch and the
pictures of dancing skeleton. All of which are on a backdrop of harvest leaves and trees which stain the air and ground
with vivid reds, oranges and golds, the grey cast sky lending to the occasion. ---
A defined circle is marked with lanterns burning bright and casting shadows around the clearing, enveloping the hallow
with movement and dark patches. Clara moves to the dead center of the circle, her small body drawing up to its full
height calmly and emotionlessly waiting for attention to turn to her. She speaks clearly, though her voices seems oddly
young compared to her body. Her eyes traveling over those gathered as she speaks. ---
�7"The Moon is bright, the Crone is old �7The body lifeless - the bones so cold �7We all live and pay our dues �7To die in ones and threes. ---
�7Death, dance and play the harp �7Piercing silence in the dark �7The Woman's old with withered limbs �7Death beckons Him to dance with Her ---
�7As She accepts the Dance of Death �7The Earth is cooled by ghostly breath �7To lie in dormancy once more �7She gives her strength and life restored ---
�7As Summers life yields to Autumns breath �7So shall the Crown yield to the rightful King." ---
Clara turns and steps out of the center of the circle as Vladimir and Evie enter. Evie is dressed in an elegantly-
tailored gown hedgespun from the first spring fronds of shadowed fern that has been embroidered with the last light of
an autumnal sunset. Her hair is held back from her face by a garland of gerbera daisies in autumnal hues of deep gold
and soft russet which have been twined with ivy and stalks of wheat. ---
Vladimir stands tall in an outfit that looks as though he was pulled out of the center ring. He wears a well-tailored
hedgespun tailcoat of midnight velvet spun from the shadows of twilight, trousers of white woven from spidersilk fresh
with morning dew, a shirt of autumn mist, and tall boots and a top hat of leather formed from the inky blackness of
midnight. ---
Vladimir leaves Evie at the edge of the circle and steps to the center speaking in a booming voice that carries with it
the crack of thunder in the cool fall night, his presence filling the Hollow. ---
�7"All ye spirits who walk this night - �7Hearken! Hearken to my call! �7I bid you in our Circle join! �7Enter! Enter - one and all! ---
�7Come ye, spirits of the dead: �7Be ye spirit of plant or pet �7Or human being who still roams! �7Into this Circle you are let! ---
�7Speak to us of things unknown! �7Lend your energies to this reign! �7To speed your journey, we have joined �7On this sacred night to pass the Crown to those who are right! ---
�7All ye spirits who walk this night - �7Hearken! Hearken to my call! �7I bid you in our Circle join! �7Enter! Enter - one and all!" ---
�7"Tonight we enter the time of the Ashen Court where magic and fear reign themselves in while waiting for the Winter
frost. Gone are the days of fiery Summer seen not again till the wheel spins us round again."
Vladimir shows both hands in a flashy display showing they are empty. In a fluid motion he extends his arm an apple
flying into the air which he plucks out with showmanship style. �7"Behold the apple: fruit of wisdom, fruit of Death."
He shows his other hand is still empty and with a flourish of his hand a silver knife appears. He cuts the apple
crosswise and holds it up for everyone to see �7"Whose symbolism rewards us with life eternal and that once again the
seasons will change."
He moves to throw the fruit out of the circle, but as he opens his hand to throw the pieces, they have disappeared. ---
An eerie melody of music starts to flow through the clearing that reminds those present of a type of twisted merry go
round or carnival. He removes his top hat, twirling it around before tossing it in the air, though, a second one stays
in his hand and he starts to juggle them, a third one seeming to come from the motion.
The motion is slightly hypnotic, as the hats start to blur and the colors shift and glow, slightly pulsing, as the
motion slows and he plucks the "hat" out of the air, it no longer resembles the top hat that it did before but instead
in his hand is a glowing crown of golden autumn. A glorious wreath of golden leaves, of small pumpkins and bones all
flawlessly weaved to perfection. ---
He steps towards Stephen Daedalus, alive with the mantle of Summer and kneels before him and holding the crown up in
his hands, though his voice is still clear and reverberating. �7"Treasured friend and diplomat of Summer." ---
Stephen takes the crown from him, placing it on his head as she says �7"Vladimir Karakov, will you, by oath swear to the
members of the Freehold of Reflected Light to uphold law and rightwiseness and defend them as Autumn King? And by this
same oath, do you bind yourself to the Seasonal provisions and will, when the time comes, yield your crown to the
coming Winter?" ---
He responds �7"With glad will and devout soul, I give my oath and behold to you and to each of you, and to any allowed
sanctuary here, I shall keep due law and rightwiseness, defending it in so much as I may and when the seasons spin once
more, I will yield to the Crown of Winter." He rises and turns towards those gathered, taking his place in the center
once more. ---
�7"No man can be his own island and as such no King may rule effectively alone. I will be appointing a Council to aid me
during my rule. My first appointment will be one that should come as no surprise. Clara has guided The Reflected Light
through many seasons. She has been an invaluable asset and will be retained as my personal Advisor and Diviner. Let
none discount her wisdom. ---
�7In addition to this role I would like to appoint a Magistrate to help with any defenses that will be needed during
this Season. We are lucky to have many who could fill this role and in the shadow of this fact I have decided to
propose a competition. Protection of our Freehold is not just about brawn, but about quick wit as well. Not far from
here, there is a Hedge Stag.
�7He wears the mark of my wife. Those who wish to show their prowess in this arena will go forth and hunt the Stag and
once it is found it shall be brought back here, that contest will start only on my mark, please register yourself with
Miss Clara if you wish to complete. ---
�7The next position that I wish to appoint will be the Herald of our freehold. As an apt test of cunning, I have chosen
to let those present decide. Again, should you wish to compete, please see Miss Clara. Each person here will be given
an apple, it will be the job of those who wish to be the harbinger of news from our freehold to convince those present
why they should be entrusted with such an important task. You will be able to denote them, by the baskets they will
carry to take their collections in. ---
�7While Miss Clara will be acting as an impromptu Archivist tonight, it is my goal to appoint one to keep the records of
the season. But what are records without flair? Those who wish to take up this position may approach Mrs. Karakov" he
motions to Evie, "during the night and try to woe her with your wit, poem or prose. Those who can impress her the most
will be granted the title of Archivist. ---
�7Last, and certainly not least, how would my Council be complete without a Minister of Doors? Your Kind and your
Freehold are in need of someone to keep track of the doors in and around Atlantic City, paying special attention to the
bar that many of us frequent, and eventually leads to this place. If we know where the doors are to the Hedge, then we
know when a new one appears, and can then figure out whether it is friend or foe who creates it.
�7Anyone who will step up to this task, please speak with me personally. ---
�7Without further ado, let the festivities begin!" ---
As Vladimir steps away from the center a large bonfire flares to life where he once stood and he moves off to start to
socialize.
