From Changeling Venue

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Theme 3 Participation 4 The Eleven Services 5 Affiliates 6 Allies 7 OOC

Introduction

It is dark on the night that the thief sneaks into the house. He is a very good thief, so he is very careful as he makes his way from room to room, finding the most expensive objects and putting them in his sack. He is about to leave this house forever when he sees a set of stairs leading down from the kitchen. While he is a very good thief, he is also very curious, and he makes his way down the stairs only to find a pantry. He pokes around a bit, finds little to tempt him, so he turns to leave. But as he does so, he trips over something and makes a terrible clatter. He freezes, waiting for someone to find him, but a minute passes and then another and another and no one comes. The thief starts to pick himself up and as he does so, he sees the rock he tripped over, bloodied a bit. Not wanting to leave even more evidence of his passing, he reaches down, wipes the blood away with his finger and tastes it... only to discover that it wasn't just any rock, but salt.

The thief goes to the top floor, knocks on the master of the house's bedroom door. The master of the house is very confused as the thief empties the bag and prostrates himself over the expensive candlesticks and fine dishes. He sputters and asks, "why did you come here? You could have gotten away!"

The thief says, "I ate in your home, I'm now a guest. I cannot break hospitality."

-=-=-=-

The Innkeepers Guild is a global organization of Inns and safehouses that have made a pledge to care for and protect those who stay under their roofs. While every Inn is as different as the Changeling who runs it, each follows a code of hospitality to those in need. Wherever a traveler goes, they can be reasonably assured that nearby is a member of the Innkeepers Guild.

Theme

The Innkeepers Guild is an association of safe-houses, waystations, shelters, clinics and other institutions devoted to the safety of those residing within them. Started as a loose network of just a few Changelings who saw the benefit of keeping tabs on each other, the network has expanded and grown to encompass membership across the world. Changelings in need of a place to stay for a few days while finding lodgings in a city or a few years while they reconstruct their lives have looked to the Innkeepers to aid them, and help is rarely witheld.

Participation

Joining the Guild requires having an Inn and taking a formal Pledge to not sell out the secrets of the Innkeepers.

Process:

A prospective Innkeeper (Prospect) finds a known member of the Guild to sponsor them (Sponsor). The Sponsor is responsible for making certain that the prospective member knows the rules and informing the rest of the Guild that there is a new Prospect. For six months from the date that the Guild is notified of the Prospect, Members of the Guild will take the opportunity to test the Prospect and their Inn, and may use the time afforded to them to report their findings back to the rest of the Guild. A vote is taken by the Guild, proctored by three other Members of the Guild, none of whom may be the Sponsor. A 2/3 majority vote is required for new membership.

Associate Membership:

There are some members of the Guild who are not Innkeepers. These are allies who aid the Guild in some significant fashion, have access to much of the information that the Guild possesses, but do not operate an Inn. Associate members have access to the amenities of the Inns in the same way that any Innkeeper does, will have their voices heard in matters of Innkeepers policies, but do not have a vote in new memberships.

The Eleven Services

Every Inn offers a different set of Services, and the details of what each might entail also depends on where you are. See each individual Inn's page for specifics.

• Housing: Housing comes in either Temporary or Permanent forms. It often includes Food or other Services and is one of the most basic services provided.

• Goods: For those stopping off at an Inn for a night or two, many offer goods to get them through the next leg of their trip. The extent of the goods provided varies from Inn to Inn, but can be anything from food and some camping supplies to a guide to the next Inn.

• Medical: From mortal healing methods to Contracts, Inns that offer Medical Services are prepared to help the injured and sick. Types of medical services vary from basic first aid to long term treatment to surgery.

• Legal: Even Changelings needs mortal legal aide. Inns that offer Legal Services have connections in the legal community that will help the Changelings in a variety of legal matters.

• Education: Inns that offer Educational Services have some sort of program to further a Changelings knowledge. Be it vocational education, high school and college degree programs or an education in Contracts and Changeling society, there is something here to further a visitors knowledge.

• Placement: Many Inns offer assistance finding permanent housing or employment outside of the Inn's walls.

• Employment: Some Inns offer employment for those who have come through. This is long term employment, not the general work used to repay the Inn for it's assistance, and employees are usually accountable on the mortal side (taxes, etc). Type of employment varies greatly depending on the mortal cover for the Inn.

• New Identity: Someone in the Inn, or associated with it, can help establish a new mortal identity for the Changeling.

• Financial: General financial assistance is available. This is usually in terms of a loan, which can be paid back to the lenders either with money or services, though the conditions differ from place to place.

• Adjustment and Adaptation: Classes and assistance on adjusting to the world and learning how to function with a mortal cover. Details vary greatly depending on the Inn and the needs of the individual.

• Food: The Inn offers either regular meals or some sort of in house sustenance to fulfill basic needs.

Affiliates

The Inns of the Guild are as different as Changelings themselves. Ranging from small shacks in the woods where weary adventurers may spend the night to formalized institutions of learning and healing, each Inn and Innkeeper has something to offer the Guild and their fellow Lost.

• Azure Studio's -- Dance and Voice training studio in Old Colorado Springs, Colorado. Innkeeper: Azure
• Blooming Oak - Drug Rehab and Free Clinic in Bethesda, MD. Innkeepers: C.J. and Mirror EST: 1864
• Broken Glass Almshouse - Homeless shelter and care center in Toledo, Ohio. Innkeeper: Candy EST: 1998
• Castlewellan School for the Performing Arts - Located near Atlanta, GA. Innkeeper: Jingle
• Cavanaugh's Home for the Wayward - Freehold of Four Corners, Hershey, Pennsylvania.
• Driftwood - A Homeless and Runaway shelter in Seattle, Washington, focusing on may programs of assistance and rehabilitation. Innkeeper: Althea Sexton.
• Elysia - An exclusive resort in the mountains of North Georgia. Contact Mallory Schadenfreude. EST: 2000
• House Polaris Established 1980, Chandler Arizona
• The Haven - A Bed and Breakfast for mortals and Changelings alike with a small network of underground chambers attached for longer term Lost residents, offering free or low cost temporary housing to Changelings in need in Pasadena, CA, near Los Angeles. Innkeeper: Mother Rowan
• The Inn of Lost Hope - Freehold of Cresting Waves, Gulf Breeze, Florida. Innkeeper: Solstice EST: 2005
• The Isla del Perdido - An "Inn" neither in the real world nor with a formal Innkeeper, but still a place that can and will offer many of the same services. Located in the Hedge in Long Island Sound, between Connecticut and Long Island, New York... and about halfway between New York City and Boston. "Innkeeper": Nemo
• Maleperduys - A ruined freehold in the Hedge - founded by Lord Valentine, it was a waystation for many of the escapees for the Red Nettle Revolt.
• New Beginnings - A safe house for victims of domestic violence, including Changelings, in Fort Worth, TX. Innkeeper: Night Silk EST: 2000
• Nightengales - a Southern-style plantation that also operates a Blues/Jazz club in Pheonix, Arizona. Inkeeper(s) : Morgana Damphair and Francis
• Old Fresno Hofbrau - A traditional german drinking house in Fresno CA. providing food and drink for the weary Lost. Innkeeper: Finly Cole
• Pearl Point Coffee Co. - Freehold of Kitsap/Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington. Innkeeper: Morgan Bouvier
• Pelinor's Home for Lost Runaways - Freehold of TBD, Orlando, FL. Innkeeper: Bandabras Pelinor
• Reverie - Freehold of New Amsterdam, NY. Innkeeper: Erised; Reverie is a Tea House meets Cafe, meets Bistro, meets Pub, meets coffee shop. EST: 1998
• Ronyos Enchanted Apparel - A known safe haven for changelings in Omaha, NE. Innkeeper: Ronyo Cruxis
• Tetragrammaton Healing Center - An Osteopathic clinic that is open for the impoverished. It is in West Hollywood California. While ill people have been able to find a sterile bed till they were well. Elijah Reve the doctor of the clinic can only be found by appointment.
• The Harp's Hostel - A small but secure hostel in Austin, TX. Innkeeper: Gaea
• The Mild Garden - Freehold of The Pageant, Sonoma County, California. Est. 1996 Innkeeper: Tanis
• Pirates_Cove - Freehold of Lost Savannah, Savannah, Georgia. Est. 1984 Innkeeper: Magistrate Waxman
• The Steampot - An Inn and Restaurant in Southern Texas where changelings are always granted hospitality.
• The Tuck Stop - A bed and breakfast that sits on a ranch in East Dallas Texas; family resort that also privately caters to Changelings. Innkeeper: Ursus Tuck, EST: 1989
• Thorndale Manor - A clinic in Atlantic City, NJ ran by Clara that caters to Changelings who have been injured. Throndale gives them a place to be taken care of while they heal.
• ThornHedge_Apartments - An apartment complex located in the Unforgiving_Sun that helps the newly found get on their feet in the 'real world.' The dark rumors that surround Thorns also linger on ThornHedge, but facts show it to be a very high class apartment complex that has helped many. Owner: Laurel Thorn, Apartment Manager: Summer
• The Hedgeapple - A Fusion Restuarant in Cincinnati, Ohio where all are welcome and many are helped. Connections are made and Identities are established. Owned and operated by Sebastian Wulfhiem CEC. Est. 2000
• Wendy's Inn - In the Freehold of Columbus. A large inn that is only for Changelings. It's located underneath the roots of a giant oak tree on a farm and is the primary safehouse serving Columbus, Ohio.
• Stone's Throw Inn - An old-world style "themed" Inn in Tampa, Florida. Rumor has it that some doors open and others don't for a damn good reason. Owned and operated by Jandori.
• Home - Not the most creatively named rest stop, but comfortable and full of hospitality, this is the domicile of Laurel who regularly opens her doors to those in need. Tentatively Est. 2003

Allies

• White Stag - Those who serve as messengers between the freeholds, and those still lost.
• Nemo - Smuggler, courier, and warrior... a good one to call on in tough times, especially if you need a protector who is comfortable with morally gray. Connected to Radio Free Fae... somehow, better not to ask. Rather than a formal Innkeeper, Nemo watches over a hollow in the Hedge known as the Isla del Perdido.
• Horace "Race" Ardent - Throughout the earlier part of this decade, Race Ardent spent years wandering through the Innkeepers' network exchanging work as a handyman and defender in exchange for warm meals and a place to rest his head. He continues to work to repay the debt of honor he feels towards the Guild by being there if their members are in need.
• Elvis O'Connor - Fixer extraordinaire, Elvis has helped a number of Changelings get to the Innkeepers' care and has helped a number of Inns get the things they need to operate.
• Stephen Daedalus - White Knight extraordinaire, frequently serves as an escort to and from the Inns, never charging more than a client can afford, and pledging his life to defend them while in his charge.
• Jax - While not an Innkeeper himself, he provides safe haven, as an associate, for those traveling through Phoenix and will continue to do so until another Inn is set up in the city.
• Ikelos - Oneiromancer who offer his services to the Innkeepers who have a mentally wounded guest, offers Hospitality in Montreal, Canada ;
• Sliver - Inkeeper and fierce defender of the newly escaped, Sliver always says that his Inn is one of the mind.
• Rigger - Keeper of a safe-house and a small clinic for wounded Fae.
• Remy Carson - A doctor who offers her services to the various Innkeepers that might need her.

OOC

For information regarding this Organization please contact: Roo James

To join the Innkeeper's Email list: Innkeepers

Note: If you are interested in affiliating your character or facility with the Innkeepers, please let us know! We're pounding out ideas on the yahoo group, and all ideas will be considered.