The Station
From Changeling Venue
- The Freehold of Bryan-College Station, TX
Contents |
Basic Information
Domain: Midnight Yell, TX-057-D
VST: Ernesto "Ernie" Ramos III
Game Hosted on: 2nd Friday and 4th Saturday. Email to double-check.
History
Late 19th Century
When A&M was only a handful of buildings and Bryan was still developing, only a few recluse Lost were present, and interaction was non-existent; consisting of Ogres and Beasts in this uninhabited land. Fog claimed the night, hiding the ground itself from its walkers. Students, staff, and visitors had to follow ropes and cords by torchlight to find their destination, in the absence of electric light, otherwise be lost to the mist where the wolves roam. This mundane threat's reflection could be seen in the Hedge. The overwhelming presence of briarwolves and mazes of mist and thorns; the Hedge was unbridled and the few fearless ones dared to carve Hallow to call their own in such untamed lands.
Early-to-Mid 20th Century
The Changeling presence has always been small in the Brazos County. Those who were around formed tight niche motleys or kept to themselves. Courts changed with the seasons, in the expectation of holding back the True Fae's notice. Over time the Changeling presence have increased; the Century Tree, one of the most reliable and well-known Trods in the Freehold, became a beacon to the Lost.
The stagnant and more militant authority posed by Texas A&M along with prospect of a higher education brought interest from a number of Seemings; militant Ogres, obedient Beasts, engineering Wizened, agriculturally savvy Elementals, Fairest professors to command and inspire, and the intermittent Darkling to haunt the shadows. Eventually the Freehold's members grew in size, ever so slightly, however the local Hedge still remained uncontrollable and teeming with hobgoblins.
1970s-1980s
The Courts danced with the Seasons. As time passed and numbers grew, only motleys were present to guide their respective courts. The distrust and paranoia hindered Pledges and alliances. Along came the architect.
In the early 1980s a Lost made his way to the Freehold, a wizened named Seven, made a proposal to the preceding Seasonal Kings and Queens that oversaw the lands, to unify the Freehold and domesticate more of the local Hedge to a livable state. He had setup intricate plans to carve out city Hollows in the lands and strategic maps of Trods for city travel as well as defense against the Gentry. With his rhythm came a bit of madness, while his plans where sound ingenious enough to impress the strategists of the Summer Court and the stealthy of the Winter Court, his designs were a bit askew. His architectural motif leaned towards castles and pipes. He based this on the current fad found in Nintendo's Mario Bros., rationalizing the strong presence and interest from mortal society would strengthen the bond between Earth and Hedge, in the Lost's favor.
The Lost at first humored the idea of such castles, then became enamored with the enchanting appeal for the Fairest Princess, the Wizened scientist, the Ogre and Beast watchdogs, Elemental living landscape, and Darkling shadow boogeyman. With the castles overlooking the lands in the Hedge, the pipes went below, around, and twisted through the area for travel and defense; all part of the grand design.
Early-1990s
Over time Seven faded out of the limelight, either immersed in his own wizened machinations, or worse, taken back across Hedge and through the Thorns. As the other members of the Freehold also took back to their lives with renewed sense of security, a political coop was in the making.
In the Winter of 1992, a Darkling was setup to take the local title of King of Winter. This tunnelgrub, Warren Mavyn, has slowly gained the goodwill of all the courts, whether this is from pure interest and strange appeal, or blackmail, very few know. His detailed knowledge of the pipes along with aptitude towards Smoke and Mirror, proved his effectiveness in the Onyx Court. As winter was coming to an end, the numbers of the other courts were either low or in disinterest to what Warren had in mind. His allies were strong yet hidden, he was able to hold Spring under his rule as the Winter King. Those who were against this coop were few and far in between, lacking the power and ingenuity to outwit the winter court. Winter's grasp held onto the coming summer and autumn; many Lost were worried that this year of Winter would gain the watchful ire of the True Fae to their county of castles and pipes. A year has almost come to pass and frost has lost is luster. Those who oppose the winter court slowly gain support in the shadow's shadow, increasing the inherent paranoia already found in changeling society.
New Year's Eve 1993, festivities were held at the Freehold's Hallow near campus. During the count down for the end of the year, King Mavyn just disappeared; he was rarely seen in the non-winter months, but to just disappear so close to the New Year was unlike him. The King was gone… Only once source saw something, it was just a glimpse, but he saw him rushing out with an alien shadow in his pursuit. Warren was jumping from wall to wall, trying to evade his pursuer, but alas not even a Darkling can elude his shadow.
Soon after a search party was sent to find their King, no sight or sound was found of him. While the outlook was grim, it was speculated that his Keeper came back for him, gaining the sight of the True Fae for not changing with the Seasons, some postulated that the other courts had something to do with it. All investigations lead to one fact…trod access via the Century Tree was suppressed. It was a mystery, the tree remained intact, but its mystical facilities were no more. The thought of the most reliable and powerful Trod in the Freehold, just stop working… was terrifying. Many were scared, went back into hiding, and the Freehold's thorns slowly rose again in Lost's absence, at least for a short while. A few years passed with no major disturbances in the Freehold's wake, a few Lost tried to revive the fallen castles and clean up the pipes and steam tunnels that traversed the Hedge. Hollow's were taken back, but lacked a part of its strength and ingenuity that Seven put into it.
November 18, 1999: Tragedy strikes A&M. The Silent Arrow reluctantly feasts in its mourning.
The tragedy hit hard and the Twin cities wept. The Court of Sorrow did what it could to help mend the many broken hearts that befell their lands. Soon after, preparations were made to make a memorial for those who lost their lives.
November 18, 2000: The bonfire memorial is finalized. With the bonfire memorial, a new trod, was born, with, at the time, immense strength; hope from the lost access of the Century Tree.
Present (in the past decade)
Our lives are what we make of it. Time seemed to pass slowly. The Lost of the Brazos County were slowly regaining their numbers and coming out of the woodwork. With the major Trod out of commission, fewer Lost were making their way to the city. Local Lost make do, as they always do, trying to live their lives, or what's left of it, after what the Others and Arcadia has done to them.
