[npc] Vlad Rogvodov

Vlad Rogvodov
Redcap Advocate, Grump
Unseelie of House Ailil

Vlad Rogvodov is one of the few openly-acknowledged Advocates in the Parliament of Dreams who is clearly not of the known Seelie Houses.  He vocally calls for the importance of change and adaptability in the Autumn world and tends to be a charismatic speaker when discussing the need to prepare for the coming Winter.  Some have mistaken him to be part of the Shadow Court, when deep down, Vlad has no cares for revenge or domination.  He merely seeks to bring back the balance that once existed, with the Seelie and Unseelie Court sharing the rule over the Autumn World.

While he actively campaigns in the Parliament of Dreaming, hoping to be the 5% Unseelie membership up to an even 50%, he is disgusted with the Parliament's existence and feels its very practice removes the need to return to the balance of the old ways.

[npc] Rowena the Just

Rowena the Just
Sidhe Knight, Wilder
Seelie of House Scathach

Rowena is one of the Riders of the Midnight Trods.  The Riders are a worldwide organization of knights and squires who travel through the many Kingdoms using trods to deliver messages without transmitting them through unenchanted means.  Typically reserved for personal messages, important letters, and precious packages that would not survive the banal-rich postage and delivery systems, the Riders serve as a communications backbone for a collection of Kingdoms that would probably never be willing to cooperate in mapping out policy.

If push comes to shove, however, the Riders are still skilled knights who are more than capable of defending themselves.  They also have use of rare Arts that allows them to traverse the Dreaming with some greater level of safety.   Rowena particularly likes to use The Art of Metamorphosis to shrink her parcels (or passengers) for an easier journey.

II - The Call to Adventure - Part One

Lady Songbird learns from Sir Real that the trod in The Patrician does not seem to work. They know it leads to the Huntsman's Game in the Dreaming, to an exit point close to Tara Nar, and to somewhere in the Kingdom of Willows, but they are uncertain if there are other locations nor why it cannot be controlled.  They consider locking it closed in cold iron.   She also receives an open-invitation from the Kingdom of Willows to visit, good for a year.   The Lady then meets with Doctor Coma and Thortal, both of whom seem unwilling to be in the presence of each other.  While Thortal searches for Miles and investigates on Marcus, Coma introduces Lady Songbird to the existence of the Unseelie Houses and to the infamous Vlad Rogvodov, Unseelie member of the Parliament of Dreams.  They discuss making Songbird part of the Parliament as well, as the Advocate of Goblin Town.  That, however, means finding a way to dispose of Cadmium Redd, whose grip on the Freehold and her own sanity seems tight yet slipping.  Perhaps it has to do with her dabbling with banality and her creation of an iron cage.  Just when things were to be quieter, the missing Miles resurfaces, arriving at the Freehold with little memory of what has happened and the ability to see Kithain seemings!


Flynn Wordweaver has been with Sir Lleu Ardwyad and Faerylith, struggling to make sense of his strange memories of having survived... or rather, been reincarnated from the infamous Night of the Iron Knives.  Helping them is a Sir Ashley of House Eiluned, a psychologist among the fae.  The memories refuse to surface clearly after weeks of trying.  Taking a breather, Flynn heads to the Trod Away From Home and there re-encounters Duke Dray.  However, far from the bumbling fool he was in their first meeting, the Duke reveals to him how he had rescued the orphans, especially the two Dreamers, from the Autumn people that managed the Orphanage.    The Duke reminds him of his duties to the Escheat.  Flustered, Flynn visits the children and finds them under the care of a Dr. van Noceti.  However, when the real doctor emerges, the strange one seemingly vanishes.  Arriving home, Flynn finds no respite as Lleu returns with Thortal and the two use their combined Arts and skills to pull from Flynn a "passive Dictum" that was lying in wait.  The command was given by one of the Shadow Court, and to Thortal's horror, that person who cast it was Faerylith herself.    Finding sleep, Flynn dreams and sees the Night of the Iron Knives unfold.  He sees his friends murdered in the mist-filled room that Beltine night and realizes in this dream, he had seen the faces of Duke Dray and Queen Mab herself.  He also witnesses himself die, stabbed once in the stomach and another time through the throat.  How could he have returned from a death dealt by cold iron?

Sir Felix Southpaw sadly was also to be denied a quiet night.  His dreams speak of a massive wall that stretches from horizon to horizon.  Here, where green fires illuminate the night and vast armies camp beyond the wall, waiting for the call to war, Felix sees a goat-legged queen of ice asking him to reconsider.  However Felix bids her farewell and tells her their love is over.  He awakens in The Seven, the freehold once owned by the Crystal Circle, now under his care from Master Seamus, and has a short chat with Lenore (Sparrow).  Morwen, the High King's sister, comes to visit, offering him resources, trod access and a treasure in exchange for swearing an Oath to be Lenore's guardian.  He considers.  He meets Rowena the Just, Leader of the Riders of the Midnight Trods, and learns they function as a messenger system through the many Kingdoms.  After a near encounter with a strange man that seemed to be obsessed with scissors, Felix and Lenore make their way back to The Seven after her heartfelt admission of her jealousy towards her father's attentions towards Faerylith.  In the Freehold, Felix once more dreams of his former life in the Deep Dreaming, of a time when Joseph van Noceti III was his friend, the Gray sword was his weapon, and Thortal was but a squire.  He learns he is of a Noble House:  Scathach and wakes up confusing an open trod as the door leading out of the freehold.  He steps through and the Trod closes behind him, leaving him somewhere in the Dreaming.  Alone.

[npc] Morwen

Morwen ap Gwydion
Kylie Ann Minogue
Sister of High King David
Sidhe, Grump
Seelie of House Gwydion

Influential in her own ways, the sister of the High King is one of the most potent sorcerers of this age.  Not as vocal a supporter of the High King as most expect, Morwen loves to play the "over-shadowed sister" to lure her brother's more vocal rivals to her - then later deal with them summarily.

Morwen lives her mortal life as a celebrity, relishing in inspiring millions of dreamers worldwide.  She travels frequently through numerous trods that she has gained access to through ties with the many Kithain Kingdoms in the world.

[npc] King Meilge ap Eiluned

King Meilge ap Eiluned
Sidhe King of the Kindom of Willows, Grump
Seelie of House Eiluned

The always masked King of the Kingdom of Willows is known to have a strong Unseelie streak.  One of the most charismatic leaders among the sidhe, it is sad that the King has a reputation of being a mad and violent despot outside his Kingdom.  As dictatorial as he can get, he maintains a strong level of support among many commoners and considered something of an enigma by others based on how he straddles the breadth of the political spectrum.  Many attribute this duality of his being Traditionalist and Modernist to his strong Unseelie tendencies.

The Kingdom of Willows, sadly, is known throughout Concordia for its high-level of corruption, with numerous criminal elements setting up their base of operations in his domain.  His freehold, Willow's Heart, is a palace that overlaps an opulent high-rise in the heart of Atlanta's business district.  Some whisper him to be the "godfather" of this element and as a consequence is extremely wealthy... and dangerous.

His views of his adoptive daughter having stolen the High King's eye have yet to reach public record.  Some wonder if it was skillful tactical political maneuvering, Eiluned witchery, or mere proof of the blind loyalty of true love.

If the King himself has answers, he has yet to say anything.

[npc] Doctor Coma

Doctor Coma
Sluagh, Grump
Unseelie
Supervisor of Goblin Town

The extremely gaunt beatnik of indeterminate age, Doctor Coma wears the typical beat uniform of basic black, sometimes with a tween jacket, and perpetually wears a pair of dark round sunglasses.  There is often a raven perched on his shoulder.  For those who can see his faerie self, they see a rail-thin patch of midnight like a human black hole.  Exceptionally tall with straight black shoulder-length hair, his skin is bone white and his eyes are black, trimmed with silver.  He tends to wear clothes in the style worn in France during the Age of Reason.

He considers Goblin Town too important to be allowed to fall apart, and does what he must to keep it functioning and alive.

[freehold] The Patrician

The Patrician
Currently under the ownership of Lady Songbird, the Patrician was a simple freehold that the Sidhe baroness was looking into transforming into a working theater.

Much to her surprise, Countess Vena and quite possibly certain characters in the Kingdom of Willows may have a different agenda in mind.  The freehold, as it turns out, has a powerful secret.  It houses a Trod deep in the dressing room (and that in itself would have been a powerful secret already), but more than just an ordinary trod, the doorway leads to numerous locations, with one of them actually being a place in the Near Dreaming where the Huntsman hunts and the other, beneath the shadows of Tara Nar itself.

Holding (1)
Trod (4)

[freehold] Coffee Biscuit Tea

Coffee Biscuit Tea
This simple freehold is located near Grand Central Station in the Kingdom of Apples.   The cafe is large enough to accommodate around ten customers (plus six more who would be seated at chairs outside the cafe) with a spacious display for all the offered pastries and sandwiches.  Behind the counter, the door leads to the hearth of the freehold, which appears as a beautiful oven that is always somewhat warm.  (Seamus had the oven built at the same place where the Hearth is, so the Hearth burns where the oven bakes.)

There is a magical shelf in the freehold as well which is able to conjure up any required ingredients for the unique pastries that Seamus makes.  The shelf is tied to the Freehold, however, and cannot be used by those who are not the "owner" of the place.

Holding rating: 2
Shelf (treasure): Legerdemain 3

[item] The Gray Sword

The Gray sword has no personality or defining marks.  It simply appears as a gray blade with no adornments or decoration.  It was reportedly crafted by a powerful Sidhe of the Unseelie Court who intended to destroy a rival.  The legend of this Noble and the tale behind the said to be lost in time.

Rumor has it, it now is in the hands of one of the Dauntain.  Each strike brings its Kithain target closer to being Undone.  High King David has indicated that he would grant a boon to any individual or Oathcircle who succeeds in locating and destroying the Gray Sword.

[npc] Lady Alexandria

Lady Alexandria
Daughter of the late High King Dafyll
Sidhe Baroness, Wilder
Unseelie of House Fiona

Once a Childing during the Accordance Wars, Alexandria was only five when the High King met his death.  She now resides in Goblin Town save for those days when she chooses to stay at Tara Nar.  She is the epitome of a gentle and passionate member of the Sidhe court.  There are those, however, who have seen her other side.  A side that knows what must be done to get what one wants.  Forever the "innocent bystander", few realize that things tend to "fall into place in the way she wants."

[npc] The Old Woman

The Old Woman
Forgotten Lost One

Sir Felix Southpaw first encountered The Old Woman when he left Sparrow's side to help a burning building during one of their crime-fighting nights.   She was found to be under the care of a young man and bereft of all Glamour.

Before Sir Felix could help her further, however, a self-proclaimed doctor named Joseph van Noceti III stepped forward and took her from him.  At that time, Sir Felix though he had the responsibility of taking care of her, even if his touch seems to cause him numbness.

A second encounter had Sir Felix finding her in a hospital, under watchful guard of two Trolls.  The suspected Dauntain once again resurfaced and took her from his grasp, having used a strange power to force Sir Felix to repeatedly get a glass of water.  The Old Woman is currently missing.

Master Seamus has shared that The Old Woman is one of the fallen members of the Crystal Circle, a group of elite changelings who had mastered at least two Arts during their lifetime.

I - The Ordinary World - Part Three

Lady Songbird meets Sir Thortal who comes to bring her an invitation.  She is invited to a closed event to be held in Homefires, the Winter Court freehold of the High King himself. The invite turns out to be as a proxy since Countess Vena is unable to attend.  She realizes he lacks a proper gown to wear and opts to visit Goblin Town, despite Sir Real's concerns, to find Nockers and Boggans who can craft a magnificent chimerical voile for her to wear.  There she meets Doctor Coma and Lady Alexandria, who passes to her, through a kiss, a small note that contains two letters:  S and C.   At the event, her destiny is then tied to that of a young storyteller as her actions to fulfill directions from the Unseelie Court inadvertently cause a faux pass towards Queen Mab; the Queen had plans on congratulating the couple before anyone else did.  Songbird does notice that the Countess was still present in the event, however disguised in the Boggan form she has an ability of wearing.


Flynn Wordweaver was excited at the prospect of performing before the High King and his retinue.  His excitement however quickly turned to fear when he found himself being scrutinized by the Red Branch knight, Sir Lleu Ardwyad, and the silent but intimidating Sir Thortal.  He recognized Sir Thortal as being one of the rare Sidhe of House Scathach.  He was then warned that his "truth" may bring about much bloodshed in Concordia, and that events that transpired in the Beltaine Night of Iron Knives may best be left forgotten.  He is reminded all that died that night perished of Cold Iron.  His claim to have resurrected from that event is impossible, and yet Ardwyad does not proclaim his words to be false.  Later he meets Duke Dray, who he finds to be a tremendously funny fellow, much to the Duke's dismay.   Soon, he meets Faerylith and is touched by her friendly personality.  When the High King arrives and proclaims his feelings for the Eiluned woman, it is Flynn who follows Lady Songbird in supporting the union of the two.  Flynn is asked to come to the Kingdom of Willows to perform for the High King when he meets with the King of Willows, Faerylith's adoptive father.  Destiny has him take from Sief Raushan a place he felt was already his.


Sir Felix Southpaw was expecting a quiet night, with two freeholds now under his protection.  Having declined the offer to be knighted and to take part in Master Seamus' quest, he watched over the Coffee Biscuit Tea freehold and was wondering about the supposed second freehold near Tara Nar when he realized that Stacey had not come to work.  A call leads him to learning she had been taken to the hospital and a visit brings him to once again cross lines with the strange unfolding plans of a Joseph van Noceti III.  From a hospital confrontation that leads to the disappearance of the old woman he had rescued before, to a chase accompanied by Sir Thortal and seemingly guided by chance unfolding events, the two eventually rescue Sparrow from the Dauntain's attempts to feed, and uncover Sparrow's true identity: She is Princess Lenore, heir to Concordia and daughter of the High King, long run away but actually under the guardianship and guidance of Master Seamus of the Crystal Circle.  They share worries of the Dauntain's weapon, an ancient treasure known as The Gray Sword, and Felix silently ponders on his vague remembrances of having once owned the sword to fight against a living mountain of ice.  After escorting her back to Tara Nar, Felix visits the Freehold and learns it has 7 curtained gateways, the same number as that of the members of the Crystal Circle which Seamus was part of.

[npc] Peggy Routh

Peggy Routh
Autumn Person

Peggy handles the orphanage where two of Noah Wylder's wards are staying.  For Flynn Wordweaver, the two children are powerful Dreamers who are currently trapped in the web of an unwitting Autumn person.  Her hatred towards so many "impure things" and her lack of understanding over the power of dreams can make her a possible threat to Kithain society in due time.

Died in a fire created by Duke Dray, who wanted to rescue the dreamer children from the Autumn People.

[npc] Magmagore

Magmagore
Chimerical monster

Born from the creative dreams of Rendsever the Steel Gnasher, the Magmagore is possibly one of the greater threats the Redcap will have to overcome if he wants to recover control of his changeling life.  Having died multiple chimerical deaths from its fangs, the Magmagore is now relentless in its hunt to slay him again and again.

Surely, there must be a way to defeat such a chimerical monstrosity.  However there are doubts any of them will not cost him an exposure to additional banality, a bane among Grumps whose balance teeters too close to the edge.

Inside its massive fanged maw, a golden hue glints inside.  Vague memories remind the Redcap of having stabbed Oro into its gullet long ago.  Could the weapon still be inside of it?

[npc] Duke Dray

Duke Dray
Mark Drayfuss of Dray Enterprises
Sidhe Duke, Grump
Seelie of House Gwydion

To most Kithain, Duke Dray is a twopenny joke; a comic-opera villain who twirls his mustache and vainly curses as yet another scheme of his is foiled.   Widely thought to be Unseelie, and perhaps a member of the Shadow Court, few realize how he is actually fanatically Seelie, so much that he has even less in common with most Seelie fae.

 The blood of the High Kings runs in his veins (he was High King Dyfell's cousin) and he is quite old, even by Kithain standards.  He is a supremely powerful sorcerer, possessing many of the common Arts as well as a few rare ones.  Some claim he possesses a freehold in the Far Dreaming.

To Duke Dray, any means justify the ends.  However, the conniving Duke finds himself usually misunderstood by the masses, with his words seemingly bringing laughter more often than spite.  If only they knew he has a head for intrigue that the lords of the Eiluned would envy.

[npc] Riel

Riel
Meilge's Spymaster
Sluagh, Wilder
Unseelie

A master spy with skills in both Legerdemain and Chicanery, the young man handles any duties that the King of the Kingdom of Willows requires and knows the value of secrecy and silence.   As a mortal, Riel also handles most of his energy into learning about various kinds of extortion rackets and the world of high finance.

He also has acquired a slim stiletto treasure which, when allowed to taste the blood of a supernatural being, grants him the ability to weave illusions.   This treasure, his Slander, as he calls it, is a secret he keeps from everyone, including the King.

[ncp] Sir Thortal

Sir Thortal
Detective Ewan Kyle Abner
Sidhe Knight, Wilder
Seelie of an House Scathach

Ewan Kyle Abner walks a fine line between the two worlds he is part of.  In one, he is a detective working for the New York Police Department, handling any investigations that seem to be too strange for a typical detective to handle.  In the other, he is a knight of an unspoken House, loyal to Duke Kelodin and while not one of the Red Branch knights, seems to be given much leeway and authority by the High King as well.

Recognized by Flynn Wordweaver to be one of the rare Sidhe Knights of House Scathach; the Sidhe House that opted to stay among the humans and commoners when the Sidhe first abandoned the changelings to the Autumn World.


Sir Thortal has many secrets, and seems to practice strange unfamiliar Arts.
What is his story?

[ncp] Seif Raushan

Seifrizarien
"Sief Raushan" (Islamic name)
Philip "Flip" Larson
Eshu, Wilder
Seelie

The young storyteller from southeast Atlanta first learned of his Changeling life when he Chrysalised in the Kingdom of Willows.  While most boys of his age were involved with drugs or guns or sex, Sief found himself drawn to the stories and tales of changeling heroes.

He is a master in the art of storytelling and is quite knowledgeable in Legerdemain and Wayfare.  He knows the basics of sword fighting and has become a passable archer.    He believes in living a righteous life and hopes that his way of living inspires others to find a balance between the strength of Faith and the marvels of fae magic.  He takes all debts seriously and is never hasty when swearing an oath to anyone.

[npc] Faerilyth

Faerilyth ap Eiluned
Sidhe Lady, Wilder
Unseelie of House Eiluned

Beautiful, kind and mysterious, the Lady Faerilyth exemplifies the dark attractiveness associated with House Eiluned.  Waist-length black hair and dark eyes (that seem violet when happy) produce an unforgettable first impression on her subjects.  Slender sas a willow and as graceful as a deer, Faerilyth dresses in deep blues and violets.

Once the pampered ward of King Meilge, who had groomed the young lady for greatness, she has blossomed into a charismatic and notable personage, having won the High King's notice in secret.  The two kept their mutual feelings hidden from others, until an unexpected event while she toured the Kingdom of Apples resulted in their eventual admission of feelings.

There are many now who wonder what lies ahead for Concordia.  Will it be ready for an Unseelie High Queen?  What of Morwen, David's sister who stands as his advisor and seneschal? What of Princess Lenore, whom had already been once clearly referred to as his heir?

The future is uncertain.

[npc] High King David Ardry

David Ardry ap Gwydion
Sidhe High King, Grump
Seelie of House Gwydion

Often known as the "commoners' king," David Ardry is still widely popular with both commoners and nobles.  He does, however, have enemies with numerous groups.   The tale of how he acquired Caliburn while just a boy himself, and barely past his Wilder years, and used it to end the Accordance War is a legendary told many times.  He is still a great diplomat and perhaps may have only been the one who could have ended the war as amicably as he did.

He has announced feelings for the Lady Faerylith during her visit to the Kingdom of Willows and time will tell how his announcement shall shape  Concordia.

Queen Mab, Queen Mary Elizabeth, Queen Laurel are all strong supporters of David.  Queen Aeron and Queen Morganna show deference, but are generally cool toward him.  King Meilge shows some antipathy towards him.

[npc] Sir Lleu Ardwyad

Sir Lleu Ardwyad
Sidhe Knight, Wilder
Seelie of House Gwydion
The King's Champion

The cousin of David Ardry has faithfully served the High King since his arrival in Tara-Nar from the Kingdom of Grass.  A stalwart member of the Red Branch, Lleu dedicated himself to the protection of the High King, receiving the well-deserved title of King's Champion.

However, there is some speculation of his dislike of the attraction existing between the Lady Faerylith and the High King Ardry.    He is said to have once referred to her as "that Eiluned Witch."

[npc] Vasily

Vasily Livanov
Enchanted Mortal

Vasily's history is harder to read, although his accent clearly reflects he is from Russia.  Emotionally and physically stronger than Shingko, Vasily understands the strangeness that surrounds him more than most expect.  His focus and almost supernatural dedication towards his goals makes him a far more useful retinue than most.

However, Vasily suffers from lapses.  A few times, Lady Songbird has found his servant intoxicated beyond belief, mumbling about "Solomin" and "Demons."  He has yet to explain what swirls in his alcohol-induced thoughts during such events.

Vasily seems to have knowledge of the finer things in life, suggesting he holds a past where his life once was lived among those of higher prestige.

Retinue rating: 2

[npc] Shingko

Shingko Maru
Enchanted Human

Prior to being lost in the Dreaming, Shingko's last memory was that of a bomb falling down towards her and her family from the sky.  It was only after Lady Songbird rescued her from the deeper parts of the Dreaming that they realized her last memory was that of the bombing of Hiroshima.

Shingko was a doctor working at Shima Surgical Clinic with her two children waiting in her office while she was doing rounds.  A strange desire to rush back to them struck her at around 8a.m. and as she forced her way through the crowds of patients and other personnel, she saw their faces just before a sudden blast of light bathed everything golden.

She now serves Lady Songbird as one of her retinue, handling matters that require a woman's touch.  She has learned how to speak in English, though has difficulty at times pronouncing words correctly.

Retinue rating: 2

[ncp] The Wyld Huntsman

Tha huntes waeron swarte and micele and lardlice, and here hondes ealle swarte and bradegede and lardlice, and hi ridone on swarte hors and on swarte bucces....

("Then the hunters were black and large and terrifying, and their hounds were all black and broad-eyed and terrifying, and they rode on black horses and black goats....")

This is the Lord of the Wild hunt atop his fearsome mount. He has led countless chases to and through the Hedge in pursuit of those lost to their Keepers. 'Tis a pity those that are run to ground by the Hounds of this fearsome Hunt--and pity the Hounds as well, as lost as the prey they chase. Those who run from the sound of his bugle and the baying of his dogs rarely survive the chase and are better served to hide.

Encountered by chance by Lady Songbird, one can only wonder when their paths shall cross again.

[npc] - Argent

Argent
The Dance of Mercury

Loyal to Rendsever, the Steel Gnasher, Argent has silently been watching him and waiting for him to recover from his chimerical deaths.

Playful and mischievous, Argent has Pooka-esque qualities that can make him endearing, if not frustrating to communicate with.  Malleable in her very essence, it is hard to pin down if Argent is masculine or feminine at times, and can be both in more ways than expected at times.

Argent's key forms are that of the Bow and Arrow, or the Lover's Dance as he refers to it and the Shield or the Rave Against Time.   She supposedly can transform to even other things, but refuses to do so, claiming the right music has yet to inspire him.

Argent is a creature of Glamour and cannot affect unenchanted beings.  Her humanoid form is intangible and can only be perceived by things of the Dreaming.  If forced to affect the Autumn world, however, Argent may find himself thrown into the depths of the Dreaming.

Chimerical Companion - 3 dots

I - The Ordinary World - Part Two

An old grump finds himself haunted by a strange apparition and discovers a friend whose body is as mercurial as silver.  He finds himself reborn as a long-missing hero with a princess under his watch and a fragmented set of memories as his guide.  But his second chimerical companion of gold has yet to be rescued.  And his life and world, as he knows them, are about to change forever.

A young storyteller discovers his wards are on the verge of either an epiphany or a down spiral, depending on how he handles the banal director.  He finds himself on the first steps towards gaining some ground politically when his stories gain the attention of a dark beauty and those affiliated to the High King himself.  Would his claims regarding the Night of Iron Knives be taken well, considering there were no survivors of that fated horrible moment in history?

The young knight, Sir Felix, learns of a man whose very touch bears the bitter cold of winter, more of the Crystal Circle and how his boggan friend has long been affiliated to it.  He carefully eludes being entangled in a duty, but now finds himself the protector of two freeholds.  The quest begins with him finding himself unwilling to accept the herald of a House.

The ambitious baroness, Lady Songbird, finds herself entangled in the knowing tactics of a possible kinain who seeks to protect his one and only love, while juggling the political expectations placed upon her by the countess and her ties to the Unseelie court.  The trod leads to many places, it seems, and the messenger that comes is one from the Kingdom of Willows.

[pc] The Storyteller Who Survived

Flynn Wordweaver
Noah Wylder
Played by Urim
Eshu, Wilder
Seelie

This young Eshu has a remarkable story to share.   Word has slowly begun to spread that he was present during the Night of the Iron Knives and has somehow reincarnated with memories of the said event.  His search to share the truth, however, may prove much more complicated than he realizes.

The Eshu however has more than the search for vengeance and justice in his heart.  He watches over a pair of young dreamers who currently are being cared for in an orphanage and much to his surprise, a freehold has manifested in the grounds.  Even the Duke Kelodin himself had suggested the young storyteller consider gaining a title in order to claim the freehold as his own.

[pc] The Rescued Lost One

Rendsever the Steel Gnasher
Leon Reed
Played by Victor
Redcap, Grump
Seelie

The redcap was once a knight devoted to serve a member of the esteemed Crystal Circle.  His disciplined self may have seemed dissonant to what was expected of a typical redcap, but his capacity for battle was not.  He had two sentient chimerical companions at his side: Argent whose silvery feathered body could be transformed to either a bow  (with arrows) or a shield, and Oro whose golden scaled form could be invoked into a sword or suit of armor.  He also owned the KR Ring which whispered him guidance at times when he was not sure what to do.

The grump was chimerically slain when a quest with the Crystal Circle went awry.  Somehow, his promise to watch over the Princess remained strong, however and his mortal host remained close by to watch over her.  The chimerical beast known as the Magmagore, however, continued to hunt him whenever his changeling soul was on the verge of reincarnating, and his numerous chimerical deaths had cost him much of his memories.

His return marks the reemergence of the many Lost Ones of the Crystal Circle and has sparked within Master Seamus the need to do what he can to rescue the rest.

[npc] Joseph van Noceti III

Joseph van Noceti III
Autumn Person (?)

The man named Joseph van Noceti III has been found by Sir Felix to be connected to a number of Changeling-related incidents in the past.  He was the presiding psychiatrist who gave Stacey the pills that "helped her cope with her hallucinations" leading to the death of her chimerical hound, Harold Barnabas P. Smyth.  He was also the doctor caring for the old woman who Sir Felix had rescued from a burning building.  The old woman had a spark of Glamour in her eyes, but lost it once more when he arrived.

His very touch seems anathema to the fae.  Sir Felix brushed his finger against  Joseph's the day they met, and his finger lost all feeling, then was struck by pins-and-needles-like pain for the next few hours.   It was almost as if the man was a walking font of Banality.

If such a thing were even possible.

[npc] Marcus

Marcus O'Riordan
Unchanted Mortal
Possible Kinain

Boyfriend of Miles, this young man has shown knowledge of the old ways of befuddling a changeling.   His actions suggest a great distrust towards Kristine Kerrigan and a dislike towards Miles' predilection of being around her.

He is currently being watched by Sir Real in secret.

I - The Ordinary World - Part One

I - The Ordinary World

A young knight finds his way to the Kingdom of Apples and discovers Manhattan is not quite as fantastic as he first thought.   He forms friendships with a generous Seelie boggan and his eccentrically heroic sidhe boarder, stays in their spacious freehold, and slowly begins to learn that stranger things are afoot in the city that never sleeps.

Around the same time, an ambitious baroness begins a glamourous agenda involving an Unseelie boggan knight, an unexpected trod through the Dreaming, and the strange rumors of a serial killer with a penchant for scissors and Carpenter songs.

Two separate lives, so different and yet so similar in their themes.

The Dreaming truly has its own way of telling a tale.

[npc] Duke Kelodin

Duke Kelodin
Troll Ennobled Duke, Grump
Seelie of  House Gwydion

The troll Kelodin watches over the Duchy of the Golden Sigil, found within the Kingdom of Apples.  He actively travels between his two freeholds (one in Buffalo, NY and the other in Manhattan) to watch over the Duchy with a keen eye and an open heart.  Being a Troll, unlike most Nobility, the Duke gains a level of trust and respect from many of the Commoners in the Kingdom of Apples.

There are, of course, those who feel the Troll had demoted himself to becoming simply a lapdog of the existing Sidhe system and would want nothing else but to someday remove him from power.

[map] The Kingdom of Apples

The Kingdom of Apples is a vast domain, and its hierarchy of power complex in its practice.  For unlike other Kingdoms in Concordia, the Kingdom of Apples also houses the castle of the High King himself.   For purposes of the game, I have simplified the structure of relevant power as follows:

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Tara Nar
Catskill Mountains
The High King resides in Tara Nar, a splendid fortress set amid the Catskill Mountains.  High King David Ardry maintains Tara Nar as both his official residential palace and as a showcase for the aspirations and dreams he held for the kingdom he was to rule.  The chimerical aspect of the grand lodge is a facade reminiscent of the high turreted, delicately spired fairy tale castles of France.  Its pale, almost translucent-looking walls reflect the changing colors of lake, sky and mountain, as clouds and sun, rain and snow create a succession of patterns in them.  Placed atop a rise in the center of a small mountain lake (referred to by Changelings as Kingslake), the fortress is protected by moat and reachable only via a stone causeway.

It is thus a shock to the Red Branch Knights that a trod from the Dreaming leads to an area close to Tara Nar.    The passageway represents both a useful advantage and a frighteningly weakness to the security of the High King's castle.

Homefires
Manhattan
During the winter, however, High King David holds court at Homefires, a freehold maintained for him which can be found inside a tenant-owned Manhattan browstone that serves as an artists' colony.

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Caer Palisades
Cliffside Park, New Jersey
The royal thronehold of Queen Mab can be found where once stood a vast center of Glamour and entertainment.   Caer Palisades appears as a modern castle, whose chimerical aspect merely adds a touch of color to the already imposing image.  Once, the hold's greater splendor was portrayed by the amusement park that once stood near its grounds.  Now, this shadow of a grander castle remains.

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Wyntersnow
Buffalo, New York
Duke Kelodin holds court close to Niagara Falls at his freehold known as Wyntersnow.  There, the ennobled troll grump watches over the Duchy of the Golden Sigil and frequently travels to his secondary freehold called Coldfort in Manhattan.