Changeling
From Tucson RPG Guild
Contents |
General Notes
In Tucson, Changelings often call the Hedge "The Wire". It more clearly expresses how hard it is to get across the border...
A significant minority of Southern Arizona Changelings are the victims of the same Fae, The Longest Shadow. This has reduced inter-Court conflict significantly. People are more willing to give in, instead of burning things down, because the alternative is the Shadow. Similarly, people are more willing to take surrenders instead of pursuing vendettas forever, because the alternative is the Shadow.
Because of Tucson's somewhat lopsided seasons, the seasonal Courts have a very informal attitude towards the transfer of power, typically symbolized by the handing over of a key to the gate to The Orchards, a major Hollow and producer of goblin fruit of a dozen kinds. This fruit provides the political and trading oomf that makes the seasonal courts work. However, since there is no set "schedule", sometimes two courts are claiming supremacy at the same time, or no court at all is.
The Courts
Here's what's been established about the Courts in Tucson.
First of all, the Courts lay claim to the entirety of Southern Arizona and Northern Mexico as "The Borderlands". Phoenix is populous enough to support a separate Court structure. However, in reality rural Changelings often don't have any allegiance to the Courts. This can be a good or a bad thing.
The Courts established themselves in the Borderlands in the 19th century, for the most part. Previous kidnappees tended to try to deal with their changed nature by running away or hiding in the wilds of the West. Only with the organization of mortal society and authority did questions of the Courts even become relevant.
- The Summer Court. This Court rules Tucson for most of the year and as a result, anyone in the Summer Court gets the benefit of a sympathetic ear at The Orchards. Even the most honest and scrupulous follower of the Summer Court often ends up with a few more goblinfruit in their pocket from the trees than others do. The Summer Lord, Joshua Alonzo, is relatively inexperienced with respect to handling the other Courts, and often makes missteps there. Nevertheless he's well-respected in the Summer Court itself and there is (currently) no real opposition to his rule. The Fort Lowell Armory is the chief Hollow controlled by the Summer Court and serves as its seat.
- The Autumn Court. The Autumn Court's rule usually starts in September or October and lasts until November or December, depending on the weather. For as long as anyone can remember, it has been ruled by a Fairest called Lopez, who has adapted his musical ability to various eras over the last 70-odd years and is now one of the best 100-year old DJs in the world (though he looks much younger, when you can get a good look at his face.) Recently (Autumn 2009), Lopez has disappeared, right at the time when he was meant to take on the Orchard's key and the lordship over the Borderlands. Siomena Enriquez has stepped forward to fill the gap, though few trust her since she is a bit too new. Nevertheless, most of the long-term Autumn courtiers in Tucson have become so used to Lopez being the Lord that there is no clear line of succession. The Autumn Court's seat is Sage Creek Films, local purveyors of straight-to-DVD and straight-to-Internet horror films controlled by Louis Sage, probably the front-runner for Lopez' position other than Enriquez.
- The Winter Court. The Winter Court rules for the shortest period of any of the Courts and its rule is typically characterized by extreme activity. They know they only have between five and seven weeks to get everything done that they need to get done. Thus, the Winter Court operates a network of information gatherers throughout the rest of the year, so that when Winter comes they will be ready to execute every plan they can. Gerardo Maciel is the current Lord of Winter, and unusually for the Winter Court, he uses his real name, an act of brazenness that is considered unwise by most of Winter's followers, but bold enough to impress the other Courts and make him an effective advocate during the long hot months of the year when the Winter Court is far from power. The Winter Court's holding is the House of Bone, located outside Nogales.
- The Spring Court. The Spring Court rules for a few months, from February or March through April. For the last 10-15 years, the Spring Court has ended its reign on Cinco de Mayo with a massive blowout party in Nogales. Everyone has had such a good time at this party that nobody seems to mind if summer has clearly been going on for a few weeks by the time Cinco de Mayo rolls around. (Besides, is the Summer Court really going to quibble over a few weeks when it has more power and time than everyone else? Lame.) The Spring Court's holding is the downtown Verdant Galleries, well known for controversial art exhibits and eternally doomed attempts to launch artists co-ops around the city. (These are often covers for Spring Court activities.) The Lord of Spring is Mary Lee, who appears to be more of an organizer than a celebrant, though attempts to unseat her have all failed, as she's the master of powerful Contracts and wherever she gets her Glamour from, she has a hell of a source of it.
One-Shots
We've had a Changeling one-shot, it was cool. Eventually more will go here.
Campaigns
Go Between - a game about Changeling arbiters and intercessors, currently being played.
