The Cereal Box:Log

Session 1 "Nowhere To Stay, Nowhere To Go"

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

The player characters began on a train bound to Battle Creek from Chicago, most of them eager to start a new life in Battle Creek. The train trip was spent with the changeling characters and another changeling named April Jennings. They discussed their backgrounds somewhat, and were only briefly interrupted by a transit authority agent who may have been suspicious of Alana and Ernest for their unusual travel arrangements, but left them alone.

Upon arriving in Battle Creek, the group was "greeted" by representatives of each season. Spring's representatives, Tiffany McIvor and Sam, welcomed the group to Battle Creek, but admitted that Spring's welcome was of limited authority, given that they would not be in power until the 20th of the month. Sam sniffed the group over, but didn't seem especially interested in them. They handed the group the Map

Winter's representatives, Shaun, Cole and Jacqueline gave them a cold (pun intended) reception and, while they took some interest in Ernest and Evie, generally came across with a message of "GET OUT".

Autumn's representative, Roper, took pictures of them with a magical camera that took pictures of their Miens, and asked them questions about their plans, intimidating and mocking them in the process. He seemed to take some interest in Nikolai. Beyond that, he simply stood by and watched them from a distance.

Summer's representative, Jack Strong, was warm and said that the King of Summer was probably "the chillest Summer King you'll ever meet."

The player character's got a ride from Sarah, Evie's cousin, to Denny's, where they were approached by an ensorcelled mortal named Calista. She told them that winter would be causing them all kinds of grief as newcomers, and wanted them to meet with Arianna, a woman who wishes to become the new winter queen.

From there the majority of them (Nikolai and Evie excluded) went to Rodeway Inn (the hotel across from Denny's), where they bribed the receptionist into giving them a shitty room with no hot water (which Ernest took care of).

Evie and Sarah drank Fireball and partied at Sarah's apartment until there was a knock on the door. A lumberjack looking man with glowing red eyes asked Evie if she knew Carl Crowley. She admitted that she did not.

Nikolai broke off from the rest of the group, and was able to meet with a homeless changeling named Billy who agreed to let him stay if he could help him buy a dime bag of heroin from a local dealer who hangs out behind the abandoned Toys 'R' Us. Nikolai acquired it (in the process backing the dealer off when he asked if the "has anything to do with Billy"). As they prepared to wind down for the night, a lumberjack looking man with glowing red eyes asked Nikolai if he knew Carl Crowley and told Billy that this "was not for him". Nikolai admitted he did not (with repeated questioning), and the man left.

Monday, March 8th, 2010

The next day, Evie looked for jobs, Sephie went to work (mostly orientation and busy work), Alana, Ernest and April helped Hestia get a phone, and Nikolai realized how hard it is to look for work when you've got no fixed address and poor credentials. The session was adjourned with evening falling and the majority of the player characters looking at the prospect of where next to spend the night.

Session 2

The party discussed their options for places to live. They decided to check out the abandoned Toys 'R' Us as an option and, after breaking in, Nikolai looked into the back warehouse of the place and saw about a dozen changeling corpses hung from the rafters (appearing to have been there for quite some time). Eventually, they decided to stay in the woods near the Meijer off Beckley, where they set up a small campsite and waited out the night.

Meanwhile Evie and Sarah found Sarah's apartment infested with a "Biblical Plague" level of roaches. They left with slight fear and great disgust.

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

The party meets up, except for Sephie who goes to work at the urgent care clinic. Sephie treats a man who has blunt force trauma injuries to his ribs that he claimed were caused by a car accident, but upon examination, they were definitely from a fight.

The party went to the abandoned factory, which they broke into with some effort. They found a gang sign that looked like a "SZ", but didn't know if there was some significance to it beyond just gang activity. Sephie met back up with the group.

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

Alexander Smith called Alana and asked her how she was doing and what her work was. He asked about their housing and said that it would not be acceptable. He offered them temporary housing in the changeling ghetto. He also offered to reimburse them for the bribe they paid to stay at the hotel. He finally offered to look into getting them work. 65 23rd St. South in Lakeview.

The party was advised, and met up at the new house (with the exception of Nikolai and Ernie, who met with Eric Rowe about the ID) where Jack gave them keys and explained to them that they can stay in the two rooms of the place, but that they cannot open Hedge gates there or make any major changes to the property. April shipped Strong and Alana.

Eric met with Nikolai and Ernie, and took a shine to Nikolai, giving him his info and suggesting that they talk.

Session 3

The party had the opportunity to explore their new house, 65 23rd St. S, a two-bedroom half of a duplex home with few amenities. There was a basement not especially fit for any particular use (but dry, Strong assured them), and an attic full of what Strong assured them was really itchy insulation. There was a kitchen that was partially separated from the living room, which in turn had a plastic crate and a folding chair as its only furniture. One bedroom had a queen bed, the other a cot and a twin bed. The stove was electric, with one reliable burner. The dishwasher did not work. The microwave "doesn't go at the same time as the oven" and "there's nothing wrong with the fridge, but the water isn't hooked up to it." There was also a broken full size mirror in the hallway with a sign that said "do not repair or replace."

The party decided they needed food for their new apartment, and went to the nearby grocery store, where Ernie and Alana dumpster dived for food while Evie stole an entire pantry's worth through sheer brazen thievery, bringing the entire cart home with her. They began making food when they heard loud music from next door and decided to meet the neighbors.

Sephie, Nikolai and Evie went out to investigate, but were ambushed by a flock of bats that drove them to the side of the house, where they were attacked by a deranged changeling with skin like the white flakes on burnt wood, armed with a nailbat. The changeling ranted about how she was the deputy and would bring them to justice. When Evie tried to retreat back inside to get help, they were ambushed by a pair of vicious hedge-creatures that seemed to be completely silent lizard-dogs. After some struggle, Nikolai shot the woman, who went unconscious, and the party members inside killed the beasts which collapsed into leaves. Nikolai and Sephie went around the house to avoid their neighbor, who went out to see what was happening (with the gunshot and all).

Moments later, they received a knock at the door and their neighbor, Freddie Gibson, was there with the dying changeling. After some debate, they agreed to stabilize her and hold her there. They called Strong, who said he could deal with it in the morning and they just needed to hold on until them. Freddie smoked a lot of weed (with a weird chemical odor) and gave some "normal" joints to the changelings as a housewarming gift. His "heterosexual life partner", the ruggedly beautiful Aaron Mason (dressed in a toga and wielding an oversized plastic wine goblet) likewise came over and christened the event something of a party. The two related what had happened to Billy Goat - how during the war, he lost his one true love Clement Bonte, and one day in court spontaneously declared "this isn't fun anymore! Whoever sits in this throne next is the new Spring King for a year and a day!", an offer which Matthew Kingman took up. Eventually, everyone agreed to settle for bed, taking watches over the changeling they had captured. She begged for water until morning, but was not given any.

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

Strong arrived with two thugs, who rolled the changeling up in a carpet. He told them that he was surprised that Aaron hadn't said anything, because he knew her - an Autumn courtier named Darlene Selfridge. He said that the summer king would doubtless want to talk to them about this. The party all went to their respective jobs, with only Ernie and April staying home. Part way through the day, April declared that even though she liked Ernie, she didn't feel safe and that she wanted to go to Horrocks to be near the other members of the motley. They went downtown to do so.

At Horrocks, the party members were each confronted by Cole, who informed them that the winter queen demanded their presence and they would present themselves, as the domain was still under her rule. He ushered them into the furnished back of a moving truck and drove off with them. Schumaker appeared at Sephie's clinic and, likewise, ushered her off. Yamamoto appeared at Hestia's work and took her as well. All converged on the Floral Lawns Memorial Garden at the grave site of Solomon Bynes, where the Queen of Winter, Lyrissa Diamondheart, explained to them that the Freehold was being subverted and that, as outsiders, they were in a unique position to help her by getting information on the opposition. Since they had been approached by one of the potential usurpers' minions, they would be able to, essentially, spy for her - but that she wouldn't force them to do so. She told them that she could promise them a place in the Freehold if they would agree not to work against the freehold's long-term stability (with the understanding that they might, if they opted to spy on her behalf, work against her immediate interests). The changelings agreed, and Johnny Starlight, the Winter Court's most powerful enforcer, sealed the pledge, acting as the nemesis and warning them that if they broke their word, he would have absolutely no difficulty destroying them.

The changelings returned to work and, after their workdays, returned home, where they found a note on the door only reading:

I know what happened
1023 Avenue A, Springfield, MI 49037
Hedge gate at the arch
9 PM

attac

Session 4

The motley prepared by eating dinner, and Sarah arrived to drive them to their meeting. After it was determined that she'd been drinking, they decided that she should stay with Aaron and Freddie. They were pulled over en route, and almost caught with an open container, but quick talking managed to avert this. They arrived at the meeting place, which was a middle school where there was an arch in the middle of nowhere and a bunch of creepy child faces on pillars.

Roper opened the gate and brought them in, guiding them through the dense fog of the Hedge to the Autumn Court's meeting place. There, they encountered the Pumpkin King, who expressed his dismay that they had turned over his mad courtier to the Summer Court (and that they hadn't even brought him a gift "as is customary"). They learned that the Pumpkin King had once been the champion of the Autumn Court and saved the Freehold from Solomon Bynes, the late King of Winter, who had enslaved the changelings of the freehold. A great purge had followed and numerous changelings loyal to Winter (and/or the True Fae) had been hanged. They offered to help the Autumn King in vague terms, but did not Pledge in any way. The Pumpkin King also incidentally mentioned that he hated Cincinnati.

The oracle, Holly LeClerc, announced that the reason that the courtier had gone rogue was that she had pledged herself to a Huntsman, a fetch-like being created from the shadows and reflection of the True Fae. It was revealed that Holly was letting the motley know because they're "the main characters." She revealed that the Huntsmen could be killed, but that this would not suffice to eliminate them permanently. Furthermore, that those who cooperated with the Huntsmen in bringing changelings back to the True Fae would be rewarded.

As they left the Hedge, Roper revealed that the Pumpkin King had lost his wife after the war, and that Holly LeClerc knew where she was buried. The Pumpkin King's great power came with the frailty that anyone who knew the location of her grave would hold power over him, and that Holly knew where she was buried and was, essentially, the shadow Queen of Autumn.

They return to find Sarah and Aaron cuddly together.

Friday, March 13th, 2010

Work happened. Alexander Smith, King of Summer, called about a meeting. Before the meeting, the motley hit up Salvation Army for stuff.

They arrived at the meeting at C.O. Brown Stadium, and were taken there by way of a utility hallway. The meeting was something of a formal meet and greet with the King, who expressed his desire to have a Freehold that works for everyone. Also present were Strong, a woman made out of leeches with a giant spider mount, an incredibly old, wizened changeling named "Granny" Lovett, a skinny wizened named Patrick Greer who seemed skeptical of the Summer King's goodwill. Smith offered a significant home to Granny, and something in the changeling ghetto to Greer. Smith stated that Lovett was one of the most powerful changelings in her previous freehold.

When asked what was done with Darlene, Smith stated that he would meet with the Autumn King. Strong carried on about what a great guy Smith was, and Granny offered everyone Werther's Originals, which only Nikolai accepted.

Session 5 "'Death' Of An Old Goat"

Eevie drove Sarah home and didn't come back, but told the rest of her motley that everything would be fine for a couple of days. They put up some of Ernie's drawings and one of April's (at Alana's urging) and tidied up the place. Eric Rowe called Nikolai to offer him some work taking a package from the Meijer to the Casino. After some hemming and hawing - and the implication the Rowe didn't feel he had other options for the job - he agreed to do so for him, but then some concern was raised over this being outside the Cereal Box.

Friendly cab company. They took a trip to the Casino. They dropped off the package to Paulie without seeing into the room. The casino has a strong draw, and they regained Glamour just for being in there, although Alana would have played in the casino (as if in a trance) but realized that she had no money. On their way out, a pure white cat watched them get in the cab. As they drove back into the Cereal Box, they were pursued just off the road by a dark man on a black horse of smoke, flanked by fae hounds (who appeared to be just a dude with dogs when viewed through mortal eyes) who instantly gave up the chase as they crossed the threshold of the Cereal Box.

The music was too loud next door. There was an argument and then it was turned down.

Saturday, March 14th, 2010

Hestia and Alana and Nikolai and Sephie work. Ernie is going to make some friends. April is the big sister.

Their neighbor from across the street, Carl Crowley, complained that the neighbors music was too loud and that it should only be two days a week. He asked them about their housing situation and suggested they look into getting it upgraded when possible, kind of implying that a squeaky wheel will get the grease.

Sunday, March 15th, 2010

At 4 in the morning, they hear a scraping at the door. Alana snuck around and found Eevie, dressed in rags and looking like shit, at the door with about an eighth of an inch of snow dusting her. She looked incredibly sick and was scraping at the door with a Badge made out of what looked like wood (and turned out to be horn). Alana dragged her inside, fearing for the worst. Eevie suddenly transformed into Billy Goat and activated an aura of command, prevent himself from being attacked. Near incoherent, Billy explained that he was trying to help them, that he had given a changeling - Caleb Martinet - to the Huntsman in return for the badge, which he said would prevent the Huntsman from taking them if presented to him. "I'm not going to use it," Billy said, "When the Huntsman comes for me, I'm not going to resist. Promise you won't stop him." Hestia pledged to "do what she felt was best" in regards to Billy, which Billy bound into a Pledge. Billy was placed in Hestia's bed. Billy pisses the bed and Hestia notices a lot of blood in his urine. Sephie discovers that Billy is on the verge of death and rotting away from the inside and so performs major surgery on him to save his life.

Session 6

Eevie came back and Alana put her in a headlock before confirming she was who she said she was. She was filled in and everyone took a nap before morning except for Hestia who make some breakfast.

Morning broke, and the motley prepared for church, except Hestia and April who stayed with Billy to keep him safe. Warehouse with a lighthouse attached to it. They met Craig Weston, the narrator, and spoke with Kingman afterwards. Kingman expressed concern for their difficulties, but generally seemed content to leave them to their devices. The meeting with Kingman was interrupted by Dahlia, who laid out her criticism of Kingman in no uncertain terms. Kingman gave them a ride home.

After the meeting, the motley returned to find that their neighbor, Isaac Oldman, was disappeared after a struggle (which had happened a few minutes before they came back). Despite Aaron, Freddie and Carl being there, they didn't seem interested in doing anything about it. The motley decided to chase after him, as he appeared to have been taken by a Huntsman, after they contacted Johnny Starlight and Roper to let them know about the situation.

They entered the Hedge and ended up at the crossroads, where they fought the Man With the Badge and his deputy. The deputy had a ring of keys, which she dropped when she was intimidated into fleeing the scene, that allowed them to release Oldman from the back of his police cruiser / carriage. Upon finally freeing Oldman, the Man With the Badge disappeared.

Johnny Starlight acknowledged that the courtier that they had dealt with was a former Summer Court changeling named Neveah Barringer (implying that Summer's perfect record without loyalists was now forever tainted) and ran into the Hedge after them, but not before Ernie spilled the beans about the presence of a Huntsman (which, to the motley's knowledge, was something only the Autumn Court knew about).

Session 7

Roper asked some questions about the badge, but was not given satisfying information. Hestia went back to check on Billy, who was still catatonic.

The party returned home. Eevie and Alana spoke with Aaron about his music and his feelings on Kingman, who he said was kind of full of himself, and more than a little weird, but generally has his heart in the right place. Hestia is going to work toward getting a proper driver's license. They discussed the Spring Laws that would be in effect when Kingman is in charge.

Monday, March 16th, 2010

Hestia gets her driver's permit. The motley works for the day. The motley acquired a large practical unassuming vehicle. Light blue Blackberry blue / purple van that a soccer mom sort would drive with the remnants of a stick person family that Alana managed to peel half off.

Nikolai and Eevie together help Hestia learn to drive. Billy's circumstances were assessed and it was determined that he would likely recover partially - that there might be long-term consequences for his over-the-top binge. Hestia realized that he deal with Billy made caused her to become striking.

Tuesday, March 17th, 2010

Once again, workday. Billy has a brief moment of responsiveness. The motley decided that they need to meet with the Autumn King again. They met with the Autumn King at their home. They made rice krispee treats, a spooky drawing and some gum. The Autumn King refused the treats because they contain Rumchata ("I can't touch it"). He asked to see Billy, told them he wasn't going to reveal the existence of the Huntsmen until after the coronation.

They learned that with the badge, they could become deputized.

Wednesday, March 18th, 2010

Yet another workday. Nikolai performed an augury on the badge and became convinced that it did not have any powers beyond making a person a deputy and keeping them safe from the Man With the Badge.

Sephie, Ernie and Nikolai went to Granny Lovett's house for the evening. There, Granny served them their favorite meals and made a Pledge with them to find their family, involving a draw of blood from them.

Thursday, March 19th, 2010

Work day! WOOORK DAY! Billy is somewhat ambulatory.

Nikolai did some research and came to the conclusion that the Huntsman is a private security guard meant to protect a collection of changelings and retrieve them. What this means as far as collection is concerned, is complicated. It turned out The Collector was Hestia, April AND Isaac's Keeper. Ernie's and Alana's Keeper could have been anyone, so it's hard to stay. Freddie's Keeper was the Dread Oubliette and Aaron's was NOT the Collector. They partied together. It was good time.

Dahlia came to their house to convince them to "vote" for her at the coronation. "Stand with me," she said, "and3 show Kingman that business as usual won't be tolerated!" Discussion was had regarding who they should stand with - if anyone. Dahlia admitted that it would not change the coronation since, ultimately, the Wyrd determined the outcome of such events, and the coronation would happen regardless.

Session 8

Friday, March 20th, 2010

Ernie looked into joining the Winter Court at the coronation, and learned that at the coronation, there will be an opportunity to pledge, during which anyone can join the Courts. Alana performed at amateur night at Hot's. Hestia performed as a street performer, which is weird in Battle Creek, but weird in a good way. Nikolai faked a heart attack and got very little attention.

Saturday, March 21th, 2010

Further Glamour harvest occurred, with Nikolai and Alana picking fights in the mall, Evie buying cute clothes, Hestia and Sephie losing an imaginary baby, and Ernie playing with his friends. They acquired a wheelchair for Billy Goat to use. They debated what they would do and discussed the possibility of standing with Billy. Eventually they spoke to Billy and he made them all absurd campaign promises:

• Nikolai gets his own Kremlin.
• Ernie would get a playground on every corner and a poorly secured credit card in every wallet
• Evie gets pumpkin spice EVERYTHING year round
• April gets her own animation studio and Community's Dan Harmon to write.
• For Alana, EVERYONE would require a green card ("easiest way to level the playing field")
• Hestia would get "1950's wedded bliss, and something in the end table to prolong the bliss"
• Sephie would get "pills... that you can give to me... an unlimited blank prescription pad with your signature pre-loaded on every page - I shall make you a queen! Dr. Queen: Medicine Woman!"

It is established that pumpkin spice lattes are AUTUMNactically delicious.

Sunday, March 22nd, 2010

The motley, apart from Sephie, attended a church service on how no matter how far you stray from God, it's always "just one step back." After this, they prepared for the coronation. Billy dressed as wildly as he could to make a shocking appearance to offend Kingman's sensibilities.

The coronation began with many of the familiar faces showing up. Nearly every changeling they had ever encountered was there. Refreshments were served and everyone awaited the crowning moment. Lyrissa removed the crown and asked who would be the Spring Monarch. Kingman stepped up and Dahlia stepped forward. Tiffany McIvor stood for Dahlia, which shocked Kingman, as she was his right hand, but no on else. Billy Goat "stood up" (metaphorically more than anything, as he only got to his feet for a few seconds) and the motley stood with him. There was a brief brawl over this as the Freehold devolved into name calling and chaos over the overt insult before Lyrissa forced everyone to come to order.

The crown was passed toward Kingman, but an upwelling of the Wyrd caused it to appear on a rejuvenated Billy's head. He stood up and, after Dahlia and Kingman both asked him to cede his throne to them, announced that he thought this was "going to be a lot of fun!" Billy declared his first edict - "Don't come to the party if you're not going to dance" and immediately turned the Hedge into a party zone. Evie joined the Spring court, Alana and Hestia joined Summer and Ernie joined the Winter Court.

Session 9

Monday, March 23th, 2010

5 AM, Alana, Hesita, Nikolai, April and Ernie managed to stagger out of the Hedge and make their way home. Evie and Sephie skipped work to stay at the Hedge party, one to party and one to care for Billy.

Tuesday, March 24th, 2010

In the wee hours of the morning, the party ended. Two days of perpetual partying complete, Billy prepared to reward his faithful with their own luxury accommodations, but the motley was less than thrilled with the offer and agreed they needed a house near the hospital and the college.

Billy met with Smith and discovered that his options were to either to wait to get cash (not credit, which is readily available, but untraceable physical cash for more than about $500.00 a day) or leverage his marker credit at the Firekeeper's Casino, which he decided was the best approach. Billy said that he could make a deal with the Wyrd to ensure that he would win at the Casino, and that he would just need to "make it a story that the Wyrd wants to hear!"

Billy reunited with his girlfriends Helen, who was turning tricks for drugs in an attempt to recapture the magical experience of Ensorcellment, and Lydia, who had returned to college (and was enthusiastic about the fact that it was not all delusion).

They traveled to the Casino to meet the Autumn and Winter monarchs there. Ernest acquired a pair of shoes that had the power to make him look like he belonged somewhere - barely - and April wasn't carded when Billy explained "she's with me." Each played some table games, with only Nikolai doing poorly (and April inexplicably doing exceptionally). Granny Lovett spoke with Ernest and told him that she had found his father in Oklahoma, but still did not know where his sister was, and believed that she would be able to find her if he could bring her an item that had belonged to his sister.

At midnight, Billy brought them to the high limit craps table where, with one mighty roll of the dice, he threw a hard eight to secure victory for himself and $50,000 walking cash. They cashed out quickly after that, as the motley spotted someone watching them in the high limits room (a nondescript looking man) and a conspiracy of white cats watching them as they left. They found out that the Autumn monarch stayed at the casino by himself for a while before leaving, but that he had gotten safely back into the cereal box. He seemed melancholy, and had been playing penny slots for hours ("I'm up almost $15!").

Session 10

Wednesday, March 25th, 2010

The player characters were summoned by Billy Goat, who explained first that he was now banned from the FireKeeper's Casino Hotel permanently as repayment to the Wyrd for enriching him. He then explained that while he did not believe that what he did could compromise the Cereal Box, that he knew precious little about the Cereal Box. He further explained that the other Seasonal Monarchs were not forthcoming with information on the Cereal Box, as it was one area they could hold over Billy's Head. Billy explained that he actually knew very little about the Cereal Box despite being a signatory to the original contract. He told them that the original contract could be found in a secluded grove in the Hedge and, with his permission, they could enter it and find the original contract (which was in a box protected against True Fae that any changeling should be able to open). Billy kissed each of them to give them permission to enter the hollow and sent them into the Hedge.

They entered the Hedge near the neutral meeting ground at Binder Park Zoo and stalked some ways. They found a place where bright yellow flowers grew amid the broken streets. Eventually, they encountered a buzzing nest of big eyed cartoon bees and were able to keep their cool among them.

They continued on until they encountered a Lumberjack looking mofo sitting on a stump who asked if they needed help or if he could so something. He elucidated that he was a Huntsman and that he was looking for Carl Crowley. He told them that for information, he would guide them to where they were going. They refused him and he threatened Ernie, saying that the law was coming for him. When they left, he followed them, and then lost interest when they refused to engage him further.

while on the path, they were attacked by a giant monster Dig'Em frog that they evaded until they got through the gate. Once through the gate, they saw a fenced clearing with a ribcage-esque canopy of trees protected a pool of magma with found pillars and a iron cases suspended from those pillars. Hestia entered the magma and tried to open the case, but could not. Alana parkour'd her way to the box and was able to open it without problems. Ernie was able to memorize and copy the entire contract, which consisted of complex legalese, references to other laws and contracts and obscure occult formulae. A few hedge ravens attempted to read the contract and even offered the motley a gold coin in return, but they kept the birds from seeing it.

They got out of the Hedge without further incident and gave Billy the information, for which he was very grateful.

They warned Carl Crowley regarding the Huntsman's inquiring regarding him, which did not seem to put his mind at ease or help him feel ok about things.

Session 11

Thursday, March 26th, 2010

A house was acquired near the hospital and college that the player characters could use as their new digs. Billy Goat sent movers. Baffled movers assisted them in moving.

Location: 3
Size: 3
Amenities: 4 - includes a vine trellis hedge gate just off the patio
Security: 4

Pool, hot tub, walk-in-shower, central air and heat, a refrigerator that orders food.

Friday, March 27th, 2010

The P.I. gave some new information regarding Albert Joad - he was informed

Nikolai read the book he was given and found it to be a relatively accurate analysis of changeling society, albeit with the accuracy of a 20th century weeaboo describing feudal samurai society. It had some useful information on changeling contracts and how they work, as well as a discussion of how changelings who fall to the typical foibles of fairy tales (such as straying from the path, eating forbidden fruit or otherwise acting in a manner prescribed against in fairy tales) will gain a connection to the Wyrd more quickly than others, and those with a very strong connection to the Wyrd can forge new contracts with the Wyrd.

Sephie stocks her hospital room. Hestia practices driving. Ernie, Hestia, April and Alana went to get decorations and amenities for the new house. They created a trellis in the backyard to create a gateway to the Hedge. The local Hedge is a fragrant neatly trimmed grass lawn with the distant buzz of lawnmowers working the land. Vines and thorns grow along white picket fences and chain link reminiscent of suburbia. Immature Oopsalberries grow nearby.

Size: 1
Security: 1
Location: 0
Amenities: 0

They lounged in the hot tub for the evening. Sephie is interested in acquiring a puppy. His P.I. received instructions on how to proceed with the investigation. He sent pictures of the house, the surroundings and Albert Joad, which (at the cost of his clarity) sparked a resurgence of memory in Ernie, including the fact that "Gert and Ernie" was from watching Sesame Street, seeing that G was the letter of the day, G was for Gina and Ernie and Bert would be Ernie and Gert if they were Gert and Ernie. He also remembered that Albert Joad was, indeed, his father, that was, indeed, where he grew up (and he remembered having several hiding places throughout) and, furthermore, he remembered that at some point his father shouted at his sister that she was a "stupid whore." He felt antipathy toward his father. He learned that his family home was in Elsewhere, Oklahoma. "Olahoma where the win comes sweeing down the plan."

Nikolai returned his book, having gleaned most of nothing of value from it. The woman at the Magick Shoppe was happy to put out Nikolai's name looking for books on the topic of Fae magic.

Saturday, March 28th, 2010

Sephie went puppy shopping and everyone went to see "Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World". Hestia did not get it but everyone else thought it was great. Billy calls them and lets them know that Sunday, 7:30 PM, a whole group of 8 changelings would be coming to the Cereal Box, and Billy would like the motley to act as the welcome wagon for them instead of the usual vicious and aloof approach to the situation. Billy further told them they would present the keys to their old digs to the changelings so they could use it as their home.

Nikolai called Roper and received the Camera non Obscura from him to photograph the changelings (as well as a instant disposable camera for the other picture) and note taking materials. Alana spoke with Strong (who said he would be there for a head count) and Smith, who stated that he needed her to represent Summer. Ernie spoke with Johnny, who said he absolutely couldn't be there, but demanded immediate information on anything that happened ASAP. He also bought Rice Krispie Treats to hand out to the changelings.

Sunday, March 29th, 2010

Hestia decided to prepare a week's worth of casseroles for the incoming changelings. Sephie spruced up the old house to the best of their ability. Ernie collected job applications and information about Battle Creek.

7:00 PM rolled around. They all dressed up and met on the platform. 7:30 the Amtrack shows up, the doors open, and the train is filled with vines and a crumbling of sawdust and goldenrod blows out.

Session 12

The motley and Strong made their way into the train after briefly calling Johnny Starlight, Roper and Billy. Johnny explained that he had vowed not to interfere with the meeting, so... good luck with that.

The motley entered the train car, which had a (now closed) gateway to the hedge. They reopened the gate and found a trail of blood leading them into the woods, with indications suggesting that they were meant to find the trail. They skulked and followed the trail to a clearing where the Red Eyed Woodsman had bound all eight of the newcomers, who appeared to be drugged. He had already decapitated one of them (a canoptic jar woman they learned was named Ife Fatim). He demanded that they immediately give him the location of Carl Crowley, the True Name of Lyrissa Diamondheart, OR hand over the Man With the Badge's badge. The motley refused and a fight ensued, at the onset of which the Red Eyed Woodsman killed another hostage, a car man named Troy Benz.

Strong was attacked by a werewolf creature known as the Fruit Brute, which he threw into a nearby tree. Nikolai, Evie and Alana piled onto the Woodsman, while Hestia tried to intimidate him. April used her contracts to learn that the Woodsman is afraid of the Man With the Badge, but that didn't seem helpful. Sephie went to help free hostages.

The remaining hostages were Crystal Quartz, a jeweled woman, Elissa Krantz, a Cyclops, Orlando Wood, a leaf man, Chelsea King, a living vinyl phonograph, Joshua Carlisle, a butterfly man much like April (although his wings were torn off), and Blair Hopkins, a sort of anime jackelope. A fearsome battle continued, with the woodsman axing people, throwing a tree at them, and spreading narcotic poppies. Meanwhile, the trees pelted the changelings with disgusting fruit. Strong and the Fruit Brute battled and, with Evie's help, he killed it, delivering the thrilling one-liner, "YEAH! Yeah." Ernie declared it a "FRUITALITY."

Blair shook off her bindings, grabbed a sword-shaped chunk of hedge, and went about freeing the other hostages. Likewise, Elissa Krantz was able to break free of her bindings, and went on to assist. April and Sephie freed the rest. The woodsman was overcome, and, as the hedge violently shifted to a pacifistic tone, the voice of the Collector came through, promising to "bring the woodsman home", at which point, it begged them to kill it. Alana and Nikolai obliged, but Alana's coup de grace was somehow insufficient to kill it. When Nikolai killed it, it broke into pieces of junk like a fetch coming apart.

They made it out of the hedge, and Ernie told Johnny Starlight about the situation. Starlight congratulated them, but followed it by saying, "That's two on your boss Billy." Billy, meanwhile, was adamant that introductions should continue, and the motley took the newcomers to their house for medical attention before taking them subsequently to their new digs and showing them around.

It was determined that the Collector happened to be Chelsea, Joshua, Blair and Orlando's Keeper (Elissa's Keeper was the Lotus Eating Beast, and Crystal's was The Moleman Prospector).

Session 13

The motley photographed the newcomers and showed them their new digs. They discussed the monarchs with them and freaked them out about Roper and the monarch's usurpers. It turned out that Orlando (Do to his friends) had conspiracy theories about every single supernatural creature being real and secretly running the world (and aliens being humans from the future that traveled faster than light to earth, thus making a one-way trip back in time, and mummies being real, and a cabal of Vampires and Mages running the world from the shadows, and swamp creatures being real and breeding with people in New England, and the God of Abrahamic religions being a machine built by the Jews in the 6th millenium B.C. in an attempt to solidify what was previously several concurrent historical narratives into a single "true reality, and so on). Elissa explained that he was like this the whole way to Battle Creek and that she worked in logistics. Joshua was largely concerned with whether Spring was party time, and was pleased to hear it was (incidentally, he had a huge gaping scar on his chest from where he had been pinned through, and explained that he had ripped his wings off escaping.

The motley dreamed of the Red Eyed Woodsman:

Nikolai - Dreamt of fighting the Red Eyed woodsman in an "another time, another place" feel with a friendly air to it. Nikolai is a GENTRY'S GENTLEMAN, whatever that means.

Sephie - Had a memory dream of the fight with the Red-Eyed Woodsman. She knows in her heart that she has the JAILER'S KEY. She can free someone from bondage, real of metaphorical... for a price.

Hestia - Had a dream wherein she interrogated the woodsman, asking him several questions. (The Collector wants to reclaim what is his, and she's the one drawing him to the Cereal Box). THE BURNING QUESTION will give you the answer when you want it... but not all questions should be answered.

Alana - Dreamed about the experience of trying and failing to kill the Woodsman. (Dramatic Failure) Alana will know when the Woodsman is going to be in a scene but IT'S ALL FUTILE - she cannot truly defeat him.

Ernie - The huntsman tells him all the horrible things he's done - twisted the head off doves and eaten stray cats alive. He also says it was good of someone in the Freehold to open the door for him. He is interrupted by red and blue lights and a siren and suggests that Ernie sort of got off easy, but not really as he slinks into the night. Ernie is now a FUGITIVE.

April - Dreams of the woodsman pursuing her. Dreams that while she keeps hiding behind her friends, it was ultimately futile - that she was being pursued endlessly - that the woodsman was denigrating and desecrating her notebook. She burns the page of her notebook where she shipped the Woodsman and the Sheriff. She knows a SECRET she can't tell anyone just yet.

Monday, March 30th

They discussed their dreams and some of the ramifications, as well as whether to tell anyone. They realized that if Billy was the one who brought The Man With the Badge to the Cereal Box, someone must have likewise brought the Red Eyed Woodsman into the Cereal Box. They speculated regarding who might have done this and how.

Sephie expressed an interest in going to the gym to learn to fight. Nikolai and Ernie went to the Enchanted Attic, Nikolai for information on dreams, Ernie came for information on Vampires, knowing it will be of dubious value. Barb informed Nikolai that there was a man named Arthur Sullivan at the corner of Capital and Kingman who can "tell him more about the Wee Folk." Hestia walked by a construction site to provoke and spurn interest for glamour. Nikolai also rambled at the park about local urban legends to gain glamour. Nikolai fucked up and lost his ability to be spooky, but bought a pair of iron punchy things. Hestia did some research regarding her family, and discovered that her fetch and her fetch's husband had died some time ago. Alana vandalized cars. Nikolai researched dreams expanded his Wyrd and obtained a frailty: he cannot refuse food offered to him. Sephie volunteered at a soup kitchen and worked into the evening. Busy days all around. Evie went to Menard's and got some iron deck nails for her bat, then ran a couple of errands for Billy.

Session 14 "April Fools"

Hestia practiced driving with Nikolai, Sephie and Alana worked out while April hung out, Evie went to talk to Freddie about doing something nice for the Spring Court and learned that she would impress the hell out of Billy with some Hedge weed.

Ernie memorized a map of the Hedge roads to and from Battle Creek.

Nikolai met with Arthur Sullivan (the mothman) and discussed the politics of the Freehold, including and especially the fact that Billy was not so prepared as Kingman to be the leader. Nikolai pledged for the remainder of Spring for access to the mothman's library in return for allowing Sullivan to see any Tokens he gains access to.

Wednesday, My Dudes, April 1st, 2010

The morning was broken with Billy requesting Alana let him into Evie's room. Against all reason, Alana allowed this and Billy got Evie to agree to something wtihout further explaination. She suddenly became Queen of Spring.

Billy took her to get Starbucks and discuss what being Queen entailed, including telling her that she has the right to enact an edict. Together, they decided that Evie needed a dress to wear to the soiree he would be throwing that night at the church. They gathered the motley (who were morning pranked in harmless ways several times throughout the night) and went to the goblin market in Lakeview square mall.

Session 15

The Goblin Market was a shadow of the mall itself, and looked like what the mall would look like overgrown after centuries of human non-habitation, with post-apocalyptic-esque wagons and merchants peddling strange wares. A booth called Tokens GALORE had a SOLD OUT sign prominently displayed.

Ernie got seperated and a pickpocket pulled a hangnail from him before making a break for it. Hestia and Alana looked through a cart of "things that should have been, but never were," finding incredible albums and films on impossible or rare formats (Nirvana's 4th studio album "Rebirth" on scintasand; James Cameron's Avatar on Betamax; Boris Karloff's off-broadway debut that never happened; Half-Life 3 "but be warned there's a mandatory update that requires a connection to the company's dedicated server") as well as personal effects such as divorce papers, engagement rings and sealed letters.

While they were there, a wormlike Goblin named Tibble pulled Sephie aside and told her that he had a box containing "feels" that would give them power over the monarchs. The feels were from the "Queens" of the courts (which he explained only meant the reigning monarch of the Court in Lyrissa's case). He further explained that he had a feel that how power over both Kingman and Billy, since both sort of believed themselves to be Kings, and one over Lyrissa and Jeremiah, but nothing for Smith, whom he claimed "has no feels in him" and thus, could not be controlled in this way. They argued over price until Alana (who along with Hestia had overheard the dickering) offered an experience for it, which the creature solidified into a "feel".

The box contained several items that, when touched, gave the one who touches them an overwhelming and intensely specific emotion. A wedding ring gave nauseating head-swimming betrayal and abhorrent despair. A crochet needle gave an overwhelming dread, with a distant spark of hope like a single star in a black sky blanket of endless night (and a distant echoing voice saying, "I've changed my mind. I don't want to. No..."). A torn segment from a spiral notebook that appeared to be a journal, blank on one said, on the other said, "I told my young lover that surely HE could still enjoy this. HE could have fun. This isn't fun anymore. I do not feel I will set foot in the place again." that filled with a sensation of nihilistic numbness. Finally, a light blue glass dangly earring, perpetually cold, that filled with a sensation of haunting grief and fierce mercy for someone hated.

Evie purchased a hedgespun dress that was comprised of stormclouds with lightning coursing through it, with a hem makes the sound of spring rain as it trails. The ensemble smelled faintly of ozone and petrichor, and came with a pair of shoes that can step in the deepest puddle without making your stockings the slightest bit damp.

While Billy stepped away in search of something appropriately hedonistic and blasphemous for the shindig he had planned that night, Dahlia approached Evie and asked if she would surrender the crown of Spring to her. She argued that it should be clear to them by now that Billy puts grandstanding over the lives and safety of changelings, and that if Johnny, Roper and/or other very well experienced changelings had been there when the newcomers were kidnapped, less or no casualties would have occurred (and made it clear that she meant no offense to the motley, but was merely stating that two of the most powerful changelings in the freehold WOULD have been there without Billy's meddling). She insisted that this was the motley's opportunity to set things right and make a real, positive difference. Evie refused and April called Dahlia a bitch and stated she would now ship her with the Woodsman in retaliation. There would be kissing.

Evie stepped aside with Dahlia and told her that as a concession, she would like to hear what Dahlia thought would be a good edict for her to pass in her brief time as Queen. Dahlia said that she had been considering an edict akin to "Our greatest desire is always to have our needs met," meaning that changelings SHOULD desire (in Spring, the season of desires) to meet the basic needs of other changelings before trying to fulfill their own whims and fancies. This would renew the focus of the Freehold on trying to ensure that the weakest among them are protected. Evie said she would consider this, and everyone agreed that they WANTED to like Dahlia.

Billy said they needed to part so he could set up for his main event, and that they must be there by 8 (and would appreciate Evie being there a little early). They returned home to prepare, and Craig Weston showed up, telling them (in his own special way) that they would need to see Kingman at the Catholic Church.

Kingman explained that Billy had confined him to the church for the day, and that he could only leave at 8 to go to the party (and be unfashionably late). He expalined that Billy had constructed a wicker man at the church, and that he believed that Billy suspected Evie of being a loyalist and intended to burn her in the wicker man. He explained that this mirrored the first anniversary of the Paris Freehold's own strengthening, where a lowly loyalist had been made king for the day and then sacrificed in this manner to increase the power (something that would, eventually, be necessary with the Cereal Box). He told Evie that the surest way to protect her would be for her to concede the crown of Spring to him.

As they discussed, Billy texted her about how wonderful the gathering was going to be, and even sent a picture of all the liquor he had procured, with the blurry wicker man in the background. Hestia ASKED THE BURNING QUESTION "Is Billy going to burn Evie at the ceremony?", to which she received the response, "No. That was never the plan." at unknown cost. After urging Evie to keep the crown, Evie declined Kingman, who said he would pray for her, and he hoped God would have mercy on her soul.

At the party, the motley mingled.

Smith confided to Hestia that he HATED the day because he was pranked constantly by Billy and, while the pranks were harmless, they drove him nuts, but that the day had been entirely devoid of pranks and he was now very on edge. The finger sandwiches were, he concluded, not tainted.

Ernie spoke with Jeremiah who explained of Roper, who was wearing a gimp suit, that Billy had traded him "something he REALLY wanted" for his loyalty in performing a task that day. "Isn't that INTRIGUING?" the King of Autumn had asked.

Jack Strong was wear a latex fetish suit (freeballed, as everyone could tell) with a gray suit jacket over it. Johnny Starlight in a leather daddy outfit. All admitted that they had made a deal with Billy.

Billy pulled Evie aside and explained that he needed her to give the crown of Spring to Matthew Kingman as close to 10 PM as reasonably possible, but before 10 PM. He further stated that he was sure Kingman would ask for or demand it, but that if he did not, she should force it on him. "It will be great!" he explained, "I have the greatest thing planned! We'll all look back on it and laugh!" Evie hesitantly agreed.

Around 9:30 PM, Roper, Strong and Starlight unloaded several canisters marked "Kerosine" from the back of a truck and put them next to the wicker man. They then formed a line in front of it and waited. Immediately before 10, Kingman approached Evie and begged her to listen to reason and surrender the crown to him, which she did. Johnny, Roper and Strong grabbed him and shackled his hands and feet with fuzzy handcuffs, which Kingman exclaimed were iron, and threw him into the wicker man, padlocking him inside. They then began pouring kerosine on and around the base of it.

Billy, dressed as a sacriligeous pontiff and carrying a dildo cross staff, accused Kingman of "vile, unnatural" crimes, and demanded he confess to "save your soul, if not your life!" Kingman cried out for Billy to stop as Billy prepared to throw a road flare in. Lyrissa watched, intrigued, Jeremiah laughed, Smith ate finger sandwiches casually, Dahlia cried out in protest and several courtiers started to step forward. Elissa almost confronted Billy, but Johnny, Roper and Strong all reluctantly admitted that they would have to prevent her from interfereing, per the deals they had made.

Eventually, Billy offered Kingman a deal - he could confess his deepest shame in return for his life. They struck the deal, and Kingman confessed that he had traded his wife to a Vampire of the Lancae Et Sanctum in return for power to protect the Freehold. Stunned silence followed, with Billy explaning that this was all a joke, that the wicker man was a breakaway that, when lit, would drop him into a kiddie pool of green and blue Jell-O and, finally, that he had expected Kingman to confess to some puritanical garbage "like fucking a dude in a locker room or something."

Billy threw the flare and, as he promised, the wicker man broke apart and dropped him into the pool. Billy pulled out his iron dagger, and Alana told him to stop. "Why? What should be done with him then? Evie! You were Queen of Spring! What should we do with him!" Evie said she didn't know. Lyrissa gave a slow clap and shouted, "Bravo!" to Billy for his masterful play.

Billy regained his composure and told Strong, Starlight and Roper to "take care of Kingman, as we discussed, then restrain him somewhere to be dealt with later." They carried him off into the church. Billy then gave a brief extemporaneous speech. "It just goes to show," he said, "that no one is always as they appear. Sometimes, the ones who claim to be most morally upright are the most corrupt. Sometimes, the secrets they hide are truly horrific. You can never know someone. Imagine if, for example, a sado-masochistic drug-addled pervert who ambled his way back into power turned out to be a political mastermind who could expose and dispose of his greatest political rival in what looked like a lighthearted prank gone terribly wrong," he nodded, wiped a few tears of anger from his eyes and added, "That would be horrifying, wouldn't it?"

"By the way, Smith, I had my girls fill your car with shaving cream."

He then encouraged everyone to try to lighten up the mood, have a few drinks. With a bow, he excused himself.

Session 16

As the idea of how to punish Kingman was discussed, Lyrissa pointed out that nothing he did was a violation of changeling laws. This means that while Kingman was, rightly, humiliated and shown to be immoral, he had not harmed a changeling, dealt with the True Fae nor harmed a mortal claimed by another changeling. In response, Billy made his second declaration: "Even the Devil Asks Consent." He explained that no changeling could sell or traffic anyone - mortal or changeling - without their consent. They could still make deals, of course, even disadvantageous or exploitative ones, but not actually trade someone away. He declared, to mild protest, that this law would be applied ex-post-facto (and justified this by saying, "What? Do I need to give the human traffickers a chance to adjust their behavior, since this wasn't the law at the time?") at Billy's discretion. The punishment would be applied, he explained, based on the crime. April IMMEDIATELY expressed private concern that this means "Billy gave himself power to punish anyone however he pleases."

Alana gave Billy the diary note, which he responded to extremely poorly, asking her why she gave it to him and what he did to make her want to hurt him like this. When it became clear that Alana didn't know what the problem was, he told her that he needed to leave.

April 2nd

Kingman was sentenced at the stadium, among a crowd of changelings. He maintained, in his final statement, that he had PROTECTED his wife, since ghouls are never taken by the fae (Jeremiah and Roper confirmed that this is accepted wisdom). Before he was exiled, Alana gave Ernie the ring, which Billy, upon recognizing what it means, ordered it forced on Kingman's finger. ("Small, isn't it? Force it past the second knuckle. He'll probably have to have it cut off.") Smith was tasked with taking Kingman to an undisclosed location outside the Cereal Box to kick off his exile.

The player characters ate dinner with Billy. Billy explained that, despite the fascade he was maintaining, he actually hadn't planned any of that. He only intended to prove that Kingman's morality was absurd by forcing him to reveal his darkest secret. ("Like, maybe he cheated on his wife who is in Arcadia! Something sad, but humanizing!") Billy was pretty subdued.

He then went on to explain that he was concerned that the motley knew HIS darkest secret, and that it was considerably worse than Kingman's. He explains that they have a sort of "veto power" over him to keep him in check, since they can destroy him on a whim. "But if I cross a line - if you have something against what I'm doing - you need to tell me. Give me a chance to make it right! Don't just expose me!" The motley agreed that they don't intend to give up Billy's secret at all, much less without warning. Sephie told Billy he was family, so they toasted to family.

Session 17

April 3rd

The Billying being more or less complete, the player characters are left to their own devices.

Nikolai brings the Reverse Voodoo Doll and his suit of armor to the mothman, per his Pledge. He showed the tokens and was on his way.

Hestia passed her driver's test - barely - and is now a licensed driver.

Ernie and the motley wanted to find out how the postcards were planned out and sent to invite changelings. Weston agreed to meet at Sweetwater's Donut Mill to talk about how the names were chosen. When they arrived, and no one had anything to say to Weston, Weston declared dryly, "Everyone spoke at once."

Weston explained that he would stand by while Kingman looked through a phone book from the area they wanted to recruit from (chosen by Weston at random). Then, he would give a name (just a first name) which Kingman would pair with the address he was looking at when Weston gave the name. This used his oracular powers. He explained that the Summer monarch Smith then used his network of contacts to spread word of mouth among the newly escaped and unattached changelings within the freehold to which the postcard would be sent to improve interest and recruit additional changelings.

Roper "dropped by" Sweetwater's, picking up 3 dozens donuts. Weston said, "He was distasteful, but Autumn courtiers frequently were... present company mostly excluded." He clarified that he was talking about April, and Nikolai accepted.

He asked them questions about Billy Goat and why he approached them. "We saved him because it's the right thing to do," Hestia said. "I don't know what you're talking about this 'we'," Sephie joked. They didn't tell him everything, of course, and he recognized they were not being completely open with him.

When Sephie explained that she didn't know where he daughter lived, Weston asked Sephie if she had looked for her fetch and told Alana and Sephie about fetches, which they had never heard of before. He explained that, since they shared dreamspace with their fetch, that they could meet in dreams - rarely by chance, but easily by design. Ernie said he had no fetch and Weston suggested that his fetch was just a hide and seek champion. Weston also asked Sephie if she hadn't wondered how she was able to just use her SSN and personal information without anyone asking about it if she had disappeared 7 years ago ("It was unusual that no one seemed to think she was gone. She probably wasn't gone at all."). They thanked Weston and left.

Hestia established a goal to open a restaurant, hoping to convince Billy to bankroll her by promising him free food. Hestia left a voicemail for Billy and got a call back from Dahlia, who explained that she was taking calls for Billy, who she said was taking a nap. Hestia decided she would come see him directly. So she did, because somehow she was able to figure out where he was. She talked to him in his bedroom, and though he hit on her halfheartedly, he still seemed very depressed. He told her she should meet with Wendel. She told him he was coming out to dinner that night and he begrudgingly agreed.

Hestia called the Pumpkin King, who said he was anticipating her call. When she quizzed him, he was able to point out that Hestia's middle name is Sandra, maiden name Deville, and mother's maiden name MacGilliPhadrig. The Pumpkin King agreed to connect her with Wendel, who she was told spends too much time in the Hedge to reliably be contacted by phone. She now owes Jeremiah a dollar. When she asked what his address was so she could mail it to him, he declared, "No." and hung up.

Sephie was contacted by Granny Lovett, with whom she met, but who explained that he daughter was one earth, in North America, but that her fate and location were mystically occluded. Furthermore, she explained that her daughter's path had wound through Arcadia - she must have been Taken. Lovett said she could break through the occlusion, but that in so doing she would, by definition, draw the attention of the party in question, possibly bringing a powerful entity's interest to the Freehold. She served them some delicious food. She explained, as they left, that the entity is probably Fae, which would be safe to draw the ire of, since they're in the Cereal Box. She added that she wanted to call in Ernie's favor.

Alana and April played DDR for Playstation 2 (Butterfly is April's favorite song on there).

Billy came by for dinner with Dahlia. Dahlia talked about the program that she wants to open for changelings to begin businesses and careers in the community. She explained that Orlando Wood wanted to open a bookstore called "Wood's Books" focusing on conspiracy theories with an adjoining gun store where people could get their concealed carry permits. Meanwhile, Crystal Quartz is a tattoo artist whom Dahlia is encouraging to open her own business. Bill declined drinks, but Dahlia took a couple shots with Nikolai.

Session 18

The dinner party continued. Dahlia explained that Billy was going to make a proclamation on her behalf that "We shall desire for the needs of all to be satisfied" as she recommended. Billy agreed nonchalantly and noncommittally.

April 4th

Granny Lovett collected on the favor from Ernie, saying that she needed him to pick up a Tempest Teapot from her and catch a tornado in it. She explained that he was going to "tornado alley" soon, and that it was, in fact, tornado season.

Lydia Kidder, Billy's girl (in a sexy schoolgirl outfit with an overcoat over it) pleaded with them to figure out what was wrong with Billy, and specifically accused several of them

Hestia insulted Johnny Starlight by asking him to come to a dinner party for Billy. He argued that she should stop trying to make important things trivial. Afterwards, Ernie tried to call Johnny Starlight to find River Delta, but he was unhelpful.

Nikolai spoke with River Delta, who stated that there are several approaches to looking into supernatural sadness. One would be to use a supernatural magic item, such as Ivey's mirror (a token that would allow a changeling to look into the soul of another), one would be to use a Fleeting Winter Contract, one would be to ask a Mage or Vampire. Ultimately, it would be up to him to figure out.

Session 19

Eevie stole booze and cheezy decorations for the party, and as well as artichoke dip and a tray of brownies. Hestia prepared a meal for looks rather than flavor. Ernie hung out with neighborhood kids to harvest glamour from their joy. Sephie cleaned the house and went to the gym. Nikolai got preemptively drunk, but did ok.

The invitees were: Jack Strong, who arrived 15 minutes early (this time in the same jacket and pants, with a white shirt and a stain on the tie). Freddie and Aaron and 10 . Freddie is wearing a tie-dyed shirt, sandals and jeans. Aaron is in a pair of cargo pants and a tie-dyed shirt. Roper Red arrives next, in a nice suit jacket with a turtleneck. Billy Goat Keller, Lydia Kidder, Helen.

Lyrissa arrives at the door being impolite, saying that they should have invited her directly instead of speaking with Johnny Starlight.

Roper told his story, and invited others to tell theirs. Nikolai told his. Lyrissa was invited to tell a story, but condescendingly told a story about how there were four monarchs and 3 of them used their powers to serve their petty goals, but one of them worked to make things truly a better place. Roper mocked her saying it wasn't REALLY a story because it had no moral and no purpose. Strong suggested that it clearly wasn't really a story about her either. Billy became agitated and insisted that Lyrissa needed to dance if she was going to come to the party. "So DANCE!" Lyrissa whispered something in his ear and then said, loud enough for everyone to hear, "We're the same, you and I." Whatever was said was enough to silence Billy, and Roper triumphantly declared that Billy had a secret, and that was DELICIOUS.

At the sleepy couch phase of the party, the guests discussed theories regarding the Cereal Box, discussing the nature of the Cereal Box. They explained how it works, and what would happen under a few hypothetical situations. It was explained, for example, that if a changeling were to make an oath on their Keeper's name and break it in the Cereal Box, which would normally alert the Keeper to their location, it would instead leave the Fae with the understanding that their quarry was somewhere that wasn't.

April 5th

Nikolai, Evie and Ernie rented a car and prepared for their trip to Elsewhere, OK. A small brown package was on Granny Lovett's porch containing a cookie jar with instructions stating that it was a "tempest teapot" into which storms could be placed. They started their road trip, traveling through OH, KY and TN, ending somewhere between Memphis and Jackson. They stopped at a truck stop to get something to eat, to discover a storm, which they determined to be supernatural, is rolling in. A man approached them at the door on their way out and said, "Howdy, folks. Can you give me a ride? I'm in a bit of pickle, heading West to the Ozarks. I got gas money."

"The name is Joe, but folks call me Sandusky."

Session 20 "The Elsewhere Tale"

Sandusky Joe, Eevie, Nikolai and Ernie found themselves in a storm of increasing fury an intensity. Joe confessed that he had done something WRONG that created the storm - he knew that his new companions would understand that what he did was strange, but had its own purpose. He thought that to understand his life, he needed to create more life, but he had created it wrong, and made some things that brought about the storm, and he needed "to lay those things to rest." They found a secluded spot on the side of the road and Joe cut himself to attract the creatures.

The creatures emerged from the woods. They were indescribable, but I'm going to describe them because that's how words work. The creatures resembled dogs that ambled on footless unbending limbs that resembled bones with skin pulled over them. They had jaws with rows of asymmetrical teeth that opened to a pair of rheumy yellow eyes that beadily peered out. Their backs were scaled with ridges of human fingers that rustled like feathers on the backs of shivering birds.

Meanwhile, in Battle Creek, the second half of the motley was intruded upon by the King of Autumn, who tippity tap rap-rap-rapped upon their window until they let him in. He told them that it was time to rescue Mary Kingman because not only is it the right thing to do, but the last thing he wanted was for an Ensorcelled mortal to be going around with Vampires with no further deals to consider. He explained that, through his sources, he was able to determine that Kingman was supposed to meet with the vampires that had his wife at a secluded tomb at the cemetery. He further explained that Mary is most likely enslaved by one or more vampires, and that the only known way to break the spell of a vampire is to kill that vampire. He also explained that they must be exchanging something for Mary Kingman, so whatever booty they find is theirs to keep. Jeremiah further explained that he would do this himself, but for political reasons, it's not expedient.

Hestia, Sephie, April and Alana went to the cemetery and, with some stumbling and difficulty, they managed to break into the cemetery and find the tomb, which bore an arcane symbol on its door that they decided must relate to a mystery cult or other secret society. They took up residence in the tomb, which was a sepulcher containing vaults for ashes as well as a large sarcophagus. They all took up positions of hiding except Hestia who waited for the vampires' arrival. Eventually, they heard the door open.

Meanwhile, the dog creatures attacked in the Ozarks. They storm grew more intense and they had a struggle with the creatures, in which Nikolai and Ernie were seriously wounded. The creatures were defeated and suddenly a great firestorm rose up around Joe, creating huge, sweeping blasts of flame, which were eventually captures by Evie in the tempest teapot.

The two vampires and Mary came down the stairs. Mary was wearing a dark cloak and the two vampires were a nasty looking Nosferatu with a rat-face and a crumpled, ugly half-tucked shirt and slacks combo, and a beautiful woman in a flowing white dress. After some questioning, they realized that the changelings weren't there to negotiate the continuance of the pledge with them (and, therefore, did not care about the rosary full of vampire blood that they were going to give them as an exchange). A fierce battle ensued, and Mary Kingman was knocked unconscious, while both vampires were killed. They called the Pumpkin King, who told them that they should bring Mary Kingman to him, primarily because she would give him power over the vampires of the city. Hestia rejected this because she wasn't going to turn Mary Kingman from one person who was "using" her to another person who would also "use" her. The Pumpkin King admitted that he wouldn't FORCE them to turn Kingman over to him, but said ominously that they were making a big mistake and might find her much harder to protect that they expect.

Session 21

The party arrived in Elsewhere, OK, around midnight, and was able to get a room at the Hilton, where they discovered that a UFC prizefight between Alana "Puma" Dias and Jane Jespero would be taking place at the Markwell Arena. Evie and Nikolai decided to harvest glamour at the local bar while Ernie got his things together and did some research on things. Nikolai hustled pool and Evie hit on a creeper (who turned out to be Albert Joad, Ernie's father). Alana's fetch was there and dragged her boss out.

April 4th

In Battle Creek, Mary came to and had breakfast with them. She explained that she needed to see her husband - there was a certain Pledge she had made "until death do we part" that she wanted out of. The party conceded that they did not blame her for this, but explained that Kingman had been banished and no one would know where to find him.

Hestia had to take possession of the building she was purchasing. Upon arriving there, she met with the realtor, who gave her the keys and told her "good luck." She quickly discovered that there was some sort of loud growling noise - like that of a DigEm frog - coming from within, which concerned her. She called Billy Goat, the King of Autumn and Jack Strong hoping to get some assistance, and requested that the remainder of her motley come out to help.

Looking inside revealed that the restaurant was fine except for the gaping hedge gate apparently spilling out of the kitchen. The party cautiously investigated and found a fetid swamp pool full of cat-sized DigEm nematodes.

Roper arrived at the restaurant on his moped, and he surveyed the situation. He concluded that he did not know why the Hedge gate didn't close normally - Hedge gates shouldn't stay open more than about half a minute at the very outside without someone actively holding them open - unless there was some key causing it to remain open. Further investigation revealed no key, but the party was briefly attacked by what was presumably mama DigEm. They killed the creature and continued searching for answers.

In Elsewhere, the party investigated the Joad house, discovering that Albert Joad lived alone and had removed any trace of his former family from the building. They disabled the security systems on the house and searched it. While searching, Albert Joad returned home with Alana's fetch. Panicked, they tried to make themselves scarce. Evie was able to basically disappear, and Ernie hid in the attic and Nikolai tried to sneak out the back. Alana's fetch, however, heard Nikolai and confronted him. Nikolai used his contracts to concoct a fake search warrant and presented it to Alana. Unbeknownst to either, exposing the fetch to an object created with Arcadian magic was triggering an awakening in the creature.

Whilst in the attic, Ernie found a hidden notebook marked "The Tragedy of Regina Joad". This he took and read, prompting him to remember that he and Regina ran away from home to escape their abusive father, meeting an old man at a train yard. Ernie disinctly remembered his sister taking his hand and telling him that it "can't possibly be worse..."

Ernie returned to the trainyard and had a moment, wherein he chose not to recover Clarity - if he must have a past, it is best that it remain nebulous, where anything can happen. He closed the door to the boxcar that he and he sister entered to travel to Arcadia, closing that chapter of his past.

Session 22

At Hestia's business, they explored the interior of the Hedge, soon uncovering that it was, in fact, once a Hollow, but now abandoned. There was evidence that it had not been occupied, likely, for several months. They found, however, some Goblin Fruit (more like Goblin Froot, amiright?) growing in there.

Alana's fetch found herself having difficulty with her morning warm ups, with her heart beating steadily no matter how hard she worked. Her head was swimming and she was dealing with hypoxia, but she fought through it and persevered, left with a strange sense that she was... matter. Just molecules and atoms connected to each other.

Evie called home, hoping that she was missed. Sarah told her that the infestation at her apartment was cleared up and lied to Evie about her parents checking in on her (presumably to make her feel better about how little they seemed to miss her).

Ernie drew a picture from memory of his mother, his father and Gina and a pool party with his grandfather Cy, intending to give this to his father. Then, the group threw the computer - saving the hard drives - away at a remote location.

Alana's fight with Jane Jesparo began, and Jane went down in three rounds, but not without putting up a hell of a fight. In the first round, Alana couldn't focus on the fight well, but still managed to do fairly well. between rounds, Alana saw through the ring girl's mask, realizing that she was a changeling, but not the significance of this. The second round, she fought with renewed vigor, and, between rounds, recognized Ernie, Nikolai and Evie as her friends and understood that she had promised to protect them. Finally, Jespero went down in the third round and Alana won the fight.

After the fight, while the crowd was still celebrating, Ernie gave the picture to his father and, activating the contracts of winter, filled him with a profound sadness, stating, "You drove us to something terrible, and I'm still not sure it was worse." He tried to duck into the crowd, but Joad was able to catch him. It appeared Joad was going to attack Ernie when Alana tackled him and kicked the ever-loving piss out of him while Nikolai created a scene. Evie and Ernie made it outside, where they saw Ernie's grandpa, who was compassionate toward the crying child. Cy offered Ernie a piece of hard candy, which he treasured.

In Battle Creek, the motley concluded that there was nothing further they could determine without finding out who owned the Hollow. Roper left and recommended that they lock up tightly. "Nothing from the Hdege should be able to wander out, but open Hedge gates swallow mortals all the time. Keep this place secure." The motley, however, needed to travel back via the Hedge to keep Alana's salvaged Froot tree alive.

Their trip back through the Hedge took them through a construction site, where Janglejaw - the clothing merchant from the Goblin Market - confronted them about not having proper PPE, and insisted that he would take them to the foreman to be given a job. They were introduced to Janice Tasker, who explained that this was part of a project to close off the local Hedge to outside intrusion, and that the project was just now coming underway as a major endeavor after being largely theoretical. The test case, she explained, was closing the Trod that was taken to remove Kingman from the Freehold, making it impossible for Kingman to use that as a route back or, moreover, for anyone to follow it directly. During the course of the conversation, she solicited Glamour and Goblin Fruit several times with no contributions offered.

Back at their home, Alana received a call from Nikolai, who tried to explain the unique situation with her fetch.

Session 23

April 5th

Alana and Fetchlana had breakfast without actually meeting each other, with April running back and forth between them to make sure they got fed. Hestia called Billy for advice on her portal, and he explained he had a task for them tomorrow night involving delivering Tokens to a changeling from the courts of Windsor in return for both the goodwill of that semi-neighboring Freehold and tokens of their own. In return for her promising him a kiss, Billy gave her advice on closing the portal, most of which amounted to "it would probably help to know who owned the place beforehand, since they almost certainly opened the portal."

The motley worked to close the portal at Hestia's restaurant. Dai Yujin owned Cantonese Moon - may have been hands off because he was using it as a Triad laundering scheme. Wendell Baker was a manager of the location. Hestia asked two BURNING QUESTIONS: how can we close the portal? and why was the portal open continuously? The answer to the first was that they needed to counter the emotional resonance of the open portal by creating a mundane way of closing it and fueling that with emotion. The answer to the second was that the protection of the Cereal Box was bleeding into the Hedge while the portal was open, so continually opening a portal would make that Hollow within the hedge a haven against the True Fae, but doing this blurred the lines between the Hedge and the real world.

The motley closed the portal by building a door which they tried to close with first anger (which failed) then disappointment (which succeeded).

Session 24 - Family Reunions

Eevie went to visit Sarah to talk with her about everything. Sarah promised that she would cover for Eevie as long as she needed.

Nikolai looked into the Playing Card Courts, discovering that each corresponded to an emotion, like with the Seasonal Courts, and that the distinctions in attitude between them was based on two aspects of games: information and chance, with each being either a Court of Truth or a Court of Secrets, a Court of Determinism or a Court of Chance.

Hearts - Random / Open - Opulence

Spades - Random / Secret - Paranoia

Clubs - Deterministic / Secret - Disgust

Diamonds - Deterministic / Open - Smugness

Ernie put effort into finding a job for Fetchlana. The MMA arena in Battle Creek was suggested, and a Lawrence Walker who owns the strip club Hots is looking for a new bouncer.

Sephie used the JAILER'S KEY to free Mary Kingman from her bondage to the Vampires. The key broke in the process, the PRICE was paid, and Sephie heard sirens in the distance. She recommended that Mary Kingman find a job.

April 6th

Nikolai dressed in a suit made out of shifting autumn leaves, while Ernie acquired a hoodie that looks to be made of blue spruce needles dusted with snow.

Fetchlana went to interview and Eevie left with her cousin for her own reasons.

The motley met with Billy to pick up the trunk full of tokens, which was so powerful that it trembled and smelled of sulfur. Ernie took the key to the trunk. The trunk was heavy enough that it was a two man lift, but could probably be hoisted by one.

On their way, they were ambushed by a changeling who called himself General Chalkos, who insisted he would be the Summer King when he deposed Kingman. He and his crew, which consisted of a camel-faced Broadback, an ensorcelled mortal, and at least one other person in his armored Humvee returned a badly beaten Jack Strong to the motley after delivering statements regarding his intention to overthrow the current summer king.

The motley arrived at the casino, where the majority made their way up to the hotel room designated for the meeting. They were ambushed by a group of Mages on their way up who nearly made off with their goods before another group of mages jumped in and counter-attacked. They first group fled in its entirety, and 2/3 of the other group fled, with one of them being rendered unconscious through combat. As one of the mages jumped out the window and managed to land safely on the ground, she turned to Sephie and called her "mom?" inquisitively before running.

The goods were delivered to Trio Monte, who handed over Billy's Tokens. The motley then left by way of the Hedge. They traveled near a construction site full of goblins and changelings who were working to reshape the Hedge to prevent the Fae from being able to attack anyone in or around the local Hedge.

April 7th

The goods were delivered to Billy, who expressed dismay that an item was missing from the set - the set had a pair of heart-shaped cufflinks, a gardening trowel, and a pack of cards with a diamond pattern on the back were in the box, but a blackjack he was expecting to be in there was missing. The Following Week

Sephie sought out a mage to help her locate her daughter. She spoke with the King of Autumn who, directed her to an associate of his - a friendly mage named Moria, who agreed to pass a message on to Sephie's daughter, Songbird.

Session 25

April 18th, 2010, Saturday

Tried to contact fetchlana. Alana's phone rings in bag. She throws the phone in the bag.

Sephie is contacting Billy about finding a mage.

Eevie approaches Alana about Fetchlana, Alana explains that she has super been avoiding her.

Dahlia told her that she could work as a changeling doctor for the Freehold, but that she should deal with her Fetch and join the Spring Court.

April explained that magic is just made up as we go along and that there must be a "crunch factor" measured in "crunch berries" and "impending sogginess"

Hestia is approaching Wendell Baker.

Ernie wants to find a way to help Fetchlana... but he can't.

April and Nokolai presented their plan to Billy, who agreed to it and also agreed to let him borrow his iron shackles in return for a favor, and said he would leave the fuzzy bits on. He also agreed that Nikolai could ask the Spring enforcer for her assistance, but made not promises there.

Call from a restricted number. Her daughter told her that she had "done enough already", "stop " and "yeah, you haven't done anything. EXACTLY."

Session 26

April 19th, 2010, Monday

Ernie created a picture of his changeling family which he made to include his sister in the mirror in the background of the picture. When he completed the picture, she was there with an odd smile looking very mischievous. Ernie reverently cared for the piece of hard candy given him by his grandfather, which he believed might be useful toward bringing his sister home.

Nikolai went off on his own and found a pond at the edge of the cereal box. He used this to open a gate and call his "grandmother," the Baba Yaga. She arrived flying in her mortar and pestle and urged Nikolai to return to Arcadia with her for a visit. Nikolai complied and joined her at her cottage where he asked her if he could borrow something of value from her. He did not know how long he stayed in Arcadia, though surely it felt like many days, and he came back - that evening in the mortal realm - shorter on Clarity, but carrying a fae token with him from Arcadia

Eevie ensorcelled Sara, who was relieved by the revelation that she was magical, and not just distant or on drugs. Sara's newfound fae vision allowed her to see that the Floral Lawns, which Eevie had chosen as the place to perform the feat, had fae magic all over it.

The changeling's home address was determined to be 335 East Emmett Street, as this served the story purposes well.

Session 27

A recap was had, given that there had been such a gap in gaming.

A few hooks reminded of:

   The box of feels still has two feels that haven't been presented to the ones who are vulnerable to them or understood.
   The restaurant has collapsed and needs to be fixed
   Sephie needs to find and kill her fetch
   Ernie needs to figure out what happened to his sister; and needs to create a beacon to bring her home

Ernie and Nikolai went to visit Jack Strong to look over his files on political day to day of the Freeholds, including minutes from official meetings and records of punishments. They read Lyrissa's file, which had her full true name in it and information regarding her work during the war, which suggested that she was instrumental in ferreting out interlopers from outside the freehold. She was never affected by Bynes' hearthooks.

They found out the hobgoblin Janglejaw was a winter courtier, and that there were three days worth of redacted files on him.

They read the file on Chalkos, which contained margin notes in unfamiliar hand for dealing with Chalkos. His full name Christopher Chalkus, he had severe PTSD after surviving an "unsurvivable" bombing in Iraq. He announced his recovery before the previous Summer Coronation, where he showed up demanding to be Summer King. It was put to a vote and he lost, humiliated, in a landslide. This was especially vexing to Chalkos, who insisted that this was not in any way the correct way to choose the monarch of Summer.

Dahlia Hawthorne's file contained information about her opposition to Matthew Kingman (both political and ideological) and a note that her Keeper was the Sultan of the Dry Springs.

They realized that the files were almost certainly Jack and/or Smith's, but Jack admitted that a lot of the information was just sent to him anonymously and/or was stuff he found out from questionable channels that he just stuck in the files to make them look better.

Alana, April and Sephie went to the Goblin Market seeking seeds and tools for cultivating goblin fruit. They were almost ambushed by the Woodsman, but Alana's warning signal protected them and they escaped without confrontation.

Hestia got a hold of Roper about talking to Wendell. She was able to contact Wendell Baker, and, after a terse and rather unfriendly meeting, he agreed to help with the restaurant and with providing Goblin fruit, but Hestia didn't want access to the orchard.

Nikolai gave up his darkest secret for limited conditional brief access to the files. Upon realizing and understanding what it meant that Nikolai was the Gentry's Gentlman, The Pumpkin King made an agreement with him for a Major Favor in return for "up to half his Kingdom" much to Roper and Holly's extreme dismay. Upon receiving the agreement, he threw up his hands and declared "I WIN!" with a manic laugh of glee.

Session 28

April 20th

The party woke up, as they frequently do. Morning happened. Mary Kingman said that she was trying to figure out where Metthew was, and was confused and frustrated by the fact that he hasn't pulled ANY of his $13,000 from his account (which she confirmed was still accessible). Mary said she was pleased that Kingman may have been Taken. April was aghast and excused herself.

Alana, Hestia and Sephie all went to clean up at the restaurant and got a dumpster.

April, Nikolai and Ernie went to check on the noobs at the changeling ghetto. They grabbed coffee and donuts for the noobs. They met Celia, Trevor and Skin-and-Bones. Apparently 6 new changelings had been put up the ghetto in addition to the ones that they had assisted against the Woodsman. They talked Trevor, a living shadow, into getting an ID as he did not have one. The others seemed confident that they had everything they needed in this respect.

Nikolai noticed for the first time that his horns are wooden and had memories of being in a desert in search of water with a prince. He had realized before this (whilst with the Baba Yaga) that he had newt eyes, and wondered briefly if he was discovering things about himself that he should have known of changing.

Billy invited the motley to a cocktail party. Alana wore a ladyish romper (the most feminine outfit she had worn to date). Ernie wore his best flannel and blue jeans. April wore a red flared party dress. Sephie wore a black over-the-shoulder cocktail dress. Hestia wore a dress with a tank top underneath and a cardigan on top. Nikolai wore his finest hedgespun suit. Before leaving, Sephie tended her Goblin Fruits.

Billy's party was fairly intimate, being just the motley, his girls and Dahlia. He told the motley that to once more feel truly himself, he would need them to scour the old Spring Meeting Ground for a Token mirror that belonged to Ivy Justaivy, his lost former lover who left the Freehold before he became the Spring monarch for the first time at 16 (5 years prior). The meeting ground was a place that Billy didn't feel he could return to, and the place was protected by methods meant to keep Solomon from entering the Meeting Ground after he conquered the Freehold.

April 21th

April was profoundly hungover. The motley agreed to focus on cleaning up the restaurant. Ernie conducted some pretty incredible repairs that fixed essentially anything that could be fixed. It would be one more day before the work is stuff they need professionals for.

April 22nd

The motley completed the work on the restaurant, leaving nothing but work that would require a professional contractor, roofer, electrician, plumber and/or other major professionals. Sephie once again took the time to tend to her small Goblin Fruit garden.

Hestia called Billy about putting the work in, but he admitted he couldn't afford to float the whole amount and cut her a check for two thousand - about a third of what she needed.

Ernie contacted Eric Rowe about getting an ID for Trevor. Trevor was very concerned about not having money or potentially owing money, but Ernie told him to just pay it forward and that he would take care of it. Ernie agreed to work on establishing a branch of an underground cellular network that Rowe was a part of.

Nikolai went into his fetch's dream and had a reminiscence of what he believed might have been his very first time in Arcadia, where he was a soldier working for Good Prince Kindhearted, and whom he helped to rescue The Swan-Cursed Daughter of The Knight Invisible from Koschei, the Deathless. Despite Nikolai firing the shot that saved the maiden, the Prince received the promise of a reward from the knight. Later, Nikolai found a well after traversing into a desert with his charge, the Prince. While the prince was lowered in the well, he threatening to cut the rope and leave him if the Prince did not sign off his Kingdom and Title to him. At that exact moment, a sandstorm kicked up and scoured away Nikolai's vision, but the Prince gave him the writ offering the promise when he rose from the well. Bleary-eyed Nikolai would have gone on, but at this point, the Fetch recognized he was in the dream, and the two locked in combat.

Session 29

Nikolai overcame his fetch in the dream, but left feeling exhausted and not at all rested. The difficulty of sleeping at the same time as his fetch on the other side of the world was also problematic the the process of invading its dreams.

April 23rd

The motley sought out the mirror at the former Spring meeting ground. They entered the hedge by way of an archway at the Leila Arboretum and had to traverse a hedge maze with truly nightmarish hob minotaurs guarding it. The beasts in question were fully twenty feet long, had a bellowing braying moo, mouths that opened like a horror movie alien, centipede like legs and apparent fury at all living creatures. By the motley's estimation, there were at least five of them.

Once they reached the former meeting grounds, they met a group of hobgoblins that wanted to be recognized as a fifth court - the Court of Leap Day (which Nikolai convinced to change to the Court of Strange Days) which would have domain over Leap Day and the days on a 5 row calendar that are split at the end of the month (typically the 24th/30th, 25th/31st in months starting on a Friday or Saturday with the appropriate number of days). Tibble, who had sold them the feels, was a member, as was an intelligent DigEm named Crowak, three trollish things that called themselves The Bruvs, Bettina (a feathered Naga that was hot for Billy and Nikolai), Turin (a bipedal elephant thing) and Mukkayla (an algae monster tat was also hot for Billy).

The motley agreed noncommittally to present the creatures' case to the monarchs, while April stole the mirror that they had come for. Traversing out of the maze was surprisingly easy, and the Motley emerged victorious.

As night fell, the motley was treated to a vignette in which Craig Weston narrated the events leading up to an attack by Mary Kingman who wanted to know where her husband was taken. Weston told her he did not know, but brought her to Smith.

Session 30

April 24th

Once the motley realized that Mary was not home, they became desperate to contact her. Mary's phone went straight to voicemail, however. The motley speculated she might be killing Vampires. They tried to call Smith, but got a hold of Jack who explained that Smith had left on business for the weekend and that he was in charge. He said he needed to talk to Hestia about business that somehow involved her cooking.

After breakfast, Hestia and Jack made an agreement regarding her making him meals to take home (and ended up inviting him over and, after determining that all his friends were people he worked with, gave him a hug). Jack insisted his tears were caused by a condition he made up called "optobliga." In return for the agreement, Hestia was "blessed with the wealth she would need to rebuild the restaurant." Jack was overjoyed with the arrangement and explained that having a home-cooked meal every day would always give him something to look forward to. Hestia prepped several days' worth in advance to ensure she wouldn't miss a day.

Ernie did some work for Eric Rowe on the network he requested.

The motley went to Sephie's fetch's house, where they saw a black cat. They found no security or occupants, and the house was full of medical charts and books, with no evidence of anything for any sort of non-academic pleasure, nor any proof that the fetch had - or acknowledge having - children. They saw a picture of Arcadia in the seldom-used study that caused all who saw it to despair. The cat scratched Nikolai viciously, but the blood got cleaned up perfectly. While they were there, they stole some paperwork so they could look into the fetch's finances.

The motley had ice cream in BC when they went home to plan. They looked into Fetch Sephie's finances and determined that the home has been through 5 years of mortgage. They discussed the fact that they didn't see a litter box and, further, that they might help Sephie to go into her fetch's dreams if they don't just kill her.

Jack came over for dinner and it was vaguely awkward, but he was vary pleased and took home a doggy bag.

Sephia was able to make it into Cadence's dream. I0t was a vast library / auditorium full of books with Cadence studying in it and looking at pictures of her mother(s). When Sephie confronted her daughter, the women asked, "Is this some Corraline bullshit?" and Sephie sheepishly admitted that it was, in fact, some Corraline bullshit. As they had a heart to heart (with Sephie's familiar, the black cat - manifest as a great beast in the dream - looming over them) Other Mother appeared and viciously slashed Cadence's throat. They defeated her, but not before Cadence was seriously injured and the dream dissolved.