The Moonstone Bookseller by On the edge of the western Downtown region of Washington DC, next to Foggy Bottom and just north of George Washington University there exists a small haven of delight, fantasy and sheer enchantment for both children and book lovers alike. A commoner Freehold it has mysterious ties to House Scathach and yet is staunchly Traditionalist. Not a powerful or important Freehold in the scheme of things or end, in the Dreaming, still it had it's charm as a resting place for the weary and for Children of all ages who love books. Physical Location & Description Just two and a half blocks down from the Farragut North Metro Station along the northern side of L Street NW between 19th & 20th Streets. There are a pair of side by side restored nineteenth century townhouses. The basements have been converted and joined into the Moonstone Bookseller, primarily a wondrous children's book store. Above the cellars on the first floor in one of the townhouses is a book restorers and printers workshop where restorations some of the rarest books in existence have taken place. The other first floor supports the computers and other physical hardware necessary to run ChildNet, a safe Computer network for children that would put Disney to shame. Above these commercial premise the rooms on the second floor are available for visitors and other quests, though one is always held in reserve for Sir Percevel for whenever he visits. On the Third floor are the rooms of Sara Carter and the rest of the permanent residents of the Freehold. Also here are the kitchens and other amenities that make for a comfortable place to live. Finally it is here that Hearth in which the Balefire burns, in a fireplace in Sara's bedroom. The surrounding of the Moonstone Bookseller has been the subject of some urban renewal and thus are rather Banal. It is something of business area and the store counts on the business of the well off office workers buying for their children to stay afloat financially. Fortunately the word on mouth reputation within the city alone is more then adequate for that. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday night, and every weekday after school lets out, a portion of the Book Store is set aside for parents who wish to bring their children to the store for special readings. The Stories are from Fae history and current events or Sara's own work, spruced up just a bit, and published in quality limited print runs for the children to have on their own. Not surprisingly perhaps there has been a growing demand for reprints of these editions and not just for the children either, adults are fascinated by the stories it seems. The other project has been the ChildNet computer Bulletin Board Service. Many of the Book Store's customers were terribly worried about their children gaining access to the Internet unrestricted. So Sara found a Nocker looking to settle in and work with computers and offered a proposition. Set up a easy to use and fun computer network for children with restrictions to the worst portions of the Internet. It worked so well that ChildNet has been quietly arranging for multiple hardware purchases for groups of customers who could otherwise not afford to buy a computer. Also the publishing imprint has been marketing sets of previously published works for parents just discovering the Book Store. They have been selling extremely well and there has even been some thought to sell these sets to Public and School Libraries, but at the moment it is only a thought. Dreaming Description The Dreaming intrudes into every aspect of the Freehold from the Book Store in the cellars to the workshops and more. To enchanted eyes the twin townhouse become a small castle of sorts in the Near Dreaming. It dominates the small banal buildings around it and so strong is it that younger children have seen without needing to be enchanted. Within the buildings the cellars extend farther out beyond the back end of the store and here is the chimerical Library. Books thought long lost in the mundane world and works of the Fae from the Modern Era to before the Shattering grace these shelves. Many a Changeling Scholar or Sorcerer would beg to allowed to roam these shelves, if only they knew they existed. On the first floor the back end of the house extends out and both the ChildNet computers and the Restorer's and Printer's workshops stretch back to the extra space. On the second floor the extension out over the backyard continues as usual but the additional space becomes a meeting hall of sorts with a kitchen able to serve half a hundred guests if necessity required it. Finally on the third floor the extension provides extra rooms for the permanent residents of the Freehold. The whole exterior of the building in the Dreaming resembles nothing more then that of a stout miniature castle of sorts. In the dreaming the walls are thick dark blocks of granite with veins of silver and gold. The blocks are smooth cut and smartly dressed stone, but if you look very closely you can see handwritten script from some unknown language very faintly on the stones. The writing is never the same or time on the same stone. There are no Trods to or from the Freehold, it sits alone in the midst of a barren lifeless almost banal urban landscape around it in the Dreaming. Yet something is happening here, the Castle has been slowly growing in size over the past few decades. And recently there have been signs of life out in the Dreaming beyond the Castle. Though nothing certain has yet been sighted. History Before fledgling American Government needed a Capital, Algonquin Shaman, Croatan Garou and Nunnehi would pause to rest in the clearing where the Freehold now sits. Then came the Federal Government and L'Enfant with his Technocratic inspired plans. City streets were laid, buildings constructed and then when L'Enfant was discharged Benjamin Banneker stepped forward and made... subtle changes. So instead of paving the area, the Clearing and trees was left alone as a kind of park of sorts. Yet in the growth of the city eventually the land was purchased by a developer. Streets were paved and buildings constructed for residential homes. Yet, the natural Glamour remained and in the minds of the children of the families living in these townhouses it created havoc. Eventually the townhouses were converted into a Doctor's and Dentist's Office respectively. Decades passed and a very young Sara Carter was taken by her very proper mother to the Doctor's Office for the first time. A few years later when she had gone through her Chrysalis she remembered the feelings she had gotten from that Doctor's office in her youth. So she returned and discovered the Doctor retired, the Dentist about to and a frantic Owner trying to find someone to either rent the townhouses or ideally, buy them. With a Depression money was tight and getting money for buying houses was even harder. Yet with a lot of luck and an enigmatic Sir Percevil to guide her, Sara Carter managed to secure the physical title to the land. Yet almost at once her plans were thrown into chaos as the Second World War broke out. So for the length of the War she provided a Boarding House for women flooding into the city as part of the War Effort. By the time the War ended Sara had a few hundred stories she had written for children and some ideas as to what to do with the Townhouses. She paid for the renovations of the cellars and stocked the Bookstore. Then she turned to the Hearth, the Balefire was cold and long gone, the nearest Freehold that Sara knew was in Baltimore. So in an epic adventure worthy of song and story, with a bit of help from the enigmatic Sir Percevil, a Sidhe of House Scathach. Sara traveled to the Baltimore Freehold, managed to acquire torch of Balefire and relight the Hearth, establishing the Freehold. Sara opened her Bookstore and in time began restore old books, she was mildly prosperous and the years passed in a blur of happy children, wonderful stories and the occasional passing Kithain. Sara guested them all and slowly a tight knit community of Changelings formed around her Freehold. Then on one fateful day the Glamour surged and like a tidal wave swept over the Dreaming. Humans had landed on the Moon and in the aftermath of that, the Sidhe began to return. Sara tried desperately to remain neutral in the times leading up to the Accordance War. The first time an arrogant Sidhe walked into her home and told her that he was taking Her Freehold as his own, Sara was saved by the appearance of Sir Percevil who championed her cause in Chimerical combat and soundly defeated the arrogant newcomer. After that Sara made it a point to build friendships with the Sidhe around her, guesting them and gleaning many new stories from listening to their talk. Throughout the Accordance War the Sara struggled to keep her Freehold neutral. It wasn't easy but friendships nurtured amongst the Sidhe Nobles before the War reaped an unexpected dividend of being ignored. From the Commoner's side of the War, well she was a Boggan and she sheltered Commoners during the War's worst times. When High King David proclaimed an end to the War and created the High Kingdom of Concordia, Sara breathed easy when her right to keep her Freehold was recognized. When Duke Ambrose Pierson first began to survey his Lands his first stop was Sara and her Freehold. He bestowed the title of Baronet on her and asked her to attend his Holder's Council to give her voice and opinion in the affairs of the Duchy. A good ruler and even sometime friend, he finished the conversion of Sara to a staunch Monarchist and firm supporter of his rule. Years passed and with the advanced in mundane human technology Sara was finally able to start printing some of the many stories she had written over the years. The books, solidly crafted and lovingly made, were a delight to sell to parents and place in the hands of eager children. Yet with the growth of computer networks she became concerned and with the greatest reluctance invited in a bothersome, quarrelsome Nocker who called himself Digit to install and run the ChildNet she envisioned. Digit was everything a Nocker could be and yet, the children themselves delighted in him. They changed him somewhat, calming his more extreme moods and yet still loving the delightful Curmudgeon of the computers. ChildNet has been a huge success and seems to draw in more children every year. Yet, there is something Digit can not figure that is Different about the network these days that escapes him. Given time he will discover it, but for the moment the Freehold survives and prospers. External Relations The Freehold has little interaction with the other Freeholds of the city and Duchy by choice. Well known and accepted as resting place for Kithain traveling in the mundane world. It avoids politics rather like others avoid the Plague. In fact, as a demonstration of loyalty to the Duke, Sara was the first Holder to request that the Duke act as her representative to the Council of Holders. That having been done, Sara has refused to deal with other Changelings in any other way but individually. Kithain of the Freehold Currently there are four Changelings that call the Freehold their permanent home. There is also a permanent room set aside for Sir Percevil whenever he stops by on one of his highly infrequent visits. There are a large number of Childlings who drop by every afternoon for the storytellings, but their numbers fluctuate rather wildly. Other Changelings stop by to buy books, tell stories to Sara or sleep over for a night or two. However they are visitors. Name: Sara Carter Court: Seelie Legacies: Crafter/Sophist Seeming: Grump Kith: Boggan Impulse: Traditionalist Physical: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3 Social: Charisma 4, Manipulation 4, Appearance 2 Mental: Perception 4, Intelligence 4, Wits 4 Talents: Acting(Storytelling) 4, Artistic Expression(Writing) 5, Diplomacy 3, Dodge 2, Empathy(Listening) 4, Expression(Storytelling) 5, Instruction 3, Interrogation 3, Kenning(Fae) 5, Sense Deception 3, Streetwise 2 Skills: Cooking/Baking 3, Crafts(Printing) 5, Dancing 2, Etiquette 2, First Aid 1, Game Playing 2, Performance 5, Storytelling 5, Temporal Sense 1 Knowledges: Computers 4, Dream Lore 5, Enigmas 5, Heraldry 3, Herbalism 3, History 5, Investigation 2, Law 2, Linguistics 5, Literature 5, Lore(Ancient Pacts) 2, Lore(Chimera) 3, Lore(Fae) 5, Lore(Seelie) 5, Lore(Treasures) 4, Lore(Unseelie) 3, Mythlore 5, Occult 5, Politics 2 Arts: Chicanery 5, Dreamcraft 3, Primal 3, Soothsay 4, Sovereign 1 Realms: Actor 4, Nature 1, Fae 4, Prop 3, Scene 2 Backgrounds: Contacts 3, Gremayre 2, Holdings 1, Resources 3, Title 1 Glamour 8, Willpower 9, Banality 5 Image: A kindly old Grandmother, with a shawl and a smile. Quote: "There, there, now sit down and tell me all about it." or "Once, long ago..." Roleplaying Hints: Think Grandmother, think beloved - if notoriously unruly - children listening to a story. Think serious major guilt trip when someone tracks mud into YOUR house. You live to tell stories, write them down, share them and create them. What is yours is YOURS and while you will gladly share with those in need, it remains YOURS! History: Sara was raised to be a proper Lady, she expected to marry, have children and settle down to the serious task of fighting her way up the Society Social Ladder to become an establish Matron in Society. It both scared her and bored her to death, her discovery of her Fae nature was the greatest relief to her. But in the Freehold in Baltimore where she found refuge, she discovered she did not like being an underling. She herself only mildly embellished the story of her journey to Washington to find the Glamourous Doctor's Office of her youth. The fight to gather the money to buy the Townhouses and then keep them through the war years in the face of Banality forged her soul and focused her. The quest to gather a bit of the Balefire from the Baltimore Freeholds she knew and then protect it to return to her Townhouses and create her own Freehold is a harrowing a tale as any she has ever written, read or told. If it had not been for Sir Percevil she would have never succeeded. But she did and has Held this Freehold from the moment she helped Sir Percevil craft it and make the cantrips that make it permanent. Since then she has learned much about the Fae, the Dreaming and the Legends. She has also learned to stay out of all politics, though she is an avid observer. Notes: There are few others with Sara's grasp of the legends, myth and lore of the Fae. Name: Digit Court: Seelie Legacies: Sage/Riddler Seeming: Wilder Kith: Nocker Impulse: Reformer Physical: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2 Social: Charisma 2, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2 Mental: Perception 1, Intelligence 5, Wits 5 Talents: Alertness 1, Instruction 2, Intrigue 2, Kenning 3, Scrounge 3 Skills: Game Playing 3, Security 3, Storytelling 2 Knowledges: Computer Hacking 3, Computers 5, Cryptography 4, Dream Lore 2, Enigmas 4, Heraldry 2, Investigation(Computer) 4, Lore(Computer) 3, Mythlore 2, Occult 1, Politics 1, Science 3, Sciences(Computer) 4 Arts: Chicanery 2, Legerdeman 1, Naming 1, Soothsay 1, Wayfare 1 Realms: Actor 2, Nature 5, Fae 2, Prop 5, Scene 2 Backgrounds: Patron(Virtual Adept) 4, Treasures(Trinary Computer) 5 Glamour 5, Willpower 4, Banality 3 Image: Typically distracted Hacker and socially inept computer Nerd. Quote: "Look the stack pointer... oh, I thought you were talking computers." Roleplaying Hints: You are the quintessential Computer Geek, you don't even have a clue that their are people who aren't even interested in computers. Women... Look there are just something males were intended to understand. History: Digit (Albert Smith) grew up believing Mr Spock and Data were the height of coolness and attempted to emulate them. He's succeeded to some extent, especially with computers which he first discovered in second grade. When his Chrysalis came he was more upset at the lost programming time then delighted at discovering his new Fae Nature. Taking the name Digit as his true name, he left his parents at age seventeen and joined a Nocker shop dedicated to working with electronics. His programming skills were superb, but his lack initial of knowledge of electronics held him back at first. Thus when a Grumpy old Boggan came snooping about asking for someone to set up a BBS for her, Digit tentatively agreed. Setting up the computer network and keeping it up and online has been the easy part, dealing with the Childlings has been... terrifying. The rest of the Freehold's residents he respects, though he does have a soft spot in his heart for Lisa. It's really when he's online that Digit is happy. Notes: Digit is desperately in love with Lisa, though having never experienced the emotion before he doesn't realize it. His escapades on the Internet, and his Fae nature, have let him stumble into the Digital Web; bringing him to the attention of a Virtual Adept Disciple who sent Digits the instructions for a Trinary computer as a test. Since Digit created his Trinary Computer and has been using it the Virtual Adept has begun investigating Digit to see what is going on. Name: Lisa Court: Seelie Legacies: Courtier/Rake Seeming: Wilder Kith: Satyr Impulse: Traditionalist Physical: Strength 1, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2 Social: Charisma 4, Manipulation 2, Appearance 4 Mental: Perception 4, Intelligence 2, Wits 2 Talents: Acting 2, Alertness 2, Athletics 2, Brawl 1, Carousing 2, Diplomacy 1, Dodge 1, Intrigue 1, Kenning 2, Seduction 2, Streetwise 1, Style 1, Subterfuge 1 Skills: Dancing 2, Etiquette 3, Gambling 1, Game Playing 2, Melee 1, Performance 2, Psychoanalysis 1, Storytelling 3 Knowledges: Area Knowlege(Duchy) 3, Computers 3, Dream Lore 2, Enigmas 1, Heraldry 1, History 2, Investigation 3, Law 1, Literature 1, Mythlore 1, Occult 1, Politics 3, Psychology 2 Arts: Chicanery 3, Dreamcraft 1, Legerdeman 1, Primal 1, Wayfare 3 Realms: Actor 4, Nature 2, Fae 4, Prop 1, Scene 1 Backgrounds: Contacts 3, Dreamers 4, Resources 2 Glamour 5, Willpower 3, Banality 3 Image Young waifish model type, long black hair to her waist, very attractive, very fashionably dressed, perhaps even sexually so. Perhaps not. A cross between the hot girl next door and your pretty sister. Quote: "I agree that it may be a mistake, but have you considered the other options?" Roleplaying Hints: You are beautiful and you know it. You like being noticed, it makes your day! You are aware that all the fun and games you love to engage in might hurt someone some day, but you'll worry about that when it happens. History: Lisa Bancroft was a good girl, raised in a Catholic Boarding School for Girls she struggled to keep budding sexuality in check, at fourteen with her Chrysalis that became impossible. Never close to her parents, she ran away from the Boarding School into the eager arms of a waiting lover and never looked back. A few years of partying later though... Lisa decided to try another experience, she started hanging around the Bookstore between cruising the local bars and party scene. Filling in at the counter for extra cash until eventually Sara invited her in to join the Freehold. Currently Lisa is just beginning to realize the wider world of Kithain politics and opportunity that surrounds her. Notes: Lisa is aware of Digit's feelings and is worried that she actually feels honored and is handling him so gently. This is not like her at all, she dreads the thought that it might be a sign of maturity setting in. Name: Ralph Watson Court: Seelie Legacies: Paladin/ Rogue Seeming: Grump Kith: Troll Impulse: Modernist Physical: Strength 5, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4 Social: Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 3 Mental: Perception 4, Intelligence 3, Wits 3 Talents: Alertness 4, Athletics 4, Brawl 5, Carousing 2, Dodge 4, Instruction 3, Interrogation 3, Intimidation 4, Kenning 4, Scan 2, Scrounge 4, Search 3, Sense Deception 3, Streetwise 3 Skills: Animal Ken 2, Blacksmith 2, Blind Fighting 3, Camouflage 4, Etiquette 2, Fast-Draw 4, Firearms 5, First Aid 3, Gambling 3, Gunsmithing 4, Hunting 4, Leadership 4, Mechanic 3, Melee 5, Ride 2, Security 4, Stealth 5, Survival 5, Swimming 4, Throwing 2, Tracking 4, Traps 3 Knowledges: Dream Lore 1, Heraldry 5, History 4, Investigation 3, Law 3, Mythlore 1, Occult 1, Politics 4 Arts: Chicanery 4, Legerdeman 3, Primal 4, Pyretics 3, Soothsay 2, Sovereign 1, Wayfare 4 Realms: Actor 5, Nature 4, Fae 5, Prop 4, Scene 2 Backgrounds: Chimera(Battle Axe) 2, Contacts 5, Political Connections 4 Glamour 7, Willpower 9, Banality 4 Image: Tall, rawboned, muscular, dangerous, hint of the deadly country-boy about him. You would not at all be surprised to discover he was ex-Special Forces. Quote: "Now the snapping tension of that limb is about twenty more pounds... did I mention how very interested I am in knowing exactly what you are doing here?" Roleplaying Hints: You've seen war before, you've killed before, you didn't like it but you did it. These new Sidhe need to be put in their place, you fought with the Commoners in the Accordance War and you'll fight to protect those you care for again without counting the cost. History: Ralph Watson was a Marine in Korea, lied about his age so he could enlist at age fifteen and seven months. It was in combat that the Chrysalis came, in hand to hand combat and Ralph was counted as one of the dead until the Marines retook his hill and started sorting through the bodies. Ralph was returned to the States in a very fragile emotional state, riding the ragged edge of Banality as he struggled to deal with what he had become. Fortunately he was found one night by a Sidhe of House Scathach who promptly dragged him down to the nearest Freehold. Finding other Changelings gave Ralph's life some balance it sadly lacked up until that point. He dove into learning everything he could about being a Troll and Kithain, at one point the Satyrs used to joke that he must be a crossbreed o enthusiastic was he about joining into the fun. He bought a Harley and joined a wandering Sidhe of House Scathach to patrol the countryside and the Dreaming. He met other Sidhe of House Scathach and saw other Freeholds, he made a name for himself of sorts amongst the Kithain and grew to truly respect the Sidhe. It was for this work that a Nocker presented him with his great Cold Iron Battle Axe. Thus when the Sidhe returned he was the first to welcome them with open arms, he got a swordbutt in the face for his efforts. He spoke with the Sidhe of House Scathach who were no happier then he was and suddenly Ralph joined the resistance. When the Accordance War broke out he was an absolutely savage fighter for the Commoner's Side, slaying a number of Sidhe with the edge of his Battle Axe. Making a name for himself the Sidhe could fear, but the tide turned and no matter how hard Ralph and his fellow Commoners fought they started to lose. Then High King David emerged and a peace was forged, Ralph wept bitter tear and with a handful of like minded Trolls almost restarted the War! High King David himself met with them and after much heated argument they joined the negotiations. It was only with the intervention of Sidhe of House Scathach that he and other like minded Trolls accepted the Parliament of Dreams at all. He served an initial term in the body, his huge Battle Axe at his hip and his eager willingness to challenge and duel any Sidhe who crossed making an unforgettable impression on friend and foe alike. Finally it was Lady Sierra who made him understand that of all the threats the Kithain faced, disunity in the face of the Prodigals, Unseelie and other threats was the greatest danger. With the greatest reluctance Ralph finally agreed, retiring from the Parliament of Dreams to many heartfelt sighs of relief. He returned to wandering the Trods of the Dreaming, seeking out dangerous Chimera and dueling any Sidhe not of house Scathach with a passionate glee. Eventually though he tired of this and began looking for a place to settle down. When word reached Sara she accepted on the condition that Ralph would go in case the Duke called from the Freehold for Knights. Ralph reluctantly agreed and then was delighted to find out that Sara had managed to exempt her Freehold from such a responsibility. Ralph settled down to a retirement of sorts, stay fit, keeping in touch with his Commoner contacts and practicing his Arts for the day... when he will need them and his Battle Axe. Notes: Ralph Watson is a name known to both Commoner and Sidhe alike, though more to Sidhe then to Commoners these days. He has kept his political contacts active and waits impatiently for the day when he and other common Kithain can freely shed Sidhe blood once again.