HISTORY OF THE VENUE

In 1628 John Endecott arrived in what the natives called Naumkeag. He and his 60 followers then and there founded Salem Town. In 1630 John Winthrop, carrying a charter from the Massachusetts Bay Company arrived with 1000 followers and founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony, to be officially known as Boston.

Around 1632, Salem Town converted the existing Naumkeag trail into a connecting road to the main cities of Salem Town and Boston. This would later become known as the Old Ipswich Road, and no matter the name changes, has been the main road connecting the twin cities ever since.

This game centers around the City of Salem, or more specifically its surrounding area defined as 'The Outskirts,' or 'The Barrens', once called Salem Village or even Danvers. Over the course of time this may expand to a larger view, as at one point in history, it is rumored within the Changeling circuits there used to be motleys that thrived in the Boston, but this is no more. On the even of the Millennium something happened to change that; no Boston motley was heard of after that night, and no Changeling that ventured into Boston since has ever returned.

But that's another story.

The Founding of the Freehold of the Broken Sun

Lost have been finding their way to Salem and Boston for as long as they have existed. The local Hedge is well-known, and Goblin Markets have thrived when they've decided to risk a visit. Fae have plundered from all routes but the sea - there is rumor they either don't like or cannot cross such a large body of water, but the population was never so great as during World War II. Many returned Lost found the opportunity to start a new life for themselves by enlisting in the metal works and industrial areas, supporting their bellies with a steady wage, and supporting the country's war effort with the strength of their backs and the skill of their fingers. They gained prestige in the community for their efforts, and a few even found a sense of belonging and community that they had not felt since they had been Taken.

However, after the war America as a whole began casting a suspicious eye on friends and family alike, keeping a constant vigil for a new threat to their way of life: Communists. In a flurry of activity that some equated to the Inquisition or even the Witch Hysteria of Salem itself, Tribunals were held before Congress, indicting famous actors, directors of films and writers of the same. The only thing that kept those indicted from being ostracized (or worse) was the ability to name where they came from; their roots, their family history... and the sacrifice of their friends and neighbors to the hungry madness that sought the Red.

Two things that Lost find it hard to come by are roots and friends. Therefore when the local and state governments turned their eyes towards Boston, a Changeling by the name of Randolph "Brandy" Gershwin rounded up those that would follow and led them down Old Ipswich Road and into the outskirts of Salem. With this move, he founded the Freehold of the Broken Sun.

Brandy Gershwin was not a local; he had arrived only a few years earlier. However, he was an outspoken member of the Summer Court, and with the troubled times this led to strong support from Changeling afraid of physical dangers. With the foundation of a new freehold came a new method of government, and the still-currently held Court system was adopted - A King or Queen for each season, who transferred their authority to the next King or Queen at their respective Court's solstice or equinox, the Ascending monarch chosen in a manner that befits their Court, and sacrosanct from interference. This transference was treated with a ceremony, each former King or Queen blessing the reign of the ascending King or Queen as their last act. These ceremonies are held during the day on the Solstices, and at night on the Equinoxes. There are occasions where hated enemies or a spiteful ruler refused to participate, seeking to hold the crown for longer than was their due, or refusing to bless the reign of the ascending ruler. These tense moments led to short yet final interference by the standing Court of Graces, which was comprised of the rulers of the three former Seasons, whose role it was to support and advise the Ascending ruler. The Graces and their agents made sure the cycle was unbroken.

For the most part, the Changelings obeyed the dictates of the law. It became popular yet seldom-called-upon punishment to exile back to Boston those Lost who had spurned Hospitality or had broken the orders of the acting King/Queen. And as time passed, more and more Changelings were exiled, victims of their own actions, or political maneuvering. It wasn't long before the exiles began trying to sneak back across the Old Ipswich Road in order to exact revenge, so two Ogre brothers were set as Watchmen at the middle of the trod-road. They were known as Ender and Shadow, and they did their jobs very well.

The Founding of Exile's Paradise

In 1972 there were twelve exiles that had been sent to Boston since the founding of Broken Sun. In the Summer of that year, there was also a failed attempt to assassinate the reigning King of Broken Sun. Those responsible were cast across the Ipswich Road, and the number of exiles now doubled. A very spiritual Lost called Jacob Masters soon arose as their leader, and gathered these twenty-four to him, and brought them to a small, rundown church in the heart of Boston. What went on within was never recorded, and has never been spoken of since. When these Changelings exited however a new Freehold had been founded, claiming all of Boston as theirs: Exile's Paradise. Perhaps in an attempt to smooth relations between the two Freeholds, those responsible for the attempted coup against the King of Broken Sun set up a meeting with their former target at the Old Ipswich Road, speaking their apologies for their actions at the guard post of the Ogre Brothers. They told the King of the foundation of their new Freehold, and pledged loyalty should he allow any of them to return. Following the advise of his Graces, the King of Broken Sun accepted the apology, but did not lift their exile. Grumbling but compliant the Exiles acknowledged that they understood, and both parties went their separate ways. All was quiet between the two Freeholds, but diplomatic ties would not be formed between the two for over ten more years.

The Golden Age of Broken Sun

By 1987, thanks to the diligence of their Monarchs and the desire for a return to Normalcy, the Lost of Salem had successfully insinuated itself into every mortal nook and cranny. They had contacts, allies, and connections with every level of mortal government. Its members had no need to struggle to find a mortal identity, no need to save and scrimp to find and obtain shelter. Public works projects were assembled to provide free or reduced housing, with the express intention of using it for Changeling newcomers. Deep in downtown was a club, full of lights, mirrors, sweat, beauty, sound, and Changelings. The club was called 'Pride,' and it lived up to its name. It was during this time that Broken Sun recognized the sovereignty of Exile's Paradise as a Freehold of Changelings, and not just a community of criminals. All of their past sins were forgiven, and ties were allowed to be formed between the two Freeholds.

In late 1994, all of this came suddenly and unexpectedly crashing down. A Loyalist had gotten into the mix somehow, and there were a series of police inquiries, and then raids involving the public housing projects, which caught the members of the freehold off guard and ill-prepared. Many were arrested on drug, prostitution, and sundry other trumped-up charges. There were Changelings involved, and there were human injuries and deaths. Many Changelings were arrested, and most were never heard from again, including that season's reining monarch.

Almost simultaneously, there was an internal investigation which revealed corruption on government offices of all levels. Many public officials were fired, fined, or even imprisoned. Many Changelings, not just the ruling Court, retreated to Pride, to try and regroup, and to seek leadership to combat this sudden blitzkrieg on their paradise. The wisest of the Changelings spoke against this, spreading tales of conspiracy on behalf of the Fae, and the need to retreat to somewhere unknown, somewhere which they could hide until the storm blew itself out. When the numbers of refugees at Pride began to climb too high, these conspiracy theorists took those that would listen and escaped to the Outskirts of old Salem Town and Danvers, and a few even took cover in Boston.

Two days later it happened: The Fae, along with a cadre of loyalists and even a few fetches raided Pride, leaving nothing inside and the building itself reduced to a smoldering ruin. It is rumored that of the thirty-odd Changelings that had taken refuge there, only three escaped alive, and had gone into deep hiding somewhere in the woodlands between Boston and Salem. However as often happens with rumor, no two stories can agree on the identities of the escapees; but all agree that they were no longer sane. This day became known as Dark Thursday.

It was never discovered why the Fae had raided Pride, or how they had even known of its location, however after that night they seemed to leave Broken Sun as abruptly as they appeared. In their stead they left behind a legacy: loyalists remained and performed the same trick that the Broken Sun Changelings had done: they infiltrated the government, and passed policy to make life increasingly harder for Lost. They put things in place that flagged for attention should someone use an identity that was not on file; and that surveyed buildings that may not show up on an official census, that looked for and targeted the lives of Changelings. In was in this manner that the Golden Age of Broken Sun came to end. By 1997, the only Changelings that lived within the Core of Salem were Loyalists, with Fetches serving as their allies, and the Fae ready to answer their call.

The Millennium Mystery (Dec 31, 1999/Jan 1, 2000)

The night of the Millennium changeover holds great interest and fear for the surviving changelings of the area. Prior to that night, many changelings populated Boston, and there was free travel and trade with the motleys of that area, when the Loyalists weren't looking that is. There was talk amongst those Lost who remained after Black Thursday of giving up Salem as lost and moving on to Boston itself.

However, after that night, there was no communication with any Changeling from Boston. Any Changeling that has set out on the Old Ipswich Road, or traveled to Boston through other means has not returned. No one truly knows why, and there isn't even a popularly accepted theory that attempts to explain it. There is, however, rumor of a young Changeling that was in the middle of a phone conversation with a girl at one of the parties being thrown by the Boston Changelings. Supposedly, he was able to hear what happened to the girl; and it drove him mad. The rumor continues to explain that he still wanders the lands near the Old Ipswich Road, babbling incoherently about what he heard that night. But then, it's just a rumor.

The Corrupted Core

Over the years that followed the coup-de-gras by the loyalist agents, human policy in Salem became progressively stricter regarding transients, vagrants, panhandlers, day laborers, immigrants, and those without the proper identification. The Loyalist and Fetch cell that stood behind these sweeping changes were given a name by those Changelings within Broken Sun: The Corrupt. Few bothered noting that they merely turned the tactics of Broken Sun against them; and those that did were swiftly drowned out by the voices of outrage.

The Rebellion (Summer, 2007)

The Changelings had learned to cope with this new structure quite well, and had even managed to bring some semblance of order back into their lives. However a Summer Court named Leoni had petitioned and argued in favor of combat with The Corrupt for quite some time. Eventually, his arguments allowed him to gain enough power to be appointed as the Summer King. One of his first acts as King was to gather unto himself those that were willing to march with him into the Core to do battle with The Corrupt. He appointed his Summer Grace, Pyriel, as the Regent until he could return, left a skeleton guard for the freehold, and set off with his court. They have not been heard from since.

There was no Summer King to bless the ascending Monarchs reign, even though Pyriel had almost flawlessly continued the Season's reign in Leoni's stead. Those remaining Lost were for the most part too scared or too worried about their own skins to go to the Core and seek him, and with the changeling of the Seasons fast approaching many were uneasy, restless. Would the blessings of Pyriel carry the enchantment necessary to ensure a good reign for the Autumn Court? Leoni had carried his crown into battle with him, or so most had assumed, so how would the changing of the Crowns happen? Should they hold the ceremony at all, or should they wait until Leoni returned?

The remaining Graces - Drakkar of the Autumn Court, Makarios of the Winter Court, and Sephrenia of the Spring Court - with support of Pyriel, took matters into their own hands. The turning of the wheel of the year could not be stopped, thus the changing of their Courts could not be allowed to either. They made the preparations, and they assembled on the Autumn Equinox, cautious eyes to the west and muted unease coursing through the celebrants. As night fell and Drakkon accepted the blessings of Pyriel for a good rule of the Autumn Months, Makarios revealed that Leoni had entrusted him with the Crown of Seasons. Drakkon suspicious, Sephreina overjoyed and Pyriel puzzled and somewhat hurt that she had not been told, placed the crown on Drakkon's head and gave him her blessings for a good and prosperous rule.

The Seasons turned. Sephrenia was once more the Spring Queen. Makarios ruled the Winter, and Pyriel once again took the reins for Summer. A little over a year has passed, and Drakkon once again holds Ascendancy.

The Loyalists hold Salem, and the Courts hold them back as best they can. Boston continues to devour any Changelings who venture too close. There is still no word from Leoni and his Court, but the blessings of Pyriel apparently carried the weight of the Seasons. There have been some murmured rumors on how Makarios got his hands on the Crown, but with Winter fast approaching, and with the Graces steadfastly supporting the shriveled Wizened, no one is prepared to make a move against him.

That is where things now stand. What happens next is up to you.