(2503) Spring Equinox

[Sonnie Wu]

Funderland

Funderland Amusement Park has been dishing up kid-sized thrills since 1946! It is the only place to take the kids in Sacramento that has nine exciting amusement rides, a concession stand, birthday parties, and more. We are conveniently located in William Land Park next to the Sacramento Zoo and Fairytale Town.


Funderland is a public location, but also the heart of Sacramento's Changeling Freehold.

Some Freeholds hide in plain sight, while others hide so well that new arrivals need an invitation and direction to even catch a hint of just where the Lost's stronghold resides. The Freehold of Sacramento is of the former, and has always been, but with the death of the dragon Fairweather, the Lost of Sacramento have taken control of, and are operating an amusement park. A self contained space, a fortress for the Lost, but one where mortals come spend their money, and offer up something more precious; Glamour. The park is divided along the lines of the Seasonal Courts, each having their own ride or featured building, so the Glamour is spiced in the layers of the four cardinal emotions.


Much like the world - the Hedge - beside the mundane one, there is a private world beneath the park -- prohibition era tunnels, passages and even rooms.


For now, the the Park is closed and admittance is only for the Lost. For those moments before Equinox and Solstice, The Eternal Seasons reign....

This is a great place to gain your Acknowledgement!

At the bottom of the Wishing Well, through the hidden door, the members of the Funderland Freehold find the Tavern decorated and set for the Spring Coronation. Flowers and banners, all in the Spring Court's colors of sky blue and emerald green, hang from the rafters. The banners carry the heraldry of the ascending Court: Antlered crowns, dawning suns, foxes and rabbits, robins and sparrows.

A feast is prepared! Aside from bowls full of a colorful variety of goblin fruits (including hedgenanas!), there is a catered buffet of Chinese food! Well, Chinese-American, like Sonnie! From chop suey and pork fried rice to spring rolls and potstickers! And, of course, a tray full of fortune cookies! The Tavern's bar is fully stock, as always, with beers, wines, and more, all made from fermented goblin fruits! Some mundane water and soda has also been provided for today's event!

And then, as the theme for this year's ceremony: There are the games! The various tables around the common area are laid out with a wide selection of board games! Modern stuff like Monopoly, Clue and Settlers of Catan, as well as more old fashioned games like checkers, chess and go! One table is even set up for a session of Dungeons & Dragons!

On one central table, rests the Wyrdstone, hard and throbbing with the power of the new season!

Everything is prepared, but the new Monarch is not yet in sight. Don't you know Spring likes to be fashionably late?

[Vincent Black]

Vincent Black walked in feeling the energy of the solstice, the transition from the cold, lifeless winter to the warm rebirth of spring. wearing an outfit to represent the neutrality of the Solstice.

"Hail to the Monkey Queen!" Vincent states with sincerity in his voice. "How are you feeling Sonnie? I hope not too nervous; you will be a great queen."

[Saber Sloth]

Please remember to @me when Sonnie puts in 1 Glamour to the Wyrdstone for my narration, after the Glamour is spent, Sonnie Wu can describe her Crown!

Also! For the unacknowledged and the Courtless after Sonnie gets her Crown is when you can spend the 1 Glamour to gain/keep your Status!

[Mina]

So the night had finally arrived, Spring Coronation. She would finally become a full member of the Freehold after touching some sort of stone. One she guessed Sonnie would explain to her more at the event.

Thankfully, Sacramento was filled with tons of second-hand shops and she didn’t have a problem finding a suitable dress for the night. Going with something in a color that reminded her of Spring, and that looked good on her of course, she couldn’t wait to see the rest of the Court and the Freehold.

Sonnies directions for the Wishing Well were easy to follow, and taking a hop into it was a bit different, but, so was Lost life. The landing was soft and transformative, for there was the door, like the Beast said!

Too cool!

Pushing it open, the Elemental carefully steps in and large, mismatched eyes take in the Tavern. Everything from the banners to the food to the drinks! Her head makes jerky motions as she looks around before she catches sight of a new face.

Approaching, but stopping far enough away that she could be dismissed if he didn’t want to talk to her. It would be ok. “Uh, hi.” A ball jointed wrist was held up in a mall wave, mismatched eyes looking to him, ice and frost surrounding the blue eye and part of that side of her face.

[Circe]

There is a sparkle of something in the shadows behind Vincent as he enters. A hooded figure approaches, her footwear clicking as she approaches him. The biggest hint to whom it is: the fact that the person has a pair of Single Action Army revolvers holstered on her person. Kind of obvious that trait.


Circe pushes back the hood, a shiny set of earrings bobbing from her long ears, complimented by a few other bits of jewelry here and there. "Of course she will be Vincent," she waves a fingerless-gloved hand at Sonja, "Best monkey is awesome. Good to see you Sonja. You have this without difficulty my friend."

And then turns to acknowledge the new arrival that is also a total noob. The blue skinned Larcenist tilts her head, black and red eyes scanning the ball jointed woman. Interesting. Circe smiles warmly at the person, though keeps a distance as precaution: "Welcome to our Freehold! I'm the Gunbunny Smurfette. Though most call Circe."

[Kray]

There had been some pausing at the door to the tavern. The last time he had been here, it had not ended well. She's not here and there's no dream stuff involved. But it still takes a steadying breath for the giant to push through the door a few dozens illusory candleflames sparking and guttering around him.

The big and tall stores are not kind to those who need them and want to be fashion conscious, fortunately Kray only falls into one category. Suit with no tie he half recalled a conversation with the soon to be queen about ties at one of these events not however if ties were approved of or not so he had gone without and had one in his pocket just in case. Shoes shined black and moth eaten fedora upon his head taking on hits hedgespun appearance of stitched leather and sackcloth scarecrows as he enters.

Bulbous sickly yellow eyes take in the room, the decorations, the spread, he nose takes in that part to. Before settling on the those already here. "Uh. Hey Vincent." Raising a hand to the courtless beast. "Hey. Circe." The hand follows up to dip the rim of his hat to the Summer queen, not a full doff it wasn't here season yet. And a pause, the hand hand comes back down. The Doll looking lost in the yellow dress didn't have the wyrdstone sense. "Ah. New I take it." A really big day for Sonnie then. "Uh. Welcome to Sacramento, Kray." As for the Monkey queen herself she gets no greeting, because well she doesn't seem to be here yet, not that the Ogre can tell.

[Sonnie Wu]

Had Sonnie been hiding in a back room, waiting for the entire freehold to arrive before making her grand entrance? Peeking under the door through the crack at the bottom? What?! No! Of course not. That would be unbecoming of a Queen!

Impatience is a hallmark of this Beast, though, and she couldn't wait forever. Just most of the freehold would have to do!

Wait, were horns playing? Music for a royal procession? A door opened and the music, played on her smartphone, apparently, blared out!

Sonja Wu came out, floating upon a cloud. Literally. Her fae mount, Nimbus, buoyed the Monkey Girl across the floor towards the small, empty stage area. The little fluffy cloud showed no strain, and Sonnie was perched in a relaxed posture, one foot dangling and tail swaying to the music. She was decked out head to monkey toes in a Hedgespun outfit! Her boots and coin pendant many had seen before. The staff in her hand, also, was no stranger to this freehold. But the rest was new. The Beast wore elaborate-looking armor made of leather, metal and fur, styled like it would be for Sun Wukong himself!

Just as interesting was this: There appeared to be a change to her fae mien. Sonnie's eyes had always had golden-yellow irises, but now, the sclera (the 'white parts of the eye') were now solid black. Like those of a rhesus monkey!

"Greetings, everyone! Hello! Welcome to the Spring Equi--"

Halfway to the stage, something fouled up with her phone and the music went off-track, switching to a track of Sir Mix-A-Lot's 'Baby Got Back'! "Ah! Crap! Noooo!" In a brief panic, Sonnie tried to fix the music, but then gave up and shut it off. Modern technology was always unreliable in the Hedge.

"Uh, yeah. Please ignore that. Never happened." She leaned down and whispered to her mount. "Nimbus, keep going." The cloud obeyed and kept pooting his way over to the stage. Once there, he turned about and presented Sonnie to the gathered Changelings. She smiled and tamped the end of her staff on the floor, like a royal scepter. Remaining seated on Nimbus, she addressed everyone.

"As I was saying: Welcome, everyone! It's the Spring Equinox! We all come here today to celebrate the start of a new year for our freehold. This is the season of renewal. Fresh starts. Inspiration for tackling what the future brings." She smiled, showing off her fangs, "This is also the season of passion and desire. So let your wants and urges run free tonight! We have plenty of food and drink, a whole bunch of games, and of course conversation with your fellow freeholders!" The Courser laughed, "I'm not saying don't get kinky tonight, but if you want to, there's some clubs for that kind of thing downtown."

"But first, we have a little business to take care of. Nimbus, to the Wyrdstone, please."

The cloud stayed put.

"Nimbus?"

The fae mount turn to and fro, seemingly confused. Sonnie sighed.

"The magic rock in the middle of the room."

Nimbus, now understanding, floated his mistress to the appropriate table.

"Okay. Anyway. This is the Wyrdstone, what binds us together as a community. It's magic assures us we will not betray each other to the Gentry or other enemies of the freehold." The Beast gestured at the rock. "With my blessing of Glamour, I officially start Spring! Those of you who are Courtless or new, please add your own Glamour afterwards to join us." With that, Sonnie touched the stone and imbued a bit of her Glamour to it.

As she did so, something amazing happened! A crown formed upon her head. A small hat, with two long, thin feathers on top, appeared! It was Sun Wukong's Phoenix Feather Cap! Or a reasonable facsimile. It seemed the Wyrd played into Sonnie's thematic style. Right on the front of the cap was the wreath symbol of the Spring Court. Her eyes rolled up, trying to see her new fabulous headwear, as her hand reach up to play with one of the feathers. "Oooooo! Flashy!"

With a toothy grin, she stood up on Nimbus and threw her hands into the air! "Let's party, Funderland! Your Monkey Queen has arrived!"
Saber Sloth

[Saber Sloth]

Zing! Zip! Zoom! Comes the flavour of Sonnie's Spring, the glamour suffusing the bond between Wyrdstone and Freeholders, the Wyrdstone's thrumming slows and stutters before gaining a new rhythm.

In the same instance reaching between Freeholder to Freeholder comes a sense of belonging and trust - no one connected to the Wyrdstone is a Loyalist, nor Privateer. It will not compel trust, it wont compel like, but the quiet knowing that your Freeholders will not sell you out to Them.

The Courtless and the Unacknowledged can now freed 1 Glamour into the Wyrdstone to Gain/Keep your Status!

[Svelte Sven]

The Winter Whisperwisp strode into the Wishing Well as quiet as a mouse, trying to draw as little attention to himself as possible. With any luck, nobody would notice that Sven had only just arrived and instead believe that they had merely overlooked his presence. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence. The Flowing Page was wearing his usual black suit and white undershirt but had opted for a baby blue bowtie this time around. Winter and Spring both favored the color, albeit in different shades, and it seemed an appropriate way to show a small degree of festiveness without breaking from his own Court's heraldry.

As he glided through the room, briefly jolted to life by the newly crowned Queen's entrance, the Darkling didn't say a word as he applauded the new Vernal Sovereign. So, it's true. Queen Seraphina is gone. His thin-lipped smile remained as he met the eyes of the Autumn King and Summer Queen, followed by an appropriate bow as he made his way towards the buffet. He favored Vincent with a friendly nod before fixing his gaze on the new arrival. His gaze shifted between the Elemental and the buffet as he slowly piled a plate with assorted foodstuffs, though half the plate seemed to be rice.

Still having said nary a word, the Winter Courtier settled himself at the nearest table with his plate and began to lean on the table, his eyes flitting between various persons but most frequently resting on Mina as he absently poked at his mountain of rice.

[Withers]

Withers arrived in the same suit he had worn at his coronation, slipping in quietly as Sonnie's ascension began.

The Darkling observed from afar as Sonnie provided her first statement as the Queen of Spring. Her words were brief, but the Winter had expected as much given her sudden candidacy and initial uncertainty. It would be up to the Freehold to ensure she was supported so her growth could be assured.

The Beast's mount's confused reaction elicited a small, amused smile from the Antiquarian. The mount took after its mistress it seemed.

Then it happened.

At the summoning of the Spring crown, Withers heard the crinkled cracking of his own, a piece falling to his free hand. The Darkling looked at it absently. Winter was over and his season had passed without much incident. As it should have. Withers then watched as the piece in his hand and the other remnants seemed to evaporate in brief, silent wisps of white mist.

Withers clapped softly as Sonnie concluded her words and dismissed the Lost to celebrate. The Darkling had hoped to congratulate her directly, but the stage was some distance and the Monkey Queen herself was currently aloft. His congratulations could wait.

Instead, the Winter King turned his attention to the food, the pot stickers and pork fried rice in particular tantalizing his prodigious, hooked nose. The Darkling smiled again, but this time there was a sadness to it, reminded as he was of the tradition of Friday Take-Out dinners of a family that was no longer his own.

Hobbling his way over slowly with his cane, Withers provided silent greetings to those he knew, nodding to Circe, Kray, Vincent, and Sonnie. Sven, too, is noticed with the frail Darkling affording his fellow courtier a warm look, or at least as warm as one engrossed in a bittersweet memory could manage. The Winter also makes note of the newcomer speaking to Kray and Circe. He considers approaching, but chooses against it. No need to overwhelm the poor girl, there will be time to talk later.

Thus, the Darkling reaches the assortment of food and silently begins to make his plate.