Changeling
The seasons flow differently in Houston. In the hold Winter rules the summer months as humidity is their snowfall, Spring runs the fall as the mist settles down for a visible Summer averaging Rulling the winter months with temperatures of 60 degrees and much less humidity, and Fall picks up in the spring as the moisture grows to muggy levels that make people want to stay inside.
The seasons are not balanced either as the Summer and winter court take the lions share of the time and oppress the two smaller courts that only get 2 months to the larger courts 4 months.
It's the fourth 'fattest' city in the US, and it's highways strangle the city like the hedge, but the hedge is very dangerous in this part of the country. Sawgrass is overgrown, and the walls of many hollows are made of it which leads to a slip and some nasty cuts. There are a few goblin markets that generally burn their way through the hedge in patterns that mimick the veins that are the cities highways that are clogged and waiting for a heart attack. Time and noise flow oddly in the Hedge hear as well; the local changelings call it chopped and screwed after the popular music style that had many artists from the city. These time shifts and hiccoughs do not make it any easier as a clear path can close up at a moments notice with a loud vibration kicking it off. It takes much skill to maintain a hollow in this hedge.
The 'lings of the city: Houston has a disproportionately high number of Darklings and Ogres, and much fewer Wizened and Fairest as compared to other holds, this could possibly be because of where the hedge dumps escaped changelings, but no one really knows why it is that way.
Notable Freehold Members
Daniella Myst is the 'leader of the court of winter', or has the most influence. She is essentially the one who forced the seasons to flow incorrectly; Her kith is that of a darkling and elementalist, and she is always hiding right in the open. It's what she knows that keeps her in her place of power.
Lilly Hudson leads the court of autumn. Her woodblood roots show quite clearly, and her temper is fiery, but restrained. She is the most vocal of her dislike for the inversed seasons, but the autumn court does not have enough pull to hold their posistion with the other three opposing them.
Jack Froth is leads the court of the mild Summer. It is called mild, but it may be the most enjoyable time of the year in Houston. The hedge calms down this time of year, and even though it is not the ideal part of the year the summer court enjoys the second most desireable time of year. Jack is a stonebones and boasts that the hedge is only nice in the winter months because it knows it cannot hurt him while he is in charge.
Last, but not least is the 'ling that rules the Spring court that runs in the fall. It is Jormungar Fletch is one of the few wizened in the city, an artist and a skilled hunter. Jormungar has enough influence to hold onto the fall months claiming that Spring must follow winter, and this is the time of the year the city jumps to life with school starting back up and the muggyness fading away.
The system is no where near perfect and 'bass ackwards', but Ms. Myst and Mr. Fletch are very close. Many lings wonder what kind of dirt she has on him for him to be so agreeable to rule 2 months of the year,and to not try to balance things out.
The Full fledged Fae hide around the edges of the city watching for their time to sneak off with greater bounty, but are reluctant to make any overly aggressive moves, but as a general rule they are unpredictable as always, but prefer to send loyal changelings into the city to try to 'collect missing assets'.
The circular theme of the seasonal transitions and goblin markets reflects in Houston's Central business district where most of the roads are one way... One could easily get lost looking for something if they didn't know where to look; this fits in with the mood of the city. The hot thick summers, swampy landscape and sea of people and traffic made it just that a place to get lost and blend in moving from one facet of life to the other in repetitive motion to survive and usually not stand out.
It should also be mentioned that after hurricane Katrina the influx of 'foreigners' put a strain on the freeholds security as it felt large swells of people and some lost that brought many nightmares into the city with the trauma caused by the destruction. Many of the Lost of New Orleans ran into the hedge as their realities crashed down amongst them to never be seen again. The other more fortunate ones are more disillusioned and considered dangerous and reckless by the resident Lost of Houston. These two groups never really integrated, and rightfully so because if the rumors are true, the True Fae near the big easy are pointing their eyes towards Houston.
