Recent Changes -

PerchanceGame > Freehold History

Historical Timeline

Founding and Early History

  • 1630, the Massachusetts Bay Colony is founded by Puritan Settlers on the Shawmut Peninsula. The settlement is initially referred to as "Trimountaine" after the three large hills, but is eventually named Boston after the English town from which several prominent citizens immigrated.
  • 1636, Harvard Unniversity -- the nations oldest institute of higher learning -- is founded. It was not named until three years later, however, having previously been referred to as "the new college".
  • 1770s, Events such as the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party, combined with British attempts to exert more control over her colonies, lead to the American Revolution in which Boston plays a role. Several early battles take place near the city.
  • 1820s, the cities population begins to swell, its ethnic diversity increasing, as more and more Europeans immigrate to the city. Irish, French Canadians, Russians, and Polish Jews all settle in the city and by the end of the 19th century the city boasts several ethnically distinct neighborhoods.
  • 1836, the city of Lowell is founded in Dr. Elisha Barlett. One of the countries early Industrial towns.
  • 1872, the Great Boston Fire blazes for 12 hours and causes some $73.5 billion dollars in damages. At least 12 people die.
  • 1912, "Bread and Roses" labor strike in Lawrence, Mass. Endemic of the issues

The Trimountain Society

  • 1919, some few weeks after the ending of WWI, a group of seven Changelings emerge from the Hedge into the Greater Boston area. While each had vague memories of working together to escape from the Gentry, the group initially went their own separate ways. After a few months of confusion and lonliness, however, six of these Lost formalized an oathbound Motley. The seventh left the area, never to return.
  • 1921, the motley of escapees first learns that they were not the first Lost to escape from Faerie, when they make contact with the Williams' Boys, a freehold located in Providence, Rhode Island. While initially somewhat hostile toward the Bostonians, the motley endears themselves to the Lost of Providence by the end of the year. All but one of the motley joins one of the Seasonal Courts, the group as a whole favoring the Winter Court.
  • 1923, the motley swears a decade-long Pledge of Featly to the Williams' Boys freehold in Providence, Rhode Island, accepting the aid and guidance of the Lost there as they continue to try to re-establish their lives as much as they can. Reginald Beyers assumes rough leadership of the Motley.
  • 1924, the motley establishes the "Trimountain Lodge" on the site of the large Trod that dominates Beacon Hill. Membership is restricted to the local changelings, visiting Lost from Providence, and various Enchanted men of wealth and means.
  • 1927, one of the members of the Motley, Ashley Morrigan, is lost on a trip into the Hedge. While the other members of the Motley look for him, no sign of his exact fate is ever found; the mystery is used as a cautionary tale to this day.
  • 1929, the Great Stock Market Crash and beginnings of the Great Depression. On the midnight before Black Tuesday, 6 confused and disoriented Changelings emerge from the Hedge into Boston. Free-spirit Augustina Valen ends up the nominal leader of the new Motley over the remainder of the year. This somewhat bothers her new-found beau, Howard Little, who privately thinks her a good lay but not someone who people should listen to.
  • 1930, The relationship between Augustina and Howard disintegrates, the Motley tearing apart in the process. Howard Little ends up Courtless and alone, while Augustina reforges the Motley pledge with two of the others and eventually a fourth toward the end of the year. The last member, Blind Thomas, leaves the region for a bit to explore other freeholds in New England and learn more of Changeling society.
  • 1931, Augustina and Howard are summarily expelled from the Trimountain Lodge following a messy fight started in the Lodge that eventually progressed into a near-fatal Hedge Duel that left Howard victorious and Augustina near death. Despite the protests of her motley, Augustina suffers Reginald's ire just as much as Howard and the incident pushes the two Motleys apart.
  • 1933, the Pledge of Featly between Boston and Providence is renewed for another decade. Lorraine, of the original Motley, becomes the first Entitled Changeling in Boston when she becomes a Blackbird Bishop. Lastly, toward the of the year, a young black woman who can only call herself Constance walks from the Hedge after a harrowing ordeal in Arcadia. Adopted and looked after by Augustina, she is largely snubbed by the original motley.
  • 1936, Blind Thomas returns to the city with a small motley he'd gathered up around himself, bringing with him news of the rest of New England and knowledge that there used to be a sizable Freehold in the city. This causes a bit of a stir, and a sizable backlash against the Williams' Boys freehold of Providence - which it turns out was founded by Exiles from the Boston Freehold during the early 1800s.
  • 1937, Providence reluctantly agrees to allow the Pledge of Featly between it and the Bostonian Changelings to fade prematurely, and relationships between the Lost of the two cities cools considerably. Lorraine, Augustina, and Constance cooperate in some charitable endeavors designed to help those most affected by the Depression. This endeavor grows considerably over the next couple of years, especially among the cities Spring Court changelings.
  • 1939, World War II breaks out in Europe. A few Bostonian Changelings wonder if another escape from Arcadia is eminent, but none materializes. Augustina is allowed entrance back into the Trimountain Lodge, though refuses when Constance is not allowed membership due to her race, causing issues to cement between the two motleys. This slows down the formation of an actual freehold in Boston for another few years.
  • 1941, the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, drawing the United States into WWII. Exactly one week later, 5 changelings emerge from the Hedge. Reginald, along with a few other young male Lost, leave for training and war. The remaining Bostonian Changelings of all three extant Motleys band together to help the recent escapees find their place. The Trimountain Society is founded toward the end of the year, Blind Thomas serving as first seasonal ruler.

The War Years

  • 1941-1945, sees many of the male Changelings in Boston leave for the war in Europe or the Pacific. Rule of the Freehold rotates between Lorraine (Spring), a young but charismatic changeling named David Ironhands (Summer), Regina, an older Matron of the original Motley (Autumn), and Blind Thomas (Winter). Other than
  • 1944, Reginald Beyers is believed to have perished on Omaha Beach during the beginnings of the Battle of Normandy. His exact fate is hard to determine, however, with most of the cities Changelings believing him to have perished as an unknown soldier.
  • 1945, Howard Little escapes from the Battle of Iwo Jima through the Hedge, though he is reported MIA and presumed dead. He arrives home in Boston a bit before the end of the war, joining the Winter Court and making amends with Augustina and her motley -- though remaining independent and on the fringes of the Freehold. The end of the war brings the return of Boston's sons, most of whom were lucky enough to survive through the fighting.
  • 1946, James Byron, taken from a battlefield in Europe that he can't quite remember by the Gentry, returns to his home of Boston through the Hedge with his memories in more than a bit of a shambles. He gets back on his feet quickly enough, however, joining the Autumn Court and forming a small motley of veterans and war heroes who were either without a motley before the War or drifted apart from their motley during the war.
  • 1947, Lorraine declines the rule of the Freehold during the turning of the seasons, passing it on to Augustina instead, who accepts the position reluctantly but performs admirably. Notable of her actions include the first true event drawing the entire Boston Freehold together, in the form of the Spring Courts roaring party. Everyone got drunk, not a few people ended the night in bedrooms with each other, and much fun was had by all. The other Seasonal Rulers followed suit with various events of their own, a practice they knew was common in other Freeholds.
  • 1950, the Korean War breaks out. Unlike WWII, most of the Freehold managed to avoid this war (dodging the Draft through fate magic, where necessary), though a few particularly patriotic Changelings left to help fight the evils of communism. Dr. Elijah Jonan, a veteran of WWII and one of the Changelings to escape from the Hedge in 1941, managed to finish his dint in Medical School and set up a private clinic loosely attached to the Trimountain Society. He also became the second member of the Blackbird Bishops in the city.
  • 1951, Early in the year, a pair of Lost -- John Toombs and Nora Pickett -- emerge from the Hedge into the city. There's some debate on rather this constitutes a "group escape", or not, but the two end up joining different Motleys and most still suspect something larger to come. Later in the year, Regina, leader of the Autumn Court and until-this-point Queen of the Freehold during her season was killed in a shooting shortly before her assumption power. The chaos that followed saw a somewhat confused James Byron into leadership of both the Court and the Freehold.
  • 1952, Jonathon Bligh returns through the Hedge, claiming to have been kidnapped by the Gentry in 1911. Ends up joining a motley with Nora Pickett, the two ending up starting a relationship and getting married a year later. A machinist and mechanic, Bligh takes up blacksmithing and other crafts, becoming something of a artisan and weaponsmith for the Summer Court.
  • 1953, James Byron takes a break from the position he never wanted, while remaining his position as First of the Autumn Court, passing the leadership of the Freehold during his season to Smiling Jack. Lorraine leaves on a lengthy pilgrimage into the Hedge.
  • 1957, The Freehold acts to protect Nora Pickett from the House Un-American Activities Committee. One of the two Changelings who escaped from the hedge last year, whose Fetch had unbeknownst to her been a "communist sympathizer", the effort caused a fair amount of trouble and was the first real test of the Trimountain Societies unity and ability.
  • 1959, Another group of 7 changelings emerges from the Hedge on the 1st of April. Two strong personalities emerge from this group: A bankers son from the Great Depression whose family lost everything who now goes by Grogast, and a talented dancer/painter/poet named Sky. The Ogre and the Fairest, despite working together quite closely to escape, split the group of survivors into two motleys with one Changeling eschewing the Freehold entirely. The Vietnam War breaks out at the end of the month.
  • 1959-1975, the Vietnam War. While only a few Bostonian Changelings leave to fight in this war, three young men end up kidnapped by the Gentry during their service overseas and return to Boston at some point later. The most notable of these, Cayce, takes James Byron's place as leader of the "Bloody-Handed Sons" motley of veterans and war heroes -- the Autumn Court taking more and more of Byron's attention.

Winter - The Bad Years

  • 1960, the presence of a motley of Privateers in the city is discovered after Hajj, a member of Sky's motley, is nearly kidnapped. The Summer and Winter Courts work together to deal with the threat and the young Grogast makes something of a name for himself in the conflict.
  • 1961, Augustina Valen throws a party for her 60th birthday, inviting the entire freehold and making it one of the biggest events of the decade. Sex, drugs, rock and roll; a non-stop party for the entire weekend! The event even gets a few visitors from other parts of the state, Providence, and a few other parts of New England. Sky and her motley rescue a little boy lost in the Hedge, and work to help keep other children from falling through the loose gateway.
  • 1963, The Boston Chronicler, a small local tabloid published by a recently formed Motley associated with the Autumn and Winter Courts. Something of an underground establishment of limited circulation, the rag is amusingly and even vaguely informative. Editor-in-Chief, Norus Neveria, enjoys the balance between truth and fiction. Cayce emerges from the Hedge, the first Vietnam-era Changeling.
  • 1964, Unusual amounts of activity from the Gentry, especially along the Trod, cause a bit of chaos. The Summer Court loses its only real engagement, David Ironhands injuring himself in the process. The Autumn Court and Winter Courts mostly try to find out whats going on, but the activity dies down as suddenly as it started and to no seeming purpose or end.
  • 1965, Howard Little, apparently some sort of Margrave of the Brim, starts off a minor scandal when he returns to town claiming that David Ironhands and James Byron have been causing trouble in his territory. Sky and her motley end up getting in the middle of this while chasing an escaped Hobgoblin into the contested area, earning a bit of ire from the Ironhanded when the affair blows up in their faces. Surprisingly, Howard Little (initially annoyed at more interlopers) comes down in their favor, which doesn't help things for Sky. Jameson Black, annoyed at Sky's "leadership" and the politics of the Courts, falls into Little's camp -- his departure ends up fragmenting and tearing apart the Motley. Blind Thomas refuses to turn over control of the Freehold at end of year.
  • 1966, the Year with No Spring.
    • January - Blind Thomas declares himself the King of Endless Winter and begins the process of cementing his control over the freehold. Grogast, Hajj, and Samuel swear oaths binding them to their King for the rest of their lives, while a fourth knight refuses and is banished from Boston. Constance tries to talk Thomas out of this chain of events, refusing to back down even unto the point of execution.
    • February, March, April - David Ironhands and Augustina Valen lead a resistance to the Endless Winter, and gain a fair amount of support from all the courts in the process due to the actions of Blind Thomas and in particular his execution of Constance.
    • May - Blind Thomas orders the Boston Chronicler to stop publication. Norus Neveria refuses, taking his paper even further underground. Ironically, all that Blind Thomas managed was boosting the papers popularity considerably among the Freehold.
    • June, July - A heretofore largely unknown member of the Winter Court, Lady Midnight, breaks away from Blind Thomas' section of the Court with a fair number of supporters and comes in on the side of the resistance. A few small battles are fought in the streets.
    • August, September - David Ironhands fights off Blind Thomas' knights and drags the King of Endless Winter into the Hedge to face a Hedge Duel. The battle is fierce and the battle is close, but ultimately, Thomas falls though his body is never recovered.
    • October, November, December - Some small battles against the remainder of the Winter Court and Thomas' Knights. Samuel surrenders to the resistance and accepts the sanction of an oathbreaker, but the other two knights remain committed to revenge if not victory.
  • 1967, Two attempts to re-establish seasonal rule are tried, but ultimately rejected, as the Courts continue to hash out new rules to help prevent such from happening and again a bit of light fighting occurs against the remaining Winter Court who refuse to surrender. While some want to simply let matter drop, David Ironhands refuses to accept anything but complete victory.
  • 1968, David Ironhands personally kills Grogast, Hajj is killed in general melee, and a full accounting is made of the Winter Court by the Lady Midnight. Seasonal rule is re-established in midsummer, with a few alterations to the rules, changing the nature of the oaths Knights swear to ensure loyalty to the Freehold first and the King second and creating the position of Knight-Errant who owes no loyalty to the King at all except as a general position that rotates with the seasons. Popular appeal sees James Byron back on the thrown of Autumn, while the Lady Midnight is asked to assume the position of Winter Queen by David Ironhands.
  • 1969, the Moonlanding. Augustina steps down from Spring Queen, passing the position to the younger Jordan for a few years. She also crates a day of memorial on the anniversary of Constances death, which is remembered to this day. Sky earns an official "thank you" from David Ironhands for her guardianship of a troublesome gateway into the Hedge, and for her actions during the Year of Endless Summer in tending to wounded Summer Courtiers, taking as her offered boon the assistance of a few Summer Courtiers in the construction of a hollow near the troublesome gateway.
  • 1971, Two changelings are kidnapped by Privateers and sold to Goblins before the renegade Motley is discovered and scattered (but not destroyed). Many Changelings look upon this event as the first major sign of the Oath that Blind Thomas broke when he declared Endless Winter. John Silber made President of Boston University.
  • 1973, Jordan is caught in a car accident some three days after she's sworn in as Spring Queen, badly injured but still alive. Lorraine acts as interim Queen for the majority of the season. 4 young Lost emerge from the Hedge in late August, confused and bewildered, and absolutely sure that seven of them escaped not four. The missing three are never quite accounted for. The original incarnation of "the Scene" forms from a number of young changelings, and it starts off strong, drawing off a strong Spring Court presence and "disco fever".
  • 1974, Augustina agrees to resume her position as Spring Queen. David Ironhands leads a series of raids into the Hedge to attempt to locate a motley of Loyalists, both finds and engages them, but takes some loses including Nora Pickett. Jonathan Bligh goes into morning at the death of his wife, throwing himself even further into his mundane and Court responsibilities.
  • 1976, The Lady Midnight turns over Bright-eyed William as a Loyalist working with the Gentry, with David Ironhands (sitting Summer King at that point) and Blackeyeblue (Knight-Errant) overseeing the short trial that ends in the traitors execution. After the trial, she all-but disappears until her assumption of power, announcing during the Winter Formal that the Freehold was finally free of loyalists. With little reason to believe her, everyone did so anyway.
  • 1977, Lady Midnight retires from the political scene, with a respected Winter Courtier named Kevin Journey taking over as Winter King. This meets the private disapproval of David Ironhands, who still doesn't entirely trust the Winter Court, but Lady Midnight isn't really available for comment.
  • 1778, Samhain and John Toombs form a motley known as the Beacon Hill Irregulars. This radical Summer Court motley doesn't make many waves at first, but finds itself making a name for itself quickly enough. James Byron adopts 9 year old mixed-race girl, Patricia.

Spring - the Good Years

  • 1979, A messy affair known as "the Little Boy Blue affair", involving a half dozen college students and one of the Gentry, starts off the year. Early response by the Irregulars saves a few lives (but only a few), but the Other ends up dragging one of the Lost back through the Hedge with him when he escapes. The rest of the year is somewhat somber and restrained, until 9 lost escape from the Hedge in September, forcing things to recover somewhat as everyone tries to pitch in.
  • 1980, Alexander Harnley, displaced nearly 20 years since his abduction in the early 60s, erupts into the local community. In addition to killing his Fetch and forming a new Motley, Alexander seems to be quite adept at business and moving through Boston's upper society. In contrast, Mercedes suffers through a nervous breakdown after discovering that her fetch was disbarred (ruining her lucrative career) and later died in a car accident, and Eliza is put on suicide watch by the Court for almost two months before recovering sufficient to be left on her own.
  • 1981, The Scene calls on a little help from the Freehold after one of their members is arrested for dealing barbiturates, Mercedes recovers from her depression and looks into getting another law degree somehow. Sky finds herself acting as the leader of a young Motley formed two years ago, despite her wishes to the Contrary, playing the "older experienced Changeling". The Beacon Hill Irregulars drive away a long-standing Goblin Market, earning a bit of ire from some of the Courts and praise from some of the others but are completely unapologetic.
  • 1982, A few of Darklings, Ogres and Beasts from the Autumn Court join Nocturne to form the motley Creepy in celebration of their love of dark places. After Summer Courtier Jack Timblefingers petitions to join as well, a few other Changelings jump on as well. While Nocturne is at first reluctant, and some are turned away, the Motley eventually grows to respectable size. Sky's Motley is bailed out of a near disaster by the Beacon Hill Irregulars, having been captured by Goblin Traders and held for sale; the younger Motley loses one of its members to the Irregulars. David Ironhands makes Nathaniel a Knight, taking the young Fairest under his wing.
  • 1983, Augustina declines to serve as Spring Queen this year, leaving the position to Jordan. She leaves for California in Mid-February, only returning in August, without really telling anyone outside her Motley the reasons for her trip. The Beacon Hill Irregulars get into a turf war with Blood Red, ending with the Irregulars withdrawing and ranting about how Blood Red was in league with the Gentry. This somewhat blows up in their face when, after the matter is settled, Blood Red scours their territory for the patsy the Irregulars were looking for and turns them over to the Summer Court. The Lady Midnight resurfaces.
  • 1984, Harnley Industries, Alexander Harnley's Consulting Firm, has its IPO and goes public -- though Harnley's Motley retains controlling shares in the business. Anthony Redface blows off Samhain's kneecap after capturing the leader of the Irregulars sneaking around in his territory, and tells the Court that if any of the Irregulars are found in their territory again he'll kill them. David Ironhands vouches for Blood Red and tells the Irregulars to drop it. Sky appeals to the Freehold to help a member of her Motley that got committed.
  • 1985, The Beacon Hill Irregulars lose a member of their Motley in the Hedge, and later lose another member who defied Blood Red and went looking around their territory despite Samhain's orders not to, with all out war between the Motleys only put off due to Samhain's careful and sincere apology. The Boston Chronicle gets into a bit of trouble with the Autumn Court for some stories they published.
  • 1986, The Scene hosts this years Spring Revel, a tradition they keep up until '97. Eliza attempts suicide, assisted and watched over by one of her "friends", but is rescued and healed before she dies after another friend spills the beans to Augustina about what she was trying to do. The "friend" was Exiled, and Eliza abandoned her ties to the Winter Court and disavowed the Freehold, which reluctantly let her go. Sky intervenes, though, her Motley picking up Eliza and using her ties with Jameson Black to turn her over to Howard Little for safekeeping. Mercedes Ellen Lackaday manages to attain a foolproof identity, papers proving her a licensed Lawyer and a small (and very humble) Law Firm; also changes from the Autumn to the Spring Court.
  • 1987, Jordan forms a small motley composed of friends she's earned over the years. The Beacon Hill Irregulars fragment, lightly, when Samhain leaves the group to return to the Summer Court mainstream taking a few members with him. The motley reorganizes itself into a distributed power structure. Lady Midnight returns to her position of Winter Queen.
  • 1988, Anthony Redface shows up in Court, looking far worse for wear, and throws the severed head of one of the Gentry at David Ironhands' feet. The two leave to discuss some things in private, Anthony Redface leaving afterwards. The exact details are hard to gather, as Bloody Red keeps to themselves, but apparently they fought a powerful member of the Gentry and suffered greatly for it. It took them a few months to bring their territory back into control, and they refused all offered assistance in doing so.
  • 1989, James Byron sends his adopted daughter Patricia off to College in California. The Beacon Hill Irregulars inadvertently burn a large house down, some of its members wanted for questioning in the arson case, the Motley calling on the Freehold to help them get out from under this little problem. Alicia Dimble escapes from the Hedge, with little or no memory of her life except for the Hospital where she emerged. She spends most of the year in Augustina's care, before eventually joining The Scene.
  • 1990, Creepy begins a Halloween tradition in the form of the "Haunted House", a free-for-all scare fest where Lost and normal humans mix freely.
  • 1991, Augustina holds a party for her 90th Birthday! Three lost make it out of the Hedge, frightened and paranoid, taken in by the Freehold. One of them wanders off back into the Hedge before the end of the year, while the other two Sandra and Jack Tanner adjust decently enough. Sky and her Motley take a road trip down to Florida, staying the Winter, and return early next Spring. The Scene loses one of its members to a drug overdose.
  • 1992, Bill Clinton elected president. Lady Midnight cracks down on a Motley that had evolved away from "attending college" toward "dealing drugs, both chemical and hedge-based, causing all manner of trouble." Several members, including the Motleys leader, were Exiled from the City. The Beacon Hill Irregulars end the year with a 'public shaming' of numerous Lost for various petty incidents and suspicious activities.

Current Events

  • 1993, A decent sized group of Changelings join the growing trend among the affluent of Boston's gay community by purchasing a house in crime-ridden South End and working to spritz up the place. On the front lines of the urban cleanup, GLBT attracts a bit of ribbing from some of the Freeholds more puritanical elements until Augustina cuts it off with open praise of what "the Fags are doing down in South End!" The affectionately given nickname sticks, with even members of the Motley adopting it as a badge of honor (plus, everyone loves Augstina).
  • 1994, The Scene gets caught up in something to do with the cities Mage population, and spends about four months disentangling themselves. David Ironhands holds trial over Mustang Sally, of Creepy, after the Beacon Hill Irregulars made some accusations about all the time she spent in the Hedge. She's cleared and apologized to by Ironhands, but nobody is quite sure of the details. Mercedes' is made a Knight by James Byron, to help deal with some legal matters, though the Lady Midnight elects not to retain her services.
  • 1995, The original founder and leader of the Scene dies in a plane crash while traveling from New York. For the time being, Ferguson assumes rough leadership of the group, but a sizable faction seems to prefer Alicia's view of the Motley and two members bow out when time comes to renew the Motley Pledge in favor of joining Creepy and the Spring Court's motley. James Byron and Howard Little get into a tiff over activity on the Brim, which reveals to everyone that Eliza is both healthy and well and in the care of the Margrave. Creepy spends most of Winter on the construction of a shared Hollow out in Roslindale.
  • 1996, The Beacon Hill Irregulars get "politely asked" by Augustina to quit harassing Downhill, a small mostly unknown Motley located in Back Bay. The motley mostly obeys but everyone knows they're looking for something -- some wonder if its just paranoia or if they know something. Creepy unwittingly gets infested with Wyld-Mites and spreads the little buggers a bit further; Sky, her Motley, and Doctor Jonan do most of the work in terms of helping clean things up. Lastly, the end of the year sees the Irregulars gone for a few weeks to investigate something in Providence.
  • 1997, The Scene breaks apart, two independent Motleys forming up around Fergy and Alicia, each claiming to be the inheritor of the original group and some members abandoning the group entirely. David Ironhands has to execute one of his own Knights, Kenneth Briar, when it comes out that he's been providing mortal victims for his keeper for the last three years. Patricia, James Byron's adopted daughter, comes home to Boston after living in LA for a while.
  • 1998, A number of Changelings wake up in Chinatown with no memory of why they got there; the strange event starts in July or so, and strikes every two or three months with no real rhyme or reason behind it. The Beacon Hill Irregulars announce that they found a hidden and heavily warded hollow that they believe once belonged to Blind Thomas, which they claim for their own after letting some of the other members of the Court check it out. A few rumors circulate that one of the Gentry (a huntsman, with a pack of vicious dogs) has been spotted in various parts of the city.
  • 1999, Sky loses a member of her motley; no one has any clue what happened to him. Six changelings emerge from the hedge near the end of the year, including a very young girl from the 20s - Mary Ferland. The core of the recent escapees form a new Motley, the Family. The year ends with the revelation that John Toombs is actually Paul Ferland, a loyalist working for the safe-keeping of his sister until recently in Faerie. With his sisters escape, Paul goes on a bit of killing spree of the privateers he'd been working with, and is presumed dead (or worse). In the aftermath, Nathaniel abdicates his Knighthood and the Beacon Hill Irregulars break up.
  • 2000, current events.