Tinseltown Market
History
Fae scholars in their off time debate the origin of the name 'Tinseltown', be it from the Freehold of the Fae or Los Angeles itself or Hollywood or some other origin. Whatever the truth, Tinsletown has been in existence since the Interregnum as one of the few Balefired' Freeholds on the west coast. Always a market in some fashion, it always held to the same theme: "Here, you come to find your dreams". When it first sprung to life, it was a prospector's market during the Gold Rush where mortal prospectors bought pickaxes, maps and hired services while the Kithain traded what goods they had with the flickering little Balefire to protect them from the horrors of banality (and there were big miner trolls to keep people at pace).
As time passed, Tinseltown changed too. A unique property of the Market was it's ability to adapt to the zeitgeist of it's surroundings and evading Banality as it encroached. When the film industry begrudgingly began in the early 20th century, Tinseltown shifted to be a place of art, beauty and culture. Here, people came to find their way to becoming a star (or someone who made them, or prepared them). Like it's many predecessors, Tinseltown sold the tools needed to find your dreams. Now it was the silver screen. Then later it became television.
That ended with the arrival of the Arcadian Sidhe. Of the many places sought after during the Accordance War, Tinseltown was one of them. Not due to it being some lost fae fortress or it's connection to the Dreaming but it's Balefire - nurtured and treated to for centuries kept it healthy and alive. When the Treaty of Concord was signed and the War ended, Tinseltown came into the possession of the Arcadians. The Dukedom gave Tinseltown to one of their lords.
It was all downhill from there. The Arcadian Sidhe had no idea what people dreamt of or wanted. The tenor of Tinseltown changed forever with the Arcadians. Instead, it became a Bazaar, a true to core market selling everything from items and wares to food to services - no longer a bastion of art or culture or tending to the nature of the Freehold. As the Freehold changed hands, Tinseltown became a sought after prize not for it's Balefire (though that is a boon) but it's wealth.
Recent History
Wealth killed Tinseltown, and wealth signaled it's liberation. Tinseltown's Baron, Cecil Arwen ap Gwydion, took the position of 'High Merchant' and through him much of the Chimerical Trade of LA was gripped. Using his influence to secure traffic to Tinseltown the Baron sought wealth above all things - even his own people, who still called the market their home away from home. When that tactic didn't yield enough he turned to it's inhabitants. Apart from the tithes required to have space in the market, the High Merchant was a fan of Contracts - contracts that obligated him fines and fees for almost anything. The inability to fulfill these heinous obligations resulted in him claiming vendor's business wares, their dross, even their mortal possessions. He was the Baron, and where else could people go to offer their trade?
Rashid Jahari offered a solution, when it seemed no noble would listen to what the Baron was doing: Pack up and leave. Tinseltown was a special place, and if that meant it had to survive without a Balefire, then that is what they had to do. The High Merchant caught wind and forced everyone, by sentry, to work and not take their wares out of the market - effectively extorting their products to keep them there. Rashid was the first to throw stones at the guards, followed by others, until a revolt rocked the Freehold. Everyone from tailors to mercenaries to lawyers to cooks suppressed the guards and dragged the High Merchant out of his overview above the market. No one really knows what happened to the High Merchant when they dragged him out kicking and screaming.
Rather than appeal to the Duchess, or have anything to do with the Duchy, Tinseltown elected Rashid as the next High Merchant - the overseer of the Market. The nomenclature pretentious, but it seemed the Dreaming liked it as the term has stuck. Since the Commoner takeover Tinseltown's place in LA is precarious as no one knows what will happen to the old freehold. Will they move it somewhere else and start anew? Return it to it's former glory as the place where you go to find your dreams? Or will a new dream emerge from Tinsletown? A darker one, a visceral one, made on the promise of freedom?
State of Affairs
The changing of the guard in Tinseltown did more than simply unseat a corrupt Baron, it opened a freehold to the influence, and eventual domination, of the Shadow Court. Since the revolt, the freehold is a nexus for Shadow Court activity and networking. Many of the regulars to the freehold joined the Shadow Court over the course of events. While not openly advertised, the change of command is easy to see.
Tinseltown operates like a Goblin Market. During the day, it retains the bubble of life that has made Tinseltown a main staple - vendor stalls, food courts and open space for events and activities outside the eyes of mortals. At night however, Tinseltown changes faces. Odd curios, seedy drug dens and contraband flow freely. Some of the market shops are even run by Thallain. Only the brave or foolish shop at Tinseltown when night falls.
Freehold Breakdown
While not a requirement, most of the Freehold are members of the Shadow Court. If you wish to join the freehold, contact Rashid OOC.
Hierarchy
- High Merchant/Ruler: Rashid Jahari
- Steward:
- Thane:
Laws
- The Right of Demense: The Right of Demense gives the High Merchant the ability to tax, the ability to banish Kithain from market participation and enforce whatever rules they seem deem necessary. The Right of Demense gives the High Merchant the exclusive power of opening and closing the Market.
- The Right to Dream: Tinseltown always had a connection to mortals. People often found their way into the freehold to find their dreams after all. The Right to Dream protects mortals who happen (from time to time) to enter the market. Unlike other Freeholds, Tinseltown doesn't have rules against Ravaging. Most mortals when they leave the freehold don't recall much due to the Mists, and what they do recall only staves off banality.
- The Right of Ignorance: Tinseltown abhors banality. Being close to downtown Silver Lake sees it's fair share of banal locations and Autumn People. This rule applies to revealing the location of the Freehold. If you tell others you are fae, it's on your head.
- The Right of Rescue
Territory
- Silver Lake: Tinseltown has influence over the suburb of Silver Lake. While the Freehold has never really cared for it's Autumn turf, the changing of the guard has seen a rise in the Freeholds presence throughout the suburb. Chimerical banners on street posts denoting it's presence in the suburb and it is quite common to see Kithain participating in the Silver Lake farmers market, as much as seeing them in the Market Freehold.
