The Chronicle               1995-1996

Cygnus Blue Star & Starshadow Moonbeam, Chronicler

1995, October 21

FALO holds its sixty-sixth gather at the Fairy Ring Tavern (the home of Starshadow and Arëanna). It rains all day and most of the night. Dar passes out lupie eggs, Angelica arrives wounded in the foot, new friends Barret Scatterleaf and Gwendolyn Maythorne attend (remember Puck & Cathes?), an adventure is planned to retrieve Starshadow’s Elfstone. The Mayfest and the FALO live game project are discussed.

1995, November 11

FALO gather number sixty-seven is held, at the home of Brianna and Bear. Torrential rains and heavy winds chase away the electric elementals, Indigo fights a red cap, ChilDra gets her wings plucked. Cygnus announces that he and his lady love Skye are leaving on a long adventure and may not be attending gathers much anymore. It is announced that Morganna has left the clan, thus making the total of active clan members 27, with two honorary members (Alfgar and Elowyn Ka).

1995, December

Cygnus and Starshadow discuss the FALO Chronicles and make the following mutual decision. Since Cygnus will be away and Starshadow is Editor of the Ðaoine Sidhe, the FALO Chronicles will now be written by Starshadow, to continue the tradition that Cygnus started.

Here ends the FALO Chronicles

penned by Cygnus, Blue Star Mage

Here begins the FALO Chronicles

penned by Starshadow Moonbeam

1996, January 6 {Gather 68} Yule Gather at the Tontine Pact (Tallpine & Maya's House)

Nineteen out of twenty-six Stoneholders and their loved ones attended this gather. Willow and Antic helped prepare the meal with Tallpine and Maya, and Antic was invited to join later in the evening. Rook won the very first Ðaoine Sidhe Challenge for her story on Emberon the Snow Bear. Neryssa is removed from our membership due to her dropping off the face of our world. Springfest planning is held and responsibilities are given out. It is decided that everyone in FALO would be on the security and clean-up committees (forcing members to join other committees). We agree to have a 10th Anniversary celebration at Medieval Times. The war in Crystalmist continues, and Sparrowreed alerts us to the fact that she fired the steward and put in her own replacement. Meanwhile, Granarinth and Hoot continue to round up their party for the expedition to Demon's Gate for Starshadow's Elfstone. A storm hits the tri-state area at the end of this gather. We start the year off with 27 Members and Two Honorary Members.

1996, February 24 {Gather 69} Sparrow's Nest (Sparrowreed's house)

The guests at this gather number more than twice the number of members present. Role playing reaches an all time high as the Demon's Gate quest reaches it's climactic ending. Granarinth makes his entrance to the gather by falling down a flight of stairs, gripping his sword in one hand and the Moonbeam Elfstone in the other, wearing battered armor and a great deal of blood. A frenzy of role-playing sweeps almost everyone present. Stalzer, the cleric, leads an elaborate healing ritual to bring Granarinth back from the brink of death. Arëanna, Rook, Damiana (a selkie) and Gwendolyn (a hedge witch) use their collective powers to cleanse the Moonbeam Elfstone with all four of their respective elements. Kyara is knighted as Baroness of Forsythia, the northwestern part of Crystalmist, as reward for saving Sparrowreed's life. Kyara and Sparrowreed announce that their souls are now linked, due to a mishap of Sparrow's recent dabbling in sorcery. The gather feast is prepared by Morgaine, a preview of the type of cooking she will do for the Springfest meal under Kyara's direction. A fairy tree in the backyard causes a stir with mischievous trinkets.

1996, March 30{Gather 70} Fairy Ring Tavern (Next door to Areanna and Starshadow's house)

This is the first and last gather to be held at this site. The large tavern is a two hundred year old New England tavern which serves as a perfect gather environment. There is no electricity and no heat, other than candles and the fireplace. There is a huge turnout. Starshadow prepares the meal which includes the uncookable potatoes. Fairies cause Dreamsinger to become Ratpuck the Cheat, of Snellington Mountain. This was the result of the bard's foolishness in attending a fairy tea party. Rook suffers a penalty for aiding Starshadow in his quest (see previous entry) and is stricken mute. Dreamsinger and Starshadow play the companion song with double the normal number of verses, making them up as they go. They continue despite threats from Tallpine, and cease only when Rahne steals Starshadow's guitar.

1996, June 1 {Gather 71} Ninth Annual Springfest (Camp Conklin, NJ)

The debut festival at this site is a success. There is an abundance of fun, trees, good weather and ticks. A number of records are set. The Renaissance Man Competition makes its debut with a record number of participants for a tournament. It is won by Balou, with Ian, Satyir, Willow and Springmeadow making it to the finals. Falana is the first female to ever win the fighting competition, and proper homage is paid in her honor. Starshadow scores the highest score ever in a FALO archery tournament, 54 out of 60 . . . and loses! Aranek and Ian beat Starshadow in the second round and tie in rounds two and three. Ian wins in round four, shooting from a further distance than ever before used in a FALO tournament. Dar wins the knife throw and Deanor Kiabit wins the Quest. Several people throw the love rings, a new game, to find that they are truly in love. A two-headed giant, named Felos'ca visits the fest and runs the Renaissance Man tournament. A Maypole is enjoyed and is accompanied by live music from most of the clan's musicians. A procession of faerie folk makes its way through the fest on their way to a private meeting in an enclave in the forest. The evening sees just as much adventure. Hoot gives out Woodies and Gwendolyn wins an award for Best Costume. Because of Ghostdancer's resignation as Elder, he is presented with an award by Starshadow, his successor, on behalf of the clan. Ghostdancer, being one of our founders, is the only person to ever be an Elder for ten years. Each Moonstoneholder, in order of induction, is presented with a new Moonstone medallion, which shall take the place of the old style pendant. In turn, each member lights black candles, each held in decorative holders made by Shadowfire. ChilDra and Brother Bart are granted Welcomestones. Vflarian leaves FALO on this day to take up the leadership of Phoenix. The meal is prepared primarily by Morgaine, with Kyara overseeing the cooking committee. Shadowfire heads setup and decorations, Angelica runs the welcoming committee, Aranek leads the cleanup, Sparrowreed runs the Tavern, Dreamsinger organizes games and Starshadow organizes the entertainment. The evening entertainment features many songs and dances, poetry recitals, story telling, a trunk theater, fire-eating and a martial arts display.

1996, July 27 {Gather 72} FALO Day at Sterling Forest

While Cygnus has not previously listed excursions to Sterling Forest as official gathers, this was an exception. To mark the Tenth Anniversary of FALO's first presence at Sterling Forest, and the summer when we got our real start, FALO converges on the fair. The weather is perfect. A new Clothing shop opens at Sterling Forest today and most of our female company buys exquisite garb to be worn at Medieval Times. Afterwards, we meet at The Mountain Valley Brew Pub and Restaurant for dinner and its own home brew. A minor battle occurs between the Crystalmist nobility and the slovenly entourage of King Shite. This event is likely to start a tradition of Faire and Pub attendance on opening day.

1996, August 10 Elders Meeting

While Elders meetings are not normally chronicled, this one is an exception. This meeting, including Maya, Hoot, Shadesong and Starshadow, runs over twelve hours. The FALO By-Laws are formulated, as are the Official Character Guidelines. Many controversial issues are debated and decided upon. These changes mean the unprecedented alteration of FALO's course for the future. As the final order of business, Maya resigns her post for personal reasons, and not as a consequence of this meeting.