What to do about Tam Lin?

run by mike curtis

At the ruins of Carterhaugh in the Scottish Borderlands near England, there is a crossroads where the many Worlds meet. Here, at Samhain, Fae and Mortals congregate for their annual Court, hosted by the Fae.

At this time, the veils between the Worlds recede, and beings from the Mortal Realms, Faery and other Worlds can come together or cross over from one world to the next. In the limitless, infinite world of the Fae, beings are not limited by space or time. Those who live at radically different times may find each other in company in the same moment.

The Queen of the Fae presides over her Court. Faeries, Mortals, Ghosts and others come before her to tell their stories of lust, incest, murder, and true love to try to influence the jury, those gathered there, and the arbiters of the Court: the Queen of Fae and her Mortal/Immortal companion, Thomas the Rhymer. 

Cases are announced and judged in turn, and each Claimant, (Plaintiff and Defendant), may hire a Lawyer to argue and advise their case. Claimants call witnesses to re-enact key events in the history of the alleged crimes, and court other members of Court for their testimony. After closing arguments, the Court votes for whose side of the story they believe. The Queen pronounces Sentence for those declared guilty, or Beneficences for those proven Innocent or shown proven wrong. A Boon from the Queen of the Fae is a much coveted prize.

Of the crimes tried here, some have echoed across time and gained legendary status. These stories make for gossip at the Court of Fae and elsewhere, carried by those who attend. The tragic tales of some of these star-crossed lovers, mothers, fishers, and kings, circle the Mortal world on the lips of bards. The events, as they are recounted in tales and songs, change and shift as they pass from hand to hand. So the events at the trial may show more truly what happened--or, may reflect the story as crafted by those Fae and Mortal as they manipulate, cajole and press their agendas. Or use the Powers at their disposal for their own ends. It is said that even Mortals with no supernatural characteristics gain strange abilities in the Fae Realm. The longer they stay, the more they change.
Nothing is as it seems in the Faery Realms. And nothing that enters there leaves unchanged.

 

Written by Emily Care Boss and Julia Ellingboe


 

Cast List

  • Tam Lin, human male
  • Janet McMurry, human female
  • Queen of the Fae, fae female
  • Thomas the Rhymer, human male
  • King Henry, human male
  • Faery Anne, fae female
  • Jean Baptise, fae male
  • Collete, human female
  • George, the House Carpenter, human male
  • The Great Selkie, fae male
  • Mairi, human female
  • Seamus, human male
  • Sir Edward, human male

 

Game Details
Session: 3
Number of Players: 17
Genres: renaissance, fae, fantasy
Costume: Faery fantasy mixed with renaissance human of various classes.