The Fae of the County of Buckeyes
The county holds perhaps a hundred fae of various kith and perhaps fifty kinain. Normally, Kithain would be outnumbered by kinain, but Ohio State draws in a larger population of Kithain then most cities of Columbus' size could support. They often have little direct impact on the County Court, however, as few stay longer then a few years. There is little conflict between the native fae families and these 'college kids' as a result.
Perhaps fifty percent of the kithain and nearly all of the kinain are from families native to the Columbus region. Most Columbus kithain come from families with a long history of kithain and kinain members, and their families are understanding of their faerie commitments. Native kithain tend to be boggans, nockers, and satyrs and their kinain follow this pattern as well.
The other fifty percent of kithain in the region are drawn to the area's universities, and they run the full gambit of changeling possibilities. Fae of nearly every description, from redcaps to Selkies have passed through Columbus while earning their degrees.
Fae of Herbium Castellum: The Countess' Court
Countess Miriam
The Countess rules from her elegant three-dot freehold in the Columbus Conservatory. In her mortal seeming the countess is the conservatory's chief curator, and her love of flowers and growing things is only increased within the Dreaming when she takes on her true self, a short, plump, but endearing boggan. The Countess' family remained within Columbus throughout the Interregnum, always aiding its fae members in keeping their identity, and acting as leaders for the local changeling population. When the sidhe returned to the Autumn world Miriam's husband, a troll warrior, led the 17th Buckeye Commons while she remained in Columbus and cared for those returning from the front lines.
Her husband died in the Battle of Greenwich, but Miriam saw past her own pain to support the new High King and his Treaty of Concord. She was rather surprised when she was made Count, but refused to dishonor her husband's memory by rejecting the duty. She has since done well as leader of her County, ably representing her subjects in the Parliament of Dreams and inspiring several projects within the city itself to increase its latent glamour.
Many sidhe, of course, feel she is holding a title that a more deserving sidhe could possess, her vassal baron Lorewick is perhaps first among these. Most who meet her find her an endearing, grandmotherly grump boggan who has turned her kith's penchant for hard work into a talent for ruling a County.
Hecataeus
Primary advisor and Court Seer, this grump satyr is rumored to be highly skilled in Soothsay and dream-craft. He is a known member of the Crystal Circle, a society of kithain sorcerers. In his mortal seeming Hecataeus runs a small witchcraft shop in the University district, most think he is just an aging hippie.
Tobias
This Boggan acts as court scribe and historian; he runs a small bookstore in Columbus' German Village district. He is renowned for his collection of faerie books of all sorts, and many a quest begins with a search through his shelves.
Gwalchamai
This House Scathach sidhe hails originally from Wales, where he earned the enmity of a powerful Dauntain, Lloyd Morgenstern. He was forced to flee his homeland as a result, and now commands Countess Miriam's Rose Guard. In his mortal guise he is just a young immigrant working at various odd jobs (so that his duties to the Countess do not suffer).
Ishi
This krofted kubera Inanimae is anchored to one of Bonsai trees within Herbium Castellum and acts as an advisor to the Countess on a host of issues, especially those relating to the Dreaming and plants in general. Her husk appears as a slim woman of Japanese birth, but she always seems to have a sprig of leaves behind one ear.
Other Fae of the County:
Mr. Tweed
This sluagh wilder is well known among the kith of the County. Most think he is a member of the Shadow Court, certainly he is unrepentantly Unseelie. Mr. Tweed always seems to know what's going on within the city but his information always has a price. He can usually be found in a coffee shop in the Short North district.
Papa Joe
This Satyr owner of Papa Joe's tavern is renowned as a fan of Ohio State football. He is a former player himself, and loves to regale patrons of stories from playing under Coach Woody. Now, Papa encourages his customers to party when OSU wins, and drink heavily when OSU looses. Politically, Papa maintains a strict sense of neutrality, refusing to favor noble or commoner, Unseelie or Seelie. His tavern is open to anyone interested in a rowdy good time.
Cristos Colum
Cristos is a nocker renowned for his ability to recreate historical vessels in both the Dreaming and the mundane worlds. He grew up in the Kingdom of Iberia where he mused those mortals still working in the traditional forms of the Iberian shipwrights. His greatest achievement came during what started as a mundane, even banal job building a replica of the Santa Maria. Cristos through himself into the job, however, and discovered halfway through the project that his dreams had captured a parosome's anchor! It was then that the mundane job became a true faerie treasure, as Cristos realized that between the two of them, he and the parosome could craft a mobile freehold/anchor. The ship's mundane form was shipped to Columbus, Ohio and Cristos went right along with it as curator. Now, he sails his wondrous vessel through the Seas of Dreams.
Boreas
A rare krofted parosome, Boreas was enjoying a nice breezy afternoon when the windy dreams of a nocker caught his attention. Boreas became fascinated with his designs for capturing the wind, so much so that he had been watching the nocker work for several weeks before he realized his anchor had been caught within the design! At first, Boreas was quite angry, but his fascination with the sailing ship the nocker was building was too strong to resist. Boreas finally simply had to take form and offer his opinions on how the sails might best be used to produce the desired effect. The nocker was dismayed that he had accidentally krofted a parosome, but as he and Boreas became friends he realized they were creating a rare treasure, a ship freehold. Now, Boreas captains the ship on her voyages through the Seas of Dreams, and his Inanimae immunity to bedlam insures that the Saint Mary always returns to her chimerical dock.
Baron Lorewick
A sidhe of House Eiluned, Lorewick is a suspected member of the Beltaine Blade a known member of the Golden Sickle. In his mundane identity he is Loren Wickham, one of the wealthiest individuals in Columbus and indeed in the Midwest. He is president and CEO of Avalon, Inc. Through this company he increases his wealth and influence in both the Changeling and mundane worlds. Baron Lorewick is very reclusive, and has only rarely bothered to attend the Countess' court. His frosty air when around the Countess has made it clear he considers it an affront to his dignity to be vassal to a commoner noble.
The Baron's freehold, Chateau D'Lucre, is in the heart of the Sciota Barony, which comprises some of the wealthier neighborhoods of Columbus: Upper Arlington, Worthington, and the village of Dublin. He has made it a point to maintain at least fifteen changelings within his court so that he can have a seat in the Parliament of Dreams. His voting record and speeches therein set him firmly in the Traditionalist camp.
Chief Leatherface
Chief Leatherface is said to be the local Nunnehi leader, he and his band of braves have already destroyed a patrol of the Countess' warriors. Despite several attempts, the Countess has been unable to convince the Chief to agree to peace talks. Chief Leatherface is a Canotli brave who has fully surrendered to his Winter aspect. His band is a mix of several Nunnehi tribes, including several Rock Giants. None have ever seen his mundane seeming, some think the Chief and his band live in the Upper World and are close to bedlam as a result.
Influential Families of the County:
Since most of the fae native to Columbus retain strong ties to their families and have since the city's founding, it is only natural that some of these families have become more influential then others in County affairs.
The Brechtfeld Family
This family is comprised of nockers and their kinain. They run a microbrewery and restaurant in the German Village. The family has always had several nockers among its members, and virtually every family member is kinain. The Brechtfeld's are some of the strongest supporters of Countess Miriam's rule. Members are noted for always swearing in German.
The Larkatos Family
This satyr family was instrumental in getting the new Greek Orthodox Cathedral built in Columbus; one of the family's kinain sons is a priest there. The Larkatos family has a history of loyalty to other commoners, but Baron Lorewick donated large sums of money to the Cathedra. Now, some question their loyalty to the Countess.
The Brown Family
This boggan family doesn't live within the city proper, but rather runs a large dairy farm east of the city. Most of the family members attend college in Columbus, however, and the family always brings the award-winning heifers to the Ohio State Fair in late summer. In many ways the Browns are the quintessential commoner family: honest and hard working with a strong desire to be left alone by the nobility.