Isle Of Crabs Funfair

"This is unhappy news for me Jaywick. I expected, well, if not a thriving community then at least more than a scattered few. Tell me more about this Fun Fair. What was it like? How did it get destroyed? Is there anything left of that place?"
- Lord Mordraine of House Ailil

Description

Until three years ago, the Larger of the Twin Isles of Crabs housed a huge amusement park, once the glory of the Eastern seaboard. Now sadly closed down for renovations that took forever to begin it has become a hive of activety as the builderrs nurse it back towards a new lease of life. Money from several donations, and the Profits from the annual Gotham Carnival have gone into a fund earmarked for bringing the Isle of Crabs up to date and large amounts of private investment have been added to that by the efforts of Kurt Morgan who won the contract to oversee the project.

A shantytown of ex Funfair workers surrounds the entire complex. These small bungalows were built as holiday chalets but never really appealed to the public and before long they were all filled with the staff and families of the funfair and these days, by ever increasing overspill from the city. With a ghetto like reputation and a major crime problem, GPD would like nothing more than to clear the entire district and set it to the torch.

Atmosphere

The atmosphere at the Funfair is one of rebirth and renewel, and a flurry of activety. The shanty town that surrounds it still has a miasma of despair, but with an undercurrent of growing Hope. A few Changelings have been found by the Kinain of the island and more than one of their children have undergone Chrysalis of their own since the fire.

Story

"The Fun Fair was once a real crowd puller here on the coast. It more or less covers the whole of the bigger of the two Islands. The Baron there was of House Ailil sir, a handsome bugger although much older than you. I hope I don't speak out of turn when I say he wasn't really a saint, but he kept a wonderful Court. The Fun Fair was full of dreamers and smiling faces. More scary rides and tattoos than flowers and poetry, as is the Unseelie way.

"What with the Sluagh, the Satyr's and the Nockers, there was about 13 of us all told called the Funfair home. But the City stopped putting money into it and things started falling out of repair. Kids o' today don't get out as much y'see, they find their dreams at home in front of the playstation or in the cinema. The Baron, he made this deal with the Mer, the Fae of the oceans, and the Funfair opened a small sea life centre. What an opening Gala that was I can tell you."

"That was three years back. Was the last time we saw any of the Isle of Crabs freehold alive. By the time we heard about the ..... Accident, it was too late. Y'see, the Freehold proper was held inside a big tin building. The Black Hole the ride was called. When the mortals rode it, 'twas pitch black and the roller coaster was fast as lightning. At night the Court was set up in the middle, all and sundry sat on the railings and runners. Great big lanterns hanging down and that God almighty Balefire hung from the rafters. That big biscuit tin of a building had great acoustics too, and the Baron would have all sorts round to play for 'em. Trash metal, string quartets, one was as good as another to him.

With all the doors shut, there wern't much air but they had this big old fan in the roof see. Fire regulation being what they is. Who ever did for them tipped something nasty in the fan. Stuff to make 'em all sleep. A Sluagh told me it was .. was made from nevers. Ground up Chimera and mundane chemicals. The place burnt down fast as hell once they lit it up."

"The Baron wasn't all that bad. He never kept slaves like some o' his kind. The dreamers where enchanted guests. 38 bodies they pulled out of the black Hole that night. The only good thing you can say is that at least no one from that court grew old enough to become undone."

In recent weeks, Lord Mordraine of House Ailill has ploughed all his efforts into rebuilding the Fun fair and is on the verge of a grande opening set for Sunday night. His personality and go-getter attitude have endeared him to many of the local Unseelie and the Court is once again healthy and growing.

Notaries