March Ho! Report

General Summary

We open this chapter at a basketball game, where Hilda  is competing with her school basketball team! She is performing well – perhaps not a star player, but she is not the first one to be benched either, when the chips are down. Hilda looks over to the stands, and spots her mother in the audience (on her phone, as always). Afterwards, Hilda confronts her mother about her father not attending, but Hilda’s mother dismisses her concerns, promising that her father will be at the next game.   The next morning at school, Hilda is still stewing. She grabs Frank by the arm and demands he help her get armor, which he agrees to do happily. He notices that she is in a mood and asks if she’s okay. Hilda refuses to answer, but demands that he come with her to get ice cream and talk about her problems.   Frank agrees, and retrieves Charles from the second floor boys’ bathroom, where the troll has been building a camaraderie with the stick figure chimera located there.   At Hilda’s house, all three children sit down on the living room carpet to eat. Hilda with her rocky road, Charles with cookies and cream, and Frank with his vaguely threatening sounding “spicy chips only.”   As they eat, Hilda breaks down as she miserably eats her ice cream, telling them about her father not attending her game. Frank consoles her as best he can, while Charles remains quiet. Eventually he admits that his father isn’t around a lot either, and the three share a group hug.   The three trek out to Skulde’s freehold , where they are met by George . He explains that he was helping his Uncle Jerome at the convenience store and apologizes for being late. He also tells them how he heard his uncle talking about the new grocery store and that he’s worried about what it will do to business. With an astronomically attentive ear (six successes), George doesn’t miss a word his uncle uttered.   The motley decides to visit Ashby Manor , and upon arriving find the baron  in residence. Skulde boldly walks up to him and asks for the Dougal sidhe to make her a suit of armor, while George politely requests a dagger, axe, or knuckledusters. He hands over the six dross he has to pay for the item (only enough for a smaller scale weapon), while Skulde cashes in her favor from Samhain as payment. Baron Vasquez promises to make her something – though not the full suit of plate armor she originally requested. Her favor is not nearly good enough for that.   Both of the changeling children accept this deal, and George requests that the daggers be modeled off the colors of House Dairrean, his mentor’s house. Vasquez graciously agrees.   As a final commission, Skulde gives the baron a down payment for a treasure: a crown with the Winter cantrip “Terror of the Long Night” infused into it.   Having made their requests of their liege, the children now turn to less personal matters: the new grocery store. Skulde suggests using Geas on the councilmembers to make them vote against the building project, but Vasquez rejects that immediately. George suggests that perhaps if they could find a reason that the company couldn’t build on their selected plot of land, that would make Herrick’s back off. Vasquez gives full approval for this plan.   Frank asks if he can travel into the minds of the councilmembers while they sleep and give them horrible nightmares about the consequences of approving the planned build. Vasquez doesn’t approve of this plan, but he doesn’t forbid Frank from doing it either – which Frank counts as a win.   With their various plans, the changelings hike down to the town hall, where they find Hannah’s protest in full swing. A gathering of citizens – perhaps thirty in number – all gathered outside the hall to make their voices heard.   Hilda runs into Councilman Anthony Yanez, who is the only one of the councilmembers attending the protest. Sensing an ally, Hilda suggests a donation drive to prove how vital small businesses are to the community. Yanez agrees, and promises to bring it up with his fellow councilmembers at the next meeting.   Meanwhile, Frank has met up with a young woman – either just about to or has just graduated high school. She has long blonde hair with pink dyed portions, dark eye makeup, and punkish clothing. She introduces herself as Maya Fox , and when Frank reveals he and his friends’ plan to sneak into town hall, she enthusiastically offers to help.   Though not a close friend (yet), Frank knows that any help is good help right now. He accepts her offer, and as Maya moves the crowd to take the attention of the police officers standing in front of town hall, the changelings sneak up the steps. As they near the front doors, Frank notices Maya staring intensely at the lock. It suddenly clicks open just as they approach, and Frank shoots a confused glance at the older girl before slipping inside with the others.   As they approach the doors into the councilroom, Frank listens in closely. Yanez is against the Herrick’s build, obviously, but that still leaves five others who are for it. When the votes come, Frank can hear in their voices that only one person has been peer pressured into this – the others genuinely believe that their vote is a breath of life to the town…. Instead of the death sentence.

Character(s) interacted with

• Draven Vasquez 
• Maya Fox 
• Councilman Anthony Yanez