The Shanghaied Ensemble of Royalty


The Shanghaied Ensemble of Royalty, also called the Banphrionsa Goidte or Vňlč Prensčs, is a secret conspiracy that has entangled dozens of nobles, primarily Sidhe, of all ranks and houses. The conspiracy is so vast that even Gallain ladies have been caught up in its nets. On its face, it appears to be a massive harem run by a New World Oba based out of Oakland, California. Great wealth and accomodations maintain the lavish lifestyle that these "princesses" have long been accustomed.

But behind the Oba, Balthasar Rane, conspires the true mastermind. A Beaumayn seer of remarkable power, station, and wisdom instigated this obscure oathcircle in pursuit of an ancient vision she had long before the Shattering, and which she began to act upon as soon as she returned during the Resurgence. She calls herself a queen, and although she claims no freehold, she is friends with and confidants to monarchs across the world of Kithain, from the High King's Concordian halls to Hibernia and beyond, as far as the Empire of the Firebird. Her knowledge of the tapestry of Dán is unrivaled, her foresight unchallenged. Naturally, the nobility does not know that she has begun gathering their daughters under her umbrella for both their protection and exploitation against the dark, cold, and banal nights to come. Serena Bellamy is the true leader of the Ensemble, but leaves day-to-day supervision to Balthasar. Serena's vision, and the oathcircle's purpose, remains nebulous, but it does seem to involve some degree of selective breeding or eugenics. The appearance of a harem is not accidental, and Balthasar is given free reign, along with a particular Kinain house servant and a Fianna werewolf faerie archivist. Serena has indicated to Balthasar that the Boggan Kinain, Javon Stout, who has unusually strong faerie blood heritage, and the Fianna archivist, Cameron Kaiser, are "the keys". Onaia Kaiwaena, an idealistic young Prodigal mystick from the Kopa Loei Craft, helps with diplomatic reach-out to the Gallain.

In truth, the oathcircle as it stands needs little supervision. It appears to simply be a collective of ladies from across the world who enjoy each others' company and have deliberately chosen a break from whatever duties were once expected of them. Members are untethered from previous oaths by forbearance of the Dreaming (or possibly Serena's Naming Arts...). Potential candidates are also screened to ensure none of them possess true Oaths that cannot be undone by even the greatest of magics or contestation of intertwined fates to begin with. Part of the joining ritual into the oathcircle involves the oversight of both Balthasar and Serena hearing the prospect swearing an Oath of Unity to the Ensemble.

However, the Ensemble's disparate nature still cannot be explained without noting that during that induction rite, Serena's crown (a powerful Treasure) isolates the new "princess" from the world she once knew and creates an almost Dreamstruck-like mentality in which the Ensemble becomes the girl's entire world. This effect merges with the utterance of the Oath, enforcing the "princess"'s new status with the full weight of the Dreaming. Members can and do pursue their own goals and even duties to local fae households. (Often, lower-ranking nobles do not even realize that their fellow nobles do not owe true fealty to them, since it is not uncommon for a knight's oath to be to a rank higher than the ruling lord's and to be "on loan" to that baron or count). It should be reiterated that the oath a new "princess" swears is not to either Balthasar or Serena, but to the oathcircle itself -- an oath both the Oba and Beaumayn queen have also sworn and are similarly bound!

The Ensemble enjoys a massive 60-room mansion in the upscale Piedmont neighborhood of Oakland, California. However, it is not a freehold or fount or any other natural source of Glamour and members must fend for themselves when it comes to the muse.

Cosantóirí an Choróin

In addition to the lodging and the large membership from multiple faerie bloodlines, the oathcircle commands a team of Kinain -- all of Sidhe stock and specifically Scathach heritage -- that serves as the circle's eyes and ears and, if necessary, reinforcements for defense. That this team comprises entirely Scathach Kinain may reveal a connection between the Beaumayn queen's mysterious vision and the Oracles of that secretive House.

Princesses, Assembled


Below are the members of this large oathcircle, with links to their individual webpages.

The Leadership

Queen Serena Bellamy ni Beaumayn, Sidhe
Lady of the Winged Judgment ("Maleficent")

Balthasar Rane, Oba

Javon Stout, Boggan Kin

Cameron Kaiser, Fianna

Onaia Kaiwaena, Kopa Loei

The Seelie

Princess Andrea Citron ni Gwydion, Sidhe
Lady of the Mountain's Rapture ("Elena")

Princess Sofia Citron ni Gwydion, Sidhe
Lady of the Summit Wisp ("Isabel")

Duchess Juliana Oates ni Gwydion, Sidhe
Lady of the Dreaming Loom ("Aurora")

Marquess Dalila Geddis ni Eiluned, Sidhe
Lady of Atlantean Mysteries ("Kida")

Countess Madison Gavrell ni Gwydion, Sidhe
Lady of the Empty Redoubt ("Kairi")

Viscountess Gwen Coyle ni Fiona, Sidhe
Lady of the Black Battlement ("Merida")

Baronette Shannon Ransford ni Liam, Sidhe
Lady of the Forgotten Brake ("Jane")

Lady Autumn Shipp ni Fiona, Sidhe
Lady of the Wandering Star ("Giselle")

Dama Malina Maytin de Keshalyi, Sidhe
Lady of the Shadow Tower ("Esmerelda")

Lady Stephanie Clarke ni Dougal, Sidhe
Lady of the Looking Glass ("Alice")

Squirette Abrianna Cunningham ni Eiluned, Sidhe
Lady of the Red Tower ("Rapunzel")

Squirette Courtney Manson ni Eiluned, Sidhe
Lady of the Asomatous Palimpsest ("Naminé")

Squirette Felicia Delany ni Dougal, Sidhe
Lady of the Candied Plains ("Vanellope")

Squirette Heather Chapeau ni Beaumayn, Sidhe
Lady of the Withering Rose ("Belle")

Squirette Karen Edwards ni Liam, Sidhe
Lady of the Midnight Hour ("Cinderella")

Squirette Regina Attenberry ni Liam, Sidhe
Lady of Promised Thimble ("Wendy")

Samira Rostami, Peri
Lady of the Igneous Tiger ("Jasmine")

The Unseelie

Princess Holly Roff ni Aesin, Sidhe
Lady of the Forgotten Forest ("Honeymaren")

Princess Lisa Eastley ni Bukura, Sidhe
Lady of the Impure Humour ("Snow White")

Princess Veronica Van Ness ni Aesin, Sidhe
Lady of the Icicle Sky ("Elsa")

Duchess Ivy Van Ness ni Aesin, Sidhe
Lady of the Scarlet Shadow ("Ana")

Viscountess Ophelia Strauss ni Tyche, Sidhe
Lady of the Strange Tides ("Megara")

Viscountess Tabitha Hecht ni Varich, Sidhe
Lady of the Deep Wish Farthing ("Aqua")

Baronette Oona Bircher ni Ailil, Sidhe
Lady of the Serpentine Wake ("Gwyn")

Squirette Abigail Green ni Daireann, Sidhe
Lady of the Jolly Roger ("Naomi")

Lady Erin Wallister ni Aesin, Sidhe
Lady of the Stormfire Dragonwing ("Astrid")

Lady Leticia Rowbottom ni Daireann, Sidhe
Lady of Pixie Dust Revelry ("Tinkerbell")

Lady Piper Beattie ni Balor, Sidhe
Lady of Thundering Might ("Larxene")

Squirette Brigitte Causing ni Daireann, Sidhe
Lady of the Shadow Mirror ("Xion")

Squirette Rayleigh Dunham ni Daireann, Sidhe
Lady of the Bronze Wisp ("Eilonwy")

Squirette Zarya Nagaya ni Varich, Sidhe
Lady of the Stolen Crown ("Anastasia")

The Gallain

Princess Tori Cummins ni Syrinx, Merfolk
Lady of the Ariose Ebb ("Ariel")

Lady Amagawa Kioshi, Komuko
Lady of the Lollipop Fantasy ("Kilala")

Lady Ly Nha Suong, Hou-Chi
Lady of the Imperial Dragonflight ("Raya")

Page Riley Carroll ni Undine, Merfolk
Lady of the Effervescent Paean ("Melody")

Adaeze Osuma, Neiterkob
Lady of the Glittering Wall ("Tiana")

Iria Tapihana, Ali'i
Lady of the Sea Prism ("Moana")

Nika Casiguaya Jasmine, Aycayia
Lady of the Fiercest Flower ("Tiger Lily")

Pariwana Huamanga-Ńańa, Encantado
Lady of the Whispering Walls ("Maribel")

Salali Amadahy, Nanehi
Lady of the Unyielding Wind ("Pocahontas")

Sasa Longroad, Yunwi Tsundsi
Lady of the Leas of Selu ("Nakoma")

Yewande Temitope, Aziza
Lady of the Healing Waters ("Sadé")

Huang Lifen, Chu-Jung
Lady of the Fiery Brand ("Mulan")

Usha Shastri, Hou-Chi
Lady of the Viridian Labyrinth ("Shanti")

The Kinain (Cosantóirí an Choróin)

Chelsea Chalk, Sidhe Kin (Scathach)

Keelin Adger, Sidhe Kin (Scathach)

Misty Goode, Sidhe Kin (Scathach)

Reagan Edson, Sidhe Kin (Scathach)

Shawna Coleman, Sidhe Kin (Scathach)