Photos from Fantasy Faire by Wildstar Beaumont; photos of Garden of Dreams by Saffia Widdershins
At 4pm SLT today, Friday 29th November, the Company of Faire Folk are invited to meet at Little Trollhaugen as a launching pad.
From there we will ride out (or walk) and explore Roawenwood, the beautiful region created by Searlait Nitschke.
The Faire Folk will ride out again at the more Euro-friendly time of 2pm on Sunday 1st December.
Over the years, Searlait has built some beautiful elven regions, but perhaps her best known build was Chaddul Ro, created for the 2017 Fantasy Faire. Searlait talked to Sonya Marmurek about the background to the creation of the region – and the article is well worth reading.
There are elements of Chaddul Ro in Searlait’s Roawenwood build, but the one that is most closely related to the region is Searlait’s 2019 build, Twilight Spring.
Searlait’s builds for the Faire often draw on woodland, naturalistic elements. Back in 2013, Evensong Woods created a community who lived (and shopped) among the treetops, but in a beautiful and unusual way.
In 2014, Mourningvale Thicket brought us down to earth with a slightly sinister twist – many of the trees here were twisted, dying.
The following year, in 2015, Searlait created the rich woodland of Tangleshimmer Grove – a region that one could get lost in!
Then, after a year’s break, Searlaitcam back with the amazing Chaddul Ro, the home of the benevolent Orcs. Ignored and often despised, these Orcs nevertheless existed to bring comfort, for the region was inspired by and dedicated to Caregivers and Survivors, for the weary and for the beacons in their lives, as Searlait explained:
“The concept was that this tribe of orcs has outposts sprinkled along their borders and only the bravest most dedicated of their warriors are given the honor of serving there. Their task is twofold… simple yet not. One to keep the beacon that each outpost has lit… never doused a fire to burn brightly from the tallest tower. The reason… to show those that need a way through the night a light to come home to, as well as the assurance that as long as those fires burn brightly their tribe is strong. That the tribe has weathered whatever may come and will survive. Orcs who have been lost, are bleeding from battle, or weary from being displaced can find a beacon… to come home because let’s face it. Everyone pretty much has it out for Orcs.
So that is the second task… to welcome the weary, wayward and sometimes even the enemy of the Orc to give them respite… tasked to care for their tribe and families. The Orcs fiercely protect these outposts and celebrate within it; the rugged home is also full of life for those who need its shelter and for the warriors who never stop fighting.
You can read the full article about Chaddul Ro here.
Since then, Searlait has produced two further builds that suggest fascination stories, firstly the Pools of Ethuil in 2018, with its High Town and Low Town, with beautiful eleven buildings in both areas.
And then, in 2019, the amazing build of Twilight Spring with all its rich secrets hidden away in a deep cliff-walled valley.
Folk who choose to join the company to explore Roawenwood will be treated to something reminiscent of Twilight Spring – but it has its own rich secrets too! So so join us at 5pm SLT today, Friday 29th November, at Little Trollhaugen as a launching pad – or meet us on Sunday 24th at 2pm SLT.
Prim Perfect 