The Founding of the Shire
To be sure, there were long-standing members of the Society in the local area even before there was a Shire.
On the Naming of the Shire
When it came time to formally organize the shire, the discussion turned to the name of the shire. Now, it is a custom that shires and baronies should include some reference to stars or constellations in their name. (The reason being that the Indiana region of the Middle Kingdom is known as the Constellation region, as the state flag has 19 stars to indicate it was the 19th state to join the United States.) Since the Barony of Rivenstar, which is one of the few that actually do follow this custom, was the sponsor of the incipient shire, it was considered prudent to follow the custom.
That still left the selection of the name. One member recommended the name “Shadowed Stars” and it was accepted by the populace ate the time. Now, there are two versions of the story as to the source of the name. One is that the sky around the city is to filled with light that it is difficult to see the stars, hence they are “shadowed”. The second is that the member was a fan of a particular fanzine named “Shadowstar” and borrowed the name.
The Ransom of the Shire Banner
Many years ago, at an event in the Spring, it happened that the Shire banner had been left or somehow forgotten. The banner was not lost, however, as it was found by members of the Barony of White Waters in South Bend. They contacted the Shire and demanded a ransom of coin of the Realm (cookies) for the return of the Shire’s precious symbol.
At the Summer demo event that year, which at the time was held in conjunction with the Three Rivers Festival, the Baroness of White Waters and members of her court came to accept the duly agreed-upon ransom and return the banner, none the worse for being held in durance. Thus everyone was satisfied, honor was maintained and all present shared cookies.