The first few years I watched him, he would actually craft the mud in the road into the shape of a dragon. This past year, he took on a new tactic and used colored sand to add new life to his already unique and always different dragons. Among the items people would give him, Dobber would use coins for scales, rolled-up dollar bills for spikes on the dragon's spine, colored ribbons for the fire, and colored stones and beads for the eye. Anything black, he would happily tie on to his costume. Dobber is the unforgettable Black Faerie of the Texas Renaissance Festival!

(Photo, right: Dobber the Black Faerie covers his eyes from the flash of the photographer's camera. Now if he had just hissed, too...!) As dark and forbidding as Dobber looks, he was actually a very peaceful spirit, never causing havoc or stealing babies. He would never even say a word beyond growling or making other small noises. For all his good nature, Mundanes still tormented him and his work calling him "wasp", "the Crow", "Marilyn Manson", and other nonspecific bugs. His work was referred to as the " 'Mortal Combat' logo", "dinosaurs", and "alligators". With all due respect, why could not people just accept he is a very artistic Black Faerie???!? (Not to mention he was around long before most of these things--and even before Goth was popular!)

Participants in the faire had a lot of fun toying with Dobber as well. I recall Toruk the (big hulking) Barbarian walking past Dobber's circle muttering "They say the mosquitoes are bigger at the Texas Renaissance Festival...." Other participants would try to hang bits of ribbon or bells on his wings without drawing his attention. The funny part was watching him try to get them off his wings once he noticed them! Sometimes he could reach them with his hands, but other times he would just shake helplessly and groan hoping they would fly off. One year he was even sprayed with bug repellent during the Human Chess Match. All was very entertaining to watch!

Dobber's costume had a tendency to change a wee bit every year to work out the quirks and repair his wings from tedious weather conditions and mundanes pulling on them. He would alter the make-up around his eyes for a more dramatic appearance. (Photo, left: Flanked by Merlin the Magician (Bill Palmer) on the left and a Noble lady on the right, Dobber greets the patrons during the TRF Noon Parade). His wings became more extravagant throughout the years by adding more pieces and changing the materials for an iridescent look. His vest, which started out with a woven style, ended up being an elaborate leather-working. He also had various long, flowing capes he would wear during the parade. Each addition added special growth to his character.

I was able to speak to him a couple of times after faire hours when mostly everyone was gone. The first time was the last day of faire of the '96 season. It was actually very humorous. I was sitting there with a crowd of people watching him, as always, and the sky was getting blacker and blacker. Dobber kept looking up and around at everyone until, finally, he sat up, put his hands in the shape of a "T" (for time-out) and said, "You all are from here aren't you". Everyone in the circle just busted out laughing at seeing Dobber, who never ever speaks, break his character in such a way. He continued on saying, "Man, I'm just sitting here working and working and no one's saying anything...."

I took this grand opportunity to ask him a few questions. First, I asked him where he got all of his ideas. He told me he was not too sure; he started slowly and this great thing came creeping out of his "id". At least he is in touch with his inner self! I also asked him what he thought about all the people who dressed up, trying to look like and be a part of him. I was really surprised when he said he found it rather "flattering", because I, myself, thought it took a lot away from his character. It was sweet of him to think so highly of the people who loved him.

(Photo, right: Dobber working on his Dragon sandpainting Sunday evening near the Main Gate, with the Lady Regina Rohrer--partially pictured in the upper left--looking on. Look closely and you can see the coins he's used already as the "scales" on his Dragon!) This past season was extremely wonderful for me. After staring in amazement at him for the last four years, Dobber, in character, opened up to me and let me know, in his own way, he accepted and respected my presence. He did two things, which were very uncharacteristic for him.... First, he entrusted me to place the rolled-up dollar bills into his picture. Second, he shared with me a few of the frozen grapes someone he knew dropped off for him to munch on. To most people who do not know Dobber very well, these might seem trivial, but trust me: they are monumental when it comes to Dobber!

After seven years of participation, starting in 1990, Patrick Flanigan decided to retire Dobber. He was ending his college education studying history and art (shock, shock) and still working on the completion of his portfolio; Patrick is also a very talented painter. He was just burned out from doing the same thing over and over. He is around 28, after all, and needed to move on. However, he did not escape the Renaissance Festival without a bang of a going-away party!

As I mentioned before, people gave Dobber many things besides money, including love letters. One night after faire, so I heard, Patrick was sharing some of these very humorous notes with some other participants, when Jeff Adams (a.k.a. Toruk the Barbarian), whom I've presumed is close friends with Patrick, walked up and shouted, "Letters to our Dark Lord, OYE!!", making "OYE" (pronounced like "aye" only with and "O" instead of "A") the "unofficial" greeting to Dobber by cast members.

Now my friend Jon, who played a Satyr as a volunteer this year and has unofficially been playing that role for the last five, told my boyfriend and me to be at Dobber's circle at the end of the day on the last day of Faire for Dobber's going-away party. He said, "You don't want to miss it!" So we wandered around for two days that weekend wondering what type of evil things the Faerie Horde were plotting against Dobber. It was absolutely killing us not to know! So on that night, we waited and waited and waited until we thought "maybe it was so subtle we didn't notice"...

When suddenly, the entire Faerie Court (and then some!) came running out of the night yelling, "HAIL TO OUR DARK LORD, OYE!" , each equipped with their own bottle of silly string! When they reached him, they attacked him with miles and miles of string yelling "OYE, OYE, OYE!!!" over and over with me and many other patrons joining in. When it was all over, you could not even see Dobber under the pile of pastel colored foam (Photo, below right)! He just sat up parted the string from his face, like he would hair, and gave the funniest look of "why?" I have ever seen. It was hysterical!!! Ahrianne the Faerie, played by Nancy Lovell, looked at him and said, "That's for all the pranks you have pulled on us for the past seven years!" I wish I knew what "all the pranks" were, but they had to be good for such a reward. It was truly a night I will never forget!

After all his years as a participant, Dobber earned his right as the leader of the Faerie Court at TRF. Now, just when the faeries are about to rebel against the petty humans, Dobber leaves! It is rumored that the court may battle within itself to choose a new leader next season. I think Ahrianne, the Green Faerie, should get it. She looks like a leader and practically is already anyway; she is more mature and keeps the young faeries in character. Also keep your eyes open for the court's new and first male faerie (Dobber is actually asexual) played by my friend Jon. He will be seen causing all types of mischief throughout Faire without a doubt.

Even though I was able to speak to Dobber a couple of times, it was not enough to create a long lasting friendship between us. I sometimes wish I could have known him as Patrick also, but I often wonder if I did, it might distort my view of Dobber. But either way, I will always remember him as Dobber the Black Faerie.

(Photo, left: Dobber the Black Faerie in all his glory! He had changed his wings from '96--and added a belt of animal skulls to his costume. Nice touch!) Overall, Dobber had a way to silence a crowd. His magic weaved its way into people of every age: whether two or eighty-two, they would stop by to watch Dobber and his art in motion for hours. Some people badgered him by calling him names and throwing coins at him, instead of to him, trying to get him to talk. Young women tried to seduce him with their fine faces and large busts. Little tykes tried their own hands at mud-art. But most just stared in amazement as Dobber transformed the ground he walked on into his own canvas for creating breathtaking artwork, which will only last in our hearts and minds.

RIDE THE DRAGON (below) to return to Ryleh's TRF97 Page by clicking on its icon!