Realistic or Modern Coldwater: A Supernatural Horror Western (OPEN)

[Shannon Trevor]

Abigail Foster

​

"No need for the apology," Abigail replied, the ghost of a smile touching her lips as the Sheriff stumbled to his feet. She had found the office empty and had decided to take a brief respite in the shade rather than heading to find a room. Invariably she had drifted over to the wanted posters displayed on one of the walls and had still been studying them when the Sheriff had arrived.

She held out her hand. "Abigail Foster." If the Sheriff took it, he would find the hand rough and callused and her grip strong. She nodded her head in the direction of the posters. "Just got into town but I'm looking for work. Thought I'd introduce myself."

Abigail looped her thumbs into her gunbelt and waited. Women bounty hunters weren't unheard of but still uncommon enough to give plenty of men pause. Every time she arrived in a new town looking for work or information, she knew she was being judged. She had been laughed out of more Sheriff's offices than she cared to count. Of course, that only doubled her satisfaction whenever she hauled the biggest paying bounty in the territory into their jail.

Owl Knight

 

[Sanctuaryforall1]

Delilah (Lila)

Mood: Curious



Location: Coldwater - Sheriff's Office



Interactions: Owl Knight Shannon Trevor

Sitting atop her dapple-grey horse with a lead in one hand and the reigns to her steed in the other Delilah Abernathy, better known as Lila, came riding into town. The ebony-haired beauty of a frontierswoman was a well-known member of the town who lived on her rather large farm just to the north. From the edge of town, one could relatively easily spot her house, barn, and silo in the distance with her land stretch out of sight around and beyond that point. Pinecrest farm was one of the main foods and draft animal producers for the town and as such Lila often hired temporary help from travelers passing through or those who needed a break from the mines. She paid a fair wage for a hard day’s work and often did her best to throw in a meal and some drinks or giving a little extra to the workers for them to have a drink on her at The Golden Coin.

Lila had been the owner of the farm for several years now but had worked it since before it became hers. When she first arrived in town a few years back the farm was owned by the elderly Oakly couple. It was clear that the property was too much for the sickly husband and wife to take care of so Lila set to work fixing it up for them in exchange for a place to stay in their barn. The young woman grew very close with the couple and became like the daughter they never had. In the end, it was Mrs. Oakly who was the first to go of the two when one morning she simply didn’t wake up. For a time after that, Mr. Oakly kept pushing on but it was clear he missed his wife very much. One day out in the field the old man just laid down as though to gaze up at the clouds and it was there he took his final breath. Delilah found him and with an aching heart laid him to rest next to his wife. When the couple's will was read it was of great surprise to Lila and others that the couple had left her everything. That had all happened several years ago now and Pinecrest farms had truly thrived with Lila calling the shots, clearly determined to ensure that the Oakly legacy lives on in some way.

This morning the young frontierswoman was making her way into town with a food supply wagon being pulled behind her by a well-bred ox. The summer's harvest had been plentiful so far which meant that soon the stores and homes in town would hopefully be well-stocked with corn, beans, sweet potatoes, and other crops Lila would grow throughout the year.

As she entered town Lila was surprised to find a small crowd gathering in the street. It seemed a bit early for a fight from the saloon to be spilling out into the town's main road so Lila had doubts that this had anything to do with drunks. As she pulled up to the front of the general store the dark-haired woman dismounted her horse and tied it and her ox the hitching post along the side of the road. Making sure the animals were secure she waved the shop boy over to start unloading the barrels and sacks into the store. As her cart was unloaded the streets began to clear and Lila still couldn’t help but wonder what that had all been about. “Watch the horse and ox boy.” She barked over her shoulder though her words were gentle rather than harsh.

With her animals in the care of the boys from the shop who Lila knew well the hard-working woman began to cross the street until she was pushing her way into the sheriff’s office. “Something happen Sheriff?” She asked as she entered the office and spotted Josiah and a woman who she had never seen before. “Oh, sorry. Didn’t see anyone else make their way in.”

code by Stardust Galaxy

Jericho

Mood: Focused



Location: Coldwater - Street



Interactions: Ghoulina Fred Colon

Jericho had been hard at work in his forge when the majority of the town gathered around the wagon full of carnage. Over the banging of his hammer on blazing metal, the hulking man missed most of the commotion until he finally looked up from his work and saw the distressed face of a girl with a bandana in the crowd. While Jericho might like to keep to himself for the most part and not stick his nose in the business of others seeing a lady in distress did not sit right with him. Putting his hammer down and removing his apron the well-muscled shop owner pushed past the gate to his forge and entered the scene in the street.

“What’s the ruckus out here?” He asked, his voice like deep like thunder in the mountains. “Are you alright ma’am?” He asked looking at Bambi who seemed absolutely distraught. He noticed Doc trying to take a look at her and took a step back but kept near enough to jump into action if the shock became too much for the poor lass and she doubled over. He did his best to stay out of the way but couldn’t help looking at the bloody mass in the back of the wagon. Jericho had seen a lot of carnage in his life but this was something different, like the claws of hell itself had ripped this man apart.

Looking over at Zebadiah, Jericho decided to take a step forward. “Need my help in any way Doc?” He asked looking from the doctor to the girl feeling the need to help in some way. Jericho was a man of action and while there was no way he could help the poor soul who had been ripped apart he could try and help this girl who was suffering so badly from the shock of it.

code by Stardust Galaxy

Rose

Mood: Shaken



Location: Coldwater - The Golden Coin



Interactions: Wolfiee

All of the commotion going on outside was enough to bring Rose to the window of her room at The Cat. She had had a pretty busy night with some of her regulars and made a bit of cash that she stored away behind her dresser for safekeeping. This wasn’t the life she thought she would lead when she was growing up but it was still a good life no matter how horrified her father and mother would be if they could see her now. She needed to survive and in order to do that, she needed to become someone no one would ever think she would be. She could no longer be Grace Kingston, heiress to a massive fortune, so she instead became Rose Montgomery, lady of the night. She did it to survive the attempts on her life made by her brothers and in a way, it was a far simpler life than she might have back east.

Looking out the window Rose gasped in horror at the bloody scene she could make out from her angle on the second floor of The Cat. A mangled corpse, torn to pieces with chunks missing, was in the back of a wagon with people crowding around it. The sight was enough to make the poor girl feel weak and for a moment she was forced to lean heavily against the wall beside her. She took several deep breaths and did her best to regain her mind and composure as she tried to force herself to process and accept what she saw. She couldn’t imagine what could have caused such carnage and prayed that the poor soul it happened to had died quickly.

Taking a final breath Rose got to her feet and made her way out of her room. She saw the other girls who worked at the brothel either crowding the windows downstairs, curled up somewhere crying, or some even getting sick. Having not been around to hear the madam’s command for them to stay inside Rose panicked and bolted out the door. She raced past the scene in the street, holding her breath as she went, and slowed down as she reached the doors of The Coin.

Entering the saloon Rose’s eyes widened when she saw Theodora standing there and not back at The Cat in her office. Then again it made sense that such a powerful woman would want to know everything going on in this town. “D-did y-you see?” She stammered, her eyes wide as she tried to hold back tears, and her voice soft and broken.

code by Stardust Galaxy

 

[tallonisfarout]

interactions: LadyLynx , QuickSmasherEXE




Delia’s head turned in the direction of the saloon doors like it was on a swivel when Alexander Gurley entered The Gold Coin. She shook her head, sending ebony curls cascading over her shoulder and down her back. She raised herself slightly, leaning her elbows against the bar. She had lost a decent sum of money to the soap maker during their last shared game, and hadn’t quite lost the chip on her shoulder even though her losses had long since been recovered.



“Hey Gurley, if you’re gonna screw me like that, the least you could do is settle your tab with the Madam first!” she called after the man as he made a beeline for the poker table.



A small smirk spread across her face as Angela offered her the first of many drinks of the evening. She was grateful that Angela wasn’t harping on her, though it was clear that Delia’s attempts to hide the evidence of her vices weren’t quite up to par as the barwoman could tell her condition from a stone’s throw. Or was it just paranoia? The feeling was one of the nastier symptoms of her indiscretions and it did tend to become more severe as her high crested and began winding down.



Who could blame her for being paranoid, anyway? What with the gruesome sight that had been the source of the morning’s commotion and all. All the blood, the shouting; it was enough to put anyone on edge.



These reflections gave Delia all of the assurance she needed to convince herself that Angela (or anyone else for that matter) couldn’t tell that she’d taken anything more stimulating than a menthol cigarette or a glass of whiskey.



“I’ve got some cash upstairs. I’ll be sure to settle up sometime tonight,” she replied after Angela in a quiet voice before adding a soft “thank you”



In truth, seeing the destruction that the body had endured had sent her into somewhat of a spiral. The pure carnage inflicted upon the once-living mass of viscera spilling from the bedroll in the back of the undertaker’s wagon had sent her back to the scene of the murder of her two captors down south. The blood, the frozen expression of terror, the permanent gasp for a breath of air that would never come; it was all too much. She’d need something stronger than a drink before the night was over with. She tapped her long fingernails against the grain of the wooden bar top, her eyes darting back and forth as the bar became more crowded by the minute.



She pushed herself off her elbows, gripping the edge of the bar to keep her hands from shaking as she retrieved a beer from the crate behind the counter that Angela pointed out. She struck the top of the bottle on the edge of the counter, popping off the metal cap before indulging in a long gulp of the frothy amber ale. She remained standing behind the bar, at the ready incase any customers made requests before Angela had finished her rounds greeting everyone. Delia was well trained on the bar and would often serve at The Gold Coin to make up for missing rent fare when her cash ran out. Part of her felt guilty for taking advantage of the arrangement so often, but at least she did honest work. She had never even attempted to cheat the Madame of her cut or to slip cash from Angela’s till when working the bar. For all the faults that Delia possessed, loyalty wasn’t one of them. And loyalty was something that money couldn’t buy.



Her eyes widened when Theodora entered shortly after the others. Delia almost never took clients to her own room at the coin, but last night exceptions were made as she had been dead on her heels for the last few hours of the night. Still, she had meant to stop by the cat earlier in the morning and check in with the Madame. She took another swig from her beer, biding her time for the moment, as Madame was busy speaking with one of the other girls. The girl was distraught and in great need of some condolence or reassurance – two things that Delia was not comfortable offering.

 

[Owl Knight]

⍟Sheriff Josiah Bridger ╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾

"Pleased to know you," Bridger replied, noting the rough callouses on the bounty hunter's hand. "I'm sorry, I don't have much for you by way of bounties," he continued, seating himself and digging in his desk drawer for a stack of fresh fliers to add to the wanted board. "Got a horse thief out of the Deadwood area. Last word was he had passed through Yankton on his way east. Not much of a payday, but its something." He held out the flier almost apologetically.

"You hang around town long enough, something's bound to come up eventually."

He was just getting comfortable when the door opened and a second woman entered, causing Bridger to quickly rise for the second time that afternoon.

Delilah Aberanthy, the Widow of Pinecrest Farm, blew through the office door, her dark hair still teased by the wind, and a question on her rosy lips. She cut herself off when she noticed the bounty hunter who stood speaking with the Sheriff.

"Lilah, erm...Mrs. Abernathy," Bridger said, tripping slightly over his words. He had gunned down his fair share of men in the enforcement of the law and had scraped by one two many times with his life intact, but the presence of the lovely young farm owner never ceased to tie a knot in his tongue. He had been to the farm a few times to lend a hand during harvest season and had run into Delilah when she was in town to drop off a shipment or trade good at the general store, enough for them to be on friendly speaking terms, but he always walked away from their conversations feeling a right lummox.

"Yes, I suppose we have had a spot of trouble more than our usual," he replied. "We're having a town meeting down at the Coin at 5:00 if you'll be in town."

He noticed the bounty hunter still standing by.

"Oh, my manners. My mother would tan my hide. Abigail Foster, this is Mrs. Delilah Abernathy of Pinecrest farm, just north of town. Mrs. Abernathy, this is Abigail Foster."

Sanctuaryforall1 Shannon Trevor

 

[QuickSmasherEXE]

She had lost a decent sum of money to the soap maker during their last shared game, and hadn’t quite lost the chip on her shoulder even though her losses had long since been recovered.

“Hey Gurley, if you’re gonna screw me like that, the least you could do is settle your tab with the Madam first!” she called after the man as he made a beeline for the poker table.

Gurley gave the woman a confused look, but then remembered her from a previous card game. He smiled at the ground and thought for a moment on how to respond. "Ma'am," he finally said, "if you found losing money at cards to be so pleasurable as to merit such a comparison, I would hardly object to you joining our game." He paid the small blind and immediately folded. Bad hand. "Next round, of course."

Now Gurley wasn't too terribly familiar with Delia, but if his reading of her was correct, there was certainly something rattling around in her head. Perhaps she was a bit too energetic, but the day had been rather eventful, and he'd seen stranger reactions to bloody bodies. It wouldn't be a surprise if she was more shaken now than when she did poorly at cards.

Regardless, he could hardly afford to keep his attention for long. He turned back to the table and continued playing in his own careful, selectively attentive style.

 

[Sanctuaryforall1]

Delilah (Lila)

Mood: Curious



Location: Coldwater - Sheriff's Office



Interactions: Owl Knight Shannon Trevor

Icy blue eyes shifted from the stranger back towards the Sheriff as Josiah rose from his chair. Lilah noticed his slight stumble over his own words and gave a small smile as he made his best attempt to remember his manners. Honestly, the frontierswoman didn’t mind the Sheriff calling her by her first name, so many in town did, but she did always appreciate how polite he was towards her. From their past interactions, which hadn’t been many due to her living outside of town, Lilah had determined early on that she liked the man. He seemed to have a good head on his shoulders and was fair and just. These were qualities that not all lawmakers upheld which made him all the more a blessing to this town in her eyes. He seemed to genuinely care about the town and its people and made sure to show it which she was certain others had noticed as much as she had. Josiah had even been by the farm multiple times during the height of the harvest to lend a hand, something the ebony-haired widow both admired and appreciated.

Nodding her head as he spoke of the meeting that was to take place later in the afternoon Lilah pushed a lock of her dark hair behind her ear as she considered her schedule. Her attention was taken away from her thoughts and her gaze left the sheriff once more as Josiah introduced her to the other woman standing in his office. “Not too often we get strangers in these parts.” Lilah greeted with a smile and held her hand out to the woman. While some in town might not know the usual drifters all too well Lilah was pretty familiar with all of them. Often times the same traveling folks would stop by her farm for a couple of days to find work before heading out again. It made the frontierswoman rather knowledgeable of the people who didn’t always stick around. “It’s nice to see a new face.” She stated before returning her attention to Josiah.

“I left Benny to look after the farm today.” She explained. “Can’t see him getting too upset if I stay in town a little later for the meeting.” She added knowing her farmhand wouldn’t mind her being late to get back to the property and she trusted him to keep the farm from burning down while she was gone. She might not have seen what caused the commotion in town on her way in but by the way folks were acting it was clearly not good which meant she should stick around to get more information and maybe find a way to help.

code by Stardust Galaxy

 

[Owl Knight]

⍟Sheriff Josiah Bridger ╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾

5:00 PM

As sunset painted the valley in tones of purple and orange, a crowd gathered on the pinewood floorboards of the Golden Coin. Stacked in like sardines, shoulder to shoulder with their neighbors, and some lined up along the stairs and the upper landing which led to the rooms beyond, they waited to hear what the Sheriff would say.

Bridger had been there early, helping Angela clear away tables to make room for the impromptu meeting. Now he stood by the bar, watching as the last few stragglers filed in. He spotted Delilah among the crowd of faces and stifled a pleased feeling to see she had been able to attend.

The hot day had begun to give way to humid night, and the air in the bar was heavy with body heat and the smell of people and their sweat.

Bridger climbed onto the bar and raised his hands to call for silence. The chattering crowd did not notice at once, but a few old timers seated near the front of the crowd raises a call to "Hush up!" and the people obeyed.

"Well, neighbors," Bridger began slowly, looking around. "Good evenin'." He licked his dry lips and thought through his next words carefully. He was not much of a public speaker, and he could feel the flop sweat on his back getting cold. "I reckon some of you saw what happened to Elmo Crane, and I reckon if you didn't see it, you heard about it from someone who did. I also reckon some of you may be drawing conclusions related to the cattle attacks and such we've been seein' these last few months." Silence hung over the room save for a scant few scattered affirmative.
"Well, before anyone goes riding off to take matters into their own hands, hear this. I was elected to be the law in this camp, and I intend to stick to my oath. I'm going to ride up the creek tomorrow at dawn, and see what I can see regarding this problem. Any able bodied man or woman that can ride and shoot straight is welcome to join me, if it'll settle your minds." He set his jaw and gazed down at the crowd.
"Strange times and strange events sometimes lead to actions folks regret," he cautioned. "Ain't no place in this town for heroes. If you see something strange, or hear about it. You tell it to me. Don't go riding off to deal with it on your own."

He could see people growing restless. "I've said my piece," he said. "Go on home now, have dinner, get some sleep. If you want to join up, meet me by the north road at dawn."

 

[Ghoulina]

Bambi Skellet

▓ Interaction:
▒ Mention: Fred Colon Sanctuaryforall1 Humble1
░ Mood: Embarrassed, unsure.

Bambi had squished herself into the Golden Coin to listen to whatever the Sheriff had to say. It was awkward, she had been fending off questions and curious townsfolk all afternoon and had mostly been cleaning herself up and trying to stay out of sight the entire time. Thankfully, the doctor had let her clean herself and change out of her bloodied overalls, a mess she would have to tend to later, maybe at the creek the next day if she had a spare moment. Having had to use the only other garments she had brought along, her small frame was dressed in blood free black pants, a maroon coloured shirt and a sturdy leather belt. It had been a long while since she wore anything so fitted, she felt tiny, squashed up sardine in the throng of people eagerly waiting for information.

In the future, she promised she would pay the doctor back for his kindness somehow. Some of the townsfolk were very nice, another gentleman had approached to help earlier, tall as a mountain with a scar on his face. She had felt like a small child next to him, reaching five feet herself, but remembered his thoughtfulness and tried to keep that compassion in her mind as many others rudely questioned her or threw her dirty looks, whispering what she had no doubt were unkind words between themselves. Once the sheriff had finished, she wriggled herself out of the saloon as quickly as she could and escaped across the street, walking briskly. So, he was going up to the creek in the morning? Bambi had a rifle, and though it was old, she took good care of it and knew it well, often her only friend in the wilderness. If the sheriff needed a good shooter, she could help, and her extensive experience hunting and camping throughout the area could be useful. She could spot tracks in an instant, and she knew where might be good to look, and where to avoid, like the Skellet homestead and the McTeague's land.

However, she hesitated. Those past few hours, she had never felt so tiny and insignicant, so powerless and hopeless. In the weeks prior, she carried her good humor and optimism proudly, sure things would turn out fine- but after finding Elmo, it was gone suddenly. All she could think about was his gnarled body, how scared he must have been, and what on earth she would do if it happened to all of her folk. She stopped then, a large building drawing her interest from her dark thoughts. It was the church, a place she hadn't set foot in all her life, a place that she had joked would burst into flames if she so much as poked her head inside. The Skellet brood drew ire from religious folks, as they didn't seem to practice anything at all and sinned as they liked in their isolation. However, someone had mentioned a new preacher in town, and that it might do her well to pay him a visit after her tribulations.

She had laughed at the idea at the time, but now she stood, fidgetting nervously as she stared at the building. Maybe a learned man like a preacher, especially one that seemed to travel, would have insight. Maybe he hadn't heard about her and her lot yet, he wouldn't laugh her out of the place. She crept up quickly, approaching the window left of the door and looking behind her shoulder frequently, embarrassment setting in. How does one enter, she wondered, looking in the window. Was she even allowed to enter? She grabbed the doors and yanked them, but then released them quickly and darted around the side of the building and out of sight as a couple of townsfolk approached, and then passed her on their way up the street, both shooting her confused glances as they went. Bambi felt silly, and it showed on her flushed cheeks. She was more a fish out of water there than anywhere else, and had already resigned that she would wait for the sun to sink lower and then slink back to the saloon to drown her thoughts in booze.

 

[Humble1]

'Dinner,' as the good sheriff had optimistically put it, was just a mess of dried beans and corn. He'd left them soaking as he straightened up the church and chased out the inevitable church mice. Now they were boiling over coals in the fireplace, seasoned with some wild onions and other greenery he'd managed to forage along the trail. The life of a circuit rider was never prosperous, and a man learned to grab what vittles nature could provide when he spotted them.

He was checking the meal - hoping that the corn was no longer bullet-hard - when he heard the front door open, then close rapidly. The rough-hewn door was hard enough to open on purpose, so no chance that was just the wind.

He strode to the door and eased it open. No one, except a couple of townsfolk to far away to have been the cause. Hmmmm ....

"Well now, if there was someone out here, I might be inclined to offer some hospitality. Dinner is just some succotash, but I'd be delighted to share. You can imagine after a night like tonight, nobody wants to be alone."

 

[Ghoulina]

Bambi Skellet

▓ Interaction: Humble1
▒ Mention:
░ Mood: Nervous

Bambi jumped when she heard a man's voice, and then pressed herself against the wall as he spoke. She had been busted for sure, she thought, and wondered if he would hear her if she sprinted away like a startled raccoon that had been caught munching up dinner scraps in someone's camp. However, he mentioned succotash, and this lured her and her hungry, rumbling belly around the corner very effectively. Maybe she was more raccoon-like than she realized. She still fidgetted, having come eye to eye with who she was sure was the preacher. This the first time she had seen one up close- the idea that she would even be there in the first place, a Skellet who probably couldn't read a Bible much less understand it, was bizarre. "Hello, h-how do you do, p-preacher sir..." She quietly said, coming a bit closer.

This was hard. She laughed nervously, not sure why, she had gone toe to toe with wolf packs and tracked bears through the woods and now she was a little dormouse at a prayer house door. "That'd be real swell- it was me who fooled with the door sir, I was fixin' to come in but I got kinda scared." this was painfully honest, she couldn't stand to be untruthful. "Oh! My name is Bambi, Bambi Skellet, sir. I hear you're the new preacher here, and I- well, I wanted to talk to you- but I never been in a church before. I don't mean no offense sir, I don't know any better." she looked down at her boots, flushed and flummoxed at the same time. She would press on and follow him inside though if he allowed it, she had too many questions not to.

 

[Owl Knight]

⍟Sheriff Josiah Bridger ╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾

Bridger dismounted the bar as the crowd began to disperse. He supposed what he had said was enough to keep rumors and idle talk from spilling over into foolhardy action, but the might was young, and people did strange things on summer nights.

Outside the sky was already growing dim, and the shadows in the forests beyond the edge of town grew long. Bridger scanned the milling crowd for Delilah's face, but it took him some time to spot her. He pushed his way through the crowd until he stood at her shoulder.

"We'll," he said soberly, "I hope that was worth sticking around for. I don't plan on doing a repeat show." He could smell his own perspiration and hoped in this crowd that she could not.

"It's getting dark, I don't suppose you'd let me escort you back to the farm?" He offered. "With all this going on, you can't be too careful."

Sanctuaryforall1

 

[Humble1]

Carson had fifteen years of experience in not laughing at people who got nervous around a clerical collar. It took all of that, plus a bit of pure frontier stubbornness, not to chuckle at the poor nervous woman at the door.

"Well, Miss Skellet, why don't you come on in? You probably know better than I do how the wind picks up at night around here."

Carson held the door wide as the young woman scurried in. He tried to guess what would make her the most comfortable right now. Some people took ease with formality, others were just the opposite.

"The food will be ready in just a bit. Go ahead and take a seat on one of the pews. I'm afraid the comforts are still a bit limited here until I get around to having some carpenters stop by."

JB put deed to word by dropping down onto a pew. The folks who built the church had been unimaginative, but at least they were competent. The wooden construction was plain but there was no danger of splinters.

"As for names ... well, I'm not particular. You can call me 'JB' if you want, that's what most people do day-to-day. But if you want to talk with me as man of the church, you can call me Reverend Carson. That makes some things feel more official."

"Now, I'm happy enough that you stopped by, but I'm guessing there's something you wanted to talk about. No rush now, set your own pace."


Interaction: Ghoulina

 

[LadyLynx]

♢ ANGELA WATERS ♢

interactions; @ open

'Don't go riding off to deal with it on your own.' The bartender couldn't quite stifle a scoff and halfhearted muffled it with a small cough. Angela had been listening carefully to the words of the sheriff, biting her lip worriedly over the prospect of what could be out there, and how serious it would turn out to be. But when the man in charge spoke of others not riding off on their own, the saloon owner knew right away that some fool or another would ride off, all high and mighty at the aspect of a great reward or pride or even just on the back of a stupid bet, and get himself killed, this time without a hunter or trapper to carry his body home. This was the wild west, and whilst many had learned to live by their brains, many had also focused more on desires and being able to shoot a gun, and lacked som in the brains department. Luckily it seemed that most in this ragged, mixed bunch of people that'd shown up for the meeting at 5 pm, seemed to have their heads put on the right way.

She herself was unsure if she should join the bunch in the morning or not, her skills with horse and gun definitely good enough to be of help, but perhaps some here in town needed the help more, some drops of liquid courage to calm the nerves or settle frayed minds. Conflicted, and undecided, the bartender decided that sitting around doing nothing wouldn't help her make a decision. Besides, she was real bad at sitting still for long when there were people in her bar in general.

As soon as the meeting, Angela set about removing glasses and bottles from the tables, small body moving smoothly between patrons, tables and chairs, her tray full of empty beverages as she stepped behind the bar and tipped the glassware into a crate underneath the counter for dumping or cleaning. From there, she leaned against the bar once more, simply observering, ready to step in with words, drinks or threats, whatever was most needed in a situation as such.

(Wasn't sure what to post, so I thought I'd just leave her open for interaction or events)

TEMPLATE © BOKEH​

 

[Ghoulina]

Bambi Skellet

IMG HERE

▓ Interaction: Humble1
▒ Mention:
░ Mood: thoughtful, calming down.

So, this was the church. Bambi moved inside slowly, giving the interior a thoughtful once over. Pews, as the Reverend called them, were set up in rows. She guessed that he would speak at the front, and recalled her Pa telling her that bible men stuck themselves up on a box and yelled at everyone who dared go near. JB, or Reverend Carson as was his formal title, didn't seem like the type to do that- but nevertheless she carried a small bit of wariness about her, not quite trusting the establishment. She slung her satchel onto the ground and then plopped herself down onto the same pew, then let out a tired sigh, rubbing her eyes wearily. It had been a long day, and so much had happened- it wasn't until she finally got to sit down in relative safely out of eyeshot that she realized how exhausted she was. She learned forward with her elbows on her knees, looking more like a farmhand boy than a lady. "Thanks for lettin' me in here, Reverend Carson." she began, choosing formality for now. "Whereabouts did you come from, anyways? It is nicer than here?" she let out a nervous laugh.

"You see, I'm the one who found Mr. Elmo Crane laid out dead in the woods today. I made some of our boys help bring him into town." she lowered her head and stared down at the ground. It was surprisingly difficult for her to recount the thing she had been thinking about constantly since it happened. "Our boys- you see, I don't live in town here sir, I live way out in the woods there with my folk, up towards the mountain. Town folk call us hill people, or mountain people- and other not so nice things," she chuckled and then sat back and rested against the pew, looking over at the man of the cloth. "What I'm trying to say is that I don't really belong here. I don't have nobody to talk to about it, my folk won't come near here. And if they did- they'd say Elmo is probably... well, in heck, sir. They told me once that you have to repent for your sins, and then maybe God might forgive you and bring you up to heaven with the angels." her tired eyes welled up again and she looked away.

"Elmo wouldn't have had time for none of that, his face was screwed up, he was so scared- I ain't seen nothing like it. But he didn't ask to be killed, it wasn't his fault so he doesn't deserve to go to down there, does he? He was a good man, didn't cause any trouble." she finished and let out another long sigh, still unsure what to think of any of it. Was she hoping for a holy man to absolve Elmo, and even if he did, if wouldn't quell the terror within her. It wouldn't stop the grief, or the worry that wrapped around her neck like an icy chain. "I've been thinking that maybe God put a curse on this place. Maybe we're paying for our sins, now some creature is out there huntin' folk like we hunt animals."

 

[QuickSmasherEXE]

"Well, before anyone goes riding off to take matters into their own hands, hear this. I was elected to be the law in this camp, and I intend to stick to my oath. I'm going to ride up the creek tomorrow at dawn, and see what I can see regarding this problem. Any able bodied man or woman that can ride and shoot straight is welcome to join me, if it'll settle your minds."

Gurley hadn't left his seat since he'd first arrived. As was polite, he placed his cards face down on the table (keep his hands on them) and listened quietly as the sheriff spoke, almost worried there'd be some obligation for him to join their investigative party. He nearly sighed and smiled in relief when the matter of shooting straight come up, nearly five years of service perfectly demonstrated he was incapable of such. The perfect excuse to leave everyone else to their own devices and busy himself with his own.

He took his canteen from his waist and gave it a shake. Near empty. He frowned and looked outside. Near dark. People were leaving, it was probably a good time to head off, but...

He was ahead.

"Excuse me ma'am," he called to the woman at the bar. "What manner of refreshments do you have available? I am not in the habit of downing strong drink but I would not mind another sort of beverage if such is available."

Spoiler: Interactions

LadyLynx

 

[Sanctuaryforall1]

Delilah (Lila)

Mood: Alert

Location: The Golden Coin

Interactions: Owl Knight

As the sun was lowering in the sky and the clock struck 5 o’clock pm it seemed almost everyone in town had crammed their way into The Golden Coin to attend this meeting. It was hot and the smell of body odor was thick on the air as people sat shoulder to shoulder and spoke among themselves while they waited for the Sheriff to say his peace. Delilah sat towards the edge of the crowd having been at The Coin well before the meeting started since she had little else to do in town once she had finished her business earlier that day. She luckily got a good seat and wasn’t too cramped unlike some of the folks who arrived later and thus were stuck with less fortunate seating options.

Crystal blue eyes watched Josiah take his stand in front of the crowd, for a moment their eyes met and Lilah felt her lip pull in a soft smile. Quickly however the smile was replaced with an almost grim look as the meeting began. She had heard about what happened to Elmo Crane and prayed he had gone quicker than folks said he had. No one deserved such a painful end. As Josiah continued his speech and spoke of heading out at dawn to investigate what happened Lilah couldn’t help but wonder if she should volunteer to go with him and whoever else joined. Folks didn’t know it but Delilah was a hell of a good shot, especially with a rifle, so she could likely take care of herself out in the woods while also watching the others backs. However, she had spent all day in town rather than at the farm and she wasn’t sure if it would be smart to do the same a second day in a row. She trusted her farmhands of course but still, she preferred to be there to run the place herself as she had since she arrived in town.

With the meeting coming to an end Delilah still weighed her options about joining the group tomorrow as she began to make her way out of the saloon. She was most of the way back to her horse, Buckshot, and her ox and cart when she heard a familiar voice behind her. The urge to smile returned as she turned to face the Sheriff who had made his way through the crowd to speak with her. “It was more information than I had this morning so I’d say it was worth it.” She informed him with a nod, her voice warm and genuine. “And I think you handled it better than most other folks would’ve.” She added.

Hearing his offer to join her on her ride back to the farm Lilah gave a nod, “Sure. It’d be nice to have another set of eyes on the trail.” She agreed knowing that this was far later than she had planned on going back and sometimes the path could be tricky with the wagon. “And I always enjoy good company.” She stated with a pretty little smirk pulling at her lips as she acknowledged to herself that if it had been anyone else she would have said no but having time to get to know him better just felt like a good idea to her.

code by Stardust Galaxy

Jericho

Mood: Focused

Location: The Golden Coin

Interactions: LadyLynx

As Jericho sat at the bar with Barron laying between his feet the blacksmith listened carefully to Josiah’s words. It wasn’t right what had happened to Elmo but Jericho know the Sheriff was right that acting too rashly would only lead to more corpses. Still, it was good that the lawman of the town was planning to head out at dawn to see what he could find. Jericho intended with every fiber of his being to be apart of that patrol. His skills from his past of tracking and hunting fleeing soldiers might come in handy and if anything happened, he would know how to handle himself in a fight.

These were all thoughts that swam in the beast of a man’s head as the meeting ended and the crowd began to clear. At his feet Barron was lapping loudly as a bowl of water, clearly trying to beat what remained of the day's heat as well as the warmth of so many bodies in one place. Looking down at the mutt Jericho reached over and scratched the underside of the dog’s ear causing Barron to groan happily. “Good boy.” Jericho muttered to the black and brown beast as he sat back up and leaned his elbows on the bar.

“Beg your pardon, Angela.” Jericho called out to the saloon owner. “Anything I can do to help ya?” He asked as he watched her set herself hard to work clearing tabled and filling drinks.

code by Stardust Galaxy

 

[Humble1]

Carson looked at the suffering woman before him. The frontiers were harsh places, and death was not an uncommon feature. It was easy to forget the toll it took on the living to see friends and neighbors disappear. Easy to forget how grief and horror could drain the soul out of a person.

"Well, as to where I'm from, I was born out in New Mexico territory. I won't say that it's 'nicer' exactly. Drier, maybe, warmer, yes, rougher, most definitely. People - even natives - are thin on the ground out there."

While talking, Carson rose and fetched a pair of ceramic mugs from a saddlebag. As much to have something to do with his hands as anything else. He dipped each in a bucket of fresh well-water and set one down by Bambi, still talking.

"As it happens, my father was a trapper, too. My mother said my first solid meal was boiled beaver tail. So I know how hard life can get for you and your family. And I know the kinds of things that Elmo might have gotten up to, and the kinds of things he'd have to repent."

He wandered over to the fireplace and checked the pot one more time. A waft of onion-scented steam rose as he lifted the lid. Mmmmm, don't that smell half edible. Guess I have learned a thing or two riding the circuit.

"The thing to remember, Bambi, is that our God is not some east-coast lawyer looking to trip us up on some point of the law. Each of us has value in His sight. So prayer and repentance aren't some spell you have to cast, or some bit of paperwork you have to fill out. God loves us more than the rules, else he wouldn't have sent his son down to us to change the rules."

Carson peered over his glasses at the young woman. It was easy to focus on the rules and lose track of the personhood of everyone involved, God and man. Best to make that point good and strong right at the outset.

"Now, I didn't know Elmo ... huh, you know, maybe you can help me with that. I know I just got to this town, but there's no way I'm going to see one of its people go into the ground without some kind of funeral. The town needs that right now. And you can't have a funeral without saying a few words about the deceased, but I didn't know Elmo from Adam. You seemed to know him a bit; could you maybe tell me some stories about the man? Something to give me some idea of what he was like? That would mean a lot to me."

Carson carefully scooped succotash into chipped bowls as he spoke. The poor thing probably wasn't feeling hungry, but she'd nibble a bit out of politeness and the warm food would do her some good. And remembering some of the good times would help her forget the ugly sight of Elmo's mangle body.

Interaction: Ghoulina

 

[Owl Knight]

◐Lyle and Isaiah McTeague ╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾

The sun had set, and the waxing moon broke over the pine forest like the gleaming face of death in the black reach of the night sky.

Lyle's stomach was growling. Last night's meal had satisfied the galloping hunger that followed him wherever he went for a time, but each night as the moon's pale face grow broader, so too did the gnawing of that hunger. A hunger for flesh. A hunger for hot blood.

Isaiah moved at his side as the pair moved silently through the trees. Even in the half dark, they trod on not a single dry twig, like spirits through the trunks moving in a slow deliberate pattern towards the lights of the town. Lyle was hungry too, Isaiah could smell it. The need rose off of his brother like the putrid stink of a grave. If he were let off the leash, Isaiah would no doubt fall on the town like a ravenous tornado, taking anything he could catch for his supper. But the old man watched them from behind the trees, his pale eyes, like the moon, full of strength and death.

Lyle was stronger. Lyle was smarter. Lyle was in control. They had taken the trapper's body to the undertaker's at the north corner of the town. The old man's orders were clear. They were to take the body, and leave the town undetected. The time wasn't right, their numbers still too small. Soon, it would be time to feast on the town, but not yet.

The brothers bounded across the cold stream that ran along the north border of the town and came to a crouch on the steep bank that climbed up to the first building, a grain warehouse. Lyle felt his stomach growl anew at the smell of humans, he could smell their stink, their blood and flesh and it drove nails of need into his brain. Isaiah felt it too, he could tell. His brother's breath was growing faster. He could hear his dark heart pumping as the prey drive filled his form.

"Keep a lid on it," Lyle growled, in words that were barely human. It was hard to speak around the fangs. If the moon were full, all that would have come out would have been an animal growl.

⍟Sheriff Josiah Bridger ╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾
Josiah smiled and donned his hat as he followed the fair young widow towards her ox and cart. Night had come on quickly and the pale moon was rising over the mountains to the east. The night had cut the heat somewhat and their air felt balmy as a merciful breeze drifted down from across the cold stream to the north of town.

The pair walked in silence, in part because Josiah found himself perplexingly more tongue tied than he usually was. He found himself painfully cognizant of the way Delilah's dark hair bounded on her fair shoulders with each determined step. She moved with the confidence and grace of a woman who had long ago shaken off the expectations of a society that doubted her abilities. Josiah admired her spirit and strength. He also admired the smooth curve of her neck.

"Nice night," he said as they reached the wagon, groaning internally at the trite nature of the comment in light of the day's business. "Warm that is," he added with a cough. He offered her a hand up onto her horse, though he suspected the gesture was wholly unnecessary. His own horse, Samson, was tethered nearby at the sheriff's station and he quickly saddled and bridled the ornery mustang and joined her by the cart.

"I'll follow your lead, Ma'am," he said with a polite smile.

As the pair made their way across the old north bridge, Samson shied and bucked.

"Woah there, you blowhard," Josiah admonished the flighty animal. He glanced around, wondering what might have shaken the beast's confidence. "No need to show off in front of the lady." Sanctuaryforall1


◐Lyle and Isaiah McTeague ╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾
Lyle and Isaiah watched the cart pass over the bridge from less than fifteen feet away, crouching like grim ghosts in the shadow of the embankment. Lyle could hear Isaiah's hunger howling up from within him and felt his brother tense as the man's horse shied and acted up. The beasts always sensed them before the humans. Why not after all, they were one of a kind.

Lyle reached out a clawed hand and took his brother firmly by the arm. The riders were moving away and he could feel the wild desire in his brother's body to give chase and devour man, woman, horses and ox. That wild and uncontrollable drive was what had got them into this situation in the first place. That and the Skellet witch's rutting curiosity. They would deal with her and her rotten little tribe in short order.

"Not now," he growled softly in his brother's hairy ear. "The old man is watching." He could feel it, those pale eyes still clawing at his neck like a flea he couldn't scrarch or bite away.

"First the body. Then we can eat."

Like a pair of black specters, the brothers mounted the bank and moved towards the undertraker's office in the shadows behind the tight packed houses of the town.

 

[tallonisfarout]

interactions: Sanctuaryforall1

Paranoia plagued Cordelia’s mind until it became as stifling and miserable as the main floor of the coin itself. Being a shameless woman, she had a bit of an advantage over those with floor-length skirts and sensible collars. Rather than adhering to the the stuffy dress codes of polite society, Delia opted to leave little to the imagination. Her Madame, Theodora, spent many an evening creating and repairing custom garments to accentuate her girls’ best “assets”. Her cream-colored bustier dress slipped off her shoulders, fanning out around her mid thigh to show just a peek of her garter belt. It was ideal for floating between guests and patrons alike as her bare back and shoulders gently brushed against passerby’s.



Once the coin approached capacity, Delia retreated to her rented bedroom on the second floor. She waited as the Sheriff made his announcement, fanning herself in the doorway where fewer people lingered. Jasper had awoken by this time and was pacing in circles between her feet, agitated by some unknown presence. Delia lifted the cat into her arms, giving him a slight glimpse at the commotion below. His ears flattened against his head as he produced a sharp hiss and retreated from his master’s arms back to the safe refuge of their bedroom. Delia sighed, having no clue what could have gotten into her typically demure feline. She shrugged, placing herself in front of the full length standing mirror in the corner of the room to freshen up before rejoining the dissipating crowd downstairs.



She descended down the steps two at a time, quickly breaking off towards the back of the saloon and bussing all of the empty bottles and spare dishes left behind by patrons. She cracked a slight grin as Jericho, the local blacksmith, offered to help Angela put the place back together again.



“Such a gentleman,” she commented, placing a metal tub full of empty bottles behind the counter before turning to meet the man’s gaze. “Tell me, mister. You do metal work, yeah? Aren’t you also the town locksmith?”

 

[Owl Knight]

◐Lyle and Isaiah McTeague ╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾
The brothers found themselves beneath the window of the undertaker's office. Inside Dr. Zeb Acker bent low over the sorry remains of Elmo Crane.

Lyle could smell the man's sweat through the wall, the all too human stink of blood and flesh. His stomach howled in the moonlight. The old man be damned to the pit, he and his brother would eat tonight.

Zeb mopped his brow with a handkerchief and sat back in his chair with a sigh. He had toiled to try and make the body of the unfortunate trapper presentable, but try as he might, he could not wipe the fear that still rode frozen in the man's face. He had worked on his fair share of mangled corpses in his time practicing frontier medicine, but something about Elmo Crane's body chilled him to his weary bones. Years on the battlefields of the insurrectionists' foolhardy war had shown him the depravity of the ways the human form could be mangled by lead and bayonet, but what ever had torn Crane's insides out had done so with a ferocity that no wolf or mountain lion or man could muster.

The window exploded inwards with sudden terrible force that sent Zeb tumbling from his chair. The lamplight snuffed out in the sudden gust of breeze accompanied by a stench of death that Zeb had not known since the stinking mires of Antietam. Silver eyes blazed at him from the darkness as the first shape clambered through the window, bristling with black hair, devilish pointed ears rising like horns against the night sky.

Zeb's choked scream was cut short as a second shape burst through his door, splintering the wood into kindling.

Lyle and Isaiah fell upon the unfortunate doctor before his cries could wake the town. His death was mercifully short, but as Isaiah's teeth sank into his throat, the brevity of the experience was of little comfort.

 

[Wolfiee]

Theodora Blackwood

Theodora had been listening as the sheriff spoke when one of her girls had clung to her looking shaken her gaze flicked to her. She pulled the young woman closer gently shushing her but keeping a protective arm around her until the meeting had ended. Then with that she’d gently lead Rose away back to The Cat which would given them privacy.”Alright Rose you sit here and I’m gonna make you some milk with honey.”she said firmly yet gently forcing Rose to sit in a comfortable chair before gently wrapping a blanket around the shaken girl. “I’ll be right back you just try and relax alright?”she murmured motherly before heading off to the kitchen to prepare the warm drink. Once in the kitchen the raven haired woman sighed she had not been expecting what she saw earlier. Now seeing a dead body didn’t bother her none however how it was mutilated was another thing. It had appeared to be animal like, but what kind of animal around her could cause that. Then there was the fact it wouldn’t take much for someone else to have killed Elmo first then left it to he eaten by an animal. Her pale fingers worked swiftly lifting the now warm pan full of milk and filling a mug up adding a bit of honey. Then with adding a dash of cinnamon to make the drink even more pleasant she drifted back to Rose.

TEMPLATE © BOKEH​

 

[LadyLynx]

♢ ANGELA WATERS ♢

interactions; Sanctuaryforall1 tallonisfarout

At the sound of a familiar deep voice, Angela's head popped up from under the counter - her sorting through the various boxes - and once her warm gaze connected with that of a familiar broad-shouldered man, a smile spread across her lips. "Jericho! Surprised I couldn't see ya, you lug." Her voice was tinged with amusement, her hair slightly messy but still moving gently as she stood up and brushed off dust from her knees - need to sweep soon I see. At Delia's comment, the owner's gaze moved to meet hers and she cracked a smile, humming in agreement. "Sure is. He's made of the right stuff, and lots of it, going by his stature." Angela commented, chuckling a bit as she turned back and stepped out from behind the bar.

She approached the man, dodging a half-drunk customer on the way, and as she reached Jericho, her eyes were drawn to a certain animal at his feet. "Barron! My favorite guy in the world" Excitement tinged her words, although she took the time to shoot a wink in Jericho's direction after her comment, before turning her attention to the large dog. The bartender would often come by Jericho's, to play with and pet Barron, but also because she found the large man interesting, and after his help restoring the bar when she'd first bought it, she considered him a great friend as well. As she focused on the dog, she heard Delia speak to the blacksmith, and decided to continue to lavish the dog with attention until the two had finished their conversation.

(Next par is after Delia and Jericho have finished talking! Ignore until then ~)

After a bit of giving Barron all the pets and love she could manage with just two hands and a soft voice, she turned her gaze back to meet the man's as she stood up, absentmindedly brushing off some of the dog fur from her hands. "I've got it all handled, Jer, but I greatly appreciate your offering. I'd much rather hear how you and the pooch are doing. I haven't been by as much as I'd like, but its been real busy with all the newcomers. And now this, with the thing in the forest and poor Elmo. It ain't looking too good, I must admit. You going along with the sheriff?" Angela took a seat as she spoke, sitting on it backwards so she could lean her elbows against the back of the chair as she spoke, her legs gathered off to one side. It wasn't very lady-like, but even if she had her moments of elegance and lady-ness, she still had to have the nerves to run a bar with customers of all sorts, and that'd be hard if she had to wear a neat hairdo, paint on her face and be adorned with a chokingly tight dress whilst saying 'miss' and 'ma'am' and 'sir' all day.

TEMPLATE © BOKEH​