Ghost Town (Interest Check/OOC)

[Keke Le Cat]

Description
Think of it as sort of the television series Lost meets Cowboys and Indians...

This is a realistic modern roleplay turned classic western with a science fiction twist. It is intended to be lighthearted. Much of this is flexible, so if you have any ideas please PM me. It probably won't move terribly quickly, about one (1) post a day is all that is required.

Let's have a good time without taking ourselves too seriously.

Setting
In the year 1868, Tombstone, a small town in Oklahoma was frozen in time. The citizens cannot leave, do not age and if they should die, they wake up the next morning in a shallow grave in the local cemetery. Inexplicably, each citizen has their own gravesite with a shiny new tombstone above it, and they have since that first morning. The date of their birth is present, but there is no death date.

If they should stay in town, they wake up the next morning in their bed. But if they should try to stay up all night, they black out and wake up the next morning in their grave. They have long since lost track of time. Their calendars show September, 1868.

The town is stuck in time. If changes are made, the next morning it is as it was on that final day, in 1868. Broken windows are whole again, wood does not rot, metal does not rust. It is as though time simply stopped flowing around the town.

The citizens have grown mentally, but they have not aged physically. Their memories are in tact. Some have spent the years learning all they could and advancing themselves. Some have found god, and others have lost their religion. Others have lost their mind completely. Those who commit suicide wake up the next morning in their grave, covered in loose, dry dirt. Most people try to live their days as best they can, ignoring the fact that nothing ever changes no matter what they do. Some few are in denial, and live each day as though it were still 1868.

Some believe they are in hell, others believe it is purgatory, and others still claim no opinion.

Most have long since given up trying to find a way out.

Premise
You are on a team of archaeologists setting out to explore a ghost town in Oklahoma that satellite images portray as perfectly preserved. It is a once in a lifetime experience, and many different types of people have gotten on board for the adventure. You could be a cook, hired muscle, a scientist, a local expert, a history enthusiast, the husband, wife or child of one of the above, or nearly anything you can think of. If you wish to play more than one character, that is fine by me. If you wish to play a townsperson, that could work too.

The opening scene will be approaching the town for the first time on foot. For the remainder of the roleplay, you will only possess what you have on your person or in your backpack. The vehicles will disappear, including their contents.

The Plot
You are bound and determined to discover what is happening to you, and to find a way out. When you begin to snoop around, strange things happen. Unexplainable things. Terrible THINGS!

The Area
Exactly how large their borders are, no one knows. If one should set out on foot, by horse, by train, or by boat, they can travel in whichever direction they desire and though it seems they cover ground, they get no where. Though they lose sight of the town, they do not seem to make ground. If they go to sleep outside of their beds, they wake up the next morning in their graves.

The town is some few miles from the Native American camp. A small mine, a lake and a river are included in the time locked territory.

A railroad depot is present, and a train arrives every day at 1pm, and leaves promptly at 1:15pm. It is possible for citizens to board the train, even to leave, but not far outside of the city limits they black out and wake up the next morning in their grave.

Backstory

A small village of Native Americans live nearby, but the two cultures have not shared much over the years. The villagers simply avoid them. In the past, the two civilizations blamed each other and warred, but now they have each settled into a tentative peace. Several wars have been waged, some lasting days, some fighting to the last man. Everyone woke up the next morning in their graves.

In 1968 a van of hippies found the town by accident. For years, they tried to explain what happened, change what happened, but all their efforts were for naught.

When a new citizen is added to the town, they too obtain a gravesite in the local cemetery. The date of their birth is present, but there is no death date...

Non-Person Characters
The Mayor - Patrick MacBhán is 41 years old, bold and blustering, he drinks heavily and has a florid Irish complexion. Bright blue eyes stare penetratingly from a round face. Rotund and genial, his black hair is peppered with white and gray strands. The Mayor's Daughter is Máire Elizabeth MacBhán, called Beth or MaryBeth (description in my profile)

The Sherrif - Sam Grady - A picture

Shopkeepers - Details to come (suggestions welcome)

The Citizens - Details to come (suggestions welcome)

The Hillside Bandits - A gang of former Confederate soldiers who had taken to robbing banks to support their families. On the day the town froze, they were planning to stick up the local bank the next day.

The Hippies - They have long since given up trying to find a way out and spend their days getting baked in a van down by the river and enjoying the peace. They ignore the village, the aborigines, and they are in turn ignored. They say it's all part of their journey.

The Native Americans - Details to come (suggestions welcome)




Profile
Name: Please include any nicknames
Age:
Gender:
Personality:
History:
Inventory: Please be realistic
Appearance: Picture or detailed description, please

[Shadow]

Haven't read it, but the title sounds interesting. I'll read it later. I'm writing right now.

I doubt I'll join it though. I did that rp a couple weeks ago and it died. And I'm not due to rp again for at least a few more months.

[Solly]

LET'S DO THIS

[Keke Le Cat]

FUCK YEAH!!!

WE GONNA ROCK THIS BITCH!

BRING IT SOLLY, BRING IT!

[Keke Le Cat]

Name: Máire Elizabeth MacBhán, called Beth or MaryBeth
Age: 18, born August 23rd, 1850
Gender: Female
Personality: MaryBeth is fussy and a worrier, and can be shy and modest, but is often loud about her opinions, of which she has many. She is analytical and intelligent, practical, diligent and something of a perfectionist. She keeps a good house for her father, who is a widower, and enjoys her role as lady of the manor. Unafraid of work, she often minds the counter in the family business, a general store on the main street of town.

Over the many years she has lived in Tombstone, she has taken more of a leadership role amongst the women. Many of the men even look to her for advise because though she doesn't often speak up, when she does she has something worthwhile to say.

History: In 1848 her young father Patrick MacBhán and his older brother Sean caught Gold Fever and moved west, along with Elizabeth, the wife of her uncle and their small son. Unfortunately, the gold fields of California did not pay out for them. Though her father and uncle worked long hours panning for gold, her father lost all they had one night in a San Fransisco gambling hall on a single bad bet. Predictably, her uncle did not take well to the notion that all his hard work in the muddy ditches panning for gold had been for naught, and announced his intention to take his wife and child back east to Savannah, where he planned to start over and open a General Store.

It was then that Elizabeth saw fit to break the news that she had been having an affair with Patrick and refused to take ship home. Heartbroken, Sean boarded alone and was never heard from again.

Patrick took Sean Og (his small nephew) and his new "wife" back to the gold fields, where he pledged to pan until he had made enough solid money to see to the proper treatment of his newly obtained family. He proceeded to do just that, holding true to his word, and then carried them east by wagon train where they settled in the new village of Tombstone, Oklahoma. There he built a two bedroom wooden house on the main street, and opened a General Goods store next door. Elizabeth sewed yellow gingham curtains for the kitchen, and ordered good Irish lace for the drawing room.

Though materially comfortable, Elizabeth never seemed truly happy. Her eyes shone with a hidden sadness, and she made few friends in her new town.

In the summer of 1850, Sean Og fell ill and quickly took a turn for the worse. Large with child, Elizabeth buried her son and withered with heartbreak. A scant month later she died in childbirth, nearly taking her tiny daughter with her to the grave. Many of the village women clicked their tongues and said what a shame it was, her dying so young of a mysterious heartache.

Though he was entirely uncertain of the paternity of the infant, Patrick did all he could to raise her well. Máire Elizabeth (named by Patrick after her mother and his) was a happy girl in the small town, and much loved.

She was petted and feted by all, the entire town had a hand in her raising. There wasn't a single townsperson who didn't smile when they saw her toddle down the rough-hewn boards of the sidewalk in the little dresses sewn for her by the local women. Through love for his daughter, Patrick gained popularity, and so when he ran for Mayor, he won in a landslide victory. None was the wiser of his dark past, his daughter included.

No one ever knew that he was not the father of the small boy Sean, and it's never been questioned that he is the father of MaryBeth.

Inventory: Six shooter, flint, canteen, a horse. Might edit more in later.

Appearance: With red hair, green eyes and a smattering of cinnamon star freckles across the bridge of her nose she looks like little more than the Irish immigrant her parents were. In 1868, she was the proper lady the church going ladies of the town expected her to be. But as the years have progressed she has come to appreciate the freedom that wearing pants awards her. Now, she often wears her hair in two braids over her shoulders tied with ribbons, tan trousers and a white button down shirt, with a tan cowboy hat to shield her eyes from the sun, and good solid boots on her feet. It seems more practical to her than the long, tightly laced dresses the fashion of 1868 required.

[The Editor]

Name: Ed "Spanner" Kilren
Age: 27
Gender: Manly
Personality: Usually pursues the most straightforward solution to a problem and is willing to take chances. Seems to have never heard of curiosity killing the cat. Enjoys practical jokes. Good with numbers and mechanical systems. Most people find his humour a little weird.
History: Uhh... [insert history here]
Inventory: Backpack contains: hammer, various small screwdrivers and spanners, adjustable spanner, socket wrench with various attachments, small hacksaw, tweezers, pliers, pistol. Also has a mobile phone and portable media player.
Appearance:

[Keke Le Cat]

accepted

[The Editor]

I'll make a history eventually >_>

[Ninetails 009]

"Day by day, nothing changes. But when you look back, everything's different."

Name: Niobe Yeira Xenia. She goes by her middle name most of the time.
Age: 17
Gender: Female
Personality:

"I hit him to get his attention. I shot him to calm him down. I killed him to reason with him."

She hasn't gone insane in the temporal town- she just understands social conventions but lives according to her own rules. Most of the time the other townsfolk ignore her, and no, she's not classified as psychotic. In this era where murders are not even considered a sin, how could she? She's polite though, and always asks permission before doing anything that others may have a hand in or be affected by. She's good at understanding the perceptions of others, but pretty bad at giving a damn about them. Her social life is so-so. She hangs out with the townswomen when they gossip about others, at times. She hangs out with the townsmen when they go hunting, at times. She hangs out with the village children when they play games, at times. She explores the boundaries of the town, at times. She's interacted with the Native Americans, at times. But most of the time, her life is simply the first decision she makes in the morning. She has a bond with her baby brother. Not one of love, but more of arising from the constant interaction and chatter which they do together in their home every day, since the time he hit the age of five and beyond. She cares for him quite well, but not out of duty, more like because she doesn't see a reason not to. Due to his undeveloped body, she feeds him, and sometimes brings him on her back for a walk around town, though these journeys have decreased ever since he practically memorised every location and it had lost its novelty. Sometimes they go and have imaginary plays on the rocks far out of town.

She's intelligent but not inquisitive- You'll catch her saying "Why not?" rather than "Why?" most of the time. She doesn't get bored, but occasionally wonders what to do for the day. Often committing suicide for fun, she believes that she knows the secrets of death, and is neutral about it. She likes thinking of creative ways to die. She's not scared of pain, unlike many women around her. She has no goal or vision rather than to exist every day, but it would be a far shot to call her a transient. Sometimes she starts fights of friendship with other young men. Her skills aren't legendary, but pretty passable for someone who had been around for longer than usual and is more or less decently fit. She usually beats them. She has an interest in getting a boyfriend, but believes that none of the townsfolk are interested in a girl who isn't a belle, like her. She loves water, and often swims in the streams that run nearby dusty Oklahoma. She's had run ins with the law at times for being erratic, but since she usually does ask permission for things she does, like killing someone other than herself, she doesn't get into much trouble other than being noted for being weird. She is skilled at weaving and sewing things out of strings and cloth, both with needles and her bare hands. Consider it her only 'womanly' hobby. She hates music.

History:

"I didn't expect him to counter my master plans with nakedness."

She was born here. Her father was a doctor and supported the family on his practice. Her father then tried to rape her when she was 14. She killed him with a knife. Uncommonly, she was let off on the account justified self-defense despite her being a woman, although rumours did plague her for a long, long while. Then her brother was born. Her mother supported them by running a grocery and convenience shop. Then her mother died. From some sickness, she wasn't sure what. People died all the time back then, and it wasn't like her mother was young. She supported herself as well as her sibling by continuing to run the store. Then when her brother reached eighteen months, or rather, one and a half years old, time froze. She's been that way since then. She has learnt some medical skills from her father.


Inventory: A swimsuit, some spare clothes (mostly dresses) and corsets, boots, a pair of large multi-use shears, a sharpening granite block, a strong wooden stick, a velocipede [early version of a bicycle] which was the pride and joy of the family, some medicine and medical tools, some fruit, a multitude of needles, light blue hair dye, a pencil, a roll of thick and strong string, an empty bottle, a bit of beer, an empty diary, a baby brother.

Appearance:


She has long, ankle-length jet black hair, but every morning as the light sunshine hits her eyes, she chops it short and dyes it blue. She generally keeps to the fashion of the 1860s with several modifications, such as shortening the length of dresses, doing away with the crinoline and collar, wearing corsets on the outside and of course, the short pixie hair, devoid of any adornments. Long ago, someone in the town might have made a statement, but the tiredness of every day leaves the folk with hardly a breath to draw for comment. Her coal silk hair that spans the length of her body returns upon the touch of new daylight, but she just as quickly shears it away. She has no desire for the nightmarish catchment and painful memories of torn roots to ever revist her again. It was an incident between her and the spokes of a velocipede wheel.

[Solly]

Name: Johnathan Derkowitz, although most of the folks that know him refer to him as "John Doe"

Age: 32 (Well, now he'd be over 150 years old)

Gender: Male

Personality: Solitary and distant, John Doe puts up a mysterious persona. When he speaks, which is seldom, it is usually condescending. When something bad happens he usually uses silence as a defense-mechanism, but every-so-often he uses comedy. He prefers to do his work alone, but lately he has started to warm up to the other residents of the town. Sometimes he smiles, but only at the stupidity or bad-luck of others. He is not afraid of death or pain, only being stuck in purgatory forever.


History: John Doe was born in San Francisco in 1836. His father was a banker who worked in the big city, and they were a relatively wealthy family. He grew up going to school and learning all sorts of mathematics and literature, and he was a bright lad, but he never became interested in the sciences or politics. He also despised church and never found himself enjoying the idea of a god watching over him.

On his 14th birthday, prompted by coming-of-age books such as Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship, he decided he was tired of all the city-slickers and his @#!*% father and ran-away. He caught the 9:30 train to the wild west, man's country full of bandits and prospectors. Of course he soon found out it was not as glorious as foretold.

Still, he became quite the successful cowboy. At first he came to ride with a group of bandits who robbed trains and banks, rushing into town with guns a-blazing and hearts a-racing. One day he decided the rough and tough gang was too rough and tough for his tastes, so he murdered them all in the night and rode off with all the money they had collected. Well, that's what some folks say anyways.

Once he became older he decided to move on to bounty hunting. With a pocket full of money and his trusty Spencer rifle he would shoot down robbers, killers, and all-assortment of no-good riff-raff. He quickly became rich but soon found that he could never just settle down, and he continued to collect his bounties.

It was on one such bounty hunt that he came to Tombstone, Oklahoma. Enraged to find his bounty had already skipped town, he decided to stay the night and pursue his prey in the morning. Unfortunately he found he could never leave.

Inventory: One Spencer rifle and one U.S.A M1873 Peace Maker, chaffs, boots with spurs, a blue shirt, a grey pair of pants one leather vest, one poncho, a box-full of cigars, a dark brown "cowboy's hat", cotton undergarments, a horse (with bridle, saddle, etc.), and a pocket filled with $500 in bounty.

Appearance:





Song To Pop Into Your Head Everytime You Read A Post With Him In It:

[The Editor]

... We have 3 townspeople and 1 explorer who is just the team mechanic and not an archaeologist at all. Awesome.

[Solly]

It's not my fault. How could I join a Western RP and not make Clint Eastwood?

[Keke Le Cat]

Very nice profiles you two. I'll try to get the RP up tomorrow or Monday. Sorry for the delay, but I have a busy weekend. =)

I love your character Ninetails <3

and Solly, this RP would not have functioned without Clint, it's true.

[The Editor]

Really should have thought of this earlier. Better late than never!

[Solly]

Damnit Keke, make an IC thread!

[dragon_berry]

Ah, joining! I'll make my signup this weekend

[Keke Le Cat]

Alright DB.

Sorry, Solly. It's been crazy for me lately. I'll try to get something up today. If I keep on dillying and dallying, feel free to make it yourself =)

[Keke Le Cat]

Name: Expedition Leader Alexandra "Alex" Wright
Age: 29
Gender: Female
Personality: Bold and bossy, Alex can be pretty demanding. She is very intelligent and can be quite difficult to deal with under the wrong circumstances. Her stern exterior hides insecurity and self doubt, she has never considered herself attractive and has never truly been loved by anyone. She has a murky past.

History: The product a broken home and many subsequent Foster Families, Alex has had to work hard for everything she has ever gotten. Her drive and "stick-to-it-ness" comes at great expense. She put herself through school, waiting tables and working as a secretary in a shady Chiropractor's office. This is the first expedition she has lead, as such she is touchy about her authority and eager to prove herself worthy of the role.

Inventory: On her person: A swiss army knife, 9mm hand gun, sunglasses, a starched white kerchief, 36 cents, a mirror compact of powder, a tube of red lipstick.

Jewellery: A wrist watch, a pocket watch, a locket on a gold chain, small black jade ball earrings, and a thin, simple yellow gold band worn on the ring finger of her right hand.

In her khaki knapsack: Reading glasses, a much used journal with a worn cover, fountain pen, pencil, yellow highlighter, scissors, a King James Version Bible, a rosary, a map, a compass, a brush kit, a small spade, a back up 9mm hand gun with 4 extra clips and plenty of ammo, five energy bars, three bottles of water, a flash light, a lighter, a sewing kit, a small first aide kit, a small aluminum pan, teabags, a tin cup, a spork, a make-up kit, a small mirror, a comb, a hairbrush, hair clips, rubber bands, a red headband, a red ribbon, three clean starched white kerchiefs, five pairs of socks and a change of clothes.

Appearance: Her eyes are the color they tell you is black in kindergarten, the way they reflect light gives them the quality of obsidian. Thin and reedy, her ankles and wrists appear delicate and birdlike. Her large black eyes, pale skin, red lipstick and jet black hair add to the bird of prey image. To finish to the bird-like illusion she often turns her head on the side to study someone or something.

She wears a lightweight khaki jacket, a white button down shirt with a white tank top underneath, plain brown leather vest with two breast pockets, khaki pants with many pockets, sturdy leather hiking boots, a white baseball cap.

[The Editor]

Oh thank gods another PC.

[Keke Le Cat]

I put up the IC thread

Sorry the intro is so short, but I figured it'd be better to put something short up than to carry on procrastinating for when I have more time to put up something truly great.

I was waiting to see if someone else would take the role of leader of the expedition, but since no one else seems to want to, I figured someone should do it.

I might make one more expedition player myself later, another guy. Don't know yet. If not that, then I might give Sam the Sheriff a larger role. I really like the character I have in my head for him.

[Solly]

.