001-003 » a chilling mathias welcome

[villagemod]

WHO: Everyone.
WHERE: The east end of Mathias, along the waterfront.
WHEN: Days 001-003
WHAT: The newest residents of Mathias Township are welcomed with a storm.
WARNINGS: Will update as necessary. PM this account to have a warning added!
NOTES: A small love letter from your mod. This spot can be used for plotting.

RECOMMENDED ♫ Deadly Avenger "Mara"

DAY 001
THE ARRIVAL BEGINS

Is it the whooshing crash of waves on dark jagged rocks that wakes you? Perhaps. It might also be the near-continuous rumble of thunder growing closer every second, the vibrations almost seeming to come from the wet sand beneath your hands. Or maybe it’s the shivering of your own body as water recedes from the pebble-covered shore, the cold sinking into your very bones as a chilled wind picks up. It could be any of these things that rouse you from a deep slumber that leaves you feeling groggy and out of sorts--

But it’s the fear that gets you moving. A deep, intense terror grips your chest and squeezes the breath right out of you, and you know without a shred of doubt that you have mere minutes before whatever it is you’re so afraid of arrives on that stretch of rocky beach to greet you. Even if you want to stay rooted to that spot and faced it head-on, your body betrays you, a survival instinct etched into your genetic code forcing you to seek shelter.

Welcome to Mathias. You should probably run now.



THE STORM ARRIVES

When the storm crashes into the small township, it's hard to remember what life was like before it. The ocean becomes a raging thing, waves rising and falling as if trying to attack whatever they can reach along the coast. Any foolish enough to venture along the beach have no hope of surviving the encounter; their bodies will be swept out with the current, gone in the blink of an eye.

The wind is a howling beast, screaming between buildings and driving spikes of cold into any crevice it can reach. The rain is just shy of freezing, every drop like a shard of icicle trying to itself into your skin. It will bite at your nerves and leave you shaking if you stay out in it too long, so you had best get inside if you haven't already. You certainly don't want to attract the attention of the lightning that arcs in the sky like a vengeful god ready to unleash its wrath.

The Grey Gull restaurant sits at the edge of the town along the beach, and just a few yards away are two parallel rows of houses lining what might be a picturesque street if the world weren't beginning to resemble an apocalyptic landscape.

Move quickly, and choose wisely.

DAY 002
THE STORM RAGES ON

The storm has somehow become even more violent overnight. The world outside your shelter might be trapped in an endless night, for all you can see through the thick covering of storm clouds. Lightning continues to streak across the sky, thunder following almost immediately in its wake, threatening just how near those spikes of electricity truly are. You can see them touch the shore at times, even the street between the homes, but never the buildings themselves. A blessing, perhaps, or an oddity to take note of?

Some may be foolish enough to try venturing outside. They are welcome to, of course, that is their right, but the rain is still like ice and that lightning is so very near. You may try heading further into town, and you can certainly see buildings beyond this row of houses, but should you walk toward them...

Well. It is far from a pleasant experience. Exhaustion sinks into your bones so quickly that it leaves you reeling, and every second you push through it makes you physically ill with a feeling that you might collapse at any moment. The second you turn away from that path, however, you feel infinitely, and even more so each step back the way you came.

Something wants you to stay where you are. Perhaps you should.

DAY 003
THE CALM DESCENDS

The third day begins much as the second, with waves crashing upon the shore and thunder booming with such force that the ground seems to shake. It feels very much like the world might end right there, torn apart by a force of nature unlike any seen before. Any who venture outside at this time are almost immediately afflicted with a terror so intense that they can make it no more than a few yards or the short distance to cross a street before they become incapacitated by the fear that sets their heart beating dangerously fast. The term scared to death may very well become literal this day.

And then, suddenly it stops. The rain, thunder, lighting— all if it just stops and the silence that fills the night is deafening. There are no sounds of life within the town, no car motors or dogs barking or the voices of anyone beside those new arrivals in the immediate vicinity. In fact, none of those things even exist in Mathias. There are no cars, no animals or insects, no other people. There is just... emptiness and silence.

It may be best to wait until daylight to move further inland.



THE NIGHT DARKENS

For those who are foolish enough to leave the relative safety of the cluster of houses near the Grey Gull, they will find their journey quite chilling, in a very literal sense. There is another row of houses beyond where they had been, branching off on either side into a neighborhood. There are no lights on in any of these homes, though there are occasional streetlights illuminating their way. But as they continue further, reaching a third block of houses, those lights begin to dim, until they have gone out completely, and what had previously been a simple fall chill becomes biting cold as the temperature sharply drops.

In all of this, there is silence. No sounds travel through that night air to comfort them, and even looking up to the sky stretched out above them offers little reassurance. That sky is black, without a single star and not even the faintest outline of the moon to guide them. All that reaches them here is the barest hint of light traveling from the way they've come. The longer they linger outside in this place, the colder it will become, and any light they carry with them will slowly begin to dim as well.

Truly, they should have waited until the sun rose once more.

---

LOCATIONS

THE GREY GULL is what one might expect of the most frequented restaurant in a small coastal town. The wrap-around porch is lined with white chairs characterized by peeling paint. Exposed wooden walls and worn seating speak to its many years of existence, and the mishmash of décor confirms that the owner never much cared for how the place looked. What mattered here was the food, and faded chalk menus advertise soup specials and a daily pie. The bar appears to have once been well-stocked, but all the bottles remaining are unfortunately empty. There is, however, quite a bit of food in the kitchen that is somehow as fresh as if it were purchased that day.

The second floor of the restaurant is a sparsely furnished apartment. There are no personal items to be found; perhaps it was waiting to be rented out to someone.

THE HOUSES are well-kept, middle-class homes, four lining either side of the street. Their doors are unlocked, windows unshuttered, and everything within feels like the owners might return at any second. There is running water and electricity, fresh food in the fridge, photographs on the wall... but also dust everywhere. If you didn't know better, you'd say the place had been abandoned for years, and yet nothing has aged. It is both strange and unsettling, and yet no matter how hard you search, no answers may be found within these homes.

What can be found within them, however, is a phone. One single black phone within a main room of the house, and beside it, a list of handwritten numbers and names that have been crossed out.

1302 8-5491 Thomasen
1304 8-9256 Lyrie
1306 8-4712 Anders
1308 8-3201 Mulcalley

1301 8-0415 Sanderson
1303 8-6762 Reese
1305 8-9132 Evers
1307 8-9025 Hirano

Should your character choose to shelter in one of the houses, you are welcome to choose the features of that particular unit. Please reply to the comment thread below with the details you decide upon, specifying the house number in the subject line.

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Comments

[torsion]

"Something immediately usable. I'm not talking about a scrap of paper that will reveal a bigger picture in three weeks." Jill knew riddles better than most and was sharp in her own way though she was hardly as good with tech as Chris was. Thankfully, she didn't have to worry about it.

She doesn't shake his hand, rather she clasps it. Tight, but not so much that it's a power move. Just a plain greeting.

Jill goes for the biggest and sharpest. It doesn't quite fit in the sheath at her leg easily, but she slips it in with a fluid motion.

"Jill." She interjects and goes to closing the drawer, looking back at him. "No, generally we don't wear things like this at the BSAA. My uniform's much better than this."

Jill leaves it at that without offering any further information.

[hellblaze]

"Not that sort of information, luv. Environmental." He gestures to the kitchen they are standing in now. "Looks a bit like the nineties, yeah? Means that this place could be from before my point in time. Especially given the VHS and cassettes in the other room. List of people on the fridge this family here knew. No point in piecing together a puzzle if you don't factor in the human lives involved in it."

Call it being a detective of the occult for so long. The human element tended to be the most important--even if it involved ghouls and demons.

"Jill," he agrees to calling her then. "Not sure if I'd say something's better than what you've got on."

John doesn't even bother hiding the grin on his face.

[torsion]

"I'm saying that's what I'm hoping for, anyway." She huffs a small laugh from her nose, shaking her head. "Yeah, you're telling me. Makes me feel old."

Jill walks to the list and lets her gloved fingers run over it. The human element was what she fought for. Could it be like that town in the Caucasus Mountains? Abandoned when the underground laboratories became a problem. When the experiments made their way out.

"Keep your eyes on mine. I can crush a man's skull with my thighs." She hums softly, pleasant. Like it's no big deal. "People matter. But in my experience, they usually aren't people anymore by the time you get somewhere like this."

Jill turns, leaning with her shoulders against the fridge.

"Anywhere we can sit and talk? I've been on my feet, going nonstop for days. Could use a bit of a break."

[hellblaze]

"That'd be a hell of a way out." John chuckles. "Thankfully, I care too much about living to go straight for the thighs. Not against some interesting foreplay though."

He pulls out his lighter, casually opening it and closing it again. She has a point. Though he has a feeling that they haven't had the same sort of experiences. Usually he can save the human element -- usually. Sometimes the sorry sods are too far gone for even him. Sometimes he fucks it up. It all depends, really. Yet, Heaven came to him for help so... that said something.

"Living room," he casually points the way to it. "Or, beds upstairs."

There's a wink, but he's already on his way to the living room. He even sits down on the arm of one of the chairs, rolling his lighter between his fingers as he thinks.

[torsion]

"You're at least fifty pounds of muscle shy of being in my league, sorry." Though part of her is serious, she laughs a little, making it into a joke rather than being sincere about it.

A habit. Forest had done it, back in the day. Just flicking the lighter, open and closed. The sound was almost soothing, as was the burn of nicotine -- in scent, at least. She'd never been much of a smoker. Chris and Forest had been.

She follows him, intending to go to the living room if he doesn't. She pays no mind where she sits, but audibly sighs when she takes a seat.

"Ugh, that's nice. Too wired, I think, to get any real rest but this is good for now." She turns her attention to him after glancing around, gathering her bearings. "So, John, where were you before you showed up here? I was in Africa, but I'm from the United States. I am... was looking for my partner."

[hellblaze]

"The big burly blokes! Ah, you'd love to meet Chas then. Not as muscular but," John raises his hand to demonstrate how tall Chas is. His best mate. Wasn't around for what happened in New Orleans, thank God. He's not sure Chas would of done well with that one. "Not here though. Just me, it looks like."

Chas or Zed would have sniffed him out by now.

He toys with the idea of grabbing another cigarette before passing on the idea. Until he's found more? He needs to try not to blaze his way through the pack.

"New Orleans, Louisiana. Finished up a case with a cop that I know. Was on my way out of town when I washed up here." He figured that was enough details for now. "Can't say I've been to Africa. Well, not physically anyways."

[torsion]

"Someone who can take me in a fight." She comments, obviously not committed to this line of discussion. She's not particularly interested in anyone in that regard. It's pretty far from her mind most of the time (and especially now). "I don't think Chris is here. About six feet, two-fifty pounds. Short brown hair, soft eyes. Tells bad jokes."

She'd have found him if he was here. It's been too long and all she wants is for him to be safe. Even if she never saw him again, that's all that really mattered.

"I see. Are you a detective?" Jill pries gently; she doesn't want to outwear her welcome or appear too nosy, even if she's curious. "I was escaping an oil refinery. Was going to meet up with my partner and try to help him as well as I might. I'm beat if I'm being honest with you."

[hellblaze]

He chuckles, starting to toss his lighter between his hands. Just another thing to keep him busy as he thinks. "Haven't found a bloke that tall yet, but, there's a handful of us sneaking about the place. He might turn up."

A cowboy out of time showed up after all. Why the hell not?

"Occult detective." John shrugs. He's told a handful of people with varying success rates. No point in holding it back from her. "There's a few rooms upstairs. Feel free to take abed if you need it. Although, I did sleep in the master bedroom. In case you're afraid of magical leftovers."

[torsion]

She wonders if he's nervous? She'll keep that thought to herself for now and will ask if the need to pry arises. It's not an Ace up the sleeve or any kind of secret, but it could be useful.

"I see. He's hard to miss. He's about twice my size." His arms were more than twice the thickness of hers and his hands made her feel small and nearly delicate. It's the only time she ever could feel truly vulnerable, but it's in a good way. Transparent. Safe. "I don't expect to see anyone I know, though."

No real reason. It just felt like it would be something that would (or wouldn't) happen to her.

"Oh." Flatly, she looks at him with a tinge of judgement ebbing in. Like he's a charlatan. "Might take you up on it for now, though I'm keen on heading back out to look for answers. A lot can be hidden in a forest like the one around here."

[hellblaze]

"Always expect the unexpected. The creepy things in the world tend not to bother you as much when that happens."

He catches the lighter in one hand before flipping it in his fingers. A flick of his wrist and it seems to have disappeared.

Her judgement is simply met with a grin. Yeah, yeah. That reaction is something he is obviously used to. Most the time people don't believe him until something happens. Then, boom. Suddenly everyone wants him to be on call for their bloody weird cases.

"Well, the house isn't going anywhere. Feel free to pop in when you want. Can't promise I'll stay here, though. Might end up moving further in if the goddamn storm ever passes."

[torsion]

"Creepy isn't what I'm worried about. I can handle that."

A small trick. Something she's seen Chris or Barry do when entertaining the girls. It's something that's oddly soothing and manages to make her feel more comfortable. Familiarity among the unfamiliar.

Despite being here (wherever 'here' might be), Jill still firmly puts magic in the category of fictional. She doesn't believe in that sort of thing. There's only science and facts; the unexplained isn't magic.

She perks up at the offer, honestly kind of touched by it. It occurs to her that it's been a long while since she's been afforded this kind of normalcy and freedom, despite the obvious issues with being here.

"That so? Too bad, your company's not awful." She lets out a string of clipped laughs. "Here is as good as anywhere else, I guess. Just glad there's somewhere for us to stay, even if it's pretty damn suspicious."

[hellblaze]

"Creepy is just the first step on the road, luv."

John isn't always t he most kind bloke. In fact, he's rude, he's manipulative, and he does whatever he needs to end up on top. There are times where he is at his best. This might be one of those times.

"Just because you don't know me too well yet, Jill." There's a hint of sadness and heaviness in his tone at that. "Safe. Not quite sure about that. But, sturdy enough for now."

[torsion]

"Naturally. I don't expect this to be an innocent, empty town. Unfortunately." Jill wishes it was easier to trust. Having someone at her back right now would be helpful, especially to swap for sleep schedules. But she's not sure how well she can trust anyone at the moment, so running on no sleep will have to carry on just for a little longer...

Jill's hard to get a leg-up on, so it's better to play ally than attempt to overpower. For now.

"Oh, don't be so hard on yourself. No one's here to back-up what you're saying, you know. So you could say just about anything." Be anything, too. That's one of the problems, isn't it? Anyone can be anything, suggest they're anything without proof. Lies are easy. "I wouldn't say it's safe, but it's safer than being out in the open. Might be better if we all were gathered in the Grey Gull, though. It's like Scooby-Doo has taught all of us nothing."

Although she's the one who was out and about alone, showing up here without anyone else at her side. She fell into that, as well, it seems.

[hellblaze]

"Wouldn't that be a nice change of pace? A ghost town just being filled with ghosts cause it naturally went the way nature's supposed to go." He leans back slightly, a frown on his face at that.

If only. His little spell with Henry had proven - in his mind - that there is something nefarious in this town. The previous inhabitants of the home hadn't seen whatever 'It' was coming. Why everyone disappeared. It was a normal day, normal morning, and that is what stings the most. That gets under his skin and makes him oh rightfully mad.

"Ooh, you wouldn't want to talk to them even if they were." John shrugs and turns it into a shrug. "Scooby Bloody Doo. I think this is a bit more than a few kids in a van can handle. When you can find out the best way to call a town meeting? Maybe we ought to."