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Sandbox / Character Development Thread Frontier

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Frontier

Locations

     The Town 
The town is a typical frontier railway town with two major roads laid out roughly in a T- the top of which runs east to west, parallel to the railway line, and the stem of which is the Main Street starting opposite the railway station and extending south. The major roads are each about 120 feet wide (36m)- wide enough for a large horse-drawn cart to turn around -and there are narrower roads leading off each that service the residential areas.

The western end of the top of the T is the "less reputable" area of town where may be found Black Eye Joe's and the "cat house". The eastern end is more up-market and is where The Washington may be found. The main street is the town's centre of commerce where one would find the bank, Sheriff's office, telegraph office, livery, hotel, The Tipsy Toad, General Store, "Doc" Carson's surgery, and numerous other useful stores. The narrower back streets echo the major streets- the houses on the east side of town get progressively better and more expensive the further east from Main Street while the houses on the west side get progressively more run down the further west.

Black Eye Joe's

One of three saloons present in the town, this saloon caters to the more dubious element among its visitors and residents. Poorly lit and with its paint flaking, it's a two-story building located at the far end of town from the train station and other more upscale establishments. Guests typically come more for the somewhat risque stage acts than for the watered-down and overpriced drinks that the surly bartender serves, though the food is surprisingly decent. A number of back rooms exist for sleeping and other purposes, but only the extremely poor or careless would want to spend the night here.

The Washington

One of three saloons present in the town, this saloon is the most fancy of the lot. Its decor is somewhat old-fashioned, but pleasant, with a number of paintings on the walls and many glass windows scattered about that make it much better lit than the other two saloons. The food and drink is not overly high-class, but it is tasty and affordable, and the menu offers a wide selection. The staff are considerably more polite than at the other saloons as well. It does not offer places to stay, as most of the people who would stay at this type of establishment can generally be instead found at the hotel.

The Tipsy Toad

One of three saloons present in the town, The Tipsy Toad is the popular favorite with the various rough-and-tough visitors and residents such as miners. Of all the saloons, it is perhaps the most like the stereotypical image of a Old Western saloon in its architecture and staff, with swinging wooden doors and a bustling atmosphere. Due to its crowded nature, visitors tend to take less notice here than at the other saloons, though they can still be singled out sometimes by drunk locals looking for a fight. Thanks to the general feel of the place and its cheap but strong drink, bar brawls are common here, though the staff takes care to prevent them from becoming too serious. A second floor features a number of small but affordable rooms that are somewhat nicer than those at Black Eye Joe's.

Hotel

This towering building, the largest in town, is where most visitors choose to stay. Although it is somewhat costly, it is generally considered a preferential alternative to renting a room at one of the saloons or small boardinghouses that can be found scattered about. While visitors are not too common at this wilderness settlement, enough come by that the hotel is able to maintain a fine sense of decor heavy on chandeliers and a professional, if somewhat old-fashioned, staff. Stays include a complementary breakfast.

General Store

Although a number of more specialized stores such as a gun shop and livery can be found nearby, the General Store is the place where most visitors planning to explore the wilderness do their shopping for supplies. It is surprisingly large and well-organized, and is run by a friendly and garrulous proprietor.

Doc Carson's

The sole medical practitioner in the town, "Doc" Carson is a somewhat mysterious individual who manages to serve to the medical needs of both the townsfolk and visitors with surprising effectiveness. He seems familiar with treating even the strangest sort of ailments and can generally patch up his patients in a very short time. The doc's services cost very little, but come with the requirement that patients not ask him any personal questions.

Train Station

Dominating the north end of town, the train station is a large red brick structure topped by a clock tower, and is where most (though not all) visitors originally arrive. The trains seem to come from and depart to just about anywhere on a schedule that is a complete mystery to most, but fortunately its employees are able- through equally mysterious means -to provide plenty of advance notice on a large mechanical arrivals and departures board inside the station's main hall. The train tracks themselves are found on the north side of the station, with a long waiting area that has plenty of benches below them.

Sheriff's Office

The town's Sheriff's Department and small jail. Particularly problematic troublemakers will be thrown into a magically durable cell before being chucked back into their home dimension.

Livery Stable

Main Street. Travelers may, for a fee, leave their horses here to be tended to and casual visitors may hire some of the stable's own horses for reasonable rates. Horsecarts are also available for a fee; horses paid separately, of course.

Zeke's Hunting and Fishing Store

Main Street. Here the outdoorsy type may purchase fishing tackle, firearms, ammunition and all the things a fisherman or hunter of the mid- to late-eighteen hundreds might need. The store is spacious and well stocked but the items are eighteenth-century standards: firearms are bolt-action, pump-action, lever-action, revolvers etc. No modern semiautomatics or higher technologies.

    The Wilderness 
Participants are welcome to create more specific points of interest on locations below, to serve a specific narrative purpose or just to liven things up. Just remember to make it not too disruptive for other players.

The Desert

An area of dry arid badlands with numerous gullies and ravines from long-dried rivers as well as mesas, buttes and hoodoos sculpted by the wind. The stratified layers of siltstone, mudstone and shale along with ancient layers of volcanic ash have produced a banded colourful terrain similar to the famous Painted Desert of Arizona.

Towards and into the lower foothills, the desolate "Painted Desert" gives way to scrub-covered desert terrain similar to that of the Sonoran desert. Here may be found numerous plants of the agave, cactus, palm and legume families, sage, creosote bushes, indigo bushes and many others. Wildlife is also common in this part of the desert- numerous species of birds, lizards, snakes, small mammals (mice, bats, ground squirrels, gophers, kangaroo rats etc) and coyotes inhabit the area. Progressing up higher into the foothills, the desert starts giving way to taller trees of the forest.

The Forest

Mountainous region with wind and water-sculpted pinnacles and cliffs, numerous valleys and a few slot canyons. The streams and larger rivers converge to feed a large river that drains into the fertile plains to the East. The upper foothills and mountains are covered in temperate coniferous forest - primarily evergreen conifers with a mix of broadleaf deciduous trees and a wide variety of shrubs. Wildlife includes grey wolves, coyotes (not as common as in the scrubby desert lands), mountain lions, black bear, elk and deer. Features spectacular views and scenery.

The Fort

Located in the Northwestern Desert next to the river and on the other side of a hill from the water tower, this nineteenth-century fort is similar to Fort Sam Houston, and it's currently occupied by only a single platoon to keep the fort maintained and the flag flying.

The Ruined Temple

Located a mere hour's walk into the Southwestern Desert, this odd, dark stone temple gets very few visitors, or in fact people who have seen past its atrium thanks to its diligent guard, a flame-wreathed lion-beast. But is it really guarding just mere riches, or could there be more...?

Hidden Cave

A sizable cave located in a shallow ravine just a little off the beaten path down one of the main southern roads. Innocuous at a glance, but home to untold depths.

Characters

     Active Troper Characters 

Town Outskirts

Railway Street

Bed and Breakfast (Railway St West/Main St North)

Railway St East:

  • John (MasterofChaos): A gun store owner who somehow got lost in the desert. Mostly nice but a little ditzy.
  • James (MasterofChaos): John's fiance. Does not trust most non human things and is more blunt about his feelings.
  • Oswald (Ryuhza): A person with an unusual appearance that bears a loose resemblance to a Minotaur. Found half crazed and starving, now on the road to recovery. click for more info 
  • Mari Dojima (Will De Regio) A tall, mysterious, buxom, red-haired oni who speaks with a Cockney accent.

The Washington (Railway St East)

Railway St West

Train Station (Railway St Centre - Opposite Main Street)

Main Street

The Tipsy Toad

Hotel

Hotel Lobby

Dining Hall

Sagebrush Suite (Rooms 305-307)
The psychic college students had this suite mysteriously reserved for them.

Northern Desert

Ritual Site

Wagon Trail

Northwestern Desert

Fort

The Mission

  • The Order of Moth maintains a presence out here.

Valley of the Dead God and Small Valley

Southern Desert

Hidden Cave

Southwestern Desert

Temple

     Inactive Troper Characters 
First Advocate" of the People's Republic of Zavi. Distant descendant of a philosopher Suela was influenced by.

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