Spoiler (click to show/hide):
The stereotype was that a cowboy gravitated to the bar when in town. Certainly there were at least two pubs in sight, but neither of them were particularly attractive to that core instinct, that subtle inner voice that had guided Amber thus far.
The watch house felt much the same way... it wasn't a feeling that was as strong as dislike, just... the buildings felt like a chore, a task that one felt one had to do, but didn't really want to do. Something that one would put off until one really had to do it. Perhaps even a task that someone else should be doing instead.
It was a nearby shop that suddenly drew her attention. It looked much like the other little establishments that lined the main street, a sign... "Wilson's General Goods"... above a glass-fronted display of what were indeed an assortment of common goods. Absolutely nothing to draw her eye, and yet it was like a magnet for her attention.
She could see dimly see the form of a young woman behind the main counter, a shape moving behind the slightly warped glass fronting.
The stereotype was that a cowboy gravitated to the bar when in town. Certainly there were at least two pubs in sight, but neither of them were particularly attractive to that core instinct, that subtle inner voice that had guided Amber thus far.
The watch house felt much the same way... it wasn't a feeling that was as strong as dislike, just... the buildings felt like a chore, a task that one felt one had to do, but didn't really want to do. Something that one would put off until one really had to do it. Perhaps even a task that someone else should be doing instead.
It was a nearby shop that suddenly drew her attention. It looked much like the other little establishments that lined the main street, a sign... "Wilson's General Goods"... above a glass-fronted display of what were indeed an assortment of common goods. Absolutely nothing to draw her eye, and yet it was like a magnet for her attention.
She could see dimly see the form of a young woman behind the main counter, a shape moving behind the slightly warped glass fronting.
LillyMacow - Natalie Porter and exalted - Rob (Rebecca Warrick) Smith
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
The uniform got Rebecca a few looks as she entered the gate and purposefully strode towards the watch house. Her attention was briefly caught by a woman in the soft, wide-brimmed hat popular in America, staring at a shop as if transfixed. Finally she was standing outside the blocky building, ignoring and being ignored by the people hurrying past.
Someone had entered a little while before her. She could hear voices inside as she stepped through the door. An woman, dressed in cheap, slightly worn clothes, with a slight edge to her attitude, a wariness that spoke of a toughness that belied her beauty, was looking at a distinctly unpleasant man... corpulent, stained, leering at her as she spoke and then almost glared at Rebecca as she walked in.
The man stared at Natalie and then laughed.
"A reporter is you, Missh?" he snorted, his gaze flickering from her to Rebecca, then he pushed himself a bit more upright as he took in the uniform and Rebecca's hard stare. He clearly was nowhere near bright enough to spot any oddities about Rebecca's appearance, instantly assuming he was looking at a normal soldier.
"Sorry, Missh," he said to Natalie. "Us men needs to speak first, an' then I can help you report on summat, eh?" He chortled, winking rather creepily, then focused on Rebecca.
"G'day Shor. What can I 'elp wit?"
The uniform got Rebecca a few looks as she entered the gate and purposefully strode towards the watch house. Her attention was briefly caught by a woman in the soft, wide-brimmed hat popular in America, staring at a shop as if transfixed. Finally she was standing outside the blocky building, ignoring and being ignored by the people hurrying past.
Someone had entered a little while before her. She could hear voices inside as she stepped through the door. An woman, dressed in cheap, slightly worn clothes, with a slight edge to her attitude, a wariness that spoke of a toughness that belied her beauty, was looking at a distinctly unpleasant man... corpulent, stained, leering at her as she spoke and then almost glared at Rebecca as she walked in.
The man stared at Natalie and then laughed.
"A reporter is you, Missh?" he snorted, his gaze flickering from her to Rebecca, then he pushed himself a bit more upright as he took in the uniform and Rebecca's hard stare. He clearly was nowhere near bright enough to spot any oddities about Rebecca's appearance, instantly assuming he was looking at a normal soldier.
"Sorry, Missh," he said to Natalie. "Us men needs to speak first, an' then I can help you report on summat, eh?" He chortled, winking rather creepily, then focused on Rebecca.
"G'day Shor. What can I 'elp wit?"
Mark3000 - Jezebel Winter
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
The woman simply stared at Jezebel for long moments, unmoving, unspeaking. Just as it got too uncomfortable, to the point where she felt like she should say something, the woman abruptly spoke again.
"You need help, girl. Dat much is obvious. What you don't know is what help you need. You t'ink you need food. You t'ink you need money. What you need is undahstandin'. Give me your hand now."
Her dark hand reached out to Jezebel, held out to take the young woman's hand.
The woman simply stared at Jezebel for long moments, unmoving, unspeaking. Just as it got too uncomfortable, to the point where she felt like she should say something, the woman abruptly spoke again.
"You need help, girl. Dat much is obvious. What you don't know is what help you need. You t'ink you need food. You t'ink you need money. What you need is undahstandin'. Give me your hand now."
Her dark hand reached out to Jezebel, held out to take the young woman's hand.
Firehead - Dalila Grooth
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
The woman stared for long moments at Delila, and then she abruptly nodded, smiling sweetly. There was something odd about her mouth, an awkwardness in the way it moved, as if she'd perhaps broken her jaw in the past. There was no mark or malformation... her beauty was perfect, almost unnaturally so... so the subtle oddness when she smiled or spoke was all the more obvious, standing out against the symmetry.
She stood aside, inviting Delila in.
"Of course, please, come in. I'm sorry we weren't expecting you... if word was sent ahead then we didn't receive it. The mail service is... not good here, I'm afraid."
Her accent was cultured, well-rounded, as refined as a governess.
"I'm afraid that Father Wolden is... unavailable at the moment. He's... been ill. He is recovering slowly... perhaps you can visit with him a bit later. I'm sure he'd love to know that the church was worried about him. I'm very glad you've come, actually... there are definitely odd things about the town, and I would love some help in investigating them."
She chattered happily as she led Delila further in, taking a side door that led to what were obviously the priest's quarters. A small room, with a bed and table and chair and a few religious icons on the walls.
"Sister... Delila, was it? I'm Elizabeth. I've been helping Father Wolden through his illness."
She sat down on the bed, waving her hand at the chair.
"Tell me... what do you know about demons?"
The woman stared for long moments at Delila, and then she abruptly nodded, smiling sweetly. There was something odd about her mouth, an awkwardness in the way it moved, as if she'd perhaps broken her jaw in the past. There was no mark or malformation... her beauty was perfect, almost unnaturally so... so the subtle oddness when she smiled or spoke was all the more obvious, standing out against the symmetry.
She stood aside, inviting Delila in.
"Of course, please, come in. I'm sorry we weren't expecting you... if word was sent ahead then we didn't receive it. The mail service is... not good here, I'm afraid."
Her accent was cultured, well-rounded, as refined as a governess.
"I'm afraid that Father Wolden is... unavailable at the moment. He's... been ill. He is recovering slowly... perhaps you can visit with him a bit later. I'm sure he'd love to know that the church was worried about him. I'm very glad you've come, actually... there are definitely odd things about the town, and I would love some help in investigating them."
She chattered happily as she led Delila further in, taking a side door that led to what were obviously the priest's quarters. A small room, with a bed and table and chair and a few religious icons on the walls.
"Sister... Delila, was it? I'm Elizabeth. I've been helping Father Wolden through his illness."
She sat down on the bed, waving her hand at the chair.
"Tell me... what do you know about demons?"
CondorBoH - Niles Woodstock
Spoiler (click to show/hide):
Niles' route into the town was a little different to the others. She'd taken a rather different path down the hill from Rebecca, ending up facing the 'slum' that huddled against the outskirts of the ancient town, and then moved further away from the main gate until she spotted a side gate.
It led into a narrow alleyway that ran straight through to the town's main street. She could see the activity in the distance, and was heading towards it down the narrow alley when someone missed crashing into her by an inch. A young woman had tripped while coming out of a doorway, fell past Niles, and dropped the box she was carrying... which seemed to be full of assorted mechanical components. Several brass gears rolled off along the alley, and a number of long glass objects clinked and rattled alarmingly, although none seemed to be broken.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I... er..." The woman's voice trailed away as she looked up at Niles, gazing at his face, a blush crossing her cheeks. She swallowed and then climbed to her feet, immediately bending to start gathering up the items, and then stopped as she saw the items he was carrying.
"Oh! Is that a camera? Does it use the new Maddox wet plates? It must have a mechanical shutter, right? How do you set the timing?"
Her focus on the camera was immediate and absolute.
Niles' route into the town was a little different to the others. She'd taken a rather different path down the hill from Rebecca, ending up facing the 'slum' that huddled against the outskirts of the ancient town, and then moved further away from the main gate until she spotted a side gate.
It led into a narrow alleyway that ran straight through to the town's main street. She could see the activity in the distance, and was heading towards it down the narrow alley when someone missed crashing into her by an inch. A young woman had tripped while coming out of a doorway, fell past Niles, and dropped the box she was carrying... which seemed to be full of assorted mechanical components. Several brass gears rolled off along the alley, and a number of long glass objects clinked and rattled alarmingly, although none seemed to be broken.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I... er..." The woman's voice trailed away as she looked up at Niles, gazing at his face, a blush crossing her cheeks. She swallowed and then climbed to her feet, immediately bending to start gathering up the items, and then stopped as she saw the items he was carrying.
"Oh! Is that a camera? Does it use the new Maddox wet plates? It must have a mechanical shutter, right? How do you set the timing?"
Her focus on the camera was immediate and absolute.
