Old Black Train - {OOC} (M)

**BumblingBee** · 02-23-2019, 05:37 PM

Old Black Train

OOC

This roleplay is rated M for the following: Possible Violence, Possible Language, Possible Blood and Gore, Possible Alcohol Usage, Potential Sexual or Suggestive Themes

There's an old black train a-coming

Scraping along the iron

You don't need no ticket boys

It will take you when its time

New Tanner
A fictionalised version of Montana,

March 4th, 1899.
The age of Cowboys and Outlaws is coming to a end. Industry and Civilization now race to claim the land instead.

About

So then, about this one.

This RP will take place within the made up(ish) state of New Tanner.

This is a Western, there's little you'll see here that argues it otherwise. However, it is a Western, with a twist. With this one, I wanted to combine all the fun and freedom of the Cowboys and Outlaws of yore, with a bit of that good old fashioned and relatively rare gothic Americana superstition and folklore.

This RP is heavily inspired by the recent Western revival we all seem to be going through. But as I said, it is still a bit of a mish-mash. But basically, if it has a cowboy hat, or is set in America before the 1900s, it's legal tender. I have personally based the themes and narratives of this RP off of ideas from both Red Dead Redemptions, Over the Garden Wall, and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs if that's of any help.

Before I say anything more about the plot of this RP, I need to make one thing clear.

Your character, should have died.

They should be dead by now.

You don't have to tell or explain to me how they should have died. But certainly keep the thought under your hat for now. I want you to know how your character should, have died. Were they sick? Maybe they just got into a fight? It doesn't have to be that dramatic, and maybe it'll be clear to everyone else how they should have died once the RP gets going. For example, I'm pretty sure most of you will guess how my main man should have popped his clogs as soon as I get going in the IC, but for now, I just want you to have the reason in your head at the very least. It might be clear as day to us in the real world, but in the IC, characters will remain oblivious.

Plot

Now with regards to the plot.

Our characters are going to find each other, and group together under the guise of undergoing a gold-mining expedition. But, after a certain, problem, makes itself know, those plans get put to one side. And the characters must undergo a journey through New tanner to reach Albertsland (Our fictionalised made up version of Canada).

This is what our characters will believe at least.

But between you and me, lets just say it's a journey of much more... purgatorial, measures.

Along the way, they'll encounter various supernatural creatures, strange people, and generally strange situations. So I suppose it's your typical Heroes Journey sort of narrative really, but more depressing.

And with Ghosts.

Rules

1) No godmodding straight into the IC please. If you've got an idea just run it by me first so we can check it fits in ok and everything.

2) I don't have a particular posting requirement, as I understand that it can sometimes be difficult to get posts in to an adequate length and quality. But if you wouldn't mind writing up some stuff when we need you to just so we don't get held up at all.

3) Try and make your characters unique in some way or form and different from others you see within the RP. I personally figured, if our characters are initially grouping together under the guise of a gold mining expedition, then they could feesibly be from any race, background, disposition or moral standing. An outlaw would wanna get rich juts as much as say, an old farmer for example. So make sure they're varied, but still solid. And if their is anything you're unsure of, just let me know.

4) I understand things I've said may be confusing or unclear so I cannot stress enough that I'm more than happy to discuss and answer anything you wanna say to me. Seriously, if anything, I'm eagerly waiting for discussion.

5) Have fun... OR ELSE.

Character Sheet

Name: What's the name your character will give themselves. Is it their real name, or perhaps they go by an alias for some reason?

Age: I'm gonna say no younger than 18 with this one please.

Gender: As it implies honestly.

Place of Birth: America was an increasingly diverse place at this point, so your character doesn't necessarily have to be from the States.

Appearance: A decent description and/or picture will do here please. Be aware of the time period though I suppose. I doubt people were really running around with blue hair and septum piercings back then.

Profession: Past, present or future. Have they ever even had a job? Maybe they're currently training to be a certain something at the moment. I've made this a thing as , I'd argue a persons line of work more often than not would directly link into what sort of skill set they'd have. For example, a blacksmith would be good at making things. A poacher would be a good tracker, etc. Or they could just be a lazy bum that sits on their arse all day I don't know.

History: You can make this as long or short as you want. However, I need this part to clearly define who exactly your character is. What events made them the person they are now.What has their life, up to this point, made them into?

Equipment: What they got on 'em? Weaponry, just useful tools? This can be anything from a lucky horseshoe, to just, well, nothing I guess.

Horse: Your character will most likely need one of these, if not to ride directly then at least to pull a wagon. But if you think it'd be out of character for your person to have a Horse, I'm sure they can share with one of the others.

And Now, a little Disclaimer

I am English, not American.

Therefore, I'm aware I am coming at this with the complete perspective of an absolute outsider. So I do beg pardon if I get things wrong, over or under-estimate certain aspects or just generally mess up here and there. Feel free to educate me whenever I'm wrong haha.

**BumblingBee** · 02-23-2019, 05:42 PM

Accepted Characters

Spoiler: Burdock Wilson - Bumbling Bee

Burdock 'Birdie' Wilson
Although that's probably not quite right if we're being honest here. I mean, Burdock, really?

Burdock was born on the 3rd of May, Yellowridge New Tanner, 1857, making the man 41 years of age.

He's a big old lumbering thing, standing at around 6'3", with a broad stocky frame to match it. Age has weathered him, as it does all things. But a life as lively as his has kept him in relatively decent shape. he ain't tuning senile yet at the very least. That said, maybe he isn't quite as on the mark as he once may have used to be? It's hard to say.

Profession

What an interesting term for such a man as Burdock Wilson.

He was an apprentice to a banker for about nine days, and that's the only respectable line of work he's ever really had.

From a young age, Burdock's lived outside of the law. The names of what he did might have changed, Rustler, Gun for hire, Drifter, Bounty Hunter, Robber, Highwayman and even at one point a Debt Collector, but the goal always remained mainly the same.

Get money, and don't die.

History

Burdock's Father was a soldier in the Civil War, fighting on the Confederate side. As you've probably guessed, he wasn't that successful, and he died when Burdock was four. His Mother, grief-stricken and
struggling to provide, died in 1867, when Burdock was 10. Burdock will tell you himself that she just got sick. But the thing is, he fails to elaborate how and of what she died of specifically. Truth is, she died of Syphilis. Poor woman hired herself out as a prostitute in her later years, to provide for her son, and as a result, she died. Wilson doesn't really seem to be a feeling sort of man, or at least that's the image he'll present. And yet, he'll either lie, or just won't talk about the death of his Mother. Interesting, isn't it.

But anyway, in the summer of 1867 upon the passing of his Mother, Burdock did in fact manage to secure himself a apprenticeship at the bank in his home town of Yellowridge, but as previously mentioned, the job didn't last too long. He was smart with is numbers, just had that sort of mind for it, still does really. But as he was sat there in a stuffy little building, behind a dark little desk, surrounded by stuffy little people, he began to debate his future prospects. And then, like manna from Heaven, his salvation walked right through that banks door. A gang of Outlaws had decided to rob the bank of Yellowridge. An our young little Birdie took one look at them, and gave them the safe combination right there and then for the promise that he could ride with them from that day on.

And so he did.

And from there, I' sure you can imagine the sort of life our young Mr. Wilson lead. General criminality and debauchery all around. Mischief and violence, leading ever downwards towards an inevitable end of manic gunfire. Or it would have been, if he hadn't have met Connie.

Constance Colliery was the result of a former slaver getting a little too personal with the stock. I'm sure you can imagine for yourself how unpleasant her childhood was. But, luckily, the girl managed to escape in her early teens, and for a while she wandered aimlessly through New Tanner. Just making ends meet. She rocked in with Burdocks lot around the fall of 1878, and by Spring the next year, the two were both madly, devotedly in love. They were the best years of his life, and the man longs for them back desperately. For they are long gone now.

Connie got Consumption in 1891. Burdock had to watch her die, and he could do nothing about it. He was pretty sure he didn't really want to keep on living without her, but the gang, aware of his usefulness more than his sorrow, persuaded him to keep living. And so he did. But only just abouts.

Equipment

An outlaw like Old Burdock, as you might imagine, carries a relatively decent array of weaponry with him. Regarding firearms, he carries a double-action revolver and a sawn-off shotgun. He also carries his Fathers civil-war knife, which he uses for both practical purposes and more murderous-type ones. Otherwise, he personally travels light.

Spoiler: Horse

Spoiler: Robin Bromley - Bumbling Bee

Robin 'Rob' 'Robbie' 'Bob' 'Bobbie' Bromley
Jeez, how many nicknames does one girl need.

Robin was born on November the 29th, Bolton England, 1876, making her 22 yeas old.
So don't let that babyface fool you.

Robin's tall, but only for a girl. She's around 5'11", and she's sort of stocky? But maybe that's just her height making her look bigger than she is. She dresses like a man half the time, wearing trousers and suspenders like its nobodies business, so who knows what sort of feminine figure is hiding under there honestly.

Profession

Robin comes from a family of miners, and was set to be one herself. But working down a pit is a horrifically hardy job to do. And Bobbie didn't much like the look of it in all honesty. So she came to America, seeking her fortune and that famous dream everyone keeps talking about.

History

Robin is the youngest in her rather large family. There's seven children altogether, Four boys and three girls, herself included. The order of the Bromley siblings goes as follows: Tom, John, Susie, George, Ava, Wren, Robin. It seems Mrs. Bromley gained a liking for birds during the latter of her child bearing years.

Mr. Bromley was a miner, working at Ladyshore Colliery in Lancashire. Poor sod died from Black Lung (Pneumoconiosis) twelve days before Robin was born. So Christmas is never really a particularly enjoyable time for the family. But it wasn't all doom and gloom, for her Mother, Mary, was made of tough stuff. She raised all seven of those children by herself, and was everything a good Mother should be.

Yet despite all that, all of her children gradually left her. Now, I'm not badmouthing the Bromley children here, goodness me no. However, that's just the way things were. There’s a four year gap between Robin and Wren, her closest sibling by age. And after that, her brothers and sisters become increasingly older than her. So most of them were simply beginning to get on with their own lives by the time Robin was just starting hers.

Mother Mary got black lung when Robin was eighteen. She cared for her for a whole year. Stayed by her side, just the two of them in what was once a family home. Until she too died. It was 1896. Robin suddenly found herself completely and utterly left to her own devices. A independent woman in Victorian England. Ultimately a rare, and unwanted species. The pits lurked within the possibilities of her future, a future Robin did not want at all. So, she just left.

Taking the money her mother had bequeathed to her, Robin boarded a boat for America, and began her travels. In the three or so years she has spent wandering the American wilderness, Bobbie's picked up a handful of useful skills. Sharpshootin' included.

Spoiler: Horse

**Cfavano** · 02-23-2019, 11:34 PM

so this is Jonah hex?

**StormyNyte** · 02-24-2019, 12:16 AM

Hehe, this looks like it could get interesting

**Storm** · 02-24-2019, 02:39 AM

Looks like you've got an awesome roleplay started, BumblingBee.

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**Yggdrasil_Hugger** · 02-25-2019, 01:43 PM

Name: Yukawa Tokimasa

Age: 28

Gender: Male

Place of Birth: Japan

Appearance: Yukawa wears his hair tied up, has no facial hair, and calculating eyes. He wears the armor of the Samurai, and underneath that, some simple robes. https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...act=mrc&uact=8

Profession: Samurai, though in America he farms potatoes.

History: Yukawa was born in Japan, and thrust into the Meiji Restoration, when Japan was busy modernizing itself, and was quickly trained as a Samurai. He lived in Japan for most of his life, but eventually made his way to America. He's lived in New Tanner a while, and has a pretty good grasp of English, though slang is not his strong suit.

Equipment: A Katana.

Horse: A white horse named Daigo.