Among the Firs- Horror RP OoC and Signup
It's an ideal weekend getaway, the best way to let off a little steam. No one remembers who first had the idea, but everyone approved of the notion. Camping and hiking in the woods outside Barclay- great fun. Beautiful forests, rolling hills, clear lakes, and there's always the town itself if you want to do a little shopping or have a drink or two. All in all, you're looking forward to a fun, relaxing time. Those rumors you hear about Barclay can't be anything more than old wives' tales, a bunch of superstitious crap, right? Of course. Just crap.
And yet you feel as though you're being watched.
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THE TOWN OF BARCLAY
Barclay, Oregon, is an idyllic little town tucked away in the rolling tree-covered foothills of the Cascades. Home to 42,568 happy people, enjoying a high per capita GDP, an excellent school district, and an active arts scene.
It began life as a logging camp in the late 1860s, chartered by New Yorker Thomas Barclay in response to the growing timber boom. Thomas Barclay's burgeoning timber company, sensibly named Barclay Timber, soon ran into financial difficulties, however, forcing Thomas into destitution as he struggled to keep his company afloat. His efforts ultimately cost him his health, and he died a poor and broken man in 1880, leaving the nearly valueless company to his son Walter.
Under Walter's management, the timber company prospered, and by association, the company town that bore his name. A true timber baron, Walter Barclay virtually ran the town. Sitting on the Chamber of Commerce, acting as lay preacher for the sole church, and serving as president of the bank, nothing happened in Barclay that Walter did not control. A labor dispute in 1903 quickly got out of hand and turned into violence as Walter hired mercenaries to protect scabs. No one truly mourned the man when he passed in 1912.
Barclay Timber continued to thrive and was passed down through the Barclay clan until 1968, when the company was dismantled and sold to an international conglomerate. By then the town had grown to a healthy size, and made the transition away from a company town rather well. Nowadays, the town continues to thrive and grow, and its picturesque location attracts a number of hikers, campers, and other visitors who ramble through the forests and explore the old abandoned logging buildings among the firs. Elias Barclay, the latest of the clan, lives off a trust fund in an enormous mansion on the edge of town.
However, there are rumors, always rumors, of what happens after dark. Among the towering firs, in the back alleys, inside the old sawmills, people have seen things, strange things. Unrecognizable smells run through the wind. People inexplicably wake up far from where they went to sleep. Hikers have come back from the woods unable to speak, or just not come back at all. Residents report bizarre and terrifying dreams. Once in a great while, hideously mauled corpses are found hanging in the top branches of trees. Beneath the idyllic, picturesque surface, there is something very, very strange indeed.
CHARACTER SHEETS
A few notes:
If you're joining us at the start, I'd advise being a part of the camping trip mentioned in the flavor text if only so I can kick off the story. Once we get some momentum built up, I'll open the character range up to pretty much anything anywhere.
Dark secrets, a troubled past, underlying psychological problems, etc, are encouraged. These are all staples of the type of horror I'm going for.
I likely will not approve characters who are a ridiculous badass, so no ex-Spestnasz Mafiya dudes, no North Korean ninjas, no retired members of SEAL Team Six. The focus here is more psychological than on fighting and shooting.
CS Template
Name:
Age and Date of Birth:
Gender:
Height:
Weight:
Occupation:
Appearance: either photograph or detailed description acceptable
Demeanor: just a few words that describe how your character presents herself to the world, for example "well-groomed" or "anxious"
History: Tell us a little about your character. Where is he from? What has he done? What does he hope to accomplish?
Secret(s): Everyone has something to hide. It can range from the innocuous (an unpaid parking ticket) to the more serious (still closeted about being gay) to the extremely dark (she once killed someone and successfully covered it up).
Other: Does your character speak Farsi? Does he only wear Hawaiian shirts? Can he drive stick? Just little details that bring your character to life and let us know if you have any skills that might come in handy.
GAMEPLAY NOTES
This is meant to be player driven, so don't just sit around waiting for things to happen to you. Get out and explore, take action! There's a whole town and surrounding area full of weird stuff to experience. And remember, safety in numbers- include other players whenever possible.
Characters are going to suffer physical, emotional, and psychological damage. They may even go mad, simply vanish, or die. There are two ways I'm going to handle this. One, and this is the way I far prefer, is for a player to volunteer their character to be killed by PMing me. I'll then notify them of the time and place so they can write their death scene with appropriate aplomb. Two, and I promise you I'll use this sparingly, if at all, is by random dice roll for appropriately dramatic or dangerous scenes, with each person assigned a number. I think we can agree random chance is fair and without favoritism. Additionally, values will be assigned for everyone being spared, so there's that, too.
GAMEPLAY RULES
1. All rules of the forum apply.
2. No godmodding, no munchkins, no powerplaying, none of the usual tricks.
3. At the end of the day, remember it's just a game and not worth getting angry over.
4. Respect one another. I'll try to mediate disputes, but remember we're here to have fun.
5. The GM is the final authority. That said, I'm willing to hear you out if you think I'm making a mistake or being unfair, so just let me know.
ROSTER
Active
Izzy Jackson
Andy Hoffman
Ricky Patel
Dead
Alright, I look forward to playing with you all, and I hope this will be a long and fruitful game.
Barclay awaits.
