“Bound my mud, blood, cattle and beer”
History
Gatling, New Mexico is known for a few things in this world; it’s beautiful scenery, for tourists it’s one of America’s most haunted towns and for locals, it’s known for the legendary feud between the Grimm’s and the Goode’s.
The story goes that the Grimm’s and the Goode’s arrived in Gatling around the same time. The Grimm’s were essentially a large outlaw gang, looking to plant some roots when they happened upon the slowly forming town of Gatling. Upon arrival, they adopted their name as a family unit and set up a cattle ranch. On the other side of the town, the large Goode family were getting settled into building a farm of their own, a farm whose goal was to grow their own produce and make their own beer. At first all was well with the families, in fact the two got into business together and created the local favourite “Grim and Good Lager”. Of course like all good things must come to an end.
Like all good feuds, this one started over love. When Florence Grimm, an African member of the gang and Jamie Goode started courting, the Goode’s hated the thought but put up with it for business. However over time tensions began to rise and small misunderstandings grew to become arguments and fights. Everything changed when Florence became pregnant. Jamie’s brother Clyde, unable to stomach the idea of a coloured niece or nephew, kidnapped Florence and murdered her. In retaliation, the Grimm’s hung Jamie from a tree with a cows head attached to his own. Thus the Grimm and Good feud was born.
The war lasted many years, with many family members being imprisoned and killed before cooler heads prevailed. One of the biggest events of the war happened on New Years Eve 1899 in what came to be known as The Century Fire. As the townsfolk gathered under the hallowed roof of Saint Christopher’s Church to celebrate the coming new year, a rogue team of Pinkerton Agents arrived in Gatling intent on ridding the world of the troublesome Grimm’s and Goode’s. Knowing that both families would be in the church, putting aside their differences for one evening, the Pinkerton men set the building ablaze, wiping out half of both families as well as many of the townsfolk. Each under the impression that other started the fire, the war raged on but soon died down upon the arrival of the an even greater war. During the First World War, Grimms fought alongside Goode’s in the trenches and saved each other’s lives. After returning home, the families stopped hostilities but the tension always continued.
In present day Gatling, the Grimm/Goode feud is the stuff of American Mythology, up there with the Hatfield’s and McCoys. Many of the tragic events that unfolded during their war have been romanticised into ghost stories of the region which tied with the towns history of outlaws and renegades has birthed idea of Gatling becoming known as “The Most Haunted Town in America”. With a tag like that, Gatlings tourism business is huge and has really helped with town expansion. In spite of this, it is a town that has not lost its values of hard work, honesty and simplicity. The cities and syndicates have took notice, with big pharma and crime factions looking to buy up a whole lot of land and ranches in the area, leaving many residents just fighting to keep their heads above water. With the law failing them, many have taken to working outside the system just to survive and make it to the next day.
As for the Grimm’s and the Goode’s, both families still have a large presence in Gatling with their names plastered over many of the towns businesses and buildings even of the family has nothing to do with it anymore. Hostilities have ceased bar the odd fight here or there. Children of the family could sit together in class and men can share a drink at the bar but the tension is always there, just below the surface, waiting for a match to strike it alight.
Further Info
Genre: Modern, Slice of Life, Western
Welcome to the town of Gatling, folks! A small mountain town deep in America’s Heartland, Gatling is known for its ghosts, it’s family feuds and it’s beautiful scenery. It is a rustic looking place surrounded my ranches, farms and mountain trails.
Our story takes place in the modern day and will be a centered around the day to day lives of the residents of Gatling, New Mexico; specifically the lives tied to the Grimm and Goode families. We will explore their secrets, their lies and see the world through their eyes. You do not have to be a direct member of the families, any relative by blood or marriage will do.
This is a mature rp; the intention being a real honest look at life on the front lines and the last vestiges of the American Frontier. We hope to explore many real life problems ranging from drugs, violence, abuse, financial crisis etc and shine a light on day to day life in the heartlands.
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