OOC -- "A One Horse Town"

The OOC Thread

"A One Horse Town"

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU WILL READ IN THE OOC:
Please, do NOT post replies here!

The Host will be creating a Writers Discussion Thread,
in which writers are encouraged to ask questions and post comments.
as well as propose characters or seek collaboration.
But the OOC Thread is for the posting of the Host only. Thanks.​

About Crossroads

Character List ---- Who's Who.

Buildings in and around Crossroads.

(More to come; out of time.)

CHARACTER'S NAME:

WRITER'S ID:

CHARACTER'S PIC and PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:

CHARACTER'S PERSONALITY:

CHARACTER'S PLACE IN THE RP:

CHARACTER'S BACKGROUND:

CHARACTER'S CURRENT SITUATION:

CHARACTER'S DIRECTION:

WRITER'S DESIRE TO WRITE SEXUAL SCENES:

ANYTHING I MISSED THAT YOU WANT TO TELL:

CHARACTER'S NAME:

WRITER'S ID:

CHARACTER'S PIC and PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:

CHARACTER'S PERSONALITY:

CHARACTER'S PLACE IN THE RP:

CHARACTER'S BACKGROUND:

CHARACTER'S CURRENT SITUATION:

CHARACTER'S DIRECTION:

WRITER'S DESIRE TO WRITE SEXUAL SCENES:

Character List​

Male Characters:

• Matthew Taylor -- Sheriff (AnotherOldGuy)
• Jonathan McGuire -- Land Baron, Cattle Rancher (AnotherOldGuy)
• John Smith -- "Suspected" Gunslinger, Wagon Train "Escort" (AnotherOldGuy)
• John Lobo -- Gunslinger (DeathsKnight)
• Evan Williams -- (Future) Deputy (Jack80)
• Kevin Murdock -- Former gunslinger, currently farmer/rancher (Jack80)
• Abe Tabbot -- Saloon partner and bartender. (DeathsKnight)

Female Characters:

• Gracie Mae Harper -- Farmer's Daughter (SandDollar)
• Ruby Walker -- Gunslinger, wanderer (SandDollar)

CHARACTER'S NAME:

WRITER'S ID:

CHARACTER'S PIC, GENDER, AGE, PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:

CHARACTER'S PERSONALITY:

CHARACTER'S PLACE IN THE RP:

CHARACTER'S BACKGROUND:

CHARACTER'S CURRENT SITUATION:

CHARACTER'S DIRECTION:

WRITER'S DESIRE TO WRITE SEXUAL SCENES:

WRITER'S ID: DeathsKnight


CHARACTER'S NAME: Albert "Abe" Tabbot

PLACE IN THE STORY:

• Bartender

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:

• PIC
• Male, 29.
• 6'5"/1.95m, 304#/138kg; big and burly; hard packed muscle with a bit of flab around the waist.
• Brown eyes, brown hair and beard.

CHARACTER'S PERSONALITY:

• Friendly with a good heart, but can get dangerous when angered.

CHARACTER'S BACKGROUND:

• Abe is part of a business family, his great grandfather came from England and started a business and it just stayed in the family.
• Abe grew up tough as he was the eldest and therefore the best help his father had and could use.
• His parents weren't harsh; they loved him and cared for him, but he had to work hard to earn his weekly allowance.
• Abe met his now current partner at a rodeo and he talked Abe into starting a business with him. Abe and his wife saw this as a chance to start on their own and took it.

CHARACTER'S DIRECTION:

• He would be like only to be a bartender, no real big story.

WRITER'S DESIRE TO WRITE SEXUAL SCENES:

• I am SO not going to write sex scene by myself.

CHARACTER'S NAME:

WRITER'S ID:

CHARACTER'S PIC and PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:

CHARACTER'S PERSONALITY:

CHARACTER'S PLACE IN THE RP:

CHARACTER'S BACKGROUND:

CHARACTER'S CURRENT SITUATION:

CHARACTER'S DIRECTION:

WRITER'S DESIRE TO WRITE SEXUAL SCENES:

Buildings and Businesses
In and Around
Crossroads, Wyoming​

(I am going to better organize the information below to depict exactly where in town the below businesses are, but for now this information will have to do. I just don't have the time right now.)

Pics of Crossroads:

• West side of Main Street (looking north).
• East side of Main Street (looking north).

There are 16 businesses in or within a short walk of Crossroads. They include:

• Main Street (runs north and south):
  • Jail -- Sheriff Taylor
  • The Mercantile -- Store Keeper (Available role); is a lackey to Jonathan McGuire.)
  • Saloon
    • Principal Owner: Herb (NPC of the Host)
    • Bartender: Abe Tabbot (DeathsKnight)
    • Saloon Whores, two. (Available roles.)
  • Land Claims Office -- Paul Peterson (NPC of the Host); in the pocket of Jonathan McGuire.
  • Boarding House -- Owner (Available role.)
  • (More to come, both current buildings that are not identified and future construction.)
• North End (about 50 yards from the north end of Main Street)
  • Stables and Corral:
    • Blacksmith (Available role.)
    • Stable hand (Available role; I see a young kid, a related woman, an old fart ... what ever.)
  
  [*]South End (about 100 yards from the south end of Main Street)
  • Church -- Preacher (Available Role.)
  • Undertaker (Available Role; might be the preacher since it's a small town.)

WRITER'S ID: AnotherOldGuy


CHARACTER'S NAME: Matthew Taylor

PLACE IN THE STORY: Sheriff, the town of Crossroads.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:

• PIC
• Male, 31.
• 5'10", 190#; lean.
• Brown hair, kept neat and short; hazel eyes.
• Walks with a slight limp. (See below.)

CHARACTER'S PERSONALITY:

• Cautious but friendly with people he is first meeting. He approaches and questions just about every new face, to feel them out.
• Friendly, polite, and easy going with people once he knows them.
• Law and order are important to him, but he has been known to let illegal or immoral activities slide by if to do something about them would cause more trouble than its worth. (Case in point: he knows McGuire is crooked, but the man's money and muscle is dangerous to the population and future of Crossroads, so he lets some things slide by.)
• He is a lonely man, in search of a real woman. He won't settle for just a pretty face or just a hard working woman that will take care of him; he's looking for the whole package ... which is probably why he's single at 31 and occasionally satisfying his needs with a Saloon Whore.
• He has what some people call a tell concerning the way he handles his Colt .45. (See the first paragraphs of this post.

CHARACTER'S BACKGROUND:

• Born to a wealthy family in the Northeast.
• He was well educated and, at just 16, began three years at the University of Pennsylvania, then went to Harvard Law School.
• He became fascinated with the Wild West. He bought and learned to use a Colt .45.
• He left Harvard after just 2 years and joined his brother, a lawyer, in Chicago.
• When his brother died (naturally), he faked his credentials and took over the law practice. He worked court cases and maintained a fairly decent win-lose ratio.
• Eventually, his ruse was discovered and, at 25, he fled west.
• In Lincoln, Nebraska, he successfully defended a man accused of rape and, later, was attacked by the raped woman's ax-wielding father. He was shot by his own weapon, a leg wound that left him with a slight limp. To protect the distraught man, Taylor claimed to have accidentally shot himself. Before more questions could be raised, he fled west again. (For more on this, see this post.
• In Wichita, Kansas, he backed up a U.S. Marshall trying to arrest the local Sheriff's son for murder. He killed three men, including the son, in a justified shooting, but his only support -- the Marshall -- was killed in the shooting. He fled, fearing arrest.
• In Denver, Colorado, he petitioned for exclusion of responsibility in the Wichita event and was granted immunity from prosecution.
• He was offered a job as a Marshall, but after he walked in on a bank robbery and killed two men for whom he received a substantial bounty, he got the bug for bounty hunting. He spent the next two years tracking bad guys across Colorado and Wyoming. He captured 3 and killed 6 more.
• Tracking a murderous bank robber, he ended up in Barrowtown (Crossroads). He found the man in the saloon but not until after the current-Sheriff was gunned down. Taylor killed the bank robber and, later when they came to town for their friend, his two accomplices.
• He was offered the now open position of Sheriff. It didn't pay squat, but the town seemed quiet and safe and Taylor needed that in his life at that point, so he took the job.

CHARACTER'S CURRENT SITUATION:

• Sheriff of Crossroads, 5 years (at the beginning of out RP).
• Single and looking.
• His compensation for Sheriff:
  • A small salary, levied upon the wealthier ranchers.
  • Goods and services provided by the thankful people of Crossroads.
  • A portion of anything confiscated from criminals when they are either jailed or killed.
  • And the services of one of the Saloon Whores.

CHARACTER'S DIRECTION:

• He is looking for a good woman. He is a decent man, and therefore would like a wife. But a loving bed partner who cared for his needs might be acceptable, too.
• He is the Sheriff, so obviously his job might get dangerous at times. He is an expendable character, but is not to be wasted. (Long term collaboration is, of course, required.)

WRITER'S DESIRE TO WRITE SEXUAL SCENES:

• I enjoy writing sexual scenes, but -- unless the actual sexual acts are important to the story -- they aren't very graphic. And usually, they will be written in a Personal Thread, which is linked to the IC Thread, so that those who don't want to read them don't have to do so.

ANYTHING I MISSED THAT YOU WANT TO TELL:

• Posts for this character will often contain a great deal of exposition about the RP as a whole.

(Not done editing yet; ran out of time.)


CHARACTER'S NAME:

WRITER'S ID:

CHARACTER'S PIC and PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:

CHARACTER'S PERSONALITY:

Many would say she's also a bit of a snoop. She scrounges for information, anything she can get that might lead her in some sort of direction or towards something desirable. An opportunist, if you will.

CHARACTER'S PLACE IN THE RP:

Gunslinger, looking for some excitement.

CHARACTER'S BACKGROUND:

Ruby didn't always have such rough edges. Her father had always done some dirty business when she was younger, but thanks to her mother, she'd been mostly oblivious to it. When her younger brother came down with a fever, however, Ruby was sent to the next town; a day's trip. There, the wanted posters were pinned everywhere, each one with her father's face on it.

Intrigued more than appalled, Ruby insisted he let her ride with him and his band of men, but again and again, he refused. It wasn't until Ruby turned 17 that she'd finalyl had enough of hearing 'no.'

And so she set out on her own, even going so far as to steal a gun, rations, some of her brother's clothes, and even some money from her parents. It was all she needed to get herself started.

CHARACTER'S CURRENT SITUATION:

New in town, not quite sure what kind of place she's looking for, but as long as it has liquor and a place she can lay her head, she might bring herself to stay a little while.

CHARACTER'S DIRECTION:

Not planning to make her a permanent character, but she might grow on me. We'll see. She'll probably use what little feminine charm she has to get where she wants to be. Maybe even going so far as to join up with McGuire??

WRITER'S DESIRE TO WRITE SEXUAL SCENES:

It's not my first intention with this character, but I won't turn the idea down if someone happens to take an interest in her.

ANYTHING I MISSED THAT YOU WANT TO TELL:

Usually carries her shot gun with her. A bit unusual, but it certainly does the job. She doesn't aim to be fast, but rather strike in surprise.

CHARACTER'S NAME:

WRITER'S ID:

CHARACTER'S PLACE IN THE RP:

CHARACTER'S PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:

• PIC
• Female, 20.
• 5'11'', thin and slightly boyish-looking.
• Black hair, falls about her shoulders in waves; dark hazel eyes and full, rose-colored lips; fair, smooth complexion.

CHARACTER'S PERSONALITY:

• Stubborn and proud.
• Ruby isn't one to back down from any claim.
• Doesn't hesitate to voice her thoughts if she feels it's necessary.
• Many would say she's also a bit of a snoop. She scrounges for information, anything she can get that might lead her in some sort of direction or towards something desirable. An opportunist, if you will.

CHARACTER'S BACKGROUND:

• Ruby didn't always have such rough edges. Her father had always done some dirty business when she was younger, but thanks to her mother, she'd been mostly oblivious to it.
• When her younger brother came down with a fever, Ruby was sent to the next town to get medicine, a day's trip. There, she saw Wanted Posters with her father's face on them, saying he was wanted for back robbery, among other things.
• Intrigued more than appalled, Ruby insisted he let her ride with him and his band of men, but again and again, he refused.
• When she turned 17, tired of hearing 'no', she set out on her own, stealing a gun, rations, some of her brother's clothes, and even some money from her parents. It was all she needed to get herself started.

CHARACTER'S CURRENT SITUATION:

• New in town.
• Not quite sure what kind of place she's looking for, but as long as it has liquor and a place she can lay her head, she might bring herself to stay a little while.

CHARACTER'S DIRECTION:

• Not planning to make her a permanent character, but she might grow on me. We'll see.
• She'll probably use what little feminine charm she has to get where she wants to be.
• Maybe even going so far as to join up with McGuire??
  
  Host's Note: We'll get her hooked up with some eager cowboy-type.​

WRITER'S DESIRE TO WRITE SEXUAL SCENES:

• It's not my first intention with this character, but I won't turn the idea down if someone happens to take an interest in her.

ANYTHING I MISSED THAT YOU WANT TO TELL:

• Usually carries her shot gun with her. A bit unusual, but it certainly does the job.
• She doesn't aim to be fast, but rather strike in surprise.

About Crossroads​

(See also: List of Buildings and Businesses.)

How it Got Named:

• The original name was Barrowtown, named for the original homesteaders in the area, the Barrows. The Patriarch arrived in the mid-1800s and established a vast ranch. But his heirs had no interest in the harsh life and returned to the East. When he died, he left his land and possessions, in part, to the Church, to the Town, and to Jonathan McGuire, to whom Barrow owed money.
• When the mountain pass and bridge were built and people began using Barrowtown as a way-point east and west both, these outsiders typically referred to the town as the crossroads. The name began to show up on maps and quickly stuck. The citizenry surrendered the community's original name for its current one of "Crossroads".

Location:

• South Central Wyoming, somewhere west of Laramie.
• South of the Oregon Trail.
• A "crossroad" of alternative routes between Laramie/Cheyenne to the east, Denver to the southeast, Grand Junction to the southwest, and the Oregon Trail (and all points west) to the north.

Geography and Habitat:

• The town sits in a wide, lightly sloped valley.
• There are no real mountains within view; just rolling foot hills and a few ridges left behind by ...
• The Barrow River (which is little more than a stream in summer). Located a quarter mile from the town's eastern edge, it flows northeast to the Siminoe River.
• The land surrounding the town is mostly native grasses with a few groves of juniper, firs, pines, and spruce growing where Mother Nature deems them appropriate.

The Town and Its People:

• Current Population (at start of role play): Approx. 80 (including local ranches)
• Number of Businesses in town (at start of RP): 16