solstice rpg

Who: Gretchen Schleinser, Manuel Tavarez (NPCs), Tayne and Jesse
When: late morning
Where: the church

It was a glorious sunny day on Eldritch Island, and the crossing on the ferry had been reasonable given the fact that the waters around this part of Oregon were notoriously choppy. It was a Monday morning, and instead of being stuck in an office, Gretchen and her co-worker Manuel were making a visit to a former colleague. That should have made her happy, but then Gretchen wasn't in the habit of being happy about much of anything. As Manuel pulled the car up in front of the church where Tayne Peregrine was now the priest, her long nails were tapping out an irritated staccato on the surface of her iPhone. With an exasperated huff, she finally tossed it into her stylish and streamlined purse, selected especially to go with her no-nonsense business suits. "I do not know how these people live out here. There's no fucking cell reception."

Gretchen looked like she should have been a soft, cuddly housewife or maybe a nursery school teacher. She was plump and blonde, long-legged and bosomy and almost uncannily pretty. That first impression was entirely inaccurate. Beneath the lapels of her suit jackets beat the heart of a ruthless barracuda.

Who: Tayne and Jesse and a door
Where: The lighthouse
When: Around noon

The sermon came easily, the day before, and hadn't taken much in the way of polish. It was, unsurprisingly to Tayne at least, about mistakes and atonement and perseverance. It was what he needed to hear, anyway, so it was apparently what the congregation got to hear, too. That left him with most of the evening and all morning to research a spell for Jesse's door-- not necessarily a good thing, but at least productive-- and even then he wound up with an hour to kill. The spell in question required it to be noon, so he only left for the lighthouse half an hour before.

His truck rattled up to the lighthouse and stopped in a short shower of gravel at its foot. Tayne climbed out, a duffle bag over his shoulder, clanking a little with the materials inside it. This was more complicated than the last spell, but possibly more informative, and certainly less likely to engage the door's magic, itself. Or so he hoped.

( He wished he could have known and understood more true things about life while he'd been living it, but then maybe that was part of the lesson he was supposed to be learning here. )

Who: Tayne and Jesse (duh <3 )
Where: The church
When: Late evening

After dropping his things off at the house, and stopping long enough to grab a bite to eat to hopefully quell his uneasy stomach from the boat ride back, Tayne made his weary way to the church to make sure nothing had been disturbed in his absence. He'd had one of the local parishioners locking and unlocking the sanctuary during the day, and checking to make sure everything was as it should be, but he wanted to make sure for himself.

Besides, maybe he could find some measure of peace in there, at least enough to let him sleep tonight. His sleep the night before, though exhausted, had been restless, and what he remembered of his dreams had been unpleasant. Jesse had been there, too, and that only made him feel worse.

So he headed through the familiar double doors, pushing one open, and flicked on the lights, so the room was illuminated by more than candles and reflected streetlights through the windows.

( The sanctuary and the company. )

Who: Tayne and Jesse
Where: In dreams
When: At night

The room was small and dark, but it felt crowded, like the shadows had mass, had eyes and were staring at him. The single light hanging overhead was harsh, and he hunched under it, sure that in its light, they could see everything. Every transgression. Every guilty feeling. Every little sin.

They could certainly see the big sin.

"Tell us again."

"What happened tonight."

Shoulders bent, head hanging low, Tayne looked even more guilty than he felt. The police had seemed to believe him, when this interview had really happened. Then, he had been shaken but confident, saddened and afraid but not guilty. He'd been the priest, caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, with some strange circumstances that he couldn't explain, that was for sure. But here... here, he knew. He knew it was wrong, he knew he was wrong. "I j-j-just c-came upon them. In th-th-the alley. Bleeding. I j-j-just threw my rosary--"

( You got rotten taste in friends. )

Who: Tayne and Lux (NPC)
Where: the streets of Darkwater
When: late in the evening, right before the electrical storm

It hadn't been as productive a day as Tayne would've liked-- which was why he was still out and about well after dark, and not eating dinner at the nice restaurant attached to his hotel. The morning had been taken up with hiding in his hotel room from the downpour, not even able to sleep in with all that rain coming down noisily. He'd kept his window open the night before, and as soon as the storm broke at dawn, he'd immediately rushed out of bed to slam the window shut.

No water in his hotel room. None. No way.

Thankfully, it finally cleared up enough that he felt comfortable going outside, but that still shaved a few hours off his plans for the day. Throw in the blustering, and he'd barely visited half the people he'd intended to, and only made one purchasing errand. He was on his way back to the hotel a visit to the hospital, on foot, eying the starless sky with more and more trepidation and wishing to heaven he'd brought his truck. Shame on him for thinking the rain was done for the day.

( and an empty shell )

Who: Tayne and Natalie Price (NPC)
Where: the Prices' yard
When: mid-morning

There was fog all around, which served to make Natalie feel as if she could hide in plain sight. That was what she was doing this morning, sitting next to the base of a tree in her front yard, her damp hair straggling over her face as she bent her head to look at the ground. She was trying to dig a hole with a spoon she'd taken from the kitchen and not having a great deal of success given how thick the grass was. She hadn't yet gotten impatient, and nobody had missed her yet: her mother was conversing with her new attendant, and they thought she was in her room. But she'd sneaked out, something she was fairly good at. It was chilly, and she shivered in the t-shirt and checked skirt she'd put on after her shower. It didn't matter, though. Natalie didn't let the weather conditions affect her, usually.

The address Tayne had was about all he had to go off of, and the fog wasn't helping. It just made him edgy, all that water in the air waiting to condense right over him, or something. Ugh. But he'd promised, and he'd braved the ferry the afternoon before, and it was important, so he was going to do his best.

( Who are you? Are you nobody, too? )

Sunday, July 5th

• The trend for balmy weather continues today, with the sun rising into a cloudless sky and temperatures in the mid-80s by ten o'clock. The water around the island and the mainland is surprisingly calm, and the breezes are mild.



• The Darkwater downtown area is more than a little worse for wear after the Fourth of July bash the previous night. All throughout the day, the town's maintenance workers can be seen cleaning up after the revelry.

Monday, July 6th

• A cold front is moving into the area today, creating unpredictable weather. Not that the residents of Darkwater/Eldritch aren't accustomed to that by now! A heavy fog coats both the island and the mainland until nearly 11 a.m., and when it clears, the sky remains cloudy and the day is windy and chilly. The high will only reach 68 degrees, and at just before midnight, the temps will drop to a low of 50.



• It's fortunate that it isn't beach weather. Johnson's Beach is closed to swimmers and pedestrian traffic around noon when the mutilated bodies of several sharks, electric eels and something that appears to be an octopus wash up on shore. Marine biologists from the university are called to the scene, and news reporters emerge from the woodwork to film stories for the evening news.



• Around 5 p.m., the main transformer for Eldritch Island blows, leaving the entire island without power. It will not be restored until 10 a.m. the next day.

Tuesday, July 7th

• It's a stormy, blustery day from the start. At first light, the sky opens up and pours down rain all over coastal Oregon. The sky clears around 9:30 a.m., and the high at midday will reach 76 degrees. The wind picks up during the afternoon, and wind damage on the mainland, particularly in forested areas, will be substantial. At 8 p.m., there will be a severe electrical storm, with the majority of the intense lightning concentrated in the area around Stonehenge. By 11 p.m., the atmosphere calms and the air temperature cools to 62 degrees.



• At 10 a.m., the power on Eldritch Island is restored.



• The library on the mainland is having a Book Fair today, and that continues as scheduled despite the bad weather.



• Every psychic character will have a vision at 8 p.m. when the electrical storm begins, whether or not their psychic ability usually includes visions. Each vision will involve some combination of doorways opening, fissures tearing in the earth and unspeakable things emerging, red light pouring from the sky, earthquakes, fires, and water that's filled with blood. They may only have one vision, or they could have several between eight and ten p.m.

Who: Torin and Sam
Where: Johnson's Beach, then Torin's poolhouse
When: evening
Warnings: NSFW ; incomplete

Torin was mostly disconnected from the wild revel already in progress. He'd been hanging out with Chrissy and a couple of her vapid, ding-a-ling friends for a while, then he'd moved along to a handful of elementals he knew slightly. Now he was by himself, about one beer away from having a buzz on, earbuds in his ears that were connected to the iPod Nano he had clipped to his jeans pocket. He was dressed down by his standards in jeans and a black tank top, but he hadn't been in the mood to hunt for a better ensemble, so here he was. His wild hair was tossed around by the breeze as he wandered along, completely distracted by his own thoughts.

Sam wasn't far away, talking to a couple of girls two years his junior after having convinced them to do a short interview each for his new project. He was taking it easy tonight, not as drunk or hyper as he had been the night before and the chit chat was nice. It was still early, after all. He got up from where he'd knelt with the girls, ready to move on and find a new subject when he spotted Torin. Perfect! Waving at the other boy, Sam made his way over, his small camcorder turned off and dangling from his hand.

( So, all Torin had to do to get Boesch to stop making snappy remarks was to get him turned on. Good to know. )

Who: Jesse and Tayne
Where: St. Florian's
When: late afternoon

Jesse had spent the majority of the day sitting out on the catwalk with his shirt off, soaking up the light he'd been denied the day before and thinking about the problem of Natalie Price and her death wish. He was still convinced that the only other thing he could do was consult Tayne and see if there was any way he could help, and he only hoped that he could manage it without fumbling around and having his friend think he'd gone around the bend. He should just talk to Tayne about the dreamworld, straight up, but he was concerned that the priest would be self-conscious around him if he knew and believed that he and Jesse had interacted in dreams. There had to be another way.

( And good advice. )

Meetings

Who: Christian and Jesse
Where: Jesse's lighthouse
When: Late afternoon

The ferry ride home had been depressing. Christian had gone from panicked and frantic to defeated and uncertain. Obviously he had failed, and now maybe she would kill herself sooner, and it would be all his fault. He'd shooed Ava off when they got to his house-- she was reluctant, but he didn't want to face Jesse with her there-- and disappeared inside to huddle in his blankets upstairs with his kittens.

When he finally dragged himself out of the house again, the kittens came with him. He slumped down the street, out of town, and up to the covered doorway to the lighthouse with one kitten in one pocket and the other continuously trying to climb out of the other. He was the picture of misery as he knocked heavily on the door, and hunched his shoulders, fully expecting-- against all odds-- to be yelled at and punished for his failure.

( It did not go well. )

Who: Christian and Ava, and NPC Natalie Price
Where: The mainland, residential district
When: Morning

There were three Price families in Darkwater. Christian and Ava had already been to two of them-- neither of which were the right one. Christian had a headache and was feeling more than a little discouraged as they left the second and headed for the third. "Even if she is there," he began-- not for the first time, and with his hands buried in his coat pockets, wishing to hell he could have brought his kittens-- "what do I say to her?"

Ava wasn't entirely sure why she was there. Okay, so she knew why, but it was making her nervous. She had never dealt with anything like this before, but if her telepathy could come in handy, now was the time. She just couldn't help but worry about this girl, and of course Ava feared the possibility that she and Christian would only make things worse. With any luck, things would go smoothly and they would leave without feeling discouraged. At Christian's question, Ava glanced up at him with a frown. "I'm not sure. Maybe you'll know when you see her?"

( I have a secret that nobody knows. )

Who: Christian and Jesse
When: morning
Where: Christian's house

Jesse had been trying so hard to find the girl who desperately wanted to die that he thought maybe that's why he hadn't been able to. Maybe it wasn't possible to force oneself to go into one dream or another. There was still so much he didn't understand about how the dreamworld worked, as well as the fact that the girl he'd seen made him feel an urgent sort of desperation as he wondered if it was already too late. But as soon as the sun rose Thursday morning, he came out of his fugue state and sat straight up on the catwalk, gasping, her name on his lips. He'd seen her again, talked to her. That had to mean she was still alive.

He made himself wait until a decent hour, although it was still early by most people's standards, before dressing in fresh clothes and literally running over to Christian's home, where he knocked on the door, then shifted nervously from foot to foot as he waited.

( I found her. )

Who: Anna Lauren and Sam, with a cameo by Dax
Where: Dax's party
When: Evening

Anna Lauren wouldn't have thought that this many people could fit in a trailer and its surrounding yard, but evidently the flyers Dax had been putting up around town had had their desired effect. She wasn't entirely sure what she was doing here, because she barely knew the guy. Maybe she could chalk it up to not having anything else to do tonight. She still didn't have a job, and she was bored. So she was wandering around with a cup of beer in one hand, dressed in a tank top and shorts with her bathing suit underneath. She highly doubted that she'd want to swim, but it never hurt to be prepared.

Sam was making up for having sobered up earlier when Asia had gotten into trouble. He wasn't hung up on it, nothing bad had happened and he'd sent Asia on her merry way to interview people at the party so she seemed fine too. Why linger on negative things when there was no need? He had just fired off another text message to Torin to tell him he should totally come when he spotted Anna Lauren. They'd only met that one time but he already had her on a BFF pedestal and with alcohol only intensifying that, he squeaked and rushed toward her. "Oh my God it's my Be eff eff!" he shouted, not giving her much of a chance to brace herself before he'd hugged her, his bottle pressed against her back and some of the - fortunately not too sharp - spikes on his bracelet pressed against her shoulder. "You came," he laughed. "That's awesome!"

( Are there rules for bee eff eff marriages? )

Who: Jesse and Tayne
Where: the dreamworld
When: the wee hours

Jesse seemed to feel safest on the catwalk of the lighthouse, suspended between sea and sky, and it was there that he was lying, not minding the hardness of the iron walkway beneath him. His body was still, his posture relaxed, his face with its opaquely fogged over eyes turned up toward the heavens. He'd been wandering in dreams ever since the dark had fallen like a curtain over the horizon.

He'd been searching for the girl who wanted to kill herself, but he'd found no trace of her. Thus far, he hadn't encountered anyone he knew. The dreams had been either mundane or non-disturbing, and gradually he realized that he was walking in that amorphous space between one dream and the next. He was surrounded by fog, but he patiently picked his way along, feeling the sand beneath his feet give way to what felt like pavement or concrete. The air became cooler, the wind stronger, and he wondered where he would emerge. Squinting through the darkness, Jesse soon found that he could see vague shapes up ahead. It was some sort of building, surrounded by cacti. Huge ones. It was still dark out here, but he couldn't tell if it was dusk or just before dawn.

( Blood for blood. )

Who: Asia and Sam
Where: Dax's party at the trailer
When: Evening


Sam was having a good time at Dax's party, but naturally; he hadn't expected to show up and not have a good time after all. He was quite drunk by now and had just fired off a stupid text message to Torin Spencer of all people to entice him to show up at Dax's party. There would be an orgy for sure and being bi, Torin had to appreciate orgies, right?

Sam was endlessly amused at the whole thing, he'd somewhat latched onto the idea a bit too much, like drunk people were wont to do, cracking a joke too many about it and somewhat started expecting it to happen for real at any moment.

( But what about the sister? )

Who: Trevor and Taryn
When: Evening
Where: Downtown Darkwater, then Johnson Beach, then the Spencer Residence

Trevor had been exceptionally nervous at the beginning of the evening. Seeing Taryn dressed up so beautifully for their little date that wasn't a date had set his heart alight with happiness. She'd made herself up for him. But he'd contained himself as usual while complimenting her. Dinner at his favorite little Italian place had been delicious and filled with light conversation that he was happy to let Taryn dominate. He hung on every word she said, genuinely enjoying her company while trying not to think about whether or not his plan was going to work.

After the meal was paid for, he drove them down to the beach as it was getting close to time for the big fireworks display to start. He opened the car door for her, then went around to the trunk to pull out a large beach towel, two folded up beach chairs and a small cooler that contained a chilled bottle of wine and two carefully packed glasses.

( You know I would never break your heart )

Who: Dax & Asia
When: Afternoon
Where: the Everhart residence
Warnings: Um nudity. But it's non-sexual so idk.

Dax had spent some time deciding on whether or not he wanted to bake cupcakes or buy them. And where exactly he was going to get mass amounts of booze from. His mom's not-so-secret stash had been inventoried already. He'd also convinced a neighbor to show up with a few six packs on the promise that there'd be plenty of attractive women at the party. Truthfully Dax had no idea what kind of turnout he'd get, but there were bound to be some young women there.

He had also decided to attempt to bake his own cupcakes so he could decorate them himself. It sounded fun, and if they came out tasting like shit he could just convince his mom to buy him some premade cupcakes from the grocery store.

( He was looking out for her. Dax had always done that, but there were times during the year of 'New Dax' that she wasn't sure if she really mattered as much to him anymore. )

Thursday, July 2nd

• The second day of July is an incredibly gorgeous day. The sun rises in a clear, cloudless sky and shines brilliantly all day long, and the temperature reaches a high of 78 degrees. The breeze is almost nonexistent, and the waters around Darkwater and the island are calmer than usual. The low drops to sixty degrees just before midnight.



• The convenience store on Eldritch Island is held up just before 6 a.m.; sadly, there is no one left to report who the culprit or culprits were. The security camera has been smashed and the clerk killed with a single gunshot wound to the head. The store will remain closed for the remainder of the day while police work the scene.



• The influx of birds flocking around the lighthouse and the Victorian in the woods since Sunday morning wing their way away today; by noon, there are only the ordinary number of birds to be found around the island.

Friday, July 3rd

• The sunrise is dominated by reddish skies just after dawn, and clouds gather in the atmosphere. The day is partly cloudy until early afternoon, and then the storms roll in. The high reaches only 72 degrees today at midday, and the temperature drops ten degrees as the thunderstorms take over. It will rain until about 5 p.m. and then stop, only to resume around 11 o'clock. The low is 55 degrees just before midnight.



• Sandpiper Marina is hosting a hot dog cookout tonight, and several fireworks vendors have taken the opportunity to set up booths. Fireworks are legal in the Darkwater/Eldritch area, so why not stock up? When the rain lets up, the sky will be illuminated from dusk until it begins again.



• Flyers have been posted all over Darkwater to advertise an 18th birthday party for Dax Everhart tonight. With an open invitation like that, who knows what might happen?

Saturday, July 4th

• The storm front moves out in the wee hours of the morning, and by the time dawn arrives, the sky is mostly clear and sunny. The weather will remain calm, clear and mildly breezy all day, with the high temperature reaching 82 at midday. It will be a gorgeous day for the Fourth of July holiday and a glorious evening, with temperatures in the low 70s up until about ten o'clock.



• Hooray, it's the Fourth of July! There's a festive mood all over town and the island today. The majority of the stores in the main strip of Darkwater and the Shoppes at Eldritch are offering holiday decor and discounts, and the Heritage Club has visited the graveyards on both the island and mainland to leave flags and colorful flowers on some of the graves that are unadorned.



• Darkwater's fireworks display, put on by the local government, begins at 8 p.m. It's always a much anticipated event, beginning with a parade of the DCHS band through the main highway and then the fireworks. People will throng Johnson's Beach, the marina and the waterfront restaurants to get the best views. The party will last for hours, even after the display is over, and locals will bet on how many people will be arrested for public drunkenness or indecent exposure. It's a notoriously rowdy night in a small town!

Who: Cian and M
Where: Johnson's Beach
When: evening

Cian and Ava had parted ways to go to the restroom, and once he'd come out, he'd run into some of the guys from the team. A few minutes of bullshitting later, he separated from them and began looking around for his girlfriend. He didn't see her, but he figured that maybe she'd run into somebody she wanted to talk to, as well. It was cool. They'd catch up to each other eventually, he knew. He stopped at the snack bar and bought himself a Coke, then wandered through the crowd. The fireworks would start in about half an hour.

He caught sight of a familiar-looking, shaggy head of hair and headed in that direction; talking to M was always welcome. He'd figured he'd see his friend sometime this evening. He got close enough to see that it was indeed Emmanuel and bumped his shoulder with his own. "'Sup?" he wanted to know.

( Maybe if we keep hangin' out, some of my awesome sexual magnetism'll rub off on you. )