Realistic or Modern T͓̽h͓̽a͓̽t͓̽’͓̽s͓̽ ͓̽t͓̽h͓̽e͓̽ ͓̽w͓̽a͓̽y͓̽ ͓̽i͓̽t͓̽ ͓̽i͓̽s͓̽ (open!)

[thecrownchaos]

Intro

The shadow of a dark cloud lurks over a small country city, promising rain soon. A heavy warmth mixed with the moisture in the air, making the spring air feel even more stuffy. From the porch of the Blackwater jail, gulls could be seen flying in from the water and alighting on the posts of the dock. All in search of shelter from the storm, no doubt. The rain would be a welcome gift. The farms needed it, and the people always seemed to be calmer during a storm. They would find shelter inside and spend the dreary day doing menial home tasks that didn’t cause much trouble.

But of course it can’t be that simple.

——

The city of Blackwater, West Elizabeth has already written some history up to 1897, and being still a small town even news such as the local farmer’s newest litter of barn kittens is talked about and known by everyone. It is run quite remotely by a lazy old mayor, and more attentively by the chief of police, Ronan Delaney. The region has been fairly quiet in recent years, aside from the dwindling Skinner Brothers in the Tall Trees to the west or traveling bandits that quickly learn Blackwater isn’t easy pickings. With spring well settled in, tourists stop by for a taste of the growing city, bringing wealth along with them. The summer faire is also on the horizon, with vague promise of “big things in store”. The police department, never at ease, is on high alert for signs of mischief and gangs, but such mayhem always comes when you least expect it…

Setting + Rules

The year is 1897, starting around March/April, and we’ll be placed mainly in the town of Blackwater and the surrounding areas. The city is the second largest in this part of the southwestern US, but small enough you can still here a gunshot on its other end. It’s a dry plains area of rolling hills for most of the year, with a large forest and mountains to the northwest, desert to the southwest, and the city itself sitting on the western edge of a huge lake. Bison, pronghorn, deer, rabbits, and more roam the plains in between farmland plots or grazing livestock. We’re using the map of Red Dead Redemption 2, but aside from the geography and some concepts you don’t need to know much about the game in order to play along; all of our characters will be original, as this is placed before the Van Der Linde gang inhabits the area in canon. Here is a link to the map that you can zoom in and out of to read it (you will need to filter all the icons out to make it more visible)

This is a wild west setting!! 18+ only, there will be themes of violence, gunfights, blood/gore, injury/death, betrayal, drugs/alcohol, animal injury/death, etc.

⁂ As expected, normal decency rules apply.
⁂ Keep it realistic, no one is omnipotent or overpowered (ex: an 18y/o cannot be the best gunslinger in the west)
⁂ Timezones are tricky, and not everyone will be online at the same time. Be courteous and include everyone to the best of your ability.
⁂ This isn’t a super serious rp, you can go ooc if need be to clarify or whatever, but sparingly - if you need to have a discussion, come back to this thread or private message.
⁂ Try to keep posts at least a good paragraph or two, with reasonable exceptions. You’re welcome to write more or less as necessary for the rp, but no one liners!
⁂ Again stressing the realism. Your character can and WILL get injured, sick, or die. You will not win every fight.
⁂ Time period appropriateness is one thing, and there is a line. Blatant racism/sexism/homophobia etc towards players will not be tolerated.
⁂ Suggestions are encouraged. I have a couple secret plots in mind, but if you have an idea you want to include let me know!
⁂ You can have up to 2 characters right now, but I may change my mind later. I don’t have a character template either, you can use your own, but try to include the things I have in mine (especially steed(s), weapon(s), honorable or dishonorable)

Characters

Click their names to woosh over to their template. The color corresponds to how good or bad they are.


Notable Characters
(You need to apply and be willing to plot with me)
Chief of police: Ronan Delaney
Gang leader: Open

No Less Important

Gang members:
Citizens: Jason Cain Jr
Business owners:
Officers:
Anything else you can think of!

Artist: Jonathan Stroh

 

[thecrownchaos]

It has been years since I role played, (feralfront era) and I’m not used to this site and coding yet so bear with me if things look funky or I get confused. You’re welcome to post character applications here until I decide otherwise

Stok
Phantomelda

 

[Phantomelda]

I'll post a character when I get the chance! I just keep forgetting to comment on this thread. Will look at soon

 

[Stok]

Name: Jason Cain Jr.
Age: 24
Gender: Male

Abilities: Jason is an acceptional rider. In addition, he can use a lasso just as well. He shoots a rifle decently, but has much more skill at medium and close range with a revolver. Lastly, he spends a great deal of time practicing knife fighting. Claiming that, when a man really wants to kill you, they wait til they can see the whites of your eyes.

Jason has also dabbled in archery, but only for hunting. Making arrows is less expensive than bullets. Usually though, there's no reason to use this in a fight if he has his pistol on him.

Inventory: One colt revolver, two combat knives (Mexican war issue, belt holsters), buck knife, fix bladed three inch carving knife (right boot), bone handled straight razor (left boot), Ammo bandolier (pistol ammo), longbow, quiver

Miscellaneous: Basic first aid, hunting, survival skills

Weaknesses: likes poker, terrible gambler.

Bio: Jason was born in Blackwater, to the son of a barmaid and the town doctor. Despite being rather well set up to tend bar or study medicine, he was captivated by riding from a young lad. His family used to walk by the stables every weekend. When asked what he wanted to be growing up, every answer every time was cowboy.

Still, horses aren't cheap. Leavin' town to get hired at a ranch ain't cheap either. So the boy started small, buying a pistol and hunting small critters with it for a time. Working his way up to a horse, and helping out his father at the office. Now, only six months ago, he's bought himself a horse. He's been practicing obsessively as well, for when it's his time to rodeo. Little does he know, a gang is about to put life in blackwater on hold. His included.

 

[thecrownchaos]

/* ------ left side ------ */

name

Ronan Delaney

nickname

Roan, sheriff

age

32

Ethnicity

Irish/Apache

place of birth

Tall Trees, West Elizabeth

gender

Male.

Occupation

Police Chief/Sheriff of West Elizabeth

Home

Great Plains

Sexuality

Heterosexual (perhaps) and single

visage

height

5’ 8”

weight

188lbs

hair

Jet black. Tends to keep it semi-long, as well as his beard.

eyes

Hazel

body mods

None

face claim

My own rdo character. Similar look to Nitin Chuahaan

personality type - ISFJ

Positive traits

Caring
Hard worker
Reliable
Practical
Observant
Good under pressure

Negative traits

Blunt
Stubborn
Internalizes feelings
Overcomitted
Headstrong

Sociability


Hardiness

Honor


Wit

Since his promotion to police chief, Ronan has worked tirelessly to keep the community safe. He is known for his fair approach to justice; he takes all other routes before resorting to harsh punishments, and accounts for a person’s past and reasons before condemning them. Because of this, he became beloved by all who knew him, even tolerated by some he had previously arrested. This doesn’t mean criminals won’t get what’s coming to them, as he loyally defends his town and people with steadfast fierceness. This protectiveness is further encouraged by his past loss, which influences his distaste for killing unless he has to: he doesn’t want anyone to experience the loss he had.

Despite this kind approach to justice, Ronan can be awkward in some social situations, especially when talking about his personal life and feelings. He’s more than happy to be a shoulder to cry on for a friend, but it would take someone moving a mountain for him to open up about himself. He is much more content sticking to his job, helping others succeed and dealing with the matters of the police force, both big and small.

likes

His horses, making the streets safer, seeing others happy and successful, dark rainy days, patrolling.

dislikes

Liars, people who don’t like animals, “fancy” things/foods, big social gatherings.

skills

Hip draw, horseback riding, settling disputes, great memory

little more

background

history.

Ronan was born to a native American mother and an Irish father on a ranch high in the mountains of Tall Trees. He grew up learning the ways of the cowboy and the traditions of his mixed heritage. He was a natural with horses and spent most of his time riding and caring for them in between normal chores of the farm. He found them very soothing, and more honest than any man. Few things are more important than the care of his steeds and his bond with them is incredibly deep.

He soon became a skilled cowboy, caught the roaming bug and traveling south to New Austin alone to work as a ranch hand for many years, camping in the wilderness, living off the land, and helping strangers for coin. He began slowly moving back north where his parents and friends have long since moved from. Here, strangers began to recognize his skill in horsemanship and his quick way with a gun as necessity called for living alone in the wilderness. He was approached as a hired gun a few times before a nearby sheriff offered to have Ronan deputy under him. In a few short years, this sheriff and close friend retired and left his title in Ronan’s capable hands.

Soon after getting the job in the Blackwater PD, he met a girl who worked as a baker at the local general store. The two fell in love, and soon after had a beautiful little girl that they named Riley.

In the middle of one horrible night, the countryside was raided by a gang of bandits, and Ronan awoke to screaming and the sounds of struggle in his own home. By the time he was up with his revolver in hand, the bandits had already thrown the lifeless body of his partner to the ground and ran from the scene. Ronan, blinded by rage, burst through his front door after the murderers and in the bat of an eye, shot three of them in the back of the head.

Overcome with grief, horror, and extreme guilt, he nearly quit his job and fled the state then and there. But the thought of his daughter made him remain, and though the hole left in his heart by his wife’s death will never fully heal, he has vowed to never be so dishonorable again out of respect for her life.

family.

Since he turned 16 and decided to pick up his things and search for a purpose, Ronan hasn’t seen his family. The few old friends left in the area he grew up in knew little about his family’s whereabouts, aside from that they had moved to Canada. Already well on his way as an officer of the police department, Ronan was content settling down in the Great Plains and making home.

Though his wife is long gone, his daughter Riley is alive and well, just having turned 4 last winter. While Ronan works, a good friend of his (who was also a good friend of his wife’s) remains at home with Riley, both as a roommate and nanny for the youngster.

As far as anyone else knows, he has no other living family.

companions.

Fallúin, or Fallon, is his favorite steed. A dirty buckskin 14.3 hands American mustang, about 12 years old and tamed by Ronan himself when she was a filly. Unshakeable and brave as all police horses should be, but quite bitter when not in work, Fallúin is a fiery mare with a still-wild spirit, and she’s known for nipping at people who come close when Ronan isn’t looking.
At home, he also owns a young chocolate labrador named Flower (chosen by his daughter) and a gentle giant clydesdale named Jake who is both a pleasure horse and Riley’s teacher.

——
Weapons: among others, an old wood-handled knife, engraved volcanic pistol, bolt-action rifle.

/* ------ credit -- do not remove ------ */

© weldherwings.

 

[thecrownchaos]

Jason looks good! Does he have his own job or just an assistant to his father?

 

[Stok]

Jason looks good! Does he have his own job or just an assistant to his father?

No, assistant at the moment but also makes money hunting outside of blackwater in his free time!

 

[thecrownchaos]

Bump!

 

[diogenesUnchained]

Been playing loads of rdr2 lately so I'm super into this. Already have a character idea, just gotta make the sheet

 

[Phantomelda]

i also still haven’t made my cs but don’t think I haven’t forgotten about you! I was going to today and then the website being down hindered that D:

 

[thecrownchaos]

I’ll be excitedly awaiting yall’s characters!

 

[diogenesUnchained]

Gonna go with gang leader, almost done with the CS, should be up by tomorrow

 

[diogenesUnchained]

Overview

Spoiler

Name: Clifford E. Graves

Nickname: Cliff, Graves, Boss

Age: 37

Ethnicity: German/Irish

Place of Birth: Lagras, Lemoyne

Gender: Male

Occupation: Gang leader

Home: Where the money or the fun is

Sexuality: Asexual, doesn't care much for it all

Appearance

Spoiler

Height: 6'0"

Weight: 190 Lbs

Hair: Black, semi greasy

Eyes: Hazel

Body mods: None
Pictures

Face Claim: Billy Story from Hunt Showdown

Personality and traits

Spoiler

Personality type: ENTJ

Sociability


Honor


Hardiness


Wit


Negative Traits: Cruel, Manipulative, Bloodthirsty, Apathetic, Lazy, Uncommital, Narcissistic, Unprincipled, Downright Evil

Positive Traits: Capable, likable (at first)

Skills: Talking, some shooting, lots of trickery, drinking.

Likes: Money, Booze, Blood, People/Animals who will do what he says

Dislikes: Being held accountable, The Law, not getting his way

Personality:
When it comes down to it, some people are just plain rotten down to the core of their soul. Cliff Graves is one of them. Clifford E. Graves is one of the most low down rats to ever grace the 5 state area with his presence. His best talent has always been fooling people into thinking the opposite, at least when they first meet him. When one encounters Clifford E. Graves, they might take him for an unsavory business man at the worst, or a trustworthy and well meaning, if eccentric, friend. It isn't until he stabs you in the back or puts you under his heel that you think otherwise. Speaking of under his heel, he keeps his gang under control through a mix of fear and charm. Do what he says when he says it, and you'll be rewarded greatly. Defy him or desert, and the punishment will be severe. Examples are made whenever necessary, and often when totally unnecessary too. This mix of betrayal and fear makes it so that anyone who might speak poorly of Cliff is either too dead or too scared. It makes sure that once he leaves an area plucked dry, there's less of a chance of his sour reputation preceding him. For many, his charming personality is the first and last thing they notice about him.
The gang itself is a mixed bag of people. Some are desperate, some are fools, some are almost just as bad as him. They die often on jobs due to the nature of their work though, so the recruitment criteria to be a member of the Graves Gang is loose. If you can fight, can ride a horse, and will do what Cliff says, you can be a member of the Graves Gang. Not a requirement to join, but the ability to drink like a sailor and trash a town certainly helps.

Background

Spoiler

History:
Graves was born to an Irish father in Lemoyne County, one he didn't get to know at all before he ran when Cliff was just 2. All he has of his father is a family heirloom brought from the homeland. The only semblance of a heart on Cliff is the fact that he hasn't taken it off in all his 37 years. His mother didn't last much longer, and died from an illness when he was 5. From then on, he was raised by his community in Lagras. He discovered his ability to get people to do what he wanted early on, and convinced other kids around to do what he wanted. The first iteration of the Graves gang was a group of 3 kids running around terrorizing local small wildlife and other children smaller than them. When one of the kids was eaten by a gator, losing his eye in the process, Graves was blamed and told to leave Lagras. Little Cliff finally proved to be too much trouble than was worth to keep around. At 12 years old, he made his way to St. Denis, marking the first of many times he would run from place to place. This would be the last time he left only a single body in his wake.
In St. Denis, Cliff got right to work with fresh minds to mold, and plenty of them. The street urchins and orphans throughout the city of St. Denis made excellent gang members; he even was able to get kids much older than him in his gang. Kids of up to 16 years old were picking pockets and scamming grown ups for him. This is when he came on just how addicting power could be. He could have just about anything he wanted and sometimes all it took was a smile or a kick to the ribs. When he managed to get a gun at the age of 14, he discovered how powerful fear of death was, and how he could hold it over others, and easily make an example of those who might disobey. He picked the strongest kids as his loyal enforcers, and made sure they were kept well fed and fearful of losing their position. He played the game here for a while, enjoying the back and forth before the law finally caught up with him, chasing him out at 18 years old with lots of new experience. He made a run West, leaving Lemoyne behind as well as the corpses of his gang members. Not all of them, luckily, just the ones that couldn't ride out of St. Denis with him.
Ever since then, Cliff Graves has been robbing, killing, and tricking his way through New Hanover and Ambarino, tearing up even small towns or trading posts like Van Horn. His unique method allowed him to stay a few years at a time, leaving just before things got too hot. Always before, not after. Over time, he lost members and gained them, recruiting anyone who was obedient and at least somewhat capable. He doesn't know the names of most of his gang members, but there are a few notable exceptions in his inner circle of members. He wins those who he likes with charm, and oppresses the masses in his gang through fear. Very recently, Graves tore through the town of Strawberry over the course of a year, the shortest he's ever stayed in a city. It seems he might be losing his touch, his past might be catching up to him after all. He says he'll never die though. The day that Clifford E. Graves hangs is the day pigs fly.

Family:
His Ma died when he was young, his Pa ran off even earlier. As far as he knows, he has no blood relatives left. There is one person he considers a sort of son though. A 17 year old kid named only Red, seemingly named after the bandana around his neck and the note from his father that mentions his name. Cliff found Red when he was 12, abandoned much like he was at that age. Maybe he really did see a son-like figure, or maybe he saw a mind easily molded into his protégé and heir. Red hasn't taken to it completely yet in these 5 years, but isn't exactly rebellious to Cliff. He may get lenience cause he's family, but Graves still knows how to keep him in line.

Companions:
It's hard to say Graves has "companions", it'd be more accurate to say he has subjects. Still, there are a few he could be considered close to, like his horse, Hatchet, a vicious stallion that will only take to Cliff. Anyone else that comes near Hatchet is liable to lose an ear. Or his nameless dog that he picked up after a raid of a rival gang's camp. It's hard to say he has compassion for the mutt, seeing as he only refers to it as "the dog", but he feeds it and doesn't beat it; it's certainly treated better than some of his gang members. Other notable members of the gang include their tall, bald, pale muscle named Ulysses Ormand, the former New York stockbroker now usurer Tucker Hathaway, and aspiring farmer but better marksman Timothy G. Farrow.

Weapons: EngravedBlued Steel Knife, Engraved Schofield Revolver, Engraved Lancaster Repeater, Engraved Deringer pistol in right boot holster, knife in left boot holster (surprisingly not engraved), and a dozen misc revolvers inside his coat

Other items: Journal and pen, Locket with a picture of his father and grandfather in it, binoculars, some cigars, and a platinum pocket watch

 

[diogenesUnchained]

Sorry that took longer than I thought, RPN being down rolled back some progress and I had to rewrite some background stuff

 

[diogenesUnchained]

Probably making another character soon too, a member of the Graves gang.

 

[thecrownchaos]

I hate him he’s amazing

And yeah I was hoping the site breaking down wouldn’t mess with you much. Great job!

 

[diogenesUnchained]

Thank you lol, I promise the next character isn't gonna be so absolutely awful of a person