[Other FULL] Railways: A Journey to the Edge of the World. [T] [IC]

Jay · Apr 24, 2015

Spoiler:

In a World very like our own, in a past not too far fetched to be unbelievable... something extraordinary is brewing. A setting not too far from the 18th century England and America of our times forgotten, it is here that the stage is set for a tale of wonder, excitement and mystery all.

The small town of Bellson, located on the outskirts of the country of Amittia, is running on hard times. The economy has not been kind and a lack of trade routes seems to have the town on a path to disaster. Jobs are dwindling quickly and families are starting to struggle. Even the tired old mayor, once a beacon of hope for his home, has fallen out of glory and now sits depressed in his office. The people are all but accepting of their fate and in bitter contentment they work their every day lives, all the while silently praying that a silver lining comes down and provides an escape or salvation for themselves or them all.

Perhaps it was those wishes that caused the apparent magic that happened on that one fateful night.

The residents awoke to the lazy rooster of the farm, crying out in a dulcet tone as always, but things were far from lazy, as they usually were those days. The streets were abuzz with interest and talk. A lively atmosphere filled the air, something thought gone from the little rural area.

For along the buildings, the shops, even the town hall itself... were posters.

"To the residents of a town now wishing for more, the Ironwood Express welcomes you to chances beyond what your futures hold!

Come one, come all, to the edge of your fair town, South of the farm and West of the church, on the outskirts of a place where roads fear to tread is the station built! Within and ready to leave in a week from today is the carriages of Ironwood itself! The destination? Riches beyond your wildest dreams, at the very edge of the World you know... a trip of length unknown, from days to years, it is uncertain even to a conductor like me just what might await on a journey so vast!

If nothing else, I can promise you that the beauty of the Ironwood will take you to places you've only ever dreamed of visiting... and that in the end your journey and the experiences you share may be greater than any riches you lust after today.

And the best part is that I ask for not a penny in return, only that you give me your company on the adventure soon to come. All may sit in the booths prepared, all may sleep in the living quarters and eat at the tables ready and waiting.

You have till the end of the week to board... it is then that the doors will open, but not for very long.

I am required to warn you, this trip will not be easy, even with the comfort I provide. So make sure you only come with the preparation of one willing to risk everything for their desires.~

You will not return for some time... and once on the journey one does not simply leave until the end. Like life, there are no immediate stops unless you throw yourself away.

Until I see you aboard, I bid you adieu.~

-The Conductor."

In mere moments, the town exploded into excitement and intrigue. People flocked to the location described and like a miracle, overnight it had indeed sprung up. A grand train station to marvel those of the biggest cities and a strange railway leading off into the distance and to places unknown. It defied all logic for such a thing to even exist and yet here it was. Within the miraculous structure stood the grandest and most intricate train any present had ever perceived.

The seemingly pure iron and glittering front engine reflected light like mirrors and the fifteen black wooden carriages that followed it were sleek and refined. Blinds pulled down and covered the many windows of the vehicle. The doors were sealed tight and no indication of how to get inside was present. All those from the village bearing witness could only gaze in awe at the creation of modern technology before them... and the lone sign that stood before it all, with a single sentence inscribed.

"Seven days until departure."

***

In the days that followed, rumors of the miracle train said to deliver those whom rode upon it to riches spread, however talk of somewhat ominous implications at a horrible price did spread as well.

You, for whatever personal reasons, have arrived in the humble town of Bellson with the intention of being one of the brave few to ride the Ironwood Express on its long journey to its destination. Be you a humble villager from the town itself, a noble lord from a distant city, a vagabound scoundrel looking for a quick buck or even a runaway servant looking for a new place in life. Regardless, you are here. The risks implied are too great for some, but not for you... and when the doors to the train open you will boldly step inside.

As the cast is lined up on stage, it's finally time for the curtains to be pulled back and for this show to get on the road, or more, in this case, the Railway.

"One day until departure. Prepare to board."

Railways is an RP that bases its story telling around an unpredictable and constantly shifting train moving between locations. The RP will transition often between posts taking part on the train itself, hereafter referred to as "The Ironwood", and the various stops the train takes on its journey to its ultimate destination. The supposed "end of the World" where the grandest of riches lie.

To put it simply, posts taking place on the train will be aimed more towards character development and player to player interaction. It gives players a chance to have their characters interact, progress individual plots and to explore the Ironwood and slowly discover more about the enigmatic train, its staff and its true purpose in the journey at hand. The Ironwood will also have shifting carriages with varying interiors apart from the front five, these five carriages and the mechanics of the shifting carriages will be explained near during the RP, but as a brief overview the five stationary carts are;

Dining, Recreational, Passenger, Bedrooms and Lounge. The front carriage is the engine and it is not counted among the fifteen carriages following it.

The remaining ten carriages can contain anything from comic relief for fun moments to serious rooms of information and intrigue containing information and items that relate to the Ironwood and its past.

I will be shifting the carriages around after every "Train Stop" section is complete.

The train will often stop at various spots around the World created for this RP. A world that is very similar to 18th century America and England. The RP will spend the majority of its time in these locations and each location will contain its own sub-plots for characters to interact in. The conductor will also assign characters a goal to complete upon arriving in an area, in order to give everyone a starting point.

New locations will be posted on a travel guide aboard the train by the conductor IC whenever a "Train Stop" section ends and a "Train" section begins (basically, every time the players get back on the train). I will post this information both OOC and IC for everyone to react to on both fronts. But for the most part players won't know where the next location is until the journey there begins.

Consider it all an actual adventure and mystery as to what comes next, both IC and even OOC to a reasonable extent. Do not worry, I assure you that each new location will be varied and interesting compared to the last!

Unlike many RPs you may have been in, this RP isn't designed to have badass fighters and mysterious rogues... while that type of character might be accepted if done well, the characters story wise in Railways are most likely normal people of varying social status. Maybe a retired soldier here or a devious scoundrel there at most, but no super powered or magic beings exist in this World at all. The only thing that's magical in any way is the Ironwood itself.

Finally, the RP will begin on the last day before the characters board the train and leave the town of Bellson behind. The posts in question should tell how your character arrived in the town, if they weren't there already, and should detail them arriving at the train station to board the Ironwood and depart on their adventure.

The travel log is a record of all of the places visited thus far by the Ironwood and its party of travelers throughout the course of the RP. While this list may seem barren at first it will fill up over time as new locations are visited.

~Bellson~

Bellson is a quaint and poor town struggling on the borders of the world in which the RP is based. It has very little money and income, yet even in its most desperate times it retains an excitable atmosphere and pleasant energy bustling in its streets. Especially with the arrival of the first station and the Ironwood express itself within its boundaries over night.

~More to Come~

- Follow all of the already established RPC and PC rules and guidelines.

- Do not insult others by doing things like bunny, godmodding or autohitting. This is a fairly obvious one.

- I am the GM, I am a nice GM, but I am a GM. The password is "I like Trains", try to mention it casually somewhere in your SU or reservation. Feel free to address me with any ideas or problems but remember that what I say goes.

- Consider what is required of you as a person and an RPer. Do not attempt to join this RP if you will be incapable of posting once every two weeks minimum.

- Everybody loves joint posts. Feel free to do as many as you like here!

- Reserves last for five days before you get a question about your SU. Two more days and your reservation is cancelled and you will have to remake it. If somebody reserves your empty spot before you can re-reserve, well tough bananas I'm afraid.

- This RP is T rated. Don't get too gorey or descriptive about mature themes. Brawls, Romance and Dark situations are encouraged heavily, but don't take it too far.

- Have fun! No seriously, do, that's the point. If you feel like you're not having fun then tell me and I'll do my best to fix that for you.

~ Accepted - Rowin Odo, The Conductor - Deceptio

~~~~~~~~~~

~ Accepted - Aria Eliza Dominique - Deceptio

~ Accepted - James Bentley - gimmepie

~ Accepted - Carl Burk - MorallyIncorrect

~ Accepted - Cassandra Nightingale - Carnivore Chie

~ Accepted - Genevieve "Jenny" Abbot - The Last Sentinel

~ Accepted - Elizabeth "Beth" Marston - Sir Bastian

~ Accepted - Arsenè Grigori II - DreamOrDestruction

~ Reserved - GreyBidoof

~ Accepted - Elliot Temperley - Foxrally

~ Accepted - Lance Raleigh - Churaka

~ Accepted - Jane Folett - Sweet_Dreams

~ Accepted - Isaac Shearer - Raikiri

~~~~~~~~~~

Jay · Apr 24, 2015

Her bag weighed heavily in her hand as she made her way solemnly to the train station that had appeared but a week before. The streets were filled with others, people she saw often and those whom she only spotted rarely. But they were all people she knew. The time was finally up and today the train known as the Ironwood express would leave Bellson and depart on a journey that might change the very fabric of all the lives whom were brave enough to board. It was still difficult for Aria to believe that one of those lives to change would be her own.

She noticed a few shocked and confused looks from those whom she knew very well, as her purpose from the expression on her face was clear. The shimmering rose of Bellson was leaving town? She could only hope that they would understand her reasoning for such an act, she had no choice of course, this was something she had to do. A journey she had to make in order to save her town. She had to do this, she would do this.

"Aria! Sweetheart! Please..." "Not you too."

The pleas of her aging father still rung horribly in her mind. He had been hurt by her decision, she knew this, but she had to leave the rest to him for now, she had no choice, she had never had a choice. This was the miracle she had been waiting for, there was no way in Hell that she was passing this opportunity up.

The click clack of pointed and determined heels resonated on the cobblestone streets as Aria furrowed her brow and continued at a heightened pace. She squeezed her way through the crowds that didn't notice her quick enough to part a way for she of noble descent. The train station was just ahead, plastered unevenly in that self same poster that had started it all. Crowds awaited outside the stations wide open gates, there were more inside but from the aura she felt... were these people so intimidated by the mysterious and unknown that they refused to step inside?

She gently moved passed them, giving them reassuring smiles. Her well known status calming the crowds as she stepped inside.

The bag in her hands causing worry once more. The long and open hallway before her elad to the only stop in the building, where the Ironwood was waiting for her.

***

The platform was plain and simple, stone slabs as ground sat underneath an open sky. A dark wooden and iron railway ran along into the station from the far horizon and the place was positively buzzing with people and activity.

But that was nothing compared to the main event.

It truly was a magnificent thing... this train. She had known of trains for the past couple of years, marvels of creation that could move faster than any horse could ever dream of running and capable of carrying more than any donkey could ever muster the strength to lift, not even a fraction of it. She had never actually SEEN one outside of books however. There was never a train line to Bellson established... so she had always travelled to other towns such as Bloomgarden by horse and carriage.

She was awestruck.

An iron beast the size of five, no, ten horses stood at the front! Fuming white smoke from a single exhaust as the multitude of pristine wooden carriages that looked fit to house many families lay in the rear. It was the most wondrous fabrication of technology she had ever seen.

Crowds of tens had gathered a fair distance from the train, unwilling to move past the sign that had counted down the days to that day. All was silent and nothing seemed amiss. Judging by the preparedness and faces of some individuals in the large crowd, it would have seemed that very few people present actually planned to board at all. She couldn't blame them, the nature of this operation was rather shady after all. It was a risk, but Aria had to take it. Despite any doubts she had to be certain that this was the ticket to salvation for Bellson that she had prayed for.

As if in response to that thought, a door on the back of the iron engine opened... and a man made his way onto the platform. Murmuring in the crowds vanished into a slightly intimidated silence as this rumored master of the train stepped forward to greet all present.

A peculiar man, he wore a small top hat with golden buckles that covered the top of his face. His hair was a bizarre shade of white, with what looked like green tips. He grinned widely, his eyes constantly covered by the brim of his headwear and his teeth shone brightly in the daylight of the open roofed platform. They seemed sharpened to a point as the man hopped forward with a skin in his step, an old camera set was held in his right hand and his boots made clippy-cloppy sounds as he moved forward.

He wore... a most peculiar suit. Black with green details etched upon it. Why did Aria feel an uneasy sense of familiarity just by looking at it? She was certain she had never seen it before...

"Oh?... So many friends have arrived to see my glorious guests off safely? How pleasant! Yet you all seem so doom and gloom... why the long faces? Cheer up in spades! The main event is about to begin!"

With a hop, spin and grace, the man stood before the center of the crowd and did a bow.

"My name, is Mr. Odo. Rowin Odo! I am the conductor of my fair lady Ironwood behind me!" The crowd murmured gently, speaking of this odd and excitable man as he gestured to the vehicle behind him.

"Now then... no time to dawdle!~ The actors are all on stage! The players are ready for their game! My guests are looking for their promised wonder and riches! Well no further waiting then!"

The conductor, Rowin Odo was it? Gestured with his hand as if welcoming the entire crowd forward. Yet nobody moved, the last minute calling was giving second thought and many with packed bags even began to turn tail and move away. The nerves of how sudden the experience was must surely have gotten to them.

"Come now... scared already? Oh well~ I know whom is coming and those who run are not welcome besides. So why don't you step forward, my wonderful guests? The time for your prayers to be answered has come."

Aria swore that The Conductor had just looked into her eyes, but the hat made it impossible to tell. Her prayers... could it really be true? Did this man answer her calls? Had he answered the calls of many? She did not know. But there was no more time for hesitation.

She stepped forward, passed the crowd nervously and towards the conductor. The crowd gasped and murmured in fear and confusion as their precious matriarch stepped forward. She begged them in their mind to understand, but she knew they would not.

The conductor opened his arms as Aria realized she was not alone. Others were stepping forward with her from the crowd. More brave souls to take the risk and give their all to accomplish what was surely their greatest and grandest goals.

Rowin smiled and took a small hop back to get a look at his cast, the director whom finally had his actors in play? Or a fool whom had no clue at all? Why was this man so hard for Aria to read?

And here at last, my friends... we have been expecting you. He spoke of the train and himself as a group. Now then, we'll all get introduced shall we? Push through the formalities. Your names, for the lovely people in the audience! Rowin flourished his hands dramatically and Aria moved to speak first. Wanting to get things out of the way.

"I..." She would not turn back now. "...am Lady Aria Eliza Dominique of Bellson. I am here for the promised journey and the spoils it might bring."

The crowd went solemn for a moment. She really was leaving and there was nothing they could do to stop it. It was if Bellson itself let out a final sigh for it's last defense falling. But Aria's eyes remained fierce, as she knew that to rise again her beloved home would have to fall.

The Conductor seemed apathetic to the crowds silence and instead clapped his hands and smiled. "Excellent, M'lady Aria it is. Welcome aboard.

He turned to the others present and gave a warm bow to each in turn, while asking them all exactly the same question. "And what might your name be, my friend?"

Aria watched in curiosity as The Conductor questioned each and every person present about the future at hand. These would be the people she would presumably be spending a lot of time with in this new future. A future needed to save Bellson once more.

No matter what happened in the times to follow, Aria was certain that this would be the beginning of a grand adventure. One she would hopefully never come to regret.

Sweet Dreams · Apr 24, 2015

Jane Follet

Jane had thought that she was used to rowdiness and noise, given her experience in what was probably the toughest and loudest tavern-goers in the whole of Amittia. Given the constant brawls and threats she had witnessed in her time, she would have been quite certain that she could handle any crowd. She might have been wrong.

A wave of sound had practically engulfed her as she entered the station. A multitude of people were present; possibly more than the entire population of Gossland. Individually they were not extraordinarily loud, but the overlaying voices vying to be heard and the buzz of excitement feeding into itself was enough to make Jane feel almost claustrophobic for a brief moment.

And underneath all that noise, there was a low and ever-present rumble broken occasionally by a loud, high-pitched whistle.

Somehow, despite having speculated about this moment a countless number of times since she'd decided to come, she'd never thought to even wonder what a train might sound like up close. And it was this, more than anything, which made her reconsider whether she should just turn around and head back the way that she came.

She looked over at the throng of people, a fair number of whom were towing large bags of luggage. Clutching her small satchel closer and self-consciously tugging at her simple gown, Jane was ready to throw in the towel. This trip wasn't meant for people like her. It was meant for the strong, the courageous.

A hush slowly fell over the crowd. Jane was pushed forward as people began to gather even more tightly together.

At the height of this tension, a door opened and the oddest-dressed man that Jane had ever seen stepped out. Half of his face was obscured by the hat adorning his head, and he wore a black suit with green accents in a style that she'd never seen before. With a wide, somewhat unsettling smile, he addressed the suddenly silent crowd before him.

"Oh?... So many friends have arrived to see my glorious guests off safely? How pleasant! Yet you all seem so doom and gloom... why the long faces? Cheer up in spades! The main event is about to begin! My name, is Mr. Odo. Rowin Odo! I am the conductor of my fair lady Ironwood behind me!"

He bowed as he introduced himself, and people began whispering to each other about this eccentric figure. Jane, herself, was taken aback by his referring to the train as a woman. She inspected it again and tried to see how the huge mass of puffing metal could in any way be referred to as a lady.

"Now then... no time to dawdle!~ The actors are all on stage! The players are ready for their game! My guests are looking for their promised wonder and riches! Well no further waiting then!"

For a moment, nobody moved, even as the strange conductor gestured them forward. The prospect of boarding this mysterious train combined with the singularly peculiar conductor made her feel as though she were standing on the edge of a cliff. One foot forward, and she would plummet into the darkest depths of the unknown.

People began to turn and walk away, dragging their possessions behind them.

Jane looked down. She could make a return trip to Gossland. The money that she'd have spent for the return trip and the money she would have lost from leaving her job for several days would make a significant dent in her savings, but it wasn't like she was saving up for anything in particular.

She could turn back without having really lost anything. She could go back to her familiar life in a familiar town. Back to her too-quiet room and too many thoughts in the dark.

"Come now... scared already? Oh well~ I know whom is coming and those who run are not welcome besides. So why don't you step forward, my wonderful guests? The time for your prayers to be answered has come."

There, on the precipice of the unknown, Jane wavered. She would lose nothing in turning back. Then again, what could she lose by moving forward? She knew well that life was a series of wins and losses. Really, she had nothing left to lose, so perhaps…

Jane stepped forward.

"And here at last, my friends... we have been expecting you.Now then, we'll all get introduced shall we? Push through the formalities. Your names, for the lovely people in the audience!"

"I... am Lady Aria Eliza Dominique of Bellson. I am here for the promised journey and the spoils it might bring."

Jane watched as the most beautiful lady stood in front of the crowd. As expected from her title, it looked as though most of the locals knew of her. This, Jane knew, was the kind of person that was meant to go on these sorts of adventures. Striking, graceful, erudite.

"Excellent, M'lady Aria it is. Welcome aboard. And what might your name be, my friend?"

The conductor, Mr. Odo, flashed her a knowing smile. Jane smiled back, placidly, before training her eyes forward.

"My name is Jane Folett," she said, throwing in a rough curtsy out of reflex. Most of the crowd was dressed in newer, finer threads than she was, and she was also in the company of a lady. She'd never seen a lady before, and she felt vaguely as though she shouldn't let a person of such esteem speak to a person like her.

"Ms. Jane, it is a pleasure," he said with a small bow, possibly in response to her own curtsy, before turning to the next person."And may I ask you to introduce yourself…?"

Lucifer-san · Apr 24, 2015

Arsenè Grigori II
Introducing the Master Thief!
–-----------------------------------------
Wow, the turnout for this place was truly big he thought to himself as he eyed the crowd from down the street. Well, he knew for a fact that not all of these people were going to get on the train themselves, not many people had the want for adventure he supposed. If there were more people like that then maybe some of the bozos here would be interesting. Oh well it wasn't really any of his business he was here for something more important after all.

Taking his pocket watch off of his belt he hooked on a replica and stuffed the other inside the briefcase he carried with him. It carried some of his clothes and a few other necessities that he might need later on if things went down later. Never hurt to be prepared for stuff to go down and besides he was going to be stealing important things later on and he would need the right equipment to do so. That was what the second briefcase he was carrying for, though it was a bit large looking. It was modified so that even if someone managed to look inside they wouldn't see the stuff he had.

"Well time to get this show on the road then." He smirked confidently as he moved through the crowd gently pushing people out of the way as the voice of the conductor was heard as the crowd itself quieted.

"Oh?... So many friends have arrived to see my glorious guests off safely? How pleasant! Yet you all seem so doom and gloom... why the long faces? Cheer up in spades! The main event is about to begin! My name, is Mr. Odo. Rowin Odo! I am the conductor of my fair lady Ironwood behind me!"

The guy who spoke was obviously the conductor if his title was any hint, though as the whispers of the crowd went on and Grigori himself tried to push through he couldn't help but think how a train could be a woman. Though, now that he thought about the alternative of it being a guy he was fine about it being a lady. Now if only he wasn't so lanky and being polite he could get through the crowd.

"Now then... no time to dawdle!~ The actors are all on stage! The players are ready for their game! My guests are looking for their promised wonder and riches! Well no further waiting then!"

As the crowd finally stopped shuffling in movement he managed to make it closer to front, enough so that he could finally see the conductor with his own eyes. When he laid his eyes on the guy finally he had to say that in one word he'd describe the guy as...Dandy! I mean even though his attire was a bit eccentric that certainly didn't take away from the dandiness. Perhaps him and the guy could share a drink sometime down the line.

"Come now... scared already? Oh well~ I know whom is coming and those who run are not welcome besides. So why don't you step forward, my wonderful guests? The time for your prayers to be answered has come.

He wasn't scared if anything this was like a birthday present to him. A big wonderful splendid target that he'd have to figure out how to steal successfully along the way and then riches at the very end that he'd get a chance to steal too. It was a Master Thief's greatest challenge, to steal something that you have no knowledge of. So, of course he stepped forward out of the crowd a wide smile on his face.

"And here at last, my friends... we have been expecting you. Now then, we'll all get introduced shall we? Push through the formalities. Your names, for the lovely people in the audience!"
The first to step out of the crowd and introduce themselves was a woman dressed in red, she was very easy on the eyes if he was honest. Maybe she and him could get better acquainted later.

"I... am Lady Aria Eliza Dominique of Bellson. I am here for the promised journey and the spoils it might bring."

...Nevermind then. He had known this lady as a kid, or at least saw her around town a bit when he was younger. She was sort of a bright spot in the town of Belson, and she was known as a rather pure person who didn't particularly enjoy being around those who indulged in vices. Or at least so he heard, well he wasn't a chain-smoker or alcoholic even if he did indulge himself every once in awhile so maybe he had a shot?

"My name is Jane Folett," So caught up in his thoughts he had missed whatever else was said and had only looked back in time to see the next person introduce themselves. He should probably start paying more attention so when it was time to introduce himself he wouldn't miss out on it.

"Ms. Jane, it is a pleasure," he said with a small bow, possibly in response to the females curtsy, before turning to the next person."And may I ask you to introduce yourself…?"

Seeing the guy smile at him knowingly, as if he already knew who he was he noted, he couldn't help but grin in anticipation. This was going to be a wild ride wasn't?

"Name's Arsenè Grigori the Second, though most people just call me Grigori. Rolls smoother off the tongue ya know?" He spoke easily as the grin that stretched across his face only stretched a teensy bit further as the Conductor nodded at him knowingly before speaking. He had to wonder what this guy knew about him.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Grigori, nice to have you aboard the Ironwood." With a warm bow the Conductor turned to the next person before speaking.

"Now, what might be your name my friend?"

Sir Bastian · Apr 25, 2015

Elizabeth "Beth" Marston

Arrival

The carriage slowly rolled into Bellson, its pace not exactly what Elizabeth would've called 'speedy'. The brown-haired woman inside tapped her foot impatiently against the floor while peering out the windows. She began seeing the houses along the main road, but from this angle, it was impossible to see the so-called train station.

Sighing in frustration, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her notebook. Flipping it open, she grabbed the pen wedged in the spine of it and began scribbling on it. Nothing completely coherent, but little notes that she'd have to remember and keep in mind for her first draft.

Finally, the carriage came to a stop, Elizabeth perking up, quickly looking left and right out the windows before almost leaping to her feet, pushing the door open and stepping out onto the cobblestone streets.

There, in the horizon, at the very end of the street, was the rather magnificent-looking train station. Or, what she assumed would be the train station, at least. A wide smile spread on her lips as she tucked her notebook away in her pocket once again, stretching her arms out over her head, happy to finally be out of the carriage.

"Judging from the number of people flocking around over there, I'd say that I just about made it! Phew." She reached into her pocket and pulled out her watch, flicking it open before nodding and stuffing it away again. Still a good amount of time before the train was scheduled to leave.

"Oy, missy, don't forget yer luggage!" the carriage driver reminded her from his spot on top of the structure, as he grabbed the suitcase, hanging it over the edge for her to take.

"… Oh! Right, yeah! Wouldn't have been good to forget this, heh. Thank you." She smiled sheepishly as she hurried closer to the carriage, reaching up to accept the luggage from the man, stumbling temporarily from the weight of it before regaining control. The trip here had cost her most of her money, leaving her with only a couple of coins left. Hopefully, she wouldn't need them on the train. And if she did… well, she'd find a way to make do.

Without a second look back, she began down the street, headed straight for the station, without as much as a single look back. It took her a good twenty minutes to reach it, and it was getting more difficult to move around now, considering the mass of people standing around, both inside and outside of the station.

"Hey, could- oof, look, you're in the- ack!" She winced as someone stepped on her foot, people seemingly not very eager to move out of the way for each other, which caused her to get pushed around. "Could you- nngh, look, I need to get on the train! Move!"

The people nearest to her went quiet and turned to look at her, in order to try to see if they recognized her, or see if she was some sort of adventurer or wealthy lady from a different city. They didn't look too impressed, though. They –did- however move slightly aside to allow her through, her cheeks burning a little from the sudden attention as she muttered a quick, quiet 'Thank you', before shuffling through the crowd.

As she entered the station, she slowly looked around while clinging to her suitcase, her mouth opening up in awe. She'd never seen anything like this before, and she was always excited to see new things. She was distracted from her touristing around inside of the station, by a sharp whistle coming from ahead of her, and her eyes widened as she realized what it was.

A moment later, she was standing on the platform, staring at the train. For a few moments, it seemed like everything in the world had disappeared, except for herself and the train. It was beautiful, almost like a piece of art, worthy of hanging in a noble lord's home. She quickly set down her luggage and picked out her notebook again, scribbling down her thoughts and impressions while they were still fresh in her mind. Occasionally, she glanced up at the train and the people around her.

Are all these people going to be joining the train? Wow… it's going to be a little crowded, then. Her thoughts were interrupted as a man exited the train and introduced himself as Rowin Odo. She made a quick note in her book about his name and the fact that he was the conductor, and apparently also the 'owner' of the train, given the way he was acting.

Elizabeth couldn't help but smile a little at his wild, excited way of being, coupled with his odd choice of clothing. He was obviously a man who loved what he was doing. However, as he asked for people to step up, majority of people took a step back, and some even began leaving entirely. Elizabeth's brows furrowed as she glanced around, watching the uncertainty and worry on some peoples' faces, causing her to frown a little. This was the chance of a lifetime, and if people felt like they had it too good to take a chance like this, then they shouldn't even be here in the first place.

People began stepping up and announcing themselves, including a real, proper lady, someone slightly more normal-looking, like herself, and a man who seemingly attempted to be a bit more suave than he should, prompting a shake of Elizabeth's head.

Suddenly, it was her turn to step forwards. She snapped back from her notebook, quickly grabbing her luggage and taking a step forwards, feeling her heart racing in her chest. Goosebumps were growing on her arms, and she knew she had to calm down before something bad happened. She took a moment to take a deep breath, in and out, like she'd practiced.

Slowly opening her eyes again, her breath held back as she smiled widely, carrying her notebook against her chest, her other hand holding the brown suitcase. "I'm… my name is Elizabeth Marston, and I'm here to join everyone else on the trip!"

"Wonderful to have you along, miss Elizabeth!" The conductor replied with another bow and slight tip of his hat, which oddly enough, didn't even remove it from his head. He turned to another person waiting to be introduced, smiling his odd smile. "And next up is…?"

As he moved on to the next person, Elizabeth let out her held-back breath, her chest sinking again, taking a moment to shake off the remaining feeling of anxiousness. It was now that she, along with the others here, would make history.

Legend · Apr 27, 2015

Isaac Shearer

"Trains aren't that impressive you know? They take us from one point to another. That's it. So really, what makes this one so special?"

"Alright, well your heart sounds okay, but your blood pressure…" Isaac commented, removing his stethoscope from his ears and stowing it back into his medical bag, and returning his silver pocket watch back into its home. Isaac began to take notes on his pad from his medical bag with a pencil, studying his notes carefully for a moment.

"What's the story doc?" his patient asked.

"The story is you are fat, Mr…."

"Wilson. William Wilson," the man replied with a gulp and flush of his cheeks. He was certainly hefty in size and build, with rosy cheeks and a thick mustache that contrasted poorly with his balding head, suggesting age definitely came before beauty.

" Right, right. Wilson. Mr. Wilson, I just needed to state the obvious," Isaac continued. "A change in diet and exercise would certainly go a long way to improving your health as a whole. Now just to clarify, you said your problem was indigestion?"

Mr. Wilson nodded to the doctor, taking Isaac's criticism clearly to heart while also began to resonate something of an answer. "Yes sir. My stomach begins to hurt right around noon every day and I can barely work the rest of the day, which is a real pain. It's…getting in the way of anything," he said with a moan, beginning to feel the pain resonate from his bloated stomach.

Isaac began to jot more notes down, nibbling on the wood as he crafted the next question in his head. "Tell me, Mr. Wilson. What do you tend to have for breakfast on a regular day?"

"Uh, usually some bread and butter. Nothing really out of the ordinary if you ask me. My wife and I don't have a lot of money to our name."

"I didn't ask for your life story, Mr. Wilson. What do you wash your food down with? Coffee, Tea?"

"Milk usually? I am not fond of hot drinks normally. But I don't see how this means anything."

"Most people don't. That's why they come to people like me," Isaac clarified, barely looking up from his notes. "Remember how I said a change in diet would go a long way. Well, I meant it. You are what we call in my field lactose intolerant."

"Lactaste intollament?"

"Wow, you just completely butchered that," Isaac said, rolling his eyes before digging his face into his palms. "No. Lactose intolerant. It basically means that anything that comes milk messes with your digestive system, or in terms you will understand, your stomach. Avoid drinking milk, and cut butter, cheese, anything like that from your diet and your stomach pains will fix themselves in a matter of a few days. Oh, you will probably lose weight while you are it."

Isaac nodded after he finished speaking, stashing his notes back into his bag. He stood up from the bench that the older William Wilson insisted on pulling the doctor aside too, noticing his medical bag and pleading for help for his persistent stomach pains. Priding himself as a skilled and helpful doctor, Isaac found it difficult to say "no" especially considering he did not expect to be much of a doctor on the Ironwood Express. He pulled out a cigarette from his vest pocket and his lighter from his pants, a spark shooting forth from the flintlock mechanism, lighting the cigarette with ease.

"Doc, what is that thing?" Mr. Wilson, asked genuinely curious as he stood up.

"My lighter? It's something a friend of mine invented. He called it a 'Flintlock Lighter' or something. Basically he repurposed a pistol into something to light cigars and the like. It's nothing fancy, really," Isaac said, exhaling a large amount of smoke as he stowed the lighter back into his pockets. Mr. Wilson looked amazed at the doctor, unable to really fathom any intelligible words at the moment. "Now do you need something else? Or are you done getting your free consultation?"

Mr. Wilson shook his head, returning to earth seconds later. "Oh no, that was it. Thank you very much, Dr. Shearer!" Mr. Wilson began to make his way down the street before shifting back to Isaac. "Are you by chance heading to the Ironwood Express?"

Isaac took another puff of his cigarette before answering, looking at the gentleman who had now wasted a little too much of his time. "Yes, I am. Why do you ask?"

"Never saw you around is all. That and the all the luggage you got. Best of luck on your journey!" The man replied with a cheer, as he seemed to head into the opposite direction. Isaac had figured the man was heading home, which suited the young doctor fine. He did not expect to be idling by as long as he did, but such territory came with the profession. Interaction with others was perhaps the thing that Isaac enjoyed the least about being a doctor. Making a diagnosis was exhilarating. Developing a treatment was a welcome challenge. Crafting the necessary ingredients was enjoyable. Dealing with people was a fate worse than the death he worked his life to avoid. Regardless, Isaac endured, as he hoped to improve the world and his wealth one bit at a time. Mr. Wilson was Isaac's annual act of charity, and he intended to make sure to keep such charity to a minimum on this little journey.

Flinging the medical bag over his left shoulder and grabbing his suitcase with right hand, Isaac sucked out the last of his cigarette and tossed it to the ground, stomping out the embers with his foot. Snatching his cane sword into this left, Isaac made his way down the straight with relative ease in his gait. He generally packed light, not expecting to need too many things outside of clothes and some books to continue his independent studies. He brought his medical supplies if only in case he ever needed it, but presumed the train would make stops to restock as well. Therefore, in truth, his abundant resource was his money.

It didn't take Isaac long to find the station as crowds have this way of gathering when anything halfway exciting took place in towns like this. He barged through most of the thin crowds easily enough, using his bigger frame to force all but the largest of men and woman out of his way. As he inched closer to what he assumed was the train, the crowd grew thicker and more infused with energy. Clever and cruel words had to be uttered for the bitter doctor to barge through. Sometimes he found himself lying say something along the lines of "Excuse me, there is emergency. Move! I'm a doctor!" It was disgusting that he had to utter such nonsense, but that was the nature of the beast. People are always so stubborn and stupid.

Finally, in due time, Isaac had made it to the Ironwood Express. He was too distracted inspecting the train's design to bother registering the words of the conductor in his brain. Theatrics meant little to Isaac, especially those from a man who dressed in as ridiculous fashion. As the first few stepped up to board, Isaac lit another cigarette to regain some composure. The whole ordeal of boarding a train was civilian enough to stir anything inside him. No, it was the farewell of Mr. Wilson. Would he really need any luck? He hoped not. Skill and planning got him this far. Luck had nothing to do with it, but suddenly he found himself wanting some. Any shred of luck would be better than none.

Isaac stepped forward, drawing in a big puff of smoke before exhaling away from the conductor's face. "Isaac Shrearer. Doctor. I'm getting on the train."

He tuned out any response. He didn't care. He wanted to get this show on the road.

Stinging Bea · Apr 29, 2015

Cassandra Nightingale

"Shady Beginnings"

Cassandra Nightingale was sure of two things at this exact moment. Firstly, her head felt like someone had spent the entire night smacking her in the forehead with a steel pipe. Second, Lucas Mallone had somehow managed to leave her absolutely breathless. This was something of a startling revelation to the woman. She had seduced a few teachers in her day, but none of them had managed to go on for as long as he did. Cassandra considered it a wonder that she managed to get any sleep at all. If she did not have prior engagements, the young woman may have very well rolled over and caught another hour or two of shut eye. In fact, it was only the sun gleaming in an open window that reminded her that she had better get to moving.

Slipping out and onto the floor, the woman walked about the room collecting her various belongings. The only sounds that filled the room, save for the sound of her padding bare feet, was the snoring of Mallone as he shifted slightly under the blanket. The man was out like a light, and Cassandra honestly figured that a bull charging through the room would not have been enough to stir the man. Still, she preferred it to be this way. A customer being awake when it came time to pay the bill always made things a bit... tricky. They had a terrible tendency to complain about the fact she was taking their wallet and leaving them without a dime in their pocket.

"Speaking of which..." Cassandra whispered, a smirk gracing her lips as she walked towards Mallone's half of the room. His clothes were scattered all about, clearly having been dropped with haste. Grabbing the teacher's trousers, the woman lifted them off the ground and began to rummage through the pockets. After a few moments, she indeed managed to find his wallet. Pulling it out, Cassandra took a peek inside. A small whistle escaped her lips at what she found. "Impressive. It seems like you had quite a good hand at poker in the tavern. I'd easily reckon that with how long we went that you owe me a bit of interest, love..."

For a moment, she considered simply taking money. However, Cassandra did have an eye for the finer things. It did not take her long to realize that the wallet itself was made of some high quality leather. In fact, she was quite sure that she would be able to hock it off at some point. After all, the world was full of fine coinsesuers, much like herself. Grabbing her coat off the foot board of the bed, Cassandra slipped it on and stuffed the wallet inside one of her pouches. She then slipped on her shoes and strapped them up, before making her way towards the door. The woman smirked, glancing over her shoulder at the snoring teacher.

"It was an enchanted evening, love... and thanks for the lovely tip."

Without further words, she slipped out of the door and quickly made her way outside into the early morning sun. The was purpose in every step she took as she briskly made her way down the street towards her next destination. She had dawdled on enough... there was a train to catch, after all. Thankfully, locating the train station was not going to be that much of a problem. The train station itself happened to be easy enough to locate... Not only because of the rather large crowd of people that had all gathered in one spot, but the fact of the man standing in front of the train. His hair was strange enough, but his clothes practically screamed for attention... And to Cassandra, that was not necessarily a bad thing to take note of. Her eyes were immediately drawn to his hat in particular. The gold buckles were absolutely enchanting and most fascinating. While she had never been one to try and pawn off clothing, Cassandra figured that the conductor's hat alone would be well worth some coin. She smiled at the thought, clearly happy that this idea to come to this train was already starting to show signs of paying off.

"I think I'll take my chances on this grand adventure, love~" her voice cooed, upon hearing the conductor calling out for more passengers. She walked towards the man, a sway in her hips as she moved. She paused next to the man, taking a moment to place her hand on his cheek. Cassandra could not very well make out his eyes... However to be frank, she really was not looking for them in the first place. "I hear there's going to be all kinds of interesting things to see... Besides, I know these train rides can be long and lonely... and I wouldn't mind giving you some company on those cold, lonely nights..."

Without waiting for a response, Cassandra gave the conductor a small wink. She then resumed her walk, moving past the man without a look back.

Ice1 · May 3, 2015

Carl Burk
The Dullton sweeper

Carriage

It took Carl a week to get to Bellson. He had left Dulton on foot, and left the smokestacks behind him. It was his first time outside of the factory grounds, and it took him less than an hour to get lost. He tried to use the smokestacks to orientate, but all it did was constantly bring him back to the same place, and the curvy paths did not help his situation either. At dusk he finally found a bigger road, and he lost sight of the smokestacks completely. He decided to sleep next to the road here. The night was cold and damp. It reminded him of his apartment. When he woke up, the scene was exactly as when he went to sleep, although a new sun had risen, and the old one had gone under. Carl followed the bigger road. He did not really know if he went the right way, but had no way of finding out. It took him a couple of hours before he got hungry, and his legs started getting tired. A carriage went past, stopping a couple of feet in front of Carl. A man with a top hat and a big bushy moustache came out, and asked Carl where he was going. "Bellson," Carl answered. It seemed to be his lucky day, as the carriage was heading the same way. "Oh, so you're one of Odo's? Very well, jump in!" He stepped in, and the carriage was filled with people. Carl wondered how he was going to fit between the group of people, but just as he thought that, he spotted a small place between an extremely fat man and a woman in a ridiculous dress, wearing goggles. He was intrigued by the outfits and the way the figures acted. They all looked very eccentric, colourful, and Carl felt impressed. He did not talk to them, and instead listened to the conversations that were had inside. The words they used did not get through to him. They were big, vowely and Carl had never heard them before. He started to wonder if they were even English. Every so often the carriage stopped, and someone went out, or someone went in. Carl did not see what happened outside. Red velvet curtains blocked of the windows. The carriage seemed to fill up even further, but every time someone new entered, there was just enough place to make them fit. When the evening came, they stopped and the driver came up with a tray filled with cups and a teapot. When they continued, they seemed to pass a very bumpy road, and the cups seemed to almost bounce of the tray. The atmosphere in the carriage become rowdier, but Carl barely noticed, as he fell asleep. The week traveling to Bellson was mostly spent this way. He would sleep, and when he woke up, everyone around him seemed to be actively engaging in conversation already. At noon they'd get bread, and Carl didn't remember ever having bread that tasted so, so good, while in the evening they'd receive tea. His days were spend admiring the figures in the carriage and trying to figure out what they were talking about. When they finally arrived in Bellson, Carl and the fat man were the only two people left from when he entered the carriage. He left it, and a very small woman with huge hair followed him out. Now he just had to find the train.

Carl walked up to the station. It was filled with people, and Carl awkwardly pushed himself through the crowd. If all these people were planning on going with the train, it was going to be a really big train. At least the same size as the station itself, Carl thought. As he did not carry anything with him, he could squeeze between the groups and make his way towards the platform, but it took him a while to get there. Sometimes the people would stand closely next to each other, and he didn't want to bother them and ask them to step aside, so he had to find either a way around them, or he waited until they moved. The hardest part was that the crowd made him lose direction, and he had walked away from the platform multiple times, instead of walking towards it. When he finally neared the train, a voice thundered through the crowd. "My name, is Mr. Odo." He said. Carl seemed to recognize him. With the green suit and the top hat he looked exactly like the man that had sold him his treasure map. "Rowin Odo!" he continued, "I am the conductor of my fair lady Ironwood behind me!"
Carl took a quick mental note of the train's gender. He wondered how a train could be female, but he didn't really know much about trains, so he assumed there had to be something that could make you tell.
"Now then," The conductors almost sung as he spoke, "no time to dawdle! The actors are all on stage! The players are ready for their game! My guests are looking for their promised wonder and riches! Well, no further awaiting then!" Odo gestured a welcome, but the whole crowd froze. A second of complete silence passed, and people started moving away.
"Come now… scared already? Oh well," he seemed very playful in his reaction. He certainly seemed less serious as the last time Carl met him. "I know whom is coming and those who run are not welcome besides. So why don't you step forward, my wonderful guests? The time for your prayers to be answered has come." With a grin the conductor seemed to stare straight into Carls eyes for a second. He felt unease, and did not know if he should step forward. He waited a moment, and stumbled forwards, almost tripping. He came to a very awkward standstill, and joined the line-up of others that stepped forwards.
"And here at last, my friends," the conductor spoke, "we have been expecting you." Who the other person was, Carl did not know, but he was curious to find out. " Now then, we'll al get introduced, shall we? Push through the formalities. Your names, for the lovely people in the audience!" People were introduced, and Carl tried to make a mental note of them. A silence fell, and Carl looked around awkwardly. It took him a couple of seconds to notice the eyes were focused on him. He scratched the back of his head.
"My… my name is Carl. Carl Burk." He crowed.

gimmepie · May 6, 2015

James Bentley

Bellson

The carriage wheels rattled along the hard streets of Bellson in combination with the continuous clacking of the hooves of a horse. That noise had been all that James Bentley had heard for many hours now, however as he entered the town the excited and animated sounds of the location's denizens could be heard. The topic of most conversations: the Ironwood Express. The mysterious train was set to leave that day after all and people were already gathering at the station in droves.

The Ironwood Express was all that had been on James' mind for the most part too, excluding his irritation and the constant noise of travel. He was destined to board that train and reclaim the riches that the economic boom in Felton had stolen from him. Yes, the brave adventurer James Bentley had left the comfort of his home to come to the backwater town of Bellson in search of his stolen treasure, the riches he had worked so hard to earn over the years. Or at least he looked at it that way, as always James was blissfully unaware that his loss of income and shrinking reserves of cash were largely his own fault. The boom in Felton had merely been a catalyst.

"I can't believe someone like myself has been forced to this!" James complained for what was quite possibly the thousandth time, unaware that the poor man he had employed to drive the carriage was no longer paying attention to his elitist ramblings. "It is unthinkable that after everything I have achieved, I am being forced to come to some remote place in the middle of nowhere to find what is rightfully mine anyway! I dare say I will be surrounded by bumpkins from this waste of a town for a long time and I honestly fear for my sanity!"

No response came of course, but this didn't stop James' tirade from lasting the next ten minutes as his chestnut horse pulled his carriage towards the train station and the journey that awaited him. In fact, James had only stopped for breath when suddenly his carriage lurched to a halt. A small thump could be heard and then the door was pulled open, sunlight streaming into the interior of the box James had spent the majority of the past day in. The businessman stepped out… and straight into a puddle of mud.
"What in God's name were you doing stopping here!" he shouted at the driver, unable to believe that someone would dare place him at risk of damaging his pristine suit. Thankfully only his shoe had been dirtied, but that was more than enough to incur his wrath. "Well don't just stand there slack-jawed, clean it up!"

The driver didn't move at first, the poor man looked as though he might argue. James wasn't going to waste his time squabbling with a sad little commoner though, he had a train to catch.
"What, you think I should be paying you to fix your mistakes?" James continued "Fine! So be it. Nobody will say I'm not generous to you louts." He pulled forth a few coins and tossed them in the direction of the driver, the shiny objects landing in the dirt and forcing the poorer man to bend down and collect them. He then with a sigh procured a cloth and proceeded to clean James' shoes.

Five minutes later, James was pushing through a crowd of people – his shoes clean but not nearly as shined as he would have preferred. Still, he was neat enough to be appearing in public. James stopped at the forefront of the crowd, resting his large, heavy suitcase in front of him, just in time to see the bizarre man in the green suit emerge from the train.

"Oh?... So many friends have arrived to see my glorious guests off safely? How pleasant! Yet you all seem so doom and gloom... why the long faces? Cheer up in spades! The main event is about to begin!" the man crowed as he spun about "My name, is Mr. Odo. Rowin Odo! I am the conductor of my fair lady Ironwood behind me!"
He's a bloody lunatic James thought to himself as he watched the strangely-dressed man and listened to what he had to say.

"Now then... no time to dawdle!~ The actors are all on stage! The players are ready for their game! My guests are looking for their promised wonder and riches! Well no further waiting then!" the conductor beckoned forth, however it seemed nobody would move, many who had come intending to take the train actually turned tail and left.
"Come now... scared already? Oh well~ I know whom is coming and those who run are not welcome besides. So why don't you step forward, my wonderful guests? The time for your prayers to be answered has come." The conductor continued, he didn't seem even remotely perturbed that people had actually fled because of his obscure mannerisms.

At that, people finally began to step forward. James watched as proud nobles, filthy peasants and a man that he was sure belonged in an asylum all stepped forth and headed for the train, declaring their identities as they went. James straightened up his coat ad his hat before stepping forward and announcing himself
"I am James Bentley from Whiteshore and I shall be joining you on your little expedition." He then proceded towards the train, bulging suitcase trailing behind him.

Quest · May 8, 2015

Genevieve "Jenny" Abbot

"Why am I always late?"

"Why is it that we're always late," grumbled Genevieve as she sat in the back of a slow-moving carriage, her head poking through the front window. Not only had her Lord been generous enough to allow her to go on the Ironwood, he even lent his carriage and coachmen, Alfred. Of course, Jenny knew the man since she was a child. He was a fellow servant, after all. However, that fact only seemed to make the ride so much longer. She was wanting to board the Ironwood in order to go on an adventure with exciting and new people. She enjoyed Alfred's company, but it definitely made the beginning of her adventure all the more boring.

"You know, Miss Abbot, impatience is the flaw of many," Alfred told the young woman. He was only a coachman, but he had an air of authority about him. "Even if you are only a servant, Lord Tobba holds all of us in high regard. Despite the fact that you will not be in his presence, I'm sure he is hoping that you will still maintain your composure."

He flashed the girl a small smile before pointing ahead of himself. In the distance, one could easily see the assortment of houses that formed the town of Bellson. It was small, but it was quaint. "There is our destination, Miss Abbot."

Genevieve's frown turned to a wide grin as the town came into her view. Within minutes, her journey would finally begin to become exciting.

***

"You are sure you have everything you need, Miss Abbot?" Alfred asked kindly as he helped the girl out of the carriage.

"Yes," replied Jenny as she rummaged through her bag one last time. She turned towards the tall man in a suit and smiled. "Thank you for the help Alfred." She gave a small curtsy before standing up and hugging the man. He and the rest of the people on the Tobba estate may be boring after so many years, but there was no denying the fact that she would miss them greatly.

"It was my pleasure," the man responded, hugging the smaller person. For all the man knew, this could be the last time he ever saw the Abbot girl. He pulled away from Jenny, swiping the dust from his suit. With a smile, he directed his hand towards the town. "You many want to hurry ma'am."

Genevieve's eyes widened as she realized the time. If she had been late before, well… She waved at the coachman as she ran into the town, her bag in her hand.

Unfortunately, there was a minor problem. Genevieve, despite her want of adventure, had rarely left the town from where she was raised. To say the least, the young woman had never been to Bellson, and had no idea where she was going. Within minutes of walking through the town, the girl's face was flushed with impatience. It seemed that no one was on the streets. Most of them were presumably at the station. What would happen if I don't catch the train in time? she thought, staring at her surroundings.

"Miss!" called a large, round man across the street. His face seemed to almost be as flushed as hers. He motioned for Genevieve to come over, a welcoming smile on his face. "You look rather flustered, young lady. Are you perhaps looking for the Ironwood Express?"

"Yes, I am," replied the young girl politely, relieved that someone was possibly willing to help. "Would you happen to be able to direct me?"

"I thought as much," the man said with a small chuckle. "You look as out of place as Doctor Shearer was. Though, he didn't really need directions."

"Doctor Shearer?" questioned Genevieve with surprise. She hadn't quite expected him to go on such a trip.

"Ah, yes. He was nice enough. A bit rough, but he helped me. Apparently, I have something called lactaste intollament or something like that."

"You mean lactose intolerant?" She asked nicely, hoping she wasn't to forward.

"Indeed," he replied with another chuckle. "Anyways, the station is just down the street from here. Turn a corner a few blocks from here and you should find a large crowd. So many are interested in the train, yet most of them are too afraid of its costs."

"Well, you can't have an adventure without some costs." The girl smiled brightly and curtsied to the gentleman. "Thank you, Mister…"

"Wilson," the man responded with a smile. "Best of luck on your journey, young lady." The man bowed slightly and then walked away from the girl, presumably to his original destination.

She followed Mister Wilson's directions with ease, quickly finding the station and the crowd of people both inside as well as outside. It looked as if the passengers were lining up outside the train. She smiled, knowing she wasn't as late as she seemed to assume. Towards the end of the line stood Isaac Shearer, his medical bag slung over his shoulder. Part of her still hadn't believed he was getting on the train. If there was one thing she definitely knew about the man, it was that he did not like much social interaction.

Nonetheless, she was happy that someone she knew was boarding as well. It took her a little bit of time before she could make it to the front of the crowd. Compared to many in the crowd, she was much smaller. It took many pardons and apologies to get through the assortment of people, but with time, she found herself on the ground in front of whom she believed to be the conductor, despite his rather odd clothing style.

He gave a large grin and helped Jenny up. "And what might be your name be, young lady?"

"Genevieve, sir. Genevieve Abbot."

"Welcome, Genevieve. My name is Rowin Odo, and I will be your conductor. Please wait with the others as the final passengers arrive." He motioned towards the end of the line with a smile before turning once more towards the crowd.

Genevieve smiled before doing as she was told. It was a rather random assortment of passengers at the moment, but she only saw that as exciting. The more friends she could make, the more fun she could have. "Doctor Shearer," she said with a smile as she walked past the doctor, acknowledging the only person she already knew. This was going to be fun.

Foxrally · May 8, 2015

-

Elliot Temperley

"Hey, wake up! Hey!"

Elliot awoke to the feeling of being violently shaken by his sister, Hannah. He had apparently fallen asleep on the carriage seat next to his mother, although the latter was nowhere to be seen.

"Mmmhh... wha...?" he murmured, slowly opening his eyes.

"Not so loud!" he heard his sister shout-whisper to him. She looked behind her and back at him. "I'm not supposed to wake you."

Elliot rubbed his eyes and yawned. "Where's ma?" he mumbled, still feeling drowsy from just waking up.

"She's in the front, talking to the coachman." she replied, gesturing towards the front of the carriage. "Just don't make any noise, you have to see this." She mentioned for him to follow her to the other seat in the carriage, opposite the one Elliot was sitting on. Elliot stretched his arms, and hopped off the cushioned seat. The two siblings climbed on top of the next one, barely managing to both fit in the small space they had.

"Look at this." Hannah grinned. Elliot peered through the small window.

"Whoaaa...." he murmured. His eyes grew wide in wonder. The sun was beginning to rise in the horison. A beautiful sight on its own, but as it rose its light shone onto a long, shining trail of train tracks. The carriage, being on a rather smooth road, was going quite fast, so he couldn't see them clearly, but he could see the tracks' golden shine in the sunlight. He had seen a train once before - when his family sent off and recieved his father - but the sight was nonetheless exhilerating.

"Where'd you reckon they go to?" Elliot asked his sister, nudging her to the side so he could see more.

"Unca' bill that all roads lead to Rome, so I think it's there. Where is Rome anyway?" Hannah replied, pushing Elliot back.

"Heyy, stop that! You're bigger, you can see more!" Elliot complained, attempting to shove her off the seat.

"Don't be so loud!" Hannah hissed. She sighed, and reluctantly moved to the side. "Here, now you can stare all you want."

Elliot didn't seem too interested in the train tracks anymore, though. After a few more moments of going "ooh" and "aah" at cows and houses they passed by, he finally sat down, visibly concerned by something. He turned towards his sister. "Why do you think we left home?"

Hannah sighed again. "I don't know. Maybe ma wants to take us somewhere. I don't know why she did it at night, though."

"I'm tired..." Elliot yawned.

------------

The next time Elliot awoke, he was being carried by his mother. From what he could see, they had gotten out of the carriage and were now in some sort of sheltered area, which looked similar to a station of some kind. It was still quite early in morning, and the area was relatively empty.

"Mmmh... Ma? Where are we?" Elliot mumbled, lifting his head from his mother's chest. She was apparently sitting on a small bench near the entrance to the station.

His mother smiled pleasantly when she noticed he had woken up. "It's still a little early, dear. Try to go back to sleep." she told him, stroking his hair.

Elliot pushed away from her, trying to get down from her lap. "But I'm not tired! I want to see where we are!" he complained. Smiling, his mother let him down.

As soon as she did, Elliot gasped in awe. Standing not too far away from him was a monster. A big, black, steel monster. Despite having seen a train once before, the machine was both terrifying and beautiful. "Ma! Did you see this?! It looks amazing!"

Instinctively, without thinking, Elliot bolted towards the train. He had to touch it, maybe even get on board. Then, just as he nearly reached it, something grabbed him and pulled him back.

"What do you think you're doing?" Hannah scolded him, pulling him away from the train. "This isn't ours!"

"But I want to touch iiiiitt!" Elliot whined. "Look at how cool it is! It's got a smokestack and an engine and so many-"

He was interrupted by a loud whistle, emitting from the train. Immediately, the two children took a step back. "Th-There's someone in there?" Hannah muttered in surprise. Elliot, however, seemed much more reluctant to go near the train now.

"Maybe it's the ghost conductor Unca' Bill told us about..." he whispered to his sister.

The latter scoffed and smiled. "I'm not scared of a ghost. Are you?"

Elliot's face turned into surprise when he heard the remark. He frowned. "N-no! I'm not scared of any ghost! I just don't want to disturb it! Yeah!" he stammered, crossing his arms.

"Sure you do." Hannah chuckled.

------------

After just a few hours, the train station had slowly began filling up with more and more people - some going in, others preferring to stay outside.

"Alright children, try not to get lost. The crowd is very large and we have to stay together, okay?" Elliot's mother told the two. "Gosh, what am I getting myself into..." he heard her mutter to herself.

He tugged on her dress. "Ma, I'm hungry."

"I... I think have something." she replied, smiling. She pulled out a small pack filled with small cakes out of her purse, and gave it to him. "Try not to finish all of them at once, okay? I didn't make many of those."

Hannah, who was carrying two bags, suddenly spotted a small creature lurking around what seemed to be some sort of food remains. "Oh! What's that over there?" she asked, craning her head to take a good look.

Elliot let go of his mother's hand, and ran towards the creature.

"Elliot, no!" he heard her call. Ignoring her voice, the young boy slowly approached the animal.

"Kitty!" he exclaimed gleefully. The white cat seemed surprisingly well-fed and clean for the streets, and was cautiously eyeing the boy as he approached it. "Want some of my food?" Elliot asked, pulling out a small piece of cake and holding it out towards the animal. The latter carefully began moving forward.

"I won't hurt you! We can be friends!" Elliot exclaimed. The cat continued, carefully accepting the food from him. The boy smiled. "See? I'm nice."

It was only after many minutes of feeding the cat and attempting to stroke it that Elliot realized he wasn't with his mother anymore. He looked around, trying to see through the crowd.

"Ma? Ma?!" he called out. No response came. Tears started welling up in Elliot's eyes. "Ma?"

The sudden noise had apparently scared off the cat, too. Elliot panickedly looked around. There was nobody-"

"Aah!" Elliot yelped in surprise as someone caught his arm.

"There you are, you idiot!" Hannah hissed at him angrily. "Ma was worried headless about you!" She seemed to be carrying even more bags now, including her mother's.

"I-I didn't mean to!" Elliot quickly dried his tears and shook his head. "I was helping this Kitty here!"

Hannah sighed. "Anyway, for some reason, Ma told me to hold her bags for now. She said she was going to call a constable..."

"What's a constantle?" Elliot asked, puzzled.

"Constable. It's a good guy, you idiot."

"I'm not an-" Elliot began, but was interrupted by a powerful voice coming from the direction of the train. Instantly the murmuring of the crowd quieted down.

"Oh?... So many friends have arrived to see my glorious guests off safely? How pleasant! Yet you all seem so doom and gloom... why the long faces? Cheer up in spades! The main event is about to begin!" the two siblings heard the voice.

"Come on, let's try and move to the front!" Hannah called. As the two children bumped and ran into numerous people on their way to the front, the man continued his speech.

"My name, is Mr. Odo. Rowin Odo!"

As they finally reached the front, Elliot finally managed to see what the man looked like. he looked almost as if straight from a book, with a black and green suit, and a small black top hat.

"I am the conductor of my fair lady Ironwood behind me!"

"The Ironwood?" Hannah scoffed. "That makes no sense. Iron and wood?"

"Now then... no time to dawdle! The actors are all on stage! The players are ready for their game! My guests are looking for their promised wonder and riches! Well no further waiting then!"

Elliot beamed, and attempted to rush forward to greet Mr. Odo. However, he was pulled back by his sister. "What is wrong with you? Ma never said we should go in!" she whispered to him angrily.

"Come now... scared already? Oh well, I know whom is coming and those who run are not welcome besides. So why don't you step forward, my wonderful guests? The time for your prayers to be answered has come."

As he said this, Rowin glanced in the two siblings' direction. For a second, he raised an eyebrow, almost as if in surprise. People began moving forward, including a pretty woman in red, a man with a funny hat and another posh elderly man who reeked of a smell Elliot didn't recognize but certainly didn't like.

For a few moments, the siblings hesitated. Then, as if mustering her courage, Hannah stepped forward, Elliot happily following her.

Rowin smiled as he crossed the two of them. "And who might you two be, children?"

"I'm Elliot, nice hat, can I hav-"
"Hello Mr. Odo, we're Hannah and Elliot Temperley." Hannah interrupted, nudging her brother in the ribs and bowing courteously.

"Well, welcome aboard, then!" The conductor smiled at the pair, and paused as if he was going to add something, but eventually simply chuckled and moved on.

"And who might you be, my friend?"

Jay · May 14, 2015

"Lance Raleigh... excellent to meet you at last. My wonderful guests have gathered successfully as planned. Then I suppose there is no more time to be wasted."

With those words the conductor turned around and snapped his fingers once. From behind, the edge of his ever curling smile was visible to all those whom now faced his back. With that single snap the doors of the Ironwood finally began to move open. They moved slowly and artificially, as if the mechanics within the train itself opened the doors automatically, steam poured from the hinges as it was made abundant clear that not only was this a train... but that it was a marvel of technology itself. The crowds that still remained "ooo"'d and awed at the spectacle in front of them.

"My friends, there is no longer time to be wasted!" The conductor, with a spring in his step, bounded towards the door of the front carriage behind the Ironwoods engine and front running part. Hanging from the door he made a gesture and from staff guarded rooms of the train station, men in blue uniforms and hate did come. Their faces all somewhat similar, not enough to be unusual to the extreme, but enough to raise an eyebrow into the more uncanny of valleys. Without words, they began to usher all those not standing at the front out of the building. Some people began to move away at the intimidating sight, some made slight resistance but it didn't seem to do much to stop the guards regardless. A few people complained, shouting about how they demanded a spot on the train and questioning why the spots were so suddenly held off.

In the distance a mother could be heard calling out above the rest. Saying that her children were still inside. The Conductors smile flickered for milliseconds before continuing as normal. Efficiently and quickly all those whom had not stepped forward were pushed back and held at the gate, only desperate to look over the guards shoulders to see what would happen next in what was already an almost unbelievable display of machinery and organization. The conductor merely stepped down from the door and spread his arms wide for his guests. This would be a final chance for them, a single choice extra before their paths and destinies were ultimately decided.

"Every one of you here has come this far, to the little town of Bellson, because each of you has a dream that they wish to have realized, a future they would dream of coming to pass. The revival of what was lost... the claim to something of the future... or perhaps something as simple as a recounting of the present." The mans smile faded completely for what seemed like the very first time since he had arrived. He held a single hand out towards the group and took a single step back towards the train.

"None of you were asked specifically to come here... and the risks are well informed. You came here because you chose to, because you each want what only I can bring you to. The journey only I can offer you." Holding his hand back and smiling than fanged smile once more, The Conductor moved towards the front carriage once more, stopping briefly at the door before turning back. "If it's all too much now, then the future will shake you to the core. The guards will allow you pass outwards should you desire it, but they will not allow you back inside once you are out."

He moved into the darkness of the cabin and left them all on the bright platform behind him.

"Though something speaks to me, something speaking to you too... and it murmurs that there really is no longer any turning back."

Rowan Odo did not even look back for assurance. He knew they would follow him. All but one on the platform were going to from the start. The Conductor smiled with that knowledge as a small cat dashed between his legs and into the cabin alongside him.

***

The interior train seemed to somehow be even more spacious than the outside, upon entering the dark and somewhat ominous entryway, the place almost instantly became visible, as if ones eyes seemed to adjust immediately to the lighting inside. The first carriage seemed to be a living area of sorts by the looks. The entrance lead to a single long hallways with just enough space to allow three people to walk down it side by side, to the wall opposite the entrance there was a total of six doors. Each was formed from fine mahogany and each carried a number, however these numbers hardly seemed conventional. Rather than reading from one to six, the doors each seemed to have a seemingly random number attached.

3. 7. 2. 4. 9. 8. In that order, from the end of the hall on the left to the opposing right. The doorway opened up to the middle of the hall and the carpet below the new passengers feet was red and incredibly soft and clean, every footstep taken seemed to leave no mark but a light indentation before returning to it's original state. A window on the wall to the left and right of the entryway let some minimal light into the carriage, while the wall with the doors was without any decoration but the doors themselves and the smooth beige surface that almost felt like paper to touch. For a train, the inside was very lavish due to these details, especially compared to the basic locomotives that were running at the time.

However the interior was hardly the oddest thing that the group would notice upon entering the interior. No, that was the distinct absence of the conductor. Once the entire bunch was entered, a click could be heard and the door would close behind them. Sealing them inside. Once locked away with nothing more said, the group would be left to speak and murmur among themselves for a few moments, before a sliding could be heard from the leftmost side of the carriage. Coming from the second none engine carriage from the front of the train stepped a beautiful woman. Her hair was a deep brown and short, her eyes glistening an alluring yellow. The small black dress she wore was eluding, yet still refined for a lady and upon her feet were a pair of black high heels.

The woman in the black dress cleared her throat gently, as if in an attempt to get the murmuring groups attention. She spoke with a clear and eloquent tone, her voice was soft and knowing, yet it seemed to resonate throughout the entire carriage with it's clarity. It was a tone that lacked most normal feeling, seeming only expressive of an informative context. She held a clipboard in her hand, a pencil fastened to the top along with the piece of paper upon it, said paper covered in names and numbers. A number of keys also seemed to be dangling loosely, twelve keys in total, three wrapped around her fingers bar her thumb by their keyrings upon her left hand.

"Please. Enough wondering aloud Ladies and Gentleman." She blinked only very occasionally and even when she did it was almost too quick to be seen, giving an unnatural sort of vibe to the way her eyelids moved.

"I would like to cordially welcome you and thank you for riding on the Ironwood Express today and in the days to come. Our Conductor, Mr. Odo to you all, has left to begin preparation for the train to start up and begin moving to our first destination." She glanced over the group quickly, as if recognizing faces and judging all present individually with a look so cold and beautiful that it was like a crystal piercing reflection rising from a frozen lake.

"Mr. Odo has asked that I do my best to get you acquainted with your new lodging here upon the Ironwood. Bedding and the very basics of amenities will be provided for you in your rooms, however on our travels Mr. Odo has informed me that you may customize your living space as you see fit." She tucked the clipboard under her arm and gently began removing the keys. Each was a plan silver ring, with a key and tag attached. The keys all looked similar, but had slight variations upon their teeth to suit doors that were different and yet the same respectively. The keys seemed to come in pairs, with tags and teeth matching when two keys lead to the same room. As an example, the woman in black took a key marked with the number "2" and used it to unlock the door of the third room to the left, that which was closest to the entryway.

Peering inside would show a room with a wooden floor that looked soft and worn, a welcoming boarding. To the left of the room was a bunk bed with plenty of room for maneuverability and relaxation for both parties, pressed up against the right wall were two desks complete with stationary and compartments, they were small things only slightly more advanced than those seen in common schoolhouses at the time. Though they would surely do for writing occasional letter, or perhaps for storing a few personal effects. The back walls of the room, like every wall in the carriage was a pleasant shade of beige and had a smooth texture and appearance that was similar to slightly worn paper. A single window sat in the middle of the wall, showing the back of the station and naught much else but grey brick walls at current. On either side of the window was a small chest of drawers, presumably for storing clothes and personal effects. A fine room it was, especially for a moving vehicle.

"Now then, the train is large but not massive and so for now, these rooms are all that will be allowed. Mr. Odo has decided that in order to boost relations among his guests that you will each have a room mate for the near and regard worthy future." The woman in black began moving between each of the guests then, giving each a key with a corresponding number that would indicate their room and allow them to meet with their given partner.

To Aria, a key with the number 'three', with Genevieve receiving same.

The number 'seven' keys found their way into the hands of Carl and Elliot respectively.

Two of the 'two' keys, went to Cassandra and Jane.

The 'four' keys, given to James and Grigori.

The duo of 'nines' were presented to Isaac and Lance.

Finally, one of the two 'eight' keys was presented to Elizabeth, with the woman in black holding on to the final one herself, without any further explanation.

"Your room and whom you might be sharing it with are non-negotiable. Mr. Odo has explained to me that if he let one person swap then everyone would expect the same offered privilege." She swirled the final key ring around her finger and batted her eyes gently while beginning to turn and move back towards the door from whence she came. She stepped lightly and her steps made no sound, despite her wearing rather pointed and elegant heals.

"Should you require any assistance, please knock on the door I leave through thrice, I shall arrive posthaste to assist you. For now however, you will be limited to here and you are instructed to get acquainted with one another, with your roommate especially, and to store away any luggage you might have into your room. Now then, until I am required, farewell." With that the woman moved forward with more intent and opened the door to the carriage beyond, upon disappearing behind said door a resounding click echoed through the residential carriage, as the group was locked away inside to interact and move of their own intent and desires.

***

The Conductor himself stood at the front of the train, in the engine carriage. He looked at the glistening device before him with slight nervousness and positive intent as he always did. Reaching a hand forward he rotated a central piece, the most important part of the entire train and loud steam whistle began to blow. Billowing smoke rose from the chimney and slight machinations were heard beneath the train.

They were soon to leave, the adventure was a few mere minutes away from it's beginning. It was time for him to play his part.

It was time he returned to the end of the World.

[Other FULL] Railways: A Journey to the Edge of the World. [T] [IC]

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