Historical Society

[pumpkinhollow]

Point of Contact: Dahlia Leeds
Meeting Spaces: Leeds Manor, Greymare Public Library

About.

Run by wealthy socialite and scholar Dahlia Leeds, the Pumpkin Hollow Historical society seeks to ensure the town's future by understanding its past. With frequent meetings to discuss useful and intriguing historical findings and exclusive access to Dahlia's archive, this is the place to be for inquisitive minds. A secular group, the Historical Society also maintains a respectful and neutral relationship with the church.

You can find fliers related to meetings on the bulletin boards located around the Greymare Public Library, a surprisingly austere stone building not far from town hall. A stroll past the bubbling decorative fountain and carefully-shaped topiaries will reveal said board hanging from the wall just beside the door. Look for the stamp of a death's head hawkmoth and you'll be sure to find a helpful advertisement indicating their robust meeting schedule.

Use this post to RP threads that take place at or in relation to the Pumpkin Hollow Historical Society! More details on the organization and its workings can be found under the drop-downs.

Membership.

Joining. You'll have to work very hard to convince the other members of the group you are trustworthy and not just here to mooch off of Dahlia or steal secrets for someone else's gain, and missing gatherings or questioning Dahlia's decisions are strictly prohibited.

Benefits. Dahlia's wealth and influence can be used to increase your financial stability, resources, and occasionally call in a favor to get out of a sticky situation. Dahlia's got your back! Additionally, you'll have access to more information.

Drawbacks. Members of this group die much more frequently under mysterious circumstances. They may also feel some impact from Dahlia's ongoing feud with Ocularum leader Neil West.

Philosophy.

The mistakes of the past are doomed to be repeated if they are forgotten. The Historical Society prides itself on researching, analyzing, and sharing the history of the town and surrounding island for the benefit of its modern residents. This includes and even prioritizes trying to understand the start of the island's curse. It is the hope of the Historical Society that discovering the origin of the curse will lead to uncovering the method by which it can become undone. In the meantime, their useful research on monsters and spirits is used to help locals combat the frequent paranormal problems they experience.

The Historical Society is decidedly secular, welcoming members regardless of religious beliefs. They do not require any sacrifices, offerings, or devotional acts--- only a dedication to learning and research. The one stipulation is that Dahlia maintains a fairly rigorous meeting schedule.

CODE BY MARWOOD

Comments

Moving In | Late June

[restingslasherface]

So there's a fucking goblin in the library.

Jean's initial arrival from the Ferry was met with a burst of manic exploration, but the moment they saw 'library' on a building they marked out that spot on their mental map of the place. Once the sun starts setting, Jean gets inside and finds a place to call home, dragging a couple tables together near any encyclopedias they can identify and then getting books off the shelves.

If they're not disturbed, they'll fall asleep reading with a stack of books as a pillow. Jean reads fast, and they're hungry to Know Things. If any scratch paper and pencils are available, they've been taking in-depth notes in very small handwriting which is, the narrator is sad to report, essentially illegible to anyone else. It's not a code, Jean's handwriting is just shit.

The thought that this place might have, y'know, an owner, has not crossed Jean's over-active mind in the slightest.

Re: Moving In | Late June

[thethirteenthchild]

Well, she's not the owner. It's public, so the town owns it. But she is the primary sponsor, a regular patron, a club host, and a member of the town council, so close enough.

She's come in early, right as it opens, to grab a book before work. That's when she stumbles into the sleeping newcomer as she enters the non-fiction section. For a moment, she can't think of what to say or do, but eventually she manages to muster one indignant word.

"Hey!"

[restingslasherface]

Up in an instant. The motion is both fast and fluid; Jean rolls out from under the tables (snatching up the pencil as they go) and to their feet, placing themself between the new voice and the precious books with the sharpened stub of their writing instrument held up like a dagger.

Wait, that's. A civilian? Probably? Jean's wide eyes blink in both tiredness and suspicion. They might look more threatening and less like a confused and vaguely hostile owl if their shirt didn't have bits of their notes sticking to it.

"...Hey?" they venture back, warily.

[thethirteenthchild]

"What exactly do you think you're doing?! What is this mess?!" She let out an indignant huff. "If your room at the Oak & Iron isn't up to your standards, maybe you ought to take that up with Mayor Poe, hm?"

[restingslasherface]

"Mess??? I'm doing research!" Jean gestures to the encyclopedias which their player is going to have to ask questions about since they are, presumably, learning useful facts about this island from them. Presumably. "No one was guarding the library either - very large security risk, I'll have you know! Anyone could have taken the books!"

Beat.

"...I'm not gonna be enough staff to do that either, I have to sleep sometime..."

[thethirteenthchild]

Dahlia looked utterly bewildered, taking a moment to unpack all of that information, then pinched the bridge of her nose and scrunched up her face.

"Sweet Celestine, alright," she muttered. "Research. Great. That's what this place is for, certainly, but you can't just take over an entire area like this. It's a public library. Also, no one needs to guard the library full of free books. And also, just because it's public and the books are free does not mean you can sleep here. I know you're new, but you do have a room at the inn. I don't know how things worked where you're from, but in Pumpkin Hollow, inns are for sleeping, libraries are for reading."

[restingslasherface]

There are a lot of Correct Corporate Phrases that Jean wants to say right now and will not because in a situation like this 'per my last email' is an invitation to mortal combat. What. Do you mean. People don't just sleep where they work? This land might be under severe assault by whatever's producing all those plants and therefore underdeveloped but who's rolling in so much money and land that they sleep in a whole separate building from where they work? Literally who? Jean's old employer was a megacorp and they couldn't afford that shit, the dorms were on site, thank you very much.

Externally this is expressed with a look on their face somewhere between '404 not found' and the exact facial expression someone might make if they saw a different person pluck the moon out of the sky, bite it like a cookie, and then put it back.

"...How do you get the books back if they're free? Making books isn't free. Paper's not free."

Inquiring Within | Greymare Library, Mid-June

[needmetodoanyattacking]

"...hello?"

Ianto can't help it: he's a tad uncomfortable. This...it's not like shoehorning his way into Torchwood Three. It felt more like every other job he'd ever had: the coffee shop, the Cardiff Museum, even his bloody hire at Canary Wharf.

God, what he wouldn't give for a proper suit. As it stands, he's used half his stipend on a simple, but at least slightly more professional looking suit of clothes in new shoes, trousers, a simple Oxford-adjacent shirt and a plain, but not terribly ill-fitting waistcoat.

So, barely dressed for the job he wants, hopeful but realistic, Ianto sticks his head into the door of the Greymare Public Library, where he was hoping to find the woman in charge, and after looking around with some interest, approaches someone who looks like they might be able to point him in the right direction.

It's not Torchwood--but bloody hell does it make him homesick as all get out. And Ianto could almost laugh at the very idea of being homesick for Cardiff if he wasn't quite possibly dead back home...if Jack wasn't quite possibly dead back home.

So he spots someone, approaches them, and speaks softly as he smooths a hand over his waistcoat.

"Hello, yes--apologies, Ianto Jones. I was wondering if I might find a Miss Dahlia Leeds here by chance? I'm inquiring about possible opportunities within the Historical Society."

[thethirteenthchild]

The librarian is more than happy to point Ianto in the direction of Dahlia, who was holed up in her usual reading nook in the Greymare Library. A blonde, with wavy locks draped over her face and shoulders as she had her nose buried deep in a book. A notebook sat on the arm of the sofa, and on the cushions beside her was an impressive stack of non-fiction books. She had assumed a rather comfortable position, curled up against the arm of the chair, her shoes kicked off onto the floor as if she was in her own home.

"She practically lives here after work," the librarian pointed out. "She's typically either in town hall or right in that spot."

[needmetodoanyattacking]

Spotting the woman the librarian indicates, Ianto finds himself struck by the picture she paints. She looks quite young, and quite comfortable, and for one painful moment he feels like he's back in the Hub in the dead of night, watching Toshiko with her PDA on the communal sofa and her pumps abandoned beneath her distant work station.

"Right--yes, thank you very much." Ianto replies to the librarian with a cordial smile, feeling a bit less ill at ease as he approaches the young woman. He finds himself behaving like he would with Tosh--heavier footfall so as not to startle, coming from the side rather than the front so she might catch him in her peripheral vision, reaching for the notebook to nudge it a little closer to her given its precarious placement on the arm of her seat.

"Miss Leeds, I presume?" he greets her softly. "Apologies for disturbing you--Ianto Jones. Might I trouble you for a few moments of your time?"

[thethirteenthchild]

She did indeed catch him coming up to her, but she didn't pay him much mind until realizing he was definitely intending to speak to her, at which point she looked up and smiled.

"It's no trouble! Nice to meet you, Mr. Jones." Closing her book, Dahlia sat upright. He had her undivided attention. "What can I do for you?"

[needmetodoanyattacking]

"Well, ehm--it's in regards to the Historical Society." he explains. Spying a nearby chair, he gestures for patience, walks over to snag it, and brings it over quietly to set in front of her seat so he can settle in and speak more comfortably.

"That is to say, I was rather hoping to inquire if there were positions available? While one does require a means of supporting oneself, I also feel that I could be of significant use. I have prior professional experience as an archivist, an analyst..."

He trails off, his polite smile turning more genuine with no small measure of pride.

"...and I'm not ashamed to admit, I make a damn good cup of coffee. Suffice to say, the general service to the community that a historical society can provide would interest me as a volunteer diversion, regardless--but if you have need of hired staff, I was essentially doing alarmingly similar work in my previous place of employment. Providing references will be, ah, 'difficult' to put it mildly, but if you care to test my qualifications I'd be pleased to submit to any evaluation you care to conduct."

[thethirteenthchild]

Dahlia listened patiently for him to finish his pitch, her eyebrows gradually knitting as he spoke. When he concluded, she smiled apologetically. "Well... you sound perfectly qualified, and I have no doubt you'd be an asset, but unfortunately the Historical Society is more of a club than an established non-profit. Everyone involved is a volunteer. That said, I'd be more than happy to invite you to one of our meetings, but I don't have any sort of recompense to offer you. I'm sorry."

Historical Society Public Meeting

[thethirteenthchild]

The Greymare Library was easily the most austere building in Pumpkin Hollow, topping even the Leeds Estate in terms of grandeur. It wasn’t necessarily all that large; in fact, the size of the building and its collection of books imported in from the mainland are both somewhat on the smaller side. But in terms of regality and style, the building is unmatched.

The Historical Society, which often had its private meetings in Dahlia’s home, occasionally had more public meetings in this very library. In the evening but still a fair bit before dark, the group would take over the vast majority of this institute of learning and set out refreshments in hopes of recruiting new faces. This was one such meeting.

The work tables positioned in a circle in the center of the library, Dahlia Leeds stood and spoke, inviting others to indulge in the tea and sandwiches she and her people provided. She spoke of her own research on Brutoks and sirens and cursed pirate treasure, and the existing members also provided their own notes. Then came discussions of the following month’s agenda--- a dry and dull affair. Then at last she turned everyone loose to mingle and gather research materials.

“Before you go,” she added, almost as an afterthought, “I was able to get my hands on a rather interesting text. I’ve marked a passage of interest for those who’d like to have a look.”

Near her seat is a somewhat short book, which is titled rather vaguely. “How to Find What You Are Looking For.” If you’re the researching sort, perhaps it will help you.

[ OOC note: If you'd like to thread with Dahlia, tag here! Otherwise you can make a toplevel anywhere on the Historical Society post to thread with other characters, just so poor Dahlia's inbox doesn't get overwhelmed with notifs that aren't for her. Thanks! ]

[needmetodoanyattacking]

When the meeting ends, Ianto takes a moment to peruse the book Dahlia has indicated, but it's nothing altogether special. He's well versed in research, and prior to the meeting took a chance to peruse some of the library stacks once Dahlia assured him he wasn't needed until the event began.

The librarian is currently holding a small stack of books he's checked out for the week, one of which he's going to finish reading tonight--and even if he doesn't, he's certain the passage he glanced over will haunt his nightmares as readily as what happened to him the evening he was hired.

Done with his moment of reading, Ianto hands the book off to the next person waiting to give it a look, then smooths a hand over his shirt and slips back into the seat he'd claimed earlier beside Dahlia during the meeting and drops his voice so she alone can hear him as he leans in.

"Miss Leeds, if I may...there's something I feel we should add to the agenda for next month, if not pursue research into the matter far sooner. There's something I failed to mention during the meeting...the, ah, reason I missed my first day of work."

[thethirteenthchild]

"Oh?" She covered her mouth with her hand as she hurriedly swallowed the last few bites of her finger sandwich, then spoke in earnest. "What's that?"

[needmetodoanyattacking]

Ianto takes a deep breath, uncertain how to say it. He'd told her, that day, that he'd been unwell, but nothing else, and she'd been quite understanding--especially since he still had a couple piece of hay in his hair he managed to find and pluck free over the course of that first morning after he woke up in a bloody field.

He wondered if this was what Jack had to deal with...when he...

Ianto balls his hands into fists when he realizes they're starting to shake. Taking a slow, deep breath, he rubs his hands together until the trembling subsides, and speaks quietly.

"I was attacked by...something. Something I read about while I was perusing the stacks earlier. Something that should really be looked into, because it--wasn't human."

[thethirteenthchild]

At this, Dahlia's face fell, and her brows raised, clearly not liking the sound of that. "Oh no," she murmured. "I knew we should have left a bit earlier. What got to you? What did it look like?"

[needmetodoanyattacking]

"Hush--I've had brushes with far worse, I promise you." Ianto admonishes gently. "Just means I'll be walking you home near dark any time I'm around to do so from now on, I'll not risk your safety. As for the other, ehm..."

Clearing his throat, Ianto gestures for her to wait a moment as he stands, heads over to the librarian to grab one of the books he checked out, then returns to Dahlia's side. Passing her the copy of A Pilgrim In Pumpkin Hollow, he gestures to the page he marked with a scrap of paper.

"There. Flip to that page?...quite worn, careful--that entry there. The description matches what I saw almost perfectly. Massive, pointy, glowing eyes--blood on its breath, that's what I take the reference to the copper smell to be." Ianto continues with a heavy sigh. He can still feel the agony of being torn up...

He can't help the shiver that runs up his spine.

[woocas]

"Seems like you run a tidy ship around here," Lucas remarks as he pays Dahlia a visit after the meeting is concluded. He has a thick notebook in hand, ink blotches visible even when the book is closed. Someone's been a busy bee!

"I was wondering about the treasure, honestly. Has this happened before?" The question sounds uneasy, only because first-hand experience still rattles the Medium. Even if he's dealt with death before, it was never his until now.

[thethirteenthchild]

"Thank you!" She grinned. "And you're here looking like a proper scholar!"

She furrowed a brow at his question. "The treasure? No, I can't say it has. Marrow Isle has definitely had some repeat offenders as far as supernatural happenings go, but cursed pirate treasure is one of the new ones."

[woocas]

"Hah, thanks. I'm just playing the part," Lucas waves off the compliment. He's sure not feeling like a scholar right now.

"Oh, great." He then huffs. "Well, for the record that stuff is like super cursed. Guess this place still has curve balls to throw even after five years?"

[thethirteenthchild]

"Oh, constantly!" Dahlia chuckled. "There's a few staples, like the River Walker and the Pine Devil, but a lot of the time it's either on a rotation seasonally or constantly something new."

[woocas]

"Woah, woah, you can't just name drop those things and not give me some of the details." Lucas chuckles. Both of them sound like names from cryptids from back home; like Mothman and the Jersey Devil.

"I know I can look them up, but give me a quick skinny on them at least?" He asks with an eager grin.

Easy Access to Library Books

[pumpkinhollow]

[ Please don't reply to this comment so that it can be edited when new books arrive, thank you! ]

A Biography of the Leeds Family
A Pilgrim in Pumpkin Hollow
The Fundamentals of Emeran Geography
Folktales of the Emerald Isles
An Almanac of Violent Ends
A Collection of News Articles