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

[needmetodoanyattacking]

But your feelings matter.

The thought springs up, unbidden, and he's startled by how true it is. She doesn't want him to do this, and he won't, beyond book research...

But he can't stop thinking about what might have happened if he hadn't walked her directly home. If they had tarried, if she had tried to see him safely back to the inn.

He can't get Jack, ice cold, out of his head.

Ianto isn't aware of reaching out until he feels Dahlia's slim fingers in his, warm and delicate, his grip firm but not tight.

"And I hope that you'll bear in mind that the Leeds name means precisely fuck all to me." he replies softly, gently despite the harshness of the words. "I have no regard or respect for this town's founding family...I took a liking to a barefoot bookworm named Dahlia, and her family--Jane, Japhet, Alice, Emily, Oscar, Violet, Henry, Jasper, Samuel, Adelaide, Esther, Abel, Harriet, and Jonah--are important because she loves them, she lost them...and the look on her face when she found out that I had died by this creature's hand was not the look of a concerned employer."

He leans in a little, his thumb brushing over her knuckles, his voice hard.

"I respect the feelings of those I like, Dahlia. But mark my words: if this thing strays too close to you again? It might survive death, but it will rise up in pieces--and I'll be the one with blood on my breath come the dawn."

With one final squeeze, he releases her hand, reaches for his book, and rises with a more formal nod of his head so he can focus on the task of tidying up in the aftermath of the meeting.

If research is all he's going to be doing, he's got his work cut out for him--he can expel his sudden desire for violence on a few sleepless nights of data collection to take the edge off.

[thethirteenthchild]

The expression on her face is entirely unreadable, though not quite blank. There's something far away about her--- something that is true nearly all the time, and even moreso now. Her eyes unfocus, as if she's listening to him speak from another room rather than sitting in front of him. But listen she does, to every word.

At last, she smiles, the action languidly slow, and she blinks back to reality. "My, how crass," she teases him, her tone of voice almost gossamer in its delicate softness. The light jab holds no venom. "But I do understand. And thank you."

[needmetodoanyattacking]

Ianto glances back at the sound of her voice, her expression...soft and light and borderline sweet when she's anything but. He's seen it, felt it.

And every bloody word out of her mouth matters.

He nods--winks, a barely there flutter of an eyelid--and turns away again.