#1920s casper

[ghostdog-s]

still figuring out how I want to draw the trio, been drawing Stretch mostly (I'M NOT BIASED) but want to give the other two a bit more love! (these designs are inspired by the fic 'You With Me' I really rock with ponytail Stinkie lol)

[ghostdog-s]

I like the idea of the ghostly trio being alive in the 1920's, I think Stretch would find a way to profit of prohibition like craaazy, maybe Fatso runs a speakeasy and they work together to pull in cash. J.T's inventions could've been sold off for money laundering (HEAR ME OUT I'M PLAYING IN THE SPACE HERE) And then like. I don't know what Stinkie is doing but he's here too somewhere lol

Since the McFaddens have a huge estate in a harbor town, it could be likely they made their money via ship building. And you know who made TONS of money with ships during the prohibition? RUM RUNNERS! And Friendship is in a prime position between rum row and Nova Scotia, pretty convenient if you're smuggling booze.

Viva la crime family lol

[ghostdog-s]

Stinkie HC's!

He's the unconventional muscle of the trio's operation, he's a wiry little rat man but he looooves his weapons, dealing in arms. He's always messing about with gunpowder, and absolutely REEKS of sulfur because of it, the stuff clings to his hair and clothes (much to his brothers dismay).

On the outside, he comes across as calm and quiet, but he's got a boatload of pent up energy, and never says no to a friendly (or unfriendly) scrap.

When meeting new clients, Stretch brings him along as a precaution. He can read a room in an instant and is quick on the trigger if things get dicey.

[ghostdog-s]

He would absolutely murder Fatso/Stinkie if they caught him holding Casper

[ghostdog-s]

TALKING ABOUT 1920'S LIVELY TRIO AGAIN

Speakeasys were these secret places where behind closed doors societal rules loosened and in a lot of places drag, blues and performance dominated the scene (and the illegal booze, can't forget the illegal booze)

So I'm thinkin that as the most personable and theatrical of the bunch, Fatso would make a killing (ha) in this setting. Obviously the 20's were a time of oppression, but also resistance, and I think Fatso would use his place to curate a community for people who just want to feel safe and have a good time. He'd be welcoming, but no-nonsense. Mess about in his place and you're gonna get tossed. and YEAH like he's queer come ON look at him.

[ghostdog-s]

Question: did the trio in life ever have partners?

@cashandmurdergames Oooo good question!!

Stinkie and Fatso I could definitively see having partners (Stinkie I think would be the first of the trio to commit to a more serious relationship, he comes across as inwardly the most put together to me, very middle-child core, so I think he has his personal life neatly sorted, he knows what he wants and goes for it) while Fatso probably had a few different flings throughout his time before settling down with someone; he’s a man who lives by whims. He’d also have had a beard in that era (still going off my roaring 20s trio here), a close friend who worked at the speakeasy, maybe a flapper gal!)

Stretch was more of an all work no play kind of guy, he’d still go to bars and stuff (calling it now, all of them were big drinkers) but kept himself at a distance from people as his drive for money was stronger than his need for any relationships.

I had this thought that he falls in love once in his youth, and that’s it. I imagine Stretch and J.T were the closest in age so were very competitive, and both had eyes for the same girl. Ambitious as he was though, stretch left Whipstaff to pursue his career and J.T won her heart. Stretch tells himself he’s fine with this, but there are still lingering feelings there.

[ghostdog-s]

What was Stretch's cover job for the bootlegging operation?

Selling ships!!

Friendship is a ship-building town known for it's lobster catchers, Sloops, which were invented there. Friendship even has annual sloop races which I think is so cute!

(Here's a Friendship Sloop from the 1920s!)

Seeing that the Mcfaddens have this massive estate, I think originally they built their wealth on building and selling ships, but during the early 1900s there was historically a huge decrease in fish market profits in costal towns like Friendship, so when Stretch and J.T inherited the business from their father, they changed course and instead of making boats for fishing, they started to build the fastest possible ships for bootlegging.

So the cover would be that they're just building quick ships; everyone wanted a quick ship; nothing illegal about that. But the people who brought them during this era were the people with the money--bootleggers, smugglers and gangs.

As a merchant, Stretch would handle the numbers. He knew who they had working on the ships, who they were selling to and what the charters would be. He'd also be in charge of hiring crew and captains for charters. He was makin' deals and makin' money, using the nautical knowledge he'd picked up on in his early days.

Eventually I reckon the Mcfaddens would want to get in on the action; when they knew enough about the art of smuggling they'd start their own operation and rake in looooaaads of coin.

It was a high risk, high reward career. In the end I think the brothers each paid the price.