@wadsworth-zane - Tumblr Blog

It was less that Broodhollow was hostile to those speaking out in the open and more that talking about supernatural activity while he was actively working might be a detriment to his business. The people of Broodhollow liked and trusted him, and he didn't want to give them a reason not to.

"I just...didn't want to talk about it all with customers still coming and going," he says, rather sheepishly. "But nobody is around now." Was that actually a good thing or a bad thing? Being alone with a total stranger whom Wadsworth was already wary of. "Let's go inside. No reason to stand around in the dark, ha ha..." That, and maybe he'd have a better chance of defending himself if need be inside his shop. Gosh, what was wrong with him? Assuming this man had ill intentions just because he was curious about some rumors. But you can never be too cautious, or at least that's what Wadsworth liked to believe.

"I see, fair enough... Where you wish to talk about it then, is up to you. I am sure you know the people of this town better than I do, and the town itself..." Fyodor could tell this man didn't trust him at all, and was wary of him.

The rat was very good at reading people, even those who tried to hide it. He was a master manipulator, and part of being able to make someone his puppet, was reading them well... There was no hiding anything from this man...

"Good.. I would prefer to be inside out of any night's cold," he sighed softly and followed after the man to the inside of the building.

His violet eyes scanned the inside, looking for anything that could be of a danger if this shop keeper turned on him. While killing Fyodor would be a very bad option for anyone, he can still get injured and hurt and survive.. and he didn't fancy getting hurt...

"Please, enlighten me on this town..."

He rubs his hands together anxiously. "Broodhollow is...haunted? No, more than haunted. Something is wrong with it. The people here...they start to forget things." A concept Wadsworth was all too horrifically familiar with. "Things and events from their lives just slip away. Not just little things, either. Big, life changing events." His mind drifts back to Iris. And his own memories...

"But you don't forget things from other people's lives. That's how some people around here cope," he says, thinking of the Bower Brigade. "As long as you're not alone, you'll be okay, I think. But there's also other things...Monsters. Ghosts and other things...I myself was attacked and nearly killed on multiple occasions. I don't know what makes this town the way it is. As far as I know, it's been like this since the town came to be." He pauses, and lets the man in front of him digest the information.

#no worries!#clown-demon

"Are you sure? Well...if you say so." Very capable? He wasn't exactly a super muscular guy like the Bottlefly Boys, so what could he be referring to? You know what, he's not sure he wants to know. "See you then, I guess." He watches the man go, apprehension burrowing into his gut. What were the odds this guy ended mauled by some awful entity within the week? Or worse, ended up hurting someone else. Wadsworth doesn't exactly trust him, what with the sneaking around looking for secrets about Broodhollow. If he had any sense, he'd wouldn't be asking these things.

—

Wadsworth is putting things away for the night when the man's voice startles him out of his thoughts. "AH—! O-oh, it's you. You startled me." He puts away the last of his wares and turns to face him. "So..." He wrings his hands a bit. "You want to know about Broodhollow?"

Fyodor was quite the opposite of muscular. A skinny Russian man that didn't exactly have a lot of strength. But what made up for it was his intelligence. Not trusting the man was always good, being wary of him... He was a man who often back stabbed others and used many as pawns.

"Oh, my apologies," Fyodor replied with a short bow. He tilted his head to the side a bit. "Is it wise to speak of this out in the open? You wanted to close shop before talking, so I can imagine knowing about this.. Broodhollow is not exactly in terms of speaking out in the open..." Fyodor commented, wanting to make sure it was safe to speak about it after closing the shop, out in the open.

While no one really seemed around, you could never be too safe.. But he'd let the stranger decide if it was fine to speak it here, rather than elsewhere. It was his life he should be worried about, and not Fyodor's...

It was less that Broodhollow was hostile to those speaking out in the open and more that talking about supernatural activity while he was actively working might be a detriment to his business. The people of Broodhollow liked and trusted him, and he didn't want to give them a reason not to.

"I just...didn't want to talk about it all with customers still coming and going," he says, rather sheepishly. "But nobody is around now." Was that actually a good thing or a bad thing? Being alone with a total stranger whom Wadsworth was already wary of. "Let's go inside. No reason to stand around in the dark, ha ha..." That, and maybe he'd have a better chance of defending himself if need be inside his shop. Gosh, what was wrong with him? Assuming this man had ill intentions just because he was curious about some rumors. But you can never be too cautious, or at least that's what Wadsworth liked to believe.

"Of course!" He grins at the man's concern for him.

"Ah—me? That's, uh...." He is momentarily stunned by the man pressuring him for more information. Was it such a good idea to share what he knows about this town with outsiders? Who's to say there wouldn't be some horrible consequence for divulging its dark secrets? Would the man even believe him??

"...Uh...okay. I close up around 6:30, so you can come back around then. But—I don't know if it's really a good idea. You have to be careful around here!" This was making him nervous. Something about this man's presence and the questions he was asking just set him on edge...

"You close in two hours then. Very well-- I shall come back when you close shop," Fyodor stated and studied the man from head to toe for a moment before turning his back to him.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about me.. I am very capable of protecting myself. But nevertheless-- thank you for the concern." Fyodor didn't really have to fret about others harming him. His ability made killing him nearly impossible-- Crime and Punishment...

"I'll see you later," Fyodor said with a bow of his head, before vanishing into the crowd.

----

At exactly 6:30 on the dot, Fyodor appeared again to the stranger's stand. The book wasn't in his hold anymore. "Good to see you closing up so we can speak," the Russian commented as he stopped in front of the stand.

"Are you sure? Well...if you say so." Very capable? He wasn't exactly a super muscular guy like the Bottlefly Boys, so what could he be referring to? You know what, he's not sure he wants to know. "See you then, I guess." He watches the man go, apprehension burrowing into his gut. What were the odds this guy ended mauled by some awful entity within the week? Or worse, ended up hurting someone else. Wadsworth doesn't exactly trust him, what with the sneaking around looking for secrets about Broodhollow. If he had any sense, he'd wouldn't be asking these things.

—

Wadsworth is putting things away for the night when the man's voice startles him out of his thoughts. "AH—! O-oh, it's you. You startled me." He puts away the last of his wares and turns to face him. "So..." He wrings his hands a bit. "You want to know about Broodhollow?"

"I know. I try to keep my hands covered when I handle her, mostly..." Yeah, he really had to be more careful about that. He loved her, but he also didn't want to die horribly and painfully. "She comes and goes as she likes! I technically can't keep her in my home because of laws, but that doesn't really stop her from coming inside." Maybe he shouldn't be telling potentially incriminating information to a stranger, but oh well.

"It's 29.99, sir!" He hands the book from where it's sitting on the shelf to the man. "Ah...strange rumors?" He thinks back to how he met Mercy, the times he was almost killed, the various horrors he's seen..."Well, the town is a little...special. We do have various, er, quaint traditions around here. Maybe that's what they were talking about...?" If he were to actually divulge the reality of what's happening here, he'd certainly be labelled mad. Not that it took much for him to be labelled that anyway.

"Oh, so she does come and go as she pleases. Good that you wear gloves, I would advise being careful when handling her, and not to go near her if she is acting out of the norm," Fyodor told the stranger.

With his rats, they were always in his care. But having something known for carrying diseases come and go, it's possible she could pick something up on one of her treks. But that wasn't Fyodor's problem at all. No skin off his bones if this stranger kicked the bucket.

Fyodor fished out the money from his wallet and paid it over and took the book to his hands. Slim fingers feeling over the cover. He tucked it under his arm and tilted his head a bit as his suspicion was confirmed.

"That might be it.. No one else would really say anything, but it seems you know more-- or are willing to share. Perhaps when it's time to close your shop, we can talk... I would like to know more..."

"Of course!" He grins at the man's concern for him.

"Ah—me? That's, uh...." He is momentarily stunned by the man pressuring him for more information. Was it such a good idea to share what he knows about this town with outsiders? Who's to say there wouldn't be some horrible consequence for divulging its dark secrets? Would the man even believe him??

"...Uh...okay. I close up around 6:30, so you can come back around then. But—I don't know if it's really a good idea. You have to be careful around here!" This was making him nervous. Something about this man's presence and the questions he was asking just set him on edge...

"Ah. Right." Wadsworth was making a bit of a fool of himself, wasn't he? Oops. He should probably stop that if he wanted to make a sale. "W-well, it's in this collection if you are interested!" Saved it. "I do have experience taking care of a bat! I didn't have much experience before her, either. But she seemed to like me well enough! Guess I have this book to thank, heh." He's not lying or exaggerating to make a sale, either. That book really was surprisingly helpful...even if she WAS already an adult bat by the time he found her.

"Rats, huh? That's...neat." Admittedly, rats made him a little nervous. Something about their eyes...and their relation to many diseases. But considering he had literally taken on a bat for no reason other than pity, he had no room to judge. Bats were probably bigger conduits of bacteria, anyway.

"A pet bat? I can't say I have really heard of someone taking in a bat.. I know it's common for them to have rabies. But how do you keep her in your house, or do you simply have a shed or makeshift home for her to stay in and she leaves as she pleases?" Fyodor inquired, now becoming curious on how one takes care of a bat.

The Russian was already fishing out his wallet so he could pay for the single mammal book. The way the other spoke of rats, the pause in his words, told the demon that this guy probably wasn't a big fan of rats... But it was understandable, often people found them to be pests...

"How much is it for the book?" he asked the salesman.

"I also wanted to ask-- this might be strange to ask, but has anything odd been happening in this town at all? I honestly came here from rumors that all I really heard was 'odd happenings' but I don't know if it's just nonsense or not.."

"I know. I try to keep my hands covered when I handle her, mostly..." Yeah, he really had to be more careful about that. He loved her, but he also didn't want to die horribly and painfully. "She comes and goes as she likes! I technically can't keep her in my home because of laws, but that doesn't really stop her from coming inside." Maybe he shouldn't be telling potentially incriminating information to a stranger, but oh well.

"It's 29.99, sir!" He hands the book from where it's sitting on the shelf to the man. "Ah...strange rumors?" He thinks back to how he met Mercy, the times he was almost killed, the various horrors he's seen..."Well, the town is a little...special. We do have various, er, quaint traditions around here. Maybe that's what they were talking about...?" If he were to actually divulge the reality of what's happening here, he'd certainly be labelled mad. Not that it took much for him to be labelled that anyway.

"Fascinating? That's one way to put it, I'll say. I'd rather be rid of them, to be honest." He thinks back on his sessions with Dr. Angstrom and the enthusiam the man had for the subject. While Wadsworth was happy the man was able to help him, he didn't exactly enjoy speaking about his issues and would rather just be free of them.

"Oh, mammals! Right, sir, here you are." Wadsworth hands the man the book he asks for. "I guess I do have experience with that category as well...So I can attest to its quality, of course!" Gosh, Wadsworth found himself sharing more personal information than he'd like today.

"Oh, I was more of responding to when I questioned what your favorite was, and you chose psychiatric disorders.. but you said you didn't know if you enjoyed it or not. I find the human mind fascinating, how people can suffer from disorders of the mind. I have studied deeply of the human brain..." Fyodor was a master manipulator, to learn how control people's minds without his victim even knowing... You have to study the brain to master that.

A small tilt of the head when the stranger salesman spoke of reading the book of mammals as well. "Oh, do you like animals? I admit-- it's a subject matter I don't dive into too deeply." Because he had zero interest in controlling animals. You couldn't exactly manipulate them like you can with humans..

"Only real knowledge I have on animals are rats. I have two pet rats that I care for."

"Ah. Right." Wadsworth was making a bit of a fool of himself, wasn't he? Oops. He should probably stop that if he wanted to make a sale. "W-well, it's in this collection if you are interested!" Saved it. "I do have experience taking care of a bat! I didn't have much experience before her, either. But she seemed to like me well enough! Guess I have this book to thank, heh." He's not lying or exaggerating to make a sale, either. That book really was surprisingly helpful...even if she WAS already an adult bat by the time he found her.

"Rats, huh? That's...neat." Admittedly, rats made him a little nervous. Something about their eyes...and their relation to many diseases. But considering he had literally taken on a bat for no reason other than pity, he had no room to judge. Bats were probably bigger conduits of bacteria, anyway.

#clown demon

starter call!

if you're interested in interacting with Wadsworth Zane, encyclopedia man living with OCD in the mysterious town of Broodhollow, interact with this post! all fandoms welcome and AUs are too!

t-galbraith

It is 1974. The famous author, T. Galbraith, is getting ready for bed after a busy day with writing with his typewriter. He looks out the window to see Main Street of Lasker City. But on one of the lampposts is a missing poster, an old one, with a picture of young man in his 20s with a quiff.

MISSING SINCE MARCH 7, 1934

WADSWORTH QUENTIN ZANE

SALESMAN OF ENCYCLOPEDIA ATLANTICA

DESCRIPTION—Born the the United States—Age, 27 years; height, 5 feet 7 inches; weight, 118 pounds; plantinum blonde hair with minimal updo; dark brown eyes; good physical condition and negative mental condition at time of disappearance. Sometimes has panic attacks due to anxienty and Obsessive Personality Disorder. Wore brown trousers with red suspenders that hold them up and desert tan button-up collar shirt with white tank top underneath. He was last seen wearing a diving suit at Oubliette Lake in the Stillwood Forest in Mason County.

COMMUNITCATE with CHIEF INSPECTOR, POLICE DEPARTMENT, Charleston, West Virginia.

[Galbraith]: Hmmm... I wonder who that guy is. The search team just doesn't give up.

Galbraith lies down in his bed, and then falls into a deep sleep.

Galbraith is sitting on a chair in the middle of an empty ballroom. He can't even tell what is going on, despite the music from a gramophone playing music. There might be a pair of eyes—someone is watching him. He feels uneasy.

Wadsworth finds himself dreaming.

It wasn't the first time, of course. All the nightmares he'd had, and the visits from that little cartoon skeleton he saw in the newspaper...Yes, Wadsworth was becoming uncomfortably familiar with the realm of dreams. Much to his dislike.

Tonight's dream has him wandering the halls of a building he doesn't recognize. Cadavre isn't here, and neither are any monsters or disturbing visions, but the quiet emptiness manages to unsettle him anyway. He takes another turn and comes across the doors to what appears to be a ballroom. There's music, and...a man. Sitting on a chair right in the middle.

"...H-Hello?"

#t-galbraith

"Hello hello hello! Interested in any of the Encyclopedia Atlantica collection?" Wadsworth greets the man with a smile. "My personal favorite? Gee, I'm not too sure. I guess I have read a good bit on psychiatric disorders, but I don't know if that's because I enjoyed it. Eheh..." His smile falters a bit at the somewhat awkward turn of conversation. "A-anyway! These books have information on any subject you could want! And the whole set is on sale, too."

"Oh? That is quite an interesting subject to have as a favorite, but I can't blame you as learning of the psychiatric disorders is quite fascinating.." Fyodor had vast knowledge of the human mind, it was one of the scarier things about the Russian.

Fyodor scanned through the selection, a finger curled on his chin as he pondered what subject was one he didn't have expert knowledge in. Animals... that was a subject he didn't have deep knowledge on, and it's what his eyes fell onto.

"The Encyclopedia of mammals, I think I will take that..."

"Fascinating? That's one way to put it, I'll say. I'd rather be rid of them, to be honest." He thinks back on his sessions with Dr. Angstrom and the enthusiam the man had for the subject. While Wadsworth was happy the man was able to help him, he didn't exactly enjoy speaking about his issues and would rather just be free of them.

"Oh, mammals! Right, sir, here you are." Wadsworth hands the man the book he asks for. "I guess I do have experience with that category as well...So I can attest to its quality, of course!" Gosh, Wadsworth found himself sharing more personal information than he'd like today.

@wadsworth-zane

Fyodor has heard a few rumors of this town.. But none of the rumors he's heard was very telling. Upon entering the town, it seemed normal.. People bustling about their business and chatting amongst each other.

Maybe this was a waste of time... Was his first thought, until he scanned the area and saw someone seeming to sell books. Well, at least maybe there was something here that would make the whole travel not feel like a waste..

The skinny man slowly approached where the stranger was selling encyclopedias. Violet eyes scanned over the books, before darting to the salesman.

"Interesting selection you have.. Do you have a personal favorite subject out of all these?" Fyodor asked with a thick Russian accent.