BEFORE THE DAMAGE IS DONE --- open, joining

[greer]

YOU'LL SOON FIND YOU HAVE FEW CHOICES

The cold seeped into their bones, gnawing and hungry as they pressed forward over the frozen ground, the air burning in their lungs with every inhale. Chance of hypothermia was at a minimum thankfully, they'd been taking frequent warm-up breaks and had been staying away from open areas where the wind flowed hardest. The pack on their bag was a small one-person tent, waterproof and a godsend when pitched to get out of the cold, and clipped onto that was a pair of sheep shears wrapped in a makeshift leather casing to keep moisture off.

At least this high in the mountains, there wouldn't be a Felix in sight. At least, that's what Greer hoped; never having another encounter with those glorified gangsters would be nice. A full body shiver reminded them that the only reason they were putting up with this bodily hell was because of those bastards.

In the distance, Greer spotted something through the trees. It looked like some sort of- town? There was civilization up in these mountains? Well, hopefully not recent civilization; if it was all abandoned that'd be a godsend. Invigorated with the thought of getting out of the wind, Greer trudged along until they reached the frosted streets. Blindsided by their want to get inside, they didn't notice the light footprints along the frozen roads.

Pushing inside the nearest building, Greer immediately got to work by shedding their tent bag and stripping off their outer layers of waterlogged clothing; they'd been wearing about three layers of clothes to keep frostbite away. It was still cold inside even with both remaining layers, so they untangled their tent tarp and immediately wrapped it around themselves before collapsing onto the dusty couch, eyes instinctively shutting in order to catch as much sleep as possible as quickly as possible.

But something caused Greer to pause, an internal alarm sounding off for danger. They opened their eyes again, realizing it was a bit too warm to be a normal abandoned mountain house. It was comfortable as all hell, but suspicious. They stood up and padded around, catching a whiff of fresh dirt coming from one of the bedrooms.

Pushing open the door, they didn't see a bed and dressers and other normal bedroom things; instead they saw what seemed to be a greenhouse, vegetables sprouting out of the soft dirt in lines made of pots and converted troughs.

"Motherfu-" Greer started, before hearing the front door open and whipping around to face whoever had presumably come to check on their crops. What the stranger would see was a strange person, long hair lightly dusted with snow and frost, wrapped in a tarp standing in the doorway to a greenhouse room, panic evident in their eyes.

[justify]You can’t run so you must hide [abbr=Nathaniel Greer, goes by Greer | Any pronouns acceptable, currently going by they/them | 19yrs Old | 5'10" | To stressed for relationships | Near-sighted, unable to clearly see anything 100ft or further with glasses]&[/abbr]
You won’t make it back this time [abbr=Medium Difficulty Physically | Hard Mentally | Attacks with wooden club or sheep shears | Open to capture if discussed prior | Not open for death]&[/abbr]
So my friend our time is done [abbr=Lite emo nerd aesthetic | Shoulder length dyed purple hair | Dark hazel eyes | Wears prescription glasses not made for them, but are good enough for them to see | Usually immaculately clean]&[/abbr]
(IC Opinions)[/justify]

[greer]

YOU'LL SOON FIND YOU HAVE FEW CHOICES

Safety in these times was perhaps just a fantasy; even back when they'd been truly safe, Greer had always known their was an undercurrent of violence in the world that couldn't be escaped. The results of such were gangs, mobs, drug cartels, and the few good people clinging to each other like glue and viciously attacking anybody outside of their circle.

And they couldn't blame them, they really couldn't. What kind of a world was it where children were taught to kill in self defense? There was no such thing as a childhood, there was only the time when you were more vulnerable than now.

Thinking of children, Greer couldn't remember the last time they saw an actual child. Well actually- that might be just a really baby-faced man, unless it was actually a very tall child? Whatever he was, he'd barked into a walkie talkie which meant there were more and he had a weapon.

Greer's eyes darted to their belongings abandoned on the floor, much closer to the kid than them. In that bundle of supplies and clothes was their shears, so currently they were utterly defenseless. That was not good, that was the opposite of good; what if these people were just as bad as the gangsters down south? Gods what if- what if they were mountain cultists, or something? Greer knew they existed.

"I'm not here to fight." He'd asked their name, but Greer ignored that request for now. They backed up a few feet into the greenhouse, still peeking out beyond the corner to keep an eye on the kid. "But if- if you shoot, I'll shoot." It was a bluff, and hardly a good one by Greer's standards; but hey, he didn't know what Greer had under the tarp. It was their best shot to... Not get shot.

[justify]You can’t run so you must hide [abbr=Nathaniel Greer, goes by Greer | Any pronouns acceptable, currently going by they/them | 19yrs Old | 5'10" | To stressed for relationships | Near-sighted, unable to clearly see anything 100ft or further with glasses]&[/abbr]
You won’t make it back this time [abbr=Medium Difficulty Physically | Hard Mentally | Attacks with wooden club or sheep shears | Open to capture if discussed prior | Not open for death]&[/abbr]
So my friend our time is done [abbr=Lite emo nerd aesthetic | Shoulder length dyed purple hair | Dark hazel eyes | Wears prescription glasses not made for them, but are good enough for them to see | Usually immaculately clean]&[/abbr]
(IC Opinions)[/justify]

[HAYLEY]

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food, when hayley wasn't telling people what to do or patrolling, was the brunette's top priority. they'd had hardships in the past with eating, and the brunette was rather paranoid about ensuring they didn't end up in such a situation again, particularly now that her own children were beginning to move on to solid foods. she could survive without a meal or two, but not her children, and not all four of them.

she'd been in another greenhouse, loading carrots into a bin to eventually be washed and prepared, when brendan's words rang through the radiowaves, and almost immediately, her work was abandoned and the brunette was slipping out of the building and to the only other one with an open door, where brendan stood. though her shotgun was still back with the carrots, a gun sat comfortably in her waistband, which she quickly removed and held at her side as she approached behind the teenager, when she was confronted with... another teenager. plenty older than brendan, but still a kid, as much made obvious on their youthful features.

[color=#4A272E]❝kid, threatening someone in their own home isn't very smart.❞ maybe the building itself wasn't brendan's home, but the mountain was. [color=#4A272E]❝put your gun on the floor, kick it over, and we'll lower our weapons.❞ her voice was calm, albeit a bit tired, and steady hazel eyes were trained on them, obviously not intending harm, but as firm as a mother and a leader ought to be.

[greer]

YOU'LL SOON FIND YOU HAVE FEW CHOICES

Frankly, Greer could care less for the food growing in the greenhouse. They weren't a thief usually, and these vegetables were clearly important enough to these people that Greer wasn't going to try to take them.

Another person was here, a woman with hardened eyes and another gun hanging from her hip. Was everybody armed around here? Fuck, fuck- This was it, wasn't it? They could bluff and bluster all they wanted but unless they wanted to pry open the window and jump out they were trapped.

"Don't call me kid." They immediately snapped at the woman's words, metaphorical hackles raised immediately. Nobody got to treat them like a child, if they were going to die by a bunch of mountain nobodies then they could at least go out with their dignity intact.

Their hands gripped the tarp tightly, a grimace permanently affixed to their face as they glared around the doorframe. Was it worth it, to push aside one's pride in the face of danger? Greer knew they were more useful alive, but the idea of selling their shaking hands to another group of dangerous people was sickening.

"...I'm not armed, my weapon's on the floor with my stuff." Greer huffed, choosing to force down their stubbornness and the lump in their throat that screamed helplessness wasn't ever a good choice. They dropped the tarp to the ground, and kicked it away from themselves, revealing their unarmed form. "Don't shoot I- I don't want any trouble, okay?"

[justify]You can’t run so you must hide [abbr=Nathaniel Greer, goes by Greer | Any pronouns acceptable, currently going by they/them | 19yrs Old | 5'10" | To stressed for relationships | Near-sighted, unable to clearly see anything 100ft or further with glasses]&[/abbr]
You won’t make it back this time [abbr=Medium Difficulty Physically | Hard Mentally | Attacks with wooden club or sheep shears | Open to capture if discussed prior | Not open for death]&[/abbr]
So my friend our time is done [abbr=Lite emo nerd aesthetic | Shoulder length dyed purple hair | Dark hazel eyes | Wears prescription glasses not made for them, but are good enough for them to see | Usually immaculately clean]&[/abbr]
(IC Opinions)[/justify]

[HAYLEY]

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immediately, the stranger retorted back with an attitude at being referred to as a child, something that made hayley's brow quirk in almost amusement. had she once been like this? a teenager, stubborn and proud, trying to prove she was more than a child in a cruel world. it'd been long, too long, since she'd been that young and dumb. she was proud and stubborn now, but not enough to snap at people with guns. she had children and a group to protect, even at the cost of her own pride.

they revealed they weren't armed, and hayley relaxed a bit. after a pause, she lowered her gun, still holding it but no longer aiming it at anyone. [color=#4A272E]❝give me your name and i won't call you kid, kid.❞ was her simple retort, pausing before stuffing the gun in the back of her jeans once more. [color=#4A272E]❝glad you don't want trouble, because neither do we. you are in our village, though. we're the flintlock lodge, my name's hayley, i'm in charge around here.❞ was her simple introduction, arms crossing in front of her.

[greer]

YOU'LL SOON FIND YOU HAVE FEW CHOICES

Greer still didn't walk around the corner, even as the woman lowered her gun. They were perfectly happy behind the wall where nobody could pepper them with bullets as easily; it wasn't like they were born yesterday, the second they walked into the open these folks probably would fill them with holes and take whatever stuff of value they had.

"Nathaniel Greer, now stop calling me kid." As soon as they said it, they regretted not using an alias. Biting lightly down on their tongue, they grimaced and let the wave of disgust over their bad decisions pass by them before speaking again.

"Village? How many of you are there?" Greer questioned, hoping beyond hope this wasn't a murder cult place and it was filled with normal, not murder cult people. Well, as normal as people got. "Flintlock... I swear I've heard that name before." They mumbled to themselves, working their hands over the wooden doorframe anxiously.

They were starting to regret dropping the tarp, as goosebumps appeared on their skin and a shiver passed through them. "So Hayley, am I gonna get my stuff back or is this a situation where whatever's in your village becomes your property?" Because I'm freezing my ass off over here, they conveniently left part of it out, no need to antagonize these people more than they already had. They weren't a particularly.. Passive person, they'd been told plenty of times they'd be easier to deal with if they didn't run their mouth so much.

[justify]You can’t run so you must hide [abbr=Nathaniel Greer, goes by Greer | Any pronouns acceptable, currently going by they/them | 19yrs Old | 5'10" | To stressed for relationships | Near-sighted, unable to clearly see anything 100ft or further with glasses]&[/abbr]
You won’t make it back this time [abbr=Medium Difficulty Physically | Hard Mentally | Attacks with wooden club or sheep shears | Open to capture if discussed prior | Not open for death]&[/abbr]
So my friend our time is done [abbr=Lite emo nerd aesthetic | Shoulder length dyed purple hair | Dark hazel eyes | Wears prescription glasses not made for them, but are good enough for them to see | Usually immaculately clean]&[/abbr]
(IC Opinions)[/justify]

[EDMUND.]

    ❝ Stranger in the greenhouse. ❞ The words alone were enough for Edmund to rock up from the chair to his feet, slinging his rifle back over his shoulders as he departed from the porch. A cigarette still sat between his lips, Ed reaching the bottom of the stairs before tossing it to the ground and stubbing it with the toe of his shoe before he strode over to the greenhouse. The first thought that crossed Edmund's mind was that this somebody was stealing from Flintlock, something which would be deserving of grave consequences.

But, upon turning up to the greenhouse, Edmund remained quiet as he saw the situation was under control. Sure, perhaps the newcomer was quite mouthy, but they definitely didn't seem to be too much of a threat for Flintlock. And so, Ed stood towards the back, keeping a close eye on them.

[align=center][div style="width: 350px; text-align: justify; font-family:verdana; font-size: 7px;"][spoiler=tags :: updated 07/20]basics.
⋟ edmund theodore stirling-moray // ed, eddie, moray
⋟ goes by the name edmund moray
⋟ male // he/him
⋟ twenty three // ages real time // born seventh august
⋟ member of flintlock lodge // formerly a traveler with his family
⋟ product of an organized crime family, his father the mafia godfather
⋟ joined FL two years ago

appearance.
⋟ faceclaim - finn cole
⋟ voice claim - finn cole (tw in video. blood & violence)
⋟ 5'9ft // stocky, well-built frame
⋟ muted blue eyes and dirty blonde hair
⋟ physical health - 100% // current injuries: none
⋟ mental health - 100% // N/A

personality.
⋟ quiet in nature but confident in himself
⋟ completely fearless, almost foolishly so
⋟ insensitive and callous // cares for very few
⋟ very calm and calculative // always planning in his head
⋟ disciplined and practices good self-control
⋟ very flirtatious and persuasive // overly lustful
⋟ aloof and untrustworthy // jealous and deceitful
⋟ tactful and knows how to get what he wants
⋟ can be very nasty when he wants to be
⋟ but can also be very protective and faithful too
⋟ has a strong set of morals // has the quality of honor

relationships.
⋟ alfred stirling x leonora moray // both deceased
⋟ three older brothers // alfonso, dominik & franklin
⋟ the fifth stirling-moray brother, thomas, died years ago
⋟ two younger half-siblings // henry & ida
⋟ bisexual but he stays silent about homosexual activity
⋟ husband to blake moray
⋟ father of thomas moray and charlotte moray
⋟ owns a west highland terrier, angus

interaction.
⋟ storage // playlist // pinterest
⋟ physically: very hard // mentally: hard
⋟ father taught him how to kill at a young age
⋟ insensitive towards injuring or killing others // will do so without hesitation
⋟ very abrupt with newcomers but also willing to help them
⋟ often found guarding the lodge with a rifle
[/spoiler]

[HAYLEY]

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the teenager introduced them self as nathaniel greer, and they still remained comfortably behind their wall of safety, making the brunette roll her eyes. if only they realized they were in the presence of two parents and a child, far from the most formidable group of warriors one might encounter.

[color=#4A272E]❝i've lost count,❞ was her response, shrugging a shoulder, [color=#4A272E]❝a few dozen. just the three of us right here, right now, though. four with you.❞ she said simply, clearing her throat. [color=#4A272E]❝you can stop hiding now, though. no one wants to hurt you, nathaniel. i've got four kids, and i don't have the energy to try to fuck with some teenager.❞ she dismissed simply, substituting teenager for kid.

[color=#4A272E]❝yeah, you might have,❞ she said in response to their hearing about the group, [color=#4A272E]❝we're one of the larger groups around here.❞ they inquired if they could have their things, and hayley rolled her eyes once more, motioning towards them. [color=#4A272E]❝we don't need your stuff, go ahead and get it.❞ she said simply, stuffing her hands into her pockets. [color=#4A272E]❝although you're welcome to stay, if you'd like. for the night, for the... while. it's a big mountain, and you aren't going to find any shelter beyond here for a while. we only bite if provoked.❞ she said simply, biting the inside of her cheek as she observed them.

[greer]

YOU'LL SOON FIND YOU HAVE FEW CHOICES

Well fuck, now there was another. It was shaping up to be a cute little family, if not for the fact that they interacted like close friends rather than blooded family. They'd faced worse, and perhaps that's why they felt so comfortable running their mouth so much; these people seemed softer than the people down south, but also stronger in a way Greer couldn't contextualize.

A few dozen, that was both comforting and terrifying. Large amounts of people meant less threat from wildlife, but it also meant you had to deal with people and whatever rules they'd invented to keep the peace. And if there was a single Felix operative here, they'd be fucked.

There was Hayley's little greenroots story; Greer had heard it before. People making up families or stories to make you think they're down to earth and trustworthy; but judging by Hayley's temperament, Greer sort of believed her. She had the built for someone who'd recently had kids too.

They slunk out from behind the wall tentatively, waiting a second and pulling back like a spooked clownfish before finally stepping out fully. They grabbed the tarp from the ground and folded over one arm, still glaring suspiciously. "Sounds like a handful." They deadpan commented, feeling like it was necessary to keep the conversation up and hold onto Hayley's good graces for now.

"There're other groups around here?" It seemed like just mountain to them, but their vision was shit so maybe they'd just walked past a few dozen towns filled to the brim with people; that'd be just their luck, really.

They took a few steps forward, ready to bolt if necessary even though they knew it wouldn't matter. They scooped their piled belongings off of the floor, hugging the clothes to their chest while rummaging for their shears. They held the shears limply at their side, but feeling the cold metal in their hands was soothing. "Thanks." They mumbled, now a fair bit closer to the group and able to examine them more closely.

"Uhm- yeah, sure. If you'll have me, I'll stay. Nothing for me down the mountainside anyways." If there was one thing their late father taught them, it was that you didn't deny hospitality when the other person had a gun. Greer wasn't sure their motive; these people obviously didn't want their stuff, Greer had actively threatened them not two minutes ago, and as far as they were concerned Greer was just a nasty, cowardly person with no skills other than surviving on a mountain for a few weeks.

Maybe it was just the paranoia talking, but Hayley's phrasing seemed to reinforce Greer's belief that they couldn't decline the invitation. They didn't want to give these people a reason to bite after all, not when they could potentially get out of this place intact.

//i'm just gonna throw ic opinions out here bc Greer's a handful and i'm so sorry

[justify]You can’t run so you must hide [abbr=Nathaniel Greer, goes by Greer | Any pronouns acceptable, currently going by they/them | 19yrs Old | 5'10" | To stressed for relationships | Near-sighted, unable to clearly see anything 100ft or further with glasses]&[/abbr]
You won’t make it back this time [abbr=Medium Difficulty Physically | Hard Mentally | Attacks with wooden club or sheep shears | Open to capture if discussed prior | Not open for death]&[/abbr]
So my friend our time is done [abbr=Lite emo nerd aesthetic | Shoulder length dyed purple hair | Dark hazel eyes | Wears prescription glasses not made for them, but are good enough for them to see | Usually immaculately clean]&[/abbr]
(IC Opinions)[/justify]

[HAYLEY]

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hayley understood greer's mindset, the thought process of a survivor. trust no one, protect yourself and your own at all costs. for so long, for too long, life for hayley had been about no one but herself. once she found herself pregnant with hope, it'd had to change, it'd had to adapt. it couldn't be just about herself, it had to be about her and her daughter. even when she'd turned up at the lodge, now nearly a year prior, she'd really only intended for it to be the two of them. the others would be there, but she'd only care about herself and hope.

but plans had to change. she accidentally started to care about people, about those around her. there were the explicit ones, like her family and ellie, and more quiet, unspoken affections, like brendan and edmund. there'd been lovers, jackson and tommy and now alfie, some for days and others for what was supposed to be forever. in the end, even someone as cool and jaded as the brunette had found feeling and connection among them all. she'd had the triplets, she'd planted roots, and all of a sudden, flintlock was no longer a pit stop; it was her home, her forever. jackson, her children, and that towering wooden building on the horizon, that was her until death does us part.

[color=#4A272E]❝a few others,❞ she said simply, shoulders bobbing in a shrug as she eyed them up, holding their scissors close to their chest, [color=#4A272E]❝not exactly close, but close enough.❞ it wasn't more than a day's trip to the closest, no more than a few days to the furthest. [color=#4A272E]❝it depends on what you're into. there's the badlands, where it's kind of dog-eat-dog, the strongest survive or whatever. there's bluestem, the farmers who live in a trailer park. northstar, i think they've got, like, boats or whatever.❞ she said simply, readjusting the hoodie on her shoulders, beginning to wish she'd worn something thicker. [color=#4A272E]❝we've got the lodge. this place, the village, it's only for storage and food growing; we've got a big ass building just west of here, a hell of a lot warmer. but in order to come in, you're gonna have to hand those over,❞ she motioned vaguely towards the shears, [color=#4A272E]❝y'know, precautions and all that shit. we have a concerning amount of children right now, and as lovely as you seem ki- nathaniel, we've just gotta be safe.❞