CHARACTER INFORMATION

face claim: Leighton Meester

full name: Ella Marie Peters

nickname(s) / goes by: Els 

pronouns & gender: cis woman, she/her

sexuality: heterosexual

birth date: 02/12/1986

birth place: Chicago

arrival to merrock: 16 years ago, 

housing: historical downtown

occupation: hotel manager

work place: brownstone inne

family: her mum and dad and younger brother live in Chicago, she isn't really close with them anymore.

relationship status: single

PERSONALITY

Ella was a girl whose mood changed a lot but she always tried to have a good heart, an open mind and a smile on her face. She liked to keep everything that happened before in the past and only think about it occasionally and those were her down moments but she tends to keep that to herself. Ella was a determined girl who always worked hard and was committed to everything she got herself into. She would never let someone down, once she agreed to do something then she would stick to it unless she really had to let someone down.  Although she always tried to be nice and keep a smile on her face and be optimistic there were times that she could be a bitch and she tended not too show that side of her as she didn’t want people to see that side of her. Ella loved making friends and having friends was something she couldn’t help but feel privileged and overwhelmed with the fact that she had new friends and she could make new friends.

WRITTEN BY: Amelia (she/her), gmt.

BACKGROUND / BIO

triggering / sensitive content: miscarriage, pregnancy, depression

Ella was a girl who had a great life, growing up in Chicago, Illionis, she loved it there and loved everything that was interesting about the city, growing up there always something she enjoyed and privileged. Ella was always the happy go lucky kid that everyone on her street used to love because she always had a smile on her face.  No one would be able to mistake the girl, she was always the one singing around the street and smiling and easily making friends. Ella was very close to her dad, actually she saw herself being a daddy’s girl and she always wanted to do everything her dad was doing which led to her learning to cook from a very young age and she loved cooking and when she was old enough she tried to start cooking for her family which turned out to be very successful. She always believed that if she had a smile on her face people would want to hang out with her and for a young age that worked.

Ella joined High School thinking she could stick to that smile being on her face but that was less likely to be the case and she worked that out after walking in the for the first time. She was always trying to be enthusiastic at school and it helped her in some ways. During High School certain people judged her and called her names that she didn’t care about she usually let them slide, but with all that she did manage to make it as part of the popular crowd of the school and going to all the popular peoples parties and that was great, she loved being part of the popular crowd where she could meet the guys, flirt with the boys and make friends with near enough everyone but she could also make people fear her and a lot of girls wanted to be like her.

With Ella being a part of the so called popular crowd at high school and college, she found herself making a connection with a guy in the year above her in her Junior year of college, they hit it off straight away and Ella was smitten with the guy, she always found herself happier than she ever was with him. As the summer came, she spent more and more time with him and as summer was over she entered her Senior year and she had big plans. Before she could start applying for colleges a big bombshell fell on her, she found out she was pregnant and she was freaking out it wasn't something she wanted and she had no clue what to do apart from tell her boyfriend which she did. After a few weeks of finding out and only telling her boyfriend, they started making plans of what was going to happen. After crying and freaking out, they had decided to keep it. However as she came to peace she was going to be a mother, she suffered with a miscarriage and lost their baby. Most people that age would be relieved but she found herself going into a stage of shock, she pushed herself away from everyone she cared about and she even broke up with her boyfriend. Nothing felt the same anymore and for a long time she spent her time feeling very depressed to a point that she didn't think she would ever get out of it.  

  As all this happened, Ella fell behind at college for a couple of months and she thought her future was doomed but this was soon changed when she picked herself back up started focusing on her work and putting everything to the back of her mind. She spent a while moping around but she had to find a way back and find her friends again, luckily her best friend loved her and was there even when she had been the worst to her. Once college had come to an end she had decided it was time for her to get out of Chicago, doing high school and college there was enough for her especially after everything that happened, she needed a fresh start. As soon as college came to an end she found a town where her best friend from college was moving too and decided to follow her to Merrock in Maine and applied for jobs there. She fell in love with the town within the first 4 months of living there and now 16 years later, she has been living there, gone through her fair share of heart break there but also her fair share of happiness.

"Who gives a kid a handgun? Who gives a kid to a mom who doesn't want one?"

Henry Marshall, 28. cis-male, he/him. Manager at Bookends. TW: talks of abandonment, foster care, teenage pregnancy, addiction, mention of alcohol and drugs

Henry Sterling Marshall was born a nobody. Born to nobodies in a town with nothing remarkable and picked up by Child Protective Services before he was a year old. Henry simply existed, pumped out into a world not fit for him, where he did not ask to be, and where he was not asked for.

"Who lets that kid fall in love? Who never taught him enough is enough is enough?"

Henry Marshall was born to teenagers from a rougher neighbourhood, one statistically proven to have higher rates of addiction, crime, and teenagers running wild. His parents wanted to be good for him, vowed to finish school, take care of him - but proved unsuccessful, and before he even reached a year old, he entered the ever broken foster care system.

He was only a baby when CPS intervened, and everyone was hopeful that given his circumstances and age, that he would be quickly adopted. But sadly, that wasn't the case. He was a bit slower than other kids to reach his milestones, to walk, to sit up by himself; and when he reached those milestones and grew older, he was introverted and shy, not exactly the type most families wanted to take home. He, instead, was sent around to many different foster homes, centers for children, and nunneries that took care of him for a few months or years at a time before shipping him off elsewhere. He never felt like he had a home anywhere, and struggled to make friends.

"You said you'd never live to see eighteen. But you cut it all off for your birthday last week."

But that wasn't the case when he was reading. He was naturally curious and inquisitive, and found himself getting lost in books from the moment he was finally taught to read. He would tear through pages and soar through stacks of books, forcing the adults around him to pick up new novels for him after he would undoubtably read all of the ones in their small libraries. When he was once slow to the jump, he could now read and write advance of grade level and his other subjects in academia were catching up as well. He was a bright kid, and he didn't sit around waiting to be adopted anymore, he decided to apply himself to learning all he could so that he could make his life better one day - not having to rely on anyone but himself.

When he was nearing fifteen, he was sent to St. James Cathedral Home for Children, a Catholic offshoot for traditional group homes and one that had an attached private school that was connected to a community college a few hours away from where he was. A keen eye from his social worker got him on the waitlist a year prior and he was sent there to continue his education, as the schools he was at previously could no longer accommodate for his advanced skills. He was enrolled in the Honours program at St. James Prep School and found himself for the first time, surrounded by like-minded people who he could relate to. He found himself coming out of his shell more, joining the speech and debate club, student council, and the swimming and track teams.

In his final years of high school, he had come into his own - and enrolled in the local community college's streamlined program, which combined his traditional high school classes with pre requisites for his desired English degree that he could complete faster upon graduation. He double majored in English and Classic Literature, his love of reading continuing to blossom into works of poetry and classic Shakespeare. He had found his voice, his footing, and his way. He graduated and move onto college campus and graduated quickly, taking summer classes to move the process along. After he finished his under graduate programs, he quickly applied and was accepted into a master's of English and eventually found himself in the Master's of Library Science program at the University of Portland.

While getting his masters degree in Portland, he fell in love for the first time. Up until University, he had never really found himself with any women he was interested in - or he was too busy focusing on sticking to himself and working hard, knowing he was only steps away from making the life he had always desired for himself.

"And I never remember a face on purpose; But I've seen yours, like, ten times since."

But Zoya changed all of that. They met his first year in Seattle, after they were paired up in a Shakespeare scene study class. He wasn't an actor by any means, but it was a creative credit towards his degree and he didn't have to actually perform anything for an audience larger than his class - so he gave it a shot. They were given the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet, a favourite of his. But whether this was fate or a sneaky shot by a professor to play matchmaker when bored with freshman, something stuck and he found himself entranced by her. She was an English Education major with a minor in photography and they became friends. She was bubbly and outgoing, where as he was reserved and shy. She had big dreams for her future and he was happy with a simple life that he got to define for himself. But she saw in him what he hadn't yet discovered in himself, that maybe he was a bit more like Romeo after all. She dusted off his heart and unlocked all of the sonnets within it. After all, all of that reading had to be good for something. The two eventually started dating and continued to plan their lives together through the years, even moving in together and getting a small studio apartment off campus.

"She cried and kissed me in the laundry room; Thank God I drank enough that I could think about you."

But as their graduation neared closer, Zoya dreamed about going back home to India, where her mother and father still lived. They were both getting older and she wanted to be with him. He could hardly blame her, but when she asked him to come with her - even just for a year or two - he was too scared to say yes, so the summer after graduation they broke up and she moved back to India to spend time with her family. They keep in touch via email occasionally and have plans to potentially see each other again once she returns to America, but until then, he has cast her - and his own heart - aside and retreated into his books and into himself.

"He spent his summers in the back of a car... Learned the worst part of growing up is learning how young you are."

Seattle, Oregon, Portland; they are all too familiar, all too close to home and the part of himself he is trying to forget; so on a drunken whim, he applied to manage a book store here in Maine. It's familiar enough territory that he can find solace in his work, but far enough away that it's a fresh start for him.

He knows no one, and is feeling less like home in himself - but hey, at least this is a fresh page in a chapter of a book he wanted to keep on the shelf. A step forward, a chance to rewrite his history.

----

TL;DR: Henry is 28, heartbroken, and manages a bookstore. He just moved here a few weeks ago. He's a Leo, but doesn't know what that means. He thinks owning a Kindle is a sin and doesn't have a smart phone. Most of his shirts have ink stains in the breast pocket. He has a small studio apartments with approximately one photo on a the wall, a framed photo of himself and his favourite teacher at his High School graduation. He reads the paper unironically. He thinks any band with a 'one hit wonder' just needs another chance. Loves dogs but is tragically allergic to anything with fur. Just needs some TLC, emphasis on the love part.

--

Wanted connections:

Zola, his lost love (shamelessly lowkey would love an Ambika Mod fc for this... hey lol)

New friendships

Flings/one night stands

Another shot at love

Fiery customers who have good banter at the bookstore

Literally anything at all

Natasha Adams, but everyone calls me Tasha. Sister, daughter, friend. She/Her. 33 year old lawyer at Bardales, Inc. Originally from California but currently living in a converted loft in downtown Merrock. Loving life and all it has to offer. Both a hot mess and a masterpiece all in one. In a relationship with Bryan Lawrence ❤️. Priscilla Quintana

Bio || Timeline || Connections || Navigate

Theo Browning at your service. 44 year old firefighter with the Merrock Fire Department. Big brother to Jason, Cordelia and Tessa, (and soon-to-be brother-in-law to Cage). Married to the beautiful Lynn Browning, and father to Riley and Lilly. Uncle to Rosalyn, Gabe, Allie, Ellie, and Millie and soon to be uncle to Colton. Currently at the rank of Captain in the MFD. Loves fishing, the outdoors, his family, and his work. Always trying to be the best man he can be. Jesse Spencer

Connections || About Me || Time line || Navigation

CHARACTER INFORMATION

faceclaim: Kara Killmer

full name: Lynn Browning (née Coltrane)

nickname(s) / goes by: Lynn

pronouns & gender: She/her pronouns, cis woman

sexuality: Heterosexual

birth date: June 14th 1984

birth place: Merrock, Maine

arrival to merrock: Local

housing: The Coast & Pier

occupaton: Historian for Merrock Government

family: Two younger brothers (between 32 and 36), one son (Riley - May 9th 2010) and one daughter (Lilly - February 6th 2012)

relationship status: Married to Theo Browning

PERSONALITY

Lynn is a woman who has a big heart. Family is the most important thing to her and she cares a lot. She can be a bit naive by seeing the best side of people even though the bad sides show more. She’s smart, happy and social but also stubborn and impatient.

WRITTEN BY: Myr (she/her), gmt+1

BACKGROUND / BIO

The Coltrane family is one with their roots deeply settled in the town and it is a common name to come across. Heath and Patricia Coltrane gave birth to their baby girl in June 1984, with two sons to follow. The girl had a normal youth. Lots of teasing from her younger brothers, struggling in school to get some good grades but in the end she did well. She always helped out her parents in the family restaurant when she came of age. High school was normal, as normal high school can be of course.

While growing up, Lynn was part of the mathematics team but history was the one thing she adored the most. She loved to learn about the past and maybe even more about the history of their own little town even more. Becoming an archeologist had been her dream but in the end, it would’ve meant that she would have to move away from Merrock for both study and job eventually so the job of a historian was the next best thing.

So Lynn graduated from both Merrock High School and Merrock Community College with good grades. She applied for the job at the townhall in town as historian and she got the job. And that job changed her entire life.

Yes, of course Lynn had known the Browning family for a long time. It was a familiar name in town, just as the Newmans and the Hartmans, to give an example. But the fact that she got to work at the townhall, where also the firehouse was located, changed her life. Near the start of her job, she had visited the firehouse with a box of donuts to introduce herself. It was where she got to know Theo Browning. There was an immediate connection between the two and more common trips were made to the firehouse during her breaks whenever he was on duty. A first date was planned, a relationship was formed. Within a year of meeting him, Lynn got married to Theo and she became a part of the Browning family. Two years into their marriage she became the mother of a baby boy named Riley. Their baby girl Lilly followed two years later. Their family was completed with the arrival of two dogs, named Duke and Luna.

Lynn can definitely say that she had the life she has always wanted. A family of her own, the job she wished for, a husband who is the love of her life and she wouldn’t trade it for the world.

CHARACTER INFORMATION

face claim: Scout Taylor-Compton

full name: Brianna Grace Howard

nickname(s) / goes by: Brie

pronouns & gender: she/her, cis woman

sexuality: heterosexual

birth date: March 15, 1989.

birth place: Newcastle, England

arrival to merrock: Two years ago

housing:  rural countryside

occupation: Business owner

work place: Chordstop Music

family: Desmond Howard (father), Remi Howard (mother), Maisy Howard (younger sister), Jordan Taylor (son)

relationship status: divorced

PERSONALITY

Brie is a complicated person to figure out. She tends to keep most people at a distance, never truly opening up to anyone unless she absolutely has to, which is...well, never, as far as she's concerned. Her life revolves around two things: her cats, and her business. She had one relationship fail and she has sworn she will never do that again. So whenever she's not working as a devoted cat mom and business owner, she's at the bars or engaging in one night stands. It seems a lot better than getting attached and being disappointed again.

But on a positive note, she's very passionate, very outspoken, always ready to stand up for what she believes in. If she sees someone being picked on, she will speak up even if it gets her in trouble, which has happened before. Example: The time she almost got arrested for trying to fight a group of grown men who were picking on a homeless guy near her old flat in London.

WRITTEN BY: Maddie (she/her) cst.

BACKGROUND / BIO

triggering / sensitive content: home invasion, trauma, divorce

Brianna Grace Howard comes from a lower middle-class family from the UK, the oldest of two girls. Her and her younger sister, Maisy, were brought into this world by Desmond Howard, a cafe owner, and Remi Howard, who opted to be a stay-at-home mum. They didn't have a whole lot growing up, living in a two bedroom flat and struggling to put food on the table most days. But despite struggling financially, they were happy.

Even Brie's lack of social standing at school didn't ruin that happiness. She was always pretty good at shutting people out, even when they were making fun of her. She was the "weird" girl at school, who spent her free time in the library reading horror novels or researching the existence of Bigfoot or the validity of reported hauntings. As long as she was having a good time with her odd hobbies, she couldn't care less what anyone said. Besides, people learned early on not to mess with her, because as it turned out, she could pack a pretty good punch.

Not that she was a cruel or violent person by any means. She was always ready to defend others who were being picked on, or take lunch to the frail elderly woman down the street, sweet ol' Mrs. Allen. She was the polar opposite of her sister, who was "popular" and, in Brie's opinion, quite self-centered. Oh well.

Her passionate nature did lead her to, of course, a passionate line of work in adulthood. She went to nursing school and ended up working at a hospital in London, where she met the handsome doctor who would eventually become her husband. Erik, his name was and damn if he wasn't the most gorgeous man she'd ever seen. And best of all, he saw her. Really, really saw her. That was all she'd ever wanted and after six years of dating, they married at a castle in Ireland. Brianna was 29 at the time and Erik was 37. They had their son, Jordan, a year later. It truly felt like Brie's life had fallen into place.

But then it all fell apart. She was home alone with their son when a masked intruder invaded, holding them at gunpoint while his accomplice ransacked their house. It was all over in an instant, but nevertheless, the memories remained. And suddenly Brie's entire world spun out of control. The memories haunted her and pushed her towards a life of drugs and alcohol to cope with it all. Which, of course, had a lasting impact on her relationship with her son and husband. And when Erik came home one day to find his wife passed out on the couch and Jordan crying upstairs, having been left alone for far too long, it was the final straw. And so came the end of their marriage and the start of Brie's first and only stint in rehab. Still though, the damage was done. Erik got full custody of Jordan. She lost her job. She had officially lost everything.

But she did discover a new passion during her stay at the facility: music. She taught herself to play guitar. She wrote a few songs here and there. Music truly seemed to comfort her in a way nothing else had. But what was she to do once she was done with rehab?

She needed a fresh start. Erik didn't trust her with their son and her relationship with her parents was strained. So naturally she needed to move elsewhere, somewhere that she could reinvent herself. So she left the UK. She packed her bags and headed to Merrock. She'd seen the pictures online and it seemed like the perfect place to call home.

So when she got there and moved into her idealic little farmhouse on a lovely patch of land, she knew she'd found her place. She opened a music supply store and adopted two cats. For once in her life, she seemed to have it all together. But even though she has a good life now, she knows something is missing. In fact, a whole lot is missing in her life, and she doesn't know how to get it back.

CHARACTER INFORMATION

face claim: Jessie Mei Li 

full name: Ophelia Lykke Haugen 

nickname(s) / goes by: Lia Haugen (given name) | Lili (friends) + Ophie (family members) 

pronouns & gender: Gender Non-Confirming | She/They 

sexuality: Pansexual | Demiromantic 

birth date: August 5, 1997 | 26 years old 

birth place: Ottawa, Ontario 

arrival to merrock: July 2022. 

housing: The Coast + Pier 

occupation: Barista + Vet Assistant 

work place: Pause for Paws + Emergency Animal Services 

family: Gavriil + Silas Haugen (adoptive parents) 

relationship status: Single 

PERSONALITY

To know Lia is to love them. They are a dynamic individual whose adventurous spirit, boundless energy, and infectious optimism define their vibrant personality.  With a zest for life that knows no bounds, Lia fearlessly seeks out new experiences, embraces challenges with enthusiasm, and radiates positivity wherever they go. Whether exploring the great outdoors, capturing moments with a camera, or simply enjoying the company of loved ones, Lia embodies the joy that accompanies one who is living their life to the absolute fullest.

WRITTEN BY: Brooke (she/her), cst.

BACKGROUND / BIO

The journey of Lia Haugen began within the walls of the Brightwood Orphanage, nestled amidst the bustling streets of Ottawa. Born to unknown parents, she spent their early years within the orphanage, her days defined by the firm but fair tutelage of caretakers and the company of their fellow orphans. Despite the absence of familial ties, Lia found solace in the camaraderie of her peers and the guidance of the caregivers, who were doing their best to provide for the growing needs of their charges. It was hardly a perfect existence, but, for the young orphan, it had been enough.

A few months before her eighth birthday, things took an unexpected turn when they were adopted by Silas Haugen, a solitary farmer from rural Vermont. For Lia, the transition from orphanage life to the countryside encompassed a whirlwind of emotions — excitement, apprehension, and the prospect of hope for a better future. A man of few words and boundless compassion, Silas welcomed her into his home with open arms, his face softening with a grin as he embraced his new child for the first time. With a heart of gratitude and quiet determination, Silas made the decision to move her from the bustling streets of Ottawa to the serene beauty of his home state, where he planned to provide his child with a life of stability, security, and love.

Under the guidance of her father, Lia flourished amidst the fields and rustic charm of the family maple farm. With each passing day, they both embraced the rhythms of rural life: the crisp morning air, the earthy scent of freshly turned soil, and the soft symphony of nature’s song echoing through the countryside. They tended to the land and its animals with care and devotion, their days filled with the timeless rituals of planting, harvesting, and nurturing life in all its forms. Yet, amidst the tranquility of their existence, a shadow loomed on the horizon — the passing of Silas’ father, a stoic patriarch whose memory lingered like a whisper in the wind. For Lia, the loss was keenly felt, a profound lesson on the fragility of life and the inevitability of change.

In the wake of his father’s passing, Silas found solace in the land that had been his family’s legacy for generations. With Lia at his side, they sought to honor the Haugen family patriarch by preserving its legacy and nurturing new growth. Meanwhile, as Lia grew older, they embraced the opportunities afforded to her in her new home, completing their secondary education at Woodstock Union High School and eventually pursuing an undergraduate education at Boston University. They hadn’t really been particularly inclined towards the idea at first; the prospect of attending college was a wholly unappealing prospect, as far as she was concerned. But Silas had been particularly insistent on the matter, and she eventually decided upon the bright lights of Beantown. 

Lia’s first two years of college passed in a blur. It had been a time of growth and exploration for the young woman, both academically and socially. They thrived in the vibrant atmosphere of campus life,  distinguishing themselves as a diligent and dedicated student, immersing in their studies with passion and enthusiasm. Socially, she found herself surrounded by a diverse and dynamic community of peers. Their warm and compassionate nature endeared her to those around her, and she quickly became a cherished member of the college community and their growing social circles.  With each passing semester, they grew more confident in her abilities and  fostered an eagerness for what would come in the months and years ahead.

Upon returning home at the end of her sophomore year, however, Lia was met with a unexpected surprise — Silas had found love in the arms of Gavriil Kushnir, a man whose smile was as infectious as his positive and optimistic disposition. Initially, they felt conflicted about the partnership, grappling with feelings of uncertainty and fear, wondering if their newfound love would change the dynamics of the family, and how they fit within it. But it wasn’t long before Lia understood the depth of their love and the happiness they found in one another. And in Gavriil, Lia had found both another loving father, and a kindred spirit whose presence brought endless light and laughter into the family home.

It wasn’t long afterwards that Silas and Gavriil decided to solidify their partnership by getting married, celebrating their union with an intimate ceremony on the Haugen farm. Lia proudly stood by their side, a proud witness to a commitment of their love for one another, and, by extension, herself. It was this experience that incited a desire to explore new horizons and experience the world beyond the confines of the familiar. With the blessings and encouragement of their family, she set off on a journey of self-discovery.

After visiting a few locations, Lia was immediately captivated by the charm and tranquility of a small coastal village in Cornwall, and decided to settle there temporarily. It wasn’t long until she also found herself drawn to a vibrant group of individuals, ones who shared her love for exploration and adventure. Through a series of chance encounters and shared experiences, Lia and her newfound companions decided to take the leap and move into a quaint house nestled amidst the winding streets of the village. Together, they transformed the space into a cozy sanctuary, one where they navigated the joys and challenges of communal living with humor and adventure. Through their shared adventures and quiet moments of connection, Lia found a sense of belonging and kinship, each of them growing increasingly grateful for the bonds they forged in the heart of the village by the sea. 

As her travel visa neared its expiration date the following year, Lia was faced with a difficult decision. While she had grown to love her new home in Cornwall, a part of her knew they needed to return home. With a sense of bittersweet nostalgia, they bid farewell to the village and its people that had become her sanctuary. As much as their departure had been a sorrowful experience, they returned to America with a newfound sense of purpose and determination. With a heart full of memories and an enriched sprit, after a quick stay with Silas and Gavriil, she made her way back to Boston University to resume her studies, approaching their final year of education with renewed focus and passion.

With degree in hand the following spring, the world was truly at their fingertips, Lia knew that it was time to embark on the next chapter of her life. This venture brought her to the quiet and quaint existence found in Merrock, Maine. Nestled between rocky cliffs and rolling waves, the small town captured Lia’s heart from the moment she arrived. It just felt like home, the perfect place to begin anew. As they continue to embark on this new chapter and the adventures that will follow, they know this next journey will be like all the others: full of growth, excitement, and endless possibility.

CHARACTER INFORMATION

face claim: Carlson Young

full name: Marianne Mae Fusselman

nickname(s) / goes by: Marnie

pronouns & gender: cis woman, she/her

sexuality: bisexual

birth date: September 22, 1995

birth place: Beaverton, Oregon

arrival to merrock: 2023

housing: She lives with her great-aunt in the rural countryside.

occupation: Barista

work place: Cobblestone Cafe

family: Her great-aunt Mae, parents out-of-state, one younger sister

relationship status: single

PERSONALITY

Marnie is serious — too serious, she knows . She often finds herself preoccupied with uncertainties, concerns, dreams, memories, and life’s bigger questions, mulling over thoughts until they’re smooth as river rocks. She fears vulnerability and, in the past, has evaded being known by others. Now, she’s arrived at a point in her life where she realizes she needs those genuine connections. Once you earn her trust, you will find a pragmatic, direct, and steadfast companion in Marnie. She’s someone who will help you purge your wardrobe and finally donate half your shit to charity, or insist on cooking you a hearty meal with lots of vegetables. At the bottom of it all, she wants to show up for the people she loves and take care of them as best she can. She would love friends with whom she can have a real, good, honest laugh — something she’s been missing for years.

WRITTEN BY: Rain (she/her) est.

BACKGROUND / BIO

Marnie spent a lot of her childhood moving around the country for her father’s job, and thus learned to be highly adaptable; the flip side of that coin is that she has felt unmoored for a long time. She’s fixated on the concept of “home,” and in the process of trying to find it for herself, has bounced around from state to state in her own right ever since she turned 18. She’s always been a very creative person, leaning heavily into writing short stories, plays and films during her high school years. For a long time, she felt that making it as a writer was what her entire life hinged upon. She went to college in Philadelphia and struggled hard through an entire undergraduate degree program in screenwriting just to discover that she just isn’t cut out for keeping pace with the intensely competitive film industry. Once so certain about her identity, she found herself freewheeling, and has spent years picking up odd jobs and temporary gigs, struggling with feelings of purposelessness but unsure about what she should commit to and so afraid of making a wrong choice. A consistent thread throughout her life has been food service, for a few reasons: the jobs are very easy to get and to leave, and she actually really enjoys the work. She steered toward working in coffee shops a few years ago, and takes great pride in her craft as a barista.

Now at the end of her twenties, broke, lonely and growing weary of the patterns her life has taken, she’s come to Merrock to live with her great-aunt Mae, who she lived with for a few years as a child and still remains close to. She seeks clarity and peace, community and companionship, routine and regularity, and work with meaning — at least, she thinks she does. A small part of her, so small she can almost ignore it, worries that even if all of those things are presented to her, she won’t be able to embrace them. But for now, she does her best to brush that aside, and step into her next chapter with an open mind and heart.

CHARACTER INFORMATION

face claim: Richard Armitage

full name: Aleksander Kobiec

nickname(s) / goes by: Alek

pronouns & gender: Cis male, he/him

sexuality: Demisexual

birth date: October 8th, 1974

birth place: Warsaw, Poland

arrival to merrock: 4 years ago

housing: The suburbs

occupation: Clinical Psychologist

work place: Merrock Hospital

family: Mother & Father (Deceased), Younger sister and older brother

relationship status: Single

PERSONALITY

Positive Traits: Friendly, Good-natured, Open Neutral Traits: Sarcastic, Serious, Absent-minded Negative Traits: Shy, Stubborn, Withdrawn

WRITTEN BY: Psyche (they/them), cst.

BACKGROUND / BIO

triggering / sensitive content: parental death.

Born in Warsaw, Poland, Aleksander Kobiec came from a large and happy family. While his family was alright financially, he would never call himself coming from money. At the age of eleven, his family made the move from Poland to Portland, Maine. It was a big transition, and young Alek spent all his time studying his English and doing as well as he could in school. Alek was smart, and he was constantly pushed to go into the medical field. Instead, he found a love for psychology, and set his mind to studying to become a clinical psychologist. More than anything, he wanted to help people who needed it. After graduating from the doctoral program, Alek buried himself into his work.

It was when he was 30 that his parents both passed. It was sudden, it was hard, and it left he and his siblings at a loss. Instead of becoming closer, they grew apart. One moved back to Poland, the other across the country to Washington. Alek was the only one who stayed put. Instead of leaning on a support system, he threw himself further into his work than he ever had before, and found himself coming out the other side of almost twenty years of work beat down and with very little friends. Knowing better than to continue to ignore it, he decided a change of pace would be good for him, and moved to Merrock.

Trying not to slip back into old habits, Alek has tried to become more outgoing and try and form connections, just as he would tell his patients to do. He’s known to frequent a good bookshop and more often than not, working an extra shift at Merrock Hospital. True to how he’s always been, Alek continues to strive and help people, from simple to complex diagnoses, he’s seen and heard a lot and knows when to lend a helping hand to a person who needs it, even if he’s not on the clock.

CHARACTER INFORMATION

face claim: Raymond Ablack

full name: Jesper Hunte

nickname(s) / goes by: Jes

pronouns & gender: cis man & he/him

sexuality: demisexual

birth date: May 7, 1989

birth place: Merrock, Maine

arrival to merrock: local

housing: Historical downtown

occupation: Chef

work place: The Maine Course

family: older sister

relationship status: single

PERSONALITY

Jesper is introverted, easy going, and soft-spoken. He is a hard worker and dedicated to his job. He is oft accused of being a homebody and will proudly wear that title like a badge of honor. This quiet nature doesn't, however, exempt him from a snarky to downright sarcastic sense of humor. He's the type of guy that gets calls at night from drunk friends needing a ride. Firstly, because they know he'll always be there, and secondly because they know he won't be busy. He is a confidante to regulars at his food truck and has proven to hold his tongue in regard to gossip. 

WRITTEN BY: Kate (she/her) est.

BACKGROUND / BIO

triggering / sensitive content warning: childhood illness (heart issues; surgery), parental death, car accident

Jesper was born blue. There was a name for his heart condition and a bunch of complicated anatomy, but it all boiled down to a hole between two chambers. A tiny leak.

His parents were transplants from city life that moved to Merrock to start a family. They were, to the horror of their two children, both psychologists. Jesper's mother specialized in marriage counseling, his father in childhood development. Their eldest was a girl born some years earlier, and Jesper was brought in to round off the family. He did. He was made absolutely (and by the textbook) aware of that fact. But he was also what one might consider a sickly child. He tired quicker and grew slower. His first six years were a waiting game to see if his heart might mend itself. So, while other kids tumbled in the school yard, he spent them mostly indoors. He became his mother's helper, always there in the kitchen when she was cooking. He became his father's assistant, always there when he folded the laundry.

It was finally decided at seven that he would undergo surgery. Its success left him with a scar that would fade to silver as he grew. That same success granted him for the first time the chance to be more tactile with the world around him. But habits die hard, he would never be that type of boy. He was calm in the midst of this storm. His teacher's called him sweet, his sister a suck-up. In truth, Jesper realized early what people wanted from him. He could mold easily into that, slip by undetected in that sense.

As he grew it was obvious, he didn't have (as his parent's wished) any scholarly pursuits. He was a decent student with a small group of friends, but he certainly had no interest in further education. Instead, he gravitated toward cooking. He started making breakfasts for his family in middle school and graduated to dinners by high school. He was a homebody by nature though, content to settle. It was his sister that lit a fire under him and urged him to pursue culinary school.

For one brief window he was away, studying in Paris and living out of a studio apartment there but the life didn't suit him. After one year, he withdrew and returned to Merrock. He found a position at a local restaurant and moved into an apartment in downtown. He dated sporadically, adopted a stray cat off the street one lucky winter, and lived quietly. It was the kind of life his parent's tried to therapize a solution to, but then, he'd long since grown immune to their shrinking.

In time, he would grow to miss those conversations, because when he was twenty-eight, they both passed in a car accident. The grief struck hard, but their graves lie in Merrock and are well tended by him every weekend. With his inheritance, Jesper bought a food truck and opened his own idea of happiness. With a little tongue in cheek name of 'The Maine Course' it's open six days a week at the hideaway market. It serves both traditional samosas and non-traditional burritos along with rice wine and beers on the weekend. The space out front has picnic tables and firepits in the winter.

These days, he lives as he wants. Some (his sister) might call him hermit-adjacent but it's an easy existence. Good on the heart.

CHARACTER INFORMATION

face claim: Luke Macfarlane.

full name: Augustus Elliot Caldwell.

nickname(s) / goes by: Gus, Gussy, Auggie.

pronouns & gender: he/him, cis man.

sexuality: gay.

birth date: October 5, 1980.

birth place: Bend, OR.

arrival to merrock: local; returned in 2012.

housing: rural countryside.

occupation: firefighter (driver engineer).

work place: Town Hall.

family: Timothy (father), Alice (mother), Beau (brother), little brother. He has two children, Molly Grace and Leo Alexander (born in 2022).

relationship status: single.

filling connection: Jason Browning's co-worker as a firefighter.

PERSONALITY

Gus is good-natured, even-tempered, and a real stand-up guy. He'll help you move, spend an entire weekend helping you fix your car, and invite you over for dinner when he's grilling out. He hosts a big backyard barbecue bash every year and, honestly, he's just the sort of guy who you'd want in your corner when things get tough. He's patient, understanding, and a good listener. He's adept at reading people and gauging their needs and he'll go to the mat for his friends and kids. He's bound by a sense of honor and feels a strong sense of responsibility toward those he cares about. Honestly, he's just a good guy. As someone who is known is his friend group as a mediator, he's fair, believes in second chances, and will help you out when he can. If he's asking you to do something, then he'll undoubtedly be doing it right alongside you. As a firefighter, he tends to take on the more dangerous tasks himself, not wanting to put the members of his team in harm's way. He honestly just looks out for everyone.

WRITTEN BY: Nessa (she/her), est.

BACKGROUND / BIO

triggering / sensitive content: mention of drugs, child neglect, military, alcoholism, injury.

Born in Oregon, Augustus Caldwell was the first son born to Timothy Caldwell and the second born to Alice Kennedy. Raised in the higher end of the lower class, the Caldwell's struggled to make ends meet for the vast majority of their lives, and at a young age Gus learned what it meant to be in "somebody's shadow". Times weren't always good, but family was family and they always got through it all. To Gus, his big brother was the rock that he relied upon to be the positive male role model in a sea of ever revolving male "friends" of their mother that would come through their home. Because of this, Gus struggled to find any kind of stability.

Sooner or later, his parents discovered they would be having another child, one who Gus knew right away would fall under his wing the moment he was born in the hospital. Unfortunately for Gus, his parents were quite the drug addicts. They cared too much about feeling high than taking care of one another, or even their own children. Thus, the idea of having a younger sibling grow up in the household he was raised in didn't make Gus feel at ease. While he was only around the age of five at the time, he was much more mature than the average child. After all, he didn't really have a choice if he wanted to stay alive. 

It wasn't too long after his little brother was born when the kids were whisked away by their parents to a small town in Maine called Merrock. Gus didn't know how it happened, or what that meant for him and his siblings, but all he cared about was making sure he was by his baby brother's side at all times. He made a promise to himself that he'd always look after him no matter what. While there would be a transition period for Gus to get adjusted to his new hometown, he at least had his little brother by his side. If anything, his little brother made things much easier for Gus. His baby brother provided him with a sense of comfort and familiarity, something Gus really needed at the time.

As the years went on, Gus slowly came to realize what his older brother, Beau, was becoming. By the time he was fifteen and in high school, he could see Beau going down a dangerous path littered with alcohol, drugs, and dealing with questionable characters. Quickly putting distance between himself and his older brother, Gus focused on studies as much as possible as the situation at home deteriorated. By the time he was eighteen and graduating high school, his older brother had been in and out of jail numerous times and was struggling more and more with alcohol. And while this was happening, his baby brother was nearing his high school years, needing someone to look after him. With so much on his plate family wise, Gus needed to get out. He needed to be free and do his own thing for a little while. However, he was torn because he couldn't leave his little brother behind. Gus had been there by his baby brother's side for his entire life and the idea of removing himself from that post was not something he could live with. Thus, the prospect of moving somewhere else within the country wasn't ideal. He needed to stay in Merrock.

He enrolled in Merrock's community college with the intention of getting certified as a mechanic. But when he got there, he saw flyers on the walls of the admissions office for an EMS training program, and signed up for that instead. For one reason or another, Gus made the decision to become a paramedic. If you were to ask him now why he chose that career path, he'd probably say it was because he'd get the opportunity to help people. Fortunately, his response would be genuine, though he had bigger things planned for himself. He wanted to get enough experience in the field before he considered becoming a nurse or something else.

Moving into a small apartment downtown, Gus stayed close by as he helped his little brother get through high school. Once his little brother's graduation rolled around and he was accepted to his top choice of school, Gus knew that it was time for him to move on. Knowing that the life that was panning out in front of him was not the kind he wanted for himself, Gus left Maine and joined the Air Force and cut virtually all ties with his family, unintentionally including his baby brother.

Shipping off to basic training was a breath of fresh air for Gus - everything that had been threatening to suck him down with his family had been lifted off his shoulders and he was free to explore who he was. While the Air Force kept him in line and provided him the structure and the challenge that he had lacked for so many years, the brothers and sisters in arms that were beside him across his training and enlistments with the Air Force taught him that while blood was thicker than water, family was who you chose to surround yourself with. Deciding to use his background as a paramedic, Gus became a Pararescueman for the Air Force. Gus found himself all over the globe at various places, helping to rescue those who needed it. After many years of doing that position within the Air Force, Gus decided to not renew his contract after his extension was coming to an end and returned to Maine. For one reason or another, something in him told him to go home.

Going back to Maine after being absent for nearly a decade had been a difficult adjustment for him, as both of his parents and little brother resented him for leaving them behind and going off and living a new life while they were still in Maine. His older brother, who had somehow gotten his life turned around more than it had been while Gus had been in high school had been the only one to welcome him home with open arms. It was a weird situation to be in, as it seemed that the tables had turned and while he had once looked up to his older brother, it seemed that Beau was looking up to him.

That streak didn't last long though, because after having been accepted to the local fire academy to become a firefighter for the town of Merrock, Gus was knee deep in his training when his brother's stupidity came back to haunt him all because of the way that alcohol had its way of taking over his older brother. It didn't surprise him when he learned through The Times that it was Beau who threw some firecrackers into a backstreet alley that caused a girl to get injured, and when Beau was sued, Gus didn't side with his brother. Beau had been stupid enough to let the alcohol drive his actions and Gus wasn't going to stand there and coddle him just because he made a mistake he needed to own up to.

Never showing up to the trial at all and not willing to show any kind of support for his older brother caused a line to be drawn in the sand - his family on side of the line and him alone on the other side made it clear where everybody stood. He had fought too hard to make a life and a name for himself after getting out of Merrock, learning skills that he could use in a career once he got out of the military and now that he was getting close to having a career that he could be proud of, he wasn't going to let anything stop him. With his family essentially declaring him 'persona non grata', Gus had joined the fire department and eventually made his mark at the station as the years went by, climbing up the ladder in ranks as a driver engineer. And when the opportunity to become lieutenant arose, Gus jumped at the chance before resigning from the title because he didn't enjoy the added on duties of the role. He's quite content con where he is as a firefighter, not feeling the need to move up in ranks anymore.

Throughout the years of being back in town and working as a firefighter, Gus created his own little family, having a set of twins by himself through surrogacy. Truth be told, Gus loves being in Merrock, especially now that he has created a life that he enjoys. And while he's trying to make amends with his little brother, he's just fine with having no contact with the rest of his family. Recently, he has moved into a beautiful cabin with plenty of room for his children and dogs to run around out in the countryside. All in all, he's raising two healthy kids, has a friend group that he calls family, and goes to a job that he wouldn't trade for the world.

CHARACTER INFORMATION

face claim: Henry Golding

full name: Landon Nor

nickname(s) / goes by: Landon

pronouns & gender: He/Him

sexuality: Bisexual

birth date: February 10th, 1989

birth place: Merrock, Maine

arrival to merrock: Born and raised

housing: Downtown 

occupation: Fisherman & Bartender 

work place: Bartends at Anchors Away

family: Father, Mikhail

relationship status: Single

PERSONALITY

Landon can be described as a jack-of-all trades; he enjoys working with his hands and learning new and useful skills. He's that friend you can call on if you don't want to hire a plumber or contractor, happy to help with his DIY skills whenever he can. Though very generous, he's definitely a more 'show not tell' kind of guy, and can come off as rather sarcastic and distant from time to time. He'll often put others before himself for better or for worse, but will never ask for help or admit when he's struggling. Landon also harbors a lot of resentment for having to give up his dreams to take care of his ailing father though it's something he's buried and will deny until the end of time. Though he wouldn't do anything differently, sometimes he can't help but wonder how his life would have turned out if things had gone to plan. Can be very flirtatious, especially when he's bartending (because, hello, great tips). and when he's not working on the boat or at Anchors Away, you can usually find him outside or doing some form of physical activity. 

WRITTEN BY: Ray (she/her), est.

BACKGROUND / BIO

triggering / sensitive content: death tw, parental death tw, cancer tw, sex work tw

Landon's journey began in the quaint fishing town of Merrock nestled along the rugged coast of Maine. Born into a world of salty sea breezes and endless horizons, he came into the world amidst the bittersweet sorrow of his mother's passing. Her death during childbirth left a void that could never truly be filled, but Landon's father, a rugged and determined fisherman, dedicated his life to raising his son with all the love and care he could muster.

Their modest life was painted with hues of simple happiness. Landon's early memories were woven with the sound of seagulls and the scent of saltwater, as he spent his days by his father's side, learning the art of fishing and earning his own place in the family's tradition. Early mornings before school and weekends were marked by the rhythm of their boat against the waves, and as Landon grew, so did his love for the sea and the bond he shared with his father.

In their close-knit community, Landon's intelligence and ambition were evident to all. The town's residents saw a bright future for him and spoke words of encouragement that painted a future of limitless possibilities. With such unwavering support, Landon harbored dreams of becoming a doctor, a goal that seemed attainable against the backdrop of his coastal upbringing.

As time marched on, his father's sacrifices became more apparent. Selling their family home was a testament to the lengths he would go to ensure Landon had a shot at a different life. Landon's path led him to Cornell University, where he pursued pre-med studies with the same determination that guided his fishing ventures. Yet, life took an unexpected turn as a shadow fell over their lives once more: his father was diagnosed with cancer.

In an instant, Landon's dreams of medical school were deferred as he shouldered the responsibility of caring for his ailing father. The fishing business became not just a way of life, but a lifeline for both of them. Days blurred into nights as Landon navigated a demanding schedule, determined to provide the love and care that his father had once showered upon him.

Years of struggle and perseverance followed. Landon's father's health teetered on the edge, but through unwavering resolve and modern medical miracles, he went into remission. However, victory came at a heavy price, leaving them drowning in medical debt that seemed insurmountable. It was during this desperate period that Landon made a choice that would forever mark his soul. He turned to sex work, a decision born out of desperation, as he grappled with the chasm between his childhood aspirations and his current reality.

In the shadows, he found a way to alleviate their financial burdens, though the shame was a constant companion. But Landon's determination never wavered; he finally managed to free his father from the weight of debt and secured him a peaceful retirement home. Their reunion was bittersweet, for Landon's sacrifices had been immense, leaving him to accept that his life had taken a much different path than he'd initially hoped.

Today, Landon finds himself living in a fixer upper with roommates downtown, not far from the familiar shores of his hometown. He leads the family fishing business with a combination of nostalgia and determination, a tribute to his father's legacy. By night, he stands behind the bar at Anchors Away, serving up drinks and stories to the city's denizens. It's a life that offers comfort and stability, yet the pull of the past occasionally drives him back into the world of sex work when he needs to make a quick buck. While it's not a trade he engages in regularly, Landon's determination to reach full financial freedom and take care of his father has him unable to resist the allure of the trade. Plus, he's quite good at it, so why waste a lucrative talent? 

CHARACTER INFORMATION

face claim: jacob elordi

full name: ethan shephard

nickname(s) / goes by: ethan

pronouns & gender: he/him & cis man

sexuality: straight

birth date: november 10, 1995

birth place: merrock, maine

arrival to merrock: local, but he served three years in prison from the age of 24. he was released on parole in 2022.

housing: shares an apartment with his half-sister in historical downtown

occupation: cook

work place: touchback

family: helen (mother - whereabouts unknown), william (father), mia (younger half-sister - the product of a short-lived romance between william and a woman who works down by the marina)

relationship status: single

PERSONALITY

+ assertive, resourceful, confident, independent - selfish, dishonest, reckless, pigheaded

ethan is the kind of person your parents warned you not to be friends with; the type of guy who tells you his ex is bat-shit crazy when he’s the one who drove her insane. with questionable morals and few redeeming qualities to make up for it, he rarely does anything for anyone unless it benefits him directly.

WRITTEN BY: AJ (she/her), gmt+1.

BACKGROUND / BIO

sensitive / triggering content: neglect, alcoholism, violence, drugs, imprisonment

born in merrock to william and helen, ethan's life has always stood in stark contrast to the idyllic nature of his hometown. from a young age, he learned that the world didn’t owe him anything regardless of the hardships he faced - and they were plenty. neither william nor helen had wanted kids at the time, but helen was too far along for an abortion when they learned that she was pregnant. from the moment ethan entered the world, helen made it clear that his presence was unwanted. she shouldered the role of unwilling mother for the next five years until she finally skipped town, only leaving a hastily scribbled note saying that she couldn’t do “this” anymore. from then on, it was just ethan and his dad, who had his own set of demons to contend with. his long-standing habit of seeking comfort in the bottom of a glass eventually cost him his job and by then, he was already known around town as a drunk. 

ethan's own reputation was far from spotless; his teenage years were filled with run-ins with the law and various stints in juvie for petty theft and assault. written off as a lost cause by most of his teachers, he coasted through school doing just enough to pass, and nothing else. it was only a matter of time before he realized he could make a quick buck by dealing drugs on behalf of someone higher up in the trade. what started out as an easy way to make money on the side eventually turned into a career he had no thoughts of giving up on - until he was caught. a routine traffic stop ended with ethan being arrested for gun and drug possession, landing him a 5-year sentence in state prison.

his time behind bars was tougher than he’d care to admit, far different from what he knew from juvie. sharing a space with other felons was no joke, but working in the kitchen usually kept him out of trouble. having served 3 years of his sentence, he was granted parole on a set of conditions including community service and random drug tests. upon returning home to merrock, ethan, now aged 27, moved out of his childhood home and into his own apartment downtown. he cut ties with everyone he knew in the drug business and managed to land a job as a cook at the local sports bar. despite his efforts to put the past behind him, every so often he still finds himself struggling between doing what’s easy and what’s right.

CHARACTER INFORMATION

face claim: Alycia Debnam-Carey

full name: Sybil Danvers

nickname(s) / goes by: Billie

pronouns & gender: She/her & Cis woman

sexuality: Bisexual

birth date: April 29, 1991

birth place: Port Mansfield, Texas

arrival to merrock: January 2023

housing: Rural Country Side

occupation: Horse Ranch Owner & Part-Time Boat Mechanic

work place: Danvers Farm 

family: Father & Brother - Estranged

relationship status: Single

PERSONALITY

Billie prefers the company of her horses to people. They bring to her a peace and tranquility that shatters the moment she is surrounded by other human beings. With their soft snorts and kind eyes they can see her beneath the scars that she bears. She has the typical no-nonsense ranch attitude. Her hands can be soft and tempered or fists ready to fight. Sometimes on days where the PTSD is worse or the frustrations of life get to her she will seek out a fight. Sometimes in clubs getting paid for her efforts and sometimes with a random loud-mouth asshole from the bar. She refuses to talk about her past to just anyone and most don’t know how she got the burn scars that adorn the left side of her body. The worst of them are hidden by t-shirts and jeans. That’s her typical style. An outfit easy to ride in and cowboy boots. Her days are spent doing ranch work and she doesn’t much care what she looks like for that. Getting dressed up consists of showering and putting on a clean outfit. Gatherings with large crowds are difficult for her and she won’t attend unless forced or cajoled. The only type of crowds that are comfortable are ones coming to watch a fight or those at rodeos and ranching events. None of those people care about her past or what she looks like, just the quality of the work that she does. 

WRITTEN BY: Bird (she/her), cst.

BACKGROUND / BIO

triggering / sensitive content: assault mention, injury, mental health/ptsd, torture mention, military, manslaughter/death

ADMIN NOTE: heavily describes time in the military, mentions of torture, psychological health, and death/manslaughter; please use caution if these things are upsetting to you.

Sybil was born a miracle, her parents having given up hope of ever conceiving; options were limited in the small town and money was always tight. That’s just how it was for a cattle farmer in the middle of nowhere Texas. Though the Danvers' struggled to make ends meet, Billie, as she came to be called, had a rich childhood. What she lacked in material possessions she made up for in adventure. She started to learn to ride before she could walk and at the age of five was given her first mount; a pony named Chick-A-Dee. The two were inseparable, galivanting off with one of the family’s farm dogs in tow to check out every nook and cranny of her daddy’s huge property. With hardly any other kids around she learned to rely on her own company. Occasionally there would be an incident, a broken arm from climbing up a tree or a deep cut to the forehead that left a scar across one eyebrow. Once when she was ten the new horse she’d been tasked with breaking had bucked her off a ways from home. Knocked out cold, she was awoken by the shouts of her daddy and his ranch hands. Scared of what could have happened, her daddy put her to work on the farm, the time for adventures was over. That was how she learned to work. 

Other kids in their small high school would complain of having to do their evening chores or because their parents wouldn’t extend curfew. Billie however was typically up before the sun feeding and watering the horses and making sure their stalls were clean. After school and homework she was taken out on the range by her daddy to learn how to doctor cattle and manage a herd. There were a lot of kids who would have complained, but she loved it. Much more than her little brother who had come along when she was four. He’d been born right on the couch, the labor having gone too fast to make it to the hospital. Billie doted on her brother and despite the age gap the two were inseparable. Everything changed when their mama died. 

It was a freak car accident. A deep hole on a dirt road caused the truck to flip. Not one of them got to say goodbye. After that her daddy changed. He became more gruff and stern. Where once there had been time for fun now all he did was work and make his kids work. Billie loved her father, but when the for-sale signs went up she knew it was time to get out before the town swallowed her. Her grades in highschool had been less than stellar, more focus always having been put on the work at the ranch and so at eighteen she did the only thing she could think to do and enrolled in the United States Armed Forces. 

Wiry with muscle from her work on the ranch, basic training was a breeze. Billie was used to the early morning wakeups and late nights and was already familiar with the weight of a rifle. Her work ethic got her noticed by the right people and as she moved through the ranks she was given the opportunity to join Special Forces. Her brother was furious when he learned of her decision. He already hated that she risked her life overseas fighting in a war he’d grown up not believing in, that she had left her father and him in their grief. He resented her. Warned her that nothing good would come of staying so long away from family. She had simply scoffed. He should have been proud of her, like their daddy was. Whenever she was home on leave he would boast to the people in their new town about the work that she was doing and how important it was. How amazed and proud he was that he had raised a daughter who decided to serve her country. 

For her part Billie fell in love with the army. The structure in the rank and the camaraderie developed with the other soldiers made her feel at home even when they were thousands of miles away and on enemy territory. That feeling became even stronger when she was finally assigned to her Special Forces unit. One of only a few women, she had to work twice as hard to prove herself as capable as the men but once she had they showed her the respect she deserved. That hadn’t always been the case in some of her other units; some had sought to keep her down the only way those men seemed to know how: by force. After the first assault went unprosecuted by the military she learned to fight. To land blows and kicks that let her attackers know she meant business. Nothing was ever reported by the men; to do so would have meant they would have had to admit what they were trying to do in the first place. Eventually, they learned she wasn’t one of the ones who could be messed with.

With her time in special ops her body count grew. She stopped seeing people as people. They were a mission to complete or an obstacle that kept her unit from reaching its intended goal. Billie wasn’t heartless but it was the way she coped with the violence of her career. It wasn’t until her unit was attacked that a new emotion came into play: hate. A deeprooted rage that scortched her very being. The day had started calmly enough, everything seemed ordinary, the lookouts were unalarmed and a game of soccer was happening out back behind one of the tents. That’s when the bomb hit. All Billie remembers of that event itself is waking up to the sound of screams as men whose faces she couldn’t make out through the pain went through and ended most of her unit. She, along with three others, were taken. They were the least gravely injured though still hurt. Billie herself suffered from second degree burns along the left side of her body and her arm was broken in three places. The enemy doctors bandaged them up. Then began the torture. At first it was subtle; withholding food and water, pain medicine and antibiotics. When they still refused to cooperate it increased. To protect itself her mind went blank. There are no clear memories of that time which she can recall; only after laying in a safe hospital bed. It was there she learned that the others had died. The failure to save them, though misplaced, weighed heavily on her. Survivors’ guilt. Her dad and brother came to visit but she couldn’t bear to see them. She had failed. Let her friends be killed, tortured. She should have done something, anything. That shame weighed her down like Dorothy’s house atop the wicked witch. A feeling that became even stronger when the PTSD episodes began. When finally she was discharged, her side permanently scarred, hearing partially damaged, and arm healed, Billie fled as from the life she knew as possible. That was how she ended up in New York City. 

Unable to hold down a job she turned to what she knew; fighting. It was the only way to take in money as she refused the benefits offered to veterans. She didn’t deserve them. Just as she was beginning to feel secure, as the effects of the PTSD began to lessen, an accident happened. She had been walking home from a fight when a man bumped into her. Something in the way he walked, the sound of his voice, triggered her. Even now she cannot think of what it was. Billie exploded. All of the suppressed rage and terror and anguish that she held bottled up within her evaporated. It is all clear now. Now she can remember every detail either from what she was told or the evidence presented to her by her lawyer while she was locked in a psych ward. Three officers had been needed to pull her off of the man while she yelled and screamed and begged to know why he had done this to her. To her friends. Why did they all have to die? It took almost a week and a strong regiment of meds to bring her back to herself. Her shame deepened. This man hadn’t been a threat to herself. Wasn’t a target of the gang. He’d been an innocent man on his way home from work. The rest of her life flashed before her eyes. Manslaughter. Murder. Serious charges that had been leveled against her. If the district attorney hadn’t declined to prosecutem, she would be in jail. Realizing a city full to the brim with people wasn’t the place for her, she moved on.

Billie came to settle in Merrock, main. Her savings from fights and her time in the military allowed her to purchase a small farm on significant acreage. It took a few months and quite a bit of money but eventually Danvers Farm was up and running. A working horse ranch, it provides well-trained ranch horses to other farmers and ranchers as well as horses fit for competition in roping, reining, and barrels. The farm is her happy place and while it hasn’t yet turned a profit, she could never imagine giving it up. To supplement her income she’s been working as a boat mechanic. Her days consist of trailering a horse down to the docks and riding along them assisting those who can afford to pay. For more significant work the vessel can be hauled to an outbuilding on her land where she can spend some extra time tinkering with it. She’s now lived in Merrock for six months and the peace of the farm and tranquility of the water have been healing. Billie hasn’t had any more episodes. Still, she remains private and is finding it hard to make connections with how guarded her heart is. As time continues to pass, she secretly hopes to make this community her family.

CHARACTER INFORMATION

face claim: Jesse Spencer

full name: Theodore Browning

nickname(s) / goes by: Theo

pronouns & gender: cis man

sexuality: Straight

birth date: February 18, 1980

birth place: Merrock, Maine 

arrival to Merrock: Local

housing: The Coast and Pier

occupation: Career Firefighter

work place: Firestation, town hall

family: Younger sister (Cordelia) and Younger Brother (Jason)

relationship status:  Married

PERSONALITY

Theo is your typical Aquarius One who is independent, social, humanitarian, and creative. But he is also rebellious, calculating, restless, and distant. He is a headstrong and hardworking family man. He adores his wife and 2 kids, a boy, and a girl as well as his friends and extended family.

WRITTEN BY: Rebecca (she/her), est.

BACKGROUND / BIO

Theodore Joseph Browning was born to 2 Merrockites on February 18, 1980. He is the eldest of at least 3 children, including younger brother Jason and younger sister, Cordelia. From a young age, he realized his family was not like others. They made money and they absolutely had to show that to the rest of the world. Whether it was having the fanciest car, or the biggest house, or by going to the most expensive school, the Browning Family had to let everyone know who they were. He was a happy child, getting everything he ever wanted, including a little brother to play with and then a baby sister. He was the best big brother, though he might have been a bit overprotective of his sister. Something he tends to be like even now.

Growing up Theo played sports and was always popular, playing football for the local high school and dated the most popular girl. Theo loved the money, but his friends kept him humble and made sure it didn’t go to his head. He had a lot of friends then and he still talks to and hangs out with plenty of them to this day.

While in school he witnessed a bad car accident which then resulted in the car bursting into flames. After calling emergency services, he watched as the firefighters handled the scene and put out the flames and saved the passengers. From that moment on, he realized he wanted to do the same. Fight fires and save people.

His parents were against this and wanted him to become a doctor or lawyer. However Theo rebelled and as soon as he turned 18, he went to college and then straight to the Fire Academy. He did not keep in close contact with his family while in college and then the academy, but only with his sister. He was there for her during her pregnancy and always had her back. He currently works with his brother Jace (Jason) at the Merrock Fire Department. He is currently a captain and has worked through the ranks over the years. Now that his brother is back in town, AND they work together, they need to mend their broken relationship.

While in college he met a wonderful girl who he struck up a friendship with, then after graduation, a relationship with. They have been together since and now have 2 kids, a boy, and a girl. They live down by the Pier with their kids and dogs. He is a captain in the fire department and she works locally as well. They have been inseparable since getting together and she is his soul mate. They look like the ideal couple because they are. However, they do fight as all couples do, but for never more than a day or two.

Theo and his sister Cordelia have always been close and Theo was there during her whole ordeal with getting pregnant. Theo has been the rock in her life, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. Though they are adults, he still sees her as his baby sister and is still very overprotective of her. He is also very close with her daughter, whom he allows to call him Teddy. Only a few select people can call him that and Rosalyn is one of them. Mostly the ones who call him Teddy are his nieces and nephews, otherwise everyone else just calls him Theo.

CHARACTER INFORMATION

face claim: Zión Moreno

full name: Lunasota de Garcia

nickname(s) / goes by: Imp (by her Grandfather), Luna

pronouns & gender: transgender woman, she/her/hers

sexuality: panromantic, greysexual 

birth date: November 13th, 1995

birth place: Mexico City, Mexico

arrival to merrock: 13 years ago (when she was 15). 

housing: countryside

occupation: Animal Rehabilationist / Large Animal Veterinarian 

work place: Animal Sanctuary (with her grandfather who … maybe owns it?)

family: Mateo de Gracia (formerly his surname was Luna-Soto. Her grandfather/adoptive father, Merrock long-time resident) - this is the only family she will consider her own. 

relationship status: Single

PERSONALITY

She reinvented herself to fit what she needed - not what the world expected. She is bold, full of light and laughter, and a deep sadness that she will not share with many. While she loves – and loves deeply – she can be fiercely protective and quick to judge, especially if she feels that one of her animals (or heaven forbid, her grandfather) are in danger or have been insulted. She loves beautiful, soft things – but also has a passion for the outdoors and adventure. She doesn’t like maps, she loves to get lost, and when she does – it’s always with a smile. 

WRITTEN BY: Newt (she/her & they/them), est.

BACKGROUND / BIO

triggering / sensitive content: brief mention of transphobia

The time before she was eighteen can be summed up simply: she was not what her family wanted. All except for Mateo, her grandfather … who wasn’t even her grandfather, not really. He was a dear friend of the family who had looked after her father in his youth, steered him onto the straight and narrow and fostered in him a strong work ethic. Mateo had thought that he had also imparted a need to love and respect his family – but Mateo learned later that the boy he raised like a son – the man he mentored and cared for – had cast out his youngest child and cited religious reasons – oh, Mateo was heartbroken, and so angry. 

He went searching for the child, operating on hunches, searching through the streets, contacting police, anything he could do to find the child he always thought was his grandchild. It took him nearly a year - and when they were reunited, he learned why his son had cast out his child – while his son had been so proud to have had three sons born to his bloodline (as he was an orphan and had a strong desire for sons and lineage), his youngest had been assigned male at birth and had spoken to him about her desire to transition and be as she was - a girl. 

Mateo gathered his granddaughter into his arms and promised her that he would never chase her away, and he would always love her - as her father should have loved her. As her brothers should have protected her. Mateo stayed with her, getting an apartment and leaving his home in Merrock behind for a time - long enough to become her guardian and for her to come with him back to Maine. In that time, she grew to trust him. At that time, she told him about what she had been forced to do. 

(She never knew that Mateo used to be an angry man … a violent man. She only knew that after she told him, he kissed her forehead, told her to stay inside and watch a movie, and disappeared for a few hours. When he came home, it was with bruised knuckles and a promise: no one would come after her. She didn’t ask what he had done - she only took comfort in the fact that he had protected her.) 

When she was brought to her new home, and Mateo was able to formally get the adoption papers to formally make her his daughter (though she continues to call him abuelito) - he asked her if she wanted to keep her name or choose a new one. He encouraged her to think about what name was hers – and she came back with a name that surprised him. Lunasota. His last name taken and put together to then become her first name with a feminine twist. It wouldn’t do, he said - as he wanted to have the same last name as her… so, he had an idea. He changed his last name to de Garcia – which she took as her own. Together, they started a new life. He loved and mentored her through her transition, through school, through heartbreaks and relationships. 

He calls her imp - for her impish smile. She calls herself Luna. And when he’s exasperated, he calls her Lunasota in such a tone that indicates that he is trying not to laugh because she got into some mischief and she will point out that he is the one who raised her - he has no one to blame but himself. 

While Mateo encouraged her to go to college, she agreed on one condition - he would allow her to make her own decision (with no complaining) about what she wanted to do with her life. He agreed. She went to school for biology, obtaining first her bachelors (and because she enjoyed school, she then went to veterinary school) and then she returned him, pulled on her abuelito’s favorite baseball cap, and told him: I’m going to work with you - with the animals that need us. 

Mateo had saved her - and he was known for his kindness and gift for animals. She wants to continue to learn from him and carry on his legacy.