#hollowbrooks

[molkolsdal]

October 29

[riadoodles]

a recent commission i did for my bud @heyokjc 🔥

Love this wolf boy!

[redwuds]

sharing all 10 pages i drew for HOLLOWBROOK pitch soon!!! author @heyokjc

[finchwrites]

Hi! I'm Finch! I'm a writer of fiction, primarily queer fantasy. I'll post things I've written here, but I also reblog a lot of tips, resources, and other people's work! I am more than open to tag games as long as you are open to me forgetting about them and posting them late, haha.

Here's a rundown of my main WIPs:

Project: The Rubicon, est. 2012

modern urban fantasy, supernatural, horror elements

Peter Alvarez leaves New York for the South in search of the best friend who he thought committed suicide years ago. What he finds instead is more than he bargained for: a landlord who befriends him in unexpected ways, a coworker who hates him on sight for no reason, a boss who gives him more chances than he deserves, and the ghost that brought them all together.

Peter Alvarez, 26, he/him, lost in life since his best friend died, dependent on everyone around him as he refuses to move on.

Carmen Oliveira, 24, she/her, a barista at the cafe Peter begins to work at, nice to everyone but him for reasons he doesn't understand.

Chase Greenwood, 27, he/him, owner of the small cafe they work at, willing to help but not to get too close.

Elliot Bingham, 27, he/him, high school friend of Chase and Peter's landlord, contains multitudes.

Noah Bryant, 19 now then and forever, a ghost

Project: The Stewniverse, est. 2019

high fantasy original setting

Stewie has a wonderful family, a stable lifestyle in the town he grew up in, and should have no complaints… and yet, he’s always been anxious and restless and could never understand why. After a close encounter with life-threatening danger, his mother, a retired adventurer, finally relents and passes on her sword to him. Stewie sets off to solve all the problems of the world that he possibly can with nothing more than his mother’s sword and his loyal horse, Ser Decadence. Along the way he finds companions he never expected, along with a mystery that only seems to get more twisted and complicated the more clues they find.

Steward Knight, 19, he/him, human, the anxious son of a retired adventurer who wants to fix the world in the hopes that it will fix him.

Kieran, 26, he/him, a mysterious half-elven man with an even more mysterious quest: to help fae wherever he finds them. He seems to resent this, but does it all the same. 

Rishi, 22, she/her, an elven student of magic at the most prestigious arcane college on the continent, unable (or unwilling?) to cast any spells. 

Evelyn, 20, he/they, Kieran’s half-elven younger brother who is set on killing Kieran for a crime he won’t specify and who claims he is prevented from doing this only by the fact that he cares about Stewie and Stewie cares about Kieran.

Ashe, around his mid to late 20s in mortal years, he/it, a kelpie who has attached himself to Kieran and Stewie for reasons unknown and has vowed to never leave their side.

Lottie, 23, she/her, a human bard, accomplished heartbreaker,  and lover of animals who grew up with Kieran and Evelyn and is constantly putting her own problems aside to mediate between the two conflicting brothers.

Selkies is a short story I wrote for a fiction class

The Pale Demon of Hollowbrook is a chapter excerpt from either NaNo 20 or NaNo 22.

Project: Lilywood, est. 2022

modern urban fantasy, supernatural, horror elements

a haunted house time travel mystery

Canary has never felt like she belongs anywhere, even in her hometown of Lilywood, the town that accepts all stragglers, outcasts, and loners. Her only friends are fellow burnouts Ryan Shuck and Jamie Yamashita. When construction on the historic manor at the heart of Lilywood goes awry, they are pulled into a supernatural mystery surrounding the house that spans across centuries, hoping that it will answer the burning question each of them have had their whole life: who am I?

Canary Spencer, 21, she/they, a deeply insecure young adult trying to figure out who she is and how to be comfortable with being true to herself while exploring a house haunted by time.

Ryan Shuck, 23, he/they, an avoidant young adult who feels trapped by his circumstances and is scared of things changing even as his previously normal and ordinary life begins to turn upside down around him.

Jamie Yamashita, 25, he/him, a loud and cocky young man who rushes headfirst into the mystery of Lilywood Manor with more confidence than is warranted for someone who has no experience with the supernatural.

Project: Forget Me Not, est. 2024

modern vampire fantasy, romance, horror elements

a human afraid of dying and a vampire who would rather die than live forever

chronic illness, dementia, death, grief, dysphoria

Dana Hardy, 26, he/him, a young adult who has been terrified of aging ever since he watched his grandfather succumb to dementia and death. He learned about the understudied progressive illness Vampirism and is obsessed with contracting it

Wade Cameron, 24, he/him, a young trans man who has recently been diagnosed with vampirism. He's horrified at the thought that his body will stay the same forever and he'll never change or die. He wants nothing more than to find a cure.

[hollowayads]

@hollowbrooke

@hollowkorry

[balconyofbone]

finally bit the bullet and made an account just to follow up on one of your posts rofl. hollowbrook isn't a 'commune' or a 'shanty town', it's just a town. a very small one, yes, they never get put on maps, but its right where your friend described. when abouts in the year did this happen? my girlfriend and i drive there pretty often to visit her parents although we're official massholes since last year, so ive heard people in town tell stories about this thing, they call it a trow i think? although they say it only turns up round fall or winter, and ive never heard it mentioned by anyone outside hb. real weird. hb is just kind of weird tbh, Liza's parents are always going on about some crazy shit that happened to someone in town, lights in the sky, weird sounds at night. not just them, though. there isnt a skeptic bone in the body of anyone in hb, youd probably love it.

Hollowbrook? I know a few people in the are and nobody I know has heard of it, dug through my mom's old road maps and couldn't find anything about it at all. I guess you're right about it being small, then! Trow seems like such a simple name for something like that- by any chance are a lot of people in town are/were Bluenoses, or even came directly from Scotland? Wikipedia (I know, not the most reliable source) says Trow is also a term from Orkney / the Shetlands for some sort of troll-like creature? I'd love to know more, you can DM me or send in another ask- if you think your girlfriend might know more I'd love to hear from her as well! If I get some time I might just take a trip out there, would you say Hollowbrookers are generally friendly?

[vinceviralfreak]

THE DEVIL ON HALLOWEEN EVE: In the dark and mysterious town of Hollowbrook, nestled deep within a forest shrouded in whispers and secrets, a peculiar legend floated through the air. It was said that every year, on the eve of Halloween, the Devil himself would emerge from the shadows, weaving darkness and chaos in his wake.

The townspeople were cautious and rightly so, for this fateful night held the promise of both terror and excitement. Children hurriedly carved jack-o'-lanterns with trembling hands, while adults dutifully adorned their homes with eerie decorations, a feeble attempt to ward off the looming menace.

One particular Halloween Eve, as the sun melted into the horizon, a hush fell upon the town. A chill whispered through the air, setting hearts aflutter. The Devil of Halloween Eve was near, ready to claim his dominion.

In the heart of Hollowbrook, lived a young girl named Amelia, an inquisitive soul with an unwavering sense of adventure. Fascinated by the legends and tales that permeated her town's history, she resolved to uncover the truth behind the mysterious Devil herself.

With an old tome gripped firmly in her hands, Amelia delved into the secrets of Halloween Eve's past, seeking insight into this enigmatic figure. The pages revealed a tale of sorrow and longing, of a man who had danced with darkness and became consumed by it.

Driven by her relentless curiosity, Amelia decided to venture into the forbidden woods that lay on the outskirts of town, where the Devil was said to materialize. She believed that by unravelling the truth, she could tame the malevolent spirit, braving the lurking shadows to restore balance.

As she wandered deeper into the forest, trees twisted and gnarled like the claws of an ancient beast, beckoning her forward. Ghostly whispers wrapped around her, tempting her towards the heart of darkness. But Amelia remained resolute.

Eventually, she stumbled upon a clearing, illuminated by a pale, silver moon. There, in the midst of eerie silence, stood a figure, his presence commanding and otherworldly. The Devil of Halloween Eve had unveiled himself.

Amelia held her ground, her eyes meeting the fiery gaze of the enigmatic being. Surprisingly, the Devil spoke, his voice an echo of timeless wisdom and profound sadness. He revealed the burden he carried, mentioning the loss and heartache he had endured throughout the centuries.

In that moment, Amelia's heart overflowed with empathy. She saw past the facade of darkness and recognized that the Devil was, in essence, a soul craving redemption. Driven by compassion, she offered him solace, her earnest words breaking through the barrier of darkness.

Transformed by her understanding, the Devil gradually shed his malevolence, revealing a benevolent spirit within. Amelia's act of kindness had shattered the curse that bound him, proving that light could find its way into even the darkest corners.

Word of Amelia's encounter spread throughout Hollowbrook, captivating the inhabitants. The once-terrifying figure became a symbol of hope, a testament to the power of compassion and understanding. The town celebrated Halloween Eve not with fear, but with unwavering belief in the innate goodness within every soul.

And so, in the following Halloween Eves, Hollowbrook embraced the spirit of forgiveness. It became a haven of love and acceptance, cherishing the memory of Amelia, the girl who dared to see beyond the shadows, forever changing the town's fate.

In the end, the Devil of Halloween Eve was not a harbinger of evil, but a reminder that even darkness could be overcome, should the light of empathy and understanding prevail. And thus, Hollowbrook stood as a testament to the transformative power of compassion, forever altering the perception of this fateful night.

[gibs85]

The Boarding School Conundrum

Want to listen instead of read?  Attending a prestigious and secluded boarding school had always been a dream of mine, but little did I know that my time at Hollowbrook Academy would become a descent into darkness that I could never have imagined. It all began innocently enough. A group of curious students, myself included, stumbled upon an ancient Ouija board hidden deep within the school’s…

[heyokjc]

Noah at various stages of mid-transformation

—

If you want to see more of these two and our other characters, please check out our Patreon and consider becoming a patron! Thanks! :)

Red: Twitter || Kevin: Twitter

[molkolsdal]

October 29

[fairhope-rpg]

Let Me Introduce you to:

Finlay Addair born in Fairhope, Alabama and currently residing in the Hollowbrook community. He is currently 25 years old and is a Blogger/Drug runner. A song or quote that describes them is “Fucked and drank all night, acted all alright, had no need to fight” What no one knows is: He has a box full of images of Riley. And he will always be around for her. Here is a little more about him:

Positives: Attentive, Smart, Witty

Negatives: Obsessive, Compulsive, Cunning

We all have a story and this is mine:

Finlay grew up with one best friend, and that was Riley. She and him were always inseparable and many people thought they may even be joined at the hip. She was his rock in a rough world and a rough home but he never let her see that side of his life. One day, her dad just took her away and he was left to seemingly rot with his parents. His mom was too afraid to leave and his dad was too good at lying to make anyone suspicious of their broken home in a good town.

[xandezsims]

Our Simblreen treats are all public! Thank you to everyone who visited Mrs. Boo, and who sent us jokes, good wishes, and sweet comments. We love you!

DOWNLOAD (PICK N’ CHOOSE): SFS | Dropbox

You can find our builds on the Gallery, ID: xandezsims. For more info and previews, see the full posts below. And tag us if you use them! :3 Happy Simblreen!

Hollowbrook Manor

Rosethorn Hall

Willy’s ‘Ween Emporium

Lavender Town

Ector Reyes

[mahvaladara]

Pick three random ocs and share three random facts about them!

Let's start with:

Anika Lorenn

1 - Originally Anika would be running the show with the hunters. But it didn't feel right, or in her nature. Eventually I realized she was more going with Apollo's goals because she wants to stop him from going too far in his own self-righteousness.

2 - She changes a lot from kid to teenager. As a kid she was very goodie-two-shoes and self-righteous, but as a teenager and an adult she's a lot more level-headed.

3 - Anika does like Arlo. She doesn't stand up for him, nor does she consider him her friend, but she likes his grim sense of humor.

Second we have

Vladislaus Straud the Forth/Fifth

1 - He is NOT the first vampire. He is actually the second and was turned by Adam Tenebre, at the time known as king Adam of Hollowbrook. He is however the most powerful and the only known Grand Master.

2- Vlad created the Nexus, which draws all vampires to Forgotten Hollow and keeps both vampires and humans safe from each other.

3 - Vlad's obsession with Realm of Magic is due to the fact that it is within RoM that lays the very last painting with his true face and he needs it to recover his identity and unseal his powers.

Bonus: He got staked on the neck by Tess Dryer, who he murdered.

Finally for my Morgyn Ember

1 - They are obsessed with finding out the truth about the Vampires, the Original Sages and the Fall of the All-sage and King Adam.

2 - They believe Vlad might have been involved in their mother's death, as their mother had several paintings with slight variations of Vlad's face.

3 - Moth to a Flame by Swedish House Mafia and The Weekend literally describes Morgyn’s relationship with Vlad, and the he is Caleb. 

“But does he know you call me (Vlad) when he sleeps? But does he know the pictures that you keep? (the paintings of him) But does he know the reasons that you cry? (Vlad is ‘evil’) Or tell me, does he know where your heart lies?  Where it truly lies?”

[ryttu3k]

First Bloodlines run - here’s how it worked out!

Didn’t get to actually finish - thanks, cutscene glitch - but I got to the last scene and I at least watched the Anarch ending on Youtube XD;; While I really do want to do at least two more runs, I’m not sure if I’ll be able to; either way, I mostly enjoyed my first run a ton!

More detail below the cut - how Sierra turned out as protag, and her views on other characters. I’ll write a separate ‘thoughts on Bloodlines as a game and its characters’ later on, this is just for Sierra’s run specifically.

So, Sierra as a character! Usually super high humanity - most drops were due to glitches or completely accidental (glitch - had to kill Hospital Guy because it flat-out wouldn’t let him escape, danced it back. Accidental - shot one of the hostages at Hollowbrook, felt horrible for it). One non-accidental one was convincing Ash to switch clothes with a guy at the club; she hadn’t expected the hunters to kill first and ask questions later. Yeah, also felt guilty about it. Otherwise, I’m pretty happy to put her at 9 for Humanity - she tried to help everyone she could, aside from those actively trying to kill her.

Ended up a much brainier character than I was expecting, which, uh, is usually what happens with my characters tbh. Still fits her character! She’s not scholarly (was a college drop-out) and prefers actually doing things than sitting still, but she’s clever and curious. Combat was usually almost always melee, because vampires with katanas are cool. High persuasion, she’s good at defusing a situation when fighting isn’t warranted.

Most-used discipline ended up being Animalism. Never did max out Protean :( Did use it a ton in dark areas, but mostly for night vision.

Sidequests - got a lot done. Failed three - Spiritual Release (sorry, ghosts :( ), You Only Die Once A Night (actually, I started this then died with 30 seconds to go, reset, and refused to start it again XD), and Dirty Dishes.

Missed or outright avoided Drug Trip, Trick or Treatment (Heather - the whole storyline with her bugs me), Daydream Believer (Copper is sweet, dammit, don't be mean!!), Replanting a Lily (never went back to the clinic after saving Lily), Traffik, And Her Name Was Venus/Venucide, Pimpin' for Romero, A Dish Best Served Cold (alas, you can’t convince the reviewer to give it a ragingly good review just to piss off SparklingWater XD), Model Citizen/Cover Girl, Poster Session, and all the Chinatown ones (I would have done Gone Fishin' if I had found it, refused Eye Gouge Hell, didn't encounter the others).

Character interactions - ended up ride-or-die Anarch. Part of that was that her literal first impressions were of Nines saving her life and Jack guiding her through how to survive a terrifying, bewildering situation, a lot of it was that she did start out as an activist in the first place, so falling in with the Anarchs was a natural continuation of that. Adores and looks up to Nines, felt horrifically guilty at the blood hunt, and was devastated when she thought he had died at Griffith Park. She was a mess after that (also a good part to do with rotschreck and spending a good five minutes or so trying really hard not to frenzy in terror), and it was only because of Jack that she didn’t fall apart completely. Jack is like the favourite weird uncle - she doesn’t know his involvement in the whole plot and I think wouldn’t quite understand why he set it in motion, but she really likes the impression he shows. Adores Damsel, and she’s not sure what to do with Skelter’s belief in the more religious aspects of stuff but likes him a lot too.

Aside from Nines, the other character she adores the most is Beckett! Her first words to him were literally, “Holy shit how did you do that that’s so cool can you teach me to do that?!”, she finds his adventures and knowledge absolutely fascinating, and she definitely started looking up archeological and anthropological stuff both for her own curiosity and to impress him XD

Other positive relationships - Jeanette is a bit complicated because of the whole Slashterpiece and pendant thing, but damn, at least she didn’t try to kill her like Therese did; while she wanted to reconcile the sisters, she was kind of relieved when Jeanette was the one who survived. Just found her more approachable and welcoming. Also definitely got drawn in by VV. She’s weak for pretty girls XD Got on great with Merc (despite the whole... Cammy thing), Knox, the Thinblood kids (who she hung out with a bunch while still in Santa Monica), Trip, Mitnick, and Ash (who she will fight people to protect). Chunk is a precious being who must be protected at all costs; at the Tower, she advised him that LaCroix was no good and he deserved better.

Complicated situations - initially did think Strauss was okay but her views on him soured fast when she learned about gargoyles. Isaac is mostly fine but they don’t have a lot of common ground, given her preferred genre is ‘loud action movies’ XD She can see why VV looks up to him, though, and felt quite sad about everything with Ash in general. Pisha scared her but she tried really hard not to judge, basically? I mean, predators gotta eat too... The cab driver bothers her for reasons she can’t articulate. Very odd man, that one. When she learned why the Southland Slasher was doing what he was doing, she felt sorry for him, and encouraged him to join the Anarchs for direction and a more positive outlet for his emotions.

Antagonists - mostly didn’t take pleasure in killing them, but she definitely felt pretty satisfied stabbing LaCroix >.> Will have nightmares for the rest of her unlife about Andrei’s house and the sanctum at Hollowbrook, the Mandarin’s tests, and the expression on Ash’s face when he talked about how much the Society of Leopold enjoyed torturing him. Gimble freaked her the hell out. And if she ever catches Vandal Cleaver alone, she’s going to flat-out kill him if she gets the opportunity.

For the future, I’ve been trying to work out how she and Lettow supposedly know each other (he mentions the fledgling as ‘a friend of mine’), given their opposing political views. I’m thinking their common ground would be that they’re both Gangrel; I can see them meeting by chance at some point, and Sierra requesting tutoring in Protean forms, which Lettow is pretty damn good at (she might be higher generation, 8th to his 9th, but he’s a lot older and more experienced).

Beyond that, info on her and her coterie can be found here! Yes, she fully appreciates the irony of dating a Garou, haha.

[vampire-the-askerade]

Hmmm got anything with Strauss comforting a terrified fledgling after they’ve got back from the meat house or Hallowbrook?

Things were finally to the point where you could make your way back over to the Tremere Chantry to tell Strauss what was going on. After you had finally gotten out of the hell that was the gutted remains of the Hollowbrook Hotel, you had to go to LaCroix and tell him what happened first as you were working as a double agent of sorts for Strauss and needed to keep up pretenses. With all that out of the way and a bit of a wait to be sure that no one was following you, you were on your way across the downtown area. You never thought that you would be so happy to see the old familiar walls of the chantry as you were now.

Your plan was to get in and get out of here as quickly as you could. There hadn't been an opportunity to process everything that had happened, and you could tell you had a limited time before you broke down; something that you would probably never live down especially if it was in front of one of the most influential kindred in the area. It seemed that Strauss was expecting you as well seeing as the usually troublesome and ever-changing halls of the chantry gave you little trouble tonight as you made your way to his drawing-room in record time.

The descriptions that you gave were correct but brief as you left out some of the finer details keep the report moving. You finished and Strauss seemed to be satisfied with all you told him and started to leave, only to be stopped by him before you could actually leave. "Something plagues your mind, childe." You could tell by the way he said this that there was an implied command to tell him what it was. After trying as best you could to swallow down the lump growing in your throat, you did your best to comply. "Well, as I told you earlier, Lacroix sent me to deal with a group of Sabbat last night. I haven't had the time to really process what happened, and I suppose that I might still be a bit shaken up by it. But, I'll be fine." That was all you dared say without showing the noticeable croak that was gipping your voice. "I am to assume by your response that there were many of them?" There was another large gulp from you as you tried to push the lump back down your throat. "Well, yes... At least most of the ones that were in the old Hollowbrooke Hotel-"

As soon as you said the words, "Hollowbrook Hotel," an uncharacteristic yet brief glare if emotion flashed across his face. Though it was gone too quickly to process qhat it actually was it seemed to be akin to rage. When Strauss had returned to his regular, stoic state, he walked forward slowly and placed a hand gently on your shoulder. "Such things should not be taken lightly. Unlike our physical bodies, our mental state does not heal rapidly from the blood of our sires. We must be mindful of our mental wellbeing. Especially in such dark times." He walks past you and toward the door. "Please, wait a moment here for me. I shall return shortly." with that he left, closing the door behind him. As soon as the door was closed your emotions betrayed you and you felt streams of hot tears run down your face. Panic hit you and you debated on leaving despite Strauss's request. You already had a horrible time gaining the respect of other kindred due to your circumstances, and word getting out that you were bawling like a baby in front of a Tremere regent would be the nail in the coffin of any hopes of getting a shred of respect for the next hundred years. All hopes of escape were dashed when you heard him walking back toward the drawing-room. You were in such a hurry to not only compose yourself but also make it so that you weren't that you barely heard what he was muttering to himself. You did catch something along the lines of, "I cannot believe that absolute brute would stoop to such a level! Directly into the nest of-"

Strauss opened the door and re-entered the room holding a bottle in his hand. You were trying your best to keep composure as you took the bottle when he handed it to you. "That this and inhale deeply. It should help calm your nerves." You did as he asked, and your senses were overrun by what seemed to be peppermint and lavender mixed with a few other things as well. Strauss was correct as it did seem to at least lessen the growing tension in your shoulders. There was a debate in your mind on whether or not the mixture was actually magical or just a mixture of herbs( you had read somewhere that many Tremere were alchemists before they were imbraced, so he probably had at least some training as far as apothecary work); either way, you were amazed.

The feeling of him gently wiping your face with the pad of his thumb let you know that you didn't do a very good job of ridding yourself from your tears. You wanted to look up at him to try to process what he was thinking, but the embarrassment of the situation made eye contact impossible. "If you are not expected to be anywhere in the next few nights, I would suggest getting some rest." Strauss took the bottle, sat it down, and started to walk you to the door. "I am not one to treat my allies like pawns, nor work them to the point of final death unlike... others." Between your exhaustion and confusion on just how gentle Strauss was being verbal words escaped you, so you just gave a nod. "Good." He assured as he opened the door for you. "And, neonate," he placed his hand on your shoulder once more, "What happened in this room stays between us. No one else will know."

You were thankful for that at least. You would have to thank Strauss for his discretion. But for now, you just wanted to go home and do nothing for a few days.