Ashdown Guidebook

[Ashdown Crier]

ashdown.
a massachusetts college town hosting your mom, and by your mom i mean the otherworld or the gate to it, or... i don't get it any more than you do, ok? it's the ******** hellmouth. if the hellmouth granted magical powers. (did the hellmouth do that? never watched buffy.) if you live here you attend ashdown central high school or the rider-waite college. or like... you work here. magic can come to anyone over 16 i guess. rent is low, the weather is nice, and tourists invade every summer for that 'north shore culture'. boston is 30 minutes south and providence is north and east by 45.

we're right on the bay, and graveyards are everywhere, and they're all antique

point of reference: beverly, massachusetts


other ashdown.
silent hill's evil twin. or i don't know. that place is already pretty evil. not sure.
an unexplored place. once we only dreamed it but then it started to bleed over. flatbears and rain blow in on the northerlies off the bay and so does other ashdown. it's rainy there always, but you can only go there when you've unlocked your real magic. when you've 'woken up' she says. that's what the rumor says.

things live here. and they are so hungry


the absence.
she says her name is sunny. she used to be human but now she says she's reborn. she sees things in grave-dirt incense and lives in the old victorian on the cliffs. i think she knows something real people shouldn't.

for a pack of smokes and a favor she'll tell your future

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[shibrogane]

pocket full of posies.
The local florist, located across the street from Ashdown Town Hall and next door to a historic hotel on the Freedom Trail. It's owned by Aleksy Spektor, who bought it from the previous proprietor, and who is regarded as something of a curmudgeon but highly skilled and creative florist. Hours are 10 to 5, Monday to Friday. Closed on weekends because the owner is also a working artist and the only employee... for now.

 

[Z o m b i k ii]

ashdown medical practise.

Not a hospital - no emergency patients please
Opening Times: Mon-Fri - 9am - 6pm. Saturday - 12pm-5pm. Sunday - closed.

ashdown medical practise is a doctors surgery that doubled up as a pharmacy, so you can literally walk out of your appointment and pick up your medicine at the front desk. You would go her to visit your GP, pick up prescriptions and undergo basic medical exams.

Staff (so far)
rosi polanski - pharmacist

 

[iloveyouDIE]

darlene's
Grand Re-Opening!
New name - New chef - New brews
Open 7 days.
11am-2am (unless otherwise noted) - Happy hour 5-6pm

Dive bar turned place to be. Good for a meal as well as a drink.
Available for parties, events, concerts, poetry slams, whatever tickles your funny bone. Borr, the owner, is always available to serve and listen and maybe even play or sing himself if you ask nicely.

If Borr & Kil are there, so are the dogs. Dummy is a rottweiler mix, Knucklehead is a silver and black spotted Great Dane, and Junior is Dummy's puppy child.

current IC employees: borr (owner), killian (owner), nasir, dhan, alexis, america, connor

Currently not hiring

 

[Silverah]

stracciatella.

Mon-Fri 11 AM - 9 PM
Sat & Sun 11 AM - 12 AM

Fancy gelato place fronting on the town green. All the traditional flavors, plus whatever the owner decided to experiment with this week. Sometimes it gets weird. $5 for a small. Also sells classic Italian-style espresso.

The owner, Erasmo Batalli, is a recent Italian transplant with the thickest accent you've ever heard. He lends the place an air of "authenticity."

hiring general staff: cashiers, janitors, counter crew, etc.

 

[Silverah]

Ashdown Cinema.

10 AM - 2 AM Daily.
Last show starts 11 PM unless otherwise noted.

One-screen old-timey movie house in downtown Ashdown, located in a gorgeous art deco theater. Shows new releases and old classics in an ever-changing lineup, so if there's something you want to see, you better see if fast, or you'd better catch a train to Salem.

Full snack bar with all the usual concessions, plus some more gourmet options. Beverages provided by Coca-Cola.

Rocky Horror Picture Show screens at Midnight the last Saturday of every month, and on Halloween. The Room screens at Midnight the second Saturday of every month.

Ashdown Cinema can also be rented out for private events like weddings, bar mitzvah parties, and corporate retreats.

hiring general staff: cashiers, concessions, ushers, projectionists, janitorial, etc.

 

[iloveyouDIE]

bibliophile

New & Slightly used books.
Located a block from the college campus adjacent to Equinox Teas.

A proper bookshop.
No coffee shop inside, no web cafe. No food or drink allowed past the front sitting area (several couches and chairs).
Free wi-fi. Quiet Please.
Back room available for book clubs, knitting circles, etc. Inquire with owner within.

Also features a book swap section, bring a book - take a book. Don't cheat. Algie is watching.

owner: Professor Algernon Mercer
current IC staff: zac, rabbit, kally, obadiah, jordan
Not Currently Hiring :: Individuals with Special Circumstances may inquire with the owner.

 

[cibarium]

frat row

A stretch of businesses along Boardwalk Avenue, in view of the coast -- no frathouses in sight;
it got its nickname from a years-running series of overlapping jokes from local college kids and
recent graduates new to town for the general aesthetic, atmosphere, and type of person usually
seen frequenting the area (the type is masculine douchebag). Now the name's familiar enough
among townies to be used by local news and businesses in ads and hashtags and the like.


The area spans a few blocks, and a few of the properties are always being turned over to new
businesses a couple times a year. Past the sports bars, convenience stores, and vape lounges,
though, there are some familiar mainstays.



• PERFECT FITNESS: the centerpiece and progenitor of Frat Row. This two-story recreational center has excellent package deals and
  slightly outdated, but well-maintained equipment. It was struggling to stay in business some years back, but found success and a
  surge in membership after changing the sign's text to all caps.
  
  
• Boardwalk Styles: sells athletic wear and local sports team swag, all crammed uncomfortably into the gutted carcass of what was once
  an alright local deli until a Subway franchise moved in next door and ran it out of business. Sometimes the place still smells like mayo
  on a hot day.
  
  
• Subway: It's a ******** Subway. Nightmarishly busy, awful to work there, and always hiring.
  
  
• salon: Those not in the know sneer at salon for "trying to be a classy vape club, what the ********?" but everyone else knows it's where a core of queer people hang out on the weekends. It has incredibly comfortable sofas and lots of neon signage inside.
  
  
  There's also this clever a*****e who rolls in hundreds of dollars a month selling bacon-on-a-stick
  from her little cart at the south end of the Row, but folks really don't know who she is or what she
  does when she's not at her stand.

 

[Silverah]

Waite State Forest.

Wrapping around the south end of Ashdown like a friendly hug, Waite State Forest is riddled with trails for day hikes and mountain biking, and also includes a significant stretch of seashore. There are some rumors about weird things happening there after dark, but that's probably just local kids being superstitious.

The park closes to incoming traffic between sundown and sunrise, but overnight camping is allowed in designated areas and there is always a ranger on duty.

Named locations within the park include:


• Visitor Center: Located just off the road at the main entrance, the visitor center houses a small exhibit about the area's history, as well as a modestly-stocked general store where you can find things like sunscreen, bottled water, and trail mix, as well as parks department memorabilia. Perhaps most importantly, though, the visitor center has indoor bathrooms!
  
• Ranger Office: Located in a back room of the visitor center, the ranger office is home away from home for park staff. It's not public-facing, and consequently not fancy, but it does have a communal fridge, a private bathroom with a shower, and a comfortable couch for those long overnight shifts.
  
• Heron Recreational Area: Located at the south end of the park and commonly considered the "soft" option for campers, Heron is RV-friendly, has a communal set of bathrooms, and running water at every campsite.
  
• Egret Recreational Area: Located a half mile off the main road and requiring a hike in, Egret is the preferred site for more seasoned campers. Fire pits and bear-proof trash cans are provided, but everything else you'll have to bring yourself. There are no bathrooms at this location.
  
  Employees:
  
• Finn Derouen - Park Ranger
  
  Hiring for the following positions: Park ranger (Associate Degree required, Bachelor Degree preferred), general store staff.
  There is also a Junior Ranger apprenticeship program open to high school juniors and seniors, and all college students.

 

[azuredreams]

ashdown police department

Open ALL HOURS

Situated near both Town Hall and the Mayor's Office, the Ashdown Police Department is a hub of activity. There is a front area with a receptionist (who may or may not smack gum loudly despite having been there ten plus years) who deals with and helps direct people to where they need they go within the building.

There is a small facility located towards the back of the police department for the housing of criminals and those who possibly got a little too rowdy at Darlene's during the last big game.

The department of corrections has a building located right next to the police department and is used for parole and probations.

Employees:

• Jeremiah Mercer - Chief of Police
  
• Shun Kuroda - Detective Lieutenant (having arrived a year previous from New York)
  
• Max Porter - Corrections Officer (works within probation and parole)
  
• Fox Bliskiss - Police Officer (recent hire from Boston PD; mostly desk work and dispatch)
  
• Dr. Leila Townhome - Forensic Entomologist (works with the department as well as teaches at the college; makes the department look so good) No one by that name works at the department. Instead, there's a vending machine that sells both coffee and hot cocoa. It's terrible but everyone keeps getting it anyway.
  
• Preacher Maria - Admin for the Chief of Police.
  
• Waffle & Habanero - Dutch Shepherd & Black Labrador respectively, these two are the K9 unit dogs. They are well taken care of and beloved of the department. Waffle is very much the stoic one, while Habanero is the department goofball.

Those looking for a possible career within the department are encouraged, while younger, to participate in the biannual Massachusetts State Police Student Trooper Program. It is not a summer camp, nor a place to send your troubled teenagers, but an intensive one week program and learning experience for those age 15~17. Those wishing to participate should be advised that it's recommended you are competitive as well as self-motivated. Anyone with inquiries please speak to the receptionist.

Due to the high concentration of those with latent magical abilities within Ashdown, as well as the sometimes strange occurrences that can (and will) happen within the city limits, the Ashdown Police Department has a particularly stringent and more difficult hiring process for those that wish to join its force. Training courses about magic users and how to work with (and deal with) them are mandatory.

 

[azuredreams]

the 4th wall
comic book haven.
geeks & nerds welcomed.
we're taking it back!



9am - 6pm, closed Sundays.
located three blocks away from the college campus
sells comics, your TCG of choice, indie board games, and table-top paraphernalia.
tables set up with board games to try out
small selection of pc games (PC MASTER RACE)
holds weekly competitions of varying kinds (from king of tokyo to magic the gathering)


owner: cid concord; almost always there.
employees: Brianna Ray Jones & Kaldwin "Kally" Alexandros & Carin Spring, Jamie Delcaroix, Oliver Beaumont
hiring: if you're looking for a part time job, cid may just have one for you. you also get a 20% discount >D

 

[Smerdle]

maverick stylists.

formerly known as le petit canard

monday - saturday: 10am - 6pm; sunday 11am - 5pm
wash, cut, color, curl, all the things salons do
they sell three or four of the most popular "fancy" hair care brands at any given time, along with gloria's own line of gels, mousses, hairsprays, and pomades that retained the name le petit canard even after she changed it for the shop itself


owner: gloria lewis, 48 (she's always around and also a stylist if things get busy)

employees: autumn smith, 26 (stylist; m - f)
stanley nilsson, 43 (stylist; m, w, f, su)
mabel black, 30 (stylist; tu, th, sa)
devorah velez, ?? (stylist; sa)

louisa perkins, 18 (reception/greeter; m, tu)
arnie joseph, 22 (reception/greeter; w - su)

christian thomas, 17 (hair washer/sweeper; m, w, f)
megan davis, 20 (hair washer/sweeper; tu, th, sa, su)

job openings: can be arranged depending on your skill set

xxx

 

[grayseasons]

hammond auto-repair

general repair shop for cars
Open: Mon-Fri 7:30am - 6pm
Sat: 8am - 2pm
Closed sunday.

Located about a block away from Ashdown Town hall, is the general mom and pop repair place for cars. Also sells tires, random car parts, and other odds and ends for general car upkeep in the shop that's connected to the garage. While not strictly advertised, if it's a slow day and you're nice enough you can also probably get someone to look at whatever's bugging you with electronics if whoever's manning the area is good at it.

owner: Tyler Hammond, 56. not seen often, but is in the shop at least once a week.
employees: Brandon Millbrooke, 22
Hiring: Hiring general mechanics, seek inside to apply.

 

[endejester]

HoneyPOP

Candy Shop - both hand made confections and specially chosen confections from trusted retailers.

Open: Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays (tilll she gets staff she can trust not to eat the stock) From Noon till 9pm
Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays - but Mondays are days that NEED chocolate.

Candy Apples -made there, Wall of Jelly Beans and Gummy Candies, all kinds of confections made there, or hand chosen by the owner in cooled glass cases, constantly wiped for hand prints. - The signature treat made there are the sweets the Shop is named for, Hollow balls of Dark chocolate filled with Local Honey, mixed with a dash of Cinnamon to give it that extra wonderful flavor.

She also provides special sweets -just- for the tea shop next door because She loves it and its essential oils!

Run by Lizbeth Drummond

 

[cibarium]

equinox teahouse
hours: 10am - 6pm tues - sun

owner: Eve Fitzpatrick

This place is known in town for having magic users among its regular customer base, and as a consequence current attitudes around magic directly impact its business. However, those who overcome their prejudices and enter will find it has a cozy and rustic atmosphere, an impressive array of teas and treats to enjoy, and plenty of places to sit and relax while doing so. The front of the store offers the standard tables and chairs and large picture windows, while more living room-style furniture (including a dangerously comfortable sectional couch) can be found near the back. It's fairly common for regulars to enjoy a cup while thumbing through a recent purchase from Bibliophile next door.

show spoilerhide spoiler

before retcon:

equinox teas and remedies.

quality, fair-trade looseleaf teas, herbal infusions and essential oils for healing and self-care

hours: 10am - 6pm tues - sun

owner: Eve Fitzpatrick
assistant: Autumn Smith

This oft-overlooked tea shop can be found tucked away into the modest space right next to honeyPOP. It has mild lighting, creaky wood floors and a small table space set up for anyone who wants to sit and enjoy or sample just a cup, and customers get a free surprise mini sample with any purchase over four ounces.