The Smell of Blood and Black Powder Concepts:

(Work in Progress: Current as of Jan 10, 2025)

Here's the concept for a Cliffside AU that I've been about thinking for a while now. The ideas have been bouncing around in my head for the past few months, but I've found the inspiration to begin. I don't have a title or release date yet, but I will update this page when it becomes available. There will be quite a gap between the release of this and the prologue, as I'm in the midst of catching up with Haunted and MHWA, but I'll begin work on the prologue within the next month. As usual with AUs, I'll be adding my own elements to the lore of Cliffside, primarily the setting and time period. The setting is never stated, but the time period is based on the Old West. Using that, the main story will be set in a fictional mountain forest in northwestern New Mexico/northeastern Arizona, in the year 1874 (fictionalized), with the prologue taking place during the end of a fictionalized American Civil War. (The war is the same length, but events are different.)

This page is also a work in progress, so expect frequent changes. I'll change the date as changes are made to make it easier to track. Below will be a synopsis, characters, and weapons breakdown. Like all my stories this will be rated M for graphic violence/gore, horror elements, and explicit sexual content.

Synopsis: May 4th, 1865: The Civil War was drawing to a close, the Confederate States of America is on the verge of defeat. The Confederate Capital of Richmond, once thought untouchable, was falling into Union hands. What started as a small surprise attack quickly turned into a full-scale invasion. In an attempt to evade capture, President Jefferson Davis and his most loyal soldiers fled the city, bringing with them scores of gold, silver, and printed money, all with the hopes of reestablishing the Confederate States in the Western Territories.

Pursed by Union troops, Davis and his men cross the Mississippi, leaving a platoon behind to stall the Union advance. The remaining men continue their march to the mountains of northwestern New Mexico, close to the Arizona border. While traveling through them, the men mysteriously disappeared. Rumors swirled about their mysterious demise for years. Some said they were in hiding in California, whiles other said they died in the mountains. Some even say it never happened at all, that Davis had been captured, jailed for his rebellion. Either way, the moment the war ended, no one bothered to search for the rumored riches, and no one dared venture into the mountains. That was, until the summer of '74.

A weary man wanders into Cliffside, a small town in the valley of the mountains. He is recognized by the Sheriff as Gen. Richard Smithson, the man who'd led the Confederate Army escorting President Davis through the mountains 9 years previously. Hours later, two more men appeared, each telling a tale of a darkness hiding into the mountains. And it appears to have followed them. Now, the townsfolk are locked in a desperate fight, one they are quickly losing. With no one nearby to help, their only hope of survival lies with an incompetent outlaw, his deadpan partner, and one of the very creatures that threatens their survival.

Characters:

Waylon (Two-Bit Jerry), main character.

Jo, secondary character

Cordie

Yannis

Smithson (OC)

Billy (OC)

McGrath (OC)

Sheriff Carson (OC)

Deputy Frank (OC)

Deputy Bailey (OC)

Weapons:

Pistols:

Colt Frontier, 5 1/2in. barrel- used by Waylon, Jo, Sheriff Carson, Deputy Frank, various- 44-40, 6rd cylinder.

Smith and Wesson No.2- used by Sheriff Carson, Waylon, various- .38 S&W, 5rd cylinder.

Smith and Wesson No. 3-used by various characters- .44 S&W, 6rd cylinder.

LeMat Revolver- used by Smithson- .42cal. ball, 18 gauge shot barrel, 9rd cylinder, single 18 gauge shot barrel.

1858 Remington New Police, 5 1/2in. octagonal barrel- used by Cordie- .36cal. ball, 6rd cylinder.

1858 Remington New Army, 7 3/8in. octagonal barrel- used by Cordie, Billy- .44cal. ball 6rd cylinder.

Colt Single Action Army, 7 1/2in. barrel. -used by U.S. Army Soldiers- .45 Long Colt- 6rd cylinder.

Colt 1848 Dragoon 3rd Model- used by McGrath, Jo- .44cal ball, 6rd cylinder.

Rifles:

Winchester 1873- used by Jo, Smithson, Sheriff Carson, various- .44-40,

Winchester 1866 'Yellowboy'- used by Deputy Frank, Deputy Bailey, various- .44 Rimfire,

1860 Spencer Carbine- used by Waylon, Smithson, Billy- .56-56 Rimfire, 7rd tube.