what is Lost Flats?

Lost Flats is a story about friendship, the supernatural, corruption, and an evil sword. Mostly it's an excuse for me to write about an evil sword.

It takes place in a town called Lost Flats, which is in the middle of hostile nowhere - quite literally. The town and the railroad that runs by it are surrounded by an endless desert and scrubland called the Barren. The railroad seems endless too, but nobody actually knows how far it goes. The train doesn't let anybody on, it only drops someone off every once in a while. Trying to follow the railroad on foot will just get you eaten by weird coyotes - or worse.

The townspeople are relatively content to not ask questions and stay within the limits of Lost Flats; whatever prowls the Barren, it keeps its distance from the town. However, the town's newest resident, a young witch called Woe, doesn't agree.

Woe becomes something like a paranormal investigator (whatever paranormal means in Lost Flats), hunting for clues alongside a young werewolf named Harley and local bad omen Winslow.

The Main Characters

Woe

Woe doesn't remember much of who they were before Lost Flats; they know they're a witch, but that's about it. And frankly, Woe doesn't mind it. Being a blank slate means they can throw their whole self into solving mysteries, which they're very happy to do.

Woe cherishes their friendship with Winslow and Harley - they remember enough to know they've never had many friends - but they also worry about it. Woe was so eager to investigate alone because it would mean only putting themself at risk, but now Winslow and Harley are involved and at risk. Of course Woe trusts that they can handle themselves, but in Woe's heart, they want so badly to protect their friends from harm.

Winslow

Winslow is one of the few that grew up in Lost Flats, but he doesn't have any family to speak of. He was cursed into the shape of a black cat some time ago, and has since become an omen of bad luck to the rest of the town. He accepts his lot in life without much complaint, but it's more because he doesn't have anybody to complain to.

He couldn't be happier about being Woe's friend. The lengths Woe will go for answers make him nervous, but that only makes him more determined to tag along and ensure Woe's safety, to whatever degree he can. Harley's a little harder to get along with, but he'd rather not be on bad terms with a friend of Woe's.

Harley

Harley remembers a little from her life before Lost Flats, and she has the sense that it wasn't too different from her life now: colored by helplessness and a feeling of being trapped. As safe as Lost Flats is, it feels more like a prison than a sanctuary at times. In her heart, she longs to explore the Barren, despite the danger. She'd take danger over being stuck in Lost Flats forever.

Woe's interest in the Barren is what draws Harley towards Woe. To Harley, Woe isn't easily trapped by promises of safety, and she admires them for it. There's a bit more friction between her and Winslow, considering his reputation as a bad omen and the usual canine versus feline animosity.

The Barren

Though it seems empty and, well, barren from the town, there are a number of things that hide out in the Barren. Some things understood, some things not. Some things known, some things lost.

Coyotes

Everybody knows about the coyotes. Everybody also knows that whatever ordinary coyotes are, these aren't it. They're nowhere to be seen during the day, but they're absolutely everywhere once the sun deigns to go down. What's more, each coyote has some strange attribute or other; one might be significantly taller than usual, another might have an extra head, yet another might have way more legs than necessary. All have shining white eyes and fangs. They do tend to steer clear of lights, especially the lights of town. So you better hope you've got something bright enough to scare them away if you're unlucky enough to wind up in the Barren at night.

Ghosts

Of course there are ghosts in the Barren. Plenty of people have ventured out there and died, leaving their spirits to wander. Unlike coyotes, ghosts aren't deterred by light, but by crowds of people. Someone unlucky enough to be alone on the outskirts of town might bump into a ghost, and if they're not careful, end up lured out into the Barren to join their phantom ranks. The important thing to know about ghosts is that if you can see through its illusions and don't let it trick you, it'll give up and leave you alone. A general rule of thumb is to look for a shadow - if they don't have a shadow, they're probably a ghost. Direct light can expose a ghost easily, so have a flashlight on hand.

The Hidden Library

No one in Lost Flats has ever seen it, and many doubt it's real, but urban legend speaks of a half-sunken library somewhere in the Barren. Specific tellings vary in detail, some saying the library was huge and magnificent, others saying it was little more than a repurposed stronghold. But with how widespread the legend is, there must be some kernal of truth hidden within.

Outer Barren Beasts

The Outer Barren Beasts are the subject of many a scary story. They're said to reside far out in the Barren, so far away they can't be seen from town. Some describe them as giant scorpions, or massive snakes, or any number of other huge animals. When they die, they become a desert equivalent of a whale fall, and it's said that the animals that feed off them become bizzare and strange, like the coyotes.

Mysterite

Barely anybody in Lost Flats knows mysterite even exists, much less how it operates. No one knows who's forging tools out of it.