- Invitation Status
- Looking for partners
- Posting Speed
- One post per day
- 1-3 posts per week
- One post per week
- Writing Levels
- Intermediate
- Adept
- Advanced
- Preferred Character Gender
- No Preferences
- Genres
- Urban Fantasy, High Fantasy, Epic Quest, Sci-Fi, Time Travel and World Hopping, Steampunk, Action/Adventure, Modern Drama, Mystery, Slice of Life, Romance, and many more.
Dust clouded up around the wagon as it rattled it's way down the valley road. Candace gritted her teeth against the turbulence, holding on to the bench she sat on with one hand, using the other to keep her thick and wavy brown hair out of her eyes; grateful for the canvas overhang that protected the passengers against the dust and midday sun.
It felt like they'd been travelling all day - though it hadn't taken much of this kind of transport to make Candace wish she'd brought her pillows with her instead of sending them ahead with her furniture and other home furnishings - maybe if she had something soft to sit on her rear wouldn't have been numb within two hours of setting out again. At least today was the last day of travel - it still unnerved her a bit to be two-days drive from civilization, but she supposed she'd get used to it. If nothing else, it'd be quieter.
Rising slightly, and almost falling forward as the wagon hit a bump, she fished in her back pants pocket, and sat back down with an envelope in hand. It was addressed to her old apartment in the city, from Z. Heinkel, the owner of the property Asterville Nova was built on, and her new employer. The envelope was open, as she'd read it before boarding at sunrise, but she pulled the contents out to review again anyway; it beat staring at the dusty forest road behind them. She'd tried conversation with the other passengers, who seemed nice enough, but the wagon was not built for comfort, and after an hour or so it became apparent that it was too noisy and shaky to be able to converse without shouting 'WHAT' for every other word.
The first thing she pulled out of the envelope was a small map of Asterville Nova. She pondered it curiously; tracing her finger from the red circle denoting her living quarters, and trying to imagine what the squares and squiggles represented in real life; the roads and walls and fences. Heinkel had commissioned construction workers, bricklayers, and architects to design basic living structures and work areas for all who had signed up for employment. Any radical changes such as an additional wing or building had to be approved for financing, but residents were free to paint, garden, put up drapes and otherwise arrange their surroundings to their heart's content, which Candace found exiting. In her apartment, the building had to be uniform from the outside; she wasn't allowed to hang a wreath at Christmas, and painting anything was out of the question; it would be nice to have some more creative freedom with her living space. Although of course, setting up shop had to be her first concern.
Flipping the map aside, she turned her attention to the included invoice. She had been granted a small budget for initial supplies, to be paid back over her subsequent commissions. The cost was not cheap, but still less than it would have been had she bought it all privately. Still though, she couldn't expect to make a fortune on her first commissions, so she made a mental note to budget her money sparsely, and to invest in non-perishable food as well as hygienic items.
Laying the papers down in her lap, and keeping them in place with one hand, she looked out the open back of the wagon again. The valley was a nice place, densely wooded and green; she hadn't seen graffiti for miles, which was a refreshing change of pace. Still though, as majestic as the landscape was, you could only see so many thousand trees on a dusty roadside before they all looked alike.
Returning her gaze to her lap, she wondered if they'd be arriving soon, and silently complimented herself on her decision to wear khaki pants that day; the dust showed up significantly less on them than it did on her sky-blue tunic-style shirt. Oh well, she thought, at least she wouldn't be the only dusty one. She was doing significantly better today, too. The first day, she'd had to embarrassingly ask the driver to stop twice so she could breathe the clean air for a minute. Candace had never done well with smoggy, dusty, or otherwise unclean air; her throat closed up, her chest felt heavy, she coughed up a lung - or at least tried to, she sweated, she panicked. Most people just coughed and drank water. That was another plus; Asterville Nova was far, far, far away from smokestacks and smog.
((Envelope sent to all Asterville Nova employees/participants))
It felt like they'd been travelling all day - though it hadn't taken much of this kind of transport to make Candace wish she'd brought her pillows with her instead of sending them ahead with her furniture and other home furnishings - maybe if she had something soft to sit on her rear wouldn't have been numb within two hours of setting out again. At least today was the last day of travel - it still unnerved her a bit to be two-days drive from civilization, but she supposed she'd get used to it. If nothing else, it'd be quieter.
Rising slightly, and almost falling forward as the wagon hit a bump, she fished in her back pants pocket, and sat back down with an envelope in hand. It was addressed to her old apartment in the city, from Z. Heinkel, the owner of the property Asterville Nova was built on, and her new employer. The envelope was open, as she'd read it before boarding at sunrise, but she pulled the contents out to review again anyway; it beat staring at the dusty forest road behind them. She'd tried conversation with the other passengers, who seemed nice enough, but the wagon was not built for comfort, and after an hour or so it became apparent that it was too noisy and shaky to be able to converse without shouting 'WHAT' for every other word.
The first thing she pulled out of the envelope was a small map of Asterville Nova. She pondered it curiously; tracing her finger from the red circle denoting her living quarters, and trying to imagine what the squares and squiggles represented in real life; the roads and walls and fences. Heinkel had commissioned construction workers, bricklayers, and architects to design basic living structures and work areas for all who had signed up for employment. Any radical changes such as an additional wing or building had to be approved for financing, but residents were free to paint, garden, put up drapes and otherwise arrange their surroundings to their heart's content, which Candace found exiting. In her apartment, the building had to be uniform from the outside; she wasn't allowed to hang a wreath at Christmas, and painting anything was out of the question; it would be nice to have some more creative freedom with her living space. Although of course, setting up shop had to be her first concern.
Flipping the map aside, she turned her attention to the included invoice. She had been granted a small budget for initial supplies, to be paid back over her subsequent commissions. The cost was not cheap, but still less than it would have been had she bought it all privately. Still though, she couldn't expect to make a fortune on her first commissions, so she made a mental note to budget her money sparsely, and to invest in non-perishable food as well as hygienic items.
Laying the papers down in her lap, and keeping them in place with one hand, she looked out the open back of the wagon again. The valley was a nice place, densely wooded and green; she hadn't seen graffiti for miles, which was a refreshing change of pace. Still though, as majestic as the landscape was, you could only see so many thousand trees on a dusty roadside before they all looked alike.
Returning her gaze to her lap, she wondered if they'd be arriving soon, and silently complimented herself on her decision to wear khaki pants that day; the dust showed up significantly less on them than it did on her sky-blue tunic-style shirt. Oh well, she thought, at least she wouldn't be the only dusty one. She was doing significantly better today, too. The first day, she'd had to embarrassingly ask the driver to stop twice so she could breathe the clean air for a minute. Candace had never done well with smoggy, dusty, or otherwise unclean air; her throat closed up, her chest felt heavy, she coughed up a lung - or at least tried to, she sweated, she panicked. Most people just coughed and drank water. That was another plus; Asterville Nova was far, far, far away from smokestacks and smog.
((Envelope sent to all Asterville Nova employees/participants))
Page 1: letter.
Dear Sir/Madam
Thank you for your participation in the Asterville Nova Program. Your contributions are valued and appreciated, and we hope you find your employment rewarding.
Asterville Nova has been furnished by the Asterville Nova Company (heretofore referred to as A.N.C.) with housing and workspaces for all participants. For your use, there has been prepared for you a single-bedroom living space, insulated and weatherproofed and including
One wood stove - suitable for cooking and central heating system
One twin-size bed with mattress and box spring
One ice box
Storage for food and personal effects
One water pump (Outdoor)
One storage shed
Picket fencing for privacy and protection from wildlife.
In addition, A.N.C. has furnished within Asterville, a general goods store to supply you with groceries, hygienic items, medicine, most common work tools, and other necessities for your day to day life; the cost of these may be paid out of pocket, or deducted from your personal A.N.C. account. A.N.C. will also personally supply shipping for your outgoing merchandise, and incoming orders. This service will also provide your transportation to and, should you wish, from Asterville Nova.
Your transport to Asterville Nova is fully paid for by A.N.C. Your personal effects and furniture have been recieved at A.N.C. and have been placed in your living quarters. Your transportation to Asterville Nova will arrive in your area at 5am at the corner station of 5th avenue and Main street.
You have been provided with a loan budget for your initial supplies; this cost will be deducted incrementally from your initial pay deposits.
As an A.N.C. Employee, you are entitled to a base wage of $425 weekly, in addition to 60% commission on any sold produce. These credits are deposited into your personal company account, and can be accessed at any time via the A.N.C. General Supply outlet. Your commission will increase by 5% per year in the program.
As an A.N.C. Employee, you promise to purchase all supplies through A.N.C. (In the event the requested necessary supply is unavailable through the A.N.C., we will supply it to you via one of our affiliated or subsidiary companies), and also to distribute and sell your produce only through the A.N.C.. Your Employment contract terminates after three years beginning on the day of contract. After this period expires, you will have the option to continue your employment on another three-year terms, without paying the initial registration deposit.
Second page: Map of Asterville, with the addressee's house encircled in red, and the A.N.C. General Supply Outlet highlighted
Third Page: Invoice for initial supplies
(Detailed list follows with item descriptions, costs, shipping, and taxes added in the sidebar)
Final item is a brochure about the Asterville Nova project, detailing the climate, location, and job requirements of the Project and community. It highlights the scenic surroundings, clean air, fertile ground, and community atmosphere
Dear Sir/Madam
Thank you for your participation in the Asterville Nova Program. Your contributions are valued and appreciated, and we hope you find your employment rewarding.
Asterville Nova has been furnished by the Asterville Nova Company (heretofore referred to as A.N.C.) with housing and workspaces for all participants. For your use, there has been prepared for you a single-bedroom living space, insulated and weatherproofed and including
One wood stove - suitable for cooking and central heating system
One twin-size bed with mattress and box spring
One ice box
Storage for food and personal effects
One water pump (Outdoor)
One storage shed
Picket fencing for privacy and protection from wildlife.
In addition, A.N.C. has furnished within Asterville, a general goods store to supply you with groceries, hygienic items, medicine, most common work tools, and other necessities for your day to day life; the cost of these may be paid out of pocket, or deducted from your personal A.N.C. account. A.N.C. will also personally supply shipping for your outgoing merchandise, and incoming orders. This service will also provide your transportation to and, should you wish, from Asterville Nova.
Your transport to Asterville Nova is fully paid for by A.N.C. Your personal effects and furniture have been recieved at A.N.C. and have been placed in your living quarters. Your transportation to Asterville Nova will arrive in your area at 5am at the corner station of 5th avenue and Main street.
You have been provided with a loan budget for your initial supplies; this cost will be deducted incrementally from your initial pay deposits.
As an A.N.C. Employee, you are entitled to a base wage of $425 weekly, in addition to 60% commission on any sold produce. These credits are deposited into your personal company account, and can be accessed at any time via the A.N.C. General Supply outlet. Your commission will increase by 5% per year in the program.
As an A.N.C. Employee, you promise to purchase all supplies through A.N.C. (In the event the requested necessary supply is unavailable through the A.N.C., we will supply it to you via one of our affiliated or subsidiary companies), and also to distribute and sell your produce only through the A.N.C.. Your Employment contract terminates after three years beginning on the day of contract. After this period expires, you will have the option to continue your employment on another three-year terms, without paying the initial registration deposit.
Second page: Map of Asterville, with the addressee's house encircled in red, and the A.N.C. General Supply Outlet highlighted
Third Page: Invoice for initial supplies
(Detailed list follows with item descriptions, costs, shipping, and taxes added in the sidebar)
Final item is a brochure about the Asterville Nova project, detailing the climate, location, and job requirements of the Project and community. It highlights the scenic surroundings, clean air, fertile ground, and community atmosphere