#gatlin fields

Slumberland Orchards

NEIGHBORHOOD: Gatlin Fields

One of the best ways to appreciate those New England fall seasons is to go over to an apple orchard, pick some apples, sip some cider, and get your fill of cider doughnuts. The obvious choice is Slumberland Orchards, located out in Gatlin Fields. They offer over 15 kinds of apples for both sale and picking, and their tasting room includes ciders, apple wines, and delightful spirits. That does include the ghost possessing a bottle of pommeau (staff hasn’t been able to catch it). Be sure to stop by the general store before you go – you’ll want some swag and fritters. At night, you might even be able to take a haunted hayride, where you’ll surely be scared out of your mind. 

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The apples grown here are some of the most coveted in New England. They produce a versatile variety of apples and have enough to supply the local grocery stores.

Equally famous is their cider. They offer a number of flavors: regular, lite, sour, fall harvest, human fear, and raspberry. Pear and mayo have recently been added to their menu.

The longer one spends in the orchards picking apples, the more tired they become. Eventually, people are bound to fall asleep where they stand. Some wake up a bit later covered in smushed apples but none worse for the wear. Others experience nightmares unlike any they’ve had before, and are so filled with fright they run off further, never to be seen again. Turns out, the owners of the orchards are mares. They like when food comes to them.

That might have something to do with why there’s no salt on the premises. People  have complained before since they can’t “find the salt shakers” and staff generally just say they’re “out of order,” whatever that means. 

The orchards employ two bugbear siblings to provide the scares on the haunted hayride. Customers are subjected to a variety of scary illusions and sometimes just plain old big bears. 

Lullaby music can be heard around the orchard grounds at times; it’s rarely the same tune, and it comes from identifiable speakers between the trees. Staff says this is intentional just for ambience. Turns out they’re testing which music lulls people to sleep the fastest.

Malapples seasonally infest the trees. So if you’re not falling asleep, you might just break out in an argument.

People claim that they’ve seen a local cryptid in the orchards that has been dubbed Gourdon. The owners wave these claims off but locals still tend to bring offerings of the apple seeds leftover from their picks to leave out for the creature. Those in the know also bring mulled wine, which seems to be the cryptid’s favorite treat. Glimpses of Gourdon aren’t rare, but the animal quickly runs away from any sign of humanoid life.

The 3 Daggers 

NEIGHBORHOOD: Gatlin Fields

From the outside, this rundown barn with fences lined with iron, silver, and religious iconography doesn’t look like much. Most never even give the barn in the distance a second look let alone venture down the dirt road that leads to it. As such, it’s perfect for the community of hunters that have made Wicked’s Rest their home or stop for a hunt. Inside, hunters can enjoy a rustic bar filled with hunting trophies and a bies head mounted on the wall. Only confirmed hunters are allowed to visit the bar, typically only upon invite from one of the club’s members. Despite this, sometimes confusion causes regular hunters to stumble in. Some of the supernatural hunters are amiable enough to let the occasional normie stick around, thinking they won’t believe any of the bar’s chatter; others consider it a serious and risky breach.

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The owner, Killian Yoo, comes from a long line of rangers, and many of his siblings act as trainers at many hunter camps across the northeast.

Most of the hunters who frequent this bar tend to try to keep the supernatural hidden at all costs. It’s rare to get the location of the bar without a previous connection to a regular patron or to Killian. 

There are usually several bounties listed on the bulletin board in the lounge. Some are from hunters out of town or those with supernatural enemies, but some are just small jobs listed on local forums that seem suspiciously supernatural. Flappin’ Flann’s bounty has been there for years to no avail.

In addition to the bounty board, there’s an archive of old, donated hunter journals that are available for patrons to consult. Seeing as the authors – often deceased – were probably not the most scholarly, the information is often laden with conjecture and strong opinions, but is generally pretty reliable.  Hunters may also value “Scribe night” when some local Scribes come to the bar.

The establishment serves hearty, energy-boosting meals catered to hunters who often need sustenance after long hunts, and there’s even a hefty first-aid kit behind the bar to take care of more grievous injuries. While hunters probably shouldn't go to a bar if they’re bleeding out… it does happen.

According to the bar’s Spotify profile data, the bar is in the top 1% of Cher’s Spotify listeners. 

Of course there’s a dart board. But most hunters decide to use their own knives or even axes instead. Never mind the injuries.

Due to the dangerous nature of hunters’ lifestyles, no one is allowed to leave for the night without paying off their tab. 

Allgood Death Pit

NEIGHBORHOOD: Gatlin Fields

While the Allgood Death Pit surely isn’t the only pit of death in town, it might just be the only one with a name. The early, superstitious residents of Gatlin Fields used to bury their dead. The change in customs started with the Allgood family back in the early 1800s. After the untimely death of his family, John Allgood may have snapped a little. He became convinced that the burials of his wife and children caused them to come back as animals on his farm, and that if the remains had been left where they would be eaten by predators, his family wouldn’t have met this barnyard fate. The people of Gatlin Fields listened to the highly respected Allgood, and the pit was formed. From then on, most everyone out in the Fields simply dumps their deceased into the large pit that had been dug out, and they let nature run its course. This draws large numbers of necrophages out into the neighborhood, which in turn tends to cause more deaths. 

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The stench from the pit can be perceived by the human nose even from a mile away, and even further depending on the way the wind is blowing. It’s no surprise that it tends to draw in zombies, sirens, and banshees from all over town.

The zombies have been especially problematic, and have led to the near-formation of a few hordes over the years. Slayers hate that the pit exists, but they can’t do anything about it other than monitor and take out problems before they end up on a mass scale.

There are different strata of remains in the pit. While the remains decompose over time, sometimes lack of exposure to air and compression result in some really old remains sticking around. Some probably date back decades.

The pit is surrounded by signs reminding people to watch out for the wildlife. This not only refers to coyotes, turkey vultures, but also ghouls, and various supernatural dangers interested in remains. Because of the local beliefs, those in Gatlin Fields have a respect for the role scavengers and necrophages play in the environment.

Locals have a superstition of not looking in the pit as they’re depositing remains. It’s said that if you look, you’re sure to see someone you know in the pit.

As for Allgood’s theory about the farm animals… well, that’s probably not even true, though everyone in the Fields accepts it as fact. However, there does seem to be something going on. When an animal eats the remains of someone buried in Gatlin Fields, the animal’s whole personality changes and they may forever have a haunted look in their eyes.

Yes, the police and ME’s office are aware of this place and hate it. But despite many attempts to close it off, people continue to dump bodies.

Excaliputt

NEIGHBORHOOD: Gatlin Fields

With its wide open space, Gatlin Fields is the perfect location for a mini golf course that isn’t all that mini. Excaliputt takes its medieval theming very seriously – their 25 holes will take you around and through castles, motes, knights, dragons, and even by an extremely tall wizard’s tower. Some golfers love that everyone there speaks in medieval parlance while on the course, for immersion, of course… but they might find themselves only able to speak in such a manner as well, even if they didn’t think they even knew the words verily or furlong. Excaliputt provides a fun time for the whole family, college club outings, or those just wanting to enjoy nice weather with friends. Do mind the dragons, though.

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Every group gets a caddy. No one gets to say they don’t want one or that they aren’t “necessary” for mini golf. The caddies are mini horses (if it were regular golf they’d be regular horses) and some people swear they’ve heard their caddies speak.

The entire course is completely overrun with “dragons”. These overgrown fire salamanders range from two to twenty feet long, and all of them have fake wings strapped to their backs. While some people might delight in them, the “dragons” do in fact breathe fire, which can lead to some dangerous interactions.

A spellcaster named Bob is responsible for the “dragons”. They weren’t supposed to be big. For his mistake, he was locked up in the course’s wizard tower, where he has resided for several years now, unable to get out. So, yes, that sky-high wizard tower is the real deal. Rescuing Bob would be very difficult, but perhaps possible if you’re willing to climb the world’s tallest spiral staircase.

Before Bob was locked up, he managed to get one last trick in – he cursed the area so that everyone there was compelled to speak in middle ages era English, a curse that persists today. The longer someone is there, the more naturally their speech adapts. For the staff who work the course, the accent isn’t just getting into character.

Sometimes people find treasure chests around the course. More than decorations, these chests contain things from all different time periods around the world – some things are useless, some dangerous, and others very powerful.

There are some great photo opportunities! You can have photos taken at the “stocks” and hope that the chains come undone after. You can also get a photo of yourself trying to pull a golf club from a stone, where it’s been stuck for longer than anyone knows. 

The Pile

NEIGHBORHOOD: Gatlin Fields

Seven Peaks may have their fancy pants mountains that look over the town as proud landmarks, but Gatlin Fields isn’t without their own cherished peak on the horizon. Only, it’s trash. The Pile is a literal mound of garbage that some people cherish so much they paint its likeness on postcards and canvas. While folks casually use it as a dump to discard their belongings, there aren’t any trucks bringing waste here. The mound wasn’t actually started by humans at all, but a family of trash-obsessed zlydzen, who both wanted to study people by way of their garbage and also collect choice bits for themselves. It was built quickly, over only a couple of years, and because of this, some of the less observant in the neighborhood think it must be divine. Most commonly the belief is that the Pile itself is a sentient being. 

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The zlydzen troop lives inside of the pile and has a number of entrances and exits built that are hard to spot. While some wardens have tried to get rid of them, the garbage alone acts as a good deterrent to make them really consider if a few zlydzen are worth the trouble.

It’s common for those in Gatlin Fields to come see the Pile and confide in it, even asking it for advice on navigating life’s hardships. One of the zlydzen has taken on the role of advice-giver and answers back from within. This can lead to some unusual guidance.

Rumors of bonafide treasures within the Pile are true. But good luck finding them unless you’re also a zlydzen.

All of the waste has caused a large number of gnomes to sprout up in the area, often forming fairy rings. The zlydzen love having them here as an added defense, and can sometimes be seen partaking in fairy ring ceremonies themselves.

There’s also a beithir that sleeps coiled up in the deepest part of the Pile, emerging only during stormy weather. The zlydzen have affectionately named it Curly Fry, but they fear it as much as anyone else.

Every once in a while, those digging through the mound might unearth a vampire or zombie that’s been buried there for a while. They’re typically driven into a feral state by their hunger.

The Mane Attraction

NEIGHBORHOOD: Gatlin Fields

What started as a passion project for local horse enthusiast Claire Canter turned into a genuine business. Initially, Claire built her stables in Gatlin Fields to house her own horse, a mare (the horse kind, not the undead kind) named Tilly. Upon finishing the stable, however, she determined that she could make better use of the space by expanding. One stable became two, then that grew into three, then a track was added, then a polo field, and so on and so forth. And so, the Mane Attraction was born. Now settled on several acres of land, the Mane Attraction offers a place for local horse owners to stable their steeds for a monthly fee, and offers any Resters who may not have horses of their own an opportunity to meet and interact with the animals.

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They offer horseback riding lessons at three different levels: beginner, intermediate, and expert. The beginner and intermediate classes are both taught by Claire herself, while the expert classes are taught by her great great uncle, Cody Canter. No one’s sure how long Cody’s been teaching, but there are a few photos of old-timey cowboys who bear a striking resemblance to him around town…

The Mane Attraction also sponsors Wicked’s Rest’s amateur polo club. The club meets at the stables fairly often and make good use of the field Claire built. 

Some of the horses who live in the stable full time are… a little odd. In fact, some of them may not be horses at all. There’s at least one unicorn who seems strangely docile and a pair of nuckelavee who seem content to spend their above water hours hanging out in the stable. The latter seem really interested in certain members of the polo club, though…

Looking to give back to the community, Claire has teamed up with the Wicked’s Rest Community Center for several outreach programs, including offering up her horses and stables for equine therapy and doing shows at local schools for the kids.

The undead kind of mares are strictly prohibited from the premises. It’s unfortunate, but their presence tends to spook the horses, making it dangerous for everyone involved. To enforce this, Cody’s loyal hound dog is posted by the entrance to the facilities, sniffing visitors as they arrive. If he growls, Cody refuses an individual from entering. It’s not a foolproof process, and human visitors have been mistakenly banned.

In addition to horses, The Mane Attraction is well-known locally for housing an even-tempered mountain wurm named Murphy. Children and adults both delight in doing trail rides on a big wurm. There have only been a few problematic incidents with Murphy. You can count them on your remaining fingers.

Null Impact Crater

NEIGHBORHOOD: Gatlin Fields

In the year 2000, an asteroid struck down in the middle of Gatlin Fields. At the time of the impact, the force of it destroyed many nearby properties, and about half of Gatlin Fields proclaimed they saw UFOs in the sky. Some Fielders claim to this day that ever since the impact, they’ve seen aliens walking around town. Regardless of the crater’s strange origins, most can at least agree that the impact zone tends to have unusual effects on some of those who visit it. Mind the unicorns.

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There's now a pretty large, deep hole in the middle of the impact crater, as if something was buried beneath it and extracted... because that's exactly what happened. The onychorror that now powers the whole town's supply of magic was dug up from here and relocated to Netherville in late May of 2026.

Around the crater is the most predictable place in town where one might be able to see unicorns. While that may sound romantic or compelling, their very presence attracts other demons, and unicorns are not as beautiful as mythology might have you believe. If you hear harp music, it’s probably the unicorns’ external entrails flapping in the breeze.

The valley’s rugged surface is dotted with deposits of meteoric iron that are used by some families of wardens; some of these families even live nearby and make a living out of working with the iron here. Of course, the high concentration of iron makes this area extremely dangerous to fae, and even being near the crater might make them feel their skin is being set ablaze.

Sightseers and astronomers appreciate how breathtakingly clear the night sky is here. However, the planets, moons, and even stars occasionally seem to loom close enough to inspire vertigo.

Null Crater is a popular sight-sighting and camping area, but it also attracts a steady influx of UFO enthusiasts. It is possible that some of these “alien” stories are passing encounters with supernatural beings—in particular, the creature they’ve dubbed Zilch.

A few local cults use this area as the site for rituals. Most of them are probably unaware of the impact crater's actual otherworldly qualities, but it’s possible that a few more knowledgeable members know exactly what they’re doing.

The Clutch

NEIGHBORHOOD: Gatlin Fields

Painting eggs need not be relegated to a certain holiday. In Wicked’s Rest, there’s never a bad time to paint an egg. Benedict, the owner, made it easy to find the place if you look for the neon egg-shaped sign! The Clutch is a studio that offers eggs of all shapes and sizes, their shelves (very carefully) lined with them. It’s unclear if these eggs would be suitable for eating, but it’s impressive how much they vary in appearance, and sometimes they do seem to wiggle around while noises are heard through the shell. But don’t worry about that. Painting at The Clutch is a wonderful activity for family and friends, and when you’re done painting your egg, you can engage in the time-honored Wicked’s Rest tradition of leaving the egg somewhere special. Oh, not like some kind of offering or anything. That would be weird.

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About the eggs… most assume they’re locally sourced from chickens, and at least half of that is true. The locally sourced part. The Clutch actually just scoops up the eggs from out back, where there’s a nice, warm recession in the ground that a lot of creatures – supernatural and otherwise – naturally lay their eggs in, even year round. 

If you’re lucky, your egg won’t hatch at all or will wait until you’re done painting it and you’ve left it around town somewhere (as is the custom). But there have been a couple occasions where eggs have hatched while being painted, and it’s unclear what exactly came out of them.

Some people have also taken their painted eggs home and kept them instead of leaving them around town, and later find just the broken eggshell. Or in some cases, a baby something-or-other skittering around their house.

Pretty much any egg-laying creature will lay eggs around The Clutch, which explains why the eggs come in such a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. Some look fairly typical for animal eggs, while others are overtly supernatural. Most people would assume The Clutch just pre-painted those ones, or the giant ones are fake.

The Clutch despises The Clayground, and sends people to report back on any of the studio’s movements or recent offerings so they can try to compete. There’s only room in town for one place that paints things, and those things should be eggs.

They play relaxing music for people painting eggs, which customers enjoy. No one is familiar with the specific songs though. How long has Spotify had “egg” listed as a music genre?