The Tide Price

Brindlecrest, England. 1901. A shining port town where others down and up have dried up and failed. Gaslit streets. Full markets. Paid hands on every dock. A sunny place full of friendly faces. Welcome to Brindlecrest, orderly, prosperous, and proud of its traditions. The Benevolent Hall keeps widows fed and boats repaired. The church keeps its doors open and its sermons proper. The tavern stays loud, the brothel stays busy, and the town’s good fortune is owed to its storied traditions… at least that’s what the locals say. But a price must always be paid. Nothing is free. Evident even in coastal ‘Paradise’. Certain losses accepted. Certain attributes hidden beneath collars and sleeves. The townsfolk call these things blessings, speak of them only at home, and do not invite outsiders to look too closely. Brindlecrest remains prosperous because it pays what is owed. The common-folk don’t know they pay that price. The Tide Price.