The Dark Tale of the Whispering Windmill.  Grave Stone legend says that the Card Creeper was notorious for card cheat'n in many crooked games of cards. On a dark and stormy Halloween night, after stealing hundreds of dollars from a drunken bunch of outlaws, the angry men took matters into their own hands. They dragged the Card Creeper out to the Whispering Windmill were they stopped it and tied him to one of the windmill blades. Once the blades began to turn, the men shot at the Card Creeper nicking him almost a dozen times before a final shot to the head finished him off.   Before that final shot; however, the Card Creeper cursed the men swearing vengeance upon all of them for what they did to him, laughing hideously with an evil grin on his face. Bang! He was finished.  But that was not the end of the Card Creeper. Someone or something heard his curse and brought back his evil soul to seek vengeance upon his killers. Some even say it was the "putrid water" that runs under the windmill. On every Halloween night, the Card Creeper awakens seeking out each of his killers. And always found on his victim's body, is a black ace of spades.

Deadman's Bridge:  Along the outskirts of the desolate town of Grave Stone, a spooky wooden bridge stands as the one pass leading out of the forsaken town. A mysterious fog engulfs the rickety covered bridge and it is said that many have entered the bridge but few have reached the other side. It is best to take one's chances spending the night in Grave Stone than trying to get out through Dead Man's Bridge!

Shady Inn Hotel and Saloon:  Have you heard of skeletons in your attic? There may be skeletons in your bed in the Shady Inn Hotel. Within the desolate town of Grave Stone stands the Shady Inn. It's a horrifying place with boarded windows, creaking floors, and terrifying spooks that haunt the dark rooms within.   Legends say that the Inn was built on a graveyard, while others believe that the land beneath was the ancient burial ground of American Indians. The shadows play tricks on ones sanity within this horrific hotel for those who have dared spent the night have seen those terrifying visions of apparitions and the undead, calling for someone to join them in their shallow graves. If you are unfortunate to have stumbled upon the ghostly town of Grave Stone, you may want to think twice about spending the night in the Shady Inn.

Shady Inn Hotel and Saloon (Version 2)

Interior Images

Prospector Tex Grimwell:  Not many individuals still living in the town of Grave Stone remember Tex Grimwell, the old prospector, but somewhere in a cellar below Grave Stone is his story. Old Tex roamed the desert for months at a time searching for the "Mother Load", the largest gold vein in the west. During the cold nights in the desert with a small campfire and the dim light from a kerosene lantern, Tex wrote about his fabulous journeys. The book was hidden somewhere in Grave Stone years ago, but within its tattered yellow pages, Tex tells of his discovery of a lost mine. Some discount his stories as the ravings of a mad man that went crazy looking for gold, while others believe the book to be actual stories of Tex's survival in the desert. Some even say that within the book is a map to the lost mine.

Then there's the question of where Tex Grimwell got the money to buy Sutter's Mill before he perished? Some say it was Jeb Stotworth, his long-time friend who may have poisoned him. But these secrets lie burried in Grave Stone, where few dare to visit...

Sinister Stable:  Ghostly green lights and skeletal figures have been seen lately outside the Sinister Stable. What eerie mystery lies within its rotten wooden walls? Clanking sounds of a hammer hitting horseshoes can be heard coming from the barn. Perhaps the Phantom Rider is having his black steed prepared for his midnight journey; or rather, it may be one of Grave Stone's Ghastly Steeds being saddled.

And what is that shiny object that hangs in the hay loft? Perhaps the object can unlock some of the mysteries of Grave Stone...

Nightmare Stage Coach:  The Bone Brothers have decided to hop in the Nightmare Stage Coach and raise some dead in the Town of Grave Stone. As they ride through the town, one of the brothers shoots two pistols into the air to ward off other Grave Stone haunts that might decide to hold up the stage coach. Watch out! Someone has a dynamite stick!

Putrid Creek Mill:  Some believe that the waters of Grave Stone have long since dried up, but tell that to old Morty Perkins who fishes along Putrid Creek every early morning just before sunrise. Old Morty haunts Putrid Creek Mill, a dilapidating wooden mill that was build during the gold rush.

Not much is known about Putrid Creek and where its waters come from, but some say that it is a mysterious river that only appears at midnight during a full moon, its dark waters flowing from the canyon of the Shadow Mountains. There is a legend that a greedy band of miners found the burial cavern of an ancient Indian people in the Shadow Mountains and dared to desecrate the tomb by stealing some of the sacred objects found within. An ancient Indian curse was unlocked along with a grotto filled with water that flooded the cavern drowning most of the miners within. The water was cursed and is known to some as Putrid Water for no living thing can drink the poisoned water and survive. Legend also tells that the Putrid Water can be used to resurrect the dead, if the ancient Indian spirits are called.

The old mill stands at the end of Putrid Creek before the waters enter the underground caverns and grottos beneath Grave Stone. Old Morty Perkins knows the secrets of Putrid Creek and even knows how to venture upstream through the canyon to the source of the waters, but who knows what he dares catch in the dark waters near Putrid Creek Mill.

Awakening of Phantom Rider, Grave Stone Cemetery:  Something's a'spook'n the critters in Grave Stone Cemetery. Jake Farlow, the Undertaker, and his loyal helper Hank Austin have been busy trying to keep up with the current demand. Jake is a greedy man; however, and has told Hank to just burry 'em quickly not to worry about digg'n 'em too deep. Perhaps it was the shallow grave, or even the Putrid Water, but someone or something is rising from the large grave in the center of the cemetery. Poor Hank sees the skeletal figure with its green glowing eyes climbing out of the tomb and can only stare at the horrifying apparition. It is he, the Phantom Rider who is awakening from his tomb! Halloween must be near...

Haunted Mine:   Hidden within the Shadow Mountains, only assessable by either Putrid Creek or the treacherous Hidden Pass, ghost drums within the Haunted Mine echo in the moon lit night . Four greedy miners have come to the mine to extract its treasures. Unfortunately, they did not heed the warnings of the reluctant towns people within Grave Stone. Legend says that the mine is haunted by the spirit of a great Indian warrior and that within the depths of the mine, his ancient weapons are still burried, cursed for those who desecrate the chamber. But the curse has not stopped miners from digging within the dark caverns, some still burried under cave-ins within the deeper levels. What ancient curse will the miners unlock?

Snake Oil Wagon of Professor Snidley C. Rooked:  Professor Snidley C. Rooked, Wizard of Curiosities rides from town to town in search of trusting townsfolk to sell his magical potions and Snake Oil. The all-knowing Professor is always willing to share tall tales of far-away places and mythical creatures to those that will listen. He even claims to have barely escaped a ghastly town know as Grave Stone in which a skeletal outlaw roams the cursed land. Most discount his stories as mere tactics to sell his Snake Oil, but there is always one believer in every town.  The Snake Oil Wagon includes a removable side wall for easy access to the interior, and the Professor's collection of magic and curiosities.

Notes:  This MOC was not designed to be part of the Grave Stown collection, but rather an entry in a Best Wizard's Workshop contest.  Despite the "not-too-scary" look of the MOC and regular background image, I thought it would be a nice twist to provide some story-line linking the good Professor to Grave Stone.

Notes:  Fort Jacinto was an introduction to a new Wild West sub-theme I call "Old Mexico" or "Southwest".   The MOC was inspired by the Alamo fort in Texas, Spanish missions, and other images of Southwest architecture.  The soldiers used are those from the Caribbean Clipper.