Gatherer's Garden
From Seattle Nwod
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[edit] Are you as strong as MY Daddy?
Standing in front one of the numerous store fronts in the Goblin Market known as the Nexus is a small creature which takes the form of a young girl, probably in 10 or 11, done up in the style of a child from the 1950's. She speaks about her daddy being able to grant those who visit the Gatherer's Garden powers beyond belief: being able to move faster than a locomotive, fly like a bird, even tear stone apart like it was clay! Those who seem interested are directed into the building behind the young girl-creature, which looks from the outside to be just another store.
[edit] The Gatherer's Garden
The inside of the shop, however, looks more like a chemical lab than anything else. A number of glass bottles rest on the steel shelves that line the walls, each filled with liquids of various colors. Each bottle is etched with different designs, apparently denoting what the liquid inside grants. Below each bottle is a syringe, which looks like it fits into the opening of the bottle perfectly. Interested customers are aided by creatures that are perfectly androgynous, with white full-face masks covering their features; looking closer, though, reveals that the masks are actually fused onto their faces.
By the door, sitting idly in a corner, is what looks to be some sort of automaton. Its head looks something like an old diving helmet, and a wickedly sharp drill appears to be its primary weapon. It does not stir, however, unless someone threatens one of the small teddy bears that wander the shop. These bears, looking out at the world with glowing yellow eyes, occasionally tug on the pants or skirts of patrons and hold arms out for hugs. Those who do so, though, find themselves a little lighter in the Glamour department; contact with one of these bears drains one point of Glamour (or other Supernatural expendable) per turn. These bears, however, all shy away from the owner of this place of marvels: the Doctor.
[edit] Speak to me, Aphrodite...
There once was a man by the name of Jonas Steinman. This man lived in New York City, and he had dreams of becoming a great reconstructive surgeon, helping those who were dealt mutilating blows by life to regain some level of normalcy. And he did do just that; he graduated from medical school and began his own practice. However, he would soon find himself working on very different patients indeed.
In 1964, a year after he opened his practice, Jonas was walking through Washington Heights on his way back home when he heard a cry for help. Going to investigate, he received a crack on the head and a blurry view of the brick alleyway turning into a wall of thorny branches for his troubles. When he awoke, he was before a creature of such beauty that he fell to his knees sobbing even as other parts of his anatomy were expanding. This creature, a member of the Gentry who had modeled itself after a number of the human goddesses of beauty, gave Jonas one task: create a beauty equal to her own. He took up his task right away, the image of his Keeper burned into his mind.
However, for the longest time he could never quite get it right. He began taking his frustration out on his 'patients', often killing them in the process. Much time passed indeed, and, eventually, he made the perfect match. Upon showing his creation to his Keeper, she smiled upon him, and gave him a new task. Namely, he was to find others who would be fitting additions to her galleries. Thus, with her blessing, he created the Gatherer's Garden. In this place, Steinman gifted those who entered the Garden with a new kith...which also tagged them for later retrieval by the subjects of his Keeper. And, not surprisingly, business has been very good indeed.
