peculiar, oregon
peculiar, oregon, is a haunted and magical fictional town located in clatsop county, just a few miles north of clatsop state forest. founded in 1844, peculiar is only 54 miles northwest of the state's biggest city, portland. the town spent decades trying to clean up its spooky reputation but instead embraced it when it attracted tourism that boosted the economy beyond the town's wildest dreams. it is now flourishing, with its population sitting at just over 11,500 people and growing by the year. please see our faq section below for what goes and what does not go within the town limits of peculiar! if you have a question that has not been addressed, you may drop us a line here or here you are a current member.
frequently asked questions
what is the tone of peculiar?
peculiar is meant to be a fun non-sol community with magical and paranormal themes. these themes can range from silly to scary but our overall tone will not be one that is overly dark and gritty. think more hocus pocus, less true blood. that isn't to say that we won't allow darker themes to be explored by characters and we more than welcome in character drama. the paranormal won't always be fun to deal with but again, we do not want peculiar to turn into something that is overly dark and emotionally exhausting.

can we play characters mentioned on the town lore page?
so long as they are not already taken, you may absolutely play them so long as you do not change anything about their fixed history. you will want to visit the town families page to see what is available. this page also holds additional family information that may not be on the town lore page.

what exactly did the meteor do?
the meteor brought something alive (the mist) with magical properties to the land that peculiar sits on. these magical properties are in the air, the water and the trees because the mystical force from the meteor is essentially alive and peculiar is its home. because of this, families that have lived in peculiar for generations produced descendants with some subtle or not so subtle magical talents.

are characters aware of the meteor and mist's history?
no! as far as characters are aware the town is just different and unexplained. that does not mean it will remain unexplained. a second meteor may appear in the future, bringing more paranormal and mystical forces to the town.

what are your magical guidelines?
characters with magical abilities are limited to families marked with a crystal ball (🔮). their abilities are generated from the mystical properties the meteor in 1799 brought along with it. it is unexplained why some families were effected by the properties and some weren't but the town's historical society keepers are always working to uncover new truths. the magical properties do not come to these residents easily and they are not instantaneous. some find it erratic and struggle with ever getting it right. others have to work for years to master what they can do. some straight up consider it a curse. while this freedom is limited to families with a 🔮 that does not mean you will never have a shot. we reserve the right to grant one in the future to established members who want to explore something new that makes sense for peculiar's magical setting.

are ghosts and hauntings also caused by the meteor?
yes! hauntings in peculiar aren't the same as they are in the rest of the world - they are more tangible. something within the magical properties in peculiar allows the after life still lingering to haunt or show themselves from time to time. why some stick around for years while others come and go is unknown to peculiar residents but is studied rigorously by the keepers at the historical society.

how do residents handle the paranormal?
for residents that have lived in peculiar for a long time it is simply an every day thing. one does not need magic to take care of hauntings, possessions, etc. they can be handled by anyone in town if they have the right tools (think supernatural - salt, crosses, latin) and know how.

do you allow supernatural creatures to be played?
supernatural creatures may be introduced into small plots or news updates but characters cannot play them. this decision was made based on the current onslaught of information our members are facing when joining. this is not a final decision. this is a town where things can change and if the community votes to allow it we will discuss and build specific lore that suits peculiar and makes room for it.