Pinebox, Texas

The city of Pinebox is a town of 19th century East Texas charm and 21st century progress
located in Golan County, Texas. Pinebox is nestled in the remains of a once-vast, dense forest called the
Big Thicket that ranged across Texas. Louisiana, and beyond. For many years the area’s primary income
derived from harvesting pine trees for timber, which is how the city came to be named. The area boasts
numerous hiking and biking trails, as well as excellent fishing and water sports opportunities at nearby
Lake Greystone.
Pinebox is home to slightly more than 19,000 permanent residents, plus a student population of
13,000 more. Dining opportunities include a mix of national restaurant chains and local favorites such as
the Pizza Barn. Despite hosting a nationally ranked university, Pinebox has managed to maintain its rural
roots. Many students have said one of the best things about ETU is how the low-pressure, small town
lifestyle helped them adjust to life on their own.
ETU serves 13,000 undergraduate and graduate students in almost sixty fields of study. The
anthropology and folklore departments are ranked in the top ten in the country and ETU is rated in the
Top 20 Best Education Values for a public University. Students from more than 35 countries attend ETU.
The college has a nationally ranked ROTC program and was recently awarded a grant to become a
Homeland Defense Training School. ETU has a very active Journalism department and its own
award-winning, student-run television (KTRU) and radio stations (KETU).
While the town provides options for shopping and entertainment, ETU offers many amenities right
on campus, and almost anything a student needs can be found there. In addition to on-campus housing
(mandatory for Freshmen and Sophomores), the campus offers a movie theater, bowling alley, art gallery,
well-equipped gym and recreational sports center, paintball field, bookstore, convenience store, a food
court, emergency care, bus transit system, and more.

CLIMATE
The region is well known for hot, humid summers with average temperatures in the 90s. The high
humidity interferes with the body’s ability to cool itself through the evaporation of sweat. A measly 95°
Fahrenheit with 80% humidity yields a heat index of about 113°. This makes the threat of heat stroke and
dehydration a serious factor. Large-scale forays into the wild better involve lugging along copious
amounts of water, which in turn greatly increases your odds of becoming fatigued or passing out.
Winters are relatively mild, with high temperatures in the 60s common through November. Cold
fronts usually strike during December, January, and February, with at least a few that produce
below-freezing temperatures. The area occasionally experiences an ice storm that causes downed trees
and power lines. Snow is very rare.
East Texas suffers from huge thunderstorms and tornadoes. Summer months have the possibility
of a hurricane or tropical storm hitting the Texas coast and moving inland. These spawn great rainstorms
and lead to localized flooding, dangerous winds, lightning, and tornadoes. Typically, folks have plenty of
time to prepare for hurricanes but tornadoes strike with very little warning.

FLORA & FAUNA

All kinds of critters make East Texas their home. In reality, most wild animals do not pose a great
deal of danger. Not many bears live in the area (mostly Louisiana black bears that have been
reintroduced into the wild), nor panthers or wolves. The largest carnivore is the alligator, some of which
grow quite large at 13 feet long and 600 pounds.
Rabies outbreaks sometimes cause wild animals to attack, and hikers always face the possibility
of encountering a razorback, pack of wild dogs, or being chased by an angry 2,000 lb. bull that strayed off
a local ranch.
 However, most people overlook the little things. The greatest animal nuisance are fire ants, which
are pervasive. If anyone stands still for very long, he will very likely get bitten. Some fields are so dense
with fire ants that the mounds are within two or three feet of one another. Their foragers and scouts are
everywhere looking for food (or threats) and are not shy about biting or stinging. In a gunfight, staying
prone could be very inconvenient in the middle of such a field!
Heaven forbid someone should faint outdoors in East Texas. Fire ants quickly swarm bodies, and
locals can recite tales of an elderly person passing out in a garden and later dying of complications
caused by ant bites.
East Texas is the home of all kinds of snakes, venomous and non-venomous. The most common
venomous snakes are water moccasins (also called cottonmouths) and copperheads. Rattlesnakes and
the deadly coral snake occasionally make an appearance, but are less common in East Texas.
Venomous spiders and scorpions strike often from their hiding spots, such as in boots stored in
closets. People still die from attacks by the dreaded Africanized or “killer” bees. Even the billions and
billions of mosquitoes and ticks can carry potentially deadly diseases, such as the West Nile virus and
Lyme disease.
As far as plants go, poison ivy, poison sumac, and poison oak are common. While usually not life
threatening, they can become a serious health nuisance.
East Texas is known for its great pine forests, although other hardwood trees are also very
common. Pinebox is in the extreme north end of the last remaining North American jungle known as the
Big Thicket. This woodland is so dense that locals claim if anyone loses sight of the road he will never find
it again.

HISTORY
The area around Golan County in East Texas was first settled by various tribes of Native
Americans, most numerous being the Caddoans. The Caddoans lived for several centuries in what is
today known as Indian Mounds State Park, a popular tourist stop and the site of ongoing archaeological
studies by ETU researchers.
In 1825 Carter Greystone recruited over 150 families to settle around Lake Greystone. Due to a
series of floods, the original settlement eventually moved east and became the town of Pinebox in 1855.
Carter Greystone’s brother William served as its first mayor until his death in 1875 at the age of 72.
East Texas Woman’s College was founded in 1888 and became the South East Texas Institute in
the early 1900s. Early president Howard O’Brien recommended the Ravens nickname in honor of Texas
legend and hero, Sam Houston, who was known as the Raven by the Native Americans. The name was
changed to East Texas University in the 1980s.
Golan County prospered as a farming community, but farming was soon overshadowed by the
timber industry. Dozens of small mills once dotted the hills and the industry remains strong to this day.
In the late 1930s, Lake Greystone underwent a transformation as the Works Progress
Administration built a dam, moved the course of Whiskey Creek, and tripled the size of the natural lake.
In the 1940s the War Department bought up a large swath of the northern part of the county as a
wilderness navigation training camp. Budget cuts have been unkind to “Base X” over the decades but it is
still staffed today, if barely.
In 1953 an area of forest east of Pinebox suffered a forest fire, the cause of which was never
determined. More than 60 years later, the two square mile section of the forest—known locally as the
Burn—remains as blackened and lifeless as the day after the fire.

CITY GOVERNMENT
Pinebox is the Golan County seat, meaning that it is home to the county courthouse as well as
city hall. The Pinebox Police Department’s jurisdiction ends at the city limits, where it is picked up by the
Golan County Sheriff’s Department. Through a long standing zoning agreement, the East Texas
University campus is not within the city Boundaries. Consequently,anything that can’t be handled by
Campus Security falls under Sheriff Butch Anderson’s jurisdiction.

LAW ENFORCEMENT
As the students become swept up in the hidden undercurrent of monsters and magic, they may
need to be reminded that the world of Pinebox and ETU is still essentially our world. In this day and age, if
a person flashes a gun on campus or shoots up the town, the repercussions are quite serious.
Sooner or later, the heroes are likely to face criminal charges based on what they do in public.
For instance, it would be bad to blast away with shotguns at demons in human guise. Even if the bodies
or wounded are never found, the heroes could face Aggravated Assault charges if anyone witnesses their
actions. In this game, heroes must play smart or they may end up doing hard time!
Judge Marie Anne Durousseau is a graduate of ETU and only in her mid-30s, having taken over
the position after the prior office- holder’s disappearance. District Attorney Dennis Holloway is a tough,
no-nonsense person who prefers to make deals rather than go to trial. If a case does go to trial, he does
everything in his power to see justice served. Although the county doesn’t have a full time public
defender, when the need arises the job usually goes to local attorney Steven Fuller, a down-on-his-luck
alcoholic. Fuller is competent, but those who can afford their own lawyer usually hire James Richardson.
Richardson is known for his ability to bargain for deals that keep his defendants out of jail.

PINEBOX PLACES OF INTEREST

● 4-Kit-Up Pawn​: Kyle Sibley’s pawn shop buys and sells everything under the sun. They have an
impressive collection of stereo equipment, computers, and guns. Kyle promises a fair deal...but
doesn’t always deliver. Sibley is a member of the white supremacist group, the Texas National Militia,
and uses his business to fence stolen and illegal goods to fund the group’s activities. 4-Kit Up does
offer weaponry the heroes are unlikely to be able to buy anywhere else, but minorities and foreign
students can expect rude treatment.
● Angry Stick​: This pool hall and bar has been in continuous operation since 1892 thanks to its loyal
blue-collar customers and inexpensive beer. Rumor has it that gamblers drive in from hours away to
play in the occasional private high-stakes poker game tucked in a back room. The two story building
is reputed to be haunted.
● Bonner’s Bail Bonds​: Bonner’s is owned and operated by Clyde Bonner and family. Clyde is a mean
but fair old cuss who occasionally hires tough people to help bring in bail jumpers. He is a member of
the Chamber of Commerce and is considered by many to be a difficult man to work with. He often
blocks votes on creating new business or zoning for Pinebox and is against new taxes of any kind.
● Brazen Hussy Brewery​: This small brewery was purchased out of bankruptcy and renamed Brazen
Hussy as a gimmick. The bottles of “blonde” (light), “brunette” (dark), and “redhead” (amber) beer
featuring bikini-clad models on the labels are popular with the young college crowd. The brewery has
a history of high employee turnover, dating back before even the bankruptcy and change in
ownership. Some former employees tell stories of hearing cries for help coming from the giant beer
tanks and the feeling of being watched.
● Cecil Greystone Memorial Library​: Built in 1966, the Greystone serves as the area’s major library
outside of the college campus. It offers two meeting rooms, a genealogical repository, and ten
computers with access to the Internet.
● City Hall​: This building contains all the basic offices of a city, including the office of Mayor James
Flowers. It also includes two court rooms, one of which permanently serves local Justice of the Peace
Raymond Walker. City Hall, along with the Police Station and the Post Office, faces the immaculate
grounds of the town square.
● Clark, Richardson, & Auger Law Firm​: This law firm specializes in defense cases and have a
reputation for getting its clients out of trouble, for the right price.
● County Courthouse​: This impressive building holds county and district courts, birth and death
certificates, tax rolls, wedding licenses, and the offices of county Judge Marie Anne Durousseau and
District Attorney Dennis Holloway.
● Crenshaw’s Woods​: One of the most beautiful wooded areas of town. It contains several hiking trails
and the famous Lost Pond of Eli Crenshaw. Eli was an early settler of Pinebox. During the drought of
1877, he was desperate to find water for his cattle and family. Legend states that Eli made a pact with
the Devil and the next day found a pool of clear, cool, natural water in his woods. The entire area
celebrated the find, but Eli was found dead exactly a year later. He drowned and was found floating in
the “lost” pond. The Lost Pond is a natural flowing spring with cool, clean water. The park attracts
many visitors and swimmers.
● Golan County Regional Hospital​: Serves as an emergency center for the town and has many
medical and dental offices.
● Golan County Sheriff’s Department​: This two story building consists of a first floor with small offices
and a second floor jail area. Sheriff Butch Anderson is often found within.
● Hidalgo Hardware and Tractor Supply​: Hidalgo’s smells of grease and oil and serves many of the
local farmers and ranchers. Tony Hidalgo, the owner, once served as the President of the Pinebox
Historical Society and knows many local legends and lore.
● Horner’s Used Books​: Offers a variety of popular fiction and nonfiction, as well as hard-to-find
special editions upon request.
● Indian Summer Trailer Park​: The very definition of a run-down trailer park.
● ITS-A-LOCK​: The largest storage facility in Pinebox offers hundreds of storage rooms and boat/RV
pads to let.
● Mary Lynn’s Used Books and Emporium​: Although the name has changed from time to time, this
bookstore and coffee house has long been a favorite for locals and students. Mary Lynn’s unusual
collection runs from floor to ceiling in five separate rooms and includes rare and ‘unique’ books.
● Mom’s Diner​: This restaurant has serviced the community since the 1960s, but has been sold
several times and has undergone many renovations. It is known for its good, stick-to-your-ribs food
and homemade buttermilk biscuits, as well as for being a friendly study spot that provides an endless
supply of coffee.
● Pinebox City Cemetery​: The fence is broken and cut in numerous places, the tombstones fallen,
and the area is overgrown with weeds and trash. The dilapidated cemetery is the cause of city-wide
concern for vandalism and “shenanigans” while the City Council endlessly debates how best to clean
it up.
● Pinebox Fishing and Hunting​: A large store full of everything from guns and ammo to knives,
hatchets, bows, fishing rods, lures, and even camouflage fatigues. They also sell “novelty” silver
ammunition.
● Pinebox High School​: The Pinebox Panthers have achieved unnatural success both in academics
and athletics. Much of the school’s success is attributed to Principal Dr. Ed Watson.
● Pinebox Pawn​: Pinebox Pawn has been in business for over forty years and has a sign in the
window that reads, “We buy and sell everything your heart desires.” True to claim, it contains many
rare and often bizarre items. The shop is owned and operated by Forester Harris, who lives on the
building’s second floor.
● Pizza Barn​: This converted red barn is a student favorite. The pizza is fresh, the beer cold, and the
mechanical bull never tires. It even offers a small dance floor and live bands every weekend.
● Police Station and City Jail​: The city police station and jail have existed in the same spot since
1891. The current three story building was rebuilt after a sinkhole swallowed up the previous police
 station. Once the sinkhole was filled with police station rubble and deemed safe by engineers, the
new station and jail were constructed in the exact same location. Minor offenders and juveniles are
kept in a pair of ground-floor holding cells, while a secure basement level jail is reserved for the more
serious offenders or those awaiting transfer to state or federal courts or prisons. Despite rougher
treatment by county deputies, most repeat criminals prefer to be jailed at the county lockup rather
than the city’s basement jail—which is rumored to be haunted.
● Risen Church​: Father Gene Michaels is a calm and quiet man, but get his confidence and he’ll tell
you the strange events around Pinebox are signs of the End of Days.
● Sanctuary Comics and Collectibles​: A small comic and game store. Owners Ron and Veronica
serve snacks and drinks on Friday and Saturday evenings for the two game rooms in the back.
● Silvered Dreams​: A small shop with a large window on the street has hand-crafted jewelry in the
windows and silver-plated knives beneath the counter. Felipe Inigo is a quiet man who loves working
with silver, believes in the supernatural, and is more than willing to add silver to any weapon for cash
up front.
● Vanderhorn’s Workshop​: This mobile home and workshop is 100 yards off the highway. Although
the home is well maintained, the grass is strewn with small and large engines, parts, and motors.
Sheltered from view behind the workshop is a small target range where Paul Vanderhorn tests
crossbows, throwing axes, and other weapons.
● Volunteer Fire Department​: This is the main building for the city of Pinebox Fire Department. The
department is no longer “volunteer” but many in the community still refer to it that way.
● Wal-Mart​: Every Southern town has one. A reliable source of clothing, camping supplies, ammo,
household goods, and jobs.
● Water Plant and Elevated Tower​: The local water authority of Pinebox, Texas. The water tower is
massive and is painted with a Raven facing north and a Panther facing south. It was once a common
target for vandalism and “shenanigans,” up until the city cut off the bottom 18 feet of the service
ladder. Now only die-hard adventurers still scale its heights, although they say one can find all sorts
of weird graffiti at the top.
● Whiskey Creek Apartments​: An apartment complex that serves many college students. Whiskey
Creek is known for its low rates, but small, dingy apartments.
● Wise Shepherd Cemetery​: This cemetery lies just east of the Wise Shepherd Church. The interred
include some famous gunfighters, a state senator, and the famous General Sibley of Civil War fame.
The cemetery ground is kept in perfect condition and is surrounded by a brick and wrought iron fence.

PEOPLE OF NOTE
● Sheriff Butch Anderson​: Local sheriff with a reputation for being extra hard on the college crowd.
The Sheriff’s Department Is in charge of county matters.
● Mayor James Flowers​: Flowers is a friendly politician who owns a series of body shops and
presents himself as a blue collar fellow who made good.
● Reverend Michaels​: Father of the Risen Church of Pinebox. He and his followers are often found on
campus and volunteering in various organizations.
● Police Chief Jacob Miner​: A good chief who loves Pinebox and does all he can to make it safe. He’s
a pretty nice guy until he thinks you’re upsetting the peace. The Police Department’s jurisdiction is the
town limits of Pinebox.

SURROUNDING TOWNS
● Blackburn​: A small, poor community on the southern banks of Lake Greystone. It was built on the
ruins of a Caddoan settlement and saw its zenith in the 1920s. Today, the community population has
dwindled to about 100 people and is a run-down, poor community. Homes are generally either
 wood-frame houses built from the 1890s to the 1930s or mobile homes, more than a few of which are
abandoned. While most locals avoid Blackburn due to a well-deserved reputation as the place to
purchase illegal drugs, guns, or sexual favors, some still come to fish in the lake, go water skiing, or
search for the legendary lake monster, Bessie. The sheriff’s department only ventures to this
community during the day or on an organized drug bust.
● Shinbone Springs​: This rural community consists of many farming families who sell their crops at the
Shinbone Springs’ Farmers Market every weekend in the spring and fall. It’s a beautiful area
alternating between small farms and forests. The roads are mostly gravel, with only a few paved
single-lane blacktopped ones.
● Cavalas​: It was found abandoned in 2004, though what happened to its population remains a
mystery. The town is slowly repopulating thanks to low housing prices.
● McCormick’s Ferry​: This historic site was named for an early Texas settler named Niles McCormick
whose family ran a ferry across the Bobcat Bayou. In 1832 the entire McCormick family died in a
flood, though their bodies were never recovered. Locals claim that passersby can hear the family call
out for help late some nights. Today this spot is a popular fishing and swimming area and there are
scattered homes along the bayou.
● Morganville​: There are a large number of liquor stores and roadhouses in this small town as the
county to the north is “dry” and doesn’t allow the selling of alcohol. Every weekend, live bands play at
one or more of the roadhouses, creating a general party atmosphere. Morganville has a reputation for
being a rough place and fights break out here regularly.
● New Nineveh​: The second largest town in Golan County is roughly half the size of Pinebox. New
Nineveh is known for its clean streets and the antique shops that line the downtown square. An old
jail is now a museum. The last man hanged by the county died here in 1903, and the rope and noose
used for the deed now hang in one of the old cells.
● Timberland Village​: A gated community on a peninsula of Lake Greystone. The homes here are all
large and beautiful on full acre lots. Many of the ETU professors live here and the town has its own
small security patrol.

NATURAL FEATURES
● Devil Pig Swamp​: This low, fetid area consists of stands of woods and brush and many small areas
of standing water. A general stink does nothing to encourage visitors to brave the swarms of
mosquitoes, spiders, and snakes—including the famed water moccasins of East Texas. Local
legends include one about a gigantic hog and another about a group of Union soldiers hiding out in
1864 who were burned alive by Captain Edmund Dale and his Confederate troops.
● Kestrell Lake​: This small lake is surprisingly deep, up to 70 feet. It’s known for its giant catfish and is
a favorite swimming hole in the hot summer for students looking to party without authorities
around—though occasionally a sheriff’s deputy does check in.
● Lake Greystone​: The county’s largest lake is one of only a few natural lakes in Texas (most are
man-made), though it was greatly expanded by the Civilian Conservation Corps (C.C.C.) and the
Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) in the 1930s. Many Native Americans made their homes
near the lake and Dale Island near the southern shores is considered one of the holiest places of the
ancient Hainais Caddoans. The southern side of the lake is very poor, but the northern end of the
lake is claimed by the wealthy with large homes and boats. The lake averages 20 feet deep and is a
great bass and catfish lake, though it is also home to various species of gar and contains many
alligators—including the legendary lake monster Bessie.
● Old Mill Creek​: The creek flows from Kestrell Lake south into the Burn. The remains of several old
saw mills still litter the creek banks. Occasionally, amateur historians hike in to see the lingering
scraps of Camp Ploughshare, an old WWII Prisoner of War camp rotting in the woods nearby.
SITES OF INTEREST
● Base 10 (aka Base X) Military Base​: In the 1940s the U.S. government bought a swath of the
northern part of the county for a bare-bones wilderness navigation training camp. Filled with tall trees
and thick brush that blocked the horizon, many a recruit flunked his map-and-compass trials in the
Big Thicket. The 10th such bare-bones “temporary” training camp created by the War Department
quickly earned the moniker “Base X” in reference to “X marks the spot” on a map. Today, Base 10
covers more than 100 acres of Big Thicket forest, from which is carved 30 acres of facilities. Unknown
to the vast majority of Golan County, in the early 1960s the base was completely reconstructed as a
secret Titan I missile base with three silos and a network of tunnels. However, the Titan I was
decommissioned in favor of the Titan II before the silos could ever be armed. Since the new missile
required a larger silo, the underground base was abandoned and the original survival training
program restored. Most of the above-ground buildings date from the 1960s. The base was officially
decommissioned in the 1990s but is still owned by the US government and leased to subcontractors.
Entry is prohibited to the public.
● The Burn​: This area consists of roughly two square miles of woods in which almost nothing has
grown since a dimensional gate was slammed shut in 1953. This is a very rural area and requires a
two mile hike through the Thicket to visit.
● Indian Mounds State Park​: The site of a large mound-building civilization, the park consists of
several Indian burial mounds. Surrounding areas are the subject of ongoing excavations by an ETU
archaeology team. The park features a camping area and hiking trails.
● Wilson Quarry​:West of Pinebox, the old quarry operated from 1921 to 1929. The quarry was closed
after a series of accidents and is said to be cursed. The current out-of-town owners have shown no
interest in selling or operating the quarry. Within the lowest part of the quarry is an icy cold,
spring-filled pit. Local teens and college students regularly trespass onto the property to use the
natural springs for skinny-dipping and partying since it is difficult for the sheriff’s department to keep it
under surveillance. The pool’s sides are steep, making it easy to enter but hard to exit. This,
combined with pockets of extremely cold water, have led careless kids to become trapped and drown

PEOPLE OF INTEREST
● Sonya Alverez​: In-the-know librarian at ETU; 20’s, pretty w/ prematurely white hair; special concern
over the Special Interests library and very tightfisted with who goes in ‘her’ library
● Sheriff Butch Anderson​: Overweight good-’ol-boy with a nononsense attitude to those who make
waves; in the know and will turn a blind eye for those who deal with problems
● Detective Blaine Bishop​: Tall, handsome African American who is at odds with the Sheriff; exudes
quiet confidence; in the know and willing to help
● Jackson Green​: Native Texan with the attitude and look; teaches Freshman American History as a
student teacher; in the know and helpful
● Forrester Harris​: Early 80’s bald, trim man who looks in his 50s; small wire-rimmed glasses, dark
brown to black eyes, large pupils, sharp pointed nose & ears; knows what people want and what they
have done or are willing to do to get it
● Dr Glen Maclanahan, ‘GlenMac’​: Professor of American History, in the know, attractive man with a
good head and a close relationship with Jackson Green
● Reverend Micheals​: Apocalypse spouting Catholic priest, mid-late 50’
● President James Nelson​: 70’s absent minded professor type who noone correct; Guardian
Godheart
● Paul Vanderhorn​: mid-40s master of small engine repair and retired champion against the bad
things due to injure; makes medieval weaponry and armor and is very favorable to those working
against the bad things

Pinebox High School

Student Body: 1219 Staff: 47 Faculty: 76 Colors: Black & Red Mascot: Panthers

Faculty & Staff

Student Body
Cliques Sports Clubs & Organizations Events
Jocks Football ASL Club Academic Decathlon
Cheerleaders Cheerleading Band Homecoming
Cowboys/Cowgirls Wrestling BETA (service club) Lock-In
Nerds Basketball Black Student Club Semester Tests
Rejects Volleyball Chess Club Winter Formal
Track & Field Choir Prom/Senior Party
Debate Jr Prom
FCA
FFA
Gay-Straight Alliance
National Honors Society
Newspaper/Yearbook
Spanish
Step Team
Student Council
Theater
Writer’s Club