So one of my parks 'Outback Gardens' now has some projects in mind. However, two of these are the slight revamping of two of my areas. I'll start with the conversion of 'Distant Mexicana' into the abandoned streets of 'Tailsting'. For a while, I've wanted my two rides 'Scorpion Canyon' and 'Gunslinger Gauntlet' to share the same storyline. After a couple of days of pondering, I can now present to you:
The Legend of Tailsting:
Chapter 1: From The Ground Up - August 1852:
Once a quiet and peaceful town, Tailsting was home to a site rich in silver, known as 'Madre de Plata Mina (Mother of Silver Mine)'. The town was considered to be the richest in raw materials. Travellers from all over the continent would settle here for the wealth...and the never-ending job opportunities. The miners of Tailsting would work long hours deep in the ground with a heart full of hope and glory for the townspeople.
However, on June 27th 1927, a single discovery would change everything forever...
Deep in a cavern to the west of the 'Madre de Plata' site, two miners made an incredible find; GOLD had been dug up in vast amounts. But that wasn't all; on the north-east end of the site, four more miners struck OIL. Both finds were groundbreaking for not just the industry...but also the whole town. Within the next three weeks, an oil rig had been erected directly on the spot where the oil had been found. However, after a huge amount of oil was pumped out of the ground, the governor of Tailsting decided to start distributing to other settlements and industries across the country. Following this decision, an area above the west cavern was used for tanking the oil and shipping it. As for the gold mining in that same cavern, a large mine train system was constructed to transport the miners into the ground, while also bringing gold to the surface with ease. However, most of the findings were left inside the cavern, stored in hundreds of packing crates and barrels.
Chapter 2: The Sting In The Tail - June 1932:
The Great Depression had no effect whatsoever on the town of Tailsting. Gold, silver and oil were still being dug up in vast numbers. During the Great Depression, Tailsting would become a hugely popular destination for migrant workers and drifters. However, only some of these new arrivals weren't human. One morning the following month, the governor of Tailsting was resting on his front porch when a woman came and complained about a small creature in her kitchen. Upon inspection, the governor realised that there may be a potential threat to the town...and that threat was SCORPIONS.
Within the next fortnight, one scorpion had become two...then four...then eight...then sixteen. The population multiplied rapidly. The threat was worsening - mainly for the miners deep in the ground at 'Madre de Plata Mina'. One miner was said to have been hospitalised after his tunnel was invaded by an entire swarm of scorpions. He barely escaped with his life, despite the amount of venom now in his bloodstream. Following this incident, the mine was renamed to 'Scorpion Canyon'. To this day, the change can still be seen scrawled over the sign to replace the evidence of what was 'Madre de Plata Mina'...
Following the incident, the miners of Scorpion Canyon still worked on - day and night. The townspeople thought the threat had now passed. However, out of the entire scorpion population, now settling deep under the ground within the gold mine, only one of these scorpions will pose another...LARGER threat...
Chapter 3: End Of An Era - October 1934:
The oil rig located at Scorpion Canyon had been operational with complete reliability for the last 17 years...but on October 10th 1934, this would change dramatically. On that very morning, a man reported to the governor that the ground was moving. But the governor was already aware of the slight tremor. However, only a minute later did the tremors get more violent. Seconds later, the entire town was awoken by a thunderous explosion. With mouth open in disbelief, the governor took into account the sight he saw before him - the oil rig had now been reduced to a pile of flaming pieces of metal. The governor now knew that this was the beginning of the end of Tailsting's century-long wealth and riches...
But the disaster was far from over. The following night, the townspeople were awoken by the most disturbing noises. The gold mine was emitting intense screeching sounds. It was as if a creature was inside the cavern, alive and active. It was then the governor remembered about the scorpions. What he came to terms with was far from what he ever would've wanted to deal with in his whole life...
The morning of October 11th was to be the beginning of the worst day in Tailsting's entire history. Following the disturbing events of the previous night, Scorpion Canyon had been closed off for investigations into the cause. Two of Tailsting's bravest men were tasked with venturing down into the gold mine and report back of what they believe to be the cause of the noises. The two men without hesitation moved into the mine. But exactly two minutes later, something terrifying happened. The ground shook violently, the screeching started again...and the entire oil shipping yard collapsed under the immense force of the apparent earthquake. Once all had calmed down, the town waited for the two men to return...but the men were nowhere to be seen. To ultimately answer the town's question, a gigantic pair of claws and a tail burst through the ground, accompanied by further, more intense screeching. Then as soon as it started, the limbs sunk back down into the ground. The whole town was devastated. A woman fainted. The governor's face was as white as paper. What he had regrettably anticipated had just occurred. And now there was no other option...but to bail out.
By midday on October 12th 1934, the whole town of Tailsting had been abandoned. What was once a beacon of immense wealth and well-being...was now nothing more than an empty street with blowing sands - accompanied by Scorpion Canyon's ongoing screeching from the monstrous creature resting beneath the ground...now in possession of the hundreds of packing crates filled with the town's gold...
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To this day on May 26th 2015 - more than 80 years since the legendary town of Tailsting was left abandoned, guests at the Outback Gardens theme park now relive the events of the town's history. Most board the ageing mine train of Scorpion Canyon in search of the century-old lost treasure, guarded by the monstrous giant scorpion (which to this day can still be heard screeching). Others even journey into the hidden village of 'Tailsting Valley' to face off against the bandits of the town. But that's another story...