If you make your way along Gaunt Street, you will eventually come to the bridge of bottles, which crosses the Gaunt River. Hopeless has two towns, for there is an old town and a new town. No one lives in the old town – also known as Gaunt Town. That is not to say it is unoccupied.
Gaunt Town lies on the far side of the bridge of bottles. It is not a place for the living, or for anyone who intends to continue living. The tradition of putting bottles on the bridge is old – old enough that many people do it without knowing why they do it. This is as well for them, but only if they uphold the tradition.
The bottles keep the gaunts out.
Gaunts can only cross the river at twilight. However, like many creatures of folklore, they are susceptible to shiny things, to that which might need counting. They cannot resist checking the bottles. New things in bottles distract them. If there are enough bottles for them to check, they will not make it all the way across the river before the night settles. If they ever do make it all the way across it will not end well for the citizens of Hopeless, Maine.
Once upon a time, Gaunt Town was just the town. Further inland than the harbour, sheltered by a crook in the hills, it thrived. Briefly. The houses are empty of human life, now.
Make sure to leave a bottle at the bridge now and then. The gaunts like to be entertained. It is best if they do not cross the bridge looking for other things to shake the contents out of.
