Surreality[Survival Horror RP OOC]

[icmasticc]

"Death is a-movin' upon my soul
Oh, death how you're treatin' me
You've close my eyes so I can't see."

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You live your life on the island of Elba. It's an island city, heavily populated and thriving. It's also a fairly new American territory, though that doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. You work, you play, and you take care of your business like normal. Then the outbreak happens. It begins as a sickness and quickly evolves into a full blown pandemic. It starts out as flu-like symptoms, but slowly becomes something much more sinister. People begin to lose their judgement and their ability to effectively reason. Reports begin commenting on how infected persons lash out at whoever is near them, violently attacking and murdering their targets. Local law enforcement seems to have a handle on the problem, but they are soon overwhelmed. New reports reveal that infected persons receive an incredible boost in physicality and combat intelligence. Infected people soon show resistance to offense, taking bullets even, and still easily mauling their prey. Eventually, the National Guard is called in, but their assault is only successful for a few fleeting months. The spread of the sickness even affects them, regardless of their gear, and the island nation begins to break down. Families are split up, chaos ensues, and the island of Elba quickly becomes a personification of hell itself.

Where is the light, wonder if it's weeping somewhere?

You however, have not caught the disease, at least so far. While people have been getting infected around you, you strangely show no signs of contracting whatever the disease may be. The US government has quarantined the entire island though, so chances of escape are impossible. However, rumors begin to spread that there is someone on the island who knows something, someone who is claimed to be able to reverse this situation. Your loss in this outbreak my be great, but you have one goal in mind; find this person and end this nightmarish phenomenon. With no way of knowing where this person is, your goal seems daunting, but you soon other a small group of other survivors, others who are still normal like yourself. The world around you has become a hellish dream, danger lurking around every corner. Can you find the mysterious individual before being devoured like so many others? In a world too strange and mystical to be called reality, these questions and more will be answered.

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▋☣⋮The Mechanics

✖Let me start by saying this; this is a survival horror RP. As such, there will be player character death. We're all average human beings with no special properties, it is entirely probable that not everybody would survive in a situation like this.

✖The infected are normal humans that have been exposed to a viral pandemic. The infection affects the mind, altering perception and judgement. It also increases one's physical durability and attributes. Infected are stronger, faster, and more agile to than average humans. They also do not feel pain. However, the trade off for these enhancements is the complete loss of one's humanity. The infected are extremely violent, savage, and malicious people. Their only goal is to tear apart their targets in any way possible. However, the infected can be killed like any normal person; stab their heart, damage their brain, silt their throat. While they are seemingly easy to kill, their enhancements allow them to become formidable enemies for any non-infected, average person. Engage in unarmed combat at your own risk.

✖Though there is an overarching plot involved, as part of the experience, your characters will face certain decisions at different points in the IC. They will not always be significant, but they can mean the difference between life and death. What I'm saying is, if your character should die due to a decision made, don't get all pissy and whiny. This is a survival horror, so always think survival first, badassness never.

✖Though this part could be posted in the rules section, everybody is restricted to one character. It will provide a more dramatic and suspenseful experience if you're genuinely worried about the sole character you play.

✖This is not a sandbox RP, so this is how it will work. Everybody has complete freedom in their posts and decisions, as long as it makes sense to the situation. Every so often, either myself or Bliss will come along and put a plot post. After that, everybody will react to the plot point in a way of their choosing and we'll move along as such. It's just a way of keeping the RP going at a decent pace, as opposed to having everybody post random crap that makes no sense. Obviously, in between plot posts you can interact, write some character development for your character, or what have you.

✖Weapons will be available all throughout the RP. You will not be able to come across guns of any kind until they are introduced, but you are free to use things in the environments and create makeshift weapons if the materials are available. Example being, if an infected has trapped you in a kitchen somewhere, it is believable that if you can get to a knife, you'd grab it and use it.

✖We ask that you post a minimum of at least three paragraphs in your posts, as this is the advanced section. Though, I'm not a post nazi and neither is Bliss, as we both believe quality surpasses quantity every time. Also, there is no required posting frequency, we just ask that you try to post at least once per week. Everybody has a life and can be busy, but if you can, try to post at least once per week.

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▋☣⋮The Rules

001• No Godmodding or powerplaying of any kind. That is all.

002• This will be a mature RP. There will be violence, there will be gore, and there will be disturbing scenes. Romance is not really a part of this RP(Who would fall in love with someone when they could be killed at any moment?), but we won't stop it from happening. People do tend to bond during traumatizing ordeals. Don't go crazy with it though.

003• Everyone is restricted to one character. Also, characters must have lived on the island of Elba for the entirety of their lives.

004• If you should die after being given a decision to make or at any point in the IC, don't get pissy and whiny and bitchy. Deal with it. Not everybody would survive an experience like this. There will be player character death.

005• If you plan to be gone for a while, don't just disappear, let people know in the OOC or at least PM myself or CorneredBliss. Alternatively, do not join this RP if you know you can't truly commit to it.

006• This will be a small cast RP. The cast will be picked based on quality of character sheets and who we think will work well together. If you are not included in the final cast, our apologies, but don't get angry. Nothing is personal, we just know what we're looking for.

007• This is a special rule called the Average Character Rule. Unique to this RP, this rule is meant to stop some of the stereotypical characters that will undoubtedly be created. Basically, everyone in this RP will be playing a normal human. Former military/law enforcement characters are not allowed, as well as characters who "have a particular set of skills that allow them to magically handle this situation as if was nothing". You won't be kicked out if you break this rule, you will just be asked to edit your CS. This rule is more of a guideline for CS creation. Think simple and average. Simple and average.

008• Don't be a loner type. RP's thrive on interaction, so if you're into that Mary Sue, you should probably think a little differently this time around.

009• If you'd read and understood these rules, put "I want to live" at the top of your CS.

010• Enjoy the RP and do not hesitate to ask any question you want to know.

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Welcome to our survival horror experience! If you have any questions, feel free to ask, I hope I covered everything in the OOC. Also, shout outs to rocketfox for the awesome formatting work.

You may declare commitment and post your Character Sheet within this thread. The CS skeleton is as follows:

Name:
Age:
Appearance: (written description is required; picture is optional; no anime please)
Occupation:
Brief Bio:

Again, if you have any questions, feel free to ask.

The Cast

THIS RP IS NOW CLOSED. Thank you for all the submissions. IC will be up soon.

[corneredbliss]

Shira McKinney

Age: 27

Occupation: Shira has been an aspiring songwriter and performer since birth. She graduated the University of Elba with a Bachelor in Jazz Studies, with her main focuses being guitar and vocals. There were times when she struggled with unemployment, but she's always managed to snag herself a street gig or a spot in a local jazz club to get by. It isn't that she's inadequate; Jazz simply is a dying genre, especially among the youngsters. Even when unemployed, her parents were still there for support. She is currently working off her college loans as a waitress and performer at a high-end restaurant in uptown entitled La Nuit.

Appearance: One might categorize Shira as a classic beauty. She stands at a height of 5'10" and weighs in at 148 lbs. Her figure is slender, with proportionate curves in the right places. Shira has legs for days, and therefore only wears heels for special occasions. Her fingers are slim and flexible, as is required of a guitarist, and are usually endowed with many rings. A normal day's attire would consist of solid-colored comfortable tees with dark washed skinnies and Keds. She also enjoys wearing fun sweaters and scarves when the weather gets chillier. During work, she sports a well-fitted white collared shirt and black slacks with her black sneakers. At performances, Shira likes to break out lace dresses, full skirts, and turtlenecks. Though she isn't one for lots of makeup, her full lips are almost always tainted with color - Generally relatives of reds and pinks. Her eyes only ever get nude shadows, lightly smudged eyeliner, and a swipe of mascara.

Brief Bio: Shira was born and raised in uptown Elba to relatively normal parents, both of whom were musicians. Robert McKinney was a jazz pianist who happened to have the luck of working with the lovely and talented Elizabeth Pouliot, who had been asked to sing with him. After their first performance together, he had asked her to marry her, and they've been together ever since. As a result, Shira was raised on jazz records and riffs, which shaped her into the emotion-driven old soul she is today. The two taught her everything they knew, and eventually, she was accepted into the rigorous training of a jazz musician at UE.

After graduation, Shira moved out of her parents' home and bought her own apartment with the money she'd earned from playing shows. Though Mr. and Mrs. McKinney offered time and time again to aid her in getting herself even more gigs, she refused. She did not want to be looked at as the daughter of two of the most famous musicians in Elba; Rather, she wanted to be looked at as Shira McKinney. Despite her inevitable foot in the door, her determination to create a name for herself caused her to move away from concerts her parents had scored her and chose start out small, catering to crowds in parks and restaurants as she is doing now.

[rocketfox]

▋☢ ⋮Brooke Velouette
twenty-two ☢ exotic dancer ☢ [regular social drinker]

appearance ☢ Demure and otherwise soft, with touches of delicate femininity: terms that could applied eloquently to describe the visual aspect of Brooke on first glances. She has a sorrow laden, brooding exterior, lips perched in the droop of a pout and commonly hidden through the thick fall of brunette tresses. She's a sensual marketer, her body slender from a small bone structure, fragile is an aspect that flits to mind when glancing to her body often swathed in large-knit sweaters and tights encasing simple legs. Brooke heralds the body of a slight dancer, a washed-out ballerina that never could quite fit into her slippers, a woman who could not meet the standards of pointed toes and graceful gesticulations. Further glances spark familiarity, her face seen, her body known, the way she can cut her glance through swooping lashes and pursed frowns. Brooke has altered herself to be sensual and yet drab, delicate and vulnerable to perfect her image to potential individuals. As an exotic dancer, she has to be appealing and otherwise desirable, this stems toward her penchant of often debasing herself with visual insult and trying to find reason behind imperfections that are nonexistent in her visage. An average beauty, dark eyes in the tones of shadowed browns and skin touched with the faintest kisses of sun. She could be beautiful if not for her sinful securities, if not for her drinking quirks and perverted frame. Brooke could be the successful ballerina with pale skin and heart-wrenching performances, but rather she has fallen to the slide of skin and hands, to the touches of metal poles and lustful men - and for this, the world will view Brooke in the senses of the depraved and the soulless, the average woman at the end of her rope.

brief bio ☢ Her life would always be described as tactless and dull, shadowed in the poverty threshold and smothered in a hopeless wonder. Brooke was the youngest of three, the unexpected bubble of happiness that presented its self in the last child and the first girl in a set of twins. Her family was founded on values of love and kinship, as they liked to claimed, supported by a simplistic perspective on life that was a false security. As long as you had family and the Lord, then you were just fine, as her mother would preach. But Brooke did not see these as blessings, but rather as the muted acceptance of a low-class pair. Her parents were narrowed-minded in the terms of society and dispelled their lack of tact under false sentiments of loving you for who you were. In truth they despised the flamboyant natures of her twin, the way he was catering to Brooke's first strives of womanhood and adapting to femininity better than she. The two eldest simply did not care, for they were much older and their age bracket was focused on companionship and experimentation of socialistic dogma.

Her years of growing up were harsh and plain all in one fall, she attempted to dance, auditioned for various companies but never made the cut. Brooke was too soft and innocent and not one of the feisty performers they needed for the raunchy and bold styles many producers and choreographers were adapting to. She only wanted to be perfect, but within Elba, these qualities were never achieved and even less desired it seemed. Flawed in emotions and mental statures, Brooke abandoned these wishes in favour of returning home - only to be met with grief and horror that she would never admit or care to reflect on. She wanted to be ignorant and blissful in her denial and the bright lights of the corner joint seemed promising and numbing. In a way, Brooke achieved her dreams of becoming a professional dancer, however instead of ballet shoes and fluttering skirts, she's dressed down to bare-nothings and dolled up in high-platform shoes and sharp stilettos.

[icmasticc]

Spoiler

Mark Andalia(Ann-Doll-Lee-Ah)/33/Retail Manager

Appearance:

-Mark is an average looking guy, standing 6'1 and weighing 170 lbs. Light brown pupils dot his bearded and rugged face, a product of slight stress and the toll his long life has taken on him. His body is medium-sized; his torso and upper frame is proportional but not laced with extra muscle or bulk, as is his lower body. He works out when he has time, but for the most part, he doesn't care too much for the gym or stereotypical appearances. Mark has a tattoo on the upper right of his back, from his younger days, of a tribal sun with the name of his daughter situated underneath. As far as attire goes, the middle-aged man is content with contemporary style clothing, nothing flashy. Straight leg denims, plain shirts and maybe a watch round out the bulk of clothing options. The only exception, is a silver, butterfly-shaped locket that is worn around his neck on a string cord. Inside is a picture of his only child and a birthday message.

Occupation:

-Mark is the retail manager of a family owned business. The store is comparable to a Wal-Mart, not specializing in any one single good, but carrying a wide variety of items both necessary and desirable. The business is located in the downtown area of Elba, and is not part of a chain of other business. Sales are moderate, but there is a profit being made. Mark is not rich by any means, but he is able to live within lower middle class means through budgeting and financial responsibility. He works six days a week, for 8-12 hour shifts. The business has been passed down through each family member, and because of this history, there is no need to bring work home. As such, Mark is able to come home and do other things, rather than bringing business needs to his house.

Brief Bio:

-Mark Andalia was born on the island of Elba. He grew up and graduated college only to marry at the young age of 23. The marriage was partly because he had gotten his high school sweetheart pregnant, but he couldn't deny that he loved the woman as well. Mark's family was also from Elba, and it was there that they ran a business which had been in the lineage for a certain of years. Originally, Mark wanted to carve out his own career, but when his grandfather died and his will was read, it was revealed that his hope was for Mark to take over the family business and help it continue to thrive. At the behest of his wife and immediate family, Mark reluctantly decided to take over managerial duties and his new life began. Some time later, Diana gave birth to their only child, a daughter named Erica. The downfall began after that.

When Erica was five, and Mark was 28, Diana served the man with divorce papers. There was no clear reasoning other than "incompatible differences" listed. However, it came to light that Diana had met a much wealthier man on the island and the superficiality of the situation reared its head; it seemed that the woman was easily swayed by the material things of the world and it was Mark and his daughter who suffer for it. The divorce was pretty smooth and swift; Diana moved out and only took her vehicle with her to live with her new rich boyfriend in his mansion while Mark was left with everything else. Joint custody of Erica was worked out, and the girl was resigned to visiting with each parent on an alternating week basis. For a time, Mark seemed depressed and broken, but after some years he was able to get over these thoughts and focus solely on his daughter, for it was her presence that spurred the man on through tough times. Now, in the present time, Mark goes to work, comes home, and eagerly waits the weeks when his daughter comes to stay with him. Erica is now ten years old, and it seems the modern world has begun to twist her soul into that of a pre-tween, though Mark doesn't mind, as long as he can see her.

[Thrawn]

As I said in the interest check, it's late and I'll work up a CS tomorrow (technically later today).

[itzDrufus]

Same deal here. Reserving a spot.

[ImportantNobody]

I want to live.

Name: Jacob Collins
Age: 14
Appearance: Jacob has curly light brown hair, which covers his forehead and ears, although is not quite shoulder length. His hair can become a real mess at times. Straightening it completely would be downright impossible for him, but he does fix it up enough so that the curls don't go overboard. He has a soft complexion with a slightly pale skin tone. This same type of appearance goes for the rest of him, having a much more androgynous look about him rather then one of masculinity. It's not like he's making an effort to be un-masculine, he just doesn't care about that. He has hazel eyes, a snub shaped nose, a little bit small lips, and a rounded jaw. He doesn't have well defined muscles but isn't exactly chubby looking either. He has hardly any body hair. He's a little on the short side, standing in at only 5'2 and weighing 118 pounds.
He wears things that are comfortable for him, such as pajama's around the house. He has a grey hoodie that he likes to wear a lot and slip his hands into the pockets. Most of his normal clothing is cheap and plain without any logos on them.
Occupation: Freshman at highschool
Brief Bio: Jacob is a rich only child due to his father being a well known architect. Even though he doesn't ask for much besides books, he's always been quite spoiled by his mother and hasn't had to do any work at all, either around the house or otherwise. For the most part he has done well in school as the teachers pet, although he doesn't do nearly as good in PE classes. Luckily he has a doctor's note explaining that he has asthma.
He doesn't have many friends at school, although he's trying to become more involved with other people rather then spending most of his time locked away in his room reading books.

[LTDan]

Well now this is a curious and unique take on the apocalypse situation Mastic, unfortunately I would love to play an National Guard survivor or Police officer. As those are the rules I excel at playing. Your average character rule I can respect though so although I will express interest I do not believe I can make a suitable character. I wish you three luck.

[icmasticc]

Well, the nature of this RP is to highlight the plight of an average person with no special training, against this kind of fantastical situation. Being former military or local law enforcement just makes you another RE or Silent Hill character who can "somehow" survive against all odds. Appreciate the interest though LTDan, though I think you could make an average character if you tried . Good luck in your endeavors.

[LTDan]

Actually any member in civil service is actually still human,having fears and worries like the "average" man. Its just a sad fact that most people play them as gods because of the uniform and training. It takes a lot to pull off a realistic human with the media like COD surrounding us. That's why I feel you made the rule and it disappoints RPers like me. I may be wrong but I can see it being a probelm.

As for an "average" character? I tried once or twice and just couldn't get into the character.