The year is 2017. The world finally seemed to be stabilizing. There was a terribly harsh winter in 2016 that finally broke. U.S. forces had fully pulled out of Iraq and Afghanistan only to deploy to Syria. Tensions between both Iran and North Korea had dissolved for the most part.
There was a long spell of relative peace and economic prosperity over most parts of the world. Then, the Rising happened on Valentine's Day 2017 (there are several other terms for this day that are used). All over the world and without warning, the same reports started coming in. Headlines read "The Dead are Rising!" Or "Zombies? Outbreak or Hoax?" At first, it happened slowly as governments, with the help of media outlets, downplayed the whole thing. Things started very, very slowly, but it seemed like when the floodgates opened, there was no stopping the force coming out.
Within weeks a handful of smaller countries were overrun. When there was no use denying it, governments tried to initiate quarantine procedures. To make things worse, Pakistan launched a nuclear strike on India. Only moments after that, Iran sent a nuclear device that ended up landing but not detonating for some unknown reason. Israel then attacked Lebanon in full force while dozens of other minor conflicts erupted all over the world.
All of these because the world was looking for someone to blame for the Rising.
It took less than 5 weeks before even the strongest, most secure governments fell, absolved, or simply went silent. This was called The Apocalypse, The End, or Day Zero, and it coincided with the day that the last two governments had any activity, those being Poland and New Zealand.
The RP takes place November 3rd, 2017.
That is about 9 months since The Rising and Day Zero. The story takes place in Missouri, and while it's not a particularly cold or harsh winter there, it is winter nonetheless, and it's cold. Much snow hasn't fallen however, but in almost every area in the state, there are several inches on the ground.
Ok. This thread will have information to be passed about things relevant to the RP. This post include hiders with information that you should pay attention to.
If you have not RPed with me before, I am asking you to submit a sample post. Not ANY sample post. I want you to create a post with a character of yours watching someone at a restaurant. Someone who just seems to draw their attention. This should be an advanced post. Nothing more, nothing less. It doesn't have to END. Do not ask "what time, how many people, should I make my own char?" DO what you want. Make if funny, serious, silly, whatever. Just do it and PM it to me please. This IS a requirement.
Ok, before I even get into plot, I'm going to get into my GMing ways, and my expectations.
-This is an advanced level RP. For me personally, this doesn't mean there is a paragraph or word count. It means understanding and playing your character(s) in a way that is more than actions. There will be thoughts, ideas, responses, instincts--a plethora of things that make your character who they are. This means I expect characters to interact with one another and as they do change as the meet people and change as the meet one another.
-I will kick you from my RP and kill your character. Truth be told, killing off YOUR characters is one of my favorite things to do. Please note that this is not something I do all willy nilly. If you leave for a week or so, and you're just GONE from the site, I'll usually just let your character go into some ghost NPC type mode, noting your character here and there. Do not post, do not answer PMs, and be active everywhere else in the forums, well, you just gave me the silent ok to kill your character. Honestly, I LOVE this. A lot. I'm sick like that.
-I expect you all to understand that THIS STORYLINE is more important than YOUR character. Make decisions that are good for the RP. Make decisions that move the plot. Make your character do things that shake things up. If you don't like that other characters called yours out for being an asshole, well, maybe make your character change. Do something. Just don't whine and hold up the RP. Cannot come to an agreement with another player? That's ok. I'll decide. At that point, if you still disagree, leave and I'll kill your character.
-This is a MATURE RP. There will be violence, killing, murder, rape, shooting, explosions, zombies, limbs being removed, and innocent people dying bloody, horrible deaths. Sounds awesome, right?
-I am an extremely patient GM. What does this mean for YOU? IF YOU CANNOT BE A MATURE ADULT BECAUSE YOU LOSE INTEREST IF THERE ARE NO POSTS IN A TIME SPAN YOU DEEM APPROPRIATE, then do not join my RP. The vaguest post requirement I'll make is "something like, I dunno, maybe once a week?" There are some spans I can post every day for a month, and others where I can post once a week. I'd be a fucking hypocrite and shitty GM to expect you all to be on the EXACT same schedule and be upset when you do the same things I'll do. Life happens. People get sick. Power goes out. Holiday happen. I'm understanding of that.
-Have you quit an RP recently? Have you joined an RP, made a char, got super geeked and then left a week later because "I was bored" or some shitty ass excuse? DO NOT JOIN MY RP. You're wasting my time and yours. Cannot commit to an RP? DO NOT JOIN MY RP. Hit writers block a few posts after making your character? DO NOT JOIN MY RP. Need to be led and spoonfed plot to keep your "interest" in an RP going? DO NOT JOIN MY RP. Take a moment and think think think. When was the last time you quit an RP? If you can remember it, and it wasn't for a reason that involved a life changing/altering event? DO NOT JOIN MY RP. Think I'm a dick? DO NOT JOIN MY RP.
-I will blacklist people. Leave my RP for a shitty reason, under shitty circumstances, and/or leave with in a shitty way. Fine. At that point, I'm not going to RP with you ever again. I am also honest. If you're a shitty and inconsiderate player, I'll let other GMs know. You can let other players know I'm a shitty GM. Good news is, I don't give a shit.
-If you DO want to leave because the RP isn't fitting for you, or for whatever reason, I just ask you let me know. You can make your char sneak off in the night, or just be separated in the heat of an attack. Or you can opt to kill them. It's about a mutual level of respect. Give it. Get it.
-I expect the OOC section to be fun. Talk to one another. Collaborate. Talk sports. Just be respectful. Be mature.
-I enjoy players making decisions. I may have a plot to get the group from point A to point B. I may not give a shit if your characters decide to take the long road, the high road, the scenic road, whatever. Get there. Our characters happen upon a single survivor? Your character doesn't trust him? Kill him. Just be willing to suffer the wrath of any lovey dovey tree hugging liberals in the group.
-This specific RP will be done in SEASONS. This means the cycle will go as follows (roughly): 1. Form an OOC, recruit. 2. Start the RP. 3. End the RP. That's the end of Season 1. Rinse, repeat. In between seasons, I will take a few weeks "off," which are not me being gone. It's me recruiting, getting people's thoughts, trying to make the next season something better or at least on par with the prior season.
-I want you to understand basic human nature and how your individual character will change. Be realistic. I am not saying your character cannot be happy, but, why are they happy? In a shitty world, with on hope, everyone they knew dead, while short on food...what is in your characters life that makes him/her able to retain that? Why is your character able to murder people with no regard when human nature is to want to be social and form relationships?
-Myself, I make several characters and I intend to kill them. I hope you do the same. Only comfortable with one character? That's great. I am not trying to force anyone to do anything. But if you're able to, try it. Characters dying make a SURVIVAL based RP more legit. I love killing and death.
-Ok, the first header points out that this is an ADVANCED RP. I'm very flexible. Are you more comfortable with "high casual" or casual? Wanna try wetting your feet in an advanced RP? I'm the GM to do it with. I am not a dick, I'm not condescending or rude and I'm always willing to help. If your post doesn't fit, I'll tell you why, help you, explain, and work with you. If you bow out, I will not joke, ridicule or do anything negative. I remember my transition from CAS to ADV. It was not the easiest.
-Skimmed or skipped up to here? DO NOT JOIN MY RP! Take the time to read the above shit. It kind of matters.
-My RPs are slow. I do not push people to crank out posts. The MAJORITY of posts in my RPs are character interactions. Slow, drawn out, character orientated. My RPs are turtle races, not rabbit sprints. It will not be "zOMG moor zombees reload and get a 100 kill streek LOLz dat wuz GR8!" We will go days without seeing zombies, IC and IRL. Shit, zombies will be a fraction of the RP. Bandits will be a fraction of the RP. Our character talking, arguing, getting to know one another, that's the majority of my RP. But make no mistake about it. When I push the button, shit gets intense.
-All RPG rules obviously take precedence over anything I or you say, want, or do.
-I encourage and actively utilize chats, pads, share docs and that sort of thing, BUT EVERYTHING WILL BE POSTED HERE ON THE SITE. If there are XXX sex scenes, by all means, play those out in the pads but omit them (see the above header). I know I would enjoy reading them.
-I will keep this RP going. If it means removing people, controlling players characters while they are not able to RP, speed things up, slow things down, I'll do it. I will always try to do it in ways that doesn't affect you negatively and be respectful of your chars and time. But the RP needs to move. Again, I'm patient, and I do not mind waiting so long as I'm informed. If not, the RP is moving forward.
-I will put my time, effort, and creative thoughts into this RP. I expect the same. I want this RP to be successful, for me and the players. I expect that players, myself included, will respect each other. TIME is something you cannot get back. I do not want to waste my time on you, and I do not want you wasting your time on my RP. Time is a valuable things, more so than anything.
<~~~ This is the most important thing (from the INTCHK, so if you're read it there, nothing has changed)
At the bottom of this thread will be a list of key things added or addressed and where, and when they were added.
Name: Group: (CDC Group or Walker) Include any known characters they are traveling with at start of RP Age: Occupation: Family life: (Single, married, engaged, kids, etc) Hair: Eyes: Weight: pounds Picture: Blood type: Immune: (A CHARACTER does not need to KNOW they're immune. ALL CDC characters ARE immune, again even if they do not know this)
Reason for government interest: ONLY FOR CDC GROUP
Gear: I don't need it down to pair of socks. Anything YOU as a player feels worth mentioning.
Bio: (if "personality" is covered in BIO, then skip PERSONALITY below)
Personality:
Key Concepts for playing: There will be two “main” groups. : The CDC Group. Almost immediately after the US Gov’t realized the situation was dire, they set up the CDC Isolation Center on USMC Base Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. Inside, individuals with talents that the government deemed “essential” were put in isolated cells.
Keep in mind, some people came voluntarily, some, not so much. They were brought in at various times. So one person may have been brought in during the initial days and the world was still “intact” while others may have been brought in when things were more bleak.
All CDC characters WERE TESTED for immunity. SO if you’re in the CDC Center, you’re immune. However, this testing was done involuntarily and without consent or knowledge by the individual.
Cells were 100% isolated with no windows or any access via internet or media to the outside world. The only contact they had was via a comm speaker in the room that went to the security office and this was extremely limited and for immediate needs.
They have been in this cell for over 8 months.
Their room’s are a decent size and any direct request for food, work out equipment, things like that, were met if possible. More so if they made the request initially. This means your character may have a treadmill, weights, books, etc. But nothing with any link to the outside.
I plan on using the guards as NPCs. However, if you want to make a char that is one of the 4 guards on the third floor, then let me know and we’ll work something out.
The Walkers. This is the more diverse group of the two. The only requirement here: they have to have not died, haha. They could be a rapist, a cop, a therapist, a cook, a homeless veteran, whatever. You can start your char off as a solo person, or group them with other characters and NPCs. Ultimately however, all Walkers will form group after group, and become a single group.
Again, there will most likely be conflict here. There will be different levels of stress, coping, upbringings, morals, things like that.
Also, this has only been NINE MONTHS. That is not a lot of time to cope with this. To absorb the things one has seen and done, and the questions about what they might do. It’s a potential powder keg. Just the way I like it.
Last. Around season 2 or 3, the Walkers will meet the CDC group. Maybe sooner, hell, I dunno. It just depends on us as a group really. I mean, in reality. We could have 3 Walkers meet the CDC group who meets 2 more Walkers, and then the last 3. I dunno. I guess we’ll just see!
Then, when those groups meet, think about the conflicts there. CDC members may be seen as pampered and soft, and lucky. They may view the Walkers as untrustworthy savages. Keep things like this in mind.
THE MACKEY REPORT
U.S. Government Memo IRT Reanimating Outbreak.
Dr Morgon Mackey findings:
1. There is no conclusive evidence as to the outbreak being viral, bacterial, fungal, or engineered by man. All findings have been inconclusive.
2. All corpses that rose were deceased as of 14 Feb 2017 or after. Any body that's TOD was prior to that was still in whatever condition it was in prior to the events of 14 Feb.
3. Right now, there are as many as 5 but as little as two different classifications of reanimates. Evidence and unconfirmed reports indicate RAs having different speeds, tendencies, and physiology but not much factual or revealing evidence has been accumulated. There is also no evidence of what causes different characteristics in RAs at this time, although some signs are pointing to genetic make up.
4. Humans seem to have an immunity rate at somewhere between 5 and 8 percent. Those immune are immune to all forms of the outbreak.
5. The outbreak takes many forms, and as of now, we are no where close to having any idea about the original carrier. The outbreak is most quickly spread through bodily fluids of an infected individual being directly put into the blood stream. This will lead a person to begin to show signs of infection within 3 to 15 minutes. The outbreak has been confirmed to also be spread via air, water, sexually, bodily fluids and essentially all known methods a pathogen would spread.
When not bitten, the infection can sit dormant for 10 minutes to up to 36 hours, where members will start with coldlike symptoms that graduates to full on, fatal illness. During this time, carriers are highly infectious and this is believed to be the way the disease spread so rapidly.
6. The quickest, most efficient way to terminate an infected is massive brain trauma. There are other methods but they are not as clean. They can be burned, but this takes much time and is a hazard as the fire can spread as the RA moves about. Any method of destroying the body as a whole will terminate the RA, but again, the key element is the brain. Tasers or other electrical currents induced into the body will not kill an RA, but it will render them unable to move just as it would a normal human.
7. RAs do not possess any superhuman strength, but they also do not display any evidence of feeling pain. This means that, while they do not possess superhuman strength, they do not have the normal human pain reflect that makes us stop doing something. This means that when most people would stay trying to shove their arms between two narrow bars to get something, an RA will push and push and not stop. It will rip at things with as a human would try to do something to save its own life. If there is a target on the other side of glass, an RA will bash it's head against the glass to the point that it kills itself.
8. Most peculiar is that evidence almost unconditionally supports that anyone dying will reanimate, even if not exposed to the infection in any way, shape, or form. There is no immediate answer to how this is possible.
9. RAs do not show signs of starvation or anything of the sort, but will eat all it can until it literally cannot ingest anything else and the material hangs from its mouth. RAs will eat any kind of meat, raw, cooked or rancid, but will opt for that of a human over any animal.
10. They can detect noise and movement, but aren't drawn to it in a predatory manner. They will react to movement and sound but almost as if simply curious and/or alert. They do not seem to associate either with humans, as they react move vocally and in a more animated, aggressive tone with an person is visible.
11. There are documented, confirmed reports of RAs attacking one another, but there is nothing concrete that can be learned of this.
12. We're into the third day of observation but they show no signs of dehydration, starvation, or any form of weakness. In heat or cold, they are non-responsive and the only noteworthy observation is that as temperatures go colder and colder, they move more and more sluggishly. If one is frozen, it will simply become animated once thawed.
Will send next report in 3 days.
Mackey.
RA: Reanimates. Zombies. There are a myriad of other slang terms, but the US Government classified them as reanimates, and there are 4 forms based on blood type. An important thing to note is that if a person dies, regardless of being bitten, killed, dying in any way, they become an RA according to the person's blood type, NOT the blood type of the RA. The one exception to this is the RA4, please read below. There is no way to LOOK at an RA and dictate it's classification type. They physically look the same and only after varied degrees of watching and studying can they generally be differentiated, and that's IF the character is familiar with different types.
(O blood type, approx 43% of Americans): This type of zombie is slow, dumb and come in great numbers. They are commonly referred to as “ones” or “unos.” They share many similarities with RA2 (A blood type, see below). They can vocalize moans and do so when they see prey. They react vaguely to smell and hearing to the degree that they will turn their heads. While they do not associate, say music with humans and meat, they are naturally drawn to sounds. They DO react to sight. It is suspected that RA1 and RA2 have a slight form of heat vision. One study in Germany showed them react to heat signatures of human silouttes at up to 8 feet. This study was not fully researched prior to its…untimely closing. These RAs are not smart, as mentioned, and can hardly negotiate up/down stairs (which usually constitutes them falling down stairs. To move up, they either crawl or a mass of bodies stacks and actually allows the zombies in the back to crawl up the mass).
(A blood type, approx 41% of Americans): this type is very similar to RA1 but a little smarter. They move a little bit faster and are drawn to things a lot more quickly than Ones. They also react to one another more distinctly than Ones. Field studies have shown that a mass of Ones and Twos moving together will walk without much purpose or direction. But if one of the Twos see prey or meat, they will break off and all of the other Twos (within 5 or so feet) seem to gravitate together while the mass of Ones continue on. This happens even when the other RA2s are out of sight, smell and hearing, and scientists have no theories to the manner of communication that takes place that allows this.
(B blood type, approx 11% of Americans): RA3s are commonly referred to as Threes, joggers or Q1s (quick ones). These are a bit smarter than Ones and Twos and also a lot more aggressive and quick. Most studies found that Threes had a tendency to band together with more of a pack nature. They have been known to easily climb stairs and even climb over low walls. Similar to the Twos, they seem to be able to react as a group to one individual, and they have been documented to do so at distances of up to 15 feet. On rare occasion, this type has been known to stop and feed on non-Three infected.
(AB blood type, approx 5% of Americans): Fours are the scariest of the infected individually. They are called horsemen (a connection to the Four Horsemen), clickers (when excited, they have a tendancy to clack or chatter their teeth) and breathers (they always breath loud and deep and almost sound like they are wheezing or choking). They are fast and have an animalistic intelligence, having been known to follow prey for periods of time and waiting for individuals to become isolated. Unique to all other forms of RAs is that this type will kill anything, including other infected openly and aggressively. They do not kill one another however and groups of up to 3 have been sighted. A unique thing about an RA4 is that if a human is bitten and DOES NOT DIE, but succumbs to infection, it becomes an RA4. However, if a human is bitten and dies, it will reanimate according to blood class.
Key Concepts for the world: First, read the OOC, the HIDERS in the second tab (ESPECIALLY the Mackey Report) and ask questions if you have them. Ok. Anyone who dies and doesn’t suffer massive trauma to the brain or have their brain severed will come back to life. Are you immune? If you die, you come back. If you remove limbs from an RA, and shoot it’s torso full of holes, it will live.
Next, dead are reanimated in a class of undead based on their blood type.
If you are immune and you get bit, you will not turn, but you will get sick. Depending on the person and their condition at the time, it could be fevers and shakes. Then, there are chills, exhaustion, vomiting and a few others that CAN lead to death if not handled.
If a person is infected, they are HIGHLY contagious to ALL members not immune for up to 48 hours. This can be spread in any way. This is one of the main reasons that the outbreak spread so fast. In that 48 hours, they may not even be displaying symptoms yet.
This RP starts in Missouri in a mild winter. Light, occasional snow, lows in the low 40s, highs in low 50s.
Zombies are a threat. But, so are people. And they’re smarter, more cunning, and more adaptable.
This is only 9 months since the outbreak. Supplies will not be plentiful, but they will not be extremely rare yet. People included.
Who your character was on Valentine’s Day, when the outbreaks started, and who they are today, should differ to some degree, or at least that type of person should be in question.
Be realistic. This pertains to how your character lives, speaks, how they’ve changed, what part of the OLD them they’ve retained and what stuff they carry.
Fuck yeah. This is absolutely necessary. I'm in. I'm relatively busy these days, but I'm gonna work on getting something up in the way of a sheet and carrying on from there.
Name: Emmerich Belle Age: 33 Occupation: CIA Open Source Officer Specialties: Multilingual Fluency: English, Russian, Spanish, French, Arabic, American Sign Language Interrogation & Interviewing Computer Proficiency Armed Combat Unarmed Combat
Family Life: Married with children, biological family deceased prior to outbreak, separated from wife and children in accordance to CDC entry Hair: Black Eyes: Light Hazel Weight: 190lbs Blood Type: B- Immune: Yes Gear: CDC equipment, framed family photographs
Personality: Emery is driven, serious, and observant. Some might call him narcissistic, others mildly sociopathic, but in his own mind he's simply pragmatic. His relations with colleagues and family can be described as distant and forced by those that might look too closely, but to most he seems the ideal neighbor, coworker, and friend -even if he considers them a rather largely unnecessary nuisance. Many people have found him charmingly dynamic, but those that are truly perceptive or the few that have known him best can tell that he is an intensely shallow character. He has considered himself to have had very few friends in his lifetime, though many would confidently claim otherwise. Those that he does manage to connect with he values dearly. When he can be among a group of the handful of people in his life that he not only tolerates but fully appreciates as well, he is at his best. When he can talk freely and unwind from the massive charade that a vast majority of his life is, he is at his best. While he endorses the ideal "Think you before you act.", thinking too much is an issue he's become familiar with and in turn he's been known on occasion to act unpredictably simply to avoid deeper thought.
Background: Emery's early life was somewhat abnormal. Born an only child to a well-off French Canadian and his Russian wife, he would receive a private education with a heavy focus on language and music. With a goal in mind to make their child a prodigy his parents funded his attendance in a preparatory school, where he learned Spanish to a proficient level. At home his parents took on the burden of teaching him French and Russian. Later, he was sent to a preparatory school (boarding school), where he truly discovered his passion for language and further developed it into an effective asset. Going on to double major in International Relations and Psychology, he found a solid transition after graduation as a commissioned officer in the Marine Corps. With four years of experience and a TS/SCI clearance under his belt a transfer over to a certain clandestine division within a three letter agency was a sure thing. Frequent and long deployments were nothing new, though after another few years excitement of it all began to fade. The six figure salary looked good on paper, but spending more time away from your oversized home than in it is a tad bit daunting in reality. He stepped down from operations and took on a desk job that offered him plenty of time to find himself again. He went on to pick up a Masters degree in International Affairs and a self taught near native fluency in MSA. He began to read three to four books a week, taking actual cooking lessons, learning to dance and play guitar, and even attending a few beekeeping workshops. In fact, it was the beekeeping he had to thank for meeting his brilliant wife and raising their two beautiful children. Had it not been for that chance encounter he may have never known the joys (and numerous challenges) of family life.
In short life leading up to the Rising was as close to flawless as a man could hope for, but receipt of a long term reassignment 3 months before things truly took a turn for the worse tore that bubble asunder. Mandatory separation from his wife and kids was the last thing he cared to think about, especially after being briefed on exactly why, but it was part of the job and he knew it. Assured that his family would be waiting for him upon release on Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri, he gave his tearful goodbyes and went off.
