[b][u][h3]One Century Later[/h3][/u][/b] [url= https://discord.gg/JweEKXr]Discord[/url] [url= https://youtu.be/gh4n7x2TMcY]For atmosphere.[/url] [img] https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fthumbs.dreamstime.com%2Fb%2Fapocalypse-usa-america-aerial-view-destroyed-city-apocalypse-concept-d-rendering-apocalypse-usa-america-aerial-view-129313101.jpg&f=1&nofb=1[/img] It is currently June of 2123. The national government no longer exists. There is no President, there is no Electoral College, or anything pertaining to a federal power. The largest government is the entire state of California. State borders mean next to nothing compared to what they used to. There are now only 5 actual states on the continent. The borders to Canada and Mexico are regulated by each country. Mexico regulates its north border, and Canada regulates its south border. Most of America is a wild land. The 5 remaining states of Old America are like small nations. They police themselves, they trade with each other, and they handle politics on a continental level. Even in the states, not everything is like what we’re used to. Futuristic technology has intertwined with that of history, in fact, lots of people out in the Midwest live in tanks! It is common to come across run down machines from generations ago reclaimed by trees and moss, and to see people carrying swords made from various things. Guns are not always found. In the ungoverned regions of America, it’s like a scene from a movie. In the more urban parts of the States, there is usually at least one or two weaponsmiths in each town who make anything from knives to some firearms. Civil war turned the country into a divided land of opportunity, where taxes are almost non-existent, police officers never carry weapons, and the American military doesn't exist. Few people these days are ignorant of differences, the odds of seeing someone who doesn't accept another religion, for example, are a mere fraction of what they once were. The states educate people with their own personal freedom, without national regulations from people who don't know the first thing about teaching, and few people go to college as a whole. Most of the ones who do are in New York and Florida, but they're not the only states with higher education, all of them have it for the price of a house, which isn't saying much, but it shows what people can do when the iron fist above their heads is broken and recycled for the better. The technical world has changed just as much, it is much more quiet online, social media is rare, but most people still use the internet as a means of communication more than anything, Google is a shell of its former hubris, data collection on a mass level has been destroyed, and privacy has taken a step forward. You don't hear as much online outside the states, but the internet is still out their in the Anti-State regions, service providers are owned by the people, the local governments in the states run things themselves instead of corporations, and everywhere else, they are kept in check as best as they can be, not everyone out there has, or has ever heard of the internet, but people do their best with what they have. Capitalism has lost, the states detest greed, water and food cost pennies, and Fox News doesn't exist. Welcome to what has become of the greatest country in the world. [hr] There are only 5 official states in America, their shape and sizes are nothing compared at all like how they used to be. They are Ohio, Carolina, California, New York, and Florida. Everything else around or in between these states is either too small to be put on a map, too obscure, or lawless territory. These parts of the continent are referred to by names such as the wildlands, the frontier, the wasteland, or any other negative term. To a lot of the people who are all cozied up behind their borders, the free territories are lifeless and hopeless, nothing can survive out there without the wonders of the six biggest civilizations on this side of the Atlantic Ocean. Anyone who thinks the free territory is that way is either too lazy to go out and see for themselves, or is afraid to leave the States behind. In most of the States, there are documented reports of people leaving the borders, with varying reactions depending on where they left, and sometimes they come back. Sometimes. But sometimes people enter the States from the free territories. Sometimes people moving into the more “civilized” place come from genuinely lawless places, and sometimes the only difference between them and the States is that the States have governments to watch over their people. On average, the States have a total of 7% of their population who are or are directly related to what is commonly referred to was “Anti-State.” The term is neither used to demean anyone who isn’t a natural born citizen of any of the States, nor as a way to divide them up, it is simply to distinguish one’s origin for paperwork, or to just explain where you’re from. Though a few people here and there are a little weary of Anti-Staters, especially in Florida, it’s almost never a serious problem for them to adjust to State life, unless they come from some of the more unsavory places in the wilds, like the Mounds. [b][u][h1]The States[/h1][/u][/b] [hider=] [hider=] [hider=] [hider=] [hider=] [hider=] [hider=] [hider=] [hider=] [hider=Operation : Grand Cannon CLASSIFIED INTELLIGENCE SECTOR(9) BURN ON COMPROMISE] [s].nɘommɈ ɒ ni lɒɘɘƨq ƨwɒ ɿʇmɒ oʜɘlw Ɉɘʜ nɒb ,ɒwɈƨɿ ɘʜɈ ni wonb bɘlɘƨɈɈ iɒlnmɒƨ ʜɈɘ ,ƨɘɘʜqɔɿ ɿʜɈɘi oɈ on mɘįbυq bƨiɿd ɈɘH .ɒqɘlɔ-iƨnϱɘqlɘ own iƨʜ oɈ ɘblʇ ɘoɘγvɘnЯ .γiɿblɿɘʜυ qυ oɿdʞɘ ϱiɘɈɘnm ʜɈɘ bnɒ ndɿɒ Ɉʜɘ oʇ ɒlwl Ɉʜɘ ni ƨvɘmɘlɘƨʜɈ ɿυibɘd lƨlɈqɘɘ ʜɘT .nƨɘbɿɒƨʞ ʜɘɈ oniɈ Ɉʜƨo მ nmɿυdɘ ʇo ɿʜϱɔɒɘ ɒ lγʇ lɘɈ nbɒ ,mbɿoodɘ ƨʜi ʇo ɔnɘɿɿo ɒ ni ƨɈboo ɒwɒƨγl wɔʜʜi nϱυ Ɉɘʜ ƨzɘbɘi ʜƎ .ɒbγɿ ʜɈɘ ni xoʇ ɒ wƨɒ ɘɘʜɈɿ ʜɒɈɈ ɘυɿƨ ɒmϱiʞn ,bdɘ oʇ Ɉoυ nqɒƨɿϱ wʜo ,įƨonƎ .mЯ oɘʞwɒ qɒυɿɿo ɘɈʜ ,ɈυʇoγnlɘɈnɿɒU .ɿnɿυɘqɈɈibɘ dɘnɘ onɈ ɒbʜ γʜɈɘ iʇ Ɉʜinϱ lɒl iɈ iϱinnϱƨ inoɔbɘɈυn ɘɒʜv ʜmɈϱi ɒbn ,ɔoƨƨɘυiɔƨn in ɘɈimƨ viʇɘ ɿϱʜʜoɈυ ʜɈɿiϱ iɈ nƨɒϱ γɈʜɘ ɒɈɈʜ ƨnoϱ ʜɘɈ ʜɈwi bɘɈʜɘblϱi oƨ ɿɘɘw ʜɘγT .iɈ υpʞɘbɔɒ ɔbʞƨυ ʜɈɘ ,Ɉi inwɘnibʜ oƨʜɿɘƨ Ɉʜɘ ,Ɉi Ɉɒɘdbɘl ƨqɘʜɘ ʜɘɈ ,Ɉi nwiɘʜb ϱƨob ɘɈʜ ,Ɉi bwoɘl ɔwƨo ɘʜT .ƨnυino bmɿƨɘɘυɈno in ’ɒϱlnbɘИ ʇo ɒɘɈdƨƧ‘ nɈio oυɈ ƨɈυdɿ ʇmɒɿ lɘwoʜ Ɉʜɘ ,iɈɿɘƨ mγɘniɒɿqlɿi ʇɘw ɒ ɿɒɘɈʇ ,Ɉnʜɘ ɒbИ .ƨɈɘυmin ʇwɘ ɒ iinwʜɈ ʜɈɒɿɘ dγ ƨnϱo ɘnɈiɘɿ Ɉɘʜ ɒbʜ γɘʜɈ ,ƨbϱo ɒbn ƨqiϱ Ɉʜɘ ƨɒ ɔʜƨυ ,noƨɘ ɘɿvɘlɔ ɘʜɈ ʇoɿ ɒƨ ɒnb ,ƨbɿwo Ɉʜɘ oʇ wɘʇ ɒ ɒbn Ɉɘυn ʜɘɈ υq ɔbɘiʞq γɒbɘɿɒl bʜɒ ʜɈɘm oʇ bɘqɈƨiɈƨυ Ɉɘʜ ɘvnƎ .lƨɈɘvɘƨɘʜm ɿoʇ iɈ ƨiϱinnϱ dnυɘϱ ʜbɒ Ɉγɘʜ ,nɘb ɘʜɈ ɿɔɘɘbʜɒ bɒʜ ɿįmɒO ɘdɘʇɿo ɒloƨmT .xɈɘiɘnɘɔmɈ ƨɈwɘilb ʜɈɘ Ɉoin ɒimnlɒƨ ɘɈʜ ʜɘɈwɿ ϱƨno iƨɈʜ oʇ inƨiϱϱn ɈʜƎ [b]“.Ɉimɘ ɿʇυɘυɈ ϱɘbnlo ɘɈʜ ʇO Ɉnƨϱibi mγ ɘɒbqɿƨ bnɒ wllɘ ɘʜnɘʞɿA ,ɔmliɘ bɒn ɒbln ɿɘvɘγ oʇ ɒƨɘdƨT ,ɒnlbɘiЯ ʇo dƨƨɈɒɘ ,nɘɒϱbn⅃ oʇ ɒɈƨƨɘઘ .ʞɘƨɒ ƨ’mɘobɿʇɘ oɿʇ oilɈ mυɈƨ ɒl⅃ ,ʞƨγυɈɿɘ nɒb ɘƨɘϱɘ ,ɿƨʜƨoɘ bɒn wɔƨO ;ɿdʞɒɘ iɈ ɘdɘʇɿo bɘi wɘ ʜυɈϱoH ,dɿoɒυl mυɈƨ llɒ ɘw γɒb ɈʜɒɈ ʇoЯ .ɘʇɘɿ ƨυ Ɉƨƨɘ ɈɒɈʜ γɒb ɘɈʜ nO ɘƨɘɘzɿd Ɉiƨ owld lʜlƨɒ γɘɈ wɘɘɈƨɿƎ ,ɘd Ɉƨɿɘɒw iɈƨ ƨllʜɒ υqɿɘЯ ,ɒnɘnlϱႧ ʇo lƨʇbɘi ɘʜɈ iƨnʜɘ ilwl Ɉϱiʜɿઘ .bɒγ ɈɈʜɒ nqoυ ƨɿoυ dɘ ɒʜlƨ⅃ ɿzwƨɘυl-nϱlɒmɘ bnɒ ,ɒɘnƨd ,ɿɘolɔV ,γʜɒ bɒn Ɉɒƨo ,γɘɿdɒl bnɒ ɒɘɈwH ,ɘqɔɈυɿi nɔɒ mbin ʜnɒɈ ɿɘmo ƨiɔʜɿƎ .ɒɔʞɔɿ ʜllɒƨ ɘɿmo on iƨwʜq [REDACTED] ,ɘoʇvɘɿɿ ɿƨυɈ ƨʜlɒl υqƨɿ ɒbn ɈdI ,ɔʞɒd ɿυo ɿmʇo ƨʜƨɘnɿɒ Ɉɘʜ nbA ,ɘƨnƨo ɿυo ʇɿom niʜƨɒv lƨlʜɒ ƨɿϱiИ .ɒolɘn ƨɈɒƨɘd γd bɿɈo ɘd ʜƨllA lɒbnϱɘИ ʇo ʇbɘƨli ɿʇυiʇɈlυ ɘɈʜ bnA ,wɿɘnoɈɿʜ’o dɘ ʜƨllɒ mnA ɒɈɿγnT ,moɔinϱ ƨi ɒbγ Ɉʜɘ lɘɒɈ ɿo oƨoИ .mɘɈi υυʇɿɘɈ boϱlɘn Ɉɘʜ oᆿ ƨbϱɈnii įʇυγol mγ Ɉo ʜʞɿɘnɒƎ ,ilɔɘm ɒnb ɒlnb vɘγɿɘ ʇo ƨɒƨdɘT ,lɘɿiɒnႧ ʇo ƨɒɈƨdɘ ,blϱnɒɘИ oʇ dƨƨɘɈA”[/b] :ɿnɒ owƨɿb ɘʜT .’υɔɒɔɒɒɿʜƆ ɒ⅃‘ bnɒ ’ɈɘɔnniɘlmƎ‘ ɘɈwnɘdɘ ϱɈƨmnʜiɘo ,ɘυɈn iiɈϱƨɿnɿ ɒ wɒƨ Ɉi bɒn ,ɘʜϱoυn ɘlwl nɒϱƨ ɘʜ Ɉdυ ,ʜoɘɒɿƨ ɒƨw iɘvɔo iʜƨ ,biƨɒ ɒʜb ɘʜ ɒƧ .ϱiƨn Ɉo ɘϱndɒ bɒn ɒɈɈɿoʜ ʜƨi lɒɘbɔɘɿ oɿɒmႱ blO ”.’ɘbɒϱnn⅃ ʇo ɘdɒɈƨƧ‘ ɘlɔɒbl iƨ iT .ƨγoɘƨɘlυvɿ oʇɿ ɘɘɿdɈɈ iɈ ƨniϱ ɔɒn γυo ,ɘɈυn ɘɈʜ γoυ υϱɈɈɒʜ ɒʜɘv I ʜwɘn dɈυ ,oɘƨɿɒʜ ƨi ɔoiɘv mγ ɒbn bol mɒ I .ɿɔɒƨombɘ ,own noϱƨ ʜɒɈɈ oγυ inƨϱ lliw I .nioƨɒɿɘɘɈnϱ ʇɿo mɿoɘγm oɈ Ɉolƨ dnɘɘ vʜɘɒ bɒn oϱɒ nϱlo ʇo mɒɒnilƨ Ɉʜɘ γd ϱƨnυ ɘɿwɘ iʜɔʜw ,ɿiɈɒɘnɔ ɒm I ,ƨwobɿ-ɒdɔʞ ɔɒmɘ ɒolƨ ϱnoƨ Ɉɘʜ oʇ ɿwoƨb Ɉɘʜ ,ɘɿmo ƨi ʜɒɈw ɒnႧ .bɿɘmɒ γm ni ɘm Ɉo ɔdʞɒ mɔɘɒ iɈ ,vʜɘwɿoɘ ,ϱɈnʜi ɈƨlA .mibn mγ ʇo oυɈ qƨbƨɒɘ nɘɔƨi olϱn ɒbʜ iɈ υdɈ ,ɒniɔnγʇ γm ni ɘɈυn ɈɒɈʜ ʞwnon ɒʜb I .bƨwoɿ ɘɈɿɘʜ iƨɈɿʇ ɘɈʜ nbɒ nɈɘυ ʜɘɈ lonγ ɘwnʞ γɘɈʜ iʜwʜɔ oʇ nϱƨo blo ɒn ƨiϱn Ɉo υbƨɘ ƨƨow ʜɈɿɘo ʜɈɘ nɒb ʜmɈoɘɿ mγ ,qiϱ lɈilɈɘ ɒ wɒƨ I ɘwnʜ ,oɒϱ ɿγƨɒɘ nmγA .ɘɿʇɈoɈnϱo lonϱ ʜbɒ I ɈɒɈʜ ϱɘimnʜɈoƨ ʇo ɘm biɿɘbɘnm Ɉi Ɉυઘ .ɘibnʜƨɒv ɒƨʜ ɒmИ ʜɘnw dɘ wlli Ɉi ɒƨ ɿʜɒɘɈ ɘʜɈ ʇo ɘɿbɒm ɒ wƨɒ iT .γυo oɈ ɘbmɒɿ ɒʜɈɈ ƨdɘɿbɔiɘ ɒɔnɈno I .iɈϱʜn lɒɈƨ oʇ ɿɘbmɒ mγ oɈdɒυ υoγ llɘɈ lliw I ,oɔɒɘmɿbƨ ,own bnA“ .lυɒpɘ ɒɿɘ ɒɒiƨlmn lɒ⅃ .ɒilnɒm oɿɈʜɘ γɒn ʞill ɿɘvɘ υmƨɈ ɒɒlmni oИ .oɿƨdʜɘɈɿ llɒ ɒɿɘ wɘ ,ƨlmqɘi oɿ ɔlɘɿvɘ ,Ɉƨnɿoϱ ɿo ɒwʞƎ .ʞnib now ƨiʜ ɿoɘv iɿɒɈƨɘnnγ ɘvɿɘ mυɈƨ inɒmlɒ on ,llɒ vɒdɘo ,bnA .vɘli ɒɘɿ ɒnM ʇo ɒƨdiʜɈ ɘʜɈ lɒ⅃ .ɘbɒɈɿ in nɘϱϱɘɒ oɿ ,omɘnγ υɈoʜɔ oɿ ,dɒooɈɔɔ ʞmƨɘo oɿ ,ɒɔʜollo ʞɿbni ɿo ,oʜɘƨlɔɈ ɘɒwɿ ɿo ,bdɘ ɒ ni qɘlƨɘ ɿo ,ʜoυɘƨ ɒ ni ivlɘ ɘɿvɘ υƨmɈ ɒnlmiɒ oИ .ɔvɘiƨ ƨiʜ Ɉqobɒ Ɉon bo ,ʜmi ɘpɿυɔbonɘ ʜɒɘv υoγ nwʜɘ vɘɘИ .mʜi mɘdɿɘɘlƨ Ɉo ɔmɘo Ɉon mɈƨυ ɘw ,mnA ƨɒɈɒiϱn ϱniiʇʜϱɈ ni ʜɈɒɈ ɒƨol ɿɘmmɘɘdɿ ɒnႧ .nbʇɿɘi ɒ iƨ ,nƨiwϱ ɒƨʜ ɿo ,ɘƨlϱ oυʇɿ onυq ϱoƨɘ ʜɒɿwɘɘvT .ɘɘnmγ nɒ ƨi ƨϱɘl owɈ onqυ oƨɘϱ ɘɿɒɘwʜvT .ɒƨγw iʜƨ llɒ bɒn ɒnM ƨɿbɒɈwo nɘɈiγm ʇo γbɈυ oɿγυ ɒɒwlƨγ mɿdɘmɿɘɘ ,ɘɒɿɈɘq ɘɘlɿmγ I .γɒƨ Ɉo mɘɿo ilɈlɘɈ ɒʜɘv I“ :iɘbɈnɔoυn oɿmɒႱ .ɘƨbƨi Ɉʜdo on Ɉbɘov ɘvɒʜ oɈ ɘbobɘiɿɔƨv Ɉɿɒɘƨɒʇɿbw wɒƨ ʜow ,ɔɈɒ ʜɘɈ nɒb ϱƨob Ɉɿʜɘɘ ɘɈʜ ,ɈɘbɈƨiiƨɘnƨn ʇυɿo lnoγ ɘɿwɘ ɈʜɘɿƎ .mɒƨoɔɿɘb ɘwɿɘ ƨɈɿɒ ʜɒɈɈ oɒįγɈɿim ʜmnwɿϱlvɘɘio ɒn dγ ɒϱɿɘbɘ wƨɒ Ɉi ɒnb ,ɘnɔo Ɉɒ Ɉɒɘnʞ ɒƨw Ɉoɘv ɘʜT ”⸮ɒɔmoɘbɿƨ Ɉƨɒɿ ɘɿA :miɈnɘɘϱ ɘʜɈ oɈ oƨpɘinɈυ iʜɈƨ qoɘqƨɿo I .Ɉvoɘ ʜɈɘ oɈ Ɉi Ɉqυ ƨυ Ɉɘ⅃ ⸮ɘnɘɘmƨi υoɿ ɿo ʇɿƨɘbin ɿυo ɘɈʜγ ɘɒɿ — iddɈƨɿɒ nɒb Ɉɿƨɒ ɒƨ ʜυɔƨ ,ɘɿɒɔɿɈɘƨυ lwbi ʜɘT .ɘbɈƨɘlɈ dɘ Ɉmυƨ ɒɈʜɈ nqioɈ ɒ ƨi ɘɿɘʜ“ ,ƨiɒb ʜɘ ”,bƨɿɔɒmoƎ“ .ƨinɘlɘɔ ʇoɿ oɈɿɈɈɘɿ iƨʜ ƨɒiɘbɿ oɒįɿM .ƨiɘlv ɿʜiɘɈ vɒbƨɘ Ɉƨɿɒ ɘʜɈ ɒʜɈɈ ƨlɘoʜ ʜɘiɿɈ oʇɿ bƨɒʜ Ɉƨʇiw ɒ γd nγlo ɒwƨ iɈ ɒbn ,ʜɈɘm ʇo iʜɈƨϱ ϱɔυɒɈʜ nυbbɘlγƨ bɒʜ ϱƨob ɈɘH .iʜm oɈ ƨnϱiɘlinɈ ,bɒipƨɿɿɘɈυʜn iɈɿɘʜ on ƨnɈɈϱii ɘɿɘw bɒn ɘʜoƨl ɘiʜɈɿ oʇ oɈυ ɘɈqɿɔ bʜɒ ƨɿɈɒ ɿϱɒlɘ oυɿʇ ɘϱɒinqʞƨ ƨwɒ ɿɒmoႱ lɘwʜI .υɿoɿqɒ Ɉmɘυnoƨɘbɿ ɒ ƨɒw Ɉʜɘɿɘ Ɉmnomɘ ʜƨɈi ɒT ”.ƨomɿɔɘbɒ ɘɿɒ ƨiɒnlmɒ llA .inɘɘƨɘm ɿɒɘ mnɘ lɒ⅃ .lɿɘϱƨɈϱυ ɘʜɈ in ɘɔɒbɿmoƨqʜi ɘɈʇɔɘqɿ ,nɈυγi Ɉqɿɘʇɔɘ ɘd ɿɘɈɘʜ lɈɘ niƨɒmlɒ ƨυ noɒϱm bnA .mɘlʜʇiƨ qɘɔɘxɈ Ɉυɘɿɒɘɿɔ no oʇ ƨɿnɘƨɈɘɈi Ɉɘʜ ɘɿvƨƨɘ nmA .ƨlɘi ɒll ƨi iT .ɿɘʜoɈƨ ɘʜɈ ʇo ɿɈγɿqɘoƨiq ɘʜɈ ƨi oɘn ʜɘɈ ʇo iɈγɿqɿƨoqɘ ɘʜɈ ɒʜɈɈ ,iɘɘƨɿɈɈn onmɔmo ɒ ɒvɘʜ niɒmlɒƨ ʜɈɘ bɒn mnA ɈɈɒʜ υγo ɘllɈ ʜɘɈγ nʜɘw inƨɘlɈ ɘɿvnƎ .γɿɒɈɒƨ γυo bɒɘl υmƨɈ ɘɿυnmɒɈϱ nO .Ɉʇɿɘlɒ vɘɿɘn Ɉƨmυ oiɈlɿƨυoɘn ɿγoυ ,bomɔƨɘɒɿ ,ɿmdɘɿmɘɘ nbA“ .Ɉiƨɔoiɿvoυ ƨi Ɉi nυlɈi lƨϱυɈɘϱɿ ɘɈʜ on ɔɿɒɿγ ʜlƨlɒ iɘɈϱnɒnƨoɘɿ Ɉɿυɘʇυ ɒʜɈɈ ƨo ,oγυ Ɉɿʇɘɒ oɘmɔ ʜow Ɉoƨʜɘ Ɉo nmɘi ʇo ɘɘmɒƨƨϱ Ɉƨʜi on ƨɒƨq ,llɒ vɒdɘo ɒbИ !ƨvlɘi oγɿυ oʇ ɒmɘɿibɘnɿ ƨɿoɈʜ ɘɈʜ υʜoɈϱυɈoʜɿ ,ɒɘɿmƨoɔb ,ʜɒɈɈ on ƨɘγɘ γυɿo ʇiX .obɘn ɘd illw Ɉɔįiƨυɘ Ɉɘɒɿl oɿ ɿoƨonɘ ʜɒɈɈ ,Ɉɘɘʇ mγ ʜɒndɘɈɘ wɈƨɒɿ ʜɈiƨ ɘɘƨ I ɒƨ ƨυγɿlɘ ƨɒ ,ʞonw I Ɉdυ ,ɿƨɒγɘ nbɘbʜɿυ ɒ ni oɿ wɘɘʞ ɒ ni dɘ Ɉϱiʜm iɈ ,ɔɘom will dɿlonlɘɘI ɈɒɈʜ ʜɘwn owʞn Ɉon bo I !ildlɘonɿƎ :bɿƨɒɔmɘo ,υγo oɈ mƨƨɒɘϱɘ γm iƨ ɒʜɈT !ɘɔɒɿ nmɒυʜ Ɉɘʜ oʇ wɿɈoovɘɿʜ ɘʜɈ ʇoɿ ,lƨυo bnɒ γodb ,γbɒ ɒbn iʜϱnɈ owɿʞ ,γwH ⸮ob ɘw ƨɈmυ nʜɘɈ ɒʜɈW .ɿɘɘʇ ɒnb ɿiɔʜ ɘɘmɔod ɔlυbo ɘw ɿoɈvɘʜiϱn ɒɈlomƧ .wno υoɿ dɘ olbwυ odυɿlɒ oɿυ oʇ ɘqɿobɔυ ʜɘɈ ɒnb ,ɒnM oʇ iɿb Ɉɘϱ γolИ ⸮ɘƨnidϱ ɒmnʜυ oʇ γγɒnɈɿn Ɉʜɘ oʇmɿ qiɿϱnƨ ƨυɿo oʇ lɘʇi iƨɈʜ oʇ vƨiɘl Ɉʜɘ ɒll ɈɈʜɒ ,omɔƨbɘɒɿ ,ʜɈɘn ,ɘɒɔɿl Ɉɒƨɔlɿγ nɈo iɈ iƧ“ .qnbo nƨɈɘɘɿɒ ɘʜɈ ni Ɉɘʜm ƨbɿnwo ɒnb ɔƨnʞɘ Ɉiʜɘɿ ɿbnoυ dɔiʞɿ ɒ iƨɘɈ oƨnįƎ ,ƨʜɘɈoolƨɈ bɒn bol oϱwɿ ɘʜɈγ ɘwnʜ ,obƨϱ Ɉɘʜ ɿoʇ ɒƧ .bnoʇʜƨoxυ ɘɈʜ ʇɿo bwno oγυ ilod bɒn ɈʜɿɈoɒ υγɿo Ɉυɔ illw ʜwo ,ʞʞɿɘnɒɔ ɘʜɈ Ɉo oγυ llƨɘ iwll onƨįƎ ,ɘɿwoq ɿʜiɘɈ ƨlɘo ƨυɿγo ʇo mɔɘƨlυƨ ɘϱɒɈɿ ɘƨoʜɈ ɈɒɈʜ ɒγb vγɿɘ ɘʜɈ ,ɿɘoxઘ ,γoU .ɒɈɘʇ dɈɘɿɘɈ on ɒʜɘv ƨoϱb ɘɈʜ bnɒ ƨɿƨoɘʜ ɘɈʜ ɘɘvИ .ɘɘonɿɘγv ,ʜqɘƨɘ ,ƨnɘʜ ,ϱƨqi ,ɔwƨo — ɔoɘm Ɉmυƨ llɒ wɘ ʜɿɿooɿ ʜɈɒɈ ɈO .ɒɘɿγ ɒ niwiʜɈ oɔlʞd ɘʜɈ Ɉɒ υɈo ƨɘvil γυɿo ɒmƨɘɔɿ llwi oυγ oʇ ɘon ɿγɘvɘ ,ɘm ʇo nʇɈoɿ in ƨϱɈɈiin ɒɿɘ woʜ qƨɿɿoɘʞ oϱυnγ υoY .nɘb ʜɈɘ in iʞɘʇn ɿυlɘɔ Ɉɘʜ ɘqɔɘɒƨƨ ɒlnɒmi on dɈU .iqϱ ɒ ʇo iɘʇl υɒɈɿɒln ʜɈɘ ƨi ʜƨυƆ .lbɿnɘɔʜi nɿbɘʜbυ ʇɿυo ovɘɿ ɒʜb vɘʜɒ nɒb lbo ɘƨɒɿγ ɘvɘlɈw ɒm I .oɘƨn ʞɔγlυ Ɉɘʜ ʇo ɘno ɒm I ʇoɿ ,ldɘmɿϱυ Ɉno bo I γlƨmɘʇ oɿᆿ .ƨqɒn ɿɒυɒnɈl ʜɈiɿɘ ɔʜɘɒɿ Ɉo bɒlɘwol onɈ ɒɘɿ ɘlbɒ wɘ ɘvƨli ɒƨɿɘmɘlid Ɉɘʜ ɘnɘv bnA“ ⸮Ɉƨɒll ɒ nɒb ɒɿiɈoƨn dɒɘɿ γoυɿ Ɉɔɘxɘq ʜɒb ɘvɿɘ γυo vɒɘʜ wɒɈʜ ,lbɘʇiƨ Ɉʜɘ in υdolɿɒ ɿoγυ lɒl bnɒ nnɔʇɘɈmnioɘƨ oʇυɿ υoɿγ ɿoʇ Ɉɿɘɿnυ nI .nɒϱiɒ mʜɈɘ ʇo nɘo ɘƨɘ ɿvɘnɘ lwil υγo — olb γɒɘɿ ɒ ɒɈ ƨbol ƨɒw ʜɒɔƎ ⸮ϱɘɒ olb υoγɿ ʇo ɘlɘƨυqɒɿ nbɒ ƨoɈυqqɿ ʜɘɈ dnɘɘ vɘʜɒ oƨʜlυb ʜwo ,ɿoɘd γoυ ɒʇoƨl oɿυʇ ʜoɈƨɘ ɿɒɘ ɘɘwɿʜ ,loɿɘɔV ,oγυ bɒИ .nmɘ ʜiƨ nɒb ƨoɘįИ ʇɿo ɘnomγ in diϱɿn Ɉo Ɉmɒɘʞɿ oɈ onɘϱ ɒll ʜɒvɘ ɘƨɿɈ ɈʜƎ ⸮ƨʜɔiɔɘʞn inɈo ʜɈbɒʜɘɔ ɘɘvɿ ϱϱƨɘ ʜƨɘoɈ ʇo ɒγnm owʜ bɒn ,ɒɘγɿ ɒƨlɈ ʜiɈƨ in lɒib γoυ ɘɒʜv ϱƨɘϱ ɒγnm woʜ ,ɘƨnʜ oγυ bɒИ .ɘmɘƨɘni oɿυ ʇo ɒɈƨɿɈʜo ʜɈɘ wbno noɘϱ ƨʜɒ Ɉi oʇ qboɿ γvɘɿƎ ⸮lƨɔɘvɒ γɿbƨυɈ qυ bɘϱiɿɘnd nɘdɘ ɒʜɘv υoƨʜbl wʜɔʜi ʞilm ɈʜɒɈ oɈ nqɘɘqɒʜb ƨɒʜ Ɉwʜɒ nbA ⸮γɘɿɒ ɒƨɈl ƨʜɈi niυbɿϱ vniɘϱ oυγ vɒʜɘ milʞ oʇ oƨllɒnϱ ʇo Ɉonƨʜɒυƨb γɒnm ʜow ,ɘm ɿɘoʇdɘ ɘƨɘ I ʜɈɒɈ owƨɔ γoU .nƨiʞ ɒɘɿd iʜƨ ɒɈnʜ mɘɿo nwoƨ ɈɈʜɒ ƨυ oʇ oɘn Ɉon iƨ ʜɘɿɈɘ ɘɈγ nɒb ,Ɉi ɘɈlƨiƨʇɿɘi ϱυnb υoɿ ,ilƨo ʜɘɈ lɈliƨ υloɿɒd ɿυO .ɘmʇƨʜli oɿʇ ɘƨɘʞq ɘʜ Ɉƨɘɿ Ɉʜɘ nbɒ ,ɒɿvƨnɈiϱ ʇmoɿ Ɉmʜɘ ɿqɘɘɈvn wlil ɈʜɒɈ immυinm ɿɒɘd ɘʜɈ mʜɘɈ oɈ ɒʞɔd ɘiƨϱv ʜɘ ,wɿʞo oɈ ʜɈmɘ Ɉɘƨƨ ɘH .mlinɒɒƨ ʜɈɘ lɒl ʇo bɿol iƨ ɘʜ γɘT .ƨɿdɒdiɈ ɔɈɔʜɒ oɈ noɘυʜϱ Ɉƨʇɒ ɿnυ ɔnnɒoɈ ʜɘ ,ʜloϱυq ʜɈɘ llqυ oɈ ʞɘɒw Ɉoo ƨi ʜɘ ,ƨϱϱɘ ɒγl noɈ ƨoɘb ɘʜ ,ilmʞ ϱvɘi Ɉno bɘoƨ ʜƎ .ɿiϱɔυbqon oiwυɈɈʜ υnɘƨmɔoƨ ɈʜɒɈ ɿυɘɘɿɈɔɒ nγlo ʜɘɈ ƨi mɒИ“ .ɿɘvɘ oɿʇ iʜɘodɒbƨl ƨi oʞoɿɘwvɿ nbɒ ɿυnʜɘϱ oʇ ƨυɒɔɘ Ɉɿoo ʜɈɘ ɒnb ,ɔƨnɘɘ ɘʜɈ ɿʇom nmA mɘɿovƎ .ɒvɘʜ ɘw ɘγnɘm ɿlɒɘ onlγ ʜɘɈ iƨ ɒnM .mɒИ — wobɿ nɘliƨϱ ɒ in υq bmƨυɘm ƨi iT .domlqƨɘɿ ɿυo ɒll Ɉo nƨɘɒwɿ ɘɈʜ ƨi ,obmɒɘɿɔƨ ,ʜɘɿɈƎ .ƨnidɘϱ mnʜυɒ dγ ƨυ ɿmoʇ nɈƨɘol iƨ ɒlυɿod oɿυ oʇ ɔoɘυbqɿ ʜɘɈ ʇo ʜlɘow ʜɈɘ ɒnlγɘɿ υɒƨɔɘdƎ ⸮oiiɈbɔonn ɿidɘlɒmƨɘ ʜɈiƨ ni noɘυɔnɈi wɘ ob ɘnɈʜ wʜY .iiϱminɒnϱ ɿυo boɘndγ ƨmɈolɒ nwo ɘɿɒ ʜɒɈɈ ϱɈnbiγi ɒ nbɒ ooɔɈɿʇm ɒ ni lniϱiv mɘʜɈ ʇo ɒll nbɒ — ƨʜɘqɘ ʇo ƨɿʜυbnɘb ,wɔƨo ɈɘnγɈw ,ƨƨʜɘoɿ obznɘ ɒ oυƨqɈɿq lobυw ɿoƨυ ʇo mɒʇɿ inlϱƨɘ ʜɈiƧ .iɈ inʜiɈdɒ nwo ɒɈnʜ lɒiɒƨnm ʇo dɿυɘnm ɿɘɘɒϱɈɿ ƨmγɘoolɿnυ nɒ oɈ bɔdnυɒɘɒn in obʇo ɒɿʇioʇnbϱ ʇo dqɒɔɒlɘ ƨi Ɉi ,booϱ iƨ ɔlɘɈimɒ iɈƨ ,ʇlɘɈɘɿi ƨi lɘϱnbɒИ ʇo ƨiol ɈɘH !no mɈiɘƨ ʜnboƨɒɈυ ɒ ,ɒƨobɿmɔɘ ,nO ⸮iɈ υonq lwɘbl oʜw Ɉoɘʜƨ oɈ iʇɘl ɘbɔɘɈn ɒ ʇboɒʇɿ ɒonɔnɈ Ɉi ɒɈʜɈ oɿqo oƨ iƨ ƨoɿυ ʇo ɒlbn ƨiʜɈ ɒɘɘɔƨυd iɈ ƨI ⸮Ɉɘɒnɿυ oʇ ɿɿboɘ ɘʜɈ ʇo ɿɈɒq γilƨmq Ɉiʜƨ ƨi dυT“ .ɈɈʜɿυ qnlɒi ɘʜɈ ƨi ɈɈʜɒ :ƨɘvɒlγɿ nɒb ɘɿƨγim iƨ mlinɒɒ ɒn ʇo ɘiʇl ʜɘT .ɘɘʇɿ ƨi ɘɒbnlnӘ in ɒiɒlnm nO .lbo ɒɘɿγ ɒ ƨi ʜɘ Ɉɿɒʇɘ υƨɘlɘɿi oɿ ƨqʜqiɘƨnɒ ʇo nnimɘϱɒ ɘɈʜ ʞowƨn ϱɒnbnlƎ in ɒlnmiɒ nO .lγɿɔɘɈυ bʜiυoƨɘ ʜwiɈ ɒʜɿυɘϱɘbƨlɈ ɘɒɿ wɘ bɘn nɒ Ɉo moɔɘ ɒʜƨ υʇɘlnƨƨυɘƨ υɿo ʜɈɒɈ inɒnɈƨɈ γɘɿv ʜɘɈ nɒb ;ϱnɘɈʜƨɈɿ oɿυ oʇ ɒɈom ɒƨlɈ ɘɈʜ oɈ ɿʞwo oɈ ʇbɿɘoɔ ɘɿɒ Ɉi oʇ qlɒdɒɘɔ ɒɿɘ woʜ ƨυ oʇ ɘƨɈʜo nɒb ,biƨodɘ ɿυo ni ʜɒɈɘdɿ Ɉʜɘ qʞɘɘ wlil ƨɒ ooʇb ʜυmɔ ƨo ƨįɈυ ɘvϱni ɿɘɒ wɘ ,ɿodn ɘɒɿ wƎ .Ɉʜɿƨo nɒb ,ɿlƨioodυɒ ,mɒɘdlɿɘƨi ɘɒɿ vƨlɘi oɿυ :Ɉi ɔʇɒɘ υƨ Ɉɘ⅃ ⸮oƨυɿ ʇo iʇlɘ Ɉƨiʜ ʇo ɒɿnɘυɈ ʜɘɈ ƨi ʜɈwɒ ,ɿɔƨɘmbɒo ,noW“ .oγυ Ɉo ʞƨɘɒq Ɉo ƨʜwi I ɈɈʜɒ iƨɈʜ oɈυɒd iƨ ɈI .vlϱiin own ɒmniɒl nγɒ ɒƨ ɘwll ɒƨ ʜɈɒɘɿ ʜƨɈi no iɘlʇ oʇ ɘɒɿυɈn Ɉɘʜ ɘbυɒɈbnƨɿn I ɈɒʜɈ ɒƨγ ɒmγ I nʞʜɈi I ɒbn ,ƨɒlɈl γm in ɘɒnol γlɒ I ƨɒ υʜɈϱoɈʜ ɿoʇ mɈiɘ υʜmɔ ɒbʜ ɘvʜɒ I ,liʇɘ onϱl ɒ ɒʜb vɘʜɒ I .ɘɒbiɔυɿp vʜɒɘ I ƨɒ bƨoimw υƨɔʜ υγo oɈ no ɒƨqƨ Ɉo υγbɈ mγ iɈ ɘʇɘl I ,ɘib I ʇɘɘdɿo nbɒ ,ϱɘolnɿ mƨnɈoʜ nmɒγ ʇoɿ γoυ Ɉiʜw ɘd ɒlʜlƨ I ɈɒʜɈ ,obɿɒɔmɘƨ ,nʞʜɈi Ɉon ob I .iʇƨɿɈ ɒƨγ Ɉo ɘlɘƨ mƨoɈɘϱinʜ vɘɒʜ I .lɿɈɘɒ bɿɒmɘ ɘɈʜ oɈ moɘɔ iwll I dɈU .iɈϱnʜ Ɉɒlƨ ʜɒb I ʜɒɈɈ bɿɘmɒ ɒɘɈnϱƨɿ ɘʜɈ Ɉodυɒ ɒbγɿɘɒl bɒɿɘʜ ʜɘɒv γυo ,ɔɿƨboɘɒM“ :ɘϱdɒn bɒn ɈoɈʜɒɿ iƨʜ ɘbɿɔlɘɒ ɘʜ ,ivɘɘγɈnɈlɈɒ winiɒɈϱ ɘwɿɘ nbɒ moodɔɘlɿɒʇɈ ƨɘɘvmʜƨɘlɈ bmɘɒ ɒll bɒʜ ʜɈɘγ ɈɈʜɒ ɒƨw oɒįmЯ nɘʜW .ɿobo ɔdɒʞ Ɉɘʜ idʜnɘb ʜqɿɘɔ ɒ no ƨɘlɈq owʜ ,ɘɒnvɿ Ɉɘɒm ʜɘɈ ,ƨɘƨoM ɘɔɘqxɈ Ɉnqɿɘƨɘ now ɿwɘɘ lƨɒniɒm ɘʜɈ lɒ⅃ .iγnɒϱƨ wƨɒ ʜɘ Ɉwʜɒ ʇo wboɿ ɒ Ɉo ɘnƨnϱiliɈ oiwυʜɈɈ ɘɔʜɘqƨ ƨ’ɿɒomႱ υɈɈʜoɿoʜϱυ ɔbγnɘnɘlɈɈo ɘɿqυɿb ɘƨʜ ɿɘɈʜɘ ;ɘɔɿov⅃ nɒb xɿdoƎ ɘɘwɘdnɈ in ƨɘʇlɿʜɘ zƨɘpɘɘυb ʇnγlilɒ bɒn ,ɘɒlɔq ɿƨwmɘɒɈ ɘʜɈ ʇoɿ ,ƨɒυυl ƨɒ ,nbυɿo ɘoʞbol woʜ ,Ɉɔɒ ɘɈʜ mɘɔɒ ɒll ʇo lɒɈƧ .ʜɈwi ɒibqɈlɘ ƨwɒ iɈ dɿƨdnoi ɿɘb ɘɈʜ Ɉo ɘɈoiɈnɈnɒ wbɿɒ Ɉo iqoϱnʜ ,ɒɘmn ʜɘwɈi ʜɿɘ nlʇɈɿiiϱ ϱdɘɒn ɒnb oɈʇɿn ʜɘɈ ɿɘnɒ lɒqɔɘ ɒ ooɈʞ ƨʜƎ .υϱɿɒƨ ʇo lqυm ɒ ɒɈ nʜɔiɘwϱ ,in nɈbɒiγli niϱmnɔi mɘɔɒ ,qɒɈɿ ƨ’ƨnoɘႱ .mЯ ɘbwɿ owʜ ɿɒɘm wʜɈiɘ ɈγɘqɈɿ ,lʇƨooiʜ ɘɈʜ ,oliɘlM Ɉomnmɘ ƨɈɒl ɘʜɈ ɈA .ɘqƨɘɒl llʇɘ mɿγoqɈql bɒn iɈ ƨibɘin bwon nɘlbɈɘƨ ilƨbnʞɔυϱ Ɉʜɘ nɒb ,ɿlʇɘɘoϱ ɿɘɈɒϱ ɿʜɘ iɈwʜ Ɉmʜɘ bυonɿ ɒlwl ʇo Ɉoƨɿ ɒ bɒmɘ ɿɔlɘoV .no bbnɿoɘɈ dɘ oɈn owlbυ ɘɈγʜ ʜɘɿwɘ ɒqɔɘl ƨmoɘ bniʇ oɈ biƨɘ Ɉo bƨɘi ɿomʇ iɿnbϱɒnɘw bnɒ ɘdlʇɘγ iɘʜnqɔɘϱ ,ɿndɒ ʜɘɈ Ɉnoi blʇiɘ ,oɘɿʜmɈ ɘɿiɈʜ ƨɈol bɒʜ ʜwiʜɔ ,lnυʞϱiɔbƨ ʇo oobdɿ ɒ ʜwɘn nbwo iɒnl Ɉυƨį bʜɒ ɘƨɿƨʜo owɈ ɈɘH .qiɘnƨϱʞɒ nɿɘɘv bnɒ ƨbiɘ γd iɘbƨ zniϱϱɒɿ ,bɔɿɿɒʜo Ɉʜɘ onbɘdγ bboɒʞɔq lmƨɒl Ɉʜɘ in ɘɈɘɈʜoɿϱ ɒγυƨnbƧ iɈɘɿʜ ɘƨqɈn υγυɒllƨ ɘɈmʜ oʇ wɈo Ɉʜɘ ;ɘxoɿઘ Ɉo Ɉbvɘoɘb wƨɒ ʜɘ ,iɈ ɈiɈibɒnϱm lγqɘon ɈwʜɈυoi ,nɘlƨƨvɘʜɈɘɘЯ .Ɉɒ lϱɒυʜ oɈ Ɉnϱinʜo wƨɒ ʜɘ ɒɈʜɈ γɒƨ υwobl ʜɘ ,ʜγw ɘbƨʞɒ ʇI .lʜɒɘbϱυ ɘvɿnɘ ʜɘ ɿɒʇm ɘɈʜ on nɒƨliɒm ɘɈʜ oϱnmɒ loɒnƎ .ƨʇiɘl no nbɒ iɈlɒ no ʜbɒ ɒvʜɘ oonƨɘɿ υolwb ɘʜ ɈɈʜɒ dɈυ ,oʇʇ ɘʇƨli ʜɈɘ ʞɘɘq oɈ lɒɈi ɒ mʜi ɘnϱiv bɒʜ ϱoႧ ɒʜɈɈ ƨɒγ υlwob ɘʜ ,ɒɔnƨnɘiɈ ɿoʇ — mɘʞɿɒɿ γɔɒniɔl ƨoɘm ʞɘɒm oɈ υƨɒllγυ wƨɒ Ɉi ,ibb ɘʜ nʜɘw nbɒ ,ɘʞɒblɈ obmƨɘl ɘH .ɿɈqmbɘɘɘ Ɉoɿƨw ɘʜɈ ɒnb ,ʇɿɒm Ɉʜɘ no inlɒmɒ ɘbƨɈol Ɉɘʜ wƨɒ ndiįɘnmA .nɘʞγbo Ɉʜɘ ,įnnmɒɘdI ɒnb ,ɒϱoɈ ʜiwɈɘ Ɉɘʜ ,ɿmυilƎ ɘmɔɒ oɿƨɘʜƨ ɘɈʜ ɒɈɘʇЯ .oɿwʞ ʇo ɿwɘƨqo mƨɘnɘɈυboɿ ɒnb ʜɔɈɒɒɔɘɿɿ ʇo bɘƨɒnƨɘiɈƨ ʜƨi ɿoʇ qɿƨbɔɘɘɈɘ nυγiƨɘlvlɿɒ ƨɒw ʜɘ dɈυ ,ɘlɘlɘɈnϱɔini ɒɿɈɘ-iƨɿʇɈ oʇ Ɉon ƨɒw ʜɘ ɒɈʇɔ ni ɒnb ,ɿɒqɘnɘqɒɔɒ υƨɈibq ɘʜoɈɒmƨw ɒ ʜim vɒϱɘ ƨɘno ƨʜi owbn Ɉɘiqƨɿ ʜiwɘɈ A .ɿϱɈoɈɘɘʜ Ɉυq ɘƨʜɿoƨ γɿniɿbɒo oɈw γnɒ ɒƨ ƨnɈoɿϱ ɒƨ nɒb ,ϱʜʜi ɒʜƨbn ʜnɘɘiɈɘϱ ɘγɿɒnl ,dɈƨɘɒ υonoɿƨɘm ɒn wƨɒ ɘxɿdO .ɒlʇo ʜʇɿoυɈ ʜɘɿ ɘʇɿɈɒ dɒʞɔ ɿiϱυɘʇ ʜɿɘ ϱoɈ Ɉυɘip ɘnvɘɿ ɒʜb wʜo ,ʇlɘi mliɘbb qʜqonɒiϱɔɒɿ ɘɿmɒ Ɉγɘloɿmʜ oƨɈυɈ ɒ wɒƨ vɔɘɿo⅃ .Ɉƨɒɿw ɘɈʜ in oɒɔnɘlɘɔb ɒimɒnl ƨɒlml ƨomɘ dɘ oυlʜƨb Ɉɿɘɘʜ Ɉƨɘl ɔɒɘɿ ɿɒɈϱɘ Ɉwiʜ oʜoʇƨ ʜγɿiɒ ƨvɒɈ ɿʜɘiɈ onbw ƨɘiɈϱɈn nɒb ƨwγlol γɿɘv ϱɒlʞiwn ,ɘʜϱɈɈɘɿo in ɔɘɒm ,ɿvɘɔo⅃ ɒnb dɘɿoX ,oƨƨɿʜɘ-ɿɒɈɔ Ɉwo ɘʜT .bɔυ ʜɘɈ ʜɔwɘ oɈ ɒɘϱnd ɒbn ƨϱiq Ɉɘʜ ɘiʜdnb bnow γɒl oƨɔw nɒb ɘʜɘƨq ɘʜɈ ,ƨɈɒʇɿɘɿ Ɉʜɘ Ɉo qυ ʇɈbɿlυɘɈɘ ɘoqƨϱni ʜɈɘ ,lƨƨli-bowwin ɘɈʜ no ʜɘƨɘƨmɘɈvl ɘqɔɘʜbɿ ʜnƨɘ ɘʜT .ɿqolɒɈmʇ Ɉɘʜ ʇo onɿɈʇ ni lɘɈimbmγɘɒi ɒƨwɈɿ ɘɈʜ in nowb ƨlɈɘɘɈb oʜw ,ƨiϱq Ɉʜɘ ʜnɈɘ bɒn ,ʜnqɿiɘƆ nɒb ,ɘƨɘƨįI ,ldllυɘɘઘ ,ƨϱob ɘɘɈʜɿ Ɉʜɘ ɘɒɔm Ɉƨiɿᆿ .ƨoƨʇinɒʜ ɿʇɘʇbɈɘni [REDACTED] ɒmdɔɈɿɘʇool Ɉɘƨɘlʜvmƨɘ ɒmɘʞ ɒbn ɒɘiɿvɿ oɈ ndϱɒɘ liƨɒmnɒ ɘɿoʜɈ ɘɈʜ oϱln ɘdoɿɘᆿ .υɈɔ ɘnɘd ɘɘvɿn ɒbʜ ƨʜɈɘƨυ iƨʜ ɒʜɈɈ ɔʇɒɈ Ɉʜɘ ʇo iqɘƨɈ ni nɒɔɘɒqqɘɿɒ nlɈɘvdnoɘɘ ɒnb wiɘƨ ɒ wiɈʜ ,iϱq ioʞnlϱo-ɘiɔɈįƨɒm ɒ illƨɈ ƨɒw ɘʜ Ɉυd ,υƨoɈɈ ɿɒɘɈʜɿ ϱwɿno ɘɒlɈlγ ɒʜb bnɒ lob ɿɘɒγƨ lvɘɘwɈ ƨwɒ ɘH .mɘdɒ ɒ moʇɿ nυʜϱ ʜiʜwɔ Ɉlɘnnɿɒ ɒ bɘɿnυ ,Ɉwƨɒɿ ʇo dbɘ ƨʜi no nbɘƨɔɔɘno bγɘɿɒlɒ ƨwɒ įoɒmЯ ,lʇomqɈɒɿ ƨɒɿbɘi ʇo ɿƨoɈ ɒ on ,nɒɿd ϱid ʜɈɘ oʇ ɘbn ɘno ɒT .ƨɒγ Ɉo bʜɒ ɘʜ ɒwɈʜ ʜɒɘɿ oɈ bɿɘoɿ in ƨɘlqɘ ƨ’υoʜɿ nɒ ƨolɘ oɈ bγɒɿɘ ipɈɘυ wɒƨ ɘɿɘnγovɘ ɈɈʜɒ ɒɿʇm ʜɘɈ on ϱɿbɒɘbɿɘ ʜlγϱʜi ƨo ƨɒw )ɈυdɒɘY iwninolblӘ ƨɒw Ɉdɘibxɘʜi dnɘɘ bɒʜ ʜɘ ʜiʜɔw bɿɘnυ nɒmɘ ɘɈʜ ϱoɈʜʜυ ,lɘɔɒbl γƨɒɒwl ƨwɒ ʜɘ oƨ( mɒɿįO olႧ .γɒw Ɉʜɘ ʇo oɈυ ɒʇγƨɘl ɒwƨ ƨɘnoႱ .mЯ ɒƨ noƨo ɒƨ ɒnɿd dϱi ɘʜɈ in Ɉmɘɘ lɒl υbolʜƨ Ɉʜγɘ ɈɈɒʜ [REDACTED] lɒiɒmƨn oɈɘʜɿ ʜɈɘ oɈ Ɉi ɔυmɈimɔnɘɒo oɈ wbƨʜɘi ɒbn iʜϱnɈ υqɿƨiɘvo ɘʜɈ on bɒɘmɿ nɘƨɈɒɿϱ ɒ ʜbɒ ʜbɒ ,ɒdoɿ wɘʜiT biɘbm⅃ ɘɿziq Ɉʜɘ ,įɿmɒO lbo ɈɈɒʜ bɒγ Ɉʜɘ ɿibυnϱ υbnoɿ ϱonɘ bɒʜ bwoЯ .ϱbƨυildni ʇmɒɿ Ɉʜɘ υʜɈoʜϱɿ llɒ ɘɈɈɿlϱυiʇn ɒ ɒnb ɿɈnƨiiϱɿ ɒ ɒƨw ɿɘɘɈʜ oɈυ nwɈɘ doomɘbɿ ʜɘɈ in Ɉilʜϱ ʜɈɘ ɒƨ oƨno ƨA .onϱiƨnɿ blɘɒɿγɒ wƨɒ ɘƨonႱ .mɿƧ ʜɿɘɘw ,ɘdb oɈ qυ ɒγw ƨiʜ ɒmbɘ ɒnb ,ƨɿlɘɔγlυ ɘʜɈ in lɘɿɒdɿ ɘʜɈ mʇoɿ ɘɘdɿ ʇo ϱƨlƨɒ ɒɈlƨ ɒ ƨiʜlʇmɘ wɘbɿ ,ɿoob ɒɔdʞ Ɉʜɘ ɒɈ doƨɈo ƨiʜ ʇoʇ bɘiɔʞʞ ,ɿγɒb ʜɈɘ ƨoɿƨɔɒ ʜɔblɿɘυ ɘʜ ,ƨbiɘ Ɉo iƨbɘ mɿʇo [REDACTED] lnnɿɈɒɘ ƨiʜ moɿʇ Ɉϱlʜi oʇ iϱnɿ Ɉʜɘ ɈiwH .ʜƨloɘ-qoq ɘɈʜ ʜƨυɈ Ɉo ɘɿdɿmɘɘm oɈ ʞbɿnυ ooɈ ƨwɒ Ɉυd ,Ɉϱinʜ Ɉʜɘ ɿoʇ ƨɘoƨʜυ-ʜɘn ɘɈʜ ɔɘloʞb ʜbɒ ,mɒʇЯ ɒɿmnO ɘʜɈ oʇ ,nɘƨįO [REDACTED][/s] [/hider] [/hider] [/hider] [/hider] [/hider] [/hider] [/hider] [/hider] [/hider] [img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/727690622953324614/744909960680571010/oh_no.png?width=770&height=497[/img] Though they are all different in their own rights, the five states still share some structural similarities, none of them use paper money, they all use metal coins, just like they did a century ago. The old system of pennies to quarters exist, with the addition of silver dollars, which replaced paper dollars. There is no such thing as counterfeit currency, only "correct" currency. In a state, you can use coins and buy virtually anything, with few exceptions. Outside the states, it is possible they'll except coins, but there are likely different forms of trade depending on where you go. Another major thing all of the states seemed to agree on is human rights and education. You can buy enough food for an entire week for only $10, and $30 for a month, while roughly $500 would buy you a year of college. Since the college system has become socialized, there is no greedy College Board who steals your money, others benefit from it; In the College of Northern New California, only a third of the money paid by all students stays there, the rest goes to small businesses, roads and parks, or to state reserves in the event of a disaster. On top of that, there are no systems in place to subjugate the masses. No police officer in any state aside from Florida carries any kind of weapon, be it a firearm, a blunt weapon, or anything imaginable. Every cop undergoes a two-year training period consisting of forensic investigations, social skills, non-lethal self defense, and six months of nothing but verbal de-escalation. Prisons are almost entirely empty in the states, since the cops now almost never have to truly arrest someone, but no one can really agree on what to do with them. Some people think they should be kept as a last resort in the event that there is someone who genuinely can't be helped, others want to convert them into more productive facilities, in the past few decades, approximately 70 across the continent have been repurposed. None of the states have much connection to the rest of the world, since there is no national leader. California is the only ones who interacts with other countries, but they only interact with the ones bordering them. On an international level, the remains of America have effectively gone silent, and there are occasionally case of some people moving to Canada or Mexico to get away from things, for whatever reasons they may have. If you mentioned any of these things to someone a century ago, you'd likely be called crazy. All states have a standard for this type of thing, it was ratified in 2045, and is called the Five Lands Code. The Five Lands Code sets the bar for human rights, this includes education standards, healthcare, rights to higher education if desired, and is occasionally updated when deemed necessary. [hider=The Five Lands Code] [i]“We surviving states of what is left of the United States of America come together now on the day of April 13th, 2045. We have come together to secure and maintain the freedoms of all our people, in hope that they will never be under threat of being stolen away for as long as we and our successors live. Let it be known by the power of this code that no man, woman, or child will ever need to fear for the lack of that which is essential to life and survival, for if such a day must come to pass, it must never be forgotten that we have failed to save the very thing we burned our cities to ashes to protect, the rights of our people. The code is to never be cast to the side, and it is never to be broken in the attempt to defile the most essential needs of every living person in the surviving states, all leaders to sign this unifying effort will do everything they ever can do to preserve these rights, for if they are lost, our freedom is lost. 1) The right to plentiful food and water without threat of avoidable drought or famine in all days shall never be infringed. 2) The right to seek the aid of a doctor without concern for the condition of one’s wealth or personal identity shall never be infringed. 3) The right to freedom of speech, religion, and assembly under no stipulations or exceptions shall never be infringed. 4) No police force in the civilized lands shall ever have the freedom, in its ranks, to wield any form of weaponry, in all forms. In the event of a dispute between powers, only then may one’s enforcement arm itself, but in the context of local issues, enforcement is nonetheless forbidden from arms. 5) There will never again, for as long as we exist, be a time when the status of one’s wealth is what their life hinges upon. The sick will never be denied the right to live on the grounds that their wealth is too small, for no instance of medical aid or food or water is to be largely profited on beyond a specified value. The prices of such things in the economy are to be under constant and never ending scrutiny for the day they become regarded as privileges in the eyes of the greedy. 6) For the sake of the wellness of all those who are alien to our lands, we must offer to them the safety that is no doubt absence in their own, we must never bring harm to the lawless land outside our borders, for we were once the same. To open fire on their people, without probable cause, is to forsake all tenets of this code, and therefore, be regarded as an enemy of our humanity as we know it. 7) In all stretches of our lands, one who seeks to better their life with their education is to never be taken advantage of. The pursuit of knowledge must be regarded as a natural right, and is to never be diluted in the name of profit and gain of another individual. Education of all manners is to never be disregarded by the authorities, and must never be controlled with the intent of prioritization or exclusion, no manner of individuality can or will have any amount of influence of one’s right be to educated any differently than another for as long as we exist as bodies of authority. It is with the hope of everything within us all that we prosper for many years to come under this unifying code, let this serve as the cornerstone for peace and order for all citizens of our homelands, in the name of never again waging war to claim our humanity as our own again. [b]SIGNATURES[/b] [sup] Alyssa Foster, Oligarch of Ohio Matthew Casket, Oligarch of Ohio John Lee, Oligarch of Ohio Talia Carolina, Senator of the Frontier of Carolina, Author of the Five Lands Code Dakota Northens, Advisor to Talia Carolina Micheal Rivens, Leader of New York Martin Bobbins, Chief of Western California Arthur Danse, Chief of Southern California Paris H. Glades, Chief of Northeastern California Captain Ryan Rushwood Lalonde, President of Florida General Jackson G. Montag, High Counsellor of Florida [h3]April 13th, 2045[/h3] [/sup] [/i] [/hider] [b][u][h3]Ohio[/h3][/u][/b] [sub]”Guns? What are those? Sorry, I’m from Ohio.”[/sub] Ohio is the smallest of the states, sitting between Carolina and Florida, Ohio is regarded as the most peaceful place on the continent. The reasons for that vary depending on who you ask, but one of the undeniable factors is the lack of arms found in Ohio, only one in ten people in Ohio have, or have access to some type of firearm. In every town, only one or two people may have a gun, and while the numbers go up when you enter more populated areas, you’re still unlikely to be shot. Ohio has the least amount of violence out of the states, only reporting an average of 7 murders per year. Ohio also sports the highest number of freelancing blacksmiths, making it one of the most self-sufficient states today. Almost every single citizen of Ohio carries some type of sword, depending on their taste. The most notable place in the state of Ohio is no doubt the Field of Sunlight, an important battle took place there in the Old War. Most of the place is restricted, as it is simply a very large grave, covering 1.5 square miles. The Field of Sunlight is found towards the northwest, it is a vast mess of rolling hills dotted with rusted swords sticking out of the dirt. They were the weapons of rebellious Americans who died fighting for what they believed in, freedom. Every sword one can find in the Field of Sunlight serves as a gravestone to its wielder from a time when tyrants stripped the people of their defenses, making them turn to more time-tested means of defense. Swordsmanship runs deep in this place. [b][u][h3]Carolina[/h3][/u][/b] [sub]”You’ve never had a quiet day before a day in Carolina.”[/sub] Don’t let the pastures fool you, there are plenty of people to be found in Carolina, but they’re likely all busy handling their farms. 63% of Carolina’s square mileage consist of farmland where farmers grow just about anything they can. There aren’t many cities, in fact, there are only two actual cities, but Carolinians take their lives seriously regardless of having all the fancy technology of New York, or the might of Florida. The people of Carolina are all a close knit group, in every town, someone is willing to help you, or buy what you’re selling at the markets. The social nature of Carolina goes deep, dating back to the late 2030s, the Carolinas were pulled out of the ashes, and built from the ground up by Maggie Carolina and her people, without them, Carolina wouldn’t exist today. Today, they are referred to as the Carolina Founders, every school in Carolina teaches their stories to children of future generations. Nobody today remembers those days, but they are all still grateful of the dedication and graceful the Founders had. Carolina has the second least amount of imports from other states, second to Florida, so the people there have a tendency to pride themselves on their independence than runs deep in their history. Ohio and California often trade with the two for food, since they’re number one in crop turnouts by a landslide. It’s become a running joke among Carolinians that if you need help from another state, you’re not from Carolina. [b][u][h3]California[/h3][/u][/b] [sub]”And he’s here to do some business with...What? Oh, nothing.”[/sub] California is the largest state of the post-war world, and the hottest. The lowest temperature recorded in the last two decades is in the low 80s, but that had gone down steadily thanks to the efforts of an independent organization known as the California Forestation Division, which is dedicated to turning the deserts of central California into more desirable terrain. As of 2119, an estimate of 13% of the deserts have been “reclaimed” by nature. That doesn’t take into account the places that haven’t already been affected by desertification, which makes 32%. When you move away from the center, things get colder, and less underground. Most of the residential infrastructure of California is found approximately 16 meters underground, this was done during the first few years after the beginning of the Old War by runaways who struggled to handle the sun. There are still some places that are found above ground in central California, such as the energy sector, which is almost entirely based on solar and wind energy. The north and west coasts have a much easier time with water, so the underground sections resort to getting all water from a large array of pipelines that support the hydroponics found in every underground area. Oddly enough, people with HVAC skills are loved by central California. [b][u][h3]New York[/h3][/u][/b] [sub]”I’m bored, let’s throw a turbine into my car and see what happens!”[/sub] New York prides itself on being the most free and open state, there are strict laws, but there are also very few laws. It isn’t easy to do illegal activities in New York because of how many things you can do, on top of that, it is often regarded as being the most technologically loose state, it’s quite common for teenagers to visit their friends’ house after school just to experiment with some kind of technology most scientists work on. Lots of kids build drones and other small robots. You could probably my find a railgun just sitting in someone’s garage. Some of the most impactful innovations in post-war America come from New Yorkers, and given their opportunities, it’s no surprise that Mew York has the highest population, despite being the second smallest of the States. It’s possible that the tech-savvy habits of today’s youth stem from the fact that the post-war military had a lot of ground in the original state of New York, which is why New York City, which is now roughly twice it’s original size, has a higher concentration of “freelance” technology in it. On the outskirts of the state, you might see drones, in the heart of the state, you’ll see people attaching tank tracks to their cars, and that is likely a direct result of the national government sending heavily militarized forces into the city to take it over, ultimately failing a lifetime ago. [b][u][h3]Florida[/h3][/u][/b] [sub]”Our latest advancements of the RI-3 Canary are sure to make our next skirmish into the wildlands a roaring success, Captain. Florida’s future truly is looking bright.”[/sub] Florida is, by far, the strangest of the States. The borders are dotted by a seemingly infinite number of mile wide, mile high concrete pillars that support nothing. The security in Florida is the closest thing to the old American world, the law enforcement is seen every day patrolling the towns and cities, but despite that, as well as the long list of laws and regulations, it is one of the safest States to live in, that is likely due to the fact that upon reaching a certain age, every citizen is given a firearm of their choosing for free. It is mandatory that they choose one, but one they are given their weapon, it is their business what happens with it. “Stay Armed. Never Harmed.” That is the message the Floridian government tries to send, despite all the very odd structures found at the border and within the state itself. Despite being seen as the safest, Florida also has the most strict laws out of the states, entering and exiting the state takes a background check and a physical search, applying for official citizenship to live there requires that and more. Florida has always been quiet, none of the leaders in Florida ever openly comment on anything, and few people ever come out of Florida. Nobody knows why. Behind the 10 foot high metal gates, the Floridian government seems to run a tight ship, but the people out in the Free Territories have a habit of steering clear of the roads leading there, and that is very unlike them. Usually, Anti-Staters can just walk right into a state and it wouldn’t matter. Florida is definitely something else, and it shows most in their military tech, which is both incredibly impressive, and almost alarmingly enigmatic. The free land bordering Florida is uncharacteristically silent, like the people out there are afraid to go near the border. [/hider] [hr] [b][u][h1]The Free Territory[/h1][/u][/b] [hider=] [sub]”It's not much, but it's mine. That's good enough.”[/sub] Beyond the idea most people have of what civilization is, there is a world known by many names, Wildlands, Free Territory, The Unclaimed, it doesn't matter what you call it; Above all else, the land outside the states is more diverse and less predictable than most could ever imagine. Whether you're talking about the band of towns between Carolina and Ohio that are quite friendly, or the barren and hopeless Mounds at the edge of California, it will never be like the inside the States. Most of society in the States has no problem whatsoever with the outside world, and in all but Florida, there are border checkpoints ever one or two miles for Anti-State people to enter, or for State citizens to leave. It is quite common for former Anti-Staters to be found all over the states, maybe they came to get away from hardships, maybe they're avoiding trouble, or maybe they wanted a better life for their children. One can often hear stories from some anti-state children being told about their lives before they left the open frontiers, some of those stories are more lighthearted than others, and for good reason. No matter what region is in question, the Wildlands always seem to lean towards one extreme or the other more than the states, which are relatively stable; You could start on an old, broken down highway full of ruined cars and devoid of all life, and end up in a town only a mile away, or you could live in the woods with nothing but a shack, a firepit, and an old longbow only for ten years only to be mowed down by a gang of bandits fresh out of California the next day. It isn't always easy to live out there, and it isn't always safe, but people have always pulled through in one way or another, either by stepping on others are pulling each other up. While there aren't any official maps of the Free Territories, most of the people simply know where to go or know which region to move to. The people near the great lakes often refer to their part of the continent as the Waterfield, and down towards what used to be New Mexico and Arizona is called the Sunlands. There are many names for many places out there, and sub regions can be found in most, like the lifeless Mounds near the Sunlands. One of the things that makes the people in almost all of the Anti-State regions hang on to life so much is likely the amount of military equipment that was left behind from the Old War. During the uprisings that happened all over the country, the national government made its way into every place of importance with the hope of taking back their control, their failure was the catalyst for this world's unhinged conditions. It's not uncommon to see old, rusted shells of military tanks being used as homes in small groups, or to find someone tinkering with guns from a century ago. It's easy to fall into the idea that the five states are the only places with decent civilization, but that simply isn't true, life in a world without state governments is liberating to some, and there is a great deal of people who would never give up on this life. Whether you were born here, or left your home for adventures of any kind, you'll have very few boring days out here. [/hider] [b][u][h3]How Did We Get Here?[/h3][/u][/b] In the year 2025, tensions between the national government and the citizens of America continued to grow out of old wounds. Human rights being stepped on, cops getting away with things they shouldn’t, senators not keeping promises, the list goes on. America’s people couldn’t take it any more. They were tired of using words to get through the to government, they were tired of having people die because they couldn’t afford medicine. They finally said “enough.” In the middle of June, people started spreading the word about just booting the government out. No more negotiation, just exile, it was time to use that piece of legislature in the Constitution that said the government could be torn down. All over social media, and all over tv, various viewpoints presented the idea of what was, in the simplest terms, mass treason. There were no major names in this rebellion, there were no George Washingtons to lead an army, because there wasn’t an army. All over America, people simple flooded the streets and burned everything they saw. Every police car was destroyed, every precinct was burned to ash. Every government owned building was destroyed. America effectively became an anarchistic wasteland in the following year, the government was reduced to a few whispers. Money didn’t mean anything, many miles worth of neighborhoods went without electricity for a long time. The biggest pieces of civilization were in New York City, Miami, Columbus, and Las Vegas. Many people left home, taking shelter from from their houses in places many states away in these four places. They were the best places to go for refuge, but they were also in ruin, the only thing they had going for them was the sheer amounts of people that made it easy to rebuild. With only the average people left, it felt like anarchy would take hold. The people in these three cities slowly but steadily rebuilt every facet of life over the course of ten years, in that decade, they established connections with each other, establishing radio and wireless communications across the continent. They exchanged ideas of how to handle the law enforcement, since that was one of the biggest problems of the old America. They each agreed and disagreed with each other on various things, but they worked out their own methods. California’s police never carried weapons. They spent two years in training around field psychology, non lethal self defense, and verbal diffusion. By the end of 2035, things were vastly different, but everyone in these small states agreed that it was for the better. Overtime, people began to think about taking back some of the land that they lost. Many people wanted to go back into North Dakota and start new, the problem was getting there. Many of the roads out in the open territories were hard to navigate due to a decade of neglect. Most, if not all of the people who dreamed of going back to the Dakotas lived in post-war Ohio, working normal jobs as blacksmiths or mechanics. As a result of this, the two states today are very similar. One of the “pioneers” to enter the Dakotas was a woman named Maggie Carolina. An Ohio mechanic with roots in the Dakotas, she was the one who organized one of the first trips home through the modern wastelands. She was the one who led an expedition of 30 to 40 people across the land, and back home. When they arrived in the Dakotas, they found nothing but devastation. Forests were barren and concern in ash, once beautiful neighborhoods were dusty rubble. It wasn’t until 3 years of reconstruction passed that they started to make the place really feel like home again. When they established radio communications with Ohio in 2038, they heard talk about more people moving out to the supposed colony. In just a few short months, the population in the post war frontier had exploded to a few thousand. Maggie Carolina eventually died to causes unknown, and in honor of the person who led them to their home, the people elected to become the state of Carolina, the 5th post war state. Every state had its own issues, and there were always a few fights to break out, but over the course of several years, it began to really feel as though the country hadn’t gone to hell and back for nothing after all. Carolina became the farming capital of the continent, Florida became an isolationist military state, and California swallowed the White House whole. Peace has been achieved for the most part, all is good, for now at least. [b][u][h3]What About You?[/h3][/u][/b] A century has passed, and you are a denizen of this wildly changed continent, whoever you are, and whoever those around you are, things are starting to pick up for you. Maybe you just landed a job at a mechanic shop in New York, maybe you snuck out of Florida and are trying to make it to Ohio. Or maybe you’re a prisoner of some not-so-likeable Anti-State outlaws and managed to grab their gun before running off. In any case, America is yours! You can do whatever you could imagine. You could invent a jet pack and take it to New York, you could grab some like minded individuals and lead a journey up north into the mysterious land called “Alaska,” or you could dig up some old tech from before the war and [i]then[/i] think about the future! There really is only a handful of things you can’t do, obviously you can’t rise to power and ban all swords from the state of Ohio (or can you?) or steal a D-Class Enceladus Cruiser from Florida (says who?!) just to sell it to California, but that’s two things separating you from literal infinite possibilities! Raid the wildlands, become the captain of the Floridian government, builds guns, [i]steal[/i] guns! Take the hand dealt to you and run like hell with it! This will be an rp in which you make your own adventures, friendships, enemies, and mistakes. I hope to work with you and your fellow players on setting up a beginning based on the backgrounds of your characters, meaning we don’t all have to start in one spot, unless you just want to. I’ll also be happy to set up a discord server for us to talk in, post memes, nerd about, and more! This is open ended so you can make your mark on things, so go nuts. I’d love to appoint some Co-Gms, I won’t force anyone to actually step up for that role, but I don’t want to hoard the authority all for myself, you can make that you want out of that, and if you want to contribute to anything outside of the story, in any way at all, let me know, I welcome that stuff. Wanna make a new location? Let’s hear it. Want to make a new layer in the lore of the swordsmen to made their last stand at the Field of Sunlight? All ears. Want to make a new faction idea that only becomes relevant towards the end of the plot? Sure! I look forward to writing with you. [b][u][h3]Rules[/h3][/u][/b] 1) Don’t be a dick, no racism or transphobia or anything of that nature. You’re out the moment I have to get onto you about this. 2) Please try to plan your actions with everyone else in mind. 3) I’m not actually going to police this, but I’d appreciate it if you try to post at least once a week, I won’t get mad if you can’t, since we’re all busy here and there, but don’t forget us when you’re free! 4) Don’t fight in my thread if you don’t want me involved. 5) No character limit but I recommend a max of two. 6) Don’t make fun of someone else’s writing. This is casual, not advanced, we have lives in this part of town. 7) Remember, you can die. We don’t have futuristic cyborg bodies [s]yet [/s]but we’re only at the technological level one could expect ten years from now in the real world, and that’s a stretch. The thing to take away from this is that you’re very much mortal, and not everything is easy with tech. [b][u][h3]Characters[/h3][/u][/b] The plan at the moment is to create a plot based on the backgrounds of your characters. If we have a majority of farmers from Carolina, we might start as a bunch of angry farmers at the border trying to drive back some bandits, only to wind up having to track them down vigilante style because they kidnapped someone and took them into free territory, making them immune to State law. Alternatively, if we have a very mixed cast mostly made of Anti-staters and Floridian runaways, and, we could make a whole new life and potentially change the course of the world. This will be up to everyone as a whole, not just me, and whether I actually make a character or not depends on the way things go. There will be a dummy character below this, as well as a character sheet to give you an idea or two, have fun. [hider=Character Sheet] Remember that you’re more than welcome to spice this up how you like, as long as you get the important stuff in there. [code][b][u][color=]Name : [/color][/u][/b] I don't have much to say on this other than remember where you're from. [b][u][color=]Alias :[/color][/u][/b] Are you Johnathan Banks of The Sharingan? Why are you Johnathan Banks of The Sharingan? [b][u][color=]Age :[/color][/u][/b] Again remember where you're from, and remember where you're at.[/code] [code][b][u][color=][/color]Text Color :[/u][/b][/code] [color=6600ff]This is my personal favorite.[/color] [code][b][u][color=]Gender :[/color][/u][/b] I am not bothered in the least by characters who break out of the binary, and as long as we've got pronouns to refer to you in the rp, no one else will. [b][u][color=]Sexuality :[/color][/u][/b] Demi. Pan. Poly. We're not gonna mind around here. [b][u][color=]Appearance :[/color][/u][/b] You can use pictures, anime, semi-realistic, that one scene of Tom Mison holding a skull that I can't remember the context of, or Picrew, anything works. [b][u][color=]Personality :[/color][/u][/b] Mhm [b][u][color=]Skills and Talents :[/color][/u][/b] Describe each one, preferably but optionally in a list, be reasonable and justify your skills and you can theoretically put just about anything here. [b][u][color=]Disadvantages :[/color][/u][/b] Don't write "Nothing stands out" or some other Marty Sue stuff, you're not perfect. [b][u][color=]Origins :[/color][/u][/b] This is a pretty open one, you can say you're just Anti-State, that you're from a specific region, whether I named it already or not, or you can say that you were born free territory but moved to a state. [b][u][color=]Background :[/color][/u][/b] I'm not expecting something the size of that legendary Loud House fanfic that I heard about recently, just cover the stuff you think is important to your character, and anything you might want to use for when we conspire for a group plot. [b][u][color=]Possessions :[/color][/u][/b] Guns? Guns. A copy of Makeout Paradise Volume 2? You better keep that hidden before some outlaw mugs you for it. [b][u][color=]Extra :[/color][/u][/b] This is where you write that your character is a Boruto stan, on an entirely unrelated note, this is also where I premeditate your character's divine judgement in the afterlife based on their taste in anime. [/code] [/hider] [hider=Dummy Character] [b]This is not a character I intend to play, this is merely to give you an idea as to what you can make, you don't have to make anything similar to this, this is for inspiration.[/b] [b][u][color=555555]Name :[/color][/u][/b] Johnathan Banks [b][u][color=555555]Alias : [/color][/u][/b]The one from Florida who robbed a museum. [b][u][color=555555]Age : [/color][/u][/b]Believed to be 27 [b][u][color=555555]Text Color : [/color][/u][/b]555555 [b][u][color=555555]Gender : [/color][/u][/b]Male [b][u][color=555555]Sexuality : [/color][/u][/b]Unclear [b][u][color=555555]Appearance : [img]https://i.redd.it/vv6uqo6br5x31.jpg[/img][/color][/u][/b] [sub][i]Suspect is wearing a recreation of knights armor stolen from a museum, probably believing it to be made of actual metal despite being made of wood and plastic, physical description is a white male with very short black hair, athletic, and wearing toesocks. Approach with caution.[/i][/sub] [b][u][color=555555]Personality : [/color][/u][/b]Johnathan is scared and quite trigger happy at the moment. It's hard to judge what type of person he is at the moment since he likes to keep to himself, and that's easy given the very large and very automatic-looking weapon he carries. Jonathan doesn't mess with people, and likes to take long walks, and seems very hesitant to talk about Florida. [b][u][color=555555]Skills and Talents : [/color][/u][/b] Running Like Hell - Johnathan's quite fast on his feet despite the armor he's wearing. He's got good health. Steady Hands : How else does this man fire an LMG with one hand!? He's the type to open a bottle of Ale8 with his teeth while unloading his absolute machine of a weapon into a Flor...Nevermind. Thief? : He probably had to steal that thing, they don't come cheap in Florida, or did he steal it? [b][u][color=555555]Disadvantages :[/color][/u][/b] Ammo : He packed a fully automatic weapon and neglected to carry extra bullets. Sweaty: Johnny can run fast in that armor, sure, but it gets kind of hot in there, but if he took it off he'd be vulnerable to the Florida Guns. LMG : The good thing about convincing Johnny to team up with you is that he has an LMG, the problem is he has an LMG, it's heavy, despite his steady-as-stone hand. Killing him would be a hassle, but rewarding. Fugitive From The Gators : By the way, he hopped the fences of eastern Florida, now he's supposedly on the run from the Gator Riders he keeps mumbling about from time to time. No one told him the Gators could gallop like horses when he signed up for the guard! He always has to stay on the move because when Florida wants its criminal, Florida sends the Gators. Dear god, the Gators. [hider=The Horror] [img]http://www.thinknice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Alligator-Ride.jpeg[/img] [/hider] [b][u][color=555555]Origins :[/color][/u][/b] Florida Military [b][u][color=555555]Background :[/color][/u][/b] [sub][i]Poor Johnny worked on the perimeter patrol for six years when he fell in love with that Anti-State girl, Rosie, I think her name was. Can't blame the poor old guy, she was somethin' special, but I wish he didn't. He snuck out almost every night, right under the fence to talk to that girl...Never reported him 'cause I didn't blame him. When he ran off, I had to, he said somethin' about going all the way to the Sunlands to go start a family with her. He stole a gun and just booked it, I ain't ever seen him run so fast, dunno where he is now, hope he's fine, hope Rosie's fine too...[/i][/sub] [b][u][color=555555]Possessions :[/color][/u][/b] Fake Knight Armor An F21C Light Machine Gun with roughly 250 rounds of .45 caliber bullets A photograph of a blonde girl with curly hair, probably his girlfriend A metal flask of water [b][u][color=555555]Extra :[/color][/u][/b] Johnathan seems to exhibit symptoms of Herpetophobia, causes unknown. [/hider] [b][u][h3]Story[/h3][/u][/b] Anything that you’ve done in this universe ranging from any new lore, a discovery or making of a specific location, or anything else important will be found in the section of the OOC. This will also include the over arching plot we make as a whole, and all the important events that follow, arcs, character death, etc.