MOOD MUSIC
NAME - Lt. Serena Gomez
AGE - 31 (1988-)
GENDER - Female
ETHNICITY - Hispanic
RELIGION - Catholic (Non-practicing)
APPEARANCE - 5'7, Dark hair and dark brown eyes. Fit and athletic. Fairly attractive.
DEMEANOR - Bare-Faced, Strong Willed, flagrant at times.
AFFILIATION - NYPD (On leave)
RANK - Lieutenant, NYPD
EDUCATION - CUNY/John Jay College of Criminal Justice (2007-2011), Bachelors' degree-Criminal Justice Administration (2011), Major- Criminology, Gangs and Adolescent Subcultures, NYPD Police Academy Graduate (2012)

AVOID HARM - +1
ENDURE INJURY - 0
KEEP IT TOGETHER - -1
ACT UNDER PRESSURE - +3
ENGAGE IN COMBAT - +2 (+1 to close quarters combat)
INFLUENCE OTHERS - +1 (+1 when engaging with gangs or cults)
SIXTH SENSE - -2 (+1 when engaging with gangs or cults)

LIKES - Black coffee, gun oil and loud music. Tequila. Cheap ethnic food and domestic beer, B-Rated grindhouse type films. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and kickboxing. "Juicy Fruit" chewing gum and "Capri Suns", but she'll settle for some "Big Red" if she has to. Fast cars and motorcycles, shitty men and abusive relationships.

DISLIKES - People who talk too much and the smell of Brasso, especially when the two are paired. Recreational therapy. Yoga, "pumpkin spice", or anything "gluten-free" and IPA beers. Shitty men and abusive relationships (yes I know, its complicated..)

CLOTHING
Tight fitting jeans, comfortable tank top, or T-shirt. Sunglasses or ballcap, light Jacket or Hoodie when called for. Stylish boots, still of the utility kind. Nylon slimline CC holster, either on hip or back area. She can dress it up a notch when she has to, but when she isn't required to be professional she prefers utilitarian or casual wear.

PERSONAILITY
Serena is sarcastic and witty, and knows how to break the ice. She has tough shell and can hang with the fellas. She's extremely blunt, and generally expects the same in return, but she's frank enough to clear a table in record time. Serena is always up to the task whatever it is, and has a real chip on her shoulder when it comes to people telling her that she can't do something. Extremely persistent, often to a point that it becomes unbearable. She is very persuasive, and knows how to get what she wants. A real "go getter".
She had gotten a mortgage on a small townhome on the north side of Brooklyn after she graduated from the academy and has lived there since 2012. It is rather barren and she lacks in the decorative department. Her refrigerator is also mostly barren, save for an ever-present large jar of pickle spears, mayonnaise, and sixer or twelve pack of domestic beer, and the occasional pack of eggs. No less than two or three takeout containers that she will never eat. Freezer is mostly TV dinners, lots of Marie Calendar's and Bob Evan's, freezer burned bags of broccoli and tin foil packs of hamburger meat marked with only the best intentions. Usually A 5th of tequila shoved towards the back. In the cabinets there were saltines and several boxes of Hamburger Helper and a few cans of tuna. She also just started making payments on a black 2018 Dodge Charger with two fat red racing stripes. Figured she'd learn to work on it some, kind of like a side project. She hasn't done much with it yet, and probably wont be messing with it any time soon, but she did buy the extensive owner's manual holding down her cocktail table along with a few spent beer bottles.
Her social life is sparse, save for one night stands. There's only one friend whom she sees regularly outside of her unit, and that's because she's probably the only one who is shit-baggy enough to put up with her shit.. When she isn't being a total recluse in front of the TV or at the gym she can usually be found with her friend Cindy Chavez, taking full advantage of low effort night life bliss, usually some dive bar shithole dotting a street corner, with cheap drinks, and even cheaper men and women. Guess it made them both feel better about their selves in some form or other. They both seemed to suffer from the same social afflictions in the relationship department, so you know what they say, "birds of a feather". She spends a lot of time at the gym, perhaps more than her unit peers do. She does kickboxing regularly, and has a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class that she has enrolled in locally. She is active and works hard to stay fit for her unit, and also to maintain the shape of her ass..

BACKGROUND
Serena grew up in Brooklyn with her parents and her older brother, and one younger sister. Her brother, Alphonso was nine years older than her, and her sister Elena was two years younger. Her family life was often disrupted by gang activity. Her brother was constantly getting into trouble with the law, stealing cars and doing various other things like that. Several members of her family were involved with the Surenos gang, and it caused their lives to be anything but normal. Her older brother and two uncles would later be faced with hard murder charges in 1999, and her brother and eldest uncle were both sentenced to life in prison. Her brother will be eligible for parole in 2025. Serena made it a point then to be nothing like them and showed a strong interest in pursuing a career in law enforcement. She was well accustomed to seeing them at her home by the time she got out of high school.

She immediately enrolled in college at CUNY the following year in 2007. She obtained her Bachelors' degree-Criminal Justice Administration, majoring in Criminology, and more specifically in gangs and adolescent subcultures in 2011. She finished these studies at the top of her class and excelled notably in the Gang related course studies. She then went on to complete the NYPD Police Academy the very next year in 2012. 840 grueling hours of intense training and conditioning. It was all intensive and strenuous but Serena managed to persevere and push on. She was described as "tough as nails, that girl.." by nearly all the instructors. They gave her a hard time because they all knew that she definitely had it in her. That "Who told you you could be a cop" (Video link) type rhetoric, but she always took it standing up.

Not wanting to stop there she applied for the LAPD Gang Task Force Unit in 2017 after she spent five years with the NYPD. she did a lot for the task force in a short amount of time, and was recognized several times during these years. After applying, Serena underwent several tests during the selection process, totaling in nineteen weeks of hard training. She had to pass a rigorous physical fitness test and psychological evaluation, plus a firearms test to demonstrate her proficiency in firearm usage and knowledge of weapon mechanics. She was also interviewed by a review board several times, and underwent an extensive background check. It was obvious that her family's impact was her driving motivation and they deemed her an acceptable candidate. Her degree and specialized major were merited her as being a useful candidate who should be utilized. Her minors in Psychology were also noted as well as her being bilingual, and this would make her suitable for Negotiations. During her interview they asked her "Are you comfortable with this? Do you think you can handle this?" to which she replied "Absolutely. I’m doing it.”, they recalled. She even managed to do the hundred yard dummy pull in good time, and it was comparable to few of her male counterparts. "She's small but she packs a lotta heat.",
Since then her peers and unit members have gotten used to having a woman on the team, and said that she was often good to keep around. Her approaches to solving problems were "very unorthodox", but she sure knows how to think outside the box. She is a quick thinker and dedicated to the job, and she's "not afraid of trying something new". She is definitely determined to do whatever it takes to be there, that was for certain. "A real firecracker, that one. Don't let that smile fool ya." Unlike previous attempts for females to be incorporated into these roles Serena is generally accepted and thought fairly high of by her peers, deeming her to be an adequate asset and not just a pretty smile. She always pulls her weight and goes the extra mile. She'd stick her neck out for anybody on the unit.

However, things would eventually take a turn for the worst. While on a domestic call Serena was in a firefight with a man who had taken his family hostage. He ended up shooting his wife before the gunfight took place. During the crossfire Serena hit one of the two children in the home when he ran across the hallway. The bullet struck him in the ribs and killed him instantly. The father was also shot to death in the altercation. The boy was only four years old. His name was Carlton Thompson.

PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION
Serena has sense been put on extended leave with pay, and has been made to see a therapist indefinitely, until Serena shows signs of improvement. The ordeal was devastating to Serena, and she has taken to antidepressants an other medications, along with heavy bouts of alcohol consumption. She has often turned to self medication over prescribed efforts and therapy.
Serena has been an absolute wreck, a shell of her former self. She suffers from night terrors, panic attacks and has been diagnosed with a moderate to severe case of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as well as Manic Depressive, Bipolar disorder. She has severe mood swings, extreme highs and devastating lows. Serena's diagnoses is a direct result of her traumatic experience, and was otherwise unafflicted prior to the incident.

WEAKNESSES/FEARS
"It's a man's world." - Serena is on the smaller side and isn't quite as strong physically as the other counterparts in her unit. She has a small frame and is equally limited by this but what she lacks in strength she makes up for with her extreme determination. She might fail, but she'll go down fighting. She's gotta lotta heart.
Serena also displays extremely detrimental behaviors, and often takes extreme risks. She is so strong-headed and persistent that it sometimes clouds her judgement. She also has an inferiority complex, and displays behavior patterns commonly referred to as Napoleonic in nature, characterized by overly-aggressive or domineering social behavior, such as lying about earnings, and carries the implication that such behavior is compensatory for the subject's physical or social shortcomings. In psychology, the Napoleon complex is regarded as a derogatory social stereotype.

FEARS - Not being "good enough". Obsolescence, inferiority. Serena has always felt like that if she fails it's because she didn't try hard enough, or do enough, and that all fault is always on her shoulders.

E N C O U N T E R S
This plays into the hand of the old axiom of “you must see it for yourself.” Encounters with the Nightland are bizarre and unexpected. No entity seems to have any comprehensible association with the next. What you perceive as reality at any given time can suddenly shift into something completely forlorn. Worst of all is that many things are without explanation. Many things are experienced for the first time by any individual. The Nightland is a hostile labyrinth without beginning, end, or logic. There is no way to describe all these things without having seen it firsthand. However, one thing remains true for everyone — all complications in the Nightland lead to new complications ad infinitum.

There are survivors. There are madmen. There are awakened. They linger in the world after their journey has ended. Sometimes they leave sacred wisdom and valuable secrets behind in esoteric symbols, confusing riddles, and infused objects. Here are a few things that have been deemed ‘good to know’ by the hidden masters. These are not rules nor guidelines. They may help at times, other times not. “All is Vibration! Up is Down! Time is Circle! Doors Everywhere! Make Symbols!” There is no discernible reason within these phrases beyond the surface level comprehension. One must take the journey through the Nightland and experience all that one can endure in order to understand what is useful to know and not.

The exotic aspects of the Nightland are difficult to explain with words. There are many types of entities that appear unusual or even horrid in the eyes of people. Some of them can be perceived with human senses, others cannot. Some of them are corporeal, others are not. One thing that can be said with certainty is that whenever they do appear, these entities rarely present themselves as illusions. They can hurt and kill people. The hidden masters would advise one to treat them as wild animals that exert violence for a specific purpose. The issue is that these purposes are exceedingly difficult if not impossible to understand for human beings. Be cautious, be alert, and follow words of wisdom.

There are many names for another distinct aspect of the Nightland. This is one that human beings can learn to master with enough time and devotion. An overwhelming part of it is concerned with the internal workings of consciousness. It is about control over the mind, body, and spirit. This part would be considered the easy part. The hard part is the outward influence. It only works when the first part has been completely trained and mastered. The axiom “as you will so shall it be” perfectly describes this phenomena. This is the part of occult practice where the wishes of the consciousness extends beyond the physical body. Many spectacular things can be achieved once the seeker has perfected his or her craft.

Name: Emily Dawson

Age: 20

Height and Weight: 5'4, 110 lbs

Appearance: A blonde girl with unusual, striking features. Her hair is curvy and unkempt, coming down to about chin height. She has a long face, with small eyes and a big, uneven smile. She is almost underweight, but she has been on a diet to eat more recently so her slender frame is looking more healthy than it ever has. She has blue eyes and fair skin. Her outfit usually involves a skirt and billowy, loose blouses. Her favorite color is blue and this reflects in her aesthetic.

The Issue: Schizophrenia

Emily was always a weirdo and would have been regardless of her diagnosis in her late teens. However mental illness certainly wasn't helping her case. Before the symptoms could be fully catalogued she had a couple of breaks and witnessed things that seemed utterly real. She briefly dropped out of college due to bouts of paranoia. She was convinced there was some kind of 13 foot tall tree monster stalking her. Emily began taking antipyschotics and anti-tremor medicine and wanted to go to therapy, where she's been a dilligent member ever since.

Before:

Emily was the notorious weird girl in the small town she grew up in. She has two loving parents, two brothers, and a sister, still living out there in the Midwest. Emily was always interested in the supernatural, "investigating" town curses and urban legends. She wanted to start a journalism club and find real evidence of ghosts. Failing that, actual news stories would do. Failing even that, she always liked math so maybe she could be a math person or something, she never really thought about it too much. She was an ambitious and ironically ambitious young girl. She wanted to do something, she just couldn't tell what.

The thing Emily became known for during her childhood and beyond was her talkativeness. She just doesn't shut up. Period. She always needs to have something, anything, to talk about. When there's no one to talk too, she talks to herself. Factoids, song lyrics, just describing things around her. She can also become fixated on random things and make them the primary subject of her ramblings. Needless to say this was quite ostracising, but oddly enough she never experienced much bullying for it. She never had any particularly close friends but people tolerated her harmless existence. She didn't seem very receptive to insults or teasing anyway. It was like insulting a window for being clear. No point. Emily has a favorite notebook she writes things in. Things she notices, thoughts, helpful nonsense. If she really does have to be totally quiet, she'll funnel her talkativeness into the notebook instead. The notebook helps her think.

Journalism became her passion, as well as trying to find ghosts. Or monsters. Anything, really. She moved out early, at 18, finding herself a dormitory at a college. Around this time was when schizophrenia reared it's ugly head. The Tree Thing, she called it, became a fixation for her. It just seemed so real. It wanted to get her. It wanted to get her dormmate and it ate dogs and cats and kids that went too far into the treeline surrounding the city. Was there a treeline surrounding the city? Sure felt like there was. This was a scary time for everyone, but Emily found herself returning to normalcy. She was taken care of. Medication and therapy. It wouldn't be so bad. The Tree Thing's existence was disproved by the pills she took. And the shaking stopped, too. It became hard to write things down when she was shaking.

But Emily's belief in the super natural only became stronger after experiencing this loss over her own mental faculties. She began to interview the people society called crazy. She became even more wrapped up in whatever strange forces lay at the edges of perception. It's so fascinating. She felt like she could talk about it forever. But she kept this part a secret- people would think she was being schizophrenic again. Sometimes she felt like it really was all fake. But the medicine was working, right? Right? Anything else she saw...it had to be real. She knows what it's like to see things that aren't real so if she takes the pills the anything else IS REAL. SUPER REAL.

ENCOUNTERS:

Emily has seen and written down strange occult markings in the forgotten underpasses and tunnels of the city. She has many things written down but among them are indeed "All is Vibration, Up is Down, Time is Circle, Doors Everywhere, Make Symbols." The symbols she sees are kept within her notebook, or notebooks, and she finds herself drawing them over and over and over again.

Even today she sometimes feels like something is watching her from the trees. She's gone into the woods several times to try and find that monster. Why? She's not quite sure. But she's seen dead animals and what look like offerings.

Sometimes her notebook and the drawings within are not how she remembered them.

Talents:

Note taker: Emily is ridiculously fast at writing things down and taking notes. She does it habitually at all times, it helps her focus.

Fast memory: She's got a sharp mind and a good memory.

Sketch artist: To add onto this, after years of practice she is a talented pencil artist.

Mental math: She's good at math.

Miscellaneous esoteric knowledge: Knows random trivia about random things.

Botanist: Has done a suspicious amount of research into plants.

Actions:

Avoid Harm
0
She's not particularly slow or cumbersome.

Endure Injury
-2
Fragile.

Keep It Together
+3
Has been pushed to the limits of reality and come away unscathed. Wants to see more, and wants to be validated.

Act Under Pressure
+1 (+1 when subjects related to sketching, math, and botany.)
Has experience being stressed. As long as she has her medicine she should be okay.

Engage In Combat
-1
Has never been in a fight before.

Influence Other
+2 (+1 because of studying)
Not so much good with people, but has some experience with seeing the occult. Has written down many things she thinks might be related to rituals. Normal people are usually weirded out by her or disregard her, but that's not the type of "Other" she's trying to influence.

Sixth Sense
+1
Dampened by her medicine..? Sometimes she feels like things are reaching out to her but she's just too blind to see.