You know that old insult, "Not if you were the last (man/woman) on Earth?" Well, you are the last. Or rather you thought you were. A virus had wiped "everyone" else out. You had a whole planet to yourself. That is, you did until you heard about people in Miami after months of solitude. Well, that is what the signs said - handwritten stuff on existing signs that began to appear here and there in the southeast USA during the 2024-25 winter.
It is NOT required that everyone start in Miami. However, the RP will be centering on Miami to start - Fisher Island, FL to be specific. (If you can get to Miami by foot or wheels from where you start, you can get there. You do NOT have to be American, but it I would prefer everyone speak English as a common language. Still no reason you couldn’t drive down from Alaska or up from Panama. You could arrive via sailboat, though most sailboats capable of crossing the Atlantic would require a crew. THERE IS NO ROAD THAT CONNECTS DIRECTLY TO THE ISLAND. However, the locals are using sailboats to get to and from the mainland.
The age range I am looking for is late mid to late teens. (Mine will be around 16-17.) Very few adults survived the plague. Current date is Aug 27, 2025. The earliest date of birth of any group member will be Jan 01, 2007. (In other words, max age is 18 years, 7 months and 27 days. There are older characters out there, but I have to set a bar somewhere. I do NOT want to see several characters all born Jan 1. And remember that their age would have been a year younger about the time the Hell Months began.)
Plague Chronology
Mar 2024.
First Plague victims. The Plague is characterized as a flu-like disease with a slow, debilitating wasting symptom not unlike walking pneumonia. At first they appear in major population centers, then they spread rapidly to the rural areas. It is soon determined that the Plague is airborne, but may be spread by fluids, or contact. It spreads slowest in colder climates where temperatures are below freezing. The disease is 100% fatal with patients becoming terminal in 1-3 months.
April 2024.
10% of the planet has symptoms. First deaths.
May 2024.
25% of the planet infected. Death toll rises to 7 million.
August 2024.
The virus is pandemic reaching every continent. 1% of the world's population is dead - 70 million. 50% are infected. Martial Law declared.
Sept 2024 thru Nov 2024.
The Hell months. During this time the world becomes nearly apocalyptic as 50% of the population dies. The virus continues to spread largely through panic to 90%. The power grid fails, internet crashes toward the end of Fall. Many Zoos release their specimens rather than simply allow them to starve. Many farmers do the same with livestock. Pets run wild. Dogs begin forming into packs. Cats turn feral.
Dec 2024 thru Mar 2025 Winter.
The death toll is staggering. A few scattered remaining humans remain - less than 0.01% worldwide. (NYC with a population of 10 million before the Plague would now have less than 1000 survivors at this point.) Small pockets of quarantine zones pop up in rumors - Sanctuaries. But most are discovered as lifeless husks of civilization. Those that still survive have strict quarantine policies. The remaining population of the Earth is now 700,000 or less - lower that ever in history since before biblical times. The population is around 60,000. These figures continue to dwindle.
Apr 2025
Fisher Island Ark reaches a population of 1000. Gasoline powered cars no longer run dependably. Diesel still runs with problems.
August 2025
Start of RP. Diesel is failing badly. Gasoline stored in tankers, gas pumps, cars fuel tanks has gone sour and has likely been eating up fuel lines even if good fuel is found. Fisher Island population has reached about 5000, its growth tapering off. It has suffered a few small outbreaks.
Equipment:
The world is our oyster. It isn’t as though anyone is gonna stop us from from taking whatever we want. The internet is gone. Electricity went down fast. Gasoline went bad (unless it was prepared before the infrastructure collapse). It usually lasts maybe 6 months before breaking down. By the end of a year most gas will be near worthless. Even diesel will start to have problems. Running water is a thing of the past.
Fisher Isle
google.com/maps/@25.7614325,-80.14164…
Now for the bad part. Sure, there are people living on Fisher Isle. But the island is ruled with an iron fist by the Alphas. Mostly these are former jocks, ROTC sorts, and survivalists. The political climate is almost Roman, or rather Greek Council.
Standard Protocol for new arrivals:
Arrival by land will find Hwy 913 double barricaded at the I-95/US1 end … and the Virginia Key end. Arrival by water will result in being diverted to this dock. google.com/maps/@25.7392901,-80.21288…
ALL new arrivals will be diverted to Quarantine. All gear will be confiscated. (All are expected to strip down and change into hospital orderly outfits. (They aren’t so cruel that they make people wear those gawd awful hospital gowns.) Anyone who says no is shot. Those with symptoms will vanish (be euthanized). All bodies are burned.
Mercy Hospital
google.com/maps/@25.7400419,-80.21302…
Quarantine is held at Mercy Hospital, just a little southwest of the west barricade area. Quarantine lasts two weeks. (Way too long - overcautious. Two to five days would be fine. But they have no clue how the Plague works.)
In Processing.
google.com/maps/@25.7393135,-80.16640…
Assuming you survive quarantine you will be moved to Inprocessing located at MAST Academy on Virginia Key, just inside the east barricade. This is where you will be interviewed (or interrogated) to determine what you are worth. Unfortunately things have already begun to descend to a primal level. Pretty girls have a very specific use that depends on their willingness to comply. Not so pretty girls have the same use - but with the not so hot guys, the working class. And guys will be evaluated for the Alpha qualifications. Those who don’t make the cut? You guessed it, working class.
Working Class do not get guns. If caught with one, they will be shot. The girls of working class are expected to produce children for more working class. Not all at once; they are selected by lottery (which may very well be rigged). If they aren’t successful they may end up euthanized. In short, this society is a sort of caste system based on a winners and losers concept. Those guys that noone would pick for their team in PE? Losers. But the Alphas don’t make it sound that way.
The exception to this are the geeks. I mean the supergeeks, the ones who actually know how to make things work. So far, they don’t have many of those. They are still Workers, but are treated a little nicer.
Castes of Fisher Island Ark
It may sound a little barbaric - and is - but the caste system is passed off to sound like a good idea. The working castes are “honored” as without them there would be no civilization. That, of course, is just a nice way of saying, “we live off your blood, sweat and tears and don’t give a crap.” The Alphas and Betas combined are no more than 10% of the population (about 500). The Council numbers 6 males, 6 females and the Caesar. (The Empress isn’t on the Council, though she could have been and may step in to fill a position in the event of an untimely death.) The Council is age 20-30 mostly.
Alpha
Only Alphas carry weapons. These are the alpha males who look and act the part. They have adopted the mentality of thinking they are better than everyone else.
Beta
The girls of Fisher Island who meet Alpha expectations. These are the former cheerleaders, prom queens, spoiled rich girls who,in high school, decided who was hot and who was not. No they aren’t all knocked up. The Alphas are a bit smarter than that.
Gamma
Guys who didn’t make the Alpha cut. Neither star athletes, nor mathletes.
Delta
The plain Janes of the world. Technically one could be a Zeta, but the Alpha’s wouldn’t expect that and probably automatically designate them Delta.
Zeta
Listed out of order as far as status goes. They fall just under Betas for status because they are useful. These are the Super Geeks. They do NOT get to carry weapons. But they get to live on Fisher Island and may get a Beta female assigned to them. To qualify they MUST have a useful skill. Lots of the Alphas have skills in mechanics,wood shop, etc. You will have to do better than that and prove it. Just being a trekkie or chess geek won’t do it.
Omega
Not many of these. Most have been banished or killed. But they are the ones who challenged the system and lost. A Beta might be beaten and scarred for life. A Delta may have been on the receiving end of an Alpha’s interests and got a Beta jealous.
Daily Life
Fisher Island has a very poor economy. They have some gardens, but mostly rely on scavenging. They have limited electrical power supplied through solar power. Gamma and Delta classes toil, often under the watchful eyes of Alphas if off the islands on scavenging runs. Other tasks include fishing, tending gardens and greenhouses, and “ahem” … janitorial services.
Food is kept locked up and guarded. No work, no food. Get caught stealing it and you get punished harshly.
Gladiatorial Combat
There IS a way to become an Alpha. That is to take an Alpha’s place. To do that the lower classes hold weekly gladiatorial combats. Participation is voluntary, but the winners get treated like an Alpha for a week. Four times a year the winners fight for the seasonal title and right to compete in the Annual. The winner of the Annual will have the right to challenge an Alpha for his position (not a Council member).
Alphas have similar fights, but their quarterly winner may challenge a council member. However, losing such a fight is a sure way to become an Omega or dead.
Posting
I am looking for long term writers. My posting rate is typically 1 per day (assuming I get the response early enough). I work a 14 hr day, so I can't sit online and type out lots of short posts. But I get pretty bored fast waiting around a week for a reply. I also need writers who can write responses that are something others can react to. There is nothing worse than a group full of shy characters all waiting for the rest of a group to pick up the slack.
The RP is listed as Detailed. Anything shorter than a few good paragraphs I am likely to take exception to. I strongly encourage the use of Google Docs. These are great for doing joint posts for those in a conversation. Please use OOC section to let us know when you are doing this if it is going to take a few days so we do not think you quit. I would prefer folks post their work every other day - with a short description of the scene if it is long. (Eg. John and Jane take a walk to have a heart to heart about horses and wishes.) If you have a really long joint post you might want to hide the whole thing in another spoiler.
Posts will dated. A sample of a header:
Duncan Moran
Albuquerque, NM
I-40 (on the western end of town near the Rio Grande)
Aug 27, 2016
Alternatively, the first post of a scene may be Titled with a header. The rest may just have the Title.
Please no animated gifs (or hide them with spoilers).
Characters
You may have ONE character. Yes, you may add a younger NPC / sibling. But you are expected to run them. I am looking for DETAILED CS's with a good pic (photo ID quality).
Edit: Since I last ran this (another website), I have decided to allow a second character. I have to run many of them, but plan on ONE being my main. But I have found that many writers, especially newer ones benefit from bouncing their own ideas off an NPC under their control. Please note the limits on classes available. ALL non Storyteller characters must come through In Processing during the course of roleplay. This means you cannot start with an Alpha already on the island.
If using multiple characters use a Hider.
You Caste will be determined by the Storyteller (me) based on background and introduction. Piss off the wrong people or fail to impress and you will find yourself lower on the pecking order.
You may as well know now. The Council does NOT recognize sexuality. If you are female, you will bear children. If you can’t or won’t you are a waste of resources. And same goes for guys of this nature. Get caught and you will learn what it means to be an Omega fast. (Alphas sometimes hunt such people for sport. Nice place huh?)
NPC’s
I am going to post a list of important NPC’s (ie the Council … plus the senior Zeta). These are for ME to run. Please do not bunny them. Try not to bunny above your caste, especially to gain favors you probably don’t deserve. Most Alphas would not risk their status by breaking rules for a Delta.
It is NOT required that everyone start in Miami. However, the RP will be centering on Miami to start - Fisher Island, FL to be specific. (If you can get to Miami by foot or wheels from where you start, you can get there. You do NOT have to be American, but it I would prefer everyone speak English as a common language. Still no reason you couldn’t drive down from Alaska or up from Panama. You could arrive via sailboat, though most sailboats capable of crossing the Atlantic would require a crew. THERE IS NO ROAD THAT CONNECTS DIRECTLY TO THE ISLAND. However, the locals are using sailboats to get to and from the mainland.
The age range I am looking for is late mid to late teens. (Mine will be around 16-17.) Very few adults survived the plague. Current date is Aug 27, 2025. The earliest date of birth of any group member will be Jan 01, 2007. (In other words, max age is 18 years, 7 months and 27 days. There are older characters out there, but I have to set a bar somewhere. I do NOT want to see several characters all born Jan 1. And remember that their age would have been a year younger about the time the Hell Months began.)
Plague Chronology
Mar 2024.
First Plague victims. The Plague is characterized as a flu-like disease with a slow, debilitating wasting symptom not unlike walking pneumonia. At first they appear in major population centers, then they spread rapidly to the rural areas. It is soon determined that the Plague is airborne, but may be spread by fluids, or contact. It spreads slowest in colder climates where temperatures are below freezing. The disease is 100% fatal with patients becoming terminal in 1-3 months.
April 2024.
10% of the planet has symptoms. First deaths.
May 2024.
25% of the planet infected. Death toll rises to 7 million.
August 2024.
The virus is pandemic reaching every continent. 1% of the world's population is dead - 70 million. 50% are infected. Martial Law declared.
Sept 2024 thru Nov 2024.
The Hell months. During this time the world becomes nearly apocalyptic as 50% of the population dies. The virus continues to spread largely through panic to 90%. The power grid fails, internet crashes toward the end of Fall. Many Zoos release their specimens rather than simply allow them to starve. Many farmers do the same with livestock. Pets run wild. Dogs begin forming into packs. Cats turn feral.
Dec 2024 thru Mar 2025 Winter.
The death toll is staggering. A few scattered remaining humans remain - less than 0.01% worldwide. (NYC with a population of 10 million before the Plague would now have less than 1000 survivors at this point.) Small pockets of quarantine zones pop up in rumors - Sanctuaries. But most are discovered as lifeless husks of civilization. Those that still survive have strict quarantine policies. The remaining population of the Earth is now 700,000 or less - lower that ever in history since before biblical times. The population is around 60,000. These figures continue to dwindle.
Apr 2025
Fisher Island Ark reaches a population of 1000. Gasoline powered cars no longer run dependably. Diesel still runs with problems.
August 2025
Start of RP. Diesel is failing badly. Gasoline stored in tankers, gas pumps, cars fuel tanks has gone sour and has likely been eating up fuel lines even if good fuel is found. Fisher Island population has reached about 5000, its growth tapering off. It has suffered a few small outbreaks.
Equipment:
The world is our oyster. It isn’t as though anyone is gonna stop us from from taking whatever we want. The internet is gone. Electricity went down fast. Gasoline went bad (unless it was prepared before the infrastructure collapse). It usually lasts maybe 6 months before breaking down. By the end of a year most gas will be near worthless. Even diesel will start to have problems. Running water is a thing of the past.
Fisher Isle
google.com/maps/@25.7614325,-80.14164…
Now for the bad part. Sure, there are people living on Fisher Isle. But the island is ruled with an iron fist by the Alphas. Mostly these are former jocks, ROTC sorts, and survivalists. The political climate is almost Roman, or rather Greek Council.
Standard Protocol for new arrivals:
Arrival by land will find Hwy 913 double barricaded at the I-95/US1 end … and the Virginia Key end. Arrival by water will result in being diverted to this dock. google.com/maps/@25.7392901,-80.21288…
ALL new arrivals will be diverted to Quarantine. All gear will be confiscated. (All are expected to strip down and change into hospital orderly outfits. (They aren’t so cruel that they make people wear those gawd awful hospital gowns.) Anyone who says no is shot. Those with symptoms will vanish (be euthanized). All bodies are burned.
Mercy Hospital
google.com/maps/@25.7400419,-80.21302…
Quarantine is held at Mercy Hospital, just a little southwest of the west barricade area. Quarantine lasts two weeks. (Way too long - overcautious. Two to five days would be fine. But they have no clue how the Plague works.)
In Processing.
google.com/maps/@25.7393135,-80.16640…
Assuming you survive quarantine you will be moved to Inprocessing located at MAST Academy on Virginia Key, just inside the east barricade. This is where you will be interviewed (or interrogated) to determine what you are worth. Unfortunately things have already begun to descend to a primal level. Pretty girls have a very specific use that depends on their willingness to comply. Not so pretty girls have the same use - but with the not so hot guys, the working class. And guys will be evaluated for the Alpha qualifications. Those who don’t make the cut? You guessed it, working class.
Working Class do not get guns. If caught with one, they will be shot. The girls of working class are expected to produce children for more working class. Not all at once; they are selected by lottery (which may very well be rigged). If they aren’t successful they may end up euthanized. In short, this society is a sort of caste system based on a winners and losers concept. Those guys that noone would pick for their team in PE? Losers. But the Alphas don’t make it sound that way.
The exception to this are the geeks. I mean the supergeeks, the ones who actually know how to make things work. So far, they don’t have many of those. They are still Workers, but are treated a little nicer.
Castes of Fisher Island Ark
It may sound a little barbaric - and is - but the caste system is passed off to sound like a good idea. The working castes are “honored” as without them there would be no civilization. That, of course, is just a nice way of saying, “we live off your blood, sweat and tears and don’t give a crap.” The Alphas and Betas combined are no more than 10% of the population (about 500). The Council numbers 6 males, 6 females and the Caesar. (The Empress isn’t on the Council, though she could have been and may step in to fill a position in the event of an untimely death.) The Council is age 20-30 mostly.
Alpha
Only Alphas carry weapons. These are the alpha males who look and act the part. They have adopted the mentality of thinking they are better than everyone else.
Beta
The girls of Fisher Island who meet Alpha expectations. These are the former cheerleaders, prom queens, spoiled rich girls who,in high school, decided who was hot and who was not. No they aren’t all knocked up. The Alphas are a bit smarter than that.
Gamma
Guys who didn’t make the Alpha cut. Neither star athletes, nor mathletes.
Delta
The plain Janes of the world. Technically one could be a Zeta, but the Alpha’s wouldn’t expect that and probably automatically designate them Delta.
Zeta
Listed out of order as far as status goes. They fall just under Betas for status because they are useful. These are the Super Geeks. They do NOT get to carry weapons. But they get to live on Fisher Island and may get a Beta female assigned to them. To qualify they MUST have a useful skill. Lots of the Alphas have skills in mechanics,wood shop, etc. You will have to do better than that and prove it. Just being a trekkie or chess geek won’t do it.
Omega
Not many of these. Most have been banished or killed. But they are the ones who challenged the system and lost. A Beta might be beaten and scarred for life. A Delta may have been on the receiving end of an Alpha’s interests and got a Beta jealous.
Daily Life
Fisher Island has a very poor economy. They have some gardens, but mostly rely on scavenging. They have limited electrical power supplied through solar power. Gamma and Delta classes toil, often under the watchful eyes of Alphas if off the islands on scavenging runs. Other tasks include fishing, tending gardens and greenhouses, and “ahem” … janitorial services.
Food is kept locked up and guarded. No work, no food. Get caught stealing it and you get punished harshly.
Gladiatorial Combat
There IS a way to become an Alpha. That is to take an Alpha’s place. To do that the lower classes hold weekly gladiatorial combats. Participation is voluntary, but the winners get treated like an Alpha for a week. Four times a year the winners fight for the seasonal title and right to compete in the Annual. The winner of the Annual will have the right to challenge an Alpha for his position (not a Council member).
Alphas have similar fights, but their quarterly winner may challenge a council member. However, losing such a fight is a sure way to become an Omega or dead.
Posting
I am looking for long term writers. My posting rate is typically 1 per day (assuming I get the response early enough). I work a 14 hr day, so I can't sit online and type out lots of short posts. But I get pretty bored fast waiting around a week for a reply. I also need writers who can write responses that are something others can react to. There is nothing worse than a group full of shy characters all waiting for the rest of a group to pick up the slack.
The RP is listed as Detailed. Anything shorter than a few good paragraphs I am likely to take exception to. I strongly encourage the use of Google Docs. These are great for doing joint posts for those in a conversation. Please use OOC section to let us know when you are doing this if it is going to take a few days so we do not think you quit. I would prefer folks post their work every other day - with a short description of the scene if it is long. (Eg. John and Jane take a walk to have a heart to heart about horses and wishes.) If you have a really long joint post you might want to hide the whole thing in another spoiler.
Posts will dated. A sample of a header:
Duncan Moran
Albuquerque, NM
I-40 (on the western end of town near the Rio Grande)
Aug 27, 2016
Alternatively, the first post of a scene may be Titled with a header. The rest may just have the Title.
Please no animated gifs (or hide them with spoilers).
Characters
You may have ONE character. Yes, you may add a younger NPC / sibling. But you are expected to run them. I am looking for DETAILED CS's with a good pic (photo ID quality).
Edit: Since I last ran this (another website), I have decided to allow a second character. I have to run many of them, but plan on ONE being my main. But I have found that many writers, especially newer ones benefit from bouncing their own ideas off an NPC under their control. Please note the limits on classes available. ALL non Storyteller characters must come through In Processing during the course of roleplay. This means you cannot start with an Alpha already on the island.
If using multiple characters use a Hider.
You Caste will be determined by the Storyteller (me) based on background and introduction. Piss off the wrong people or fail to impress and you will find yourself lower on the pecking order.
You may as well know now. The Council does NOT recognize sexuality. If you are female, you will bear children. If you can’t or won’t you are a waste of resources. And same goes for guys of this nature. Get caught and you will learn what it means to be an Omega fast. (Alphas sometimes hunt such people for sport. Nice place huh?)
NPC’s
I am going to post a list of important NPC’s (ie the Council … plus the senior Zeta). These are for ME to run. Please do not bunny them. Try not to bunny above your caste, especially to gain favors you probably don’t deserve. Most Alphas would not risk their status by breaking rules for a Delta.