[CHAR] A Time After Men

[The Harbinger of Ferocity]

Classifications

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Classifications are a collection of universal terms that are often used interchangeably among the various beasts. While their specific titles and terminology might vary, such as a wolf pack's hierarchy using different terms than a collection of lions in a pride, others from the outside and even those from within would understand the use of the words. Some animals resent their labeling, but others take tremendous prestige in it.

All characters have a classification, even those without a faction.

• Affiliate
  Affiliates are the lowest tier of a faction. The majority found themselves introduced from birth into such a role, and by that virtue, are merely added to a collective, but those who are inducted often fall under this category. Usually the inexperienced, the youth, the injured or the displaced.
• Elite
  Elites represent the highest tiers of a faction. Most often they are those who hold tremendous power and sway even if not in an actual leadership position. They range from elders to outsiders of great importance or influence. While many elites are seasoned combatants, some are special only in title and role rather than by past deeds.
• Exile
  Exiles are those who are forsaken from a former faction. Often considered traitors or even enemies of their respective species, they are frequently the subject of hatred. Alone, and cast out of territory, many exiles seek power yet and few are content to idly watch as opportunity presents itself.
• Outlander
  Outlanders are considered interlopers and are uncommitted to a faction and usually content to use them to their advantage if need be. While not considered foes to the various factions, they are treated as outsiders and are seldom the target of any respect. The majority of those with this classification come from outside Regal Hills.
• Paragon
  Paragons are the leaders of factions or in some cases, purely mythic figures. They hold a special place of respect or fear to anyone within the region and even to those outside it. Many adopt formal titles, such as "Alpha" or "Matriarch" as appropriate to their type, but not all do, with others merely going by name.
• Unaffiliated
  Unaffiliated beasts, be them animal or man, are merely eking by, swift to avoid conflict with the factions. Prey creatures are most often among this category, as few are intelligent and fewer yet involve themselves in the matters of conflict in the region. The majority of those with this classification originate from Regal Hills.
• Veteran
  Veterans are seasoned members of a faction. They represent the middle tier of any collective and often hold influence over those beneath them, often having to exert force and guile to maintain their position, lest it be lost to competition. Veterans, as with some elites, are capable combatants.

Factions

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Among the remains of the crumbling ruins that was the Regal Hills in the Lost Age, there are multiple collectives that strive for dominance. Some fight with reckless abandon, willing to throw their underlings to any slaughter or fight, no matter how outnumbered or underprepared they are, whereas others launch their attacks from the shadows and disappear as quickly as they surface, roused only by the presence of perceived invaders.

Players may request to create their own factions, which are then approved by the Game Master or Assistant Game Master and included here. Players may also attempt to join factions operated by the Game Master, rather than begin their own. Factions are updated when encountered, with only those known or spoken of to any extent being acknowledged and recorded.

All characters must be assigned to a faction, or be simply listed as "Unaffiliated".

Player Factions

• None

Game Master Factions

• The Crimson Fang
  A major faction of degenerate wolves and other canids who are predominantly Chaotic Evil, the Crimson Fang represents the worst of what the world has come to. Made up mainly of exiles, outsiders and those unaffiliated who have been forcefully inducted, they are violent marauders who are recognizable by their manic ferocity and practice of random violence as a show of force and presence. Their large numbers and many smaller packs make them a common threat, particularly around the densest portions of the city and along the ruined roadways which they actively use as a means to invade the hunting grounds of others.
• The Second Sun
  A major faction comprised of a handful of collaborating lions and the prides they rule, they are a mostly Lawful Neutral collective at their best and Lawful Evil at their worst. They resent the presence of smaller "lesser predators" as nothing more than scavengers upon what they consider their territory and are staunch enemies of the predominant wolf pack, the Crimson Fang. Though their combined prides are confined to their own territories by their faction leaders, infighting is not uncommon, particularly when new males arise and challenge ruling pride leaders. Strongly opposed to deviation of their beliefs, they rule the drier outer North and Western regions, keeping order and often violently so.
• The Argent
  A minor faction of which little is known, the mythic Argent are those said to be enlightened by some unknown and unfathomed means. While no evidence of their existence can be brought forward, they are urban legend among those within the region and universally feared. Their appearances are rumored to be at random, with some going so far as to claim they exist alongside humans but other equally strange tales abound about them, discrediting their existence altogether.
• The Hellfire Remnant
  A minor faction, the Hellfire Remnant were previously the most powerful faction and had dominated the region through their secretive use of fire until vanquished by the Second Sun within recent years. Having had a stranglehold on the region, this Lawful Evil faction was made up of the most cunning predators, no matter their origin, and was determined to assimilate all those before them and spread abroad into the remains of the Great Nation. Now little more than a shadow of their former selves, they are eager for revenge against those who destroyed them and the hordes of motley wolves that harass them.

[Zetsuko]

Name: Nomad
Nomad acquired his name from his endless wandering, having never claimed or set territory for himself and instead drifting along with no particular direction. The name was giving to him by a wolf pack oddly enough, after they had come across and failed to catch him several times in several different locations that were far between each other.

Genus and Species: Eudorcas
-Species: Eudorcas thomsonii
-Average Height: 55-82cm
-Average Weight: 15-25kg(F), 20-35kg(M)
-Typical Appearance: Light brown fur with white underparts, black stripes on their sides, and long, pointed horns with slight curvature. The white patch never extends farther back than their tails.

Approximate Age: 3.5yrs

Appearance, Description and Gender:
Standing at 67cm and weighing about 23kg, Nomad has a slender fame with the usual light brown fur pattern with black stripes and white underbelly. 20cm horns protrude from the top of his skull angling back a bit with a slight forward curve near the top. There are white patches of fur around his eyes that extend down his snout to just below his nose and connecting to the patch that goes down the bottom of his jaw and the front of his neck to meet with his underbelly, black stripe also extend from just below his eyes fading into the white as they follow down his snout. There is an almost hidden scar just under his right eye following the black stripe for about 6cm

Alignment and Personality:
Chaotic Neutral. Nomad largely has no care for what happens to other animals, usually following wherever his hooves take him. He does not often go out of his way to avoid other animals, however, and this is not to say he isn't friendly when dealing with them, those that don't immediately try to eat him that is.

Nomad has an unusual wanderlust, which is the main reason he doesn't claim territory or avoid the territory of other animals. His sense of curiosity has a tendency to override his sense of self-preservation, often causing him to wander into dangerous situations or places despite warning signs. When threatened Nomad will respond by stotting, jumping into the air with his feet stiff and head pointed downward, in an attempted to startle the predator into hesitating before fleeing. If he is chased into a corner or otherwise has no way to flee he will get more aggressive and attempt to fend of his chaser with his horns regardless of whether or not the animal is larger than him.

Classification and Faction: Unaffiliated

Background and History:
After being born Nomad, like most Gazelles, spent his early days following his mother but it was when he was around three months old when he and his mother were attacked by larger predators, Nomad never got a chance to see what they were, he wound up pinned under his mother after catching a stray claw along the side of his face, this would save him however, as the predators never noticed him as they ate their fill of his mother right on top of him. It was several hours before the predators wandered off and Nomad was finally able to wriggle his way out from under his mother, it was a day and a half more before he worked up the courage to leave his mother's carcass behind. He wandered aimlessly and, after being chased out of other male Gazelles' territory several times, decided to keep at it rather than find and claim his own territory.

[Silver Fox]

Royal

Name: Royal
It's a name she remembered her previous owner had given to her as a cub. Based off her species that was sometimes called 'Royal Bengal Tiger' to go along with her somewhat regal looks.

Genus and Species: Panthera tigris tigris (Bengal Tiger)
Height: 3 Feet to the shoulder
Length: 3 meters in length [M]. 2.5 meters long. [F]
Weight: 200 – 230 kilograms [M]. 130 – 170 kilograms[F].
Typical Appearance: Most of this species is a orange color with distinctive black stripes that are like fingerprints to a human. White underbellies and around the chin with long tails, round ears and amber eyes. However, this species also in a rarity comes in whitish color instead of the orange. Along with blue eyes instead of amber. Most of this rarer coat has pale orange flecks inhabiting the white fur, especially the more cold the environment gets.

Approximate Age: 3 Years old.

Appearance, Description and Gender:
Standing 3 feet in height to her shoulder, weighing a hefty 160 kilograms and 2.5 meters in length, Royal is a muscled eyepopping female. She is of the white Bengal variety, a rarity indeed. Black stripes decorating her white-greyish fur. The upper half of her body where the orange for regular Bengal's is more lightish grey then white, while her underbelly is a solid white like most of her kind. Light brownorange flecks do decorate along her spine, her haunches and shoulders. Along the tip of her round ears that sneak out from the black strip rimming. Rosy pink nose and icy blue eyes. She has deep scar along the muzzle that goes just below her left eye and to her jaw. Along with some scratch marks on her right shoulder and left haunch.

Alignment and Personality:
Neutral Good is what would probably be the best way to describe Royal. She holds no malice to prey or carnivore and just does what she can to survive and be part of the circle of life. She does not fight or kill for fun, but she doesn't quite hesitate in doing so she can eat or defend herself. If she isn't hungry when she sees prey, she won't hunt. Nor will she actively attack something unless given reason to. Royal holds a great sense of respect and her own sense of honor. She respects every life to the best of her abilities and if she is done a favor, she will happily repay it in whatever form. However she doesn't much enjoy involving herself in others 'turf' wars. She's happy with the territory she has and isn't eager to expand and demolish other contestants for more. She will defend what is her own however. Royal does tend to have a sense of curiosity and will often poke at strange items just lying around that 'humans' have left behind.

Classification and Faction:
Unaffiliated

Background and History:
Royal remembered a strange place as a cub. A desolate building full of strange smells. Perhaps once used long ago for some strange medicine. Outside there was a large piece of land, fenced off from the rest of the world. Her mother looked odd, not like Royal at all indeed. No fur except from on top of her head, walked along on hind legs. Royal had no idea why they were different, and no matter how she tried, her mother never seemed to understand her. Royal couldn't understand why, for she felt like she could understand mother. But there were others like her, other little cubs to play and wrestle with. To get stronger for the life that was ahead of her. One was a cub as black as night, they called him Bagheera. Mother said it had something to do with something she liked watching a long time ago. Another brother of ours was one colored of gold named Leo.

For some time they were in their sanctuary, playing, and hunting down mice. When they were bigger though, old enough to hunt at least, the gates opened, and mother was no where to be seen. Leo and Bagheera instantly left, curiously exploring the outside world. Royal however, did not want to leave. Mother was no where to be found. The tiger searched, called and roared, but there was no answer. Unsure if this was a way to kicking her out to live out on her own or not. Eventually, she too left. So began the solitary life as a tiger. Life was hard. The world was hard. Hunting was hard. She had to learn the hard way, had to let instincts take over as victory and failure came and went. Her playtime turned into combat as she had to face against other predators that dared attack her. Some were packs of wolves, some were bears, some were other felines. Most fights were pretty brutal, especially against the bears and males of the felines. Wolf packs were quite annoying if they wanted to be, but at least they could lead to a decent meal if she killed enough. Eventually she found her own piece of territory in a city park with a lake, managing to defend against threats. It is struggling by herself however at a young age and at times she barely scrapes by. Depending on her luck. Occasionally though, during patrols, she does take a moment each time to check to see if she can spot someone familiar. A brother, a mother.. but to no avail.

[Lmpkio]

Brutus

Name: Brutus; "Bruticus"
Brutus was the bear's original name given by his human owners. As an adult, he was then named Bruticus, for his incredible might against any who dared to stand against him. Various wolf packs and even other bear species had given him the name for his veteran status as a hard fighter, beating some of the strongest "champions" who dared to try and take over his territory.

Genus and Species:
-Species: Arctodus simus (Short-Faced Bear)
-Average Height: 10 - 12 feet (3.04 - 3.65 meters) tall on two legs
-Average Weight: (Male) 1,200 pounds (544 kilograms); (Female) 1,050 pounds (476 Kilograms)
-Typical Appearance: Dark brown fur encompass their whole body, as well as a tan T marking on their face, going down the middle and branching off around the eyes. This tan fur also covers their underbelly.

Approximate Age: 17 years

Appearance, Description and Gender:
Standing at a 13 feet tall and weighing around 554 kilos, Brutus is an elder bear who still has plenty of muscle to spare. He is a muscular one as well, with hefty arms, ragged claws, and scars littered all over his body. Many can be found on his sides, as well as on his front arms, hind legs, with a cut by his left eye. His right ear also happens to be slightly chipped off as well. His paws are around 14" long, with a single claw being 6" in length, providing some nasty hits if it hits the facial region of his opponent.

Alignment and Personality:
Brutus would consider himself as a True Neutral. He may look and sound opposing and scary towards smaller animals at first, but he mostly just keeps things to himself. He isn't a big fond of visitors, but basically, as long as you don't bug him too much, he won't retaliate. Simple as that. He only gets aggressive if those do not heed his warning to stay away or if they want to gain his territory. If so, he will not hesitate to push them out, sparing their life, or ultimately kill them if they have been too vile for his likings. Yet, in rare instances, if someone nearby is in any need of help, Brutus may come to help the animal in a pinch, though its usually revolves around other bears and some felines.

Classification and Faction:
Unaffiliated

Background and History:
Bruticus was genetically engineered in a lab, which was experimenting on bringing back extinct animals back from the past. As the only bear species of his kind, he was kept in a research facility by good owners, who took care of him as a cub. He was well-cared, well-fed, and generally had a good life with them, being named Brutus. He and the owners often visited bear reserves in which he got to socialize with other bears, including; Grizzlies, Brown, Polar, Black, and various other bears. As a cub, right into his later adolescent years, he would play and wrestle with the other bears, often coming out as the victor. This would prove to be a technique that will come much later into play...

After the extinction of humankind, Brutus, now 7 years of age, was forced to leave home and survive out there in the wild. Despite being a "pet" to the owners, like all wild and exotic animals, the rules of nature did not exactly vanish from his mind. His first instinct was to find a home for himself, eventually finding a nearby subway in which he calls his home for now on. At first, there were many rival animals, including other bears, that tried to take his territory, but Brutus' skills in wrestling and fighting as a youngster had eventually payed off and was able to kick out any intruders that tried to take his newly acquired home.

Ten years later, now into his early elder years, Brutus is a bear of legend. The surrounding neighbors, which included other bears, traveling herd animals, and wolf packs, had eventually given him the nickname of 'Bruticus" and the name has been spread around ever since. Some find him a source of evil, others find him a benevolent protector, while in reality, he's just doing what he wants. He's surprisingly not as violent as other bears around the area, only fighting if it threatens him or his territory.

[RedNightHunter]

Name; Sloane
As a young pup she was the first in her litter to open her eyes and taste blood. Sloane means ‘warrior princess or warrior woman” depending on the language. Her three other siblings bonded closely with the humans at the “Animal Research Center” she was at. Due to her hostile nature and keen ability to asses her opponent during mock battle tests she was named Sloane.

Canis lupus bernardi
Bernards Wolf
Due to its colder climates this canine usually was a grey or white.
Rank; Subspecies of Canis Lupis
Height; 1.2m (4 ft)
Length; 1.8m (6 ft)
Weight; 27.3 kg- 50 kg (60-110lbs)

Age; 6 winters

Appearance;
She has a long coat about 8 - 15cm (4- 7 inches) her paws, muzzle and back legs are a dark charcoal. Sloane has a light grey line going all the way down her spine and covering her tail. With a slender frame 36.3 kg (80 lbs), as is common with the females of her kind, she has a long bushy tail. Often her tail fur drags on the ground when she walks. She has a broad face and long muzzle and large ears that perk straight up like a German Shepard Her sides, belly and chest are a pure white. A genetic defect from the breeding at the facility causes her eyes to be a bright aqua blue.
Gender; Female

Faction; Unaffiliated Nomad

Personality;

Sloane has a very easygoing personality, very difficult to rile up but is prone to keeping grudges. Most of the time she prefers the company of other wolves or Kira, a large bird of prey that she has known since puppyhood. Usually very friendly to other predators Sloane sometimes travels with a pack for safety but often leaves quickly due to the oppressive commands of the alpha. As the definition of a free spirit she despises being caged, in any way shape or form. Using her brain to solve things is one of her favorite pastimes. With Kira’s help and her naturally inquisitive mind they can figure out ways to trap large animals quickly without so much risk of injury.

Background;

As the strongest in her litter she was trained from an early age by humans to hunt and survive. Her natural aggression served a purpose and had the humans not gone extinct they would have used her as a Beta test. To see how well wolves can survive in the wild being born in captivity. When she was 3 years of age she finally figured out how to open the lock of her cage. Wasting no time she left immediately running from security guards trying to take her back to her cage. Escaping through a small hole in the fence (as she was much smaller at the time) Sloane came across Kira. The bird, at the time, had just finished learning to fly. Unbeknownst to Kira, a large fox stalked her from the underbrush. Sloane barked a warning as the creature pounced. Together, Kira attacked from the air and Sloane from the ground the fox was chased off. This happened multiple times from different large animals that eventually the two decided to stick together.

[Zverda]

Name:

Zverda

Born and raised in captivity, Zverda was named by the human scientist who was one of the leads on the experiments pertaining to promoting human like intelligence within animals.

Genus and Species:

Genus:Xenosmilus hodsonae

Sub-Species: Machairodontinae

Physically, the cat measured between 5.6–5.9 ft long with a highly muscular body and probably weighed around 510–880 lb. Before their discovery, all known saber-toothed cats fell into two general categories, Dirk toothed cats that had long upper canines and stout legs, and Scimitar toothed cats that had only mildly elongated canines, and long legs. Xenosmilus broke these groupings by possessing both stout muscular legs and body, and short broad upper canines.

Approximate Age:

Zverda is ten years of age out of the potential 24 years that have been ‘granted’ to her through the experimentation she was put through as a cub.

Appearance, Description and Gender:

Adult

Standing at about 3.5 feet, 5’8 in length and weighing about 800 lbs, Zverda proves to lean towards the larger size of her Genus. Unlike most felids within the Machairodontinae sub-species, Zverda’s fangs were not nearly as long though all of her teeth came to a point, ideal for tearing into the flesh of her prey and defending herself if need-be. With tawny fur not unlike a lion’s, at first glance and with little to no inspection she could be mistaken for a female of the species. Upon closer inspection, one would be able to see the vast differences between the Xenos and the more lithe lioness. With clearly defined muscles, Zverda is far more bulky than a Lioness and much stronger with her legs, her muscles causing her to have a much more stocky look to her. Throughout her tawny fur, light patterns similar to that of a spotted leopard’s are scattered though these ‘spots’ are stretched out more than what is often seen on the leopard. The only odd spot on her fur rest attop her head, and it was a white spot in the shape of a star.

Alignment and Personality:

Alignment:

True Neutral - A neutral person does what seems to be a good idea. They don't feel strongly one way or the other when it comes to good vs. evil or law vs. chaos. Most neutral people exhibit a lack of conviction or bias rather than a commitment to neutrality. Such a person thinks of good as better than evil-after all, she would rather have good neighbors and rulers than evil ones. Still, she's not personally committed to upholding good in any abstract or universal way. Some neutral people, on the other hand, commit themselves philosophically to neutrality. They see good, evil, law, and chaos as prejudices and dangerous extremes. They advocate the middle way of neutrality as the best, most balanced road in the long run.

Ten Neutral Commandments

1. You shall avoid lies.
2. You shall not kill the innocent.
3. You shall not murder.
4. You shall help the needy if such action aids yourself.
5. You shall honor those who honor you.
6. You shall follow the law unless breaking the law can advance you without harming others.
7. You shall not betray others unless your life is in jeopardy.
8. You shall aid those who aid you and harm those who harm you.
9. You shall not promote an extreme viewpoint.
10. You shall advance yourself without harming others.

Ten Neutral Sins

1. Trying to persuade others to take a stance on a moral or ethical issue.
2. Failing to assist a friend or ally.
3. Killing for any reason other than survival.
4. Breaking your word to a friend or ally, unless life is threatened.
5. Needless torture.
6. Making a sacrifice for someone unrelated to you.
7. Refusing to kill when important to your survival.
8. Betraying an ally or friend, unless life is in danger.
9. Showing mercy to a dire enemy.
10. Taking sides in a conflict that doesn't affect your survival.

Personality:

Considering her position in her new clan, Zverda quickly adopted a mothering mentality in order to raise her own cubs. Despite this kindness however, she remains a strong willed Xenosmilus who is fully capable of taking care of herself should she need to. On top of her stubborn nature, she has also adopted the thought and actions of a rather harsh leader, setting other large predators within her clan in their place without so much as batting an eye.

Classification and Faction:
To Be Determined at a later date

Background and History:

Created in a lab using remains found encased deep within a polar ice cap. Due to the lack of oxygen or water, the remains of the Xenosmilus that Zverda was created from still maintained a small amount of ancient DNA, a miracle find indeed. As she was the first to be successfully grown with the DNA use, the scientists were pleased to find out that she was female, and set to work attempting to grow other felines in an attempt to use her as a breeding mill to bring back an extinct race.

As time went on, the scientists were quick to learn that Zverda would only allow one human female anywhere near her, and would move to maul anyone else who came near her. She was also unresponsive to most males they had managed to create, often turning on them and attacking them in the most brutal of ways. Due to this, she was later forced into a smaller enclosure on her own, the area large enough for her but not large enough for them to allow any other felines to live with her.

As time went on, she grew larger until she reached her max height and weight, her massive size intimidating all but the woman who had taken care of the felid since birth. It wasn’t until she had reached five years of age and had gone through 5 breeding cycles of denying every male they presented her that she was finally released into the wild. While she wasn’t able to completely comprehend the reason, those who worked within the establishment were aware of the impending disaster and the implications it would have on their ability to maintain the habitats for the felids they possessed. As they did not want the large cats to starve, they released them into the forest that surrounded the facility in hopes that they would have a better chance within the wilds. As she had only had interaction with the one she had come to think of as mother, there was nothing that really caused her to hesitate once the woman had told her to leave. The woman who had named her for the mark upon her forehead was the last human Zverda had seen for some time, apart from those unfortunate to run into her woods.

It was weeks after her release that she ran into a male felid that she thought was of any worth. Tybalt was a smilodon that had been in an enclosure adjacent to her own during their time of captivity. Why it had taken them so long to cross paths confused her, but she was happy to see him all the same. As she approached him with caution, she kept herself tense and ready to pounce if anything came to attack her, her movements were slow, deliberate and full of questions.

When he made no move to attack her, she slowly approached him and gently bumped her head against his chest. He had been the one she was interested in, she had seen him a couple times and he was the reason why she denied every male they sent to her. When he did not move away, she slid her head under his chin and rubbed the entire length of her body against his.

That was their first formal meeting, and that was the day she had made the choice to stay with him regardless of if he wanted her or not. Luckily, five years and four litters later, he had accepted her.