Little Kitsune

Garden of Shadow (Horror, Human Mutations, and Monsters)

Act I

Garden of Shadow (Horror, Human Mutations, and Monsters)

N A T A L I E K A P L E N - M E A D O W S

F e m a l e ● T w e n t y - F i v e ● B - N e g a t i v e

M U T A T I O N S

● Enhanced Speed and Reflexes
Nat's never really been much for athletic routine, that was always her sister's thing. So it comes off quick ironic that her mutations grant her inhuman speed. Specifically, the ability to achieve speeds higher than any human could, or should. Not just in the physical sense either, but her reflexes, her reaction times, and her overall speed of though. This also alters her perception of time, dilating it to the point where she can see things in slow motion, or even at a near standstill.

At first glance, this seems like a passive, natural reaction. She could potentially respond to things faster than a normal human being could with her accelerated process of through and neural signals. However, if she were to concentrate on exactly how fast she needs the world to move, she can control this dilation. When moving at high speeds, she can also perceive things at high speeds, only slowing as needed when an obstacle presents itself through her brain's sub-conscious system of detect, identify, and respond. Ultimately, when moving at high speeds, this would feel almost as if there were no change at all, rather moving as a reaction than a processed thought.

● Shock Absorption and Energy Release
Nat has two very important mutations that coexist with her powers, without them she wouldn't be very useful at all. The first is the overall density of her body, she's not exactly heavier or lighter, nor is she really anymore durable than she regularly is. What this does is orients her body to be able to absorb, and release the force of excessive impacts (e.g if she throws a high speed punch). What this means is that her body converts the pressure from force and velocity into heat and steam, which is released from her back.

The bony plates protruding from her back along her spine not only offer her the same protection a regular bone would, but also serves as a way for her to vent this buildup of heat energy, in great clouds of steam. Without this the friction generated by her body would lead to spontaneous combustion. She also has smaller rows of similar bony protrusions along the outsides of her forearms between her wrists and elbows, and along the back of her calves between her ankles and knees.

● Nature's Velcro
Nat has a slick, oily black substance creeping up her hands, forearms, feet, and shins. Her skin in these areas is very soft, cool, and slippery—Much like that of an amphibious creature. More importantly, this change in texture comes with another important benefit. Her hands and feet are covered in hundreds of tiny, microscopic hairs called setae. Each seta splits off into hundreds of even smaller bristles called spatulae. These hairs, lying more at a horizontal angle, increase the Van der Waals forces between themselves and a surface. In Nature, this allows a creature such as a gecko to climb porous surfaces. Natalie can't climb surfaces, but these setae give her considerably more traction and grip.

A P P E A R A N C E

^{Nat's Arms | Nat's Teeth | Nat's Spine}

If not for their age gap, Nat could almost be her sister's twin. Sharing the same theme of features inherited from their mother, Nat has a softer face but with more angular sculpting compared to her sister's rounder structure. She has the same button nose and pert mouth, but her eyes lack the warm of their mother. Rather, she has her father's hard stare, an icy coolness reflected in those ocean blue pools of color. Her hair is a stark contrast to her pale complexion and bright eyes, being a black so dark as if to seem all color has been washed out—The same as her sister.

Nat fairs a bit better in the womanly department, standing a little taller and leaner at 5'8 (176cm) and weighing 124 lbs (56.2 kg). Her chest is also a tad larger, as Nat sports a duo of firm C-cups. Nat, being the girl she is, does sport a bit of ink and a few piercings here and there.

● Yin and Yang tribal band inked around her left bicep.
● A Blue Lily tattooed on the back of her right shoulder.
● Rose and Compass tattooed on the left side of her torso and hip.
● She had a semi-colon tattoo on her wrist, but that has been covered by her mutation.
● Pierced ears and tongue.

P E R S O N A L I T Y

Nat is a hardhearted, self-centered realist. To her, the world is a cruel place that doesn't give two shits about her, so she might as well make the best of it. Her activities seem to end her up on the wrong side of the law, or at the least running from it. She's a shutout, hiding herself deep within layers of calm coolness and cold apathy. If not very trusting at first, Nat is very loyal and will stay that way as long as you do right by her and her family.

Speaking of family, there's only one person Nat really cares about in this world—You guessed it—her little sister. Though one may not realize what deep affection Nat has for her sister, Anybody who fucks with Makiah is going to see the violent side of Nat real quick. Though she cares less for her loser parents, Nat hasn't completely disowned them.

R E F L E C T I O N S : P A R T O N E

Natalie

An office becomes shrouded in haunting gloom as the glow of evening turns into the veil of night. A haggard face, pale with day old stubble, stares at a thick book that he had drawn from one of the many shelves lining the room. Ice rattles in a stout glass as he tries to sooth his nerves with the foul brew of straight whiskey, there was no time for mixers tonight. A sad smile plays across his face as he leans back in the well kept leather chair, its oiled hinges not letting off a single squeak. Still, that would have paled in comparison to the chaos erupting outside. He glances to his phone, still no response from his wife. His heart nearly leaps out of his chest as gunfire erupts outside. His shaking hand moves across the hard cover of the book, peeling the cover back slowly. As he does, the world outside seems to fade away.

His eyes settle on a picture, simple titled "Natalie". A young girl, dressed in a bright sundress, a daisy in her hair, and smiling back at him over her shoulder. He remembered that day fondly. An outing at a local park, eating ice cream, feeding the ducks, and toting around their new born: Natalie's sister. He glanced through the pictures of the early years. Birthdays, friends, her first bicycle, An array of different photos each invoking a hundred different thoughts of memories. And each one pained him, wrenching and twisting his heart into knots.

The first day of high school. He could still remember kissing his daughter goodbye, and trying to sooth the rather envious youngster in the background of the photo. Makiah had insisted she was old enough for high school too. Arcturo smiled in fond remembrance. More pictures flashed by; Natalie trying out soccer, softball; Natalie driving her first car; Wearing a shiny black dress adorned with sequins at prom; Natalie smiling with her rather uncouth friends.

She had always seemed to find her way into the rougher crowds, as if she just... belonged. Acturo knew she had started smoking early, started experimenting with drugs and getting into trouble. He'd done the same thing at that age, who was he to judge? She didn't come from poverty, she wasn't spoiled, she didn't steal from them and she didn't act like some tweaked out addict. She was a little temperamental, but level headed for the most part. He had always trusted that he'd be there to guide her onto the path of being a successful, functioning adult. He'd told himself the same thing all the times they fought about her particular choices, her shady friends, her sneaking out at night. Even this, made Arcturo smile. She was more rebellious than he had ever been.

It seemed now he'd never get the chance to finish guiding her. The world was falling apart and he couldn't even bring himself to step outside. It was pure madness out there, the only thing that awaited him was death, and surely for his family too. Tears spilled down his cheeks as he choked back a sob, taking another drink from his glass, turning to another page. Natalie's first boyfriend, a punk really. A small laugh echoed from within him, she reminded him so much of himself sometimes—His first girlfriend had been a shock to his parents too. She'd always defended him, said he treated her right, respected her. Arcturo had this inkling that the poor boy found out the hard way not to get on Nat's bad side.

Another page. Natalie on stage, rocking out to.. what was it, bass guitar? She looked so happy, and she was smiling right at him, picking him out of the crowd. That thought alone made his heart flutter quietly. Her "Rocking Out" wasn't really a career, and he had wished she'd at least tried to get into college, but he supported her. He never was one for the heavy, ear splitting kind of music she liked. And he felt so out of place in a crowd of teens all sporting chains and piercings and rebellious hairstyles. But, Nat would always be his little girl and he'd done everything he could to make her happy. Even if that meant he wasn't around enough.

It was only now, sitting in this silent room punctuated by the reverberating echoes of hollow booms, the cacophony of people yelling and screaming, that he regret not spending more time with his family. For not strengthening his relationship with his little Natalie. Ironic really, he'd always thought that stereotype wouldn't apply to him, and yet here he was, sitting in an office alone and missing his family. Still, he'd managed to make it to most of the games and performances, never missed a birthday, that had to count for something. He had been a good Father, right?

The book whispered softly as the pages brushed against each other. Natalie smiling with her sister, hanging on her with one arm. Ever the visage of the older sister, the protector. Natalie had always been really close to her sister, and Arcturo was glad for it. They'd have each other long after he and his wife had passed away. At least, he had always hoped that it would be that way. Now, he wasn't so sure. Natalie, always so strong and fierce, always so quick to resolve problems her way. The sadness of his smile became an overbearing weight on his heart. A pain so deep, and so empty, he felt that his heart may actually break apart.

He glanced again at his phone. "New Message."

E Q U I P M E N T

● Cigarettes and lighter.
● Smartphone.
● Black pocket knife.
● Wallet.
● Multi-tool.

P R O F I C I E N C I E S

● "Hey, FUCK YOU." Natalie isn't exactly the most calm person. In fact, she can be a tad hotheaded and violent at times. Always quick to action, she's learned how to fight the hard way. "Scrappy" is the right word when thinking of her personal style. She fights fast, and dirty. Fighting to her isn't about class or elegance, it's about winning. Sometimes it's better to win before the fight even starts, Which is one of the reasons she carries a pocket knife. Fortunately she's only had to use it a handful of times.

● "Criminal Scum." Nat's own personal take on "Rules were meant to be broken", she's no stranger to winding up in places she shouldn't be. Usually this involves a bit of street style acrobatics. Breaking and entering is sometimes an art, and Nat's been at it for years. Fortunately all this fence hopping, slithering through crawlspaces, and running from the law have helped keep her in decent shape. She's practically an amateur free-runner.

● "Maiden of the Green Lady." In some regards Nat couldn't be more different than her sister. Especially with the things she does and the people she associates with. Like frequenting obscure hangouts playing grunge music and serving drinks like "Dead Butterflies", with hazy air full of smoke and moshing bodies dressed in muted colors. The kinds of places with back rooms where you can go to just, "chill out", and possibly lose your shoes while you're off on some wonderland trip in your own head. Fortunately, being a connoisseur and a merchant of the Green Lady has made Nat a likable person in these sorts of crowds. She knows what she's doing in the rougher parts of American culture.

L I M I T A T I O N S

● "Sin City." The world is shit, at least to Nat. Everything sucks, so why bother with dieting, recycling, or all that other pointless bullshit? Nat would much rather sit stoned off of her ass watching retro cartoon shows, bad movies, and chowing down on a pile of munchies. Since she works from her phone, she gets to live the sort of lifestyle that would condemn her to hell. Smoking, drinking, gambling, the only thing she doesn't do is "That Hard Shit".

● "Faster than a speeding..." Unfortunately for Nat, her speed isn't as glamorous as television makes it out to be. Though her body has mutated in a way to deal with the extra force of her movements, she can easily surpass these shock absorbers and cause great physical trauma to herself. Additionally, she has to stop using her power to ventilate the built up heat and pressure from the excessive friction she causes. Straining her body's capacity to deal with this buildup will cause her to heat up considerably. Her body will enter an "overheated" state, where she will need to stop using her powers for some time, ventilate, and rest.

● "Vibrato." Should Nat choose to ignore her body's warning signs that she is overexerting herself, she will begin to break apart. When she's approaching the lethal threshold, she'll start to suffering symptoms such as angina, muscle spasms, shortness of breath, dizziness, numbness, and body tremors. In fact, these tremors are a guaranteed sign. As she pushes her limits, her body will vibrate uncontrollably, until she literally destabilizes and breaks apart into dust. Stopping and letting her body recalibrate is the only way to reverse this state. It may be necessary to manually slow her down, such as through cold temperatures or sedatives. This state also negates any additional grip or traction she gets from the setae on her hands and feet.

● "You got a FUCKING PROBLEM?" Nat in two words is simple, and crass. Though she's an averagely smart gal, if maybe a bit more streetwise, she's not exactly the most sensitive or refined. She lacks those finer people skills most people have. More importantly, she's a very straightforward thinker. She can be easy to predict, and quick to action. She doesn't think about how or what would be the best way to punch you in the face. Just that she's going to punch you in the face.

R E L A T I O N S

● Makiah Kaplen-Meadows is Natalie's sister, who is two years younger.
● Elliora Kaplen is their mother of forty-nine.
● Arcturo Meadows is their father of fifty-two.

Garden of Shadow (Horror, Human Mutations, and Monsters)

To All Applicants

I just want to clear up a few things that may have not been immediately clear:

First off, we will literally be starting this roleplay the morning after the outbreak.

Secondly, these powers are, extremely new. It's okay to only list the beginning manifestations, the generalized power, before expanding onto bigger, badder techniques later. You have plenty of time to think about it. For example, Makiah is only listed as creating Fire, and generating an aura of heat. While she can barely use these powers, I did list the full capability she is likely to achieve in the world at this time. Nobody should be starting as a bad ass lethal weapon of war.

Third, feel absolutely free to talk to me about what powers you want, and any ideas you have. I can help you with mutation ideas too, and maybe even do some photo editing. This is a horror world, when thinking of your mutations think of beautiful horror. You don't have to be some half melted looking hunchback, but the creepy weird factor is a plus. What I'm really trying to avoid are the Mary sue glowing neon fairy types. (The terminology refers to literal fairies.)

Your character sheet is the first impression I have of you, you can take creative license with it. The sheet really just outlines what I want to see.

Additional Notes:
The Pandora Virus is airborne, not transmitted through any form of contact.

The Feral will attack any sort of living being, be it man, wild animal, or dog. They'll eat the dead ones, even each other.

The Feral are poison to the changed, in regards of consumption. They will become EXTREMELY, CRIPPLINGLY sick and can die as the two different strains wage a war for dominance. If the feral strain wins, the Changed dies due to incompatibility. During the period of illness for the Changed, their powers may have trouble working, or fuzz out completely. On another note, both strains will outright just kill a human if consumed at all.

The way replacement works with the Virus is that it (The Virus) acts like a perfect memory card, coupled with regeneration abilities. It does not restore, it only fixes. It is possible to save a decapitated changed by placing their head on a pure's (uninfected human) body. The pieces of the pure act like a blank slate, in which the virus restores to what it remembers.

Garden of Shadow (Horror, Human Mutations, and Monsters)

Reserved.

Garden of Shadow (Horror, Human Mutations, and Monsters)

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» Character Name:

Simple, choose a name for your character.

» Gender:

Pick a gender of your choice

» Age:

Age must be a minimum of 18. We don't want any issues with minors.

» Blood Type:

Which blood type is your character? B-negative for Somatic; physical, mental, or sensory enhanced. AB-positive for Kinetic; Elemental, Manipulation, or other similar powers.

» Mutations:

List the types of mutations that the character has. Remember that there are two types based on your character's blood type so be sure to not mix up the two.

» Appearance:

What does your character look like? Describe their mutations in detail.

» Personality:

How does your character act? You don't have to be incredibly specific, but a general overview will be fine. It's also understood that characters will deviate from their personality at times.

» Biography:

What was your character's life like before the outbreak? How did they get to be where they are now? How did the events of The First Day play out for them? Since this section can get pretty long, it's alright to put it in a hider.

» Equipment:

What kind of armaments is your character packing? Any snazzy devices?

» Proficiencies:

These are the skills and trades your character has. What sort of mutative benefits do they have? Do they have any trade skills or craft knowledge?

» Limitations:

Balance this against your characters proficiencies, what are their down falls? Do they have mental problems, phobias, physical limitations? Also, the drawbacks and weaknesses to their powers.

» Companions/Friends/Relations:

Pretty self-explanatory. If your character has any important relations with NPCs, or other characters list them here.

Garden of Shadow (Horror, Human Mutations, and Monsters)

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Sometimes it's pointless to add in rules when most people should know what they are doing in the first place, but alas, if we do not then we are only hindering the roleplay itself.

» Treat one another as you want to be treated

Yes we are going all religious on this one, but this should cover the majority of attitude based problems. Respect your GM and any Co-GMs, treat your fellow players with the decency that they deserve, and understand that our primary concern is the progression of this roleplay and the comfort of the players. Any individual who challenges that will be removed from the RP.

» Powerplaying, Metagaming, Godmodding, etc

Don't do it. If you do not understand any of these terms then please read this page: [Common Rules of Roleplaying]

» Posting and Collaborations

This roleplay will be moving along at a pace of about 1 or 2 posts per fortnight, leaving enough time for each player to comfortably respond with a decent post. Any collaborate posts should keep in consideration the number of players that are involved and the times at which these players are available. If you are having difficulty completing the post see if there is a way to separate your characters so that your efforts don't hold up the group as a whole.

» Writing Horror

In this roleplay it is possible that we will be exploring mature themes. The rules revolving around maturity are intended to be loosely interpreted. However, the key here is to always keep it tasteful. Avoid explicit words, over-the-top scenes, and details of passion. Always keep your writing tasteful, and employ the most useful tools at your disposal: Implication and Fade-to-Black.

» Discord [Garden of Shadow Discord Server]

We do have a Discord server set up for people that wish to chat. It's easy to join and will help connect you with your fellow players. Guild/RP rules will apply there so don't do anything to jeopardise your chances in participating.

» Inactivity and Dropping Players

Your own activity is your own concern. We may write out players that are unnecessarily inactive after a given amount of time. If something should come up please inform us ahead of schedule.

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Thank you: @Architect@ClocktowerEchos@Kangaroo@Rekaigan@Masque@NuttsnBoltsFor all of your help and support! Thank you for helping me create this, and may this roleplay see a long life.

Garden of Shadow (Horror, Human Mutations, and Monsters)

_{"They gave Pandora a box. Prometheus begged her not to open it.
She opened it. Every evil to which human flesh is heir came out of it.
The last thing to come out of the box was hope. It flew away."
~ Kurt Vonnegut, Timequake}

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You're sitting there, alone, huddled in a corner shaking with fear and terror, only slightly numbed by shock. Outside you can hear nothing but pure turmoil, the shrill screams of people being torn down in the streets to the rhythmic echoes of gunfire and pounding explosions. Hours earlier you were carefree, living in the city of splendor and going about your day. You were filled with hope, the war on your home soil was finally being won, life was good. Then, as if on the drop of a dime, everything fell to ruin. Every two out of three people fell to the ground, catatonic, a blackness creeping into their eyes and in veins that spider-webbed across their skin.

You'd later know to call these people, these creatures, the Feral—but for now you sit there and listen as these things of nightmare rampage across the city. Destroying everything you've ever known, your loved ones, your friends, literally ripping your hopes and dreams from you. Hope is fleeting, as the chaos outside seems to pick up to a roaring cacophony of noise. The metallic door begins to screech, you look up, peering into the bleak shadows of night at the profusely bleeding hand trying to desperately to get at you. The body connected to the arm lets out a guttural roar, you've seen first hand what these things can do. How fast they are, how strong, how they hunt with reckless abandon-trampling and spilling over one another to get at their prey. It's time to move.

As you head for the back, a disturbing though crosses your mind, one from earlier in the day. Watching from an alleyway as a horde of people.. no, they're not people anymore are they? A horde of these ferals, swarm down the street as a man perched atop a bus guns them down in the dozens. They keep getting back up, uncaring of their wounds, only truly stopped by being shot in the head, or at least crippled. But what's truly frightening was their speed, their carelessness. They were sprinting towards the bus, leaping and smashing into it, the force of all these bodies pile-driving those before them until the bus began to tip, and finally rolled over.

That thought scares you, a fear that settles deep into your bones. Yet, somehow, there's a deeper feeling sinking inside of you. A dark pit resonating from within you, because you know... It's only going to get worse from here. As you dwell on this thought, you can feel something stirring deep within you. Some sort of resonation of change, of power.

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Garden of Shadows is a unique take on a viral, apocalyptic roleplay. The monsters are bigger, and meaner; Our characters powerful, and unique. The events to come, extraordinary and terrible. I've collected my favorite elements from a wide range of movies, games, and stories and compiled them all here. With superpowers comes odd, twisted mutation. With change, comes resistance, prejudice. With hate, violence, and the inevitable struggle to survive. All set in a world that will do it's absolute best to swallow your character into the darkness, to break them physically and mentally. A world that is shaped by your decisions, and ultimately, your goals.

The roleplay centers around a select group of people, affected by the Pandora Virus in such a way that they become something inhuman, something powerful—The Changed. A higher ascension of existence, our characters now have to struggle with their new powers, the social discrimination, and the cruelty of the world. How they approach their new found talents will shape the world, for better or for worse. Some may sympathize with The Pure, humans who are either unaffected, or have yet to be, by the virus.

In addition to this, over the course of the roleplay our characters will deal with survival against the Feral, The Nightmare, and The Twisted. The characters still very much require food, and water, and so do their followers if they have any. Settlements will need to find a way to benefit from others, through mutual alliance, or force. The world will also be subject to, what will at first seem like, paranormal events. However, there is a reason for everything, a root cause to all problems. Finding out those answers are also up to you.

However, in all of this, there is a goal. A driving plot, surrounding P̸͜͏͞r̨̡̛̛͞ǫ̸̀̕͟j̢̢̧͢͡ȩ̵c̵͘t̵͟͟ ̧F̛͡i̸r̸s̸͞t̡̡͜͝ ̷͟͜͞Ç͜h͟҉҉̴a̧̛͠ò̧s͘̕҉ . Sorry, I meant P̵̡̢r̴̛͡o̷j̸́e̵͟͜ç̶̕t̨ ̡͟F̀͜i̸̷r̵̕sţ ̷͜͜C̴h̨͟a͘͠o̴̴̧ś͠. Dammit. Anyways, that, and its subjects. How does this relate to what's happening the world now? Will it explain your powers? The Feral? The anomalic events? Will it explain why the sun set, on that first day, and never rose again?

The final piece of revelation I have for you is that the world is shrouded in darkness. After that first day, the sun didn't rise again. Instead, in its place loomed roiling banks of dark clouds. A perpetual brewing storm in abyssal shades of black and gray, filtering out nearly all of the light. Fortunately, the power plant is secure and the municipal lights are on. Sure, they may kill your night vision at times, but it's better than the eerie darkness that lays over everything right? However, the world is dark, but it's not pitch black, and with streetlights on, it's not so bad right now.

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_{Blood Type: O-Positive & A-Positive}

Creatures of this sort have been depicted in many different ways, but the Feral are something different, yet familiar. They're fast, always sprinting with their heads bent low into the wind. They don't tire, they don't ache, they just run without care. They are strong enough to tear through the walls of a house, or rip down that metal screen door you always tried not to slam. However, the feral can't see well, so they're mostly attracted to noise. If you're being blatantly obvious, they will see you, so remember to stick to the shadows.

Interestingly enough, the feral don't seem particularly smart. They don't seem to grasp the concepts of navigation, rather seeing the path to their target as a straight line. They are wild, and become frenzied during the chase to the point where they will tumble and run over one another, or continually smash themselves into something until they a certain they've lost the hunt, or their obstacle is moved. Hordes of them can topple a bus, by continually throwing themselves against it. Together they could smash through a brick wall, or even scale several stories by climbing the gathering pile of their brethren.

The Feral are characterized with dark eyes almost entirely the color of coal. Their pale skin is spider-webbed with black veins, but otherwise they still resemble the people they once were. The feral also have near perfect regeneration, able to come back from any wound within about a day, less for minor wounds. You can slow them down by crippling them, but the only way to truly stop them is the same, classic strategies—destroy the brain or spinal column.

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_{Blood Type: B-Negative (Somatic Abilities)
Blood Type: AB-Positive (Kinetic Abilities)}

There are two types of changed, the kinetic, and the somatic. Those that deal with the forces, or essences of nature, natural or not; or those that are affected physically or mentally. The lucky individuals to become changed, instead of something worse, have the unfortunate side-effect of mutation. These mutations always come in colors schemes relating to what the mutation provides and in typically darker hues, most notably black, with vibrant details or trimmings. Almost the same way how natural predators are marked, such as how a deadly black snake will have bright markings to visually warn potential predators of how dangerous it is.

Those with kinetic powers of manipulation can feature neon colors in the form of glowing energy. For example, a changed that can generate an acidic coating on their skin may be covered in glowing bubbles of flesh, like blisters, that glow a vibrant green. One who could generate blasts of lightning may have their back and the outsides of their arms covered in black spikes, that gather the electrical energy in the air. Perhaps while doing this, bright blue arcs jump between the spikes, like a "Jacob's Ladder" electrical device.

The Somatic however, have enhanced physical capabilities, senses, or mentality. A changed of great strength may have their arms covered in a thick, black chitin acting like armor. One that could run at accelerated speeds may have strategic, aerodynamic fins and so forth. It will be up to you to create these creepy, otherworldly mutations.

The Changed are not an instant genetic bomb like the Feral. These powers could take some time to manifest, the mutations wouldn't be so virulent as to cover their entire body. For the most part, The Changed still look like people, if a bit different and terrifying. The Changed will face trials in dealing with, and learning to control their new powers. Elemental or manipulation, also known as Kinetic, powers may only work sporadically, where a somatic may find their stamina depletes rapidly. And always, as the world turns, so do people fear change and the unknown.

However, The Changed are affected in a somewhat small, but still similar way as the Feral are. That being, The Changed have minor powers of regeneration. Superficial wounds (scratches, cuts, bruises) will heal within the hour and minor wounds (deeper cuts, punctures, muscular tears and rips) after a few hours. Major wounds (broken bones, even brain damage) , depending on severity, will heal in about a day provided The Changed can live through them. Life threatening wounds will need to be properly tended as it's very possible the changed could die before they are able to heal.

More importantly, the changed can transplant uninfected limbs, organs, and so forth. This means that the donor would have to be a pure, willing or not, as the Pandora Virus in the changed will genetically recode the transplanted item to what it remembers from the initial infection. This means that scars, disabilities, or other symptoms will remain a constant even with a transplant, as it will literally be as if whatever was transplanted was never lost in the first place. This includes skin pigmentation, birth marks, muscle definition, tan lines, and so forth. However, this genetic recoding does not override the mutative aspect of the changed, and will instead restore, in example, a limb back to the last mutative state.

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In this land of violence and despair, it's not unlikely that you'll eventually encounter other beings. A volatile thing, the Pandora Virus is bound to have plenty of offshoots of hard-coded, and variable strains. It's predicted that entire species of animals can fall prey to these mutations. You'll encounter people similar to the changed, but pushed beyond their humanity—The Twisted. At other times, things of nightmare will stalk you throughout the endless night, creatures so fearsome and terrible that it may not be worth the trouble to fight them.

Then there's the Protogenoi, so little is known about them. Are they like the Changed? The Twisted? Are they people of nightmare, or gods among men? Are they the scientists, or unfortunate subjects? And most importantly, are they to blame? What about the uninfected, unaffected humans—The Pure? Are they truly immune, or just safe for now? Is there a way to prevent that, and keep them genetically pure? Or are you looking for a way to ensure everybody is changed, one way or another, for better or for worse?

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"It's another day survivors, or is it? …
Anyways, I've been keeping tabs on things around here and it looks like things have started to stabilize.. Though I still can’t find anyone who wants to drive a garbage truck, some apocalypse huh? I’ve checked up on what information we have here on the boards, things are bad, but we'll manage right? Stay bright survivors."

-Since Day One, R.

Blog Post

Y'know, I never thought I'd be caught in something like this. Like everyone else on the internet, I'd say "I could totally live in a post-apocalyptic world".. And you know what? I fucking am. Right here. Right now. Of course, if you're reading this, you're obviously not dead and not feral. Good on you!

So. You must be wondering, "Who the hell is this guy and why should I continue following this blog?" Well.. Technically you don't need to continue reading or following the blog, but I can assure you that you need me more than you know it. I say this because I most likely know a lot more than you and I always will, so keep your eyes peeled and I'll let you in on most of the shit that I find out. Also I run this website.

Anyway, now is a wonderful time to regale you with my first day of the outbreak.

Like everyone else in this era, I was busy having fun trailing information about literally everything that's illegal and legal. As the saying goes "Knowledge is power", and if you have the ability to find and take whatever information you want, I'd say that you'd become pretty powerful. I've scooped up a lot of dirt on a lot of important people and most of it makes me laugh. The kinds of people that run things are really something.

Alright, back on track.. When the outbreak started, everything went to shit. From the stats I gathered, 2 out of 3 people started going insane. Turning into some Feral person and killing everyone around them. Aptly, people called them "The Feral". They're pretty easy to spot because they don't act like people and their eyes are completely black.. Also they're skin is all cracked up looking and oozing with black shit, otherwise they look like a person to some extent. So there's a little titbit for you budding explorers of the wasteland. First thing I had to do when all this shit started was find a good place to hide without getting attacked by a Feral, which was difficult at first. I gotta say, I fucking hate cardio, but hearing the screams of terrified people is pretty high up on the list too. Can't blame them though. People were getting pounced on and eaten. I felt pretty sick seeing that, now I'm feeling sick again because I remembered it.

They were fucking everywhere, at the time I wouldn't have been surprised if literally everyone on the planet was infected. I'm still not surprised. But, the interesting part was that some people weren't affected by whatever was going around, including me. Thank fuck for that. Anyway, to cut a nice short story shorter. I've found myself a cozy place to stay, away from everyone else. "Where is that?" you ask? Well I'm sure as hell not telling you. What I do and how I do it isn't what you should be concerned about. You just worry about yourself for now and I'll give you some help along the way.

Fun fact: If you have to fight a Feral, just blow it's head off with something and it'll die. Just like in the movies. Cliche, I know, but you'll just have to make do with how 'creative' this virus is. If it's anything like the movies, you could also destroy it's spinal cord. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm not really bothered going out and trying it. I'm sure it'll work.

Welcome to SURVIVOR, you're a fellow survivor, congrats!. Be sure to put yourself first or you'll get fucked over pretty hard. Also follow this blog, it'll make your life easier. Trust me.

-The_Savant

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_{Rail Map | Subway Map | Road Map | Settlement Map}

Alternate U.S. History

A list of key events in chronological order until the present year.

» 1664

New Amsterdam, a Dutch territory on the eastern seaboard of North America is seized by English forces and renamed to New York in honor of the Duke of York.

» 1775

American Revolution: The War of Independence is fought between Great Britain and the 13 British Colonies on the eastern seaboard of North America.

» 1776

Continental Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. New York is renamed to New Windsor, symbolizing the 13 Colonies’ seat of power following the idea of Governance by the people, for the people. The town of New York is thusly titled Windsor.

» 1778

The American colonies form a treaty with the Native Indians, who join the war against Great Britain.

» 1781

British General Charles Cornwallis surrenders to General George Washington and Cherokee Chieftain “Dragging Canoe” at Yorktown, VA.

» 1783

Great Britain formally acknowledges American independence in the Treaty of Paris, which officially brings the war to a close.

» 1789

George Washington is unanimously elected president of the United States in a vote by state electors. U.S Constitution goes into effect, having been ratified by nine states. U.S Congress meets for the first time at Federal Hall in Windsor City. Washington is inaugurated as president at Federal Hall in Windsor City. “Dragging Canoe”, Chieftain of the Cherokee Tribe, serves as Washington’s vice president.

» 1791

First ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, are ratified.

» 1793

Washington’s second inauguration is held in Windsor City, “Dragging Canoe” steps down and John Adams serves as the vice president for Washington’s second term.

» 1800

The U.S capital remains in Windsor City.

» 1838

President Andrew Jackson signs a pact with the Cherokee Chieftain John Ross, Also known as “Little White Bird”, ensuring lasting peace and prosperity between the Americans and Indians.

» 1876

“Sitting Bull”, Chieftain of the Sioux Indians, signs a treaty of peace with President Ulysses S. Grant and “Old Tassel”, Chieftain of the Cherokee.

» 1886

Statue of Justice is constructed in Windsor, on Justice Island, with the help of the Cherokee and Sioux Indians.

» 1917

U.S enters World War I, declaring war on Germany and Austria-Hungary.

» 1918

Russian forces sweep through Germany, effectively ending the war and ceding Germany and Austria-Hungary into Russian territory.

» 1919

League of Nations meets for the first time; The U.S is represented.

» 1939

Adolf Hitler becomes a federal minister of the Russian Federation.

» 1945

League of Nations becomes the United Nations.

» 1950

Cold War Conflict between Communist and non-Communist forces on Korean Peninsula begins, U.S does not intervene. North and South Korea are assimilated into Chinese territory.

» 1991

Tensions rise between the Russian and Chinese powers as demands for raw resources increases. Tensions rise further as a small civil land dispute between Russian and Chinese administration ends with shots fired, neither party admits to shooting first.

» 2014

The Red War begins between Russian and Chinese forces. The UN chooses to stay neutral as they investigate what sparked the war, but urgues for a cease fire. Russian forces march into Chinese territory.

» 2015

UN continues to remain neutral as the war spills out across Chinese borders and into the middle east. UN threatens action against both countries if battles continue in neutral countries. U.S is urged into action, being a leading world power, but remains neural. European forces take action against Chinese and Russian forces skirmishing in neutral territory, and World War III begins.

» 2017

U.S joins the war, supporting their UN allies against Russian and Chinese forces. UN forces push through the war torn Middle East supported by African forces deploying from Northern Africa. Chinese forces continually harry UN supply lines, keeping UN forces undersupplied and hungry. A conflict begins between American and Central European forces over supplies and ends with dead on both sides.

» 2019

U.S recedes from the UN, unhappy with their decisions and accusing safeguarding their own resources and manpower while American lives are wasted. A four way war begins between UN backed European Union, The Russian Federation, The Republic of China, and The United States.

» 2020

U.S is pushed out of the war and forced back across the ocean. Russian forces hit the western seaboard of North America.

» 2021

Russian Missiles strike U.S soil, decimating much of the western seaboard and sending refugees flooding east. Canadian and Mexican forces continue fighting Russian troops. Russia declares the western seaboard of North America as part of Russian Territory, laying claim to California, Oregon, Washington and the inland states of Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Idaho, and Montana.

» 2022

U.S forces carry out Operation Black Swallow, deploying an experimental tactical unit created by the Center of Scientific Research. Operation Black Swallow is a massive success, and quickly shatters the Russian war front.

» 2023

Rumors about a scientific research project, “Project First Chaos”, surfaces. Activists claim the project employs inhumane acts against humans. More devout accusers claim that the CoSR is attempting to play god. Riots begin across the eastern seaboard of North America in protest to Pr͟ojec̸t F͡ir͝s͜t͢ ̀Ch́ao͡s̨. The Russians are pushed back to the edge of the west coast.

» 2024

The Russian’s retreat across the Pacific Ocean. Operation Black Swallow is deemed an undeniable success. Violent protests against P̵̡̢r̴̛͡o̷j̸́e̵͟͜ç̶̕t̨ ̡͟F̀͜i̸̷r̵̕sţ ̷͜͜C̴h̨͟a͘͠o̴̴̧ś͠ continue as U.S troops are recalled from the war front. Martial law is declared in New Windsor, New Jersey, Virginia, and Florida.

» 2025

The U.S is on the cusp of Civil War, while war rages across the eastern continents. Questions arise internationally about Operation Black Swallow, and the rumored P̸͜͏͞r̨̡̛̛͞ǫ̸̀̕͟j̢̢̧͢͡ȩ̵c̵͘t̵͟͟ ̧F̛͡i̸r̸s̸͞t̡̡͜͝ ̷͟͜͞Ç͜h͟҉҉̴a̧̛͠ò̧s͘̕҉. Viral videos surface online, detailing mysterious events during Operation Black Swallow. The Center of Scientific Research is overran by rioters, and falls victim to Arson.

» 2026

Strange events begin occurring around the same time an airborne pathogen is discovered. A whistleblower admits to conducting unnatural, weird science within the CoSR, but quickly succumbs to madness and violence. World War III ends as roughly half of the world's population succumbs to a unique strain of the pathogen. The pati̧̢̜̠̞̞̝̥̥͕͘ps̶̵̛̥̫͚̪̠̯͉͕̰̹̯͍̼͓̘̱̯̥̯͜͢umdo҉l͞o͞r͠ ̡ si͡ta͠m̸eţ,́ ͠c̴o͘n͟s̢ecţetu̷r̀d͝ip͡i̴s͞cin҉g̴ ̶ l̴i̡t͝.N̴̛u͟҉l͠͠҉là̕m ͝ t̨͢͞ȩmp̀͜o͘r̷̷, ̀ ş͢͝è̷͞m ̡e҉͢͜ć ̨i̡n̴͏͏te҉ŗ̛͏d͢u̵͝m͡͞҉ ̶d̕̕͟i̛͏g̀͟n̢̢i̛͘̕s̡͠s͟͝i̢͏m, ͞͝n̢i̕b́͟҉h͜ ̷ú̸r̡̡͡n҉̕a͟͟ ͡èf̨̕͡fi̷c̸̢ì҉̷tu̢͢r̸͡ ̧n͏̛eq̵͡͏ue̴t͏̴̡͞ ̴̡͞d̵̢̢͜͠i̡͏̴̧͡c̷̸t̷̛u̧m̷͝ ̵m̴͏à͢͠g̷͠n̢̢͢a͢͟͝͏̶ ̸̴á̕͘n҉̛͘ţ̴̕e̵͡ ̡̢̛͟i̢҉͠d̢̀͝͡͞ ̧̢́͜p̷̴͟͡u͜͏r̷̶͘͠u̷͜s̷̸̀͟.̛̕̕ ҉͡ ̲̭̘̘̀Q̖̘̭͢͡͡u̱̺̱̻̙͚̱i̡͍͈s̰͕̦͙̫̳͎q̴͎̩̠̺̲̬̺͡u̶̩̙̦̖̜̕e̱̩̼̫ ̷͓̜͉̘̟͎s̡̭͡ò̩̬̦̰͉̗l̛̗͔̟̰͖̭̬͟͞l̼̠͕̙̥͉͟͝ͅį͙͔̮̠ͅc͖̰̗̪̬͞͞ͅí̸̧̙̺t͎͉͉u̼̼͖̝̹̼̙͢͡d̫͔͔̳̫̫̙͢ͅi̷̖̲̱͔̞͖͜ͅṇ͕͖̥̖ ͖̺͖͕ą̬̹̠̠̣̱n͈͖t̠͙̟̬̼̝͓e͚̯̩̘͇͖̮͙̣ ͓̲͙̭͖̫ͅi̜̫n͚̥̙͟ ̶̴̦̝͎͉̘͇͘ͅi̷̡̩̝̥̹͎̞̙̗a̲̼̺c̵͖̭̣̳̭̤͚̰̕͡u̻̘̱̱l͔̜͙̝i̵͖̕͞s͏̼̟̠̹̭͘ ̧̦͜v̕҉̞͚̫̠̖̞͎̜̠e̷̝͔̭n̴̢͚͠e̮̘̫̘͞n̺̭͎͚͍̞̩̤á͕̜̙̀͜t̛̝̹͍̝́͝i̛̱͓̠̯͍̯͚͉͜ͅs̰͉͘.͙̪͚͚͎̲̠̀͞

ᐜᏨ̥͎̻͚͓╞̖͇̙͖͇̭֘ͅ͏͉ᗛ̶̮̤̭ᦉ҉̜̲͚͍⒕͙̙̜͓͓ἧ͔̩̣͚̫೯̮ᶷ̧͚͖͔͇ͅ˷̺̳͇͜⊶̖̦͘᱖̠̮͖̗̹᠅̧Ἃ͍ႜ̖͙̯̯͈͉ƶ҉͖ᅏ̙ ̮̣̘ ͍̜̮̺̕ ̥́ ̴͇͕̳̰ᾢ̶͈̦ሗ̤̤̜̙╛̛̘̟̞̩̫͚ᦡ̗Ꮄ͏͖̲͍͖̝ᙽ̱͚̗̩͙͜܆̵̗̮̯໘̷̦ ̵̪͓̠̰̘̰ᓋ ̛̤̯̻̼͖ሳ̸ߜ̗̻F̸̣͈̣̠̼̣͙̠̹̭̭̖͓̩͕́͡ͅͅé͖͇͎̟͎͎̜̱̳̰̯̬̠̕͝͝r̛̯̝̟̘͎̙̳̼̬̀͘͝ͅኺ̹̙͈̼͝ᵲҴ̟̻᠃̵ ̮͉̼͚͞ͅ☶̫̰̙̜〉̘̲̺͙͈̬͇ڀ̼̦̞͙̯̗͖Ƚ̠͓̤̠ᘓ̣̯̝̥ͅዿ̗̬♭̴̸̺͖̟̰̟͔̩̙ͅᛙ̢̨̠̗ͅ⁚̴̮͉̻̥ӯ̴̨̙̬̝̠̯͘ọ̷̮̙̼̱̼̤͚̇̄́ᖄ̖̯̞͉̱̬ỷ͍̰֪̞̲͢ ̮̤P̶͉͕͍͙͈̝̣͜͡r͏̶͏̴̺̰͓̟̟̮̟̘o̸͏̷͇̝̙̹̗̠͖̺͞ͅj̶͈̙̦͉̫̥̳͔̖͎̥̕͟͝e̵̶̘͕̮̲̥͍͎͚͘ͅc̨͏̵̠̮̝̯͈̙̠̱̝̖͚̝̜͚̳͖͖ṱ̨̦͚͔̭̲̰̘͇̩̯̺̖͘͢ͅ ̢̦̜̖͍̦̺̝̬̦͓̣̳́͡F̶̧͎̭͓̰̩̤̙̻͙̹͍͓i̧̢̜̠̞̞̝̥̥͕͘r͜҉̲̦̻̻͍͎̪͉̼͍̮̖̪̤͙̣̙͜s̶̵̛̥̫͚̪̠̯͉͕̰̹̯͍̼͓̘̱̯̥̯͜͢t҉̶͘͏̥̼̖͔͍͕͈̞̯̘̯͈̺͠ ̵̢̛̭̥̹̼̣̺͠C̶̡̡̞͚͍͍͎̱̘͟͢h̢͔̯̟̖̘̦̦͇͕̯̝̀a̵̻̟͇̣̹̫̥̜̥͉͕̝̣̺̗̘̜͔͜͜͡ͅo̵̴͍̩̗̦̻̺̮͚̘̟̝̠̯̙͘͢͞s̴̢̭̞͚̙̲̲̩̪͝ͅ⎄̢̞͢͠ͅ␏̢̪̗̟̰̪͕̬͜ఒ̫͠ռ̸̨̛̺̩Œ̴̫̳̱͚͍̞̞͠ ͏̯͎ ̷̸̱̫͡ ̷̛̰̝̪̺͉̤Ế̴̶͉̩̺͍̠̹ἤ̶̺̙̼͔̫մ̫͔̠ዂ̦͚̪͙̟͉̰̳̩͠ú̶͕̮̳̯ᤛ̳͍̫͞ಢ̸̲̝͚̠̜̻͢⌇̵̴͍̞̫̳̝͚֕˛̧̪՟̻͢¶̗̼ͅᖡ̘̱̘͙̻̹̀Ꮰ̛̰̞̠̦᧴̞̦̰͈͇ͅᏺ̴̮͖̰̰̻̱̤ᨎ̷̥͓̙̯̦͙ᓮ̰̟̟̲̕␊̰͇╗̛ ̺͖̺ѩщ͕̱̩̻͡Ξ̦≳̗̯᧕̶☜̛̺̙̲̳̝̤̲͖͈̺᷃́௦̼‡͙̦̼͢ͅ≩̤̳̯̦ᐹ̨͓͖̳͎͙̗͉┇͉̤̦̫̺̲–̴

^{[ Arc͍̜̼hiv̻͈̗̱̦͟e ̸̰̮͎ͅErro͖̮͇̖̦̤̣r ]}

» Water — GOOD: A crew of tunnel workers has secured the plant. Remember to write them a card.
» Power — GOOD: Rumor has it the plant has been secured by a couple work crews.
» Gas — OFF: I was more of a grill guy anyways, start collecting those burnables people.
» Sewage — OFF: Where is it all going?
» Health Services — AVAILABLE: They’re around but they’re not cheap and probably hard to get to if you have to read this to find one. Good luck.

The Bronx

» Bronx Hydro & Garden | Sector Br1 - Bruckner Blvd:

There’s a small team of dedicated growers here who have converted this do-it-yourself growing store into a small farm operation. They don’t have a lot of space for people like us, but they are willing to trade. Hydroponics are going to be the wave of the future, you heard it here first folks.

» Sky Vegetables | Sector Br3 - Tinton Ave:

Not a bad place to set up shop for these few lucky folks. Sky Vegetables is a hydroponics greenhouse set on top of an apartment block. Has a lot of people, and grows a bunch of food. They’re even open for trading supplies. I wonder how they keep those ferals from seeing the grow lights? Hope they got thick boards over those windows.

» Fordham University | Sector Br6 - E Fordham Rd:

Spanning two city blocks, this collection of education orientated buildings is now home to several hundred survivors who have managed to bunker down. They’ve got a wall made up of just about everything not nailed down surrounding the Martyrs’ Court and Lawn, looks like a damn refugee camp… I guess it is huh.

» James J. Peters VA Medical Center | Sector Br7 - W Kingsbridge Rd:

Eyewitnesses say that the doctors are holed up and will offer treatment for supplies, but in today’s currencies the price is high. It seems that whoever is running the show is very reluctant to admit new patients to the hospital, but I guess there have been some outside admittance. I wonder how much they had to give up to get in?

» High Island | Sector Br10 - E of City Island:

A very secluded island off the coast off of City Island, I’ve heard reports that the handful of families living here have food. Like an actual growing operation. I wouldn’t expect any free pickings though, there’s only one way onto the island via small bridge, and I’m talking like two cars wide. End of the bridge is capped off with a big ‘ol barricade with a trade window of sorts, and a good old fashioned sniper tower. Still, at least they have enough to trade right?

» Fort Schuyler | Sector Br10 - Pennyfield Avenue:

Talk about lucky, these guys tagged and bagged themselves a literal fortress. Nobody is really sure who is living there, or how many. The doors are closed, the lights are out, and it looks like they’re planning to keep it that way. Though, I guess a few of you have seen scavengers heading to, and from that way, so somebody must be alive in there.

» Bronx Urgent Care | Sector Br10 - Westchester Ave:

I guess these guys were fortunate enough to close their doors when they saw people going crazy in the streets. Good news is they’re still alive and kicking and helping who they can. I shouldn’t have to say this by now, but I will anyways, Medicine is up for trade only. No Handouts. In fact, I think somebody posted a picture of a sign saying just that.

» Home Depot | Sector Br11 - E Gun Hill Road:

I guess this place got locked down early and there’s a small community living inside those thick iron gates and concrete walls. They’re doing their best to help everybody but they’re not giving out medicine for free, though being in a hardware superstore probably has its perks. I bet their sinks look fantastic.

Manhattan

» Governors Island | Sector M1 - Upper Bays:

Last I heard there were some three or four thousand people living in this cozy little suburbia. I guess the citizens there banded together and swept the island clean, and now they have a nice little mayoral system run by the guy who formed the first group. I went there once, to see Fort Jay, looked like a homely place. I heard they’ve been taking people in, as long as you’re willing to provide for the whole. Rumor has it if you put up a light in the Staten Island Ferry building, facing the water, somebody will come by eventually. Though as of right now, the ferry building itself looks to be in bad shape, maybe somebody will fix it up one of these days.

» American Museum of Natural History | Sector M7 - Central Park West:

With an underground labyrinth of vaults and secure lockups, this historical building has become a bustling home of residence. Who knows what civil war weapons these guys will dig up.

» Shorac Kappock | Sector M12 - W 212th St:

I had a niece that went here, it’s cool to see somebody found a use for it. It’s a small school nestled in the middle of a city block, I think like preschool to fifth grade. Anyways, buncha teachers and their kids are still here, trying to make the best of everything. I think I heard about a few mechanics from the trainyard being there too, so at least they got some muscle. It’s become something of an adoption zone, they won’t take you unless they need you, but kids are welcome at least until they’re sixteen, or so I heard. Part of the updated curriculum, they won’t take anybody past that. However, you can stop there for a rest, it’s a good way-stop. An entrance to the red line is around the corner on the south eastern side of the same block, and opposite that is one for the blue line.

Queens

» Rikers Island | Sector Q1 - East River:

The infamous prison island has been pretty quiet since everything went down. The single bridge leading into the island has been attempted by several people, and their corpses are probably still there. I haven’t heard of any attempts at landing by water but I think people get the idea, getting too close gets you shot. Even if you could get close enough I heard they built a pretty badass gate at their side of the bridge, with towers and everything. Vehicles are seen coming in and out every so often, but I imagine they have a pretty large stock of prison gruel. I wonder if it's the prisoners who run the island now. At any rate, they seem like an unfriendly bunch.

» Queens Center Mall | Sector Q4 - Queens Blvd:

Ah, Apocalypse classic here, and with loads of people safe and secure behind its walls. The mall is a two part center, split down the middle by a little road. The two pieces are connected, on side with a second level skywalk, and the other connecting the parking garages with two double-decker ramps (That’s four in total folks). I imagine it must have been a challenge, but they did it and the only ways in or out is through the western garage. They started putting up walls so people could erect little shacks through the garages without the ferals getting attracted to the light (People say it’s eerily quiet, even with all those people there) The eastern garage itself is sealed off and only accessible from the mall itself, or the western garage. And boy, there are loads of people here, just packed in wall to wall, how do they feed them all?

» Target| Sector Q7 - 20th Ave:

Really gotta thank building designers for another mass produced by product of American beauty. With only a few windows, this superstore wasn’t too hard to fortify. It’s got good sight lines, having a massive parking lot at one end and a park at the other. They’ve also expanded into the connecting stores, P.C Richard and Son, A Verizon Wireless, and the Wholesale Wine store, giving them a good area. Though most of the place is heavily boarded up, as we all know those Ferals can be quite strong, there are two ways in (guarded of course) through the main Target doors, and the Wholesale Wine entrance.

» St. Mary Gate of Heaven Church | Sector Q9 - 101 Ave:

A place of devout worship turned refuge, it’s not surprising to see a church on this list. Unfortunately the people here do not have much more than their faith, thick walls, and boarded up windows. Scavenge teams come and go every so often, and there’s even a few cops living there to protect the more, non-violent residents.

» St. Mary’s Hospital | Sector Q11 - 216 St:

There have been posts that there are some real good people holed up here. It’s not quite a place to settle but they’ll help keep you alive and on your feet until you can make it to a more permanent home. But man, I really hate seeing all the sick kids. Kids get free treatment if the doctors are able to give it, they’ll take donations for it though without too much hassle. Adults have to find someway to pay for it, and carry the burden of knowing you’re probably depriving some sick child of their medicine. There’s some rumors about teams of scavengers hanging around the area though, donating supplies so they’re not too bad off. Everything is a struggle but at least those kids get to eat.

» Francis Lewis High School | Sector Q11 - Utopia Pkwy:

One of those upper scale public schools, the kind with stepped up campus security and metal detectors, so it’s not hard to believe this place got locked down quick. Teachers and Security, along with the City’s Board of Education, do a good job of running the place but managing all those teenagers can’t be easy. Guess they’re offering to teach people how to survive, got some home grown survivalists in there running the new and improved crash courses in apocalyptic survival, among general studies of course. Things seem alright there, and I heard the survival guys helped them set up some sort of hydroponics with scavenged supplies and the school’s sprinkler system.

» Garden World | Sector Q11 - 47th:

A gardening supply superstore, Garden World basically looks like a big barn, with three smaller barn like structures off to one side. Set at the back, down a little road, in this shopping area, I can see why it would be an ideal place, two doors and one garage like shutter make it easy to hide in. Couple of the old employees and whatever family they could salvage have residency here. They’re not taking in strays, but they are trading food, so there’s that, and from the reports they have a good bit of it.

» JFK International Airport | Sector Q13 - Terminal Building #4:

Tell me you’re not surprised to see this here, all those disaster movies am I right? Fortunate enough for these folks a plane chalked full of boys from the Marine Corps was in the area during the time of societal collapse. They’ve really locked this place down and I’ve heard they have a sweet arsenal, and even some heavy vehicles too. Honestly I might think about leaving my hole and heading there, heard they mow down ferals like grass and that sounds downright awesome.

» Rite Aid| Sector Q13 - Linden Blvd:

A rather large pharmaceutical building, it’s got everything from over the counter drugs to prescription strength antibiotics and narcotics. I guess there’s only a few people in there and nobody has seen anyone come in or out. They guard their supplies jealously and charge some hefty prices, though they’re more lenient if you offer food. I guess looters tried their hand at getting in, but those walls are thick and the security features are always on, and very reinforced. I bet the biggest, meanest feral couldn’t get in there.

Brooklyn

» Costco Wholesale | Sector Bl7 - Third Ave:

Nothing better than a Costco, the shopper’s fortress of bulk items. This place is nice and secure right off the bat, pretty sure they just closed the doors. Despite their impressive supply of bulk items, including some massive refrigeration areas that I but run decent enough off of emergency power, a steady flow of people come and go from there, collecting supplies from the surrounding area. Can never have too much stuff right? Not sure how much room they got, but I’ve heard of some pretty fair bargains. Best part is, the Ferals can’t get in without a membership. Ha ha ha.

» MCU Park | Sector Bl13 - Surf Ave:

Oh man, better known as the Coney Island Ballpark, I’ve got a lot of memories of this place. I’m sure glad it’s helping someone, a few hundred someones by the sound of things. Place was almost a fortress already, with security checkpoints into the building still in good, secure order. A few cell phone pics show the field wall as been built up, and an enormous patchwork canvas has been drawn over the field-like a giant tent. Supposed to help keep the light and noise down, but everybody knows anything more than a dull murmur means attracting our not-so-friendly neighbors. They’ve still got lots of room, and you’re welcome to build a small hovel wherever you see fit. I think there are maximum size limitations though. Just don’t make much noise doing it, take one of those professional nail guns.

» Gateway Marina | Sector Bl18 - Flatbrush Ave:

So we know that the ferals don’t like water already, but these people are particularly clever. This Marina houses more than a hundred boats on piers with only one way in. Seems they rigged up a little drawbridge from the metal on ramp, and added a bit of apocalyptic themed fortifications. Despite the relative safety, they still keep a watch. Also, not sure how you get into a settlement like this but, they also catch fish making them a viable source of food. Let’s just hope you survive the journey there, yea?

» CVU | Sector Bl18 - Avenue U:

Part Pharmacy, part grocery retailer, this place is another one of those fortress like stores with few windows, especially low ones. Had an impressive entry once, I’ve been there, but I’m sure it’s all boarded up now. This is another small operation, trading medicine for supplies. Rinse, and repeat. Prices are a little better however, they don’t get as many visitors as the other places I hear. Most of their trade comes from down the road, The Marina. I bet they’re getting sick of eating fish

Staten Island

» Caddell Dry Dock and Repair | Sector S1 - Richmond Tce:

Just like after the release of the Jaws movie, less people are willing to go out on boats these days. But that doesn't stop the few residents that live at the dry docks. Stockpiles of food aren't really kept here since fish isn't easy to keep without it smelling terrible after a day or so with no good fridges. However they do have a fair amount of workshop tools at their disposal, making it a pretty good place to go get your busted stuff repaired. Services don't come cheap, so bring a good amount of food and materials for trade. The place is locked pretty tight, there's generally only one way in and out if you're not a part of their posse. A nice thick steel door.

» CUNY College of Staten Island | Sector S2 - Loop Rd:

As always, colleges make for good frat party locations and strongholds. The facilities in this place are more or less functional, except any patch of green was replaced with a small farm. It's a self sufficient place filled which quite a few people. You could probably tell that most of them are college students since you can sometimes here a few of them shouting something stupid. Although they're willing to trade food and alcohol, the place is generally quite locked up. Sometimes I wonder how they can keep such a massive campus on lock down. I'll get back to you on that.

» Staten Island University Hospital | Sector S3 - Seguine Ave:

There's always at least one hospital running somewhere in these wastelands. It operates like a proper hospital, but the fees are more exorbitant than before. They've got a good supply of medical goods, so I'd suggest bringing good quality produce with you if you want any hope of trading with them. Sick people don't get pity treatment in this neck of the woods and attempting to break in doesn't end well. I heard the doc's got tranquilliser darts strong enough to take down an elephant. God knows why they'd need that.

Little Kit's Box

English is DUMB.

I lie down, you lay me down, she'll lie down, he'll lay her down, I'd lain there all day, She's (has) lain there all day, I am lying down, She's (is) lying down.

I lay the book down, I (have) laid the book down, He'll lay the book down, I've laid the book down, He's (has) laid the book down, I'm laying the book down, He's (is) laying the book down.

Little Kit's Box

^{Don't forget thermodynamic energy exchange}
Fire burns at 3,542 degress Farenheit.

Burning pain at 111 F, First degree burns at 118f
Second degree burns at 131 f
Pain receptors overload and become numb at 140f.
At 162 f human tissue is destroyed on contact.
250 f - Cotton Ignites

Third Degree Burn with Water
150 - (2 second)
140 - (6 second)
130 - (30 second)

Little Kit's Box

N A T A L I E K A P L E N - M E A D O W S

F e m a l e ● T w e n t y - F i v e ● B - N e g a t i v e

M U T A T I O N S

● Enhanced Speed and Reflexes
Nat's never really been much for athletic routine, that was always her sister's thing. So it comes off quick ironic that her mutations grant her inhuman speed. Specifically, the ability to achieve speeds higher than any human could, or should. Not just in the physical sense either, but her reflexes, her reaction times, and her overall speed of though. This also alters her perception of time, dilating it to the point where she can see things in slow motion, or even at a near standstill.

At first glance, this seems like a passive, natural reaction. She could potentially respond to things faster than a normal human being could with her accelerated process of through and neural signals. However, if she were to concentrate on exactly how fast she needs the world to move, she can control this dilation. When moving at high speeds, she can also perceive things at high speeds, only slowing as needed when an obstacle presents itself through her brain's sub-conscious system of detect, identify, and respond. Ultimately, when moving at high speeds, this would feel almost as if there were no change at all, rather moving as a reaction than a processed thought.

● Shock Absorption and Energy Release
Nat has two very important mutations that coexist with her powers, without them she wouldn't be very useful at all. The first is the overall density of her body, she's not exactly heavier or lighter, nor is she really anymore durable than she regularly is. What this does is orients her body to be able to absorb, and release the force of excessive impacts (e.g if she throws a high speed punch). What this means is that her body converts the pressure from force and velocity into heat and steam, which is released from her back.

The bony plates protruding from her back along her spine not only offer her the same protection a regular bone would, but also serves as a way for her to vent this buildup of heat energy, in great clouds of steam. Without this the friction generated by her body would lead to spontaneous combustion. She also has smaller rows of similar bony protrusions along the outsides of her forearms between her wrists and elbows, and along the back of her calves between her ankles and knees.

● Nature's Velcro
Nat has a slick, oily black substance creeping up her hands, forearms, feet, and shins. Her skin in these areas is very soft, cool, and slippery—Much like that of an amphibious creature. More importantly, this change in texture comes with another important benefit. Her hands and feet are covered in hundreds of tiny, microscopic hairs called setae. Each seta splits off into hundreds of even smaller bristles called spatulae. These hairs, lying more at a horizontal angle, increase the Van der Waals forces between themselves and a surface. In Nature, this allows a creature such as a gecko to climb porous surfaces. Natalie can't climb surfaces, but these setae give her considerably more traction and grip.

A P P E A R A N C E

^{Nat's Arms | Nat's Teeth | Nat's Spine}

If not for their age gap, Nat could almost be her sister's twin. Sharing the same theme of features inherited from their mother, Nat has a softer face but with more angular sculpting compared to her sister's rounder structure. She has the same button nose and pert mouth, but her eyes lack the warm of their mother. Rather, she has her father's hard stare, an icy coolness reflected in those ocean blue pools of color. Her hair is a stark contrast to her pale complexion and bright eyes, being a black so dark as if to seem all color has been washed out—The same as her sister.

Nat fairs a bit better in the womanly department, standing a little taller and leaner at 5'8 (176cm) and weighing 124 lbs (56.2 kg). Her chest is also a tad larger, as Nat sports a duo of firm C-cups. Nat, being the girl she is, does sport a bit of ink and a few piercings here and there.

● Yin and Yang tribal band inked around her left bicep.
● A Blue Lily tattooed on the back of her right shoulder.
● Rose and Compass tattooed on the left side of her torso and hip.
● She had a semi-colon tattoo on her wrist, but that has been covered by her mutation.
● Pierced ears and tongue.

P E R S O N A L I T Y

Nat is a hardhearted, self-centered realist. To her, the world is a cruel place that doesn't give two shits about her, so she might as well make the best of it. Her activities seem to end her up on the wrong side of the law, or at the least running from it. She's a shutout, hiding herself deep within layers of calm coolness and cold apathy. If not very trusting at first, Nat is very loyal and will stay that way as long as you do right by her and her family.

Speaking of family, there's only one person Nat really cares about in this world—You guessed it—her little sister. Though one may not realize what deep affection Nat has for her sister, Anybody who fucks with Makiah is going to see the violent side of Nat real quick. Though she cares less for her loser parents, Nat hasn't completely disowned them.

R E F L E C T I O N S : P A R T O N E

Natalie

An office becomes shrouded in haunting gloom as the glow of evening turns into the veil of night. A haggard face, pale with day old stubble, stares at a thick book that he had drawn from one of the many shelves lining the room. Ice rattles in a stout glass as he tries to sooth his nerves with the foul brew of straight whiskey, there was no time for mixers tonight. A sad smile plays across his face as he leans back in the well kept leather chair, its oiled hinges not letting off a single squeak. Still, that would have paled in comparison to the chaos erupting outside. He glances to his phone, still no response from his wife. His heart nearly leaps out of his chest as gunfire erupts outside. His shaking hand moves across the hard cover of the book, peeling the cover back slowly. As he does, the world outside seems to fade away.

His eyes settle on a picture, simple titled "Natalie". A young girl, dressed in a bright sundress, a daisy in her hair, and smiling back at him over her shoulder. He remembered that day fondly. An outing at a local park, eating ice cream, feeding the ducks, and toting around their new born: Natalie's sister. He glanced through the pictures of the early years. Birthdays, friends, her first bicycle, An array of different photos each invoking a hundred different thoughts of memories. And each one pained him, wrenching and twisting his heart into knots.

The first day of high school. He could still remember kissing his daughter goodbye, and trying to sooth the rather envious youngster in the background of the photo. Makiah had insisted she was old enough for high school too. Arcturo smiled in fond remembrance. More pictures flashed by; Natalie trying out soccer, softball; Natalie driving her first car; Wearing a shiny black dress adorned with sequins at prom; Natalie smiling with her rather uncouth friends.

She had always seemed to find her way into the rougher crowds, as if she just... belonged. Acturo knew she had started smoking early, started experimenting with drugs and getting into trouble. He'd done the same thing at that age, who was he to judge? She didn't come from poverty, she wasn't spoiled, she didn't steal from them and she didn't act like some tweaked out addict. She was a little temperamental, but level headed for the most part. He had always trusted that he'd be there to guide her onto the path of being a successful, functioning adult. He'd told himself the same thing all the times they fought about her particular choices, her shady friends, her sneaking out at night. Even this, made Arcturo smile. She was more rebellious than he had ever been.

It seemed now he'd never get the chance to finish guiding her. The world was falling apart and he couldn't even bring himself to step outside. It was pure madness out there, the only thing that awaited him was death, and surely for his family too. Tears spilled down his cheeks as he choked back a sob, taking another drink from his glass, turning to another page. Natalie's first boyfriend, a punk really. A small laugh echoed from within him, she reminded him so much of himself sometimes—His first girlfriend had been a shock to his parents too. She'd always defended him, said he treated her right, respected her. Arcturo had this inkling that the poor boy found out the hard way not to get on Nat's bad side.

Another page. Natalie on stage, rocking out to.. what was it, bass guitar? She looked so happy, and she was smiling right at him, picking him out of the crowd. That thought alone made his heart flutter quietly. Her "Rocking Out" wasn't really a career, and he had wished she'd at least tried to get into college, but he supported her. He never was one for the heavy, ear splitting kind of music she liked. And he felt so out of place in a crowd of teens all sporting chains and piercings and rebellious hairstyles. But, Nat would always be his little girl and he'd done everything he could to make her happy. Even if that meant he wasn't around enough.

It was only now, sitting in this silent room punctuated by the reverberating echoes of hollow booms, the cacophony of people yelling and screaming, that he regret not spending more time with his family. For not strengthening his relationship with his little Natalie. Ironic really, he'd always thought that stereotype wouldn't apply to him, and yet here he was, sitting in an office alone and missing his family. Still, he'd managed to make it to most of the games and performances, never missed a birthday, that had to count for something. He had been a good Father, right?

The book whispered softly as the pages brushed against each other. Natalie smiling with her sister, hanging on her with one arm. Ever the visage of the older sister, the protector. Natalie had always been really close to her sister, and Arcturo was glad for it. They'd have each other long after he and his wife had passed away. At least, he had always hoped that it would be that way. Now, he wasn't so sure. Natalie, always so strong and fierce, always so quick to resolve problems her way. The sadness of his smile became an overbearing weight on his heart. A pain so deep, and so empty, he felt that his heart may actually break apart.

He glanced again at his phone. "New Message."

E Q U I P M E N T

● Cigarettes and lighter.
● Smartphone.
● Black pocket knife.
● Wallet.
● Multi-tool.

P R O F I C I E N C I E S

● "Hey, FUCK YOU." Natalie isn't exactly the most calm person. In fact, she can be a tad hotheaded and violent at times. Always quick to action, she's learned how to fight the hard way. "Scrappy" is the right word when thinking of her personal style. She fights fast, and dirty. Fighting to her isn't about class or elegance, it's about winning. Sometimes it's better to win before the fight even starts, Which is one of the reasons she carries a pocket knife. Fortunately she's only had to use it a handful of times.

● "Criminal Scum." Nat's own personal take on "Rules were meant to be broken", she's no stranger to winding up in places she shouldn't be. Usually this involves a bit of street style acrobatics. Breaking and entering is sometimes an art, and Nat's been at it for years. Fortunately all this fence hopping, slithering through crawlspaces, and running from the law have helped keep her in decent shape. She's practically an amateur free-runner.

● "Maiden of the Green Lady." In some regards Nat couldn't be more different than her sister. Especially with the things she does and the people she associates with. Like frequenting obscure hangouts playing grunge music and serving drinks like "Dead Butterflies", with hazy air full of smoke and moshing bodies dressed in muted colors. The kinds of places with back rooms where you can go to just, "chill out", and possibly lose your shoes while you're off on some wonderland trip in your own head. Fortunately, being a connoisseur and a merchant of the Green Lady has made Nat a likable person in these sorts of crowds. She knows what she's doing in the rougher parts of American culture.

L I M I T A T I O N S

● "Sin City." The world is shit, at least to Nat. Everything sucks, so why bother with dieting, recycling, or all that other pointless bullshit? Nat would much rather sit stoned off of her ass watching retro cartoon shows, bad movies, and chowing down on a pile of munchies. Since she works from her phone, she gets to live the sort of lifestyle that would condemn her to hell. Smoking, drinking, gambling, the only thing she doesn't do is "That Hard Shit".

● "Faster than a speeding..." Unfortunately for Nat, her speed isn't as glamorous as television makes it out to be. Though her body has mutated in a way to deal with the extra force of her movements, she can easily surpass these shock absorbers and cause great physical trauma to herself. Additionally, she has to stop using her power to ventilate the built up heat and pressure from the excessive friction she causes. Straining her body's capacity to deal with this buildup will cause her to heat up considerably. Her body will enter an "overheated" state, where she will need to stop using her powers for some time, ventilate, and rest.

● "Vibrato." Should Nat choose to ignore her body's warning signs that she is overexerting herself, she will begin to break apart. When she's approaching the lethal threshold, she'll start to suffering symptoms such as angina, muscle spasms, shortness of breath, dizziness, numbness, and body tremors. In fact, these tremors are a guaranteed sign. As she pushes her limits, her body will vibrate uncontrollably, until she literally destabilizes and breaks apart into dust. Stopping and letting her body recalibrate is the only way to reverse this state. It may be necessary to manually slow her down, such as through cold temperatures or sedatives. This state also negates any additional grip or traction she gets from the setae on her hands and feet.

● "You got a FUCKING PROBLEM?" Nat in two words is simple, and crass. Though she's an averagely smart gal, if maybe a bit more streetwise, she's not exactly the most sensitive or refined. She lacks those finer people skills most people have. More importantly, she's a very straightforward thinker. She can be easy to predict, and quick to action. She doesn't think about how or what would be the best way to punch you in the face. Just that she's going to punch you in the face.

R E L A T I O N S

● Makiah Kaplen-Meadows is Natalie's sister, who is two years younger.
● Elliora Kaplen is their mother of forty-nine.
● Arcturo Meadows is their father of fifty-two.