MatthiasAngel

Convalescence - A New World

@Vermillion That would make her 30-31. I can work with that. Thanks!

Convalescence - A New World

@CourierSix

I like the idea of #1 the best. Not only that, but I feel that is also the one I can pull off most effectively. I hope that isn't just me overestimating my ability, though... But thanks for the suggestions.

I agree. The first one would be the easiest (and most plausible) to run. Can't go wrong with a guy who is openly a baddie.

Convalescence - A New World

@MatthiasAngel Learning to get back into a group and cooperate for the good of a group rather than just for themselves, then there are things like interpersonal relation building. Basic knowledge could easily be passed from parent to child though, some more specialized things would be difficult to learn, Amie's EMT skill for example would need to come from someone who knew it or from a bunch of old medical texts and some practice. Also, forgot to add it but Drei will be mostly illiterate.

@Treue

The group thing depends on if I collab with @Section. If I do, group cooperation will be a factor. Otherwise, she'd still be on her own, in which case she won't, nor will she need to work on interpersonal relationships.

"Basic knowledge" is not enough to help you survive for twenty straight years. Like I said, she isn't going to find a survivor who is a paramedic and has access (and time) to teach a three-month EMT course, and she certainly isn't going to learn "old medical texts and some practice" because she would need someone to practice on. It seems like a stretch to say she has medical textbooks and a paramedic mentor and people to practice on, in an environment of hostility and isolation.

I mean, @Vermillion, would it be plausible for Amie to find a university/hospital/library with medical textbooks, and an experienced paramedic willing to train her, and people who need medical help to practice on, and the supplies to be an EMT? She would need all of that (though the textbooks and paramedic could be either/or). Would you be willing to reduce the start date to, say, 10 years?

Convalescence - A New World

@Vermillion Apparently I missed that part. Should have read the OP again, because I would have posted this sooner.

If it's 20 years later, then either everyone will RP an adult, which means less character development, or they'll be severely under-educated. If you want to have even a fifth-grade education, you'd be over 30 when it kicks off here, and I doubt anyone born after the apocalypse, when parents would be scavenging for food constantly, would have an actual education. Heck, depending on how bad things are for their parents, they may not even be able to read, much less survive in a hostile natural environment.

I want my character to, if nothing else, be an EMT, which means she would need to be at least 18 and past 11th grade (according to requirements). That would start her off at the age of at least 38, because I doubt she'll stumble across a paramedic who has the time and resources to give her a 3-month course. What character development is there for someone who has already been solo surviving for over half their life?

Convalescence - A New World

So, I have an idea for a to-be antagonistic character who essentially becomes the leader of a decently-sized settlement. That's all I have set in stone. I may have him become power hungry and set out on an imperialistic conquest of the desolate world, or have him see it as his duty to rebuild society by any means necessary. Possibly even just make him an absolute jerk who wants nothing more than to scare people into doing what he wants, I dunno. Some outside opinions, suggestions, and etcetera would be welcomed with open arms, though.

@CourierSix

Imperialistic conquest would make for more violence and would make other people have to be more cautious because "That guy and his rag-tag mafia goons are out there." Which is fun, but not for long. I like the "I must rebuild by any means necessary" thing, because we can improve our chances by staying away from his private resort. The "I am a huge jerk" guy isn't going to last very long: people won't stay with him if they don't like him and don't need him. He has to be necessary, so I see three ways:
1. He's a dictator, and no one is allowed to leave because he has the biggest guns and toughest buddies. People only come to him because he has a lot of stuff. He actively attacks and steals from survivors.
2. He's a smooth talker, and people stay because they have faith in him, when he's really just power hungry. Everything is "For the collective good." He actively convinces survivors to join him and share supplies in exchange for safety.
3. He's a wise old man, and people stay because they like him and he knows how to survive and rebuild, when he's secretly bitter about whatever. Everything is "Because I know best." He actively seeks control of survivors for...I don't know why.

et cetera is two words by the way.

Convalescence - A New World

I'm going to set up two people. I'll only RP one of them for now.
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Name: Amethyst "Amie" Jane

Amie held a 4.0 GPA through all four years of high school. Developing a deep interest in modern medicine, she transferred to med school immediately afterwards, paid in full by a scholarship. Over the summer she took a three-month EMT course and worked in a hospital at an intern, filing paperwork and adjusting to the atmosphere. Two weeks before she moved into new dormitory, rumors spread of some kind of disease that had started up. Before she knew it, hospital everywhere were flooded with patients. Whatever it was, it traveled fast and killed faster. Amie found herself working full-time at the hospital, now dealing with corpses instead of files. It was far more macabre than she was prepared for. More than anyone was prepared for.

It was inevitable, really. The doctors who weren't infected were unable to keep up with the sick people. Panic lead to fear, which soon lead to violence against the doctors and staff who weren't able to cure the disease. Supplies were depleted, staff were exhausted, and Amie, along with everyone else, was excused from duty in the interest of her personal safety and her inability to help. Amie returned to the local rescue squad, only to find it destroyed. Protesters, insane with fear, had firebombed it. One of them spotted her, still wearing her white jacket with her temporary ID badge tagged to the front, and threw a brick at her, missing her head by inches. Amie had gone from a promising medical student to an outcast, hated for her inability to fix everything magically and instantly.

Amie ditched the jacket and headed for home, the last safe place she knew of. She arrived to find the door locked and her parents gone. A letter taped to the front door, written in her mother's flowing cursive, filled her in: the hospital staff informed them that Amie was deceased, claimed by the disease she had worked to cure, and under threat of escalating violence, they had been evacuated with everyone else. If it wasn't true, they told her to come to the nearest safe haven. The house key was taped to the back of it, so she let herself in, grabbing a handful of supplies and stuffing them into her school backpack. To her further dismay, Amie found the haven in ruins. Several days of searching turned up only a handful of shell-shocked citizens, who let her know that anarchy had fallen on the States. Nowhere was safe anymore. Distraught and exhausted, Amie collapsed.

She spent years in the remains of the haven, helping people who for were actually grateful for medical assistance. They formed a small community, her and about eighteen other people. Over time, the numbers dwindled as others decided to try to go back home, at least to see if it was still there. None of them ever returned. Did they make it back, or...? She tried not to think about it.

Gender: F

Age: 34

Personality: Optimistic Realist. Amie's well aware of how bleak things are, but she manages to maintain a good view of things. Being miserable and depressed won't get her anywhere, no matter how bad it gets, so she tries to keep her head up and smile if she can. Amie is bright and intelligent, and has a good bit of practical know-how besides her training in medicine. She learns easily and adjusts to circumstances if possible. Her faults come in strength and defense. Amie is not very strong, and she's pacifistic to a fault. She refuses to carry a lethal weapon and sides on using her brains to get out of things. Amie is also too quick to trust, and can make the mistake of assuming others are as cooperative as she is.

Description: Caucasian. Medium height and build (over a decade of travelling has given her a decent amount of muscle). Straight, dirty blonde hair that travels a little past her neckline. Bright blue eyes. Wears a faded army jacket, a black t-shirt, blue jeans, grey sneakers and a pair of gloves that she cut the fingers off of. She has a ball chain necklace with a single dog tag stamped "AMIE" and two small holes in each ear where they used to be pierced (she removed them years long ago).

Here's a rough digital sketch:


Possessions:
- Faded camouflage army jacket
- Black t-shirt
- Blue jeans
- Sneakers
- Black fingerless gloves
- Cheap pair of blue-tinted polarized sunglasses in a zippered soft case
- Cheap metal wristwatch that doesn't work anymore and is frozen at 10:00 PM
- Small pocket Bible with Psalms, Proverbs, and the New Testament
- [TBD]

Equipment:
- Mercury Crimson High Sierra XBT TSA backpack
- Steel-rimmed reading glasses in a hard case
- Small medical kit in a green cross-shoulder satchel with a red cross stamped on it
- Food: Two granola bars, one bag of beef jerky, two bottles of water, one steel thermos containing coffee (for emergencies, according to her)
- Collapsible baton for non-lethal defense.
- Leather Wingman Multi Tool: 420HC Combo Knife, Bottle Opener, Can Opener, Medium Screwdriver Package Opener, Phillips Screwdriver, Ruler (1 In/2.54 Cm), Small Screwdriver, Spring-action Needle Nose Pliers, Spring-action Regular Pliers, Spring-action Scissors, Spring-action Wire Cutters, Wire Stripper, Wood/metal File

Notes:
1. Amie is a saved Christian and reads her personal Bible on the daily. It's the only thing she has complete trust in.
2. Amie has some experience using an extendable baton in a fight. Not enough to earn a belt in a martial art, but some.
3. As part of her degree, Amie became a registered EMT (Emergency Medical Technician). She has significant medical expertise, especially with first aid and emergency treatment, though she has a weak stomach and can't handle gore.
4. Amie sleeps heavily and isn't easily woken up. Don't expect her to catch an intruder unless they're wearing metal boots.

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<DIARY of AMIE JANE>

Day Whatever, 10:00 PM

Convalescence - A New World

@Section Did you not see my post halfway down the page about the tank? ;_;

Convalescence - A New World

@RumikoOhara No, I'll be actively avoiding shooting. I want to get a .357 revolver, which is a terrible weapon for a gunfight anyway. I just want one for emergency self-defense or for hunting. Remember, nature has taken over. That means wild animals are a legitimate threat.

Also, Fallout is not an FPS. It's an RPG.

Convalescence - A New World

I take it with the reference to the Game Fallout that people play a lot of video games and truly crave a militant environment and it's attendant acts of violence.

I think in this case it's more for preparation in case of violence rather than a desire for violence. I want to scavenge, not hunt people. Besides, this is a post-natural-apocalypse. It's all about survival, and with survival comes violence one way or another. Everyone doesn't get to survive when there are limited resources. Not everyone will be generous when they risk starving to death.

It'd be cool to use the tank cannon to clear debris or something. Like, you'll make a path, but you risk gathering a lot of attention.

Also, possessions and equipment are different. A bottle of water, a knife and a flare will all go under equipment. They are useful and serve a purpose. However clothing, a picture of the family, an old necklace and some spare glasses - these are just possessions.

I like it.

Convalescence - A New World

@Section Some tank info, using the M1 Abrams, the current USA main battle tank, as an example.

Max Speed: 40-45 mph on roads, 25-30 on uneven terrain.

Fuel consumption: 10 gallons to start the turbine. 60 gallons per hour (so you can go up to 30 mph on rough terrain, or 45 mph on paved road, for an hour with 70 gallons).

Fuel capacity: 500 gallons. You're never going to fill it up, so gas will always be a resource to hunt.

That's pretty solid, but you probably won't get your hands on one.