Free Range [Survival Horror]

Seductress

Over the top violence!
Original poster
FOLKLORE MEMBER
Posting Speed
  1. Multiple posts per day
  2. 1-3 posts per day
Online Availability
It all depends on what's going on, and my situation.
Writing Levels
  1. Give-No-Fucks
  2. Beginner
  3. Elementary
  4. Adept
  5. Advanced
  6. Adaptable
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Male
  2. Female
Genres
Fantasy, Sifi, Apocalyptic, Modern, Horror, Mature, superheroes, steampunk, cyberpunk, furry
Free Range
A Survival Horror

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December 25th, 2020

A US research boat containing a handful of the countries' most brilliant scientific minds called out a frantic S.O.S, after an experimental gas bomb detonated on itself. There were only two survivors - who had gained substantial and life threatening wounds. Those who weren't killed were found disturbed to the point of violence, with a general tendency for brutal homicide found among those who couldn't be labeled as "survivors". The search and rescue team who had encountered these disturbed individuals began labeling them as Maniacs, and the team became the official nickname of those people.

After extensive tests, and many sleepless nights, it was discovered that the gas was what caused the mutation. It seems that those who directly ingested the gas found themselves in a sort of berserker-like state, and find that their only goal is to murder, inflict pain, and enjoy scenes of suffering.

The effects on the human mind and body wasn't the main purpose of the gas. The miasma was found to be geared toward mutating and weaponizing animals and birds. The vessel contained mainly mammals that had broken free from their cages, but the gas also affected fish, sea animals, and also seemed to be able to resize bugs and mutate them into further terrors. The president claimed to not know anything about the experiments, testing and work happening on board the U.S.S. Bella, but it had to have been commissioned by somebody.

Navy Seals Crisis Operation Squad is to be dispatched to U.S.S. Bella to retrieve any and all intel they can find about who is in charge of the weaponized gas. They will report directly to [Media Redacted] on all findings and results. This might not be a rescue mission, but all unaffected individuals found are to be returned to [Media Redacted] for testing. Any hostile individuals are to be treated with extreme prejudice, and are to be considered under the rules of Seek & Destroy protocols.


December 30th, 2020
After five days of operations, and four days of silence, the Crisis Operations Squad was deemed lost. One member - Amanda Crane - was found to be alive after she radiod to headquarters from the ship's bridge. She claimed that everyone was dead, and that the ship was to be considered lost. Amanda Crane was thought to be dead after she blew the ship up in order to destroy the threat, but she was later found living a low profile second life in New York City. The co
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ver up that followed wasn't exactly believed by the general public. Nobody believed that an explosion big enough to destroy an entire vessel was an accident, and the media decided to chase Amanda Crane for answers.

It is still undetermined as to who leaked Crane's name to the public, but she still had to be silenced. A government sanctioned wet team was dispatched to take care of her, and they had been successful. She didn't seem to come in contact with the gas, but it was discovered that in her basement she had collected infected animals from the boat. Those animals have since been collected and are in [Media Redacted] hands for testing.

The gas is to be kept under lock and key. The secret is to not reach the general public. It is imperative to find the cause of the gas, and ensure that U.S.S Bella is an isolated incident. The miasma is far too dangerous to be let out on the masses, let alone be left unchecked. It is now a top priority by the countries' highest authority to find these bioterrorists before they can strike for real. Too bad that if that happened, this story would never be able to be told. Fast forward to March 15th, 2021. The true horror has yet to happen yet. Not until one quiet night in Wyoming...that's where it truly began.


March 15th, 2021
Bear Lake; Wyoming, USA
Population: 1100

The mountainside town of Bear Lake was never eye catching or peculiar. It was just a regular carbon copy cut out of the stereotypical "small American town" surrounded by lush forests and rich shades of green. Farming and ranching is quite popular among Bear Lake, and everyone seems to get along with each other. The wildlife is thriving and feeds the town. There is a hunting lodge up in the mountains as a hub for the various groups of mountain men and hunters based out of Bear Lake and Coldwood, the town on the other side of the mountains.

Bear Lake is a wonderful community and is even tourist friendly. Known for their fantastic fishing and lakeside cottages, there is no shortage of new and returning faces across Bear Lake. Unemployment is virtually non-existent, and there are plenty of homes to go around. With this idealistic utopia, life is grand for the residents. Around this time, local business owners who thrive on tourism, as well as trailer parks, cottages, and rental properties begin their spring cleaning to prepare for the tourist season.


Stores & Building
  • Grizzly House Hunting - The Grizzly House carries an arsenal of hunting rifles, handguns, and various other accessories revolving around all of your hunting needs. Specializing in carrying Smith & Wesson, the Grizzly House also carries tents, camping gear and accessories, and fishing gear. Grizzly's also doubles as a survivalist hub, seeing a lot of regular customers coming to socialize. Mark The Grizzly House Hunting Shop on your to-do list!
  • More-Fer-Less - The More-Fer-Less is a family owned and operated convenience and grocery store. Catering to all snack and grocery needs, More-Fer-Less is owned by Kim and Anthony James, as well as their two sons Greg and David. Nothing more than a compact grocery store, there is no where else that beats the prices that the James family can offer.
  • Walmart - The only corporate chain to find their way to Bear Lake. Walmart is a bit more expensive than the More-Fer-Less, but they do feature much more of a variety. Larger stock of foods, household necessities and even a small section for hunting and firearms, Walmart is the perfect go-to. Featuring a decent pharmacy and isles dedicated to medicine, Walmart is victim to plenty of robberies - even though they are few and far between.
  • Mother Hubbard's Cupboard - The second of the two family owned grocery stores, Mother Hubbard's Cupboard focuses on non-perishable and canned goods. Operating using farm fresh and organic foods from local farmers, Mother Hubbard's Cupboard also accepts donations of canned foods that sit on the shelves of companies as well as people with extra food to spare. With food drives taking place year 'round, Mother Hubbard's Cupboard always has four times the amount of non-perishable food items than they have organic farm foods.
  • United Bank of America - A federal bank run by the state of Wyoming, the UBA is the only bank to be present in Bear Lake. There are very few employees working here, considering most people tend to stuff their money under their mattress and pay in cash. The bank still does get a decent amount of customers coming to them - enough to keep them in business.
  • Bear Lake Hospital - Luckily only one hospital is needed in Bear Lake. It's a medium size, and perfectly staffed. There isn't a position that needs to be filled, but there's always the possibilities for job opportunities if someone were to seek it out. Boasting a wonderful pharmacy and a beautiful gift shop, there is also a food court featuring local fast food businesses.
  • Nanook Mall - There used to be a strip mall close to the outskirts of town, but ever since that closed down, Nanook is the only mall in town. Bigger than Coldwood's mall but smaller than Whistler's (the city on the other side of the expansive woodland) mall, Nanook is considered to be pretty impressive for a place like Bear Lake. Food courts, clothes, shoes, DVDs and CDs, books, the mall features almost everything that a consumer could ask for. Exclusive home of Kung Fu Ken's Kickboxing & MMA Gym.
  • Bear Lake Police Station - Workplace of the capable Sheriff Smith and his competent collection of deputies, the non-existent crime rate has been reduced to drunken brawls, marital disputes and petty crimes. There isn't anything much to worry about, which is why the cages containing 12 gauge shotguns and a hunting rifle haven't been opened in close to a decade.
  • Spare parts Diner - A family friendly diner perfect for lunch, dinner and midnight snack. Spare Parts is open from 10AM until 12:30 AM, and doesn't offer breakfast. They offer all day coffee and bakery goods, but not breakfast.
  • Hercules Bar & Grill - Open from 12PM until 2AM, Hercules is a spot for people 21 and over. Boasting the best (and only) cocktails and cold beer in town, there is no drinking hole quite like Hercules. WIth pool tables and classy decor, Hercules is perfect for date nights and casual hangouts with the friends. The food could be better, but the booze is what the customers come for!
  • The Breakfast Bar - Open from only 7AM until 12PM, the Breakfast Bar is a family oriented breakfast specific diner. Coffee, orange juice, apple juice, or even something a bit stronger, the Breakfast Bar has unlimited refills on beverages and drinks. An all you can eat buffet, the Breakfast Bar is for sure to bring a smile to anyone's face, no matter what age.
  • Residence Inn - The town's beloved tourists need somewhere to rest their heads at night. With a pool, a golf course, a breakfast buffet and a gym, the Residence Inn is perfect for those looking for a short term stay in Bear Lake.
Locations & Landmarks
  • Bear Lake - The titular Bear Lake is located just thirty minutes outside of the city, located by a driving path South through the woods, toward Whistler. The lake is massive, and features two seperate trailer parks of the same size - Oakside Mobile Park and Shady Pines Trailer Park - on either side of it, as well as a community of cottages and vacation homes lining the shore. Booming with freshwater fish, as well as other aquatic life, Bear Lake is the perfect vacation spot for anybody, no matter what age they may be. Andrew Kevin's trailer in Shady Pines has been turned into a miniature tool and hardware store.
  • Hugh Hudson's Swamp - Hugh Hudson is a survivalist who lives off of the land. His family has owned the Hudson Swamp since before Bear Lake was even a town, and he is very secretive. He doesn't like anyone coming on to his private property, and is willing to open fire on trespassers. It is best to avoid the swamp, not only because of the protective Hugh Hudson but also the wide range of deadly predators that lurk in the environment.
  • Barkley Wildlife Sanctuary - Barkley Wildlife Sanctuary is the entirety of the forest that separates Whitler and Bear Lake. The only construction done was the specially authorized road that leads directly to Whistler, and the road that leads to and around the lake. This is a deep, expansive forest filled with habitats that are suited for all sorts of bears, wolves, mountain lions, wolverines, ferrets, bison and other animals native to Wyoming. Hunting is prohibited here, and caution is advised for anybody exploring. Animals are abundant in Barkley, and it isn't intended to be a place for human interactions.
  • The Mountains - This includes the chain of mountains as well as the large forested area that spans from the mountains all the way to Bear River. Hunting is allowed here, and should be considered extremely dangerous. There are two ranger towers here (and two more in Barkley), as well as a lodge like hub for hunters, and constant encampments of mountain men.
  • Greyhound Bus Station - Featuring one shuttle going either way, the Greyhound specialises in going through the forest to Whistler, and through the mountains to get to Coldwood. The terminal has vending machines for snacks and drinks, and have public washrooms. Seating is technically limited, but there is generally enough room to be able to comfortably walk in and buy a ticket for the next bus.
  • Exeter Road Prison - A state prison, Exeter Road is located far away from both Bear Lake and Whistler. This is secluded and isolated, the residents of Exeter Road are generally brutal, deranged, and the absolute worst of the worst. Avoid Exeter Road at all costs. This is not a place to even be around. It is so insecure and understaffed that it should be considered a hazard to society. Luckily it's so far away.
Everything was normal during the day on the 15th. Our story begins on the morning of March 16th, following a phone call to the sheriff about a rabid bear spotted in the center of town. The townsfolk were already grumpy and on edge because of the constant sounds of airplanes through the night, and the rumbling crashes of what sounded like
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thunder. The last thing anyone needed was to have to worry about being the victim of a bear attack. What nobody releases is that this is connected with a covered up terrorist attack from back in December.

Gas was unleashed across the wildlands, seemingly doing nothing to effect the woods or the residents of Bear Lake. It isn't until the sheriff meets the bear. The animals who populate Bear Creek found themselves mutating into grotesque, bloodthirsty monsters with an appetite for gore. Even the small, generally omnivore animals crave the taste of human flesh. They aren't contagious, but wouldn't leave any remains of their victims anyway.

It's mankind versus nature in this thrilling survival horror roleplay. Put your survival instincts up against nature's predators, and survive the natural conditions that mother earth has to offer. Work together as a group, in small groups, or even try surviving on your own if the group isn't your cup of tea. Either way, survival is the only option. With plenty of worldbuilding and a notebook full of ideas, there is an entire world to explore if you want a longer tale, but escaping Bear Lake is the main goal. You will take the role of a Bear Lake local, and you must survive a story jam packed with twists and turns. There are plenty of areas to explore, survivors to meet and horror inspired events and scenarios to overcome.


Rules & Expectations
To begin, I try to be very flexible and understanding. I expect a level of communication as far as personal comfort and enjoyment of the story. If you are unhappy, if you want something to change, or have any complaint, I hope that you will come to me and work out a solution with me. I like to take everyone's comfort into consideration, and I try to be as accommodating as I can. This is a team effort, we should be working together as a team.

I do have a discord if we want to get a group chat going, but a classic OOC thread can easily work.

Drama and infighting is wonderful, but only when it's happening in character. Arguments, petty drama, and acting out on negative feelings toward anyone will not be tolerated in the out of character chat. Keep that for the characters, but never mistreat your fellow writer. I know I shouldn't have to write this, but I just want to make sure its known that there is a zero tolerance policy.

You can play up to three characters each. I usually don't have a limit on player controlled characters, as I usually play a difficult to manage amount of characters and NPCs. This time, however, this is a bit more of a linear story (you control the length with your decisions) so a more manageable cast of characters is preferred. There will be character and NPC deaths, most of which will be on the gorier and more brutal side, so multiple characters are allowed. Killing off your characters isn't required or expected, but the option very much is there. I just wouldn't suggest joining this if you don't like main character deaths.

Violence and gore will be a heavy theme, and coarse language might be frequent, but we are to avoid sexual content and suggestive themes. This isn't a redstar roleplay. Romance is alright as long as it feels natural and not forced, but what happens in the bedroom stays in the bedroom, never entering the forum. Again I don't need to say this, but it is expected that all parties will respect decisions against having romantic interactions with anyone's characters. Decency and respect for everybody is a mandatory requirement for this.
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Free Range blends many influences together, but copying anything will not be tolerated. This isn't a Resident Evil fanfiction, even if it might be heavily inspired by it. All characters, events and actions must be all original. It's much more fun to play as your own unique character surviving in a unique set of circumstances. Let's have fun with this!

Posting would be preferred to be at a minimum of three times a week. I know that we're all busy; even I have a job and school starting soon. I understand when someone can't post, but even if you can't get me a post that week at least let me know. Communication is key. I am also a bit of a hypocrite, and I've been known to take a month to write a generally 30 page GM post to get all of my characters into one reply, but we don't have to talk about that.

This is pretty much an advanced level, I would hope for at least four paragraphs at a minimum per post. There are times where I'll write two pages, and there are times where I'll write what seems like two hundred pages. As long as there's something for the others to work with, you should be fine. One liners will get you a request to rewrite with more content, but I'm sure we don't have to worry about that! Perfect grammar and punctuation isn't expected, but a decent understanding would be greatly appreciated. I know how difficult the English language can get with all of the little rules and frustrating tricks that the language throws at you. Just be comprehensible and we should all get along!

Chaos and danger lurk at every corner, and I've been known to be quite relentless as far as challenge goes. I like to torment my writers, but only if they know that it's just all in good fun, and I want to make sure everyone knows that I can tone it down if they ask me to. Your comfort and enjoyment is number one here. This story is for you to enjoy, not hate every second of the way. I think all of the rules are pretty much finished, I guess all I can say aside from all of that is just not to be a dick, have fun, and enjoy the roleplay! Sorry for so many words, but I just have to cover all the bases.

If anyone finds themselves interested in this, let me know! I'm going to be getting started on a character sheet and sign ups as soon as work is done tomorrow, so I'll be keeping this interest check running for a few days. The group doesn't have to be too large, and the sign ups will probably close by the end of next week. All writers who have been accepted will be the official cast. I'm only doing sign-ups instead of bio and play is because I've had some pretty bad luck from having open join groups. I just want to make sure that a certain level of creativity and originality will be brought to the table.

Alright, let me know who's interested, and if there's any general questions!


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I love this idea. Count me in!
 
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I love how some people say "oh titles aren't that important", but then you get one like this and immediately have the sense of "oh this ought to be good".

And verily, it is good.
 
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I'm glad to see some interest already! I have some big ideas, and I know that we could all create something beautiful(ly horrifying) together!
 
I'd be happy to give it a go
 
 
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Saw the Character Sign-ups before the Interest Check. Character's up and ready to go.
 
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Hello there! Is this thing already going? I'm definitely intrigued by the concept. Survival Horror is almost always a great thing. Though, I admit I often prefer playing the monsters. lol

Anyway, if you're still looking for a player, I'm interested. If not, I may just read it for funsies. ^_^
 
Hello there good sirs and mams is this roleplay still open? You said something about it closing after a week. And well it was posted on oct 6 unless you were referring to the sign up?
 
This is still accepting characters, and has yet to begin! I realized that the time frame I gave was a bit too quick to gain interest, so I decided to let it be for a bit and see if I could get anymore interest. Now that there's two more people who want to join I'm thinking that this is for sure going to be happening!
 
Are you still accepting? Looking to get back into RPing and survival horror always caught my interest ^-^
 
Still open for sign-up and accepting, yes!
 
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I'm going to start working on the opening when everyone who is interested posts their characters, but we should be getting the ball rolling very soon. I'm happy to see the interest building and growing!
 
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