Life After - a post apocalyptic slice of life

[Red Thunder]

Life After​

the Neponset Settlement
​

Clack clack clack

Grandpa Joe's stick cracked against wooden siding of the Gathering Hall. The noise drew a few eyes, but most of the small crowd still murmured excitedly. The meeting was all anyone could talk about. Had been for some time. Everyone had known the day was coming, of course; it had for each of them, years ago. But to see ones' children follow in their footsteps, to become independent contributors to their settlement, was itself more exciting than anything had ever been before. Even the land itself seemed to be filled with joy. With a warming Spring on the wind, the birds chirped happily, the breeze tickled the branches of the leaves, and even the River rushed and garbled happily.

Grandpa Joe clacked his stick again, adding a frustrated ahem for emphasis. It did the trick, and the crowd turned to look, though the murmurs didn't entirely go silent.

"We live by growth; we die by stagnation."

The old man said the words solemnly, head bowed and thick, black hair uncovered. He winced, shifting his weight more onto his stick; his knee twinged, never fully healed. The group had quieted, now, the somber air falling on everyone like a smothering blanket. There were memories in the old timers' minds, and rumor on the lips of their children, of the Journey to the Settlement, but neither tale nor even rumor were passed on to their descendants.

Suddenly, Joe smiled.

"It's time!" he called with a laugh, and life a mist before a stiff breeze, the four mood passed from the crowd. "Every so often, children have to make their own way in the world. It was true a hundred years, Before, and it's true now, in our life After! To have a house of their own, a farm or shop of their own. To Contribute! Well, today's the day. A spot's even been found here in Old Boston, maybe a quarter mile east across the River from us; close enough, but not so close. Where, exactly, will be your own choice.

"You'll be on your own, kids, on the day to day, but you'll still wanna trade with us old farts! Gets awful hard, you decide you don't wanna trade."

Looking to his side, Joe gestured at Emily, his long-suffering wife, and he smiled. She returned it sweetly before lifting a hammer and bringing it down onto an old bell. The resulting tone was broad and deep, and it was carried into the air by the wind. Nodding, Joe looked back to the crowd.

"That's for you, kids. That's your start. A new chapter in your life! Go make something of yourselves! We'll be watching you eagerly."


•••



Rules (the usual):

1. Iwaku rules apply here.​
2. Be courteous in OOC. Good natured jabbing among friends happens, and that's definitely ok. But if you feel offended by something someone says, voice it polity and in private (and in good faith that such offense wasn't intended) with the offending party to offer a chance at understanding. If there is a problem that gets elected beyond courtesy, then bring it to me.​
3. No God-modding. You'll be playing rookies setting out to create a functional extension of the Settlement. You're not battle hardened badasses; you're more likely foolhardy young adults. Some things will be easy; most things will not. Please narrate appropriately.​
4. No bunnying. I understand that sometimes, while writing a scene, you need a character that isn't yours to do such-and-such small action. This is where communication is imperative. Please communicate! And please don't take control of another's character. Nothing irks me quite so much.​
5. Posts will be once a week, with the understanding that Real Life happens and always takes priority. If something comes up, let me know! Please don't have me come to you. Here's where involvement on Discord can save you; if you're at least somewhat active, you're assumed to be working on something unless otherwise discussed.​
6. Please bear in mind proper application of English rules of grammar. Typos happen, and that's understandable; it is obvious when it's typos and when it's carelessness.​
7. Romance! This being a slice of life, I fully expect some romance to develop between characters, though obviously it isn't required. Great! I'd love to read it! But this is not Red Star; if things get hot, fade to black. Violation of this rule is grounds for immediate dismissal. I don't play on this.​
8. Rules are subject to addendum. If something comes up, I'll make sure to let y'all know.​

Character sheet:

I am very ignorant and uneducated when it comes to all but the very most basic coding, so while I will post the sheet in basic, feel free to go nuts! All I require of your format is that it's legible on mobile, as that's where I do almost all of my writing.


Name:

Age:

Height / Weight:

Appearance: (written or picture, which should be realistic FC, either art or photograph. No anime)

Practical skills:

Personality: (at least three paragraphs)

Biography: (at least three paragraphs)

Writing sample: (Your character wakes up one morning to find society as they had heard about but never experienced to have been renewed. How do they react? What's the first thing they do? At least five paragraphs.)


I'm happy to answer questions, as I'm certain I've forgotten something. Just shoot be a DM or mention it in the Inquiries section on Discord. Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to seeing what y'all come up with.

Interest check

 

[rissa]

.

Jaime

Name: Jaime
Age: 19
Height/Weight: 5'11 || 165
Appearance: Jaime has a mop of dirty blond hair that's ever darkened by the mess he finds himself in. He's of average height and build, though slightly on the skinnier side; which is perfect for slinking and crawling and getting in (and out) of places. Despite his rather small frame, he is surprisingly strong and capable of great endurance — transporting large sacks of scavenged goods for miles is something he's been doing for the past couple years. Jaime has bright green eyes, dimples when he smiles, and a splash of freckles across his cheeks. Due to him being outside quite often, he's accumulated quite the tan.

Practical Skills:

— Observant
Jaime sees things that most overlook. In regards to scavenging and socializing, this is extremely important to have. Jaime has a way of seeing into things, looking at things in a different perspective that aid in both his interpersonal skills, as well as while out in the unknown, searching for lost items.

— Adaptable
Jaime is quite capable of quick-thinking and adapting in scenarios where time is of the essence. This surprises most, as his usual goofy self is perceived as somewhat immature and lacking.

— Navigation
In terms of reading a map and simply knowing where he's been, Jaime is good at never getting lost. Be it landmarks, maps, or memorizing the routes he's taken, it's extremely hard for Jaime to lose his way.

— Extraneous Skills
As most within the Colony, Jaime is proficient in basic first aid. He can sew and patch clothes and if the need ever arises, potentially stitch flesh wounds, though he would be loathe to do so. Due to his father's background in defense and scouting, he has basic grappling and evasive skills, and can set a few traps and shoot a crossbow. He has a good eye for finding locations to camp down and sleep in and almost always knows when it's about to rain.

Personality: Jaime is a bit of a goof, one who tries not to let things get too serious. He's seemingly immature, though surprisingly empathetic and in tune with those around him. He seems to know just what people need — a bit of laughter, a bit of fun, or a little poke to get them off their high horse. He has a tendency to strike things into action; be it a burst of laughter or an annoyance-filled tirade, Jaime has that magnetic quality of jumpstarting things with his presence. His humor is a bit self-deprecating, but by no means does that mean he lacks confidence in himself. He simply uses it as a tool to get behind the walls others put around themselves.

Despite all his goofiness, Jaime is a rather anxious person, but uses his humor, upbeat personality, and rather dorky persona to alleviate his own anxiety. He has an innate need to be surrounded by people and to make those people feel good. Perhaps due to that innate need, he has a bit of a people-pleasing complex and finds it hard to say no to something that's not completely outlandish. Unlike his twin sister, Jaime prefers to be away from conflict and will find a way to slink away whenever it is near.

On the more negative side of things, Jaime has a tendency to push people and things to their limits. This includes himself. Though this can also be taken as a positive trait, always wanting to do more, be better, etc., his tendency to always push is definitely off-putting for some. His lack of seriousness and sense of immatureness can and will grind some gears, especially if one is just getting used to Jaime and doesn't realize that this in of itself is a coping mechanism for his own demons.

Biography: Jaime and his sister were born on a rainy morning almost twenty years ago. He was born second, nearly seven and a half minutes after Serena, and has been running to catch up ever since. They came to be after his father was found by a strange woman while lost on a scouting mission some years prior. He welcomed into the Colony with only a few odd stares. Jaime took after his mother in most aspects; she too filled the room with light and laughter and this trait helped her and others acclimate to the presence of someone new and strange. This was ingrained to Jaime ever since he was a child — as well as his mother's love for scavenging, for simply finding things, unearthing what had been lost to time. When he was old enough (about nine years old) his mother allowed him to come along for the first time. They barely went five miles into the unknown, but Jaime was hooked, and knew what he was going to do for the Colony when he grew up.

This became a tradition — every birthday from here until his sixteenth — every birthday he and his mother would go on a scavenging trip together, straying further and further each year. This ended when his mother broke her ankle the day after his sixteenth birthday — an infection took hold and though the healer did everything xhe could, his mother succumbed to the illness within six months. It was extremely hard for the twins, but even more so for his father, who was (and still is) madly in love with the woman who found him all those years ago. He was allowed extended time to grieve from his position scouting and guarding the Colony and while he did, found that it was hard to be in the same room with Jaime — as he reminded him too much of his mother. Thankfully, by the time Jaime was seventeen, they reconciled and Jaime being who Jaime is — put it all behind him without much of any bad feelings.

In the two years since, Jaime and Serena have been honing their respective skills in anticipation for their chapter to begin. Jaime, like his mother before him, made his way out of the Colony whenever he was allowed (or snuck out when he wasn't) to and made somewhat of a name for himself by finding a small cache of Old World coins. A few weeks ago, however, while out on a scouting mission, their father was injured while fending off a morally ambiguous trio of men who wanted access to the Colony. Serena, who plans on being a scout like their father, is currently taking care of him as he cannot walk and thus is not with the group when they head towards their new home.

writing sample

"Serena— Why are you waking me up so early?"

Jaime pushed his head deeper into the pillow and groaned loudly. It was too early to be up — he could tell without even opening his eyes. Besides, hadn't he just fallen asleep? With a defeated sigh he rolled over and shivered into the blanket.

"Okay—Okay, I'm getting up." Jaime groaned out, hoping whatever annoying noise his sister was making would just stop.

He frowned, eyes still closed, and patted the mattress he was laying against. That's odd, he thought to himself as he rubbed his palm against the fabric. The sheet is so soft— and there's no bumps from the rolls. He peeled his eyes open slowly, rubbing away the sleep with slow, confused movements. Jaime pushed himself up into a sitting position and found himself staring around his room in shock.

This isn't my room, is it? Where am I?

His eyes were wide as he took in the space before him. First, the mattress he was sitting on — it was too soft, too even, to be the one he slept on at home. There were no rolls from the fabric tucked within the sheet and-and the blanket! He reached out and grabbed it with both hands, amazed that it was both thick and soft and somewhat fluffy, like the fur of some animal brush unto infinity. His mouth hung open in shock as he gazed about the room in awe; some odd contraption hung from the ceiling and Jaime stared at it until his eyes unfocused and he grew dizzy.

beep! beep! beep!

Jaime jumped in surprise, looking around for his sister and the source of the sound. He scrambled out of bed, foot snagging the thick blanket and almost causing him to tumble, before realizing Serena wasn't making the noise — but rather some contraption sitting on a small table near the bed. His head cocked the side as he stared at it, the beeping sound growing louder the longer it went on for. And then suddenly it turned itself off.

He stared at it distrustfully for only a moment longer before taking small, uncertain steps around the room. There was so much to look at! Jaime gazed in awe at the small bookshelf riddled with books of different thicknesses, at a desk beneath the window which had a curious rectangular-shaped machine resting atop it, and —

Jaime took a few quick steps and nearly face planted against the window. What caught his attention, other than the bright, vibrant blue sky, were the vehicles driving up and down the roads. The roads themselves amazed Jaime as well; no cracks, no vegetation snaking across the pavement, just unblemished black top.

I don't know how I got here, but I think-I think I'm back in the Old World...

{/slide]}

 

[PavellumPendulum]

montgomery

22

---

5'11'' & 155 lbs.

---

writing sample

❀ PROFILE

---

NAME: Montgomery "Monty"
GENDER: Male
SEXUALITY: Bisexual
OCCUPATION: Healer

LIKES: Flowers and fragrant herbs, history, books, tea

DISLIKES: Stormy weather, alcohol, bugs

❀ ABOUT

---

❀ Personality: Monty is a kind soul. He's a bit shy and awkward, mostly due to a lack of confidence on his part, but he really tries his best to be vocal with his thoughts. He tends to be quiet, mostly due to his crippling fear of confrontation, but his rushing mind cannot stop itself the moment he gets comfortable with someone. Monty loves to ramble about his passions at the speed of light and will gladly do so with any willing person. One of his favourite topics is history, specifically random facts about the old world, the world before the Change. A lot of it tends to be guesses and speculations, but he's always willing to learn more if he has the opportunity.

He also loves to collect things that survived the Change, as in bottlecaps or any scraps that function as knickknacks. His desk is littered with them, all used as ornaments that he has lovingly named. He has a habit of talking to inanimate objects, or just himself. While it's true that he does find himself to be a bit lonely from time to time, he is most definitely an introvert. Mimicking communicating in sign language even to his plants (which he has also named) can be seen as an odd hobby, but it's one that he doesn't have the heart to drop.

Though he lacks confidence in his interpersonal skills, Monty is most definitely a different person when it comes to his duties as a healer. He's efficient and careful with everything he does in regards to people's health. Of course, he doesn't detach himself from his work in a personal way, since he believes that empathy is completely necessary when tending to people. He feels maybe a bit more than necessary, since he always wants to put himself in other's shoes to fully understand them, but one can always tell that he is genuine. Monty is a bit motherly, in the sense that anyone who stubbornly refuses his medical advice is given a stern lecture and a disappointed look. This is perhaps the only time he will willingly argue with someone else, mostly because he wholeheartedly believes in everything his parents taught him and does not take well to others disregarding it. He has a ridiculous amount of love for his parents, being an only child that had been showered in love all of his childhood.

❀ Practical skills:

• Healing duties
  • Monty has been trained since his childhood by his parents in both diagnosing and treating both injuries and ailments. He can fashion splints and bandages, prepare medicines and assist with most things related to health in the settlement.
• Gardening & herbalism
  • Though he doesn't have the greenest thumb around, Monty does grow a few herbs on his own, mostly for medicinal reasons. Monty maintains his tiny garden indoors year round, using recycled materials to fashion flower beds.

❀ Biography: Born to proud healer parents Aaliyah and Lee of his home colony, Monty had a childhood full of love. Due to the fact that he was born prematurely, extremely underweight and sickly as a child, his parents hovered over him for most of his infancy, scared to death that something would happen to him if they took their eyes off of him, even for a moment. Unfortunately, because of his premature birth, his parents began noticing signs of delayed onset hearing loss in him at the age of 5. He learned to talk before that, however he soon stopped talking as much as he lost more and more of his hearing, eventually becoming fully deaf by the age of 8.

Both his parents, during this time, scrambled to find what information they could on possibilities of communicating with him, eventually being informed that ASL existed. Relieved, the two of them spent years, learning the language for themselves and teaching it to Monty, who began using it, along with a notepad and a pen, as his main ways of communicating. It proved to be a bit hard to keep up in conversations with other kids, however, since most did not know ASL, meaning he was often answering to bits of the conversation that had long passed. His parents, friends with the local apothecary, who also had a child, introduced him to Mel at the age of 10, who he eventually became friends with.

The social isolation he lived through, not having many friends, though not malicious in nature, was difficult for him to experience as a child. However, as his parents started to take him under their wings as a healer apprentice, he found himself delving deeper into his work than into his interpersonal relationships. When he was chosen to help start the new settlement, he'd been a bit hesitant to celebrate, seeing as his closeness with his parents made him want to stay, but with a bit of persuasion, he finally decided that leaving would be good for him.

❀ code by @rissa

 

[DayDreamer]

Calum

Craftsman​

---

BASICS:

Age: 22

Height / Weight: 5'6/150

Appearance: Calum is not buff, but he is muscular enough to allow him to do his work without being tired overly quickly. He is lean and rather proud in posture, but that usually goes unnoticed because of the feeling of dorkiness he exudes. Usually when he is working you can find him wearing singed thick jeans and shirts if he is working at the forge or he would be having a somewhat dusty old shirt and cargo pants when he is working in his woodworking area, with an ever present apron or tool belt around his waist.

His hair are usually short and messy. The light brown has hints of red in it and his face is narrow and with relatively sharp angles. His eyes are a warm chocolate brown. There is some light peppering of his face with freckles.

Practical skills: Calum's main occupation is that of a woodworker, however he is known of being able to do some blacksmithing, pottery and stone work with his skills degrading in that particular order. Like most people in the Settlement, he knows how to do minor repairs, first aid and how to make his own food but by no means is he a hunter or farmer or healer.

That being said, he is very good at drawing and perceiving space. In his spare time, he likes to work on doing artwork and trying new crafts as well as thinking of ways of improving his tools and ways of work. He knows how to make a plethora of muscle powered machines like a pole lathe and grinding stone.

Personality: Calum can be described as an easy going, dorky person. He enjoys being able to make things with his own two hands and takes extreme pleasure when he is able to solve practical problems that have to do with construction or with better utilaztion of his resources for work. He can talk for hours on how a pole lathe could be improved or how a new chisel would help him make smoother cuts on the wood that would save him hours of sanding.

He also enjoys sketching and drawing anything from people to buildings to new machines and tools. When he is not running errands for his family or he is done with his everyday chores, you can find him hunched over his drawings. In general he is a very helpful and kind person that will go out of his way to help you if you need him and will enjoy a good laugh with you. That being said, once an idea gets stuck in his head or a problem presents itself, Calum will zero in on it and will not let go until his job is done. It has often been a concern of his mother that he will eventually overwork himself and will have a hard time to recover.

Living in the Settlement has hardened Calum but he is really not some life-hardened old timer that is not afraid of anything. Calum is rather squimish when it comes to disease and blood. One of his greatest fears is amputation. Not just because of the pain, but because it would deny him the pleasure of working and of creation. He is also rather sensitive to the notion of death. Having lost his older sister to fever when he was just 4 years old, he is afraid of loss and loneliness and that is why he is seeking out to surround himself with friends. That's both a strenght and a weakness of his as he tends to be rather easy to trust people and not question their motives.

BIOGRAPHY:

Calum's family had been the Setlement's carpenters for generations. Calum grew up in the workshop watching his father and grandfather work hard to support the Settlement's needs in wooden products. His mother's side of the family had been doing various things, from pottery to stone work which Calum also picked up, but his true love was woodworking. He was the youngest in his family, his sister was 3 years older and the two had been inseperable. Until tragedy struck. His sister fell ill with very high fever and eventually passed away. It had devasted him. For a while, he would have been found randomly crying during the day or looking for his sister as if she had simply gone away in a scavenging trip or as if they had been playing hide and seek and she had refused to come out even when he had admitted his loss.

It took quite a while for him to accept the loss and eventually move on. During that time, his family would take him to the side and give him easy crafting tasks to calm him down. His grandfather had been the first to notice that particular trait in his grandson. After that the boy would pour his soul into his work and eventually found the pain fading away. Finding this effective, Calum began chasing all sorts of crafts. Pottery and stone work were the first he picked up after wood due to his mother and her side of the family, but eventually he branched out. Blacksmithing also drew him in and the fact he could make his own metal tools ignited a spark in him.

While by no means a true master blacksmith, Calum eventually would grow to comfortably work in the forge and help out whenever needed. That's where he met one of his friends and partner-in-crime Audrai. She is the true master smith of the duo, but Calum loves talking to her about ideas on what to forge next and what is the best way of improving their forging process. Being able to see the pieces of technology and forging that the Old world was capable off makes him wonder what their tools were like and he craves every book and piece of information he can find about Old World crafting.

With the day of moving out of the Settlement fast approaching, he had been working furiously in preparing his own set of tools that he would be bringing with him to start his own shop and help out his group to create their own little camp. He didn't want to take any of his father's tools because that would hinder his work and Calum didn't want to do that by no means. Nervous and excited at the same time he counts down the days.

Writing Sample:

Writing sample: He was naturally an early bird. He had to be if he wanted to get anything done on time. But the room was still dark even though he felt like he had slept for ages. Opening his eyes he let the adjust in the dim room. Those were not his wooden blinders. Those were a fabric of some kind. What the actual fuck? Running a hand through his bed hair to smooth them out of the way, Calum swiftly got out of bed and approached the window. That's when he heard it. The sound of unknown machines and the familiar clang of hammers upon metal. Only these where tens of times louder and more rhythmic.

Fiddling around with the blinders, he eventually figured out how to open them. The cord system had him curious and so did the fabric. It was nothing like the fabric they had back home. Then he took a look outside and gasped. This was the Old world in front of him. Only it was not covered in moss and plants, there were no cracks and fainted colors. This was loud, vibrant and most importantly, mechanically functioning. The huge building up ahead of his window sounded like a machine shop and he was able to see vehicles in the distance. Huge..... trucks, he believed was the word, carrying timber to another..... factory in the distance.

Was he dreaming? He had to be dreaming. The Old world was gone. They were all that was left. Yet the rough texture of the fabric under his fingers felt elaborately fine. As if that roughness had been on purpose and not because there was no escaping it. If that was a dream it was one he didn't want to wake up from, but taking a look around, he realised that this wasn't his room either. But why was the feeling so.... real? Frowning slightly in concentration like he did whenever he was presented with a problem that needed solving, Calum decided he had to pinch himself.

Grabbing a thin piece of skin on the inside of his forearm, he pinched strongly with his thumb and index finger. He cursed and hissed as the pain registered in him and yet the dream scene didn't go away. The sting from the pinch also stayed in his arm. This was somehow really happening. He had to go out and investigated, but most importantly..... He had to check out the machines and acquire all bits of information he could on that.

APPEARANCE: Click here if you can't see the image

 

[PavellumPendulum]

chuachai

19

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5'3'' & 130 lbs.

---

writing sample

❀ PROFILE

---

NAME: Chuachai "Chai" Mian
GENDER: Female
SEXUALITY: Bisexual
OCCUPATION: Weaver

LIKES: Sweets, odd textures, swimming, fruit, coffee, crows

DISLIKES: Squirrels (she's scared of them), cold temperatures, bitter foods

❀ ABOUT

---

❀ Personality: Chai has no idea how to mind her own business. Peppy, overbearing and most definitely lacking an indoor voice, she's gung ho about basically everything. Her enthusiasm can be contagious, albeit a bit grating if one isn't used to it, but she generally means well. She's friendly with just about anyone and anything she comes across and loves to talk. Admittedly, she's more of a talker than a listener, but with a gentle prod, she quickly remembers that conversations typically aren't made by her talking the other person's ear off. It just takes a bit of understanding to fully appreciate her passion for... Well, just about everything to exist on the planet.

She loves finding weird things to touch, as in odd plants or materials, and often has a ridiculous amount of random garbage in her pockets, used solely for busying herself when there's nothing else around for her to do. She likes to give some of these things to people as symbols of her affection, but really, not many people want to receive a weird sponge she found on the ground. Regardless, she tries not to take criticism too harshly, tending to want to be a people pleaser, but not knowing exactly how to do so. She's the type to hyper focus for hours, having a seemingly endless stream of determination and patience. Giving up is her least favourite thing to do, thus she normally has to be forced into ending a task early.

Somehow, she's forever cold, always bundled up even if it is warm and sunny outside. This tends to mean that she's running around in two sweaters for absolutely no reason at all, but it usually doesn't bother her until the heat is sweltering. She loves to be active and often asks to come along on any type of exploration or scavenging missions, mostly because she just wants to see more of the world around them, despite not having any skills related to exploration.

❀ Practical skills:

• Weaving:
  • Chai is a specialist in weaving. Typically, she handles weaving fabrics, ropes, baskets and mats for the settlement. With her meticulous way of working and ridiculous amount of patience, she normally ends up making way more than necessary without supervision, but hey, at least she's being productive?
• First aid:
  • Though she is most definitely not an expert, she knows the basics of first aid, since most are trained in it in the main settlements before being sent out.

❀ Biography: Chai's long lineage of Thai-American ancestors refused to let go of their heritage after the Change, meaning throughout the years, they all held onto their last names and language, passing it on through their children. Chai's parents, Niran and Achara Mian, did the same, of course. As a child, Chai learnt both English and Thai, alongside weaving with her mother, while her father tended to his duties as a farmer. Her parents soon gave birth to her younger sisters, twins named Rune and Rochana respectively. Chai grew to be ridiculously protective of her sisters, staying close to her family for most of her formative years.

The closest thing to a familial rupture she experienced was coming out to her parents at the age of 15. She'd grown close with a friend of hers: a female friend. Her parents hadn't fully understood the extent of this closeness until she'd proudly revealed that they were dating. Her parents, completely at a loss as for what to do in light of this information, insisted that she break up with her. Humanity had dwindled since the Change, being in a relationship that would not birth any children was a preposterous idea to them. Chai had fought with them, refusing to do as she was told, only to find out that her girlfriend wanted to end it, as her parents had also disapproved.

This left Chai feeling a bit lost, if anything, but she eventually accepted that the relationship had to end. Though she in no way identifies as straight, she simply stopped talking to her parents about anything that would make them uncomfortable, in fear of experiencing the same strain in her familial relationships. She's not too keen on remaining with them now, simply due to a desire to live her life as she pleases, despite her still loving them very much. Being chosen for the new settlement was exactly what she was hoping for, so now, she only hopes for the best.

❀ code by rissa

 

[Jess Incognito]

NONA

FULL NAME: RAMONA
AGE: 24
HEIGHT: 5ft 6in / 168cm
WEIGHT: 140lbs / 63kg
PRACTICAL SKILLS:
FORAGING // Nona has a keen eye. She's become rather good at hunting for mushrooms, plants, small animal enclaves, and, when necessary, items and supplies from Before.

TRAPPING // Though reliable with a bow, she isn't much of a hunter. Her main contribution to the Settlement comes by managing a myriad of traps set for small mammals and fish, which she is also skilled in making.

MAPPING // Her brain thinks of the world in aerial view. She keeps track of where to find things on maps, which she obsessively keeps, but this mindset also makes for a good scout and a strategic mind.

PERSONALITY At first glance, Nona is unobtrusive - not quite a wallflower, but measured and reserved. She's often quiet, observant, or maybe indifferent sometimes, her mind off on other adventures, but truthfully she's simply not wired to jabber on about things she knows nothing about. This silence can come off as coldness, and it is what it is, but she's cheerful enough around those few people with whom she feels comfortable.

She will often second-guess what she has to offer a conversation, hanging silently on that question of relevance even while bigger idiots drag out their worst ideas for all to admire. This is a learned behavior from years of having holes shot through her ideas. Be assured, however, that when she does pipe up, her words are well thought through.

Nona can be highly optimistic when facing challenges or even when estimating the time it will take to do something, but she prefers to hope for the best even while steeling herself against the potential worst. She can't help it, perhaps its the naivete of a safe life in what should be a harsh world, but even while one plan starts to fail, she's flexible enough to shift that optimism to plan B.

Unlike her mother, ambitious and objective even when it would make enemies, Nona wants nothing other than to be helpful. She has goals, but she's willing to bend towards the group's best interests, which, she thinks, doesn't have to mean crushing your friendly opposition.

BIOGRAPHY Ramona's mother, Gen, might possibly be the most intimidating woman in the settlement. Always serious and single-minded in her ambitions, she expects no less from her daughter and is often disappointed.

Her parents' relationship would be considered odd in the Before times. Gen and Lenny were a short fling that no one understood (leastnot Gen and Lenny) that resulted in Ramona. Gen never wanted to make a real go of things and Lenny was too afraid to push the issue - so Gen would say she raised Ramona single-handedly. Lenny was always around, of course - everyone is always around in a community of less than a hundred - but he never handled the real parenting, discipline and the hard lessons. Gen pushed her daughter to excel in every area possible. Anything less was death - which Nona always thought a bit of an exaggeration.

It was her dad who brought Nona small presents from time to time, little things he'd picked up scavenging outside the Settlement. Maybe a sad, sun-dried salamander caught in the sun or a rock with a face - and one time a map, the outside flap of the thing long faded in the sun, but the material in better condition than most papers, because it had been pressed with a glossy plastic. He thought it mildly interesting, beautiful and colorful, but Nona was fascinated by the information. She'd never seen a map before - not that they didn't have them, but she had never thought about her world from top down at that young age. She has since made many maps of her own, scribbling on crude parchment, marking out little things she'd found and eventually resources the Settlement would benefit from. A patch of wild blueberries, the best place to catch bass in the river, and so forth, secret tunnels, hidden places...

Gen fell in with another man while her daughter was still young, though old enough to know what was going on. He's a well-respected member of the settlement - smarter than Lenny, superior her mother would say - and together they, purposefully this time, conceived a child. A snot-nosed little boy in Nona's eyes. He thinks he's so smart... As long as there is humanity in the world, there's sibling rivalry. Her brother's father has, too, been nothing but kind towards Nona over the years, but he never exactly won her affections.

Even as an adult, too much of her life is led by her mother's actions and wishes. Too many people she's required to like, too many "one day, you'll have to make hard decisions," but never being allowed to make them. Nona, quiet as she is, is just as willful as her mother and as the Settlement started making plans to release a crop of its youth into the world, she made sure she had a spot in the group. She just wishes it didn't make her mother so damn proud. At least she hates her new hair cut.

RELATIONSHIPS
GENEVIEVE 'GEN' MOTHER
LEONARD 'LENNY' FATHER
WILL HALF BROTHER
​

WRITING SAMPLE

Nona made it home, or at least, where home should be. The sign was there, NEPONSET RIVER RESERVATION, but a less worn version of it. Past a useless looking fence, there was a loop of pavement around a field where there should have been houses and the Gathering Hall. There were benches along the path and a wispy old woman sat placidly on one, but Nona took a wide berth to avoid the little black dog who barked long after she'd passed. This was Home - the grasses, the trees, the bridges crossing the river - but something was very wrong about it all.

She sat down on one of the benches, pulling her knees up into her arms and gnawing on her thumbnail as she recounted that day's journey thus far. She'd woken up in a strange room. No dust motes hung in the sunlight streaming through the windows. Not having touched anything, she found herself in the lobby, sheepishly talking to a man behind a large desk who clearly had better things to do. The tile floor was pristine. He told her she was at BEST WESTERN, YOUR BEST BET, HOTELS WITH PERSONALITY. She had no idea what any of that meant, so she blurted, "How far is Neponset River?"

"Uhhh," he dragged the syllable on, his mouth hanging lazily ajar, "Well, the park is on the other side of the bridge, if you exit this door...." She practically ran out of the building when he'd given her enough to go on.

And now she was here. Home. The word echoed in a hollow, tinny kind of way in her thoughts.

"Hey lady," a voice from behind startled her and she planted her feet and looked back into a bright light that made her hold a hand up to her face. It had grown very dark in the hours she'd sat immobile on the bench. The light flicked off abruptly. "Hey, the park's closed. Can't stay here."

Nona hesitated, "I- I don't know where to go."

The guy shrugged unapologetically, his thumbs wriggled into his belt, which hung below a rotund stomach. "Home? McDonalds? I don't know either lady, but you can't stay here," he said sarcastically.

Home didn't mean anything anymore. MCDONALDS never meant anything to her. They stared at one another for a long moment. "Okay," she said when he started impatiently shifting on his feet. Why can't people just read the signs. There are SIGNS, he thought. She stood up and walked past him to leave the park, him shaking his head all the while.

Now Nona cocked her head, wide-eyed and standing stock still on the safe triangle of raised pavement as traffic breezed by on all sides in all directions. Traffic, a word which means a sea of cars long rusted out, arranged in endless aisles on the road with which they'd become one. But it didn't mean that Before. She stared at the traffic light, which was, in fact, a light. It blinked back at her, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6…

In her memory, the light-box hung limply from its post by the wires. But this one...worked.

Was this Before?

The light blinked again and showed the silver man walking. She had watched this cycle once already and this time she was ready to step out into the traffic, which stopped just for her. The streets had gotten progressively busier, both with cars and people. The buildings huddled close together, some of them had lines of young people waiting. A man and a cart that read HOT DOGS took up a lot of the sidewalk and he yelled at people who passed by. Some of them stopped and traded him paper (money? She was starting to remember her lessons about Before) for food she didn't recognize.

But it sure did smell amazing.

"Buzz off if you're just gonna stand there salivating," the man said without looking at her, but she was the only one just standing there. "The University's got a food pantry that'll do you better." He eyed her from under a heavy brow without lifting his head, "If that's your problem."

Nona looked away as if she hadn't heard. Another man walked up during this interaction and seemed to consider her as he dug into his pants pocket. He rolled his head over to one shoulder as he pulled out his wallet and sighed, "I- I got hers." He sounded somewhat regretful, but held a paper-wrapped HOT DOG out to her and shook it when she didn't react immediately. "It's fine, just take it."

He smiled when she took it, so she walked with him. He didn't seem to be a threat. "So, like, are you a student or…" He went on talking, but Nona opened her mouth wide and ate the warm food the way she saw him do it and she wasn't paying attention, because it was, in fact, amazing.
​

 

[DayDreamer]

Artemis

Huntress / Bushcrafter​

---

BASICS:

Age: 19

Height / Weight: 5'3/136

Appearance: Artemis most noteable and unnerving feature is her green eyes. They always look as if they pierce into your soul, searching for a weak spot. The eyes of a predator. There is always a light in them, but that light is usually an impish one.

Another distinguishing feature is the way she keeps her dark brown hair out of the way. A mixture of side braids and ponytails depending on her mood and task at hand. She is not very picky about her clothes as long as they are sturdy and provide her with impecable mobility. Anything that can help her camouflage is always welcomed and that is why she is usually seen with greens and browns, though her favorite color appears to be blue on occasions that she is expected to 'dress up'. One thing that never misses from her outfit is her mother's bushcrafting knife and a bear claw necklace.

Built wise, Artemis is very compact and muscular, geared towards running comfortably over debris and forest cover as well as for fighting.

Practical skills: Surviving in the wilderness requires a vast amount of different skills and a tough stomach and confident attitude. Artemis has the necessary bushcraft skills and then some. She knows how to ride a horse, how to hunt and go fishing as well as how to take care of animals. Recognising resources and medicinal herbs has also worked out pretty well for her. She is also capable of processing animal fur and parts to make useful items such as scarves, arm warmers, drinking horns and bone flutes.

She is very good at carving items with her knife and her father has taught her how to tan leather. She also appears to be knowledgeable in some form of fighting using her bow and spear. That being said, she is not shy to the sight of blood and death and will do what needs to be done to survive, including getting dirty willingly.

Personality: Artemis is a very 'wild' person to put it simply. Being lost for a week as a young girl hardened her more than the rest of the teens her age. She often comes across as a stern individual, someone who doesn't know how to have fun. She appears arrogant and violent and there is good reason for that. If challenged, she will immediately respond and her response will be a demonstration of strength. Her smiles around people are usually smug and devious. Few people can boast that they have seen a genuine smile of happiness or content from her.

However, when alone or around animals, she seems to be a completely different person. While her strength and confidence never fade, she is less prone to violent outbursts and can be seen smilling and nurturing, which is the last thing people would ever expect her to be. She might seem tough as nails on the outside, but on the inside, beyond the walls she has built for herself, she is a caring individual.

She enjoys music, singing and listening to stories. Her father believes that if she hasn't been through that week alone, she would have been one of the best singers in the Settlement. He is very happy to see her use the guitar that his family had preserved from Before.

But that is something people will not find out unless they sneak up on her when she thinks she is alone. The problem is that she is a proud individual and rather competitive when it comes to things she is interested in. That week had her rattled for good and something seems to have snapped. She has grown accustomed to loneliness and is scared of opening up to people, of relying on them and showing vulnerability. So anything that might make her seem less tough, she will not let other people see. Yet her family knows and people observant enough can tell with a bit of time.

BIOGRAPHY:

Sofia was a scavenger with a knack for adventure and exploration. Perhaps it was that tradition of Greek explorers and sailors in her, perhaps it was just that she was born a mischievous imp. Nobody complained much about her boisterous and mischievous nature often though because it came with its own perks, namely a great scavenger. Tom on the other hand was the son of one of Settlement's herders. A calm, nurturing presence that completed Sofia's own.

It was not long before the two got married and settled down into their own little family. Their first child was a girl named Cassie. Sofia would take a break from her scavenging trips long enough for Cassie to grow old enough that she didn't need her mother's constant presence. Then she would go off again for different amounts of time. She would always come back.

Around the time Cassie was six years old, her mother went on a trip to see if she could round up some cattle she had spotted during her last trip. It had taken her longer than expected and it had also revealed something that she was not aware of due to her naturally irregular blood cycle. She was pregant again. It was during that trip that Sofia returned to her family's ranch with more than just a pair of cattle. The news of a new baby were the highlight of her 'report'.

And so a few months later, the baby girl was named Artemis.

A lot of things had been lost from the Old World, but the Greeks always had a deep sense of community and pride on where they came from. So their history (the parts they felt proud to pass down to the next generations) survived as well. As a child, Artemis couldn't wait until it was time to sit by the fire and listen to the stories her mother had in store for her and Cassie. About the Gods of Olympus, the great achievements of Ancient Greeks, the determination of the Greek Revolution against the Turkish people (though the in-fighting had been left out) and all sorts of other things. Artemis would take in all these to heart and would eventually grow to believe in the Old Gods.

As she grew older, she would help her father tend to the livestock and she would learn from her mother about surviving in the wild. From a very young age, Artemis was proving to be a very active child. Mischievous and impish like her mother yet very interested in caring for animals. She especially loved horses and raptors. As soon as she was allowed, she was taking care of her own horse and learning to ride.

Once she had gotten her bow, she began practising shooting from horseback. With every new trick, with every new skill, she grew bolder and overconfident. She wanted to join her mother on a hunting trip, but every time she got the same answer. She was too young, too inexperienced. She had grown tired of it. Around her 13th birthday, she made up her mind.

Secretly gathering her gear and provisions, she decided to have a quick hunting trip to the Southwest. That's when she realised what her mother had meant with not being experienced enough. Being fascinated by the new surroundings and the feeling of adventure. She went too far and when the light was beginning to fade and she decided to return, she discovered that her route had been blocked by a building that had collapsed after decades of being exposed to the elements without maintenance. She had been forced to find another way back to the Settlement, but under the cover of darkness, she had no way of doing that. She would have had to set up camp.

And so she did. The skills her mother had taught her came in handy and she wasn't too worried at first. She had water and food to keep her going for two days. Unfortunately for her, she had not been prepared for an encounter with a pack of wild dogs that were either very angry about her presence in their territory or very hungry. They had attacked and chased her for what felt like ages to her. And she had ran blindly until she managed to find refuge in an old building that seemed strong enough to keep the dogs out. Yet not before one of them had managed to land a good bite on her right calf and receiving a knife slash to the face as she had panicked.

Lost and injured, Artemis did her best to survive and find her way back home. Eventually she was found and brought home, but the experience had changed her and for a decently long time afterwards, she refused to do anything other than care for the animals at the ranch and flinch every time their family dog would bark. Besides the scare, her wounded pride build a thick defensive wall around her making it difficult for people to reach out to her and vice versa.

Writing Sample:

There was light coming into her room and it wouldn't let her sleep anymore. So she exhaled in annoyance and opened her eyes. The ceiling was smooth and white. She blinked for a few seconds, trying adjust her eyes. The ceiling continued to be smooth and white and flat. She rubbed her eyes to get rid of the last traces of sleep. The ceiling remained the same. Where the hell was she?! She was quick to stand up and have a good look around.

A weird looking desk, a guitar propped up in some sort of tripod, a chair from Before looking in pristine condition and several more machines looking brand new. What was this?! A part of her wall was covered in what appeared to be CD cases in perfect condition. The carpet on the floor was also weird and different from the woolen ones she had at home. This was a small room and there seemed to be a small kitchen and door that led to somewhere. She was quickly up on her feet and going for that door.

A tilled bathroom..... She stared at the small yet very luxurious, in her eyes, shower and ceramic sink. This was.... running water. Warm running water. And fluffy white towels..... Deciding it was safe enough and she was alone, she took a shower. A long, hot shower that left her feeling refreshed and with a new attitude. Stepping out of the shower in clean new checkered blue shirt and jeans, she took a better look around her room.

The table was littered with books and notes, a pinboard was hanging on the side of one of her bookcases. A time table of Berklee College of Music was prominent and Artemis stared at it for a long while. This..... she had heard stories of this sort of thing. Was she enrolled in a college for music?! Browsing through the books she was starting to be convinced that this was probably the case. The notes scattered on the desk were of her own hand writing. Music sheets and lyrics..... How was this possible? She had to find out more. This would have been a great dream, but it was too real to be a dream and her family was nowhere in sight. She had to investigate.

Grabbing a leather jacket as if it was the most normal thing to do, she stormed out of the room and into the Dorm hallway. She was confused but if anyone were to look at her now they would think she was just having a bad day. She didn't seem scared though she certainly felt like it. This was definitely Before. She had seen people her age looking at handheld screens and talking to devices she realized were smartphones. But how has she ended up here and why did it feel so natural. But most importantly, where was her family? Where they safe?

APPEARANCE: Click here if you can't see the image

 

[Zarko Straadi]

Mirielis | 18 | Bio-Alchemist/Wisdom Keeper Apprentice

​

Basic Information Background Information Skills and Equipment Writing Sample

• 
  
  Age: 18
  
  Sexual Orientation: Lesbian
  
  Height: 4' 11"
  
  Weight: 121 lbs
  
  
  
• 
  Personality:
  
  Mirielis is shy and quiet, and tends to keep to herself. She is highly intelligent, and will focus like a laser on projects that interest her. She loves nature and ecologically-oriented technologies. She has difficulty speaking with others. Sometimes her words come out slow and separated by long pauses, as if each one is a struggle. But catch her in the right moment of inspiration or urgency related to her areas of expertise, and she can go off on a rapid-fire tear, often completely unaware of whether or not the person she's talking to is following her.
  
  Mirielis loves to learn new skills and does so at every opportunity as a matter of principle. Skills are trade goods that no one can take away. She is also eager to share skills with others, even though teaching is a struggle for her. Yet she is at a loss when it comes to things like social cues and white lies. She is a wallflower at community functions like dances and socials, to the point that few even notice she's there. It's not that she dislikes people; to the contrary, she's terrified of the moment that they start looking at her in a certain way, start talking with each other about how it's time they were rid of her, for the good of the community. So she is always eager to present a new design for a contraption she has made, or a jar of CBD oil or essential oils or a plant tincture she has produced, but truly fitting in, being one of them, is a language she doesn't understand.
  
  Mirielis is curious and adventurous, enough to get herself into trouble: "What does this button do?" She is creative and artistic, crafting her creations to have an elegant aesthetic whenever possible, rather than the kludgy, bodged-together look common to post-apocalyptic salvage engineering. Mirielis also enjoys music, and nearly always has her pan flute handy. Just don't ask her to perform in public.
  
  She loves wild nature, and finds peace when she is alone with the trees.
  
  
  Biography:
  
  Mirielis was born into a ragged, wandering band of survivors who (barely) got by through scavenging because they were too few in number and lacking in skill base to create a community like Neponset. As a small child, she had an annoying habit of wandering off to watch bugs and animals or find a tree or rock to climb. By the age of six she still did not talk, though she could understand speech. The group's leader decided that she had to be retarded, and made the call: she was an extra mouth to feed, and would have to be abandoned. The group, used to these sorts of decisions, made no protest. Mirielis cried out, but without the ability to speak, she could not plead her own case.
  
  Alone, she struggled to find food and hide from predators, but after a couple cold nights, she was sure she would not last a third. She had been warned not to fall asleep in the snow, lest she never wake up. So perhaps...it was time to cast aside her ragged coat and do just that. She had just started to unbutton it, when she caught a glimpse of firelight in the distance. Summoning the last of her strength, she trudged toward its flickering light, until she came upon a scene of wonder. There was a vardo, a wagon of fanciful design, with beveled glass windows and intricate scrollwork, like a home or maybe a ship on wheels, and a pair of big horses. Her eyes did not notice the silhouetted form by the fire; instead, she was drawn irresistibly toward the vardo itself.
  
  Mirielis ran up the stairs at the rear and opened the door. Inside was a realm of mystery. Shelves held an array of strange glass vessels, and even a few precious books. On the other side were racks of tools and mechanisms with hand-cranks and gears, and a fold-out workbench. She wandered in on shaking footsteps, wanting to touch it all, yet knowing in the back of her mind that she shouldn't touch any of it.
  
  "Well hello there."
  
  Mirielis spun to the sound of the voice. A tall, dark-haired woman filled the doorway, the only way out. Mirielis backpedaled and fell to the floor. "You look hungry, and cold. Do you have family? Please, do not be afraid. I will not hurt you. My name is Venera. Do these things interest you?"
  
  Venera took her in, and began to teach her, starting with reading and writing, and then introducing her to the arts she herself had been taught. Venera had been born in Dragonfly Village, in a place that had once been called Vermont. At the end of the World That Was, it had been an off-grid ecovillage and intentional community, remote enough to hide from the chaos of the Fall. But over time, the residents decided it was not enough to hide and survive, keeping their preserved knowledge to themselves. There would be people out there who needed what they had to share, and if calamity befell them, all that they knew would be lost. And so, they created an order of Wisdom Keepers, people who would learn the arts of civilization most likely lost to the people of the outside world, then go forth to share their knowledge with other communities. In addition, Wisdom Keepers would seek to gather and preserve knowledge whenever possible, including spiritual and philosophical teachings, history, and the arts. In time, it was hoped that a new civilization could rise, one that had learned from the mistakes of the old.
  
  Venera had been initiated into the Order as a child, and now she had an apprentice of her own. Mirielis learned quickly, applying herself with an intense focus, especially when it came to the workings of life. Learning to read and write, and the efforts of a patient teacher finally unlocked the power of language for Mirielis, and she blurted out her first word--"mitochondria." Their travels brought them to Neponset, where they were welcomed with open arms. Venera settled in as village "wizard" and school teacher. Mirielis mostly hid behind her. Presented with strangers, her muteness returned. It took years before she could speak to anyone but Venera, and even now conversation is a struggle, especially with others her own age.
  
  Venera found love, started a new family, and took on new apprentices. This terrified Mirielis, though she kept her fears to herself. But now, with Venera's support, the Settlement decided that Mirielis should join the other young people setting out. It is to be her final test as an Apprentice, helping to forge the start of a new community.
  
  Theme Music:
  
  
• 
  
  Chemistry/Alchemy: Mirielis can perform basic processes of chemistry, which has been taught to her within a matrix of ancient alchemical symbolism. Provided with the right materials, she can produce tinctures, extracts, spagyrics, and essential oils, as well as CBD oil from cannibis and hempseed oil from industrial hemp plants. She can make glue and resins from the right sort of animal carcass (cow, elk, bison). She can use fermentation to preserve food, or brew up a batch of mead.
  
  
  "Learn this well. Even the most vicious raider chieftain will think twice before he causes harm to a friendly brewmaster."
  --Venera​
  
  Biology/Ecology: Mirielis can analyze the health of a local ecosystem, identify organisms and nutrient cycles, etc., and design useful systems employing ecological principles, such as Permaculture gardens and wastewater treatment systems that use collections of organisms rather than chemicals to purify water. She knows how to build healthy soil and use organisms like mushrooms to remove contaminants.
  
  Architecture: Mirielis has learned how to build with cob, and knows some basics of passive solar design, but she has never built a complete structure of her own.
  
  Astronomy: Miri can identify the major constellations, planets, and significant stars. She can use this knowledge to locate the cardinal directions, chart the course of the seasons and mark the solstices and equinoxes.
  
  Equipment:
  
  Set of salvaged chemistry glassware, mortar and pestle, oil-fueled Bunsen burner and set of 5 wicks, jar of hempseed oil, utility knife, hand lens, wooden "suitcase" with cloth padding and leather straps to hold the glassware. "Grimoire" containing drawings of useful, edible, and poisonous plants, Permaculture design diagrams, writings on Sacred Geometry and other mystical topics, chemistry, and a hand-drawn rendering of the Periodic Table of the Elements. Bicycle and cargo trailer.
  
• 
  Mirielis awoke with a start to the blat of some especially unpleasant horn. She found herself in a dim and dingy alleyway, wedged in the corner between a cracked sidewalk and an aging brick wall. Not the Settlement, or anywhere she could ever remember being. A smell of urine. She scrambled to her feet, stumbling a little; stiff and cramped. She picked out the huddled forms of several other people nearby, bundled up in ragged coats and blankets not unlike the ones she found herself with. Some of them had rectangular sheets of some thick material to rest on, and one was even camped inside a box of the same material. It might almost have been wood, but looked considerably flimsier.
  
  She felt a temptation to investigate, but the thought of one or more of the strangers waking up dissuaded her. One of them stirred, and that was enough to send her half-staggering out of the alleyway, emitting a choked scream when she almost stepped out into the path of a car. This was not some rusted hulk sitting on eroded, cracked, and flattened tires, but a living beast hurtling along in a river of others of its kind. They sometimes jostled with one another, avoiding contact yet still competing for dominance with horn blasts and flashes of light. Of course they were not truly armored monsters; through the pristine glass of their windows, Miri could see people inside.
  
  There were also people on the sidewalk, heading to and fro at a brisk pace. More people than she had ever seen in her entire life. Many of them were staring into smartphones, and all wore Before-style clothing, much of it in perfect condition. They veered away from her, either giving glances of revulsion or pointedly avoiding looking at her at all. She tried to peek at one of the smartphones--its black-mirror surface was actually lit up--but the woman carrying it said, "Leave me alone, I don't have any change!" and quickened her footsteps. 'Change?' Mirielis thought.
  
  A strange whine from above drew her eyes, and Miri's jaw dropped. The canyon of buildings she was in revealed a slice of sky, and crossing it was a massive, metallic...airplane...hanging in the air. It looked to be moving much too slowly to be staying aloft, but she knew that was a trick of perception. Even as it descended toward a landing, or perhaps ascended to begin its journey, it was moving faster than Miri or anyone in her world ever had in their lives. Mirielis had seen the wreckage of an airplane once, but it had been too badly deteriorated for her to imagine it carrying hundreds of people across the sky. Her jaw hung open as her head turned to follow the craft until towering buildings blocked it from view.
  
  "Stupid tweaker," somebody muttered. She pulled her eyes back down to earth, and to her surprise, no one else nearby seemed to find the aircraft remarkable. Before! she thought. A vision? She had only been here for a matter of seconds, and already the cacophony of sights, sounds, and scents threatened to overwhelm her. I'm really...how can this be possible? I have to warn them! Venera said there were billions of people alive before the Calamity struck! Billions! And they're all going to die! Like many things about the World That Was, that had been difficult to imagine until now. I have to warn them. But how? The people here didn't even want to make eye contact with her, and she had already felt an inner door slam shut: she could not talk to them, no matter how much she might want to.
  
  And part of her...didn't. As much as the people here kept a wide berth from her, she felt the urge to shrink away from them as well. To run, run from the horns, the rushing sound of tires rolling on pavement, the boom-boom-boom of Before-music that occasionally came from a passing car. The buildings, imposing and mighty now as they rose high in their brutal sterility, would possess a haunting air of beauty and mystery in ruins, covered in moss and ivy. Like a stab from a knife, it hit her that there was no Venera here. She would not even be born, not for a whole lifetime. Nor would any of the people of Neponset Settlement. If I do find a way to save this world...what if none of them will ever exist? Miri shuddered.
  
  But these people all have loved ones...children. Grandchildren that would be born if their world doesn't die. It shouldn't be up to me which world survives! I don't want it! She tried to calm her ragged breaths, pull the horror from her face, since she could see it was disturbing the people around her. I have to...I have to try. Maybe I could write something...find a way to use their 'internet.' But why would they read anything I wrote? Looking down at her clothes, and at the way her hair hung in limp oily strands in her peripheral vision, it was apparent that she didn't have the same access to cleanliness the people here did, or even what she had in Neponset.
  
  A scraping sound from behind. Miri spun, and saw one of the others shuffling out of the alleyway, carrying his piece of...whatever that material was. He chose a spot, and his slender Australian shepherd, knowing the routine, laid down by his feet with a soft groan. The man turned his piece of material and propped it up in front of him, flat side facing toward the sidewalk and the street. It was a sign, scrawled in black marks that made Mirielis burst into tears. It read:
  
  The End Is Near.
  

 

[Phi Chisym]

Audrai Akintunde
Seamstress/Leathersmith/Blacksmith/Forecaster

FC: Mary Manaka​

Name: Audrai Oyuluni Akintunde - Oyuluni means 'before the moon'. She goes by Rai.
Age: 22
Height / Weight: 5'4"/122 lbs

Appearance: She is the tiniest of creatures, short in stature and slight in frame. Creamy brown skin with deep chocolate eyes and a head full of dark dreads that fall to her hips.

She holds several tattoos down her arms and across her chest. They were placed by her grandparents when she was quite young; an old Zimbabwe tradition that had, unfortunately, died along with her grandparents. Her parents never learned the skill, and therefore, Audrai has no knowledge of the process.

She also had a nose piercing and gages in her ears - another old tradition that is lost, but Audrai has figured piercing out well enough to successfully pierce her friends' ears, so they can wear her awesome earring designs.



Practical Skills - "I must create a system or be enslaved by another man's; I will not reason and compare: my business is to create."

Seamstress, Knitting/Crochet, Leathersmith, Blacksmith, Forecasting

"Fabrics and metals are my materials of choice – they are how I express my love to others, not only by building the tools to go forth in our daily lives but by creating beauty to surround us and dress us in times of celebration and leisure. To forecast (weather and harvest) is a gift I share with all to aid in our survival and care."

"I had learned a little bit of sign language when I met Monty a year or so ago. Since there weren't many in the settlement with the patience, or passion for learning, to take on this necessary need, I took it upon myself to understand his unique words for everyone else."

Personality

Stubborn/Rebellious - Audrai is a creature living under her own terms; always a child who would do what she was told - but never agree. Once Rai has made up her mind there is nothing in this world that can make her change it. However, she has learned to harness this, especially when the good of The Colony is at state, but it's a very difficult process for her at times when she fears the outcome of other choices made.

Perceptive - Understanding or figuring things out has always come naturally to Rai. She is insightful, intelligent, and can usually see things that other people will miss.

Persuasive - Rai has always been able to easily get others to do what she wants, whether through reasoning or temptation, whatever suits her needs at the time.

Resourceful - When faced with a problem, Rai has always had a knack for finding quick and clever ways to overcome most difficulties.

Uninhibited - Societal conventions and rules mean nothing. Rai never lets anything get in the way of expressing herself, her thoughts, or feelings. But, she will not cross the boundaries of respect in those regards.

Adventurous - It may be incredibly inconvenient for others, but she absolutely loves to wander off onto one of her many "adventures", searching through the old ruins for various necessities still in good condition or in need of minor repairs.

Optimistic - If a smile can't be found on Audrai's face, then be ready for everything to end because there is something absolutely wrong with the entire world, its planet, and the universe. Audrai is always positive and always smiling because that is how she is, even if she doesn't have a reason to smile. A Peacekeeper and Shoulder to Lean On.

Compelling/Charismatic - Audrai's personality is contagious; it isn't hard for her to make friends. Her soothing nature can calm down even the most hostile of creatures.

Warmhearted - Audrai has been known to forgive the ones who have done unimaginably horrible things to her. Her heart is just too big for her to maintain hate within.

Fearless – "Can you imagine what it would be like to live your life without fear? This to me has become my idea of freedom, which equates to happiness." She doesn't mind being the first to do something unknown and potentially dangerous. If it helps gain results that benefit the whole, then to be the first to attempt is an honor. However, she is intelligent enough to recognize an inevitable negative outcome - in which case, it's more honorable to change plans.

Team Player – Audrai believes that each person must work on their own personal improvement and at the same time share a general responsibility for all humanity. She admires those who work together towards a larger goal, one bigger than all of them that benefit the masses. Those who oppose such, are the small few who are introduced to Rai's wrath. And yes, even though she maintains a state of positivity, when Rai actually gets mad - truly angry - expect hellfire.

Biography​

"My roots are from Zimbabwe and Australia. All I know of that was given to me through my parents and theirs before them - through stories and sounds and art. I grew up simply "doing" life and going with the flow of those around me. But that's how we survive these days. It is a challenge leaving everything I'd ever known behind to start over but after so many years of following with someone else's flow of life, I am happy to set my sights on a new path.

"I'm a free spirit and this is reflected in the way I earn a living. I always knew my work would be creative as art has always been a large part of my life. When I was a child, I would draw all the time and I learned crafts passed from my grandparents to my parents. By the age of five, I could crochet, knit, and sew. At 8, I created my first leather harness. By the age of 10, I made my first blade. Also, from the skies and breeze, my grandmother taught me how to read the weather, to sense when to plant, harvest, or when to shelter ourselves from the dangers of nature. Little did I know all of these would play a huge role in my adult life.

"It's a difficult task to leave all you've ever known in search of your own way, but I have prepared for this challenge since day one x and I welcome it. I'm happy to be able to share this adventure with a few of my acquaintances, like Monty, and dear friends, like Calum and Chai. Having those connections from the days before will bring glad tidings for the days to come."

Writing sample:

Nothing looked right. Nothing felt right. Something is wrong!

Sure, she went to bed a little late the night before, spending half the day eating far too many goldenberries and drinking enough ale to turn a cow into a water buffalo. It's not as if she's never consumed them before, but the combination of the two on an empty stomach was obviously a vert, very bad idea... That is her theory - the consumption of an ill combination of spirits. That is the only explanation she has to answer her questions about this unorthodox environment she woke up to.

Her home is gone. Her workshop nowhere to be found. The quiet, natural atmosphere of a fruitful forest has been oddly replaced by.... she has no words in her vocabulary to name this new place... Well, except for one, but... that made no sense to her whatsoever.

"A dream... a vision, perhaps? But of where?" In her mind, she held an answer, but she refuses to believe it. "...Before?"

Dragging herself from the folds of blankets over her, she nearly fell out of her bed. Um, the bed she found herself in, which was not her own. It was far taller than what she's used to, with four tall corners holding above her a drape of sheer fabric she's never seen before. Scanning the room, Audrai was perplexed at the marvels her eyes fell upon. There were strange furnishings, dressings on the walls depicting things and places she's never seen before. All pretty things, but odd...

Where am I? she wondered as she stood to her bare feet. A slight chill radiated up from her toes, forcing her to hop and skip towards a nearby chair-looking item near a covered window. Her eyes found the floor not covered by wood, but of some sort of glossy material that was icy to the touch in the cool morning. Ignoring the chill, Audrai became curious to the sounds reaching her ears from the window. Drawing back the dressings, she found...

It's as if I've fallen into a vision of the past...

As if the dead, barren world of broken relics and dead spirits had awakened from years and years are forgotten; Audrai found herself staring into a world she's only read about in the ancient books of the past. The very buildings that had fallen from their pillars decades ago, where they hunt for useable relics and hidden hunt, were not standing tall and lively, breathing life and glowing from the sun shining upon it. The paths of rock she's seen that fight against the growth of weed and misplaced trees, cracking and breaking with old age, were new and intact, with various vehicles and machines moving upon it. And the vehicles! Cars...trucks... she's seen pictures of them in books. Those pictures were moving with people inside!

And the people - it was like thousands of army ants going about their daily lives to bring sustenance to their tables and to fight against dangers. She's never seen so many people before!

Audrai wasn't sure if she was frightened at the new vision she's walking in, or excited. There was only one way to find out... Hopping off the chair, she bounced around until she found her shoes. Slipping them on, she searched around the room in all the odd places to find clothing - some rather beautiful items similar to what she's patterned out of the interesting books she's found in her old world. Dressing, she stared at herself in the mirror in the room, taking a deep breath, "Let's go exploring, shall we?" And with that, she left the room.

 

[chaosheart13]

Name: Mary Naomi


Age: 19


Height / Weight: 5'10"/134 lbs.


Appearance: anime girl,warm smile,semi realistic,white hair


Practical skills: Mechanic, tinkerer, blacksmith


Personality: Mary is quite proud of her skills! A blacksmith, a tinker, someone who works with metal. Metal is her element and she loves to manipulate it, create something beautiful with it! She loves creating things and she loves to make wonderful things that can make noises, particularly music boxes. She learned that from a friend long ago...though she has no idea where he is now. Still, she treasured the skills she learned from him and from other people and she'll take it with her to her grave. She also likes to learn! Learning is fun and discovering new things is wonderful. Just learning something new...she wants it every day. She'll be willing to learn every day if she can just ask the right people, though sometimes she's not sure who to go to.

That being said, she can also be very depressing. She sometimes gets moments where she hates her work, or just hates certain parts of what she does, namely the fact she can't stand the fact her pride can hurt people. Just...she is very capable of being insensitive and hurtful and she knows it. Just the fact she doesn't know much...and her words can just hit people that hard...she rather not speak at all if that were the case. Her self loathing in that regard runs deep and she would rather push people away if she feels like she's hurting someone she cares about, isolating herself badly. She can get pretty lonely during that time but she continues to isolate until someone just...snaps her out of it. How, she is never quite sure, but it can happen.

Other times she can have her own childish outlook, a bit of a charming part to her personality for some. She likes cute things and she likes to act cute and dumb at times, just pretending to be a kid again when she had to work hard growing up. And just noticing the beauty in things, namely her metal creations, the little nooks and crannies...she adores seeing stuff like that and goes out of her way to eye everything like that critically. A childish wonder, a little bit of innocence...she wants to keep it forever but she knows one day, she'll have to grow up.


Biography: Mary was born in the community and from the minute she was born she was given up by her parents to some people slightly older, it seemed. ...Well, slightly older than her parents, she wasn't sure. Just...after a time, they disappeared once she was old enough to stand on her own two feet and she hated it. Still, she had her friends, other kids that wandered around the community like street kids. It was nice, wandering around, but she kinda wanted parents a couple of points. Just...someone to guide her, and hold her like a parent would, that would be really nice.

The friends she made were a bit on the sad side, she noticed, so she would often go to them and encourage them in some way, showing how wonderful their works were and how hard they were contributing. It did help, but then they would fall back into self loathing and she would feel helpless. But if she could just help them along with their lives and their work, show how wonderful they can be...then it'd be worth it. ...Yet one by one, they disappeared. She was distraught over this, why were they going? Why was she being left alone? What was going on? She didn't understand and often screamed this out when she was alone, in a secret place no one knew. She wanted to go wherever they were, where were they? Where were her friends? She missed them…

She grew up somewhat bitter yet she tried hard to fall into her own creations. Music boxes, clockwork dolls, toys to entertain the children as well as learning how cars worked and how to fix them...just something to ease her mind away from everything happening ever. She fell harder into her work, harder into just moving away from everything ever...to the point of collapse. And she'd get back up and work again. She wanted an escape, she wanted to be away, this whole place was suffocating her. So when given the opportunity to move away from her home...she jumped at the chance. A fresh start, let it be better, come on...


Writing sample: A strange noise, a small buzzing in her ears, what was going on? Where was she? Mary woke with a groan as she sat up in her bed, in a white room that had various medical equipment. The girl blinked slowly, tilting her head at everything around her as she began to study and analyze. She had never seen such white walls before, or these curtains surrounding the bed...but the medical equipment she somewhat recognized. That IV...and that stand with the other medical stuff on there. Her eyebrow raised at the pill bottles before she heard someone enter…and then the curtain opened. A doctor, yet without a mask, as he smiled kindly. "Glad you're with us, welcome back," he murmured as she just stared.

"...Where am I? This isn't home."

"The hospital, you were in a coma. ...After um...you...started screaming about voices and then you er…" She blinked as she just tried to look at her wrists. No marks. Her neck? She touched the neck area to find nothing there either. Then where…? "I-It's okay, don't think about it, alright? Anyway, how are you feeling?" The girl just continued to study her wrists for a moment before looking at the doctor, inquisitive and staring into his eyes.

"...Um. Good? Sorta. Just confused. I don't know where I am...is there anything I can recognize, perhaps?" The doctor hummed in thought.

"...What about this toy?" She just stared at the teddy bear shown to her.

"...That's not mine."

"Your parents decided to leave it for you, so-" Her brain processed nothing else.

My parents? My...parents? I...have…?

"You've got to be joking, I'm an orphan, my parents gave me up as a baby and then my caretakers left me when I was three. I don't have parents. I don't have any parental figures. Stop. Come on. Stop." The doctor looked on in confusion as she spoke.

"They visited you a few hours ago, wanting to wake you up-"

"I don't have any stop talking like that you're lying, okay? You're lying!"

"Now calm down-!"

"You calm down! I don't have any and you dare say I have parents? You dare? Say? I have something that I wanted ever since I was little? I know what I have and I know what I am and I DO NOT HAVE PARENTS." The doctor backed away as she threw back the covers and started to walk out of the room.

"Wait, don't, you're not ready-!"

"I DON'T CARE I'M LEAVING- AGH!" She hissed as the IV stand was yanked to her and she tore out the wires in hate. Already she was starting to bleed badly.

"Mary!"

"NO! LEAVE ME ALONE! I'M GOING TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, OKAY?" she continued to head to the door and saw a white corridor with many doctors milling about. With a hiss, she just continued to walk, bare feet slapping against the cold floor, before she felt arms grabbing her. "LET GO OF ME, THIS ISN'T REAL, OKAY? THIS ISN'T REAL."

"This is real, now come back to reality, okay?!" She continued to scream as she was dragged back into her room, kicking and screaming. Something sharp entered her arm and then…

Black.

 

[chaosheart13]

Name: Meera Narani


Age: 19


Height / Weight: 5'11"/137 lbs.


Appearance:

Practical skills: Scavenging, item appraisal, shopkeeping, inventory upkeep, trading


Personality: Honestly Meera loves to play around and mess with people. Just poke at them and have fun, just to make them smile and laugh about it afterwards. She laughs and jokes a lot and she wants them angry at her, the angrier the better because honestly their anger is funny and it's fine if they hit her, she likes the hits, hard hits make her feel nice~ And she wants people to smile every day, just laugh and smile. If she could make everyone happy, then she would have no regrets whatsoever.

Though sometimes, she can't help but think her ways hurt people. Making them that angry? And then hitting a sore spot? She's done it so many times she feels that she falls into self loathing and starts to actively push people away, just hide and not want to face them. She doesn't want interaction at that point but even if she gets super lonely, she will not tell a soul. It's only if someone calming can calm her down and just hold her that she is able to open up again, but the fear of hurting another like that is still there.

The fact she is so happy all the time it seems to outweigh the fact she wants to be held too. Being strong is so tiring and she knows it, but she is unable to do a thing when others expect her to boost them up. So she plays the fool and just pretends to be happy with continuing to help when she herself needs a hug. To watch others have that...she's jealous. She hates that she's jealous but she is and she really wants that hug. Still...she also wants people happy. Ah, this sucks! This hypocrisy, this juxtaposition! All of this sucks and she just wants to find a way to make herself better, or at least make it so that people won't need her. If she's not needed...then she can disappear quietly and everything will be fine, she feels. Even then, if she can help...in that way...she doesn't really know.


Biography: Meera doesn't really remember her parents actually. The minute she was born, she was whisked away, a dark haired man...and then she was given to someone else. Raised pretty much alone...but this person was kind, always wearing a smile as he gazed at her lovingly. Definitely like a father...even if he did have to occasionally go out at times. The front he had was that of a shop, a simple weapons store as he made the weapons himself. She herself ran it, the man trusting the fact she was that intelligent to run the shop. ...People did wonder weirdly why she was running that shop young but she never did voice anything, just smile as she waved and let them buy whatever. Even if they supposedly didn't need much, she liked accounting and she rang up the numbers with glee. Numbers were wonderful and she was fascinated by them, wanting to hear their music. She liked playing with them and for some reason, the larger the number, the grander the music...so she tried to make the numbers higher, much to his chagrin. Still, working the shop was fun and she wanted to continue these fun days with her father figure.

...Eventually, however, had to go, somewhere far, far away. She wasn't sure what she meant...but her instincts told her he would be okay. By that time there were others she was familiar with and she befriended them all, all of them slowly helping her boost her confidence and just be happy every day. They kept talking with one another about some strange things happening...something about how bad their home was. Whatever that meant. What were they plotting? She wasn't sure. ...And then she was left alone. For some reason, they were never seen again in the settlement. And she couldn't help but feel that lonely again as she ran the shop herself, wanting to see everyone again. Where were they? She missed them…

She kept running the shop and trading with other people, learning the trade well, until eventually there was a call to finally see what life outside the settlement was like. She immediately signed up, just to see if she can find her friends again. ...And if, somehow, she could see her father figure again too...she'd punch him in the arm and then hug him. "Don't ever leave me again!" she would want to say to him...but she's not sure if they'll ever meet again.


Writing sample: Meera groaned as she found herself in a bed, just slowly getting up and rubbing her head. "...What happened?" she mumbled as she glanced around. She felt a jolt as she realized it looked like she was in a loft. "...An attic?" Her eyes scanned the entire area, noting the window that was a circle and that light poured through, feeling ill at ease. "...Ew." Slipping out of her bed, a big one that had a large comforter and a lot of pillows at the head, actually, she just glanced around the loft curiously. A decent sized place, all made of wood, yet there was a writing desk with a journal and some pens laying on it, a wooden chair that was simple, other trinkets adorning the area likes merchant items...her eyes lit up at that. "Oh? Seems like I'm still selling something...still, what is this place?" she murmured as she eyed the ladder leading downstairs. With a frown, the girl slowly made her way towards the ladder and climbed down, feeling the rough texture of the wood and studying it. "Hm…"

When she reached the bottom, she jolted once more to see that a long corridor was before her. She felt like throwing up. "Ew. Ew. Ew. I don't like this ew." The girl quickly ran down the corridor, eyes darting to each door on either side. Yet none of them opened and she found another set of stairs as she rushed down it, practically leaping two by two in a hurry. Yet when she reached the bottom...a warm scene. People chattering and talking as they bought things from a pair of shopkeepers and she just watched with wide eyes, stunned as the people continued to chatter. "...H-Hello?" she squeaked as she slowly made her way to the people near the counter. A woman turned to her and smiled.

"Oh, morning! You're up early. Come on and help us sell things, alright?" She frowned again as the girl slowly opened her mouth.

"Um...where am I? I don't recognize this place…"

"Huh? You're home, why?" the man asked as he blinked owlishly, his eyes hidden behind a pair of glasses. Instantly she thought of her father figure, the man also wearing glasses when blacksmithing and saying it was to help him see details.

"...Home is...with…" Her face blanked out again before she shook her head and she smiled. "Yeah, hold on, can I man the counter? I'm good with numbers!"

"Of course! I'll take stock of the inventory, let your father talk with the customers if they need support." Her smile faltered slightly into a grimace before it came back up.

"Okay!" The rest of that moment was spent selling things to customers, doing it quickly and efficiently, just as she had learned. And already, she could feel her "parents" be proud of her. How strange, she never knew that such simple minded people could be that proud of someone with her skills. And yet...this made her happy. Somehow, it made her happy. Just the fact they could recognize it...and she was not overshadowed by some of her friends...well, it definitely made her happy. Just being brought down like this...she wondered if this was what "normal" was like. If she could have this every day...man…

Yet when she looked at the two people calling themselves her "parents," she couldn't help but miss her father figure. That man, once more, creating. That man, once more, singing. That man, once more, weaving a crown in her hair. She wanted that again, and to be his little princess. And she wanted to be held by him again and not be strong again, just be held… "I really want you back, Dad…" she murmured as she stared at the shop window, its clear view exposing the outside world. A modern day street, with people...and not at all like the ruined city she had been in. Wherever she was...well, she was going to pretend this was real for a bit. Just a bit. And enjoy it...

 

[rissa]

Melby

docs.google.com

 

[Red Thunder]

ATTENTION
•submissions are now closed•​

Thank y'all so much for your submissions! I'll be taking a hard look at them over the next few days and will post a list of accepted characters on the discord channel. I'm hoping to get a first GM post up this Saturday, so expect that list between now and then.

Thanks all, and God speed!