Dark Studios Presents... A Darkthought RP... A tale of humanity's final stand... New Dawn Prologue: Mankind had almost reached its pinnacle. Petty wars and trivial disputes had been set aside, ushering a new era of peace and understanding. Such great leaps in science and art were made as had not been seen since the renaissance. It was truly a Golden Age. In such an age as this, the institution known as UERI, the United Earth Research Institute, reigned supreme. Its minds had cured world hunger and global warming, and its minds were also the ones that ultimately doomed humanity. Three years preceding the even that would come to be known as the Nova Incident, UERI's top scientists had begun work on a massive particle accelerator named after the project's lead scientist, Doctor Isaiah Magnus. Located near the Franco-Swiss border in a top secret facility called the Nova Labs, the Magnus Device would, in theory, have allowed for great advances in interstellar travel and virtually eliminated the world's growing fuel shortage. However, the tests that were run on the device could have never fully prepared the scientists for what was about to happen. Late in the year 2012, the Magnus Device was switched to fully operational. That was when it happened. A massive EMP blacked out the entire world. Electronics everywhere simply ceased to work. Panic ensued. Riots broke out within hours. The world was ripe for the slaughter that was about to occur. That was when They came. Great Britain, the world's oldest and longest standing kingdom, was among the hardest hit areas of the planet. Yet the cruel centuries had toughened the people. The new enemy was met with unexpected resistance. Unfortunately, the queen was killed in one of the first wave of attacks. Infuriated, the United Kingdoms flocked around the Parliament Building to protect the former queen's young daughter, Adrea. As the new Queen, Adrea addressed the public in order to keep morale up. The child queen's famous speech came to be known as the New Dawn Address. This is how the New Dawn establishment came to be started. The soldiers of New Dawn eventually came across an old Holodisc and a working player. The disc had been created by UERI top scientist, doctor Isaiah Magnus. The disc explained that there was in fact a way to defeat the enemy. However, due to likelihood of the discs falling into the hands of They, Magnus had created five separate discs detailing his plan to defeat the enemy once and for all. The one found by the soldiers had been but one of these discs and had been encrypted with a partial blueprint for some sort of device that would ultimately stop They in their tracks. Less than a week ago, the Sanctuary City-Bunker, which also held one of the Magnus Discs, came under assault by Them. Sanctuary was completely destroyed with the exception of a small group of survivors. A broken transmission was made about a week ago by two TalonV aircraft that crashed somewhere in the wilderness. A massive search effort has been mounted in order to find the survivors, assuming they survived, and see if they were able to escape Sanctuary with the Magnus Disc. The New Dawn Establishment New Dawn is the massive clockwork city of steel domes centered around the Parliament Building. The city is ruled by the child Queen Andrea and an association of military leaders known as The House of Lords. The huge walled city is divided up into three separate areas which are also divided up into four sectors; North, South, East, and West. Spoiler The Outer Ring The Outer Ring, as the name implies, is the outermost circle of the city. Being the most readily attackable area, it has grown to be very well defended. This area belongs exclusively to the Knights of the New Dawn Crusade. The domed buildings are very cramped together to maximize space. SAM turrets are placed at intervals throughout the Outer Ring to protect from air attacks while Gun Towers protect from land assaults. This area is home to the Armory and is also where the city's land based units train. The Inner Ring The Inner Ring is the ring of buildings that rests in between the Queen's Circle and the Outer Ring. This area is largely a civilian area though it still maintains a strong military presence. Buildings here are less cramped together. This area is not as well defended as the Queens Grounds or the Outer City. This area is home to the Airbase and is where all the city's aerial units are produced and trained. The Queen's Circle The Queen's Circle are all areas that rest under the massive dome in the middle of the city. This includes the Parliament Building, the Ministry of Defense, the New House of Lords, and the Library. All those who must maintain contact with the Queen live in this area. The Queen's Circle are also home to an amazing garden that produces enough food to support the entire establishment. The massive dome that covers this area is riddled with automated defenses of all types and is easily the most well defended area of the entire city. Whenever the Queen feels that the citizens are in danger she moves them into the dome. Important Places Spoiler The Armory The Armory is a huge steel structure in the northern sector of the Outer City where all land based machinery, weapons, and soldiers are produced and trained. The Armory maintains a direct feed of information straight to the Parliament Building and is the first to respond to any threat to the city. The Airbase The Airbase sits in the southern sector of the Inner City. It is here that all air based machinery and pilots are produced and trained. The Airbase is responsible for scouting out and suspicious activity or reports of Their movement. The Library This building is actually a safe room that houses a massive supercomputer filled with data dating all the way back to the Medieval period. When They came, it became sort of a monument to the world that once was. It also contains files on every single type of Them that have ever been encountered by the New Dawn Crusade; strengths, weaknesses, field data. The House of Lords This is the opulent mansion in the Queen's Circle where the military leaders, or Lords, reside. It is the second most well defended area in the entire city. The Ministry of Defense This is the building where all the automated defense systems around New Dawn are handled. The systems here are kept under close watch by Systems Operators at all hours. If something were to happen to this building, all of the automated defenses would go down. The Parliament Building Here resides the Queen herself. It is here that the most important decisions in the city are made. It is also a symbol of hope for the people of New Dawn. Any of the city's citizens would gladly give their lives if it meant the survival of this structure. This facility is the most secure facility in the entire city. The Hospital The hospital rests just outside the southern entrance to the Queen's Circle. It is here that rations and tending to injured soldiers are handled. Important People Spoiler Queen Andrea Queen Andrea is the sixteen year old girl who inherited the throne upon her mother's death at Their hands. She is well loved by her people who would gladly do anything for her. Despite her age, she has proven to be a very shrewd leader. Lord North Lord North is a strong old man and the Queen's most senior adviser. He knew the former Queen well, having been her most trusted consort and, as rumor has it, her lover. His loyalty is unshakable. Lord Blackmoore Blackmoore is a shady man whom not many trust. He has been described as slimy and many among the House of Lords and throughout the city believe him to be a likely candidate for being a traitor to the city. Despite his strong dislike of Lord North, the young Queen trusts him greatly. Lord Highmount In spite of being only a minor Lord, Highmount has shown great promise and competence on and off the battlefield. He is the founder of the group known as the New Dawn Crusaders, who believe it is their God given duty to hunt Them down. He is well loved by the citizens and the nobles alike, but Blackmoore distrusts him. Oliver Ward The city's resident computer expert, Oliver is the frail young man that oversees the operation and management of all systems in the Ministry of Defense. He shies away from the public and is awkward when speaking, but once behind a keyboard there are few that can match his skill. Important Enemies Spoiler Marius van Dreath Leader of the enigmatic Cult of the Gate. By his followers, Marius is viewed as a sort of God-man. He teaches that They came to cleanse the earth of impurity, and should be greeted as glorious defenders of all that is good. He is said to have mysterious powers and is extremely dangerous. The Cult of the Gate dwells in small underground settlements to the south of New Dawn. Ohdran Flux After the showdown below Sanctuary, the Hunter-Stalker known as Ohdran was very nearly destroyed through a psychic backlash by Dre. Little is known about how he managed to survive the bunker's destruction, but it is certain that he will try to seek out the survivors of Sanctuary to get his revenge. Word has spread that Ohdran is now attacking and killing his own kind as well as humans. (Short story to explain this is on the way). Our Weapons Spoiler CRX5 "Hammerhead"-- This automatic rifle is powered by a specially cut crystal cube and fires high concentration beams of light to devastating effect. Its ammo capacity is effectively limitless as the crystal degrades at a barely noticeable rate. One would have to fire continuously for a year to fully degrade the crystal. The weapon sports a massive hammer as its stock for close combat, earning it the nickname "Hammerhead." There are variations of the weapon that also support a bayonet under the barrel. The only drawback is that the gun can be somewhat cumbersome. CRXSa-- This is the standard sidearm of all militants in New Dawn. It functions on the same "crystal cube" principals of the CRX5. The laser it produces is significantly less powerful than that of its larger counterpart, but certainly helps out in tight situation when the rifle is not available. Odin Combat Armor-- This armor was developed by reverse engineering the technology involved in the Dragoon power suit. It is highly resistant to projectile attacks, comes equipped with a endothermic regulation system for prolonged exposure to the harsh environment of the surface, and increases the strength of its wearer by up to ten times. SAL Defense Network-- The Surface to Air Laser (SAL) defense grid encompasses the entire city and functions on the same principles as its hand held counterparts. The entire system is managed in the Ministry of Defense by Oliver Ward. LTD Network-- The Laser Turret Defense (LTD) network encompasses the entire city and functions on the same principles as its hand held counterparts. The entire system in managed in the Ministry of Defense by Oliver Ward. RavenX-- The RavenX is the staple fighter aircraft of the New Dawn military. It supports the ability for vertical take offs and landings, laser capability, and the capacity for a massive amount of ordnance. MGS5b8 "Triceratops" Tank-- The Triceratops is the staple heavy infantry unit of the New Dawn military. It supports the heaviest mobile laser in the entire city as well as two small mass compression guns mounted on its rear. MN-800—The MN-800 is the standard issue rifle of all soldiers in the military. It is a magnet powered device that uses mass ammo, a small rectangular piece of highly compressed metal. When fired, the mechanisms inside the gun will shave off a small piece of the metal and decompress it. The magnets in the gun will then fire the metal orb at the enemy. This method of storing ammo is far more efficient, allowing one clip to produce around 800 rounds. The weapon is roughly three and a half feet in length. The accurate firing range is about three hundred yards.(Available only to Sanctuary Survivors) MN-Sa—The MN-Sa is the standard issue sidearm to every soldier in the military. It functions on the same principles as magnet and mass decompression components of the MN-800. (Available only to Sanctuary Survivors) They A large amount of data has been amassed and we can offer quite a few details on exactly what They are. The surface of Their bodies are covered with a layer of pale white scale-like hide. They have no hair at all. They are natural hunters and carnivores. They breath a sort of Chlorine compound, the exact nature of which has yet to be fully analyzed. Their muscles are far more dense than that of a human, allowing Them to perform impressive feats of strength. All of Them also appear to have psychic ability to some extent. Spoiler Dragoons Dragoons appear to serve as the main body of the enemy force. About the size of the average human male, Dragoons are not as heavily armored as other types of enemies. Dragoons wield a weapon known as the Shock Rifle which fire short bursts of high velocity steel orbs. Like all They, the Dragoons carry two well protected breather tanks on their backs. Vastly more agile than the Threshers, they can run at sustained speeds of forty miles. They are typically deployed in six unit squads. Kobolds These are the light infantry units of Their force. They are immensely fast and agile, often attacking is great numbers. They are not physically strong and are about as large as a young human child. They wield a smaller pistol variation of the shock rifles used by the Dragoons. Threshers The Threshers are the powerhouse of the enemy force. Gigantic, standing nine feet tall, heavily armored humanoids, they sport two massive rail guns on either shoulder. Like all They, the Threshers are supported by two well protected breathing tanks on their backs. They seemed to be deployed in pairs to take out heavily manned emplacements. Thresher's have also been known to take out other They in an assault with no concern. Carvers The small but deadly floating blade devices that serve to thin numbers before the Dragoons are sent in. Carvers are a staple of any Dragoon squad and can be very effective when deployed in great numbers. However, Carvers can be easily taken out by a precise shot to the center of the rotating blades. Hunter-Stalkers Hunter-stalkers are the specialist unit of the enemy force. They are extremely deadly and encounters with them are to be avoided at all costs. Their armor appears to be some form of intelligent polymer that is highly resistant to all types of rounds. Like all They, the Hunter-Stalkers carry two well protected breather tanks on their backs. Only deployed in single units in extreme situations and never work with other They. Fiends Fiends are the canine automaton creatures that are deployed to chase down fast moving targets. Fiends can reach recorded speeds of up to 100 mph and are capable of disabling an armored vehicle with their back mounted Shock Rifles. Fiends were first observed in actual combat preceding the destruction of Sanctuary. The Treader The Treader is the enemy's heavy assault vehicle. Resembling spiders, the Treader is supported by four long, thin but durable legs that tie into the main body of the vehicle. The vehicle stands roughly six stories tall. Dangling under the center of the main body is Electric Charge Cannon that can fire a concentrated beam to devastating effect. It take three Dragoons to pilot one. The only known ways of taking one down are either killing the pilots or using some sort of high explosive to blow apart its legs at the knee joints. Incubus Dropship The Incubus Dropship is the main mode of enemy transportation. The enormous wasp-like ship carries under it the “drop tank”; the part of the ship that actually carries They. Despite not having the capabilities of reaching high speeds, the Incubus appears to be highly maneuverable. It takes four dragoons to pilot the dropship, one corresponding to each engine, though they have been spotted with fewer pilots. The drop tank has a maximum capacity of twenty. Aside from a small Pulse Rifle mounted on the underside of the cockpit, the Incubus has no weapons. One can be put out of commission with a well placed rocket to one of the 4 engines. Heraldic Dragoons These Dragoons are bigger, tougher, faster, and smarter than the typical Dragoon. They are differentiated from the average blue armored Dragoon by their pearly white armor and appear to function in the capacity of a squad leader. Squads of Dragoons that travel with a Heraldic Dragoon appear to have augmented abilities. Scryers The unmanned, artificially intelligent aircraft that seem to be able to predict the moves of their enemies with great accuracy. These aircraft move with an almost life like fluidity and resemble great reptilian beast of some sort. The Scryers sport two wing mounted laser cannons that they can use with great effectiveness. The Harbinger He was rumored to have appeared in Sanctuary shortly before its destruction. The Harbinger is the representative of the Scions, having access to all of their powers. It is by the the Harbinger's charge that human kind was to be eliminated. Not only is he a religious icon, but he is immensely powerful. The Mother and Father Scions These two creatures are the gods of Their religion. Every one of Them derive Their psychic abilities from the Scions in some fashion. These two creatures represent the masculine and the feminine. They resemble gigantic worm like creatures with hundreds of tiny legs lining the length of their body. They have no heads that can be discerned. Your Story Spoiler Returning Characters: You have narrowly survived the assault on the Sanctuary City-Bunker and have managed to make it to the two remaining TalonV craft with the Magnus Disc. Just as you escaped, you witnessed a strange creature hovering over the bunker. Shortly before taking flight over the turbulent waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the massive creature leveled the entire area, leaving little hope for any additional survivors. The flight across the ocean took a little over a day. The aircraft ran out of fuel just as land was reached and ultimately crashed in the British wilderness. It has been a week since then. New Characters: You have grown up in the last above ground city on the planet. Chances are you have spent your life in service to the New Dawn Crusade in some way, shape, or form. Whether you helped to manage the automated systems in the Ministry of Defense or fought on the front lines with Knights and Crusaders, the New Dawn Crusade will be an important facet of some part of your life. You have probably already heard of those who survived the Sanctuary Assault. New Dawn was able to pick up a few last minute transmissions before the bunker was destroyed. The survivors of the Sanctuary assault have come to be known as the Angels of Sanctuary. Since New Dawn's military is already stretched thin defending the city and searching for the remaining Magnus Discs, you have been selected to journey outside of the city and search for the crashed TalonV craft and return with the survivors if there are any. Rules Spoiler 1. Read everyone’s posts! Not only does this keep us all on the same page, it’s fun to know your posts are being read and acted upon. Respond to stimuli and events from other players’ posts. 2. Avoid writing one-line posts or extremely long posts. A range of 40-300 words is good to shoot for. 3. Edit before posting, we’re all here to improve as well as enjoy. 4. No God-modding or perfect characters. (boring!) 5. Fighting between characters should be kept to a minimum and I would like to see no killing of humans at all. However, if a fight or killing is unavoidably called for the players concerned must work the action out in PM and both parties should be amenable to the outcome. 6. Do not control another person’s character without their express consent. 7. If a player is AWOL and holding up the game the character will be NPC’d at the GMs’ discretion. If you know you’ll be gone for some time you may hand over your character to another player’s care. 8. Don’t flood the thread with long conversations or extensive actions. Give others a chance to post before moving on. 9. Please discuss any issues in the Discussion thread or PM Darkthought with your concerns. Gossiping about issues or spamming up the story thread is counterproductive. 10. And lastly…the GMs’ word is law. Character Sheet Character List Spoiler Player/Character/Gender/Role Angels of Sanctuary: Raven – Hunter – Male – (Stalker) CommonGoods – Joshua “Josh” Pastor – Male –(Civilian) Blossom – Zafrira Gainborough – Female – (Junkyard) Teele – Jack Cyrus – Male – (Military) Foxee – Varenna “V” Shepherd – Female – (Military) Thanos – Bruce Stark – Male – (Military) sprb_skrbblz – Darmentius “Lin” Lindemann – Male – (Civilian) Jade – Jessica Bennet – Female – (Military) New Dawn: Mike Nemesis – Ark Routledge – Male – Military Gloom Kitty – Sarafena Banks – Female – Military Mobious109 – Ean Credic – Male – Military Leaka – Landa – Male – Military Kratos – Jeos Nocturne – Male – Military Nikhil – John Jerkins – Male – Civilian GM characters: Darkthought – Vishka – n/a – (They) Darkthought – Drengi “Dre” Itir – Male –(Junkyard)
Name: Hunter Age: 32 Sex: Male Gear: Two large custom made pistols that fire large calibre shells. A jagged blade also custom made from a strong alloy. Special Skills: (Stealth and has an uncanny prowess with any weapon.) Personality: Arrogant Description: Hunter is 6.02 well built attired in black and soft chest armour always wears matt black shades short hair well cut and shaven bold at the back and sides. Regularly seen smoking fat cigar’s Background: Hunter grew up alone stalking the shadows for food Hunter’s family had all been killed upon entry into Sanctuary. Hunter was forced to fend for himself. Eventually he learnt he could use the shadows to hide better and would strike at thugs stealing their food and clothing. Hunter spent many years becoming a ghost in the darkness helping those unfortunate enough to fend off attackers. No one knew his name and dubbed him the Night Hunter which over time became Hunter. Hunter became an expert stealth assassin taking the lives of any brute bog or small to survive and best help the poorer and unfortunate to survive. Hunter realised he enjoyed killing the bad and did so. Eventually he became more noticed by others and accepted into the society that was Sanctuary and given a job as an enforcer which had been a big improvement from vigilante. The vilest of thugs and rapists and killers even enforcers feared Hunter none would want his bloodied retribution.
>< gave my character a sex change we had to many boys Name: Sarafena Blake Age: 25 Sex: female Gear/Weapons: Large pulse assault rifle with detachable bayonet that doubles as a small sword. Tase Special Skills: A pilot and military orientated, Sarafena is capable of the use of heavy artillery and has a vast knowledge of the ins and outs of various guns and military type machines. Personality: Sarafena can appear in two different ways to strangers and to people who know her well. She can seem quiet and reserved, with a watchful eye the type of woman that will study another person before choosing to get to know them. Or she may appear to those she knows as aloof and casual with a strong presence. Description: Raven black hair cropped into a short pixie like style. Sarafena has huge green cat like eyes Background: Sarafena is a greek Australian by decent and moved due to her stepfathers death. Her skill comes from the fact she was raised on an army base and grew a vast understanding from other soldiers that showed her things. Such was her interest that when her step father died shortly after she was offered a place in a school for what the government considered gifted children. Most of the children in the school were very bright and considered geniuses Sarafena unaware of her own special talents allowed herself to be pushed out of the social circles within the school. Upon graduation she was snapped up by the military and instantly put into their intake, then from there became a member of the air force. On an unfortunate flight the fighter jet Sarafena was flying crashed due to mechanical failures and she was left trapped outside the walls of New Dawn. On her retrieval he became some what a household name which did not sit well with her.
Name: Joshua "Josh" Pastor Age: 23 Sex: Male Gear: Modified NM-800 (Less amounts of rounds on clip (300) but accurate at an incredible range), MN-Sa, Camera, Notepad, black guncase containing an additional clip as well as two black folders, holding information for two Military bacnking accounts. Special Skills: Photographing and writing news reports Personality: Josh is the type of person who prefers to let other people do the fighting. He tends to be very resourcefull, and always manages to talk himself out of trouble. He smiles easily, but is easily scared; one may even call him a coward. He is just as likely to run from a battle as to stay and fight. Although he is usually very talkative, he is known to panic and hyperventilate on occasion. Lately, he has become increasingly frustrated at his inability with his rifle. Background: Josh was the youngest son of high ranking military officer, and lived an easy live, being spoiled by his mother. After his father and his older brother died, his mother forbid him to join the military. Eventually, he became a journalist writing for the "Sanctuary", a news paper that is usually read by military personel more then the civilians. Josh has some security clearence within the Wall, but this is as close as he ever got to the military; he has never seen any actual fighting, but usually writes about life in the Wall. He is a terrible shot, even though his father made several attempts to learn him wield a modified MN-800. When the Sanctuary was breached, he and Jess met up with the others at the HQ. From there on, things have been a tad crazy. He was eventualy impaled by the Hunter-Stalker Odhran, but was saved by Vishka.
Name: Zafrira “Zefie” Gainsborough Age: 20 Sex: Female Gear: A dual automatic assault rifle with a scope and 40mm pump-action grenade launcher attached (though there is a very limited supply of grenades), a pair of switchblades and many years experience of street-fighting. Special Skills: She is a very good long-distance/sniper shot, and has an excellent memory. She also has good pick-pocketing and lock-picking skills. Personality: Zefie is sharp-minded and sharp tongued, but would never be deliberately malicious or cruel. She has a tough exterior and has difficulty trusting people and letting them in, but when she does she is warm and loyal. She tries to be kind but is aware that she lives in a harsh world in which survival costs. Description: just under 5’3” and skinny from malnutrition. Though not strong she is agile and a swift runner. She has waist-length blonde hair that she keeps tied back in one long braid. Wide, dark eyes are set either side of a long, straight nose and she wears dark make-up that makes her skin seem fairer than it is. She has a tattoo over one eye that marks her as a member of one of the street gangs, but usually keeps it covered up with a head-band. Background: Zefie never knew her father, and her mother died of a wasting disease when she was three. She was left to wander the streets and was adopted by a gang of street kids who taught her to pick locks and pockets and to steal to survive. Occasionally they would find a still-working gun or rifle and so Zefie also learned to shoot. She grew up scavenging around the Rows and the Junkyard of Sanctuary, looking out for the younger kids and learning from the older. She had to be able to run fast in case they were caught, and sometimes they would get into fights with rival gangs so she had to be able to fight. On one They-raid most of her gang were killed, and those that survived scattered. When Sanctuary was breached she witnessed many of her street-kid friends being killed, and fled to the Rows were she met up with V and went with her to the HQ. After that she found herself one of the survivors protecting the magnus disc. At one point her lungs were injured by a heavy intake of chlorine gas, but fortunately it wasn't fatal and most of the damage was healed by Vishka (who, incidentally, caused the injuries in the first place), though she still has a slight rasp to her voice.
Name: Jack Cyrus Age: 22 Sex: Male Gear: A pair of pistols, as well as training in various martial arts techniques. Also carries many small electronic devices on his belt, which he lovingly dubs 'the batbelt'. Special Skills: Computer systems management is his primary focus. This includes running and programming software (hacking), in addition to breaking security (cracking; look here for the difference. ). Also, Jack is a crack shot with his pistols, and does well with almost any semi-automatic weapon. Finally, Jack has experimented with various martial arts, particularly jujutsu. Personality: Jack is easy-going and personable, if a little quiet at times. He leans more toward optimism, but not excessively so, and he analyzes every situation thoroughly before judging it. With people, he is friendly and open, with an easy manner and an aura of humor. During or after a hack, he will completely geek out and ramble on about the details of his implementations. Nothing makes him happier than punching away at a computer terminal. Description: Jack stands 5'11" and is well-proportioned, if a little thin. He has shaggy, somewhat wavy brown hair that instantly curls tightly when wet. He has bright blue eyes, and a faint mustache and goatee. A series of scars stretch across his face; the result of his closest encounter with Them. Background: Jack's mother died of a hideous disease soon after giving birth to him. His father (Richard Cyrus) was a soldier, heavily decorated for his actions in the fight against They. He taught his son to think for himself, and be his own person. He nurtured his love of guns, electronics. and mysticism, teaching him all he could and finding all the literature he could. Jack's twin pistols were a gift from his father. Richard died when Jack was seventeen at the hands of They. Jack mourned him, but quickly moved on, knowing what his father's wish would be. He demonstrated mastery in his endeavors and was eventually hired by the government as a covert operative. He has seen and completed four missions into enemy territory, and is currently the youngest operative on the team with that much experience.
John Jerkins Name: John Jerkins (called JJ or J2) Age: 17 Gender: Male Gear/Weapons: Two enforcers, laptop, a device made by John to connect his laptop to his enforcers. Special Skills: Computers Personality: A very nervous fearful young boy is a computer worm. Completely glued to his laptop day and night either at his home or at the Ministry of Defense. He has heard of the survivors of Sanctury in the form of rumours. He is a great fan of Jack Cyrus, Hunter and other survivors with them. He desperately wishes to meet the queen, the lords, the survivors. Description: Standing 5'5 John doesn't possess a good physical body. He is quite thin and small but fast. Background: John was a brilliant computer worm. Currently works in the team of Oliver Ward. During Their raids he lost his uncle, aunt and his cousin. Thereafter he is very frightened of They. P.S. - I didn't expect reputation for this.
Varenna Shepherd *** Returning char, I'll look at this in a bit to see if I need to update anything for the new game. *** Name: Varenna Shepherd (goes simply by 'V') Age: 25 Sex: Female Gear: A Colt carbine rifle with barrel-mounted flashlight and riflescope, some training in martial arts Special Skills: Medical skills and a pretty good instinct for survival. Personality: Deliberate. Has an orderly mind, not without a sense of humor, tries to be optimistic, is very cool-headed in a crisis if it is something she feels she can deal with. If she gets out of her depth in a crisis she can start to stress out which results in being snappish and frightened or, oddly, cracking jokes. Depends on the situation. Friendly enough but reserved, periodically needing solitude (like a long hot bath which is often hard to get with the shortages on everything). Description: about 5'5", thin with long deft fingers. Delicately built and not very strong though she is quick when need be. Oval face with an aquiline nose that has a small bump at the bridge from being broken at one time, slightly squared jaw. Blue-green eyes, generous mouth, and straight honey-colored hair that falls to a bit past the shoulders. Background: Born to a military family in an upper level of the Rows, Varenna spent her childhood playing in the stairwells with the other children. Now and then they'd venture to the Junkyard and made a few friends there as well. Her father, Lieutenant James Shepherd, died in battle against They when she was thirteen and she still mourns him in private moments. Varenna had an interest in healing early in life and read every book she could find on medicine and the healing arts. Her mother made sure she had the opportunity to train at the small clinic in the area so she has some functional knowledge of medical care though she isn't a surgeon or even a full-fledged doctor.
Name: Ark Routledge Age: 22 Sex: Male Gear/Weapons: A modified rail gun used as a trophy from his encounter with a Thresher. He enjoys the status this weapon brings with it and a chance to show off his strength. (If this is not allowed let me know and I'll change it.) Uses a three pronged glaive for close combat and the usual CRXSa sidearm for when he needs something faster than the rail gun. Special Skills: Physical exercise, tanks Personality: Has earnt himself a reputation for his competitive over aggressive nature as he continuously seeks to prove himself. He looks down on those that are weak as he thinks if he could make something out of his life anyone can. Description: 5ft 10 ridiculously well built. Shaven brown hair. Brown eyes. Wears custom built odin armour given his build. Wears black leather gloves dotted with small spikes to act as knuckle dusters. Steel toe capped boots. Background: At the age of 10 Ark contracted a deadly virus that saw him bound to his bed for five years. His muscles decayed from lack of use. After a continuous course of anti biotics to try to treat the unknown virus they finally began to see a recovery in him. It was slow but by 17 he was back in school and by 19 he watched as his friends were called up for military service. Disgusted with his weakness and been overlooked for the service he swore to earn back some pride. His muscles were still poor thanks to his past but despite this he confined himself to the gym under a gruelling work out regime and a heavy course of steroids in an attempt to build himself back up. The program was damaging and is likely to have drastically shortened his life expectancy, but by 21 he was better built than the majority of the army core. He joined the tank regiment and has been serving for the last two years.
Name: Bruce Stark Age: 21 Sex: Male Gear: A pair of Cestuses he built himself that can compress air. It can produce a maximum of 6000psi added to a punch. An added feature is it steadies the hands and relaxes it to help aim. A rail gun that has 3 levels of charge. Level 1 - 45 seconds Level 2 - 1min 15 sec Level 3 - 2 minutes Special Skills: He has a wide knowledge about engineering in almost any mechanical field and can build or fix almost anything. Works in the army as a weapons design specialist doing experiments with some of the confiscated weaponry of They that have been killed. Did about 2 months of training to be a sniper but was moved to weapons design division. Personality: Enthusiastic about his work and usually friendly. Talkative sometimes too much. Shy around the opposite sex. A peacemaker and tries to get along with everyone. Description: 5'7" but skinny and toned because of years of brotherly “love”. He wears glasses and has brown eyes. His hair is short and coarse, so it looks like he has bed head all the time. Spend most his time working on new weaponry to rid of They. Background: Brought up by a single mother of 5 boys. He was the youngest. He was not like the rest of his brothers who all wanted to join the resistance against They. He was more interested in science mainly engineering. He is good at sneaking around from hiding from his big brothers but when he had enough time to hide he was reading anything about engineering he could get his hands on. When his brothers did catch him they were always wrestling or boxing. All of them enrolled in different parts of the resistance against They. He enrolled in to train in stealth missions and sniping but was passed on to weapons research. He helped designed the Wall – Rail Guns and now works on a portable rail gun to be used by soldiers.
Name:Ean Credic Age:40 Sex:male Gear/Weapons:75mm man portable recoiless rifle (use to take out armored vehicles) and a semi-auto shotgun. Special Skills:explosives expert and skilled at close combat. Also excels in tight places and sees well in the dark Personality:very sarcastic, clever, and refuses to admit he is getting old. Description:6' even, well muscled but not overly large. Unusually strong especially for somebody his age. White hair and blue eyes. Caucasion but with a tan from time outside. Well scared hands from working in underground mines for many years. Background:Worked as a miner for many years where he picked up his odd taste in blowing stuff up. He joined the military after his wife was killed in an attack by the They. This has fueled his hatred of them and his bitterness at times making him a fanatical fighter some would call bloodlust.
returning character... Name: Darmetrius Lindemann... also goes by Lin... Age: 23 Sex: Male Gear: a .45... a bag with 7 sticks of dynamite... an AK-47... night-vision goggles... Special Skills: i believe the term is "more balls than brains"... very brave, sometimes too brave... and a phonographic memory... now he has experience fighting They... Personality: not a joker, but he has a healthy sense of humor... very grounded in reality, he knows it's serious out there... also cocky... in some situations, he can be a hothead... Description: fatigue pants... combat boots... a poncho... under that is a thermal shirt... long hair in a ponytail... light-skinned with freckles... 6' and about 180 lbs solid... Background: Lin's brother, mother and girlfriend were brutally murdered by They and Lin ran into the original cast evading They after killing one in a dark apartment complex...
Name: Landa [Lan-Daw] Age: 20 Sex: Male [Appears female] Gear/Weapons: Toxic shooter[basically something resembles a watergun, but has been modified to hold a poisonous and acidic substance]-Is that all right? Special Skills: Medicine and Poison, anything medicine and anything poison Personality: Calm, collective, seductive at times, cold, cunning, kind, playful in that weird sexy way Description: Landa appears female. I mean really female[though he isn't a hermaphrodite] he has everything to make him a male inside, and a little bit of it outside. Problems is he has a small, thin curvy figure, like a doll. If you didn't know any better you may mistake him for a woman, since he is to perfect to be any female, but to beautiful to be any man. Landa usually wears a nice set of black cargo pants with a baggy white t-shirt. Sometimes though, if the situation calls for it he'll wear dresses and even skirts, no one would even give him a second look. Background: Landa was born in a family of logical thinkers. His father a doctor and his mother a technology scientist. He learned from both. Their mostly positives attitude towards work gave birth to his work no play attitude. Landa is a professional doctor, self taught which means no one believes he can actually save their life no paper no help. Landa's parents had been killed by the They an that is what drives him to help the military with their wounded soldiers, which he playfully calls "babies".
Name: Jeos Nocturne Age: 24 Sex: Male Gear/Weapons: Hammerhead, two customized automatic pistols Special Skills: Strong, tactical combat, marksmanship. Personality: Sarcastic. He is rude and obnoxious to everyone he meets, unless the person proves themselves to him. Despite his sarcasm, he can be serious if he needs to be. Description: 5’11, muscled build. Shaggy black hair with a streak of white. Tanned and scarred skin, and slightly pointed teeth. Background: Born and raised in a military family, Jeos was pressured to join the armed forces by his parents. However, he did not want to risk his life in battle, and so he ran away at the age of 14. He let his hair grow out and began a creature of the slums, doing whatever he could to get by. He eventually joined a gang, and acquired contraband weapons. However, once the gang began doing more and more horrible things, Jeos allied against the leader and killed almost everyone in the gang. Rejected by everyone from the slums, unable to return home, he went to the one place he hated most – the army.
...and a Happy New Year January 1 2:13 AM Somewhere over the British Wilderness... "Damn it!" Jack Cyrus as his fingers flew across the control panel of the lead of the two small TalonV aircraft. Warning lights were going off all across the board, casting a grim red glow across the entire cabin of the craft. "I can't get the damn autopilot to disengage. It needs some sort of authorization code and I can't work around it." The soft yet terrible tone of the low fuel warning made itself painfully obvious to all of the ships occupants. "Jack...you better figure something out soon. We don't have much time," Vareena Shepherd said as she watched the snowy expanse of British wilderness growing ever closer to them. "I'm trying...but this is executive access stuff. I'd need an hour to get around this," he replied. Zafrira Gainsborough shook her head and began strapping herself into a seat. "We don't have an hour Jack. You should all get buckled in right now and brace for impact. Unless our wonder boy can work us out of this mess somehow." Dre Itir shook his head. "I can't control it...I don't even know what it is," he said as he strapped himself into one of the seats against the wall. He could feel his pulse pounding and cursed himself for being unable to help everyone. After all, they were like family now. Not only were the occupants of the two TalonV craft the only known survivors of the massacre in the Sanctuary City-Bunker, but for the past two days they had only the company of each other as the craft flew over the troubled waters of the cold Atlantic ocean. The passengers of the first craft had communicated with those of the second craft via the radio. Vishka, the anomalous rogue Dragoon that had managed to befriend the group had been doing what he could to teach Dre how to control his new found powers. So far Dre could only manage telepathic communication, and even then only to Vishka. In the second of the two craft, the situation was much the same. Joshua Pastor and Bruce Stark were hunched over the control panel listening to Jack over the radio as the three all attempted to work around the security lock on the autopilot. "We aren't having any better luck over here Jack," said Bruce. For a moment there was only the faint crackle of radio silence, and then Jack's voice came back over. "Alright..." he said, a tinge of worry in his voice. "Alright. Have everyone buckle up. It looks like we are in for a rough landing." The radio cut off as Bruce and Josh turned to the rest of their group. "You heard the man. Strap in tight. We are going down." Lin, as usual, merely smiled. "This is gonna be just like one of those rides they used to have down in the Junkyards." Jessica looked over at him as she strapped herself in. She seemed dumbfounded. "Nothing gets to you does it?" To her great disgust Lin blew her a kiss. "Only you babe." Vishka had remained silent most of the trip. The occupants of the second craft were none too trusting of him, at least not yet. Even after reducing the group's wounds to little more than sore scars they were still wary of him. He supposed he could not blame them. Vishka's time among them had been most enlightening. "I will do what I can to reduce the impact. We will all survive...I think." The two craft began to shutter and quake as the last of the fuel was exhausted and the engines began to die off one by one. Jack slammed on the transmitter and opened the ship's comms to all channels. "Attention anyone! This is Jack Cyrus of the Sanctuary City-Bunker. I have the Disk. I'm not sure where we are, but we are going down fast. We need help. Someone. Please." "Jack get back here and buckle up!" shouted V. ---------------------------------------------------------------- New Dawn Settlement Lord North practically sprinted through the halls of the Ministry of Defense, his heavy Odin Combat armor thudding heavily on the ground. When he had first received the urgent message from Oliver, he knew it was serious. Very rarely was a Lord ever called into the Ministry short of a full-scale invasion. The armored guards pulled the doors aside as North stormed through. Oliver Ward spun around in his chair and pushed him glasses up onto his nose. "Lord North...thank you for coming so quickly." "Of course Oliver. What news?" Oliver ran a hand through his long brown hair. "As you know...Sanctuary was destroyed..." "Yes yes...and we lost the disc. I am aware of the situation. I'm a busy man Oliver. Please get to the point." Oliver cleared his throat. "Well uh...we just received contact from a group of survivors...and they have the disc." Lord North nearly fell over. "Why...that is great! Where are they now?" "That's the problem. I'll let you hear it for yourself." Oliver leaned over his control panel and pressed a series of buttons. The message began to play. "Attention... This is Ja... of the Sanctuary Ci...unker. I have...Disk. I'm not sure where...re, but we are...ng down fast. ...ed help. Someone. Please." The message stopped after that and the blood drained from North's face. "My God..." "I wasn't quite sure what to do my Lord. That is why I called you here. I didn't trust Blackmoore with this. The man gives me the shivers." North was silent for a long while, only stroking his small white mustache. "Well...we have to find them. I want a team assembled. Get whoever you can and have them meet me in my chambers at the House of Lords. I will take it from there. Keep it small though Oliver. You know we're spread thin." "Yes my Lord." ---------------------------------------------------------------- Cult of the Gate Marius burst out into mad laughter as the message came to its end. It seemed almost to good to be true. The disc had been saved and he knew exactly what needed to be done about that. "What have you found my servant?" came an eerie voice, spoken as if the words were unfamiliar to the mouth. "The Disc, my master. I have found it." "Good. You have pleased me." "I shall tell the men to retrieve it. I suspect you shall have it within the month." ---------------------------------------------------------------- A Week Later Somewhere in the British Wilderness... The survivors of the Sanctuary Incident were unused to the harsh conditions of the world as it had become. The surface was constantly wracked with harsh blizzards and winds that would cut a person to the bone. They had salvaged what they could and holed up in a small cave not far from the crash sight. None of them had been injured too badly. Few supplies had been salvaged from the ships. Warmth was hard to come buy, and food was nonexistent. They all knew if they stayed in the cave that they would die, but they also knew if they left they would do no better. They only hoped that someone had heard Jack's transmission. ---------------------------------------------------------------- New Dawn Settlement Ark Routledge, Sarafena Banks, Ean Credic, Landa, Jeos Nocturne, and John Jerkins had all received the call to Lord North's personal chambers. None truly knew the details behind it, but they all knew it had to be something big. Lords almost never called anyone into the House. --------------------------------------------------------------- Mission I(Survivors): Destitution *Describe the poor living conditions in the cave *Introduce your character's personalities Mission I(New Dawn): Situations *Introduce your characters in their daily life *Receive a message to meet with Lord North in the House of Lords *Interact with at least one NPC
Sarafena Blake entered her dorm as the alarm clock went off. She grinned at herself for being awake before the buzzer had gone off then flicked the alarm switch off. She wiped sweat from her forehead. She’d had a chance for a good workout this morning and she hadn’t waisted it. She stripped off her sweaty clothes and threw them at the wash basket before turning the shower on and stepping into it. She sighed as the warm water hit her back and stifled a yawn. Sarafena frowned as she heard a knock at the door. She cursed turning off the taps, their wasn’t a moment of peace and quiet in the barracks, even when you achieved having your own dorm. “Just a second,” she called out. The knock resounded and she rolled her eyes hurrying to dress in her uniform. She swung the door open and looked at the private who stood before her. “M…Mrs Blake, m‘am,” he said. “Well?” Sarafena asked as the man stumbled over himself. With a shaky hand he passed her an envelope. Sarafena dismissed him and shut the door rolling her eyes. The soldiers they were brining in these days left a lot to be desired. She opened the letter and placed the envelope on an oak hall stand that stood next to her door. “Well I‘ll be,” Sarafena said putting the letter down. She’d been asked to get to lord North’s private chambers as soon as possible. She took her coat and stepped out of the dorm closed the door she locked it and put her keys into her pocket. Her barracks were in the inner circle she’d have to get to the queens circle. She had only been once before. As a rule Sarafena hated going places where she didn’t know her place around. Being a pilot she was use to seeing everything from above, she preferred layouts and maps to the real deal.
He was cold. And hungry. And tired. All in, he was feeling pretty damn miserable. But Joshua knew that if he started about it again, the others would rebuke him for it, again. They had been in the cave for the better part of a week now, or at least, he thought it was a week. It was sort of hard to tell when daytime started, since it did never truly get any lighter. Just another shade of grey. He shivered violently and hugged his black gun case tighter, as if the large black box would somehow keep him warm. In it, he had his father’s modified MN-800, an MN-Sa, two clips of ammunition and, most importantly, the two black folders that held information about two military bank accounts. His ticket to an easier life. Assuming he would actually survive this cave. Yet even though he was cold, hungry and miserable, he was alive. They had made it out of Sanctuary, and Vishka had fixed up the hole in his abdomen, leaving only a small scar that made it look as if he had had an appendicectomy. No its, no pain. Just very cold and very hungry. Part of him wanted to tell him that he had to stop whining about it. No one else was truly complaining, although now and then someone would comment or something. But then again, Joshua was the weakest one here; he wasn’t a soldier, like Jess and Jack, nor was he confident by nature, like V, Zefie, Lin and Bruce. He was just Joshua. He was the guy who couldn’t hit one of Them from five feet away, even when wielding the modified MN-800. But now, he was happy he had missed; he had been aiming for Vishka, the They that had apparently broken lose from his kind and had been of tremendous help, saving not only Joshua but also Zefie and possibly V. But in the end it hadn’t been the armoured beast that had saved them; it had been Dre. Joshua could no longer restrain himself and broke the silence. “What is taking them so long to find us?” It sounded pathetic, but he was sure it was the question that was on everyone’s mind.
Jess sat with her back against the cave wall near the entrance, on self-apointed guard duty. She watched the delicate flakes of snow swirl past with interest. Even after a week she found that she could stare at the snow without getting bored. The Sanctuary Bunker had been protected from the world and weather was a new experience. If it hadn’t been so cold and the others so miserable she might have suggested that they go for a walk. Except for Viskta. He made the hairs on the back of her neck prickle. She reached out a hand and caught one of the snowflakes on her fingertip. It slowly melted and she watched it turn into a small droplet of water before licking it off her finger. It tasted strange. She returned her hands to her pockets, keeping them warm in case she had to shoot something. “What is taking them so long to find us?” Josh asked. He sat nearby, hugging the gun case like it was a teddy bear. “Maybe they can’t see us,” she suggested, looking at the veil of snow.
The loud drone of an alarm clock woke Ark from his light sleep. He looked at the display and hit the button to make it stop. Six in the morning. Everyone always had something to say about his sleeping habits or rather the lack of it. They didn't understand. No one could. He'd spent enough of his life bed ridden and saw no reason to spend any more than necessary sleeping. As long as he could function that was good enough for him. He pushed back the covers and rose to his feet and headed for the bathroom opening the cabinet and pulled out a small leather case. Flipping it open and taking out a plastic syringe with a short needle. He stabbed it into his bicep and pressed it down fully counting to five in his head making sure the contents was fully administered. His body tensed as he did it. God he hated having to do this but it was worth it. The obscure mixture of steroids and antibiotics began to course its way round his body breathing life into his muscles, keeping them alive, safe from decay. He closed the case and returned it and disposed of the syringe. He slipped his tracksuit and tank top on and picked up his identification card before putting some headphones in and assaulting his ears with music that was far too loud. A quick jog brought him to the armoury where he could begin his morning work out routine in the gym before getting to work. The gym was like his second home, some of his core joked that it was his first and any new recruits that saw him could instantly understand why thanks to his build. 5000 metres on the rowing machine followed by weights. It was how he woke up in the morning. He grunted as he picked up two of the dumbbells off the rack and found himself a bench. It was easy to do so at this time, despite the fact he was in the armoury few seemed to take to an early morning work out. "Routledge?" He looked up to see a man enter the gym, he looked out of place, weedy and not dressed appropriately for the place. Clearly he was here for another purpose. "Yes?" The man crossed the room and produced a letter from one of his pockets. "Sorry to bother you here, I was under orders to deliver this in person to ensure you received it. I heard I would find you here." he handed over the letter and Ark tore it open skim reading the contents before realising the seriousness and reading it more thoroughly. He'd never had a request to go to a lord’s house and clearly it was urgent. He'd finish his set, shower and then head off. He didn't bother to acknowledge the man that had delivered the letter he stood there awkwardly for a moment before deciding to depart with a nod to Ark.
V huddled with the rest of the group inside the cave. Jess was out of sight at the entrance, on the other side of some seats that Vishka had ripped from their mountings and set as a windbreak of sorts. Also from the flying machines the group had two coats, one was lighter, only a jacket, really. Two coats amongst so many was awkward. The one on watch would wear one while the rest of the group stayed together in a tight huddle, holding the remaining coat around those on the doorward side like a blanket. It didn’t work well but they hadn’t frozen yet. Sleeping was mostly done in the same position as when they were awake, packed against each other like sardines. In spite of the fact that Jack was pressed against one side of V and Dre against the other as they shared what body heat there was, Jack had withdrawn. He was with the group but had shut them out, even V. She guessed that it had to do with meeting a problem he couldn’t solve or maybe, as the rest of them felt, a little bit of shock at being out of the familiar bunker. V had tried to talk to Jack and he’d been polite, his voice gentle, but it was like he wasn’t really there. Or she wasn’t. And it hurt. So for now V simply huddled with them, hungry and wishing that there was some way to start a fire. Vishka had searched, as he didn’t seem to mind the cold as the humans did, but found little. They were able to have a fire a few times during the past week but not for very long. It had been a trial to start one and Vishka helped with that, too. Having lived in the bunker of Sanctuary all of their lives the group was more familiar with buttons and switches than fuel and fire. “What is taking them so long to find us?” Josh asked. He sat nearby, hugging the gun case like it was a teddy bear. “Maybe they can’t see us,” Jess suggested, her voice floating over the windbreak made of ship seats. “They’ll come,” V said, trying to believe it as Dre’s head rested on her shoulder as he dozed, “surely they’ll come.” She just hoped that whoever came for them was someone they actually wanted to see.
Bruce needed some light to see what he was doing with the Rail Gun. The cave wasn't much of a place to do some heavy duty maintenance work but he at least needed light. His survival of the Sanctuary gave him a different sense of worth and bravery. Ever though he tried but didn't do too much. He escaped with his life and made the rest of his chance with Zeffie slim. He then scanned the cave looking for Zeffie.
Landa was sitting on a chair in front of his desk. He was imputing charts from todays patients and placing them into his records. He was already morning and it was already busy. Landa didn't know where all these injured soldiers were coming from, nor did he care. His job was to make them healthy and that was all. Of course it just wasn't him on duty, that would be tiresome and people would die. A guy by the name of Dr. Forester was working around today. He wasn't even a personal of the medical team at this military base. He just worked at a hospital somewhere. But he had his credits so Landa expected him to know what he was doing. Forester walked over to him. "Chief it's been peaceful today," Forester said. "Don't ever say it's peaceful, at any moment you space you out someone is going to die," Landa said, "But that's how I put it Forester, so I will do a good job." As Landa reached for a pen he noticed Forester watching him. He hated that, when guys just up and notice he has a very small body. He looks like a girl, he's beautiful. "Hey chief," said one of the soldiers heading in a with a bag filled with letters. Most of them would be letters from people's children or wives, if they even were still alive. Landa stared at the soldier, he never had a wife nor a girlfriend. Like he could get a girlfriend, he looked better then any of the female. "You got a letter," the soldier said. "From whom?" Landa said. "It just says the Assistant," "Just hand it," Landa stretched out his hand and the soldier handed him the letter. Landa carefully opened it, to make sure he didn't rip the contents inside or the envelope, just in case it was a hoax. Landa unfolded the paper and stared at it baffled. "You have been invited to the Lord North's private chambers," Landa whispered. Those words stayed stuck in his mouth when he realized Foresters glance again. "Besides Forester aren't you married," Landa said. That made him avert his gaze and Landa could continue staring at the letter in disbelief. Someone was playing a joke on him, it had to be a joke. It just had to.
Lin slept a good portion of the time he was stuck in the cave. It was fairly dark at all times, and cold as hell. Well, you get the picture. This particular time, he was dreaming. Actually, it was a nightmare. He could recall the horror so vividly, as if it just happened. After all, it was about a week ago. His body fidgeted, tossing and turning. He was fighting the monster in his dreams. His body shook a little wilder and finally he woke up, panting. "Snake steak!!!" He looked around and saw his... friends? Well, after what they've been through, he would never consider them enemies. Their energy as a collective was low, and Lin could feel it. As he tried to get up, he had to wrestle Zefie's elbow from his throat. She was strong even in her sleep. After he finally rolled her over, he cleared his throat and saw V and Jack were awake with Dre knocked out on V's other side. He got to his feet, stretching and rubbing his sore shoulders. "Where's Jess?" he asked V. "Outside guarding. Lin... don't go bothering her." Lin smiled at her. "Yes, mommy, I'll be on my best behavior," he said with a wink. He was being honest. He reached Jess, and after a peek, he rolled into curious Lin. "You know, babe, I think what you're doing is wonderful. But to be completely honest, I just can't see anybody wanting to come in here."
