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- Dec 25, 2020
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It's been three years since the ‘Xenians’ invaded. Much has happened since.
The storm has made most of the United States entirely unlivable, and a massive storm is battering the central United States, leaving the West and East coasts as the only remaining habitable areas in the US.
The government has established safe zones within cities on the East and West coasts with assistance from civil militias and the US military. These cities remain relatively safe from the wild Xenians beyond the city limits, though day-to-day life is still very much a struggle.
The remaining cities are vastly overpopulated due to the influx of refugees coming from the now uninhabitable sections of the United States. As a result, resources are very scarce, and many individuals go unfed or even unhoused.
Within New York, attempts to remedy this issue are underway. The government has begun calling upon the support of civilian militias to assist the military in expanding the habitable portions of the city through the creation of new settlements in previously Xenian-dominated portions of the city.
For one reason or another, you have agreed to assist in the creation of a new settlement within the previously Xenian-infested metro system of New York City.
It's a dangerous job, but it might be your best bet at survival.
For those returning from the ‘Malefactors’ event…
You managed to safely travel to New York, while a few of the inmates were knocked overboard during the trip, you managed to make it to Manhattan intact.
Following the invasion, the military was spread thin trying to protect everyone who had fled to the east coast. To remedy this, the government authorized the creation of civilian militias, allowing volunteers to take up arms to protect the country. If you were a prison guard, your experience would likely earn you a position as a Guard by this point in time.
After returning to the city, prison inmates were taken back into custody. Recently, certain inmates have been offered the chance for a lighter sentence should they assist in the reclaimation of New York's Underground metro system. If you were an inmate, you’d likely find yourself working as a Settler of some sort within the settlement.
For those returning from the ‘Necropolis’ event…
The ship you and the others escaped on brought you to Providence, Rhode Island.
The surviving residents of Providence had established a safe zone within the city with the help of the local police and military. Upon arrival, you remained there for the next three years (unless your character would have gone somewhere else during this time, they might have even returned to New York shortly after getting to Providence, thats up to you).
Regardless, after three years, the Providence settlement was vastly overpopulated and undersupplied, and the situation only worsened to the point where the leaders of the Providence settlement reached out to other cities for aid.
The government of New York offered to house a number of Providence settlers in exchange for their help in establishing new safe zones in previously Xenian-infested sections of New York City.
You have been offered the chance of taking up this job; you would be housed, and you'd likely be fed more often than you are now, but you'd be on the front lines.
This job might be your best chance at survival.
If you survived the previous event, you are most likely a settler of some sort, but if you have a police or military background, you might be a guard.
Keep in mind, you won’t keep any items from the previous events, but you will keep any skills or stats you obtained during those events.
Important Information:
This is a three-day-long event set in New York's underground metro system, three years after the Resonance Cascade threw the world into chaos.
The Combine has *not* taken over yet; the US military is still in charge.
You bring your character from the Malefactors or Necropolis event over to this event, just pick a role that fits the character, and apply.
Role Information:
Total slots - 0/25 + Workers
Militia Guards - 0/9
Following the invasion, the US Military was spread thin attempting to protect the surviving populations within the cities.
To remedy this, the government authorized civilians to form armed militias to protect settlements across the City from the Xenian threat.
Typically, these militias are made up of anyone willing to take up arms to defend the country. Individuals with firearms training are typically guards within these militias (such as police officers, correctional officers, security guards, military veterans, or even regular civilians with experience handling weapons).
The Militia can't arm everyone, so individuals with experience or training are prioritized for the job.
If you are serving as a guard, you likely come from one of the previously mentioned backgrounds; otherwise, you'd likely be working as a settler within the Militia.
Bear in mind that the Constitution is still in place, and the Second Amendment still exists, so civilians are allowed to carry weapons. You aren't the Combine.
Militia Captain - 0/1
You are the captain of the militia overseeing the underground settlement. Work hand in hand with the Settlements leader to ensure the settlement prospers.
While the settlement leader is responsible for managing the settlement, you should try to assist them in running the settlement. You are essentially the "Vice-President" of the militia, while the "President" is the Settlement Leader.
Be sure to manage the guards below you, make sure they are doing their jobs and not slacking off.
Role Specific Question:
How did your character end up in this position? Are they in the military? The NYPD? Were they a correctional officer from the Malefactors event?
Do you understand that this role will come with quite a bit of responsibility?
While the settlement leader is responsible for managing the settlement, you should try to assist them in running the settlement. You are essentially the "Vice-President" of the militia, while the "President" is the Settlement Leader.
Be sure to manage the guards below you, make sure they are doing their jobs and not slacking off.
Role Specific Question:
How did your character end up in this position? Are they in the military? The NYPD? Were they a correctional officer from the Malefactors event?
Do you understand that this role will come with quite a bit of responsibility?
Militia Lieutenant - 0/2
You are one of two militia liutenants assigned to guard the underground settlement. Take orders from your captain, give orders to the guards below you. Keep the settlement safe from the monsters in the underground.
If the captain is killed or is unable to perform their duty, you will be the ones left in charge of the guards.
If the captain is killed or is unable to perform their duty, you will be the ones left in charge of the guards.
Miltita Guard - 0/6
You are a basic guard assigned to protect the underground settlement. Take orders from your captain and the liutenants above you. Keep the settlement safe from the monsters in the underground.
Militia Settlers - 0/10
There are infinite slots for basic workers.
You have volunteered to assist in the creation of a new settlement in New York City.
While the military isn't able to directly support your effort, they have endorsed the creation of a militia
Settlement Leader - 0/1
You are the leader of a small militia in New York City. While not directly supported by them, your efforts are endorsed by the US government. You must ensure the settlement you are constructing prospers. Make sure everyone is doing their job; if your settlement fails, you and everyone else will likely starve. There isn't anywhere else for you to live if this place fails
The basic parts of the settlement have been constructed already, you just need to make sure everyones needs are met.
You have complete say over what laws you enforce within the settlement, though you should ideally communicate with the militia guards about your ideas; the Captain of the guards is essentially your "Vice-President", so working with them would be a wise choice. The main thing you should decide is how you want to deal with any aliens you come across.
Role Specific Questions:
How would your character have ended up with this job? Were they a politician? Did they pay someone off? Were they picked for the job because of their skill?
The basic parts of the settlement have been constructed already, you just need to make sure everyones needs are met.
You have complete say over what laws you enforce within the settlement, though you should ideally communicate with the militia guards about your ideas; the Captain of the guards is essentially your "Vice-President", so working with them would be a wise choice. The main thing you should decide is how you want to deal with any aliens you come across.
Role Specific Questions:
How would your character have ended up with this job? Were they a politician? Did they pay someone off? Were they picked for the job because of their skill?
Bartender - 0/1
You have managed to set up a bar within your local settlement. You cook food and brew improvised alcohol out of whatever the scavengers can find in the underground. You might not have enough to supply everyone with the food and booze they want, so you’ll need to work with the farmers and gatherers to get the supplies you need to brew your drinks.
Seeing as physical goods are now more valuable than currency, bartering with other settlers would be the best way to run your business.
Seeing as physical goods are now more valuable than currency, bartering with other settlers would be the best way to run your business.
Farmer - 0/2
You operate a hydroponic bay within the settlement, it is *by no means* large enough to feed everyone in the settlement. You will need to decide who you give your crops to, but no matter what, somebody will go unfed.
Priest - 0/1
Things look bleak right now, and people need hope. It is your job to give it to them. You’ve managed to build a makeshift “church” in which you can bring those in need of spiritual or moral guidance. You can host private confessions or public gatherings with the residents of the settlement to inspire them.
Not everyone may be of the same faith as you, but you should still try to give them hope regardless.
You earn money through donations, or you can partake in scavenging missions yourself to make ends meet.
Not everyone may be of the same faith as you, but you should still try to give them hope regardless.
You earn money through donations, or you can partake in scavenging missions yourself to make ends meet.
Doctors - 0/3
You are a doctor within the settlement, and you had some sort of medical experience before everything went to hell. You are tasked with helping the sick and injured. You don’t have enough supplies to help everyone, so you’ll need to pick and choose who you think is deserving of your valuable medical supplies.
Engineer - 0/2
You are an engineer within the settlement, and you have some sort of experience with engineering or mechanics. Your job is to handle repairs in the settlement, create fortifications where needed, and craft goods for the settlement.
Worker - 0/∞
You live within the underground settlement, and you don’t have any sort of specialized job; instead, you make a living by performing various miscellaneous tasks around the camp.
The most common job you are assigned is scavenging duty, a task in which you are provided with some basic equipment and you are sent out of the settlement to explore the underground, collecting anything of value before returning it to the camp.
The most common job you are assigned is scavenging duty, a task in which you are provided with some basic equipment and you are sent out of the settlement to explore the underground, collecting anything of value before returning it to the camp.
Vortigaunts - 0/3
It has been three years since you arrived in this world.
Hostilities still exist between your kind and the humans; many still blame you for the destruction caused by the Resonance Cascade. Countless human lives were lost during your arrival, and the lives of any remaining humans have been irreversibly changed for the worse as a result of the Cascade.
Your kin still aren't legally allowed within human civilization, and the military and certain civilian militias might still persecute you if you attempt to enter the city proper. Despite this, a few humans have shown themselves to be capable of reason; perhaps there is hope for peace after all.
You currently live in the underground Metro system of New York. For the past three years, humans have entirely avoided this area due to the Xenians present within it. However, humans have recently begun to expand into the area. It won't be your home for much longer.
Your reasons for living here are your own; perhaps you live near the humans in hopes of negotiating with them, perhaps you only live in the sewers temporarily to hunt the creatures hiding in the depths, intending to return to your tribe outside the city later, once you finish your hunt.
Vortigaunt - 0/3
You are a Vortigaunt living in the infested section of New York's underground metro system. You live close to human civilization, your reasons for being here are your own, perhaps you hope to negotiate with the humans here, perhaps you are only here to hunt for food for your tribe outside the city.
You know the basics of the English language, but you cannot speak it fluently. You have been learning the language from an Irish human whom two of your kin saved from certain death in the days following the invasion.
This human, "Rory O'Lowry", has lived among your people in the years following the Cascade, and is one of the few humans that have shown themselves to be capable of reason; perhaps he could help ensure peace between your kin and the other humans.
Role Specific Question:
What age is your Vortigaunt? (Anything below Elder should be fine)
Do you have the Vortigaunt whitelist on the main server? (You cannot play this role if you don't have it on main)
You know the basics of the English language, but you cannot speak it fluently. You have been learning the language from an Irish human whom two of your kin saved from certain death in the days following the invasion.
This human, "Rory O'Lowry", has lived among your people in the years following the Cascade, and is one of the few humans that have shown themselves to be capable of reason; perhaps he could help ensure peace between your kin and the other humans.
Role Specific Question:
What age is your Vortigaunt? (Anything below Elder should be fine)
Do you have the Vortigaunt whitelist on the main server? (You cannot play this role if you don't have it on main)
Game Masters - 0/∞
This isn't an event that can be GMed by a single person; we need help from Event Team members and Short Stories Event runners in order to make this event fun for everyone.
If you are interested in helping GM the event, just let me know by writing your name below; you don't have to fill out a big application.
This just helps me get an idea of how much GM support we'll have for the event.
What is this event?
This event is the third in a series of prequel events for the 'Dark Interval' Mega-Event.
If you missed the first and second events in the series, don't worry about it, each part is meant to be pretty standalone, so you aren't missing any big overarching plot.
If you survive, you'll be able to use the character in the mega-event.
This is the final prequel in a three part series, information about the previous two events can be found below:
https://willard.network/forums/threads/announcement-dark-interval-prologue.14635/
When is the event?
The Event will start on the 27th of June and will end on the 29th of June, making it three days long, starting on a friday and ending on sunday.
The event will start at 8-9 PM BST (may be subject to change if people can't make that time)
Application Format:
Please follow the format exactly, and make sure the information is accurate (namely, the Discord tag). Also, join the Short Stories discord server so we can communicate with you about the event: https://discord.gg/9KGTFmrk
OOC:
Steam Name:
Discord tag:
(Optional) Timezone:
(Optional) Does the currently listed start time for the event work for you? (8-9 PM BST) If not, what time would work better?
Have you joined the Short Stories Discord?
IC:
Role:
Character name:
Character age:
Backstory: (Doesn't need to be very long)
Role-specific question(s) (if applicable):
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