The first thing people tend to notice about Jasper are the scars on his hands and arms, little lumps and bumps from scratches and splinters over the years of logging. Jasper is 5'10" at his highest, maybe taller with work boots on though he'd never measured for sure. It is often likely that Jasper will not shave for weeks before finally trimming down to stubble. If Jasper lived in a more urban setting, people would probably think he was a bland hipster, wearing worn flannel shirts and jeans and even a work harness when out on the lumber yard.
Age
22
Occupation
Logger
Background
Jasper was born in Bremner city to logger parents. Though the plural is short lived as his father died when he was a child. Since then he has moved around Oregon and Washington with his mother, going from one lumber yard to another. Jasper grew up respecting the need to go to school from his mother, though relishing the opportunity to be out in the forests. He learnt how to pick and spot trees and how to cut them down at the same age he was learning times tables and proper english. The other lumberjacks around him taught him skills and pursuits like fishing and trapping. Whilest also nurturing centuries old knowledge of forestry and living out in the woods. In the same nights that he'd write essays, he'd also clean equipment hang out with his mother's work colleagues. Eventually he graduated from high school before moving down to Baptiste Valley with his mother. This time legally old enough to actually work with the loggers in his yard, up in the Karl Hills Wilderness. Then the summer of 2016 came and less and less people started showing up for work. It was because of being short of hands at work that his mother was fatally injured at work and when no ambulence came, she died in their cabin. No one turned up to work from then on. It was a few days and the ashing pandemic was shaking the world. Jasper would make trips down the slopes to the edge of Atherstone and McKinley Pass, only to quickly retreat back up. Recently, in his latest expedites, Jasper has noticed less people. Except for two people down in the Asisko State Park, though only watching from a distance for now.
Skills and Talents
Lumberjack: Jasper can cut down a tree, with a saw or an axe, industrial or manual. He could tell you which trees are better for which kind of lumber and he's got a practical knowledge of the woods of the Pacific Northwest.
Angler: Jasper knows how to catch fish, he knows what times of year are better for which fish. He knows how to prepare his fishing equipment and to prepare the fish once he's caught them.
History Buff: Jasper excelled in few subjects at school, but history was certainly his best of them. If you wanna talk about any time period or civilization or peoples of the past, Jasper has an almost encyclopedic knowledge of both american and world history.
Weaknesses and Faults
Can't Drive: Jasper never learnt how to drive. He'd been in cars and is familiar with them, but Jasper never really learnt how to drive one.
Limited gun experience: Jasper has been taught how to use a revolver, though never really anything bigger than that. Nor does he grasp how to actually clean or maintain any handgun he'd get his hands on. What he can't shoot at, Jasper would probably just try to get close with an axe instead.
Personality
Jasper Deckard is a quiet though outgoing kinda guy. He's got a level head in most situations and could be considered calm, although he can get too calm if a situation doesn't seem immediately dangerous. Jasper enjoys quiet moments in the woods and has little to no experience of major cities and the times he did he found rather unnerving. The ashing pandemic has isolated him from people for a while, though like any group of new people he meets, he's very quiet and cautious. Given time though and he'll warm up to them in no time.
Lan is pretty much your average young adult of ordinary awkwardness. He's a slightly tanned Caucasian who's used to looking down to most people from a height of 6'0. He usually sports baggy clothing that gives him somewhat of a lanky and awkward appearance, despite being more than moderately in shape. He doesn't bother to brush his wild mange of medium brown hair he seriously prefers to keep smothered beneath a knit cap.
His features are rather prominent though his mother always told him he just hasn't grown into them yet; Ears that are just a little too pronounced, a nose that's just a tad too bulbous, eyebrows that are just a bit too thick. Paired with a dull jawline and a bored look in his eye, most people take him to be a little slow at first. Especially since his posture is terrible and he seems to be in a constant hunch.
Background:
Lan hasn't been a part of Baptiste River Valley for long, having just recently move in a year prior, just in time to finish school. Originally from the southwestern edge of the United States, the sprawling forest and farmland was a nice change of pace from the desert wilderness. His Father, Dalton Peddle, had accepted a job opportunity in the growing valley community, one that paid adequately well. The move didn't bother Lan much, never one for many friends anyways, let alone a love life.
Land's father was a Game Warden, or specifically titled a Conservation Officer, and had been since Lan was little. His mother always said that's where Lan got his love of the outdoors. Despite the fact that his mother, Wauna Peddle, decends from a tribe of Northern Californian Indian known as the Miwok. Somewhere between ventures with his father and learning about his mother's culture, Lan found himself disconnected from those around him.
Which in turn lead to something of an awkward school life at best, Somewhere between loner and outcast. Baptiste Valley proved to be no different, especially being the new kid so late in the year. Lan rarely took up invitations to hang out, and has never been to any of those wild parties most teens dream about. He'd much rather spend his evenings hiking the trails and his weekends camping out beneath the stars.
Since he was old enough to draw back the string, Lan's always found an interest in the bow. Both of his partners being survivalists, though of different calibers, Lan's learned a lot of different techniques from modern survivalism, to ancient Mowikan practices, including how to fashion his own rudimentary bow and arrows. Admittedly he's picked up a lot of skills from his mother, from archery to herbs and poultices, foraging, and the like. Lan never quite gained an interest with firearms, much to his father's dismay. However, to become a Conservation Officer Lan not only had to take training for them, he's also required to carry one. At best, he feels comfortable with a pistol.
Most of the practical skills he picked up from his father, other than learning about life and being a man, involved late evenings of woodworking. Lan's comfortable in a shop, and knows how to use the tools from helping his father fashion wooden constructs. It was something of a hobby that got passed down to him, at first Lan wasn't big on it, but eventually completing odd jobs for the community and helping renovate a few homes here and there it grew on Lan as a side passion. Alternatively it helped bolster his carving skills, especially when it came to fashioning shelters and tools on longer camping expeditions.
A few months before everything really took a turn for the worst, Lan was living the life he'd always dreamed of having. Following his father's footsteps in becoming a Game Warden, traversing and living among everything the outdoors had to offer. Early in the year he even managed to place first in a small archery competition, and was looking forward to participating in the regional event.
Lan and father had been somewhat disconnected from the pandemic sweeping through their lonely little valley. Sure, they'd heard of the reports and rumors, but they were deep in the wilderness when it seemed things began to breakdown. They had been hot on the trail of a group staked out somewhere in the Vand Wilderness, some miles south of the Addisson Salt Mine, following up on reports of illegal off-season hunting.
It wasn't unusual for them to disappear on long trips like this, especially over summer breaks from school. Now that he was fresh out of the academy, it had been something he and his father had been looking forward to. Chasing down a band of criminals was just an added dash of excitement. Their real purpose was to locate, report, and let the actually police force handle it.
However, plans went astray when the found a campsite containing only bodies, curled in the death throws of what must have been immense pain. That very same evening, Dalton's "Cold" and "Allergies" seemed to be showing symptoms of something much worse. It struck Lan as surreal, watching his Father uncontrollably switch from violently hacking out puffs of blackish powder, to vomiting his earlier meal. It was that kind of thing people always told themselves, when something affected the world you always told yourself that it was far away. It could never happen to you.
Lan cried harder than he had in years that night, beneath the twinkling stars, his body hovering over the freshly turned earth of his father's grave.
Skills and Talents: Nature Boy: Between his parent's teachings growing up, and official training at the Conservation Officer Academy, Lan has an immense understanding of how to rough it in the wilderness. This skill extends from crafting shelter, foraging, hunting, tracking, a bit of modern herbalism, and so forth. This also includes skills for fashioning tools and traps.
Apprentice Woodsmith: By no means a professional crafter, Lan does have a decent talent when it comes to working with wood. Years of refurbishing furniture, small remolding projects, and crafting things from scratch has given him enough experience to be good at this craft, if not a little better. This has also helped him when it comes to rudimentary tool making out in the wild.
Man of the Hunt: Much of his wilderness skill-set comes from the passion of hunting. Though his mother has taught him to respect the life he takes, Lan has always enjoyed the thrill of the hunt. This has made him proficient in various styles of bow use, though he is best with a compound. He's wise in the ways of stalking his prey, masking his scent, and moving like a wraith. He's light on his feet, fast enough to chase, but also patient enough to wait. Additionally he knows how to properly utilize most game to the fullest. On a minor note, because of his profession, he knows how to use a firearms despite not being very good with them at all. He's most comfortable with a pistol, and that's to say, just barely.
Wise Man: Probably a trait instilled into him from his mother, Lan is pretty good when it comes to critical thought and strategizing. He knows how to think ahead, and prepare for the worst in most cases. A lot of his medicinal practise comes from teachings from his mother, those of the Mowik Medicine Men of old. Like those same men from his mother's stories, Lan knows how to buckle down and remain stalwart in tough situations. Sometimes the best choice is a tough choice to make, and doesn't leave a lot of room for debate.
Weaknesses and Faults: Wildman: Since Lan is so heavily involved in isolated nature ventures, and working at home with his family, he has very little practical experience when it comes to the normal social world. He's missed out on a lot of social norms and trends, and quite a bit of human interaction. He's not exactly a people person, and his conflict resolution skills are probably sub-par at best. Social skills are definitely one of his weak points.
Technobabble: Because he's rooted so firmly in the natural elements, Lan's understanding of modern technology is pretty poor. He knows how to work a phone for the most part, but was never one to sit down at a computer or gaming console. He doesn't really know any other trade skills, including the maintenance of his own vehicle. He's probably changed a tire maybe twice in his life, let alone the oil. If It's not related to the outdoors, or crafting wood, it's unlikely he has anything more than basic understanding.
Lone Wolf: Lan is best when working alone, with the exception of his father. He never really trusts or relies on anybody else, and at times suspicion will get the better of him. He's kind, and cares about other people, but he's always been taught to look out for "Numero Uno".
Weapon of Choice: When it comes to weapons Lan is really only good with one thing, his bows. He's decent with a pistol, despite how uncomfortable he is using it, and could probably wield a knife with adequate potential. He's also scrappy, though mainly because he's nimble. Otherwise, he's got no real potential outside of archery. Using a gun makes him uneasy, and he's a poor shot anyways. He's not exactly very strong, so when it comes down to a brawl he's pretty dependent on a lucky shot. Any other weapon is probably better in anybody's hands rather than his.
Apathetic Duress: Like many people his age, Lan tries to remain stoic through any and all hardships. He bottles up his emotions and tucks them away in a deep dark place, feigning apathy over feeling negative emotions. And like most people who do this, Lan has a breaking point. It could simply be the buildup of emotional stress, or perhaps a random trigger, but eventually all walls crack and crumble.
Personality:
Lan isn't much at a first glance. He's knowledgeable in his respective areas, but because he's so disconnected from society he tends to be rather quiet and soft spoken. He's pretty bad at social cues, and is prone to speaking absentmindedly without too much thought. Some would call him abrasive, saying things in a forward manner, but in reality he's more than likely talking to himself, speaking his mind of a sorts.
Emotionally he's rather calm, and takes the hits as they come. He's good at focusing on an objective, and isn't likely to quit without good reason. He's a driven individual, especially when it comes to himself, but also mild-mannered. He cares about people, despite how disconnected he feels around others.
Normally, Kiki looks like an angry ball of cotton candy. Her teased, curled up locks of hair stand out from her head and rest on her shoulders. Her dark makeup and plushy pink lips round out the look. Her skin is fair and she has no visible tattoos when wearing regularly fitting clothes. She is short, only about 5’2” but her thick boots boost her an inch. She’s thin, but not bony, weighing about 115lbs. Perhaps the reason that she dresses up her body so much is the fact that she is uncomfortable with it. Her torso is unproportionally long and adversely that makes her legs a bit shorter, adding to the effect that she is stubby. She’s learned to not care and just wear cute skirts instead.
After the fungus spread, however, her roots grew out. Her appearance wasn’t exactly a priority, and blending in was much more important than a sense of style. Her blonde hair rejoined the world and her clothes got simpler. Her shirts became more useful, her pockets multiplied, her heels got shorter. She also matured over this time, as it’s been a few years since she’s put away the pink dye. Her cheeks shaped more, her eyes became more serious, even her jaw looks sharper than the young Kiki that she sees herself as.
Age
19 July 1995 - Age 20
Occupation
Field Scientist
Background
Kiki is somewhat of a strange girl. She is an unnaturally smart person, hailing from the land of Sweden. After graduating high school at the age of 16 she attended university for four years, double majoring in biology and ecology/evolution/conservation (she was surprised that those three were considered one major, as well). During this time she was recruited as a field scientist and spent her last three summers in Africa a to work on an evolution project. Her sector mostly handled Zimbabwe and Botswana. At first, Kiki figured the Americans were freaking out over another tiny germ and didn’t put much thought into it, continuing with her studies in Africa. It wasn’t until the strange fungus was well-known that she had looked into it independently. She followed all of the scientific journals and studies about the strange bug and looked into their peculiarity. She was between projects and was left at her house to mull over the science behind it. It seemed to eat away at the organs and the fungus’ excrement wash dusty, like ashes. It was bizarre, like nothing she had heard of before. What strand of fungus did it evolve from? Was it man-made? The saddest part of it was the fact that the scientists would usually just begin to grasp the idea before disappearing. Either into some bunker or dying off, what she guessed was the latter. It took some time but finally the researchers found out that there was an age of immune subjects. Not everyone, but adolescents seemed to be the most likely to survive. Perhaps children were not strong enough and adults’ immune systems didn’t have the ability to make antibodies quickly enough? It was no more than four hours after this time frame was discovered that she got a call from a blocked number. It was the WHO, offering to fly her to the US and their team on the west coast to be part of their team. They had gathered budding scientists between the ages of seventeen and twenty-three, as they had the highest chances of survival. She was one of the highest-esteemed with the most background, even though she was at the upper end of the scale. They seemed desperate.
But, Kiki would never make it there. After her connecting flight from the JFK airport was canceled because lack of pilots, a bus driver was paid to ship the small crew in the most panic-inducing road trip known to man. It didn’t take long before their bus was looted, stolen, and a few members seriously injured. The young bus driver, only seventeen himself, couldn’t have done anything to prevent the stronger group of people in masks from ransacking them. With crushed hopes, they decided to press on alone. They got directions from strangers and hiked in the hot grasslands, somewhere past the appalachian mountains. So long as they were going west, they were satisfied. They got lifts by trading homemade medicines, medical aid, and trading their acidic solutions for reasons they weren’t going to ask about. After a fallout or two between the group, separation and even straight up kidnapping, Kiki ended up traveling alone. She had no clue where the others were or if they were headed the right way. Hell, she didn’t know if they were still wanting to help in the project, as it seemed to have already devastated the world. Was the research lab even open still? Had they given up? It had been months since she had landed in the US, they had probably pronounced her as missing or dead and moved on. Being the determined type, Kiki pressed on. Even if the lab was closed, she had a key card and passcode. She would work on it herself if she had to. Perhaps the thing that kept her going was her family back home. She looked down at a ragged photo. It had been folded and unfolded many times, white lines across its middle. Her mother, father, little sister, even that little brat of a brother looked back. The younger version of herself held a steeley glare, as if to say “Is that all you’ve got?” The trip had tested her willpower, that was for sure. If it wasn’t her safety, it was the hunger. If it wasn’t the hunger, it was the feeling of helplessness. She even considered stopping, setting up her own safehold. Her skills at making drugs alone would be enough to keep her afloat. People will always want to get high, especially if everyone they love is gone. She heard gravely wheels on the road. She didn’t usually walk in earshot of the highways, as raiders usually patrolled them but this didn’t sound like an SUV full of little shits. It was a bike, like not even a motorcycle. She could take on one person on a bike, so the risk was worth it. She jogged to the road, waving her arms around and the cyclist stopped, looking her over. “Look, I’ve got nothing,” he said simply, holding up his hands, “I’m just trying to get home,” “Where’s home?” she skipped the formalities, putting her hands on her hips. “Uh, Oregon. Buren county. You from around there?” he asked innocently. “No. Is it close to California?” he gave her a strange look. “Uh, relatively. California is pretty big though. You don’t know how close to California that Oregon is? Where are you from? I’d love to help but my mom is at home and she just sent me after some stuff. I’m just headed home. I’m not g-” “Is it closer to California than we are now?” she said impatiently, looking around suspiciously. “Well yeah, a lot closer. We’ll be in Buren in about two hours if we keep going South and then-” “South?” she said to herself, exasperated, “Where are we?” He looked a bit shocked, “Who are you?” She crossed her arms and gave him an intense glare, “Possibly the last person on this Earth that can save your mom, or the last one that gives a shit,” She got a ride to Buren county.
Skills and Talents
Researcher: Kiki is used to working with bacteria and fossils. Her extreme attention to detail can pick out things that others might not have seen. Piecing together small bits of information to get the bigger picture is what she does daily. She has a myriad of facts in her head about microbes and body parts.
Focus: Intense focus can get things done in a quick and efficient manner. Kiki can really hone in on what she needs to do to get something done, as well as having the patience to find small things. She will often notice small things that people do, like habits and faces. Focusing, though, can also happen to a fault (see obsessive).
Genius: As a loose definition, she’s a smart girl. She thinks about things in a different way and has no problem remembering things. She’s above average for her age, or any age really.
Confident: In whatever she does, Kiki is confident. Otherwise, she wouldn’t do it. She sees things in a matter-of-fact way and will lay it out on the table. She gets down to business, her business, and is sure-footed in her stance. Like most things, this can also be a fault (see stubborn).
Honesty: You don’t have to worry about her lying to you or deceiving you. She will tell you exactly what she means. Even if she speaks in a sort of enigma sometimes, it’s not to trick you but to rather get you to find your own means. Honesty can also be annoying to others, as she doesn’t really have a filter (see hard to like).
Weaknesses and Faults
Obsessive: When she is locked on to something, there should really be a “Do Not Disturb” sign on her back. She will spend hours, even days mulling over things and simply thinking about them. You can often find her speaking to herself softly when she’s in one of these moods. This obsessiveness carries over into some OCD-type behaviours, for example if something touches her hand in a certain way she has to touch it with her other hand in the same way and then both hands but opposite. She does everything in counts of four: breaths, steps, bites of food. It may be hard to tell by watching as she does it casually or works it into what she’s doing but she has these habits.
Stubborn: When she gets something in her head, it’s difficult to change her mind about it. She will refuse to see it in another light unless it’s brought to her by her own mind. Some may even see her as bossy.
Hard to like: From obsessing over things to spewing out things, many find it hard to like Kiki or even work with her. She’s going to take over a project and make it exactly how she wants it. People have many words for her: Crass, cynic, unbearable, overbearing. They may be true, but her talents are so obvious that it’s worth putting up with it to have her on your team.
Inexperienced: Not only is she bad with people skills, but other normal life skills. She has either been in college or in a research tent brushing fossils for the past four years, and before that was nearly solely education. There are a lot of things that she doesn't know about, partially from her age and partially from her detication to her passions, shutting out everything else.
Personality
Kiki doesn't give a f😸ck. Despite what people might think by her appearance, Kiki is an intelligent and successful human being. She graduated high school early and has earned marks toward being a scientist. She’s even a greenie, eating organic, recycling and is a fan of Green ideas. Green is the new pink. Pink is the new black. Besides studying, she enjoys quite a bit of music and art, which is how she came across her style. She could never choose if she wanted to be frilly and girly or black and moody so she chose both! She can both scoff with disgust and giggle like a schoolgirl without feeling out of character.
Age
17
Occupation
Student, McDonald's
Background
Wayne goes to high school and lives with his adoptive mother. He was adopted at the age of 8 after his foster parents were found abusing him. He now works at McDonald's to support his mother while still aiming for college. Most universities, however, have now shut down.
Skills and Talents
Farm Work: He has basic farm skills from working on the small farm. Chickens and some goats as well as a good-sized garden.
People Skills: Patient and generally kind, most people like Wayne. He was always the class clown and very popular, despite being a bit awkward. He's easy to get along with and is very forgiving.
Weaknesses and Faults
Trust Issues: After being through the wringer of the foster system, Wayne has big trust issues. If you give him a reason to hate you, he will hold that grudge forever.
Prone to Anger: Even though his mother taught him patience, he is still prone to outbursts when emotion takes a hold of him. He's learned to better control this now, though.
Reagan's hair holds natural yet brilliant shades of copper with golden tones throughout; while eyes hold a creamy jade hue. These vibrant signature colors pop on their own allowing her to nix outfits with bright shades. Fearing she'd look like the inside of a crayola carton she has cut color out of her wardrobe altogether over the years. She's fairly self conscious about being a red head which has lead to her fashion choices or lack thereof. Besides navel and ear piercings there is nothing peculiar or noteworthy about Reagan's body modifications. Anything other than that would have caused an ass whooping by her father.
Age
20
Occupation
Farm hand
Background
According to Reagan, life is like a country song. Nimble fingers used to play violin while her sweet voice sang heartfelt lyrics about growing up on a busy farm, dealing with heartbreak, and spending time with her loving family. Born a twin into a family of six and the only girl among the flock excluding her mother. The Harper's raised their rambunctious children while also managing to home school them on one of the largest farms in Idaho. The 11th largest to be exact.
From this lifestyle Reagan learned discipline along with a bundle of skills and freedom. Time on the farm would be spent tending to three types of crops and raising cattle. Pastimes included rigorous hunting with her father and brothers. Although not afraid to get dirty and play in the mud she also enjoyed keeping both feet on dry land as well. Mrs. Harper taught Reagan that having a 'girly' side was perfectly acceptable too. Her mother was the most elegant woman she knew and she aimed to become just like her.
Naturally her twin brother Roth and her became bestfriends over the years. She was often teased for having red hair though Roth never was. An air of confidence surrounded him his whole life and it always lured people. Fortunately, Roth's self-reliance eventually passed to Reagan. Not many were attracted to her until she learned this characteristic. It was thanks to him she learned her social ways and became popular with the locals.
Many nights the duo would run away from home to gather with friends. Reagan enjoyed these non complex moments in life best. Lounging about on a rotted deck overlooking a sparkling river, drinking lukewarm beers her older friends would legally purchase, and gaze at the moon-time well spent. Nothing fancy was needed to make this simple country girl happy. Many teenagers were so angst driven and loathed life except Reagan. Everyday she felt a happiness and freedom most people her age never experienced. Even though the good times were fleeting she had experienced a fulfilling life.
A few years later Roth set off to Oregon to make his dream come true. His knowledge of car mechanics would pay the bills while scouted for band mates. Although they had planned to start this project together, Reagan could not leave her ailing father's side. Before his departure Roth and Reagan exchanged custom gifts for their birthday. A violin for Reagan and a guitar for Roth with matching designs-an item she never parts with.
A nightmare soon set in on the Harper farm. Not one month went by without a tragedy. Mr. and Mrs. Harper passed from drinking contaminated cow$s milk. Ethan and Travis, her last remaining family in Idaho left one afternoon to help with a neighboring crop wild fire-only to never return. When the flames settled a search went underway only turning up a number of unrecognizably scorched bodies.
Life became isolating on the farm with no one to keep her company. What animals not torn apart from ravenous wolves ended up turning on her from infection. This left her with no other choice but to end their lives. It was a day she would never forget. Each hour dragged on as she emptied 22. caliber rounds into cattle she had known nearly all her life. Having to put down the once loyal family hunting dogs pushed Reagan over the edge however, and caused her to turn the gun on herself.
By some miracle a jam locked up the rifle leaving her unable to end her life. Reagan screamed at the horizon cursing God while dropping to her knees in uncontrollable sobs of anguish. She had to get away from this land and seek out signs of life. She couldn't live like this anymore especially with all the lingering memories. She had to find her twin brother in Oregon, he was her only hope. An image of Roth within her mind was all it took to bring back some sanity. This got her feet moving again and out of the desolate countryside.
Packing up her truck she drove off toward Baptiste Valley.
Skills and Talents
Social Butterfly
Not only does Reagan enjoy making new acquaintances she full on flourishes from social interactions. This charismatic creature will go out of her way to introduce herself and make new faces feel welcome-especially at parties. Multitasking relationships isn't difficult for her. She's been known to flutter to multiple functions in one night to spend quality time with close friends.
Meandering around parties enjoying a good laugh with outrageous company is all fine and dandy but Reagan's no fool. She's not in denial about who her true friends are. Out of the many she socialized with less than two could be trusted and those people never stuck around. It takes a lot to become someone she actually confides in.
Jill of all trades
A surprisingly quick learner she took to guns fairly well at a young age. All that time spent on target practice left her shooting with the best of them. Not only does she know her way around a handgun and rifle, but efficiency with daggers also come in handy at the end of a successful hunt. Reagan can hold a perfectly normal conversation while slicing and digging around a carcass without becoming squeamish.
From skinning, using daggers, and first aid Reagan can be useful somewhere. She is knowledgeable about farm equipment and has had some luck with fixing automobiles- courtesy of her twin brother. Unfortunately, she only knows the basics of the skills she possesses excluding firearms and farming.
Gunslinger girl
Growing up with firearms and a family that used them on a daily basis was the norm. Surrounded by gun toting country folk almost 24 hours a day has caused a biased perspective. This solidifies the fact that discussing any negative outlook on guns would prove futile and possibly hazardous to a naysayers health. Along with a resolute pro gun opinion she is quite efficient with rifles, handguns, and she isn't afraid to use them.
Weaknesses and Faults
Semi Dependent
Reagan does not cope very well by herself though she is capable of survival on her lonesome to an extent. She thrives on socialization, which boosts her moral and mental state. Anything involving company can lift her spirits and bring a smile to her face.
Fear of heights & airplanes
Due to a small-scale crash mid air Reagan has been unable to gain a pilots license to become a crop duster. This event created an intense fear of heights and planes. Mr. Harper put hope into his daughter taking over dusting when he became too feeble since his sons were much too reckless. Her father, disappointed in Reagan's recent phobia, never let up. He constantly told Reagan to 'get over it' and conquer her cowardice. To this day the very sight of planes make her nauseous.
Asthmatic
A bothersome condition one would not wish to have in the midst of a global disaster. Sprinting for long periods of time can cause flare ups of asthma. Something so little as jumping out of bed to take a shower has caused coughing so severe she's passed out. Her illness is not so grave as to cause much concern-just irritating nonetheless and her diagnosis is non life threatening. While each negative symptom that stems from her medical condition is not enough to mentally stop her; often she'll still try to advance through, but sometimes it gets the best of her physically.
Personality
Reagan is an equal mash up of her parents. Charisma and humility come from her mother's side while diligence with an aptitude for hard work are traits of her father. She's affable and empathetic to everyone she meets no matter how unique or what walk of life they are in. Although she hails from the backcountry her curiosity of humanity has broadened her mind; not like many of her chauvinistic friends. Her tolerance of people is almost saintly, but that's not to say she won't straighten someone out if they disrespect her.
Lily stands relatively tall for her sex at five feet ten, her frame is best described as willowy and it’s best not to point out the lack of curves. Seriously, that’s just mean. Meticulously clean, Lily is always immaculately kept together. Her white-blonde hair is kept in a professional bun at most times, so much so that there was a rumour for while that it keeps itself together by sheer muscle memory.
A practical dresser Lily prefers simple and practical clothing for the most part with her go to being a cheque shirt and pair of jeans, accompanied by a sturdy pair of boots that could probably survive an encounter with a bear trap.
Having being picked on for her older brothers when she was little for looking like a strong wind would blow her over her posture is always upright and solid to maximise her authority.
Age: 23
Occupation: Police Officer
Background
Baptiste Valley had always been home to Lily. The youngest child and only girl of five, she had been raised on a large farmhouse by a perpetually overworked mother and doting if absent-minded father. Her legion of brothers where of course simultaneously tormenting, smelly and rough boys and also fiercely protective of their little sister.
Therefore no-one had ever dares to bother her at school and was rather popular and was involved in a lot of sport, from track to hockey which was a perfect outlet for her vicious competitiveness.
An excellent and diligent student, Lily moved to Michigan State University to study Forensic Science before graduating just a few marks away from Suma Cum Laude (to her perpetual anguish.)
From College she enrolled in Police Academy dreaming to become a detective. Yet once she graduated the Ashening happened. It wasn’t seen as serious at first so a newly trained Cop was seen as disposable and she gained a leave of absence to visit her father who had been diagnosed with the disease.
Then her mother. Then each one of her brothers. Each one Lily nursed through the foul plague that had inflicted her family, each one weakened and wasted away by the evil thing. Each one dying beside her. Lily had always dreamed as a child to have their big farmhouse all to herself.
Now the emptiness of it sickens her to the core.
Skills and Talents
Silver tongued: Words have always came easy to Lily and she has always been fascinated by those frozen moments in time where the right one can save the day and the wrong can ensure catastrophe. She is therefore careful always to put people at their ease, changing her approach to people to make them comfortable.
Budding Mad Scientist: Well, not really. However with a degree in Forensic Science it gave Lily a good understanding of analytical chemistry. While the incredibly advances equipment she used in College is a distant memory, she had managed to salvage some basic equipment from various sources to be able to do some experiments.
Handy with a Gun: Her training in the Police Academy has given Lily a proficiency with firearms and basic self-defence. While not an expert marksman by any means she can at least be confident she could hit a moving target.
Perfectionist: Do you know that really annoying person in school that had always studied for every test, had ridiculously perfect notes that would make Da Vinci weep and actually used highlighters and post-its? Yeah, Lily was that person. With a good memory and meticulous attention to detail she always ensures she does the best she could and is prepared for whatever comes.
Weaknesses and Faults
Perfectionist: It’s something of a double edged sword. While being ridiculously prepared and ready is great when an expected situation calls for it she is not what you would call easy-going or spontaneous. Sudden changes in plans at best annoy her and at worst throw her into a flurry of panic.
Hey … is this plant poisonous? : Despite her background in Forensics, Lily couldn’t answer that. Its chemical structure revealed to her she could tell you but in the wild it’s just so much leaves. She has little knowledge in bush craft and prior to the Ashening her last camping trip had her bathing in lotion when she had her lunch on top of some Poison Ivy.
Overbearing: Confidence and assertiveness are all well and good but it can get on peoples nerves. Lily can be guilty of trying to tell people what to do when it’s clear they have other ideas and can never really see why people just don’t listen to her advice all the times? *Sigh* the world would be so much simpler.
Personality
Growing up with a cacophony of older brother’s Lily is not a fragile flower of a girl, instead robust and practical would best describe her. It’s also equipped her to hold her own and stand her ground when getting her point across. Which is good as she tends to be an efficient leader, trying best to listen to the group as a whole and use people’s strength to compliments others weaknesses.
Perhaps related to her large family which was usually a den of chaos, Lily is deeply rooted to keeping things organised and well planned. One of the reasons she became a police officer was that she could keep order in society, maintain its laws and carry the duty out in fairness. Yet this comes with giving herself impossibly high standards which often leaves her frustrated when she doesn’t achieve them and an inbuilt dislike for admitting that she may need help.
Yet this yearning for things to be neat and ordered can come across as uptight and prissy, Lily likes a good time but she wouldn’t play the clown in order to do so. This isn’t because she hasn’t got a sense of humour like some people would expect but being incredibly uncomfortable being in a situation where she has no control. Despite this she loves to socialise and have fun, having always been described as friendy.
A surprising aspect of her personality is that she is an unashamed romantic, she adores terrible chick-lit or romcoms and dreams very much of finding Mr. Right.
Grant appears to be perfectly normal to the average person. He stands at around 5'7", has an average if not somewhat trim build, and has decent posture. His outfits are all similar to one another and mostly just consist of different color variations of the same type of clothing. He does rather well at physically expressing himself, as anyone could take a single look at his body language and facial expressions and be able to tell how he's feeling and the message he's trying to get across.
Age
17
Occupation
Student
Background
Grant and his family aren't native to the Baptiste Valley, having only lived in the region for little more than a couple years. He lived a city life in northern California for most of his years, and had a rather average life there. He had both of his parents, but only one sibling, Jasmine, who had been adopted four years before he'd been born. She teased and picked on him like any older sibling would, being that she was six years older than him, but for the most part the two got along well enough. She even beat up some older teens that were picking on him once, though she got in trouble for it. She left for college soon after graduating high school, so for a couple years it was just him at home. He had a few friends, but no close relationships, so while he would never admit it he did feel lonely without his sister.
But then something shattered his average life. When he was 14 years old, he suddenly vanished without a trace. Nobody knew what happened to him or where he'd gone, only that he only could've disappeared on his way home from school since his friends had last seen him during class. Jasmine returned home during this time, leaving college behind so that she could help search for him and be there with her family during this horrific time. And then after a month, as if out of the blue, Grant returned. A person walking their dog found him wandering the streets one night, seemingly in a daze and unable or unwilling to speak. After being taken to the hospital and being medically evaluated by doctors and nurses, they thankfully didn't find anything physically wrong with him, but it was clear that he'd gone through some form of extreme psychological trauma. He'd become mute, unable to bring himself to talk despite his vocal chords being undamaged and brain scans showing that he wasn't suffering from any physical trauma.
Whatever it was that had happened to him, he refused to talk about it or explain it. He would communicate with others through writing, and over time he began to learn sign language, but anytime anyone tried to ask about what happened he would just shut down. His family learned not to push the topic despite being so worried about what could've happened to him, and tried to find some way to help him recover. Staying in the city just seemed wrong, so after a few months it was decided they would move to a more rural area with a smaller population, and his parents sold the old house and bought a new one in Atherstone in the Baptiste Valley. Jasmine never returned to college, and instead stayed at home to help care for him and support him. Their bond grew stronger as a result, and while Grant thinks that she can be over-protective at times, he's still glad that he has a close relationship with her.
The Ashing Pandemic brought tragedy back to the Dwyer family, however. While both he and his sister managed to avoid contracting it, their parents weren't so lucky, and like all of the other victims they succumbed to the infection. The two siblings could do nothing but try to care for their parents until they died, and soon the two of them were alone and had to fend for themselves. Always the protective one, Jasmine would eventually go out and try to scavenge for supplies, while Grant would keep watch at home and keep the house inhabitable for them. They've been holding out hope that the government will come to help them, but even Grant knew that if they didn't come soon, they were going to run out of places to scavenge in their area pretty quickly. They wouldn't be able to stay there forever.
Skills and Talents
Housekeep: Most wouldn't consider it a skill, but Grant is good at keeping a household going. He's quick and efficient at cleaning, and he actually knows how to cook. He's no five-star chef, but he can make food edible and taste good. He's reliable at keeping track of supplies as well.
Alert: Despite sometimes coming off as aloof, Grant is actually constantly aware of his surroundings. It's hard to get the jump on him, and he's observant enough to notice if something is strange, usually before most people would notice.
Stealthy: His somewhat small size and silent demeanor allows him to sneak around with ease. He's also quite nimble, so he wouldn't normally be stumbling around and making noise if he did indeed have to sneak. His knowledge of sign language also allows him to send silent messages to anyone who can understand.
Weaknesses and Faults
Mute: Grant cannot speak, which is a massive disadvantage to have in the apocalypse. His communication with others is severely limited, and while Jasmine does know sign language and can interpret what he says to other people, if he's away from her he's basically screwed unless someone else he's with knows it, but the chances of that are slim.
Non-Combatant: Grant never learned how to fight, isn't particularly strong, and has little experience with weaponry. At most, he can wield a kitchen knife without hurting himself, but it's hardly a practical weapon.
Dependent: While his close bond with his sister is something he cherishes, he realizes he's grown to be dependent on her. He doesn't like to act without her, and constantly looks to her for advice. With the onset of the apocalypse he's slowly learned to be more independent and take care of himself, but old habits are hard to break and he finds it hard to commit to anything without her approval or advice.
Personality
Despite being mute, Grant is actually quite social, and though he tends to be more of a listener in conversations he'll still try to reply via signing or writing. He's an incredibly empathetic person, and would rather put other people's needs before his own. He hates being seen as weak or handicapped, and absolutely loathes being pitied, and so he does anything he can to prove he's just as capable as anyone else. He's not one to give up, but he also isn't blind to his own limitations and knows when dogged determination just isn't enough to achieve a goal. He prefers to tackle issues from different angles rather than just the most straightforward one, and if he's got an idea he'll be sure to let people know.
One thing that's certain though, is that he'd do anything for his sister. She's the only family he's got left, and he would protect her at all costs, and he knows she would do the same for him. He worries about her, knowing how much she does to care for him at the cost of her own wants, and he wants to be able to return the favor somehow.
Name
Jasmine Dwyer
Physical description
Standing at 5'8", Jasmine is ever so slightly taller than her brother Grant. At first glance, she could be seen as simply slim, but she's actually quite athletic and toned. Her wardrobe is pretty varied, but as of recently she's begun dressing more practically, donning jackets and jeans, though honestly she would wear that anyway during colder weather. On particularly cold days she'll even put on a beanie and a scarf.
Age
23
Occupation
Former College Student/Waitress
Background
Jasmine was adopted into the Dwyer family when she was two years old. Her birth mother had been good friends with her adoptive mother, and so when her birth mother died of illness, her adoptive mother took action and promised to raise Jasmine within her own family in order to keep her out of orphanages. With no biological father in the picture and no immediate family members who lived in the area, the adoptive process was resolved rather quickly, and soon Jasmine became a part of the Dwyer family. The Dwyers had no children of their own at the time, so for awhile she was an only child.
A dark-skinned child with two light-skinned parents of course was enough to grab attention from other people whenever they were in public, and definitely from other students during her school years. Her parents were never sure how to address it, as they wanted to make Jasmine feel that there wasn't an issue at all and that her adoption should be considered normal, but at the same time they knew she could feel out of place. In the end, all her parents could do was let her know that their race differences didn't matter to them, and that no matter what they would love her as their daughter regardless of whatever society dictated.
This continued on when Grant entered the picture, who was born when Jasmine was six years old. As they grew up, they bickered and fought and teased like siblings do, and were basically like any other brother and sister. The race difference never seemed like an actual difference to him, and whenever people would ask him about it he thought those people were weird, as it seemed perfectly normal to him. It was something Jasmine was always secretly grateful for, as even though the issue was something she'd move on from as she got older, deep down it was still something she was insecure about, and her brother helped ease that insecurity.
So she was rightfully devastated when she heard that Grant had disappeared while she'd been off at college. She returned home in a hurry, guilt wracking her for leaving despite knowing there likely wouldn't have been anything she could've done if she'd stayed home. She was beyond relieved when he was eventually found a month later, yet it still felt like hollow relief after learning of his traumatization and muteness. There was no way she was returning to college after that, she knew she had to stay, and so she made a personal vow that she would never let harm come to him ever again if she could help it.
She dropped everything to become fully involved with his life and become someone he could rely on. They learned sign language together in order to communicate better, and though Grant managed to pick it up faster Jasmine still kept up well enough to be able to talk with him. When the family moved to Atherstone, she picked up a job as a waitress at a local restaurant so that she could make at least a minor amount of income to help out at home. And, unbeknownst to Grant, she picked up nightly kickboxing lessons with a focus in Muay Thai, as she believed without a shadow of a doubt that he'd been kidnapped and had somehow escaped, and she wanted to be able to defend him if his kidnappers ever somehow found him again. She had been an amateur boxer during high school, having done the sport as a hobby more than anything else, so she already had some experience as a fighter as she went into kickboxing.
When the Ashing Pandemic wrecked havoc throughout the world, it took everything she had not to break down in despair when she lost her parents to the infection. Twice now, her parents had died, leaving her all alone. Except, she wasn't completely alone, as Grant was still alive and well. She could still protect him and keep him alive, and so that was what she was going to do, no matter the cost. Acting as the scavenger between them, she's been searching and looting their neighborhood for all she can find while warding off anyone hostile, but recently the loot runs have started to run dry. She's been waiting for the government to show up since the pandemic started, since it only seemed natural to believe they could fix the problems of the Ashing and restore civilization, but it's a hope that's begun to quickly dim as food has begun to run low.
Skills and Talents
Brawler: Jasmine had always been naturally scrappy as a child, but training in boxing and kickboxing has turned her into quite the physical combatant. While she isn't an expert, unless she's going up against an actual martial arts professional she'll probably win in a fight. If weapons come into play, she knows disarming techniques to even the playing field, though that isn't to say she won't use weapons herself if she needs to.
Scavenger: She's slowly begun to learn efficient looting and scavenging skills, and has gotten a sense of where to look to find specific supplies she may need. A strong set of eyes also allow her to pick out minute details when looking around.
Emotional Support: Jasmine is just as empathetic as her brother, but she is much better at being able to relate to others and give them the support they need during trying times. She has a way with words that allows her to pierce another person's vulnerabilities and get them to believe she's truly on their side, and most often she means it too.
Dedicated: Grant's well-being is what drives Jasmine. She is able to do things she would never have thought possible because of her desire to protect him, and she would do anything to keep him alive and well.
Weaknesses and Faults
Overdedicated: Jasmine is protective to a fault. Having a sort of tunnel-vision, she doesn't always see the big picture, and only acts to protect Grant no matter the consequences. If something bad ever happened to him, it would likely break her.
Brash: It would be fair to accuse her of easily jumping to conclusions and sometimes acting before thinking a situation through. In this way she's also quite stubborn, and it can be hard to change her mind about things.
Gun Unfriendly: Despite carrying a revolver with her that once belonged to her parents, she actually has zero training with firearms and doesn't like them. Unless her target is at close range, she'll probably miss most of her shots, making any gun she has more for a show of threat than something actually dangerous.
Agrizoophobia: Jasmine has a fear of wild animals, and would be hard-pressed to try to deal with a violent one.
Personality
Jasmine is a somewhat serious but still pretty easy-going individual, being hard to upset unless you mess with her family and especially her brother. Behind her serious nature hides a sense of humor and wit, which she doesn't really bust out unless she's gotten to know the person she's talking to. She can be brutally honest at times, but unless the person seriously deserves it, she'll make it clear that she's not being mean or rude, as most often her honesty implies that she likes them. As said before, she's empathetic towards others, and has a soft spot for people with siblings of their own. She constantly pushes herself to do more and improve, often at the cost of any regular wants she may have. She can be impulsive, but her instincts are usually right if she has to make a quick decision.
Grant is the one person she cares about the most, and she will do anything to protect him.
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