SepticGentleman

ZONES: -system offline-

Now, to the Important Stuff

You – that is, meaning, your character(s) – are a Zoner. A term coined by a certain insomniac code monkey. You’re one of the folks who’s been dreaming about one of these three places every night. “Zones”, they’re called, also by that same code monkey. Everyone’s linked to one of them, and depending on which one, they change in different ways when they sleep at night. And when they’re in the Zones, they confront the same beings invading Earth – the ones bleeding from the Zones’ realities into ours.

Everything you need to know about the Zones follows here.

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ZONE 1

Images

The red city, as is its nickname. A sprawling urban jungle littered with both familiar and unfamiliar architectural traits. The layout of the area is rather non-Euclidean in nature. For example, the top floor of one building could be the basement level of another. The very outskirts of the city warp back around to each other, creating a seemingly infinite loop. It’s not that confusing and it’s nothing to worry about, really. Zone 1 is currently caught in a conflict between two distinct peoples – the seemingly peaceful Denizens, and the rabid, warmongering Aggressors. It’s the most common of the Zones for Zoners to be linked to, unsurprisingly. So we have all the more forces ready keep the place in check.

INHABITANTS

Denizens (Image Credit to UrbanEvolution)

Zoners from Zone 1 know of these folks. Seemingly human in shape, yet wrapped in a dark, misty veil over tar-like skin. They populate the red city in various points, often in places out of the Aggressors’ reach. They speak in an unintelligible language that sounds like lifted whispers to us. They are survivors of great peril, now seeking to shelter themselves from the deranged beings that roam the streets.

Aggressors

The Aggressors are the foremost danger present in Zone 1. They resemble Denizens who have been “set alight”, with skin covered in flame-like veils and scattered remnants of charred clothing. Aggressors come in a plethora of varieties – the most common being average sized assailants that roam the streets, armed with weapons not unlike knives, clubs, and guns, all of strange make yet similar functions to our own. Others are larger, hulking brutes who possess powers not unlike those of the Zoners. The Aggressors feed on the bodies of Denizens, and even their own kind, which both sustains their lifespans and empowers them. Aggressors who grow too strong can potentially vanish from Zone 1 and appear somewhere on Earth, often in a heavily populated area. Hence, any potential “bleeders” must be dealt with before they can manage such.

The Ram (Image Credit to UrbanEvolution)

The Ram is a powerful Aggressor acting under the command of an unknown force. He wears a black metal helmet reminiscent of a multi-horned ram's head. His abilities manifest as volatile explosions centered around his feet, which he uses both in combat and to propel himself around the city. What is strange is that, despite the Ram's obvious level of power, he remains undetected on Zone 1's grid, and does not actively hunt down and feast on Denizens. This suggests that he is keeping himself at a stable level in order to remain in the Zone and continue his work - whatever it may be.

POWERS

A Zoner connected to Zone 1 possesses the ability to control a certain element in one of a variety of ways. The basic foundations of these powers stem from the following; aerokinesis (wind), aquakinesis (water), cryokinesis (ice), electrokinesis (electricity), geokinesis (minerals), and pyrokinesis (Fire). From these foundations, many other subsidiaries and combinations become possible. One example would be someone who possesses an "altered" form of pyrokinesis that allows them to control smoke and ash particles rather than open flames. Another would be someone who possesses a combination of pyrokinesis and aquakinesis, resulting in their powers manifesting as steam vapors. These powers can all be incredibly potent, as any Zoner linked to Zone 1 may boast about.

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ZONE 2

Images

Zone 2 takes the form of a fog-ridden wilderness. Forests, plains, valleys, mountains, all the like cover this area. Like the other Zones, it possesses a certain “geographical oddity”. A sea of clouds covers both the sky and the ground here, and they loop within each other. Toss a rock over the side of a cliff into the sky below, and it will fall in the same place forever until you catch it. Remnants of Zone 1 – buildings and houses and the like – can occasionally be found in isolated locations, often devoid of life. The wildlife here is split and scattered, and to match the ferocity of the most dangerous creatures, the Zoners here must act as creatures themselves.

INHABITANTS

Fauna

Much of the wildlife in Zone 2 is quite like those on our own planet, save for them all possessing physical traits and forms that show as mismatches of things we have carved from mythology, all wrapped in stark white visages. Winged, antlered, avian, mammalian, animals of many kinds thrive here, all trying to survive the unchecked savagery of the Beasts. Unchecked, that is, until now.

Beasts

In a time past, the other, more unkempt portion of Zone 2’s wildlife was hunted regularly by the Denizens for food, clothing, and other such things. Now, no such mediation takes place anymore. These ferocious creatures are ragged, red-eyed, and black-furred. They constantly hunger, feeding on any prey they can find, growing until they reach a point where they bleed into our countrysides and wildernesses. It is up to the Zoners to resume the hunt, and keep Zone 2 under control.

POWERS

A Zoner here is drastically different from who they appear to be in reality. They are physically altered into some form of creature. Large, majestic avians with razor-sharp talons, lizard-like creatures that breath all kinds of volatile things, and even werewolves for the cliché types. Whatever the case, these Zoners are never one and the same. They all come in different shapes and sizes, all mismatched from different parts – both from creatures native to our world, and those born of wonder and mythology.

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ZONE 3

Images

By far, the most unsettling of the Zones. Zone 3 is what many would refer to as “an underground factory”. Or several, perhaps. Long, spiral tunnels, massive chambers, stations filled with aged machinery and power sources, all constantly besieged by the Abominations present within. As always, Zone 3 possesses a sort of “looping” effect within its interiors. Here, however, the interiors never even seem to end. It’s very easy to get lost and succumb to the violent nature of the monsters lurking about. Zoners from this place, however, will find a seemingly unremarkable ally to aid them in their duties.

INHABITANTS

Scavengers

These small creatures resemble gray, festering pustules wrapped around metal, infantile skeletons. They often scour the workings of Zone 3 in groups, collecting scrap metal ripped from the bodies of fallen Abominations, dropping them in chutes only they know where lead. It is believed they work under the command of an unseen force, constantly evading the Abominations as they quarrel with each other, picking up whatever they leave behind and carrying it all off into an uncharted subnetwork within the Zone. They are docile towards the Zoners, but they will run and hide at the first hint of conflict. A certain subgroup exists among the Scavengers, a few who appear to be more flesh than metal. They live as outcasts, serving their own needs rather than that of whatever commands the Scavengers. But they appear to be far more akin to the presence of Zoners than their servant brethren.

Abominations

These amalgams of bacterial growths and decaying machinery stalk the tunnels and chambers of Zone 3, always on the hunt for workable machinery to add to their own mass, even if it means ripping it out of another of their kind. Abominations absorb the energy of Zone 3’s few remaining factories that actually function. Those that collect too much and grow too large will eventually bleed out into our reality, always finding their way to sources of power. The Zoners must provide a policing on their activity to keep them from breaking out.

POWERS

Not unlike the organisms present here, Zoners linked to Zone 3 possess wholly biological abilities, like toxic spew or manipulation of their own organic material, as well as mechanical augmentations ranging from mere prosthetics to bodies covered in armored, mechanized suits. It goes without saying that fewer Zoners end up here than the other two, given that the individuals linked to it are often quite disturbed. There are exceptions, however. But they are all still very capable. And it shows.

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NEXUS

An artificial link exists between the Zones. A prism carved from nothingness, surrounded by walls that provide pathways into each of the Zones, through potentially many ports. Through the use of the Nexus Projector, a machine built by the mysterious Somniatis group, any Zoner can travel to any Zone regardless of whether or not it is the one they are linked to. This, however, comes at the cost of reduced attributes. Powers will be weakened. Physical traits will only be halfway implemented. But it is a manageable sacrifice – and a necessary one, at that. The Nexus is the key to the entire operation. Without it… the Zoners are surely lost.

ZONES: -system offline-

The first of the “attacks” started on the fifteenth of May, 2034.

Los Angeles. One moment, nothing new. Next, this… colossal, glowing red, humanoid-looking thing materializes out of nowhere in the Downtown area and starts wrecking all the shit. I mean, that thing is straight up rampant, like- hold up.

_{What? I-I’m sorry, what? No? Serious time now? Okay, okay…}

Yes, uh, anyway, the issue was handled after a considerable amount of conventional firepower was employed. We were lucky the thing was susceptible to bullets and tank rounds. It got taken down sometime afternoon, government swept it off the streets and that was it.

However, during the latter half of the battle, reports started ringing in about equally strange events occurring not too far away in the country. Folks at Zion National Park claimed there was a “new addition” to the local habitat there. Some kind of… well, beast is a pretty simple way to put it. Big thing, ragged black fur, quills like battering rams, and glowing red eyes that left quite the prolonged trail. It didn’t attack anyone who didn’t get close to it, but it went ham on the wildlife around it. Additional forces were dispatched to confront the beast and, thankfully, it was also proven to be susceptible to heavy ordinance.

Then came the incident at Hoover Dam right at the same time. A, uh… sludge monster, crept out of the internal systems and quickly infested the whole plant, promptly shutting down operations and killing half the work force… via giant, myriad needles. Now, that one took a while to get rid of completely. Guns weren’t an option this time so, troops had to employ a nearly constant stream of flames to keep up with the… abomination’s speedy rate of growth. They managed to whittle it down after a few days, grabbed a few samples of the thing to study. Every part they burned left behind this big, metal skeleton lying on the floor. Nasty stuff.

Sadly, it didn’t stop there. More attacks, just like these three, began popping up in an outward, radial pattern from the starting points in the southwestern US. Following into June, there were nearly a dozen total incidents in the country, and not even a week later… they began popping up along the rest of the Americas and the opposing coasts of Europe and Asia. Needless to say, panic was widespread. Still is, actually. Armies and governments worldwide are handling the situation, keeping populated areas protected at all times. Whenever something shows up, it eventually gets taken down.

But the thing everyone wants to know is… why is all of this happening? Well to answer that… we’ve got to look at a slightly less publicly known issue.

A few days after the first attack in LA, there began a slow rise of people experiencing… strange dreams. Linked dreams. The cases were few and far between but, they all followed the same formula. Folks began dreaming of themselves in odd, unfamiliar, otherworldly places. They were always one of three instances. A red city. A foggy wilderness. And a dark, underground labyrinth. There, they say beings and creatures not unlike the ones popping up all over the globe. What’s more, they felt… like they were really there, and not just dreaming. Incredibly lucid. But the most important thing? They changed. In their dreams, these people developed powers like you see in comics. Some of them transformed into mythical creatures. And the rest, well… they were outfitted with mechanical augmentations. It was, by all definitions, a phenomenon.

Then… these people started disappearing.

Just as soon as they were realizing what was happening to them. Just as soon as they were getting more and more attuned to their dreams, spending the longest of times in them. They just… up and vanished in the night. But that’s not even the strangest part – no one seems to be any the wiser about the ordeal. Someone experiences these same dreams, disappears one morning, and life just… goes on. Folks are more worried about staying safe from “invaders”, anyway. What’s a few missing persons to worry about?

That right there is pretty much where the basic story ends. But if you want to know more…

You have to be one of the dreamers.

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ZONES: We Moved to the OOC, Greg (Sci-Fi, High-Casual, Development, Character-Driven)

*has the worrisome urge to shout "I'll scrub you!" and brandish a toothbrush threateningly*

@Stairdweller

Please do. He needs it. Badly.

EDIT: The OOC will be going up later this afternoon, followed by a period of waiting for new arrivals and accepting them before the game officially begins. If you've got buds who you think might be interested, let them know in the meantime.

ZONES: We Moved to the OOC, Greg (Sci-Fi, High-Casual, Development, Character-Driven)

Will definitely be tomorrow - rather preoccupied today.

ZONES: We Moved to the OOC, Greg (Sci-Fi, High-Casual, Development, Character-Driven)

@SepticGentleman I will do my CS as soon as I can, but it will be after this week.

@ScarlettWaters16

Perfectly fine. I've actually decided that applications will always remain open for the game. You take all the time you need.

ZONES: We Moved to the OOC, Greg (Sci-Fi, High-Casual, Development, Character-Driven)

Send it to me first.

ZONES: We Moved to the OOC, Greg (Sci-Fi, High-Casual, Development, Character-Driven)

I'm just gonna put this here for the rest of yous.

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Your character is a normal person living on earth in the year 2034. And I mean normal. You are free to mold them how you wish, but keep in mind the cool stuff won't be happening until they're actually Zoning. So for now, keep it mundane.
• Being that this is set in a somewhat distant future, advanced technologies exist. Improved methods of transportation (but no flying or floating cars), 2D holographic projections, simple robotics (humanoid service drones are around, but very rare, and meant only for top-tier companies and rich folk), and other such things. As for the state of the world, there's no major conflict going on save for the invasions of the Zone beings. Keep all this in mind when concocting your character's backstory.
• The setting as of now is in mid-August. The attacks began around May, involving creatures such as hulking, red, glowing humanoids with unreal powers, biomechanical abominations, feral alien creatures, etc, etc. Your character started dreaming themselves into their specific Zone a week or so after the first attack.
• Your character belongs to one of the three Zones. Zone 1, the red city, will give your character an elemental power (pyrokinesis, crykinesis, etc). Zone 2, the wilderness, physically alters your character into an animal or beast of some form or another, such as a wolf, or a griffon, or a deer/bull hybrid (mix and match parts from mundane/mythological creatures, if you wish). Zone 3 is an underground factory network housing tunnels and chambers full of mechanically augmented sludge and flesh monsters. Here, your character will have both a biological/extrasensory power (toxic bile, telekinesis, etc), and any range of mechanical augmentations (like prosthetic metal arms for better punches). What you need to do is choose one of these Zones to house your character in, and then go from there.
• Your character is not allowed any weapons or companions in the Zones. To start, that is. Such things will come about soon after the game begins.
• The main point is that after your character became very immersed in their Zoning while they slept, they were whisked away one night by figures unknown without even realizing they had been abducted. Don’t go beyond the point where they wake up – that will be covered later.

All of that is the important stuff. Anything needs explaining, just ask. Here’s the sheet.

[hider=(Your character’s full name)][b]NAME:[/b]
[b]AGE:[/b]
[b]GENDER:[/b]
[b]ZONE:[/b] (A simple number will suffice.)

[b]PERSONALITY:[/b]

[b]HISTORY:[/b] (Your character’s life up to right before they woke up in the facility.)

[b]APPERANCE[/b]
[list][*][b]PHYSICAL:[/b] (Don’t worry about your character’s attire, they will be wearing a uniform for the duration of the game. Just tell us what they look like in terms of face, figure, etc.)
[*][b]IN-ZONE:[/b] (Both your character's physical form AND outfit will change drastically in the Zones. Keep to mind your character's REM/Nexus powers and their particular Zone when typing this section out.)[/list]

[b]POWERS[/b]
[list][*][b]NEXUS:[/b] (Your character’s abilities are hampered when they are using the Nexus Projector machine. Not as effective as usual, but not completely useless either.)
[*][b]REM:[/b] (Your character's abilities at maximum potential, while they sleep regularly. I will not be asking you to create weaknesses for them, but please don’t go overboard here either.)

[b]OTHER:[/b] (Random facts and otherwise belong here.)[/hider]

ZONES: We Moved to the OOC, Greg (Sci-Fi, High-Casual, Development, Character-Driven)

*elbows into the conversation* I'm planning on doing a zone 3 type character. With mismatched parts, as though she is constantly adding whatever new parts catch her fancy to herself, like a bionic magpie.

@Stairdweller

You're gonna love Potato.

ZONES: We Moved to the OOC, Greg (Sci-Fi, High-Casual, Development, Character-Driven)

<Snipped quote by Fairess> Well, with Henry, yes. Since I've been tasked to kinda set the top of the par with him. There is a reason he is like that. Not everyone will be on that power level.

@UrbanEvolution

They'll definitely be able to reach it, though. The whole point is that these characters are going to have to crank their shit up to eleven because the enemy's at fifteen. No drawbacks or weaknesses like in most other games.

ZONES: We Moved to the OOC, Greg (Sci-Fi, High-Casual, Development, Character-Driven)

Tagline suggestions: - Our fists are not the hammer - Please send food - Now with 33% less sodium! - We call the big one bitey

@Stairdweller

Second one.