Sushi

#fuckcancer

ACT I
___The Zone. A place less explored than the bottom of the ocean, and said to be more lucrative than the richest mines. Decades after the Chernobyl disaster, military patrols reported flashes of brilliant light, mutated animals, whirlwinds of fire and acid. The adventure-seekers came in at a slow trickle at first, but the Zone was vast and the military couldn't control the entire border, not for long. Those that managed to survive impossible weather, the mutants, pillars of flame that appeared from thin air... they brought back stories of incredible "artifacts" that could bend the fabric of reality itself, and a powerful "Wish Granter" in the very center of the Zone.

___Scavengers picked through the Exclusion Zone. Many sought their fortune, but never returned. Those that survived came to be known as "Stalkers."

___It has been more than a decade since anomalous activity was first detected within the Cordon. The world has moved on from Chernobyl once again.


Job Offer
______[The Raiding Party]
The package was at the door. It was a bundle of documents with a Ukranian government seal, a sizeable check, and a set of GPS coordinates. The meeting place was in Kiev, and the other names on the list were all familiar. At the bottom of the letter, there was a tidy signature from one General A. Zubarev.

Openings
1 x Guide
1 x Artifact Hunter
1 x Scientist
2 x Fighters
1 x Hunter
1 x Doctor


_________[Action Economy]
_________[Create an Advantage]
____________The CA is a versatile way of changing the battlefield and assisting team members. Creating an Advantage essentially means changing the situation by altering, or creating a new Aspect. This can range from using suppressive fire to create an aspect like "Hail of Lead," to using pure brute force to create a "Smashed Wall (Entry Point)," or even mocking the enemies with a social skill in order to create an aspect like "Enraged (Enemy #1)." A decent roll will give you an Invocation, a single-use +2 that you can use to augment a relevant roll.

_________[Overcome]
____________An Overcome action includes things like a "Saving Throw" or "Challenge." Whenever a task has a difficulty set by the GM as opposed to opposition rolled by an enemy, it's called an Overcome. Besides typical actions like bypassing hazardous terrain or lying convincingly to an NPC, Overcomes can be used offensively to remove an Aspect created by an enemy CA.

_________[Discover]
____________When you would like to gain insight upon a situation but lack specific knowledge or direction take it in, the Discover is similar to an Overcome action. By rolling against difficulty, you may use your skills to discover relevant information or evidence in a scene. A Discovery is similar to a Create Advantage, although a CA gives invocations more easily.

_________[Hold Action]
____________You can elect to Hold an Action and wait for a specific opportunity to act. A common example would be finding an enemy concealed in hard cover, and holding an attack until they leave cover, similar to an "Overwatch" mechanic in certain games.

_________[Teamwork]
____________As long as you have a +1 in the same skill, you may help a teammate's roll by adding a fixed bonus as your action. Unlike a CA, Teamwork is a fixed bonus no matter what, and cannot "fail" in the conventional sense. This is a good way to make use of skills which may otherwise be too low to properly utilize on your own.
____The system differs slightly in the Actions you are able to take in this game. Base Fate Core has 4 Actions (Attack, Defend, Create Advantage, Overcome.) In this game, there is no turn order. Every player can take a Movement, one Zone in most cases, + an Action. In addition to the basic four actions from Fate Core, we also have Teamwork, Discover, and Hold Action. We'll ignore Attack and Defend for this as they are self-explanatory action types.

_________[Applications]
Loner / Free Stalker
Loners form a loose group of Stalkers unaffiliated with the other major groups in the zone. They are adventurers and treasure hunters who seldom stay in one place for long. Most rookie Stalkers begin as loners.
[Stunt]: "Rookie Numbers" — Sometimes the Zone is kind to rookies. You get extra rewards from jobs compared to others. Once per scene, you may take an action to assemble a Mob of nearby loners, assuming they aren't already occupied and you can make a compelling argument.
+ Neutral Reputation
+ Basic Starting Equipment

Bandit
Renegades, marauders, killers, the Bandits were simply the most organized group of criminals to carve out their place in the Zone. They sell "safe passage" to loners and are careful not to intrude on the territory of the larger, more dangerous factions. With how many rookies die in the zone, the Bandits are never left wanting.
[Stunt]: "A Few Rubles More" — You know that greed lies in the hearts of every man. You have an easier time bribing and coercing others with money and trade. Once per scene, you may declare your intent to contact a Bandit ally, and with an opportunity to find them, get some specific information, job, or a line on something you might need.
+ Rich
+ Allied with the Mercenaries
- Poor Standing with Most Factions

Duty
Duty begun as the remnants of failed military incursions into the Zone. They were formed around the core belief that the Zone was truly dangerous and had to be destroyed, and today comprises one of the two largest factions operating within it. They characterize themselves as "do-gooders" and often help Loners in need.
[Stunt]: "Hunter" — You're trained to fight the deadliest things in the Zone. You gain a +1 when fighting mutants or animals. Additionally, when you set an ambush on an enemy, your first attack is rolled at Advantage.
+ Soviet Military Equipment
+ Friendly with Military, Ecologists
- At War with Freedom

Freedom
Free Stalkers, successful artifact hunters and tinkerers saw the Zone as a gift to humanity. They formed a faction based around the idea that the Zone was a treasure to be shared with all. Freedom has a reputation for taking on anyone who isn't a Dutyer or part of the military and has been described as slightly anarchist.
[Stunt]: "Freedom Fighter" — You know better than to fight the Zone. You gain a +1 when hiding, concealing yourself, or otherwise evading pursuit. Additionally, when setting or defusing traps, you roll with Advantage.
+ Western Military Equipment
+ Recreational Drugs
- At War with Duty

Military
The members of the Ukranian State Security Service are responsible for maintaining the "Cordon" around the Exclusion Zone and carrying out military missions within it. Although responsible for the security of the zone, the military is largely responsible for the proliferation of weapons and the lucrative artifact trade going on in Chernobyl.
[Stunt]: "It Fell off a Truck" — If your equipment is damaged or lost, you can attempt to obtain replacements by going to a military outpost or base. Once per scene, you may make a special Preparation roll to see if you have "accidentally" obtained a piece of military hardware. You may specify the vague type of equipment you're looking for.
+ Military Equipment
- Poor Standing with Most Factions

Mercenary
Mercenaries comprise one of the most diverse factions within the Zone. Stalkers from the Russian-government-backed BEAR company, United Security, and Kernisec rub shoulders with renegades and corrupt military officers. They will take any job for the right price and freely wander the Zone, but every Merc group brings its own challenges as no two Mercs have the same allegiances.
[Stunt]: "Self Extrication" — You've got the best gear money can buy. Your firepower advantage means you gain a +1 to Create an Advantage actions with firearms. Once per scene, you may spend a Fate Point to call down a simple supply drop from your company.
+ Commercial Weapons
- No Allies

Ecologist
Sponsored by the Ukranian government and given generous aid from the west, the Ecologists aim to research the Zone to minimize its negative impact on the world. The Ecologists have access to immense funding and sophisticated technology, making them a prime target for Bandits and the Monolith. In recent years they have begun to employ more Stalkers as their military protection has waned.
[Stunt]: "Anomalous Materials" — With time and some available equipment, you may spend a Fate Point to infuse a machine or piece of equipment with an Artifact using your Craft or Electronics Skill. Additionally, you have the equipment to pick up most Artifacts without negative effects.
+ Anomalous Exploration Suit
+ Friendly with Loners, Duty, Mercenaries, Military
- Harassed by the Bandits

Clear Sky
In their pale blue uniforms, Clear Sky troopers are an odd and rare sight in the Zone. They seldom emerge from their hidden bases, mostly working at night. Clear Sky sets itself apart from Duty or Freedom by its isolation from the other factions in the Zone.
[Stunt]: "Pathfinder" — You know the layout of the Zone well. Once per scene, you may take an action to make some observation and find a way to navigate through a given area, evading all anomalies on the way. Additionally, you're trained to recognize the Zone's illusions and have Advantage for tests of observation.
+ Field Research Equipment
+ Western Weapons
- No Allies
Rank: You start as Rookie. There is Rookie, Experienced, Veteran, Expert.
Faction: This is more or less your "class" within the RP. Read the list and make your pic.
Experience: Note prior experience here. This is mostly for flavor.
Equipment: Please add any equipment requests to the bottom of the profile.
Aspects: Five (5) in total: High Concept & Trouble + 3 Aspect. Optional Phase Trio. Your high concept is a "Elevator Pitch" that sums up your character in a few words. Fate Points are used to Invoke Aspects.

Fate Points: 3
Refresh: 3. If you add additional Stunts, you remove Refresh.
Physical: Physique-Based
Morale: Will-Based
Wealth: Using Wealth Stress, determined by GM after profile is submitted.
Consequences: 2-4-6. Leave Blank. Physique-Based

Stunts: 1 Faction Stunt + 2 Custom Stunts Stunts.
Use the Stunt Generator.
Find ideas at the Evil Hat Productions Wiki.
Be mindful of The Horrors of Fate Stunts; TL;DR just ask.​

Skills: Great (+4 Modified)
Athletics
Burglary
Contacts
Crafts
Deceive
Drive
Electronics*
Empathy
Fight
Heavy Weapons*
Investigate
Lore
Medicine*
Notice
Physique
Pilot*
Preparation*
Provoke
Rapport
Shoot
Survival
Stealth
Will


Electronics: This is the other half of the Craft skill, which involves electrical repair, tinkering, and electriconic intrusion. This can also be used for piloting UAVs and drones.

Heavy Weapons: Similar to Shoot, but used for heavy or crew served weapons. The skills have some overlap: a good example would be firing a light machine gun, which would be doable with Shoot, but more effective with Heavy Weapons. Rocket launchers, mortars, emplacements and similar tools require this skill.

Medicine: Diagnosing illness and injury, treating wounds, and administering medications. At high levels also used for surgery and invasive medical procedures.

Preparation: This skill is used to determine if a character has made particular preparations, such as stashing special equipment, moving furniture, or positioning a contact / assistant.

Survival: Navigation outdoors, use of natural resources, and limited first-aid capabilities.

Physique & Will: Having points here increase your character's capacity for Stress. Physique is for Physical Stress, Will is for Morale Stress.

1-2 = 1 Extra Slot
3-4 = 2 Extra Slots
5 = 1 Extra Minor Consequence
Code:
[b]Name:[/b] Zone Nickname (Real Name Here)
[b]Appearance:[/b] X
[center][img]optionalimageurlhere[/img][/center]

[b]Age:[/b] X
[b]Rank:[/b] Rookie
[b]Faction:[/b] Your faction here. (If you have a specific organization in mind within that faction declare it here.)
[b]Birthplace:[/b] X
[b]Experience:[/b] (Specific organizations and years involved, any certifications or formal training.)
 
[b]Aspects:[/b]
(High Concept):
(Trouble):
X
X
(This Aspect will explain how you know the main cast.)
 
[b]Refresh:[/b] (3 by Default)
[b]Fate Points:[/b] (Same as Refresh)
[b]Physical:[/b] (Based on Physique)
[b]Morale:[/b] (Based on Will)
[b]Consequences:[/b] 

[b]Personality & Bio:[/b] 
X
 
[b]Skills:[/b] 
+4 Skill
+3 Skill Skill
+2 Skill Skill Skill
+1 Skill Skill Skill Skill
 
[b]Stunts:[/b] 
1 x (Faction Stunt)
1 x Custom Stunt
1 x Custom Stunt

[quote][font=courier new]What brings you to the Zone?[/font] 
[indent][size=3][b]A:[/b] X[/size][/indent]

[font=courier new]What experiences have prepared you for the Zone?[/font] 
[indent][size=3][b]A:[/b] X[/size][/indent]

[font=courier new]Equipment requests?[/font] 
[indent][size=3][b]A:[/b] X[/size][/indent]

[font=courier new]What is your true wish?[/font] 
[indent][size=3][b]A:[/b] X[/size][/indent][/quote]

Make a dedicated post for your profile and don't spoiler / quote box it. Thank you.


The Writer's Block
Discord Server
 
Last edited:
Roster
_____Roster
[Journalist]"Exclusion Zone Scholar" [Loner] Profile (Sushi)
Situation
Got a Good Feeling x 1
⟮Equipment⟯

⟮ʟɪɴᴄʜᴘɪɴ ᴘᴀᴄᴋ⟯ 0/7
[Bratok]"Tattoed (Ex)Thug" [Bandit] Profile (@Dryskim)
Situation
"Haunted by a Ghost" x 1

500 RU

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Handgun]: 12 Ga. Lupara
_____[+2 Short Range]
"Echo" Anomaly Detector

2 x "Khattabka" Grenade [+2]
Hunting Knife

⟮RK-ShT-30 ᴀssᴀᴜʟᴛ ᴘᴀᴄᴋ⟯ 4/6
"AI-2 Individual Medical Kits"
"Premium Menthols"
"Fresh Bread"
"Bag of 12 Ga. Cartridges" (Buckshot)
[Hephaestus]"Errant Blacksmith for Hire" [Loner] Profile (@DB_Explorer)
Situation
"Well Rested" x 1

500 RU

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Rifle]: 7.62x54R Mosin-Nagant "Obrez"
[Light Armor]: Mail-Reinforced Jacket
_____[+1 Slash Resistance]
[Medium Mask]: Welding Facemask

[Improvised Artifact Container]: Empty Container

2 x Smoke Bomb
Welding Kit
Precision Tools
Big Hunting Knife [+1]

⟮ᴀʟɪᴄᴇ ʀᴜᴄᴋsᴀᴄᴋ⟯ 4/8
"First Aid Kit"
"Bellows"
"Trail Mix"
"An Assortment of Cutlery"
["Butterfly"]"The Tinkerer Thief" [Loner] Profile (Sushi)
Situation
"Creeped Out" x 1

500 RU

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Handgun]: .45 Rubber Makarych MP-80-13T Trauma Pistol
_____[Less Lethal]
[Light Armor]: Lightweight Merc Suit
_____[+1 Stealth]
[Mask]: N95 Respirator

4 x 6-Round Makarych .45 Magazine
2 x Smoke Bomb
Lockpick Set
Pocketknife
[Outlaw Rose]"Rose of the Zone" [Loner] (Profile @PanzerWaffles)
Situation
"Hot Merch" x 1

500 RU

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Handgun]: 9x19mm MP-444

2 x 15-Round MP-444 Magazine (PST)
Baofeng UV-5R Radio
Kizlyar Fighting Knife

⟮sᴛᴇᴀʟᴛʜ ᴘᴀᴄᴋ⟯ 3/5
"Large Medical Bag" [+1]
"Survival Kit"
"Field Rations"
[Athena]"Psychic Spotter" [Loner] (Profile @Wizard_Marshall)
Situation
"Cover Identity" x 1

500 RU

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Rifle]: 12. Ga Izh-MP18 Hunting Rifle
_____[+2 Short Range]

[Portable Artifact Container (PKA)]: Empty Container

Hunting Knife

⟮ᴠᴇsʜᴍᴇsʜᴏᴋ ʙᴀɢ⟯ 4/6
"AI-2 Individual Medical Kits"
"Bag of 12 Gauge Shells" (Slugs)
"Canned Food"
"Special Zone Wine"
[Cowboy]"Farmhand on a Mission" [Duty] (Profile @Project J)
Situation
"Trinkets from the Zone" x 1

500 RU

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Rifle]: 7.62x54R Winchester 1895 "Russian Model"
_____[Long Range]

Razor-Sharp Hunting Knife [+1]

ᴠᴇsʜᴍᴇsʜᴏᴋ ʙᴀɢ⟯ 3/6
[Portable Artifact Container (PKA)]: Empty Container

"AI-2 Individual Medical Kits"
"Bag of 7.62x54r Cartridges"
[Star]"Student turned Sharpshooter" [Merc] (Profile @AlphaD)
Situation
"Slow Recovery" x 1

500 RU

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Handgun]: 9x19mm Beretta M9A3
[Light Armor]: "PACA" Low Visibility Vest[/u]

2 x 17-Round M9A3 Magazine (125 NATO)
Baofeng UV-5R Radio
ER Fulcrum Bayonet

⟮ᴍʙss ʙᴀᴄᴋᴘᴀᴄᴋ⟯ 2/4
"USGI IFAK" [+1]
"Several MREs"
[Shtyk]"Wandering Soldier" [Clear Sky] (Profile @Rassvet)
Situation
On Probation x 1

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Rifle]: 5.45x39mm AKM-74/2U
_____[Unreliable]
[Medium Armor]: CS-2 Exploration Suit
_____[+1 Anomalous Resistance]
_____[+1 Artifact Container]
"Bear" Anomaly Detector [+1]

[Portable Artifact Container (PKA)]: Empty Container

3 x 30-Round AK-74 6L20 Magazine (PS)
2 x M26A1 Fragmentation Grenade [+2]
2 x RDG-2 Smoke Grenade [+2]
Survival Knife [+1]

⟮ᴠᴇsʜᴍᴇsʜᴏᴋ ʙᴀɢ⟯ 3/6
"Prototype Magnetic Grip Device"
"AI-2 Individual Medical Kits"
"Anti-Radiation Drugs"


_____Standby
[Cactus]"Great Imposter" [Merc] Profile (@NeonLights)
Situation
"A Fresh Identity" x 1

500 RU

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Handgun]: 9x18mm Ceremonial PM Pistol (Concealed)
"Veles" Anomaly Detector [+2]

Folding Knife
[Outcast]"Fugitive Burglar" [Bandit] (Profile @NephyrisX)
Situation
"Well Fed" x 1

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Handgun]: 12. Ga TOZ-66 Sawn-Off
_____[+2 Short Range]
[Rifle]: 9x19mm MP5A5 [+1]
_____[Short Range]
[Medium Armor]: Bandit Suit w/Kirasa-N Vest
_____[+1 Slash Resistance]
[Mask]: Painter's Mask
"Echo" Anomaly Detector

5 x 30-Round MP5 Magazine (125 NATO)
4 x "Khattabka" Grenade [+2]
Hunting Knife

⟮ᴠᴇsʜᴍᴇsʜᴏᴋ ʙᴀɢ⟯ 4/6
"Calling Cards"
"AI-2 Individual Medical Kits"
"Bag of 12 Ga. Cartridges" (Buckshot)
"Fresh Bread"


_____Applicants
[Bratok]"Tattoed (Ex)Thug" [Bandit] Profile (@Dryskim)
[Hephaestus]"Errant Blacksmith for Hire" [Loner] Profile (@DB_Explorer)
[Police Girl]"In Charge of Your Protection" [Merc] Profile (@A Wise Hermit)
[Cactus]"Great Imposter" [Merc] Profile (@NeonLights)
[Outlaw Rose]"Rose of the Zone" [Loner] (Profile @PanzerWaffles)
[Athena]"Psychic Spotter" [Loner] (Profile @Wizard_Marshall)
[Cowboy]"Farmhand on a Mission" [Duty] (Profile @Project J)
[Ambrosia]"The Scientist of Morality" [Ecologist] (Profile @AlphaD)
[Sagira]"Flying Leap from Grace" [Loner] (Profile @Cmd. Frost)
[C4]"Unbroken Yet Reluctant Survivor" [Freedom] (Profile @The_Final_Act)
[Ambrosia]"Student turned Sharpshooter" [Loner] (Profile @AlphaD)
[Shtyk]"The Wandering Soldier" [Clear Sky] (Profile @Rassvet)
[Outcast]"Fugitive Burglar" [Bandit] (Profile @NephyrisX)
 
Last edited:
PDA - Map
The Docks
______A decrepit old docks that seems well-settled and lived in, currently quiet and abandoned. A strange ship is moored here, with a rope swinging from its deck, as if beckoning for someone to board it. The drop-off was supposed to be on a ship of some kind. Can this one really be it?
> [Suddenly Snow-covered]
> [Anomalous Terrain]
> [Thick Fog]
> [???]
> [???]


Raiding Party
(A) [Journalist] (@Sushi)
(D) [Bratok] (@dryskim)
(D) [Hephaestus] (@DB_Explorer)
(D) [Butterfly] (@Sushi)
(D) [Outlaw Rose] (@PanzerWaffles)
(A) [Athena] (@Wizard_Marshall)
(A) [Cowboy] (@Project J)
(A) [Star] (@AlphaD)
 
Last edited:
Name: "Journalist"
Age: 20s
Rank: Veteran
Faction: Loner
Birthplace: Santa Monica, CA


Refresh: 3
Fate Points: 3
Physical Stress: 1[_] 2[_] 3[_] 4[_]
Morale Stress: 1[_] 2[_] 3[_] 4[_]

Consequences:


Aspects:
Exclusion Zone Scholar
Adrenaline Junkie (Trouble)
Well-Respected
Work Hard, Party Harder
The Client (Star)

Skills (NPC):
+4 Night Owl
+3 People Person
+2 Endurance Runner
+1 Amateur Boxer
=} Journalist {=
Stunts:
Pathfinder — You know the layout of the Zone well. Once per scene, you may take an action to make some observation and find a way to navigate through a given area, evading all anomalies on the way. Additionally, you're trained to recognize the Zone's illusions and have Advantage for tests of observation.
Comforting Presence — You've been through worse before. You can take an action to clear one box of Physical OR Morale for another person. You can help one character per scene.
Forward Observations — You have sharp eyes. You grant an additional +1 when granting Teamwork to a party member's attacks.

Backstory:
_____It is said that the adventure-seekers within the Zone never last for very long. Those that remain within the Cordon come to be killers and scavengers, driven by a hostile climate and threatened by the delicate balance between several competing factions. Some manage to avoid the conflict by becoming guides, technicians, doctors, essential to life within the Zone. For most, the Zone is a place full of dirty, dangerous jobs. It's precious few stalkers that manage to exist like the one they call "Journalist," a merchant of not bullets and artifacts, but information.

_____"The Zone is a place, but it's also a living thing. It has likes and dislikes, habit and routine. You can't chart it like you're making a simple map." With how the Zone changed on a daily, hourly basis, it was impossible to truly map every artifact, anomaly, every building or resident. Telling the weather in the Zone wasn't a science, it was an act of spiritualism. Like many other things in the Zone, Journalist's work involved a lot of faith. Faith in things that were otherwise beyond understanding. Over the last five years, Journalist's information had proven itself to be regularly accurate; typically, maps of anomalies within a certain area that could help a Stalker navigate the treacherous terrain unscathed.

_____Over the years, Journalist has earned a reputation for being straightforward, earnest, and encyclopedic in her knowledge. The price of reliable information was rarely a cash sum, though, and her unique sense of "justice" has lead to many a rookie Stalker running errands in order to get themselves safe passage through an area...


=}+{=


What brings you to the Zone?
A: "The Zone is one of increasingly few unknowns on planet Earth. One day, we're going to make submarines strong enough to reach the bottom of the sea, or rockets big enough to reach the farthest star. The Zone? Who knows if we'll ever find a way to fully explore it, fully understand everything within it. That's what makes it interesting to me."

What experiences have prepared you for the Zone?
A: "The longer you stay in the Zone, the better you start to understand what it wants. It's about not pissing off the zone - that's what keeps you alive."

Equipment requests?
A: "Some organic rolling papers, some lithium batteries. Oh, and fresh fruit? That'd be swell."

What is your true wish?
A: "Happiness for everybody, free, and no one will go away unsatisfied."
 
Last edited:
It's back! And I already have an idea for a submission - the daughter of my previous submission, mentioned in her background, going to look for her mother last seen in the Zone.
 
_____Roster
[Journalist]"Eyes Wide Open" [Loner] Sushi
[The Marked One]"The Marked One" [Loner] Sushi


⟮Equipment⟯

_____Examples
Situation
"Amnesiac Stalker" x 1

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Rifle]: 5.45x39mm AKM-74/2U
[Light Armor]: Sunrise Suit
_____[+1 Anomalous Resistance]
[Handgun]: 9x18mm Makarov Pistol

4 x 30-Round AKM-74/2U Magazine (PS)
4 x 8-Round PM Magazine (P gzh)
1 x RGD-5 Fragmentation Grenade [+2]
Hunting Knife

⟮ᴠᴋʙᴏ ᴀʀᴍʏ ʙᴀɢ⟯ 4/4
[Artifact]: Kolobok
_____[+2 Physical Regeneration]

"AI-2 Individual Medical Kits" [+1]
"Cans of Food"
"Carton of 5.45 PS Ammunition"
Situation
"Contract Wars Veteran" x 1

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Handgun]: 9x19mm Beretta M9A3
[Rifle]: 5.56x45mm Colt M4A1 Carbine [+1]
[Light Armor]: PACA Vest + Micro Fight Chest Rig

4 x 30-Round M4A1 EPM Magazine[/url] (M855)
2 x 17-Round M9A3 Magazine (125 NATO)
4 x CTS 7290 Flashbang Grenade
ER Fulcrum Bayonet

⟮ᴍʙss ʙᴀᴄᴋᴘᴀᴄᴋ⟯ 3/6
"USGI IFAK" [+1]
"Several MREs" x
"Bottles of Vitamin Water"
Situation
"Contract Wars Veteran" x 1

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Handgun]: 9x19mm MP-433 "Grach"
[Rifle]: 5.45x39mm AK-74M [+1]
[Light Armor]: Modul-3M Vest + TV-101 Chest Rig

5 x 30-Round AK-74 6L23 Magazine[/url] (PS)
2 x 17-Round MP-433 Magazine (125 NATO)
3 x Zerya Stun Grenade [+2]
6h5 Bayonet

⟮ʙᴇʀᴋᴜᴛ ʙᴀᴄᴋᴘᴀᴄᴋ⟯ 2/6
"Salewa Medical Kit" [+1]
"IRP Rations"
"Bottles of Mineral Water"
Situation
Fresh Memories of the Zone x 1

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Rifle]: 5.45x39mm AN-74N [+1]
[Medium Armor]: PSD-9d Protective Suit
_____[+1 Anomalous Resistance]
_____[+1 Mutant Defense]
"Bear" Anomaly Detector

7 x 30-Round AK-74 6L23 Magazine[/url] (PS)
2 x RGD-5 Fragmentation Grenade [+2]
[Razor-Sharp Hunting Knife[/u] [+1]

⟮ᴠᴋʙᴏ ᴀʀᴍʏ ʙᴀɢ⟯ 3/4
"AI-2 Individual Medical Kits"
"Zone Bread"
"Bottles of Water"
Situation
"Fresh Memories of the Zone" x 1

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Rifle]: 7.62x54R Winchester 1895 "Russian Model"
_____[Long Range]
[Medium Armor]: PSD-9d Protective Suit
_____[+1 Anomalous Resistance]
_____[+1 Mutant Defense]
"Bear" Anomaly Detector

2 x RGD-5 Fragmentation Grenade [+2]
[Razor-Sharp Hunting Knife[/u] [+1]

⟮ʜᴜɴᴛᴇʀ ᴘᴀᴄᴋ⟯ 4/8
"AI-2 Individual Medical Kits"
"Bag of 7.62x54r Cartridges"
"Zone Bread"
"Bottles of Water"
Situation
"Positive Waves" x 1

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Rifle]: 5.56x45mm G-36C
[Light Armor]: Wind of Freedom] Protective Suit
_____[+1 Anomalous Resistance]
"Bear" Anomaly Detector

5 x 30-Round G36 Magazine Magazine[/url] (M193)
1 x M-75 Fragmentation Grenade [+2]
Hunting Knife[/u]

⟮ᴀᴅɪᴅᴀs ʙᴀᴄᴋᴘᴀᴄᴋ⟯ 3/4
"AI-2 Individual Medical Kits"
"Recreational Substances"
"Zone Munchies"
Situation
"Relaxed" x 1

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Rifle]: 7.62x51mm TOZ-122
_____[Long Range]
[Medium Armor]: Guardian of Freedom Protective Suit
_____[+1 Anomalous Resistance]
"Bear" Anomaly Detector

4 x 5-Round TOZ-122 Magazine[/url] (FMJ)
1 x M-75 Fragmentation Grenade [+2]
Crowbar[/u] [+1]

⟮ʜɪᴋɪɴɢ ᴘᴀᴄᴋ⟯ 5/8
"AI-2 Individual Medical Kits"
"Large Repair Kit"
"Blowtorch"
"Zone Munchies"
"Bottles of Water"


_____Applicants
Updated the Roster with an assortment of some example kits. I want to emphasize that you don't have to over-focus on gear stuff. Not gonna leave anyone with a pointy stick and a pack of matches. Just focus on solid ideas and interesting abilities.
 
Name: Bratok (Grigory Bykov)

Appearance: Bratok is a middle-aged man, with a rough hewn face, standing about five foot, eleven inches tall. His nose is crooked in the middle from a poorly healed break and his head is shaved in a futile attempt at masking the recession of his hairline. His shoulders are wide and his fists have been jokingly called, "ham hocks," in the past. His broad frame is a canvas for his Mafia history, written in ink.


Age: 38
Rank: Rookie
Faction: Bandit
Birthplace: Novosibirsk, Russia
Experience: 2 years Russian Army, 10 years Mafia Bruiser, 8 years Russian prison system

Aspects:
(High Concept): Tattooed Thug
(Trouble): Once a Thief, Always a Thief
Repentant Monster
Pakhan's Pitbull
"The Favor" (Journalist) —
Bratok was a man accustomed to fighting for his lot in life. One time, after a long trail of bad decisions, taking advantage of other people, he was attacked by a group that would come to be known as the "Zone Ghosts." Bratok had the feeling they knew something intimate about him and what he'd done. They would strike at the worst of times and slip into the treacherous anomaly fields when chased. It was bleak situation for Bratok and the bandits that had taken him in. Eventually, even the bandits resorted to asking the loners for help. It was only the stalker named "Journalist" who was willing to help. With her assistance, the bandits were able to find the hideout of the Zone Ghosts and killed them in the ensuing gunbattle. In return, Journalist asked for a "favor," and a promise from Bratok to turn around the downward spiral his life had taken.

Refresh: 3
Fate Points: 3
Physical: 1 [] 2 [] 3 [] 4 []
Morale: 1 [] 2 [] 3 []
Consequences:

Personality & Bio:


Gopnik is a slang term for the low class, low income, poorly educated punks who dress in tracksuits and squat on street corners getting drunk. That's how Bratok grew up, squatting on a corner with his pals, wearing a knock-off watch, drinking cheap booze, and mugging the idiots who strayed too close.

After eighteen unproductive years, it was his turn to donate two years of his life to the army. There, he did most of the same. Drank himself into a stupor as regularly as he could, wore cheap imitations of fancy things, and used his fists on those weaker than him. But he also met people, people with connections, who could make a couple dozen surplus AKMs 'disappear'. These connections would bear fruit once his term of conscription was over.

Before that though, he had to survive.

First, at the hands of his fellow soldiers, suffering under the brutal hazing and humiliations laid upon first year conscripts by their seniors. Dedovshcina, reign of the grandfathers as it was called. It broke some, but under the abuse, Bratok became calloused. Like the last vestiges of the boy in him was beaten out.

It hardened him for his next trial. In early September, bombs rocked Moscow and Volgodonsk, leaving more than 300 dead, blame was laid at the feet of the Chechens. By December, Bratok and his unit would be embroiled in the bloody siege of Grozny. Physically, he left that city behind him almost twenty years ago, but if he closes his eyes... he can still recall it vividly.

His conscription over, Bratok returned home to find how little things had changed. For him, two years in hell had passed, but for everyone else life had continued. Drinking helped, but squatting on the street and acting like a rowdy child no longer appealed. Working in a factory to pay his rent, it felt like he was just going through the motions, not living a life.

Those connections he cultivated in the army returned, offering him work as as a thief. Far from the pickpocketing and mugging of his youth, this was career crime, where his 'brothers' were more ink than flesh, but Bratok couldn't deny the feeling of a fat wallet and the weight of a pistol in his hand.

That was nearly two decades ago. Half was spent in prison, a vory's true home, as some say. The other half he spent running rackets, roughing people up for their "dues", smuggling guns and heroin. He killed, not many, but enough to bloody his hands. He even trafficked medical supplies in his gentler moments, at a hefty upcharge, of course. He hated it, but who was he to defy his pakhan?

When the opportunity presented itself for his organization to spread it's influence to the Zone, he almost jumped at the chance.

Skills:
+4 Fight
+3 Shoot, Physique
+2 Notice, Athletics, Drive
+1 Will, Stealth, Burglary, Survival

Stunts:
1 x (Faction Stunt)
1 x I've Played the Game (+2 to Rapport when dealing with the criminal element)
1 x Debt Collector (Use Physique instead of Provoke when trying to intimidate)

What brings you to the Zone?
A: Work. And a change of scenery. My Bratva has decided to expand it's reach and I am here as one of it's agents.

What experiences have prepared you for the Zone?
A: Lots of mercenaries come to the Zone, BEAR, USEC, others. They make good money protecting scientists and tourists, people smart enough to realize they need someone else to hold the gun. But sometimes you can solve problem without the gun. That's where I come in. I have many years in... Less than reputable employment. Why fight every Bandit in the Zone when we could parlay? Of course, not every Bandit will see reason - so don't think I'm afraid to get hands my dirty. Also, I come cheap.

Equipment requests?
A: A sturdy knife, good backpack and boots. A Kalashnikov, model is irrelevant.

What is your true wish?
A: I have lived a life of violence for long time. It's where my... Talents lie. But one does not simply leave the vory During my incarceration, I had much time for self-reflection and I did not like what I saw. I tried turning to God, but I am not a man worthy of redemption. My wish would be for peace - with myself. To be able to accept the monster I am.
 
Last edited:
Name: Heph [Hephaestus if she feels fancy] (Cecile)

Appearance: Heph is of average height, with fiery red hair and a tan complexion from long hours forging outside. Her practice of traditional manual blacksmithing techniques with hammer and anvil versus hydraulic hammers has given her a robust physique - one pockmarked with scars from errant droplets of molten and red hot metals of all kinds.


Age: 27

Rank: Rookie

Faction: Free Stalker

Birthplace: American Southwest

Experience: Qualified Steelworker, welder and industrial blacksmithing. Four Years independent fabricator. Member medieval martial arts group.

Aspects:

(High Concept): Errant Blacksmith for Hire.
(Trouble): Subtle as an Anvil
X Understanding through creation
X Practice Over Theory
X "Rusalka's Armor" (Athena) — It was impossible to forget that job. Once upon a time, Cecile received a very specific order for an elaborate set of armor, made from a material she'd never heard of — Beryllium. It was complex, interlocking, and designed to be worn in tandem with some kind of ballistic armor. She and the client, known only as "Rusalka" exchanged quite a few emails over the months, both to arrange shipping, delivery, and sometimes discuss the finer details of application. Had this job happened more recently, Cecile would have probably realized such armor could only be meant for the treacherous terrain of the Zone, but it's since slipped mostly from memory...



Refresh: 3
Fate Points: 3

Physical: []1 ​[]2 ​[]3 ​[]4​
Morale: []1 ​[]2 ​[]3 ​
Consequences: []2 ​[]4 ​[]6 ​


Personality & Bio:

Born in the American southwest Cecile, grew up as the consummate tomboy – something that was just fine with her father who worked on constructing skyscrapers in the Southwests rapidly growing cities.

Rather than go to college she took apprenticeships in welding and fabrication – she knew the value in knowledge, but academics bored her, it was easier for her to learn with her hands, to learn things practically as they applied rather than a textbook's theories. Most of her weekends were spent tinkering away at some project until her friends and coworkers showed up to drag her off to a night out at the local bars. Said weekends usually ended with Cecile dragging her inebriated friends back to their houses.

Eventually Cecile found herself doing custom work, sometimes a contractor needed a one-off frame for some sort of fancy installation, or something for their home. It wasn't a lot, but it was steady work, her friends jokingly remarked their surprise she had customers at all give her straight forward demeanor - Cecile usually replied that maybe if her friends could actually make anything they'd have customers of their own. Her real joy though was in weapon smithing, swords, daggers, spears and more. A weapons shape is simple, but the details that decided if a blade would cut or not were numerous and required a fine hand to get right. The fact that people would pay for the works she made to relax was just a bonus.

Some of her work was more…esoteric, Unusual requests for materials, shapes and uses. This was how Cecile first heard of the zone – making pieces of kit for people thinking they were being extra clever. The fact that she never had any sort of repeat customers with these types of orders told her how clever they really were. But still, she heard stories, rumors of exotic metals, and of a place with few if any laws. She knew the laws of supply and demand if people were looking for her skills before they got to the zone, surely those in the place would want it? If she could find work, she can make some coin, and support herself, and maybe she could find something truly unique to work with.


Skills:
+4 Craft
+3 Physique Fight
+2 Athletics Will Rapport
+1 Shoot Empathy Provoke Preparation

Stunts:
Rookie Numbers — Sometimes the Zone is kind to rookies. You get extra rewards from jobs compared to others. Once per scene, you may take an action to assemble a Mob of nearby loners, assuming they aren't already occupied and you can make a compelling argument.

Better Than New – When overcoming an action to repair a mechanical or metal item a success allows you to give provide a new aspect reflecting any improvements you've added.

Take the Blow – Use Physique to defend against physical attacks like fists and blunt objects.

What brings you to the Zone?
A: People came to me with crazy ideas for equipment to make them before they got to the zone. Figures to me the people in the zone might be looking for a blacksmith that can make something with only a hammer and fire – supply and demand ya know?

What experiences have prepared you for the Zone?
A: I may not be the best shot with a gun but I know my way around them, also been in some of those medieval martial arts tournaments, even forged my own gear!

Equipment requests?
A: Straight sword six hand spans long? I'm kidding – I don't need anything special, give me some good tools and a good gun so I can do my job and stay alive.

What is your true wish?
A: When you work a metal by hand you get a feel for it, its quirks, what it likes, what it doesn't like. Zone seems like a pretty crazy place, I'd like to find something unique to use, to work and maybe if I can understand it… I can find out something new.
 
Last edited:
Name: "Butterfly" (Estelle Paré)
Age: 19
Rank: Rookie
Faction: Loner
Birthplace: Toulouse, France


Refresh: 2
Fate Points: 2
Physical Stress: 1[_] 2[_] 3[_] 4[_]
Morale Stress: 1[_] 2[_] 3[_]

Consequences:


Aspects:
Thievish Traceuse
Kleptomaniac (Trouble)
Treasures Independence
Crack Shot
Lifesaver" (Hephaestus)

Skills:
+4 Preparation
+3 Burglary - Physique
+2 Shoot - Electronics - Stealth
+1 Will - Fight - Deceive - Athletics
=} Butterfly {=
Stunts:
(Loner) "Rookie Numbers" — Sometimes the Zone is kind to rookies. You get extra rewards from jobs compared to others. Once per scene, you may take an action to assemble a Mob of nearby loners, assuming they aren't already occupied and you can make a compelling argument.
Physical Conditioning — Your strength makes you agile. You can use Physique in place of Athletics
Be Prepared — Having the right tools is important. You can use Preparation in place of Survival.
McGuyver — You've got a knack for setting traps. You can use your Preparation skill to set simple, premade traps, which can be augmented with resources you have on hand.

Backstory:
_____Estelle had been a week into her third barista position when she felt it. The wanderlust. The idea had been gnawing at the back of her mind for weeks, ever since she'd seen the videos, read the stories. With the recent events in Eastern Europe, "Stalkers" were saying it was easier than ever to get into the Zone, and it seemed like just the thing she needed to break away from the monotony of her regular, regimented life. Work, study, work, study, it was a tempo that drove Estelle to little adventures in urban exploration and from time to time, a little taking back of her fair share. Sometimes that was a carelessly left handbag, other times it was a safe in a house she and her friends snuck into it.

_____For the challenge, you see. It wasn't about the money, she claimed. At the end of the day, her normal life was... safe. She always had a roof over her head and something to fall back to, and it felt like no matter what she did, she was caught in a constant, unending funk of mediocrity. The Zone came to be the antithesis of everything her life represented, and in some way Estelle thought of it as an antidote. At least until she'd tried to get in to the Zone and stopped dead in her tracks after forking over her money to the guide, hiking in the dark and freezing up at the first sight of guards with guns. She'd turned around without a word and left that idea behind, and didn't stop running till she had gotten to Kiev. She had the cold sweats for weeks after. Something about the place, something about the people felt profoundly wrong to her in a way she'd never known breaking into abandoned construction sites or snooping around the catacombs.

_____It was hard to overstate her surprise when several months later, she received a package of documents and an invitation to enter the very Zone that had scared her off.


"Lifesaver" (Hephaestus) — One of Butterfly's more odd "challenges" involved climbing equipment which had to fit through a narrow tunnel and be assembled on site. Something went wrong and the would-be explorer had plunged to her certain doom, when a simple metal clip used to carry the equipment had caught on the way down. They had never figured out exactly how it had absorbed the drop and held her weight, but to this day, she owes her life to Cercile, the woman who had fabricated that equipment from scratch.
=}+{=


What brings you to the Zone?
A: "A change of scenery, some money."

What experiences have prepared you for the Zone?
A: "My parents took a vacation there once and showed me the photos. Does that help?"

Equipment requests?
A: "A comfortable backpack, new shoes, and a pistol. I'd like to bring my lockpick and tools, too."

What is your true wish?
A: "I don't know, eternal riches probably."
 
Last edited:
@dryskim Good to see you back! Look forward to seeing what you do with Bratok. Let me know when you're ready for me to review stunts / etc.

Name: Heph [Hephaestus if she feels fancy] (Cecile)

Appearance: Heph is of average height, with fiery red hair and a tan complexion from long hours forging outside. Her practice of traditional manual blacksmithing techniques with hammer and anvil versus hydraulic hammers has given her a robust physique - one pockmarked with scars from errant droplets of molten and red hot metals of all kinds.


Age: 27

Rank: Rookie

Faction: Free Stalker

Birthplace: American Southwest

Experience: Qualified Steelworker, welder and industrial blacksmithing. Four Years independent fabricator. Member medieval martial arts group.

Aspects:

(High Concept): Errant Blacksmith for Hire.
(Trouble): Subtle as an Anvil
X Understanding through creation
X Can't make a sword if you can't use a sword.
X(This Aspect will explain how you know the main cast.)



Refresh: 3
Fate Points: 3

Physical: []1 ​[]2 ​[]3 ​[]4​
Morale: []1 ​[]2 ​[]3 ​
Consequences: []2 ​[]4 ​[]6 ​


Personality & Bio:

Born in the American southwest Cecile, despite her name, grew up as the consummate tomboy – something that was just fine with her father who worked on constructing skyscrapers in the Southwests rapidly growing cities.

Rather then go to college she took apprenticeships in welding and fabrication – she knew the value in knowledge, but academics bored it, it was easier for her to learn with her hands, to learn things practically as they applied rather than a textbook's theories.

Eventually Cecile found herself doing custom work, sometimes a contractor needed a one-off frame for some sort of fancy installation, or something for their home. It wasn't a lot but it was steady work, her real joy was in weapon smithing, swords, daggers, spears and more. A weapons shape is simple, but the details that decided if a blade would cut or not were numerous and required a fine hand to get right. The fact that people would pay for the works she made to relax was just a bonus.

Some of her work was more…esoteric, Unusual requests for materials, shapes and uses. This was how Cecile first heard of the zone – making pieces of kit for people thinking they were being extra clever. The fact that she never had any sort of repeat customers with these types of orders told her how clever they really were. But still, she heard stories, rumors of exotic metals, and of a place with few if any laws. She knew the laws of supply and demand if people were looking for her skills before they got to the zone, surely those in the place would want it? If she could find work, she can make some coin, and support herself, and maybe she could find something truly unique to work with.


Skills:
+4 Craft
+3 Physique Fight
+2 Athletics Will Rapport
+1 Shoot Empathy Provoke Preparation

Stunts:
Rookie Numbers — Sometimes the Zone is kind to rookies. You get extra rewards from jobs compared to others. Once per scene, you may take an action to assemble a Mob of nearby loners, assuming they aren't already occupied and you can make a compelling argument.

Better Than New – When overcoming an action to repair a mechanical or metal item a success allows you to give provide a new aspect reflecting any improvements you've added.

Take the Blow – Use Physique to defend against physical attacks like fists and blunt objects.
Welcome back. I like this new take.

Skills, stunts, the basics look fine; I like the second one. It sounds very useful in a pinch. Good work on those. I'm not sure if I entirely understand the first line of the bio, insofar as being a tomboy doesn't really have anything to do with your name? Seems a little bit clumsy and it made me take pause. Other than that, a few lines about her personality, how she interacts with friends, if she's more of a loner or a socialite would make a lot of sense.

We talked about Aspects a bit before, first three look fine. Could you explain the fourth to me?
 
insofar as being a tomboy doesn't really have anything to do with your name

ah it seemed like a very feminine name to me *shrugs*

Could you explain the fourth to me?

Well was trying to figure out something to reference her knowledge about fighting *with* swords... and reflect her personality somewhat. Basically you need to know how to USE a tool to MAKE the tool. If you want to be good at making swords you need to know how to USE a sword. So also reflects less respect for people that only know *theory* and never used it.

as for the rest will tweak and update it.
 
ah it seemed like a very feminine name to me *shrugs*

Well was trying to figure out something to reference her knowledge about fighting *with* swords... and reflect her personality somewhat. Basically you need to know how to USE a tool to MAKE the tool. If you want to be good at making swords you need to know how to USE a sword. So also reflects less respect for people that only know *theory* and never used it.

as for the rest will tweak and update it.
I'm scratching my head a little bit imagining how you would invoke that in a positive way to help with a roll, though. Because that seems more like an attitude or philosophy than a personality trait or skill set?
 
Still no scientist to protect, but might as well get to it


Name: Tetyana Warner
Aliases:
"Police Girl"
Appearance: 5"4
Fluff:

Age: 32
Born: New Mexico
Gender: Female
Ethnicity: Ukrainian
-
Rank:
Rookie
Role: Fighter (Breacher)
Faction: Military (Foreign / Eco Security)
-
Experience: Santa Fe Sherrif's Office (Deputy, 1998 - 2002, 4 years), Black Mesa Security Force (Security Officer Level 3, 200- - 200-, 6 years. Security Agent Level 4, Current)

Aspects:
  • High Concept: In Charge of Your Protection - "Don't die on me Doc, or they'll dock my pay."
  • Trouble: Merciless - "They wouldn't have given us a chance. Not out here."
  • Aspect #1: Lazy, But Takes the Job Seriously
  • Aspect #2: Don't Let this Place Get to You
  • Aspect #3: Better than Guard Duty
Personality:

- {W.I.P.} -

Biography:

- {W.I.P.} -

Mechanics:

Refresh: 3
Fate Points: 3 / 3

Stress:


Physical: [] [] [] []
Morale: [] [] []
Wealth: x

Consequences:

Mild (2): []
Moderate (4): []
Severe (6): []

Skills:

4+Notice
3+PhysiqueShoot
2+WillAthleticsPreparation
1+SurvivalInvestigateMedicineDrive

Stunts:

??? - {Placeholder}

Police Training — Hand-to-Hand is nice and all, but do they
really teach you that in the academy? You can use hand-guns and sawed-off shotguns in CQC instead of Fight.

I'm Pretty Sure I've Seen That Before
'Mesa is one of the world's leading laboratories researching anomalous phenomena. You might know a thing or two about how they look like. You can use Notice instead of Lore when identifying artifacts or anomalies.

+ Commerical Equipment
+ Friendly with Ecologists

What brings you to the Zone?
A: "My Job. I was born in America, but my family is Ukrainian. So, when administration wanted a poor bastard to go into the zone, they chose me to protect him. According to them, we're as good as the PMCs that roam the place. I almost want to prove them wrong, but ah..."

What experiences have prepared you for the Zone?
A: "There was once an… outbreak back in 'Mesa. Some loose specimen from, ironically enough, the Zone, broke out and started making a mess of Anomalous Materials. Because of its volatile nature, most of the guard staff on duty that day were assigned to deal with it before the military became involved. This was when I was still a guard, so, one thing led to the other, and I was assigned to the forward team. I can't tell you what happened, but I will tell you that I have seen some shit like this before. Just not ground zero."
A: "Against Stalkers? Sec Force Drills do help a bit, and before that the academy. In hard experience? There was a shootout back in my Deputy days, but I get a feeling that doesn't mean much around here."

Equipment requests?
A: "Oooo~, If I had the clearance for it I'd say that crazy laser gun they tested in the Defense Sector, but that's only something that'll happen in my dreams. Realistically? My Service Pistol, a Mossberg 590A1, or the closest thing to it, modified for both Buckshot and Slugs, and some extra rations. Because I know I'll need it."

What is your true wish?
A: "Uh… What a strange question. I'd say it would be to finally teach management a lesson. God knows they don't know what they're doing. But other than that… What does any other man - or woman - want?"

 
Last edited:
Name: "Mutt" (Nadiya Honchar)
Appearance:
Just a little below average in height Nadiya's almost entirely wiry muscle with tough, rough skin covered in scars. Some of the most prominent being from large racking claws of some kind. With a few small chunks of flesh missing here and there. Her face has remained surprisingly free beyond a few light nicks and cuts here and there and a chewed on ear. Her scraggy black hair seemingly stuck in a state of half cleanliness. Mutt's striking red eyes used to be a dull brown but slowly shifted after Chernobyl begun to show anomalous activity. Likely due to exposure to the minor amounts of material from the zone that spread across Europe during the disaster. Although the colour has noticeably darkened and thickened over her years of service at the edge of the zone eventually removing any trace of their original colour.

Age: 29
Rank: Rookie
Faction: Military
Birthplace: Kiev, Ukraine

Experience: Enlisted in Ukranian Armed Forces at 18. Served 3 years before being promoted to Lance Corporal (Or it's Ukrainian equivalent) Refusing further promotion after 2 more years of service, citing lack of ability. Seconded to Ukrainian State Security Service for Zone Operations and Security on recommendation. Serving for 2 years before [REPORT REDACTED] and being returned to the military. Being honourably discharged for unspecified reasons shortly after. 2 years experience working with security firms in England before quitting for unspecified medial reasons.

Aspects:
Disgraced Dog of the Military (High Concept)
Partial Wendigo Possession (Trouble)
Dutybound
Stonecold Killer
(This Aspect will explain how you know the main cast.)

Refresh: 3
Fate Points: 3
Physical Stress: 1[_] 2[_] 3[_]
Morale Stress: 1[_] 2[_] 3[_] 4[_]

Wealth Stress: ???
Consequences: 2-4-6

Personality & Bio:

Nadiya was born to a troubled low income family within Kiev. Her earliest memories are of screaming, shouting, loud thumps as things were thrown. For some reason though none of this bothered her. Perhaps because for all their arguments and troubles her parents seemed to be able to, mostly, come together to care for her. Something she's still confused by. Mostly she spent her youth exploring the apartment building nook's and crannies before heading off to school. At school Nadiya found herself struggling regularly with most none physical or kinetic topics. Excelling at those few however. Otherwise being a model, if failing, student. Doing everything asked of her as best she could. Eventually being nudged towards military service by a few friendly teachers and oddly enough her father.

She enlisted as soon as she hit 18. Finding she understood orders and physical activities far better than anything else. So much so she dedicated herself almost utterly to her service. To a point which confused others and pissed off most everyone at her level she worked with. Reporting almost every infraction, after at least attempting to tell them to stop, no matter how small. Even annoying her superiors until they realised they could just order her not to report those. While considered tricky to work with such a trait, once understood, was valued in it's own way.

Nadiya never found herself involved in any of the early zone operations. Partly due to luck and partly due to a lack of experience as well as other factors. Instead focused on simply doing her job. Eventually, and somewhat to her surprise, she found herself promoted and while working with a small squad appealed to her. Once she hear rumblings of further promotion she did her best to stop it. On some instinctive level knowing she wasn't for anything larger. The, significantly larger than normal amount, of paperwork likely involved likely helping as well.

From there on Nadiya was your mostly average squad leader. Happy to continue on as she had and was vaguely surprised to be seconded to the Ukrainian State Security Service, mostly due to her obedience and mental fortitude according to those she asked, to patrol and guard the border of the mysterious Zone. While she had trouble adjusting to the very corrupted and somewhat ineffective command structures of the guards. Refusing to accept bribes or turn a blind eye at first. Not out of any moral motivation but simply because, as she had been taught, it was illegal and the punishment death and no one had thought to inform her of how things operated. After being punished somewhat and her superior realised the issue, after asking a few pointed questions to the military, she was given amended orders and begun operating "Normally" for the guards. Saying she was glad the misunderstanding was cleared up. Although she was used as something of a threat due to her quickly earned reputation as a merciless killer and was more actively used to hunt down known toll dodgers and such to further it. Finding success and commendations for her service.

However during a relatively routine running down of someone dodging the toll Nadiya found herself suddenly separated from her squad after entering a small clearing in a patch of woodland that hadn't been there hours before. Not that anyone had a chance to notice. Leaving her unaware of it at the time she had wandered into an anomaly. At first everything was fine. Until she noticed the food steps behind her weren't quite right. Turning to find nothing and far more forest than there should've been. Seeing the toll dodger, their face twisted in fear before everything in her memories becomes a blur of sound, bloodly murder and joy and all consuming hunger.


All told Nadiya was missing for two weeks after the wooded area vanished. Considered k.i.a she was found on the other side of the containment zone entierly after being thrown with great force from another small patch of trees that promptly vanished. Covered in a mixture human blood, only half hers, and animal remains. Some of which was in her mouth, throat and wedged between her teeth. Everything barring her ripped up clothes missing. Medical tests showing a completely empty stomach, faint signs of malnutrition and a large amount of new scars that didn't match any known creature natural or otherwise. All of which seemed to be years old judging by their healing. Otherwise appearing fine. She was still unconscious, if restless in her sleep, for another week before waking up screaming and panting. Although she quickly claimed to have she remembered almost nothing and was kept under observation for some time. No trace at all of the presumed S.T.A.L.K.E.R was ever found outside blood and fragments of meat here and there.

Due to her prolonged exposure to a mysterious anomaly alongside some suspicions she was, as is somewhat standard procedure, deemed potentially compromised and returned to the military under observation. Something she actively protested. Something quite out of the ordinary and utterly pointless, a fact she should have been well aware of, based on her records. Only further cementing the choice in the eyes of others. Even if she did eventually accept it and all related orders.


For a short while everything seemed fine. Nadiya's increased energy and restlessness attributed to being cooped up so long considering her usual work ethic. Although it quickly became apparent something was wrong. Nadiya being seen at all hours of the day preforming her duties without sleep and when she was sleeping. She was in reality awake and heavily armed. Prompting numerous complaints. She began eating far in excess of what was allowed all in meat. Refusing everything else. While she never quite got along with her fellow soldiers due to her issues with orders and rules there wasn't any serious bad blood in general. Quickly though that changed as many reported the feeling they were being followed, watched and stared at in just a fucked up way by Nadiya. On top of her standing stock still in random locations looking at walls for hours on end. Some, rarely, reported her smelling like rancid meat. Although these claims could never be corroborated. All this on top of her increased aggression in training and overall rudeness quickly tanked her reputation and any good will with the rank and file.

While it was true many soldiers who returned from duty at the zone came back just plain strange. Nadiya was far in excess of what was acceptable. Made even worse by her regular, on the dot, requests to return to the zone. All this on top of worsening health and her spiralling psychological evaluations despite seemingly being more efficient and dangerous than ever caused her, after some extra investigation, to be honourably discharged from the military. Largely due to the good will her conduct had earned her among superiors alongside a hint of sympathy. A team had been on standby to handle her should she turn violent. Instead it seemed to snap her back to reality. The woman only mumbling she understood and leaving in a daze.

Nadiya returned to her family in Kiev for a short few months. Seemingly still in a daze and off balance. Her memories fuzzy all over. Moving through life in a daze much to the concern of her parents who's fighting had calmed somewhat and in the face of her current state. Faded completely. Only to blink a few times and find herself with a bag full of supplies, weapons and the means to travel towards the zone. Just knowing she had to go there and see someone. Although not sure for what. Before being quietly approached by some military buddies, although if they could be called that anymore was debatable, and it made clear she was to leave the country and not return. Unless she wanted to be found in a ditch. Even quietly shoved orders to just go. Which prompted her to actually do so.


As Nadiya got further from the Zone, having decided to head to England on a whim and having studied the language in school, despite feeling it's pull she found the haze that had consumed her lifting and many of the incidents surrounding her began to trail off in frequency until they too were a fuzzy, distance memory. Just the result of some kind of mental affliction or the Zone. Nothing serious. Even if she never dreamed of anything again but a forest. Where every tree bearing claw marks just like the ones upon her flesh. She never remembered it in the mornings though. So it was fine. Everything was fine. Her memories were getting better. Her focus was returning. She'd found a nice apartment with her built up funds, having never spent overly much during her service and she'd found a few good jobs within private security. Her credentials doing most of the work. Made some friends. Learned quite a bit... mostly swears. Still while it was better it was all still wrong somehow.

Until one day. Nadiya found herself on a detail protecting some rich asshole while he went hunting. Nadiya didn't think anything of it. Despite never having stepped foot in a wooded area since leaving the zone. Following along and guarding him as people began to get uncomfortable again. The haze nagged at her. People looking at her. Asking if she was sick and a few more concerned than angry had asked if she was taking care of herself. Which she was... until the asshole shot and killed a deer. In that moment. Everything came back to her. As she saw a flicker of the thing that'd caused all this. Indistinct, blurry but in that moment she remembered. The mental influence it had being washed away. Nadiya returning to herself properly in that moment for the first time in years.

She remembered the thing that looked like her, had taken her shape it's mouth bloody standing in the doorway on her quarters for hours on end. Watching her. She remembered how it followed and watched and stared at everyone scaring them. How it'd whispered and taunted her and twisted her mind done the same to others if lesser and fleeting. Pushing her to fight. To insult. To hate. To lie at the worst possible times when asked just the right things. She remembered how it made her forget over and over and over and over. She remembered how sometimes they switched places. Her watching as it did things with her body and still did on full moons. She remembered how she hadn't eaten anything but under cooked meat in years. The marks she'd carved into wood and bone on her travels. She remembered what'd it made her do in those wood of it's. How long she'd been in that hell. The tastes. The smells. How good it had been. How it felt to be marked. Joyful and painful all in one. She remembered all the times she'd tried so hard to kill it's manifestations. To end it's shadow upon her. Even trying to cut out the marks, forgetting at the last second. How she'd tried to return to hunt it once. Had those orders even been real? Those people? Every single little thing rushing back to her in that single, terrible moment.

And. it. Was. Still. There. Just lesser. Weakened by distance. Drawing just enough strength from the forest and the hunt to assert itself. To call. To taunt again.

Nadiya informed her coworkers she was indeed sick. Meaning every word of it because she was. In a way. She left that forest as fast as humanly possible. Returned home and began gathering weapons almost on instinct. Planning out how she'd return to the zone. It'd be difficult. Dangerous and in all likelihood. She'd suffer a fate worse than death. A part of her whispering how wonderful it'd be to serve p r o p e r l y. A perfect vessel. Nadiya. Will and focus. True nature no matter how tainted renewed shoving it aside as she quickly planned to figure out some kind of dead man's switch. Although perhaps a partner to put her down would be better. Considering how a dead man's switch could either be unreliable or too unstable to be safe. It grated though as she kept coming back to her orders. Orders to stay away. Denying them just felt impossible. Unable to determine if they were real or not.

Nadiya didn't know what she felt when that letter arrived days later. With all the proof needed after a few tests and calls. That it was legitimate. Not a hallucination or trick. The timing just too perfect. Maybe the creature had known somehow. Maybe not. It didn't take long to decide. Every part of her. Even the parts not really her. Agreeing to go for their own reasons. Nadiya knew why deep down though. She'd find that thing or die trying and put it down for good. She'd never be whole. One way, or the other if she didn't. Never be able to serve properly. Live properly. Forever stuck flickering between awareness and enforced ignorance. A fate almost worse than the others.

She just had to hold it together long enough to see things through.

Personality wise Nadiya is an extreme workaholic. Focusing entierly on her current tasks, duties or hobbies to the point she lives breaths and sleeps them. Only able to keep up proper training regimes, sleep and eating habits due to knowing they'd negatively impact her ability to act. Nadiya is also extremely obedient and loyal to an almost insane degree to her direct superiors or those designated as such although conditions applied to that might impact what she's willing to do in those cases. She will however lodge complaints or make suggestions or orders she considers ineffective at achieving anything. Even if she'll follow through should her superior refuse to change them, barring something like completely pointless suicide. While she was once extremely uptight her time in security and away from the military and other events have loosened her up somewhat. Causing her to develop a British accent, a bad sense of humour, a motley collection of British swears and seemingly losing the ability to speak formally as she'd done nearly constantly before. Allowing her to, somewhat, make friends easier than before. Although she still takes some time to warm up to people normally without combat or shared suffering to push it along. Nadiya seeming to greatly enjoy such circumstances and express herself more within them. Strangely though there are the occasional moments where Nadiya will have outbursts of blunt rudeness, threats of violence or even just acting wrong. Which seem to come under control quickly enough....

Skills:
+4 Will
+3 Athletics, Shoot
+2 Fight, Physique, Notice
+1 Heavy Weapons, Survival, Preparation, Medicine

Stunts:

"It Fell off a Truck" — Once per scene, you may make a special Preparation roll to see if you have "accidentally" obtained a piece of military hardware. You may specify the vague type of equipment you're looking for.
Wendigo's Mark — +2 to will defence against supernatural mental intrusions. Something's already got it's claws in this one. Many, many times over.
To a T — Once per scene you may add +2 to one action roll. Provided it is being taken on or in service of direct orders, taken as literally as possible, from a recognised superior. Once a dog always a dog.

=}+{=



What brings you to the Zone?
A: Orders from on high and a chance to serve properly again. Although I've always wanted to go back. Never quite felt the same after leaving like that. In a bad way I eventually realised. I'm sure anyone else who's been there for long enough could understand easily enough. Plus there's someone I need to repay a favour or two.

What experiences have prepared you for the Zone?
A: Years of military training. A bit of security work on top of that. Surviving. Guarding the Zone's borders teaches a lot. Both in handling anomalies, creatures and people. Although I will admit to knowing enough to know my understanding of the Deeper Zone is limited. I will adapt.

Equipment requests?
A: The usual. Armour, decent backpack, Ak, as many bullets as I can carry or as much as can be spared. Artifact detecter if possible. Mission parameters would merit it. In addition but not expected to receive. A pistol with some ammunition. One bullet spare. A combat knife, binoculars and a few grenades would make this mission significantly easier... and I require all my rations in jerky. Don't care what kind. Just not vegan. None negotiable. Sorry.

What is your true wish?
A: To be eternal and unending, so my service may last forever.
 
Last edited:
Name: "Cactus" (Čedomir Gaidar)
Appearance:
Standing 6' 0" tall, Cedomir carries himself in a calm and relaxed manner. He has a clean shave and a buzz cut for his black hair. He is physically fit, though his preferred methods of exercise is lifting instead of track and athletics, giving him broad shoulders, strong arms, and a muscular torso.

Age: 32
Rank: Rookie
Faction: Ecologist
Birthplace: Malyn, Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukraine; though he was adopted by one of the Chernobyl Liquidators, who moved to Russia before the fall of the Soviet Union.



Aspects:
[Rising Zone Researcher] Charismatic Imposter
[Perfectionist to a Fault] Liar under Pressure (Trouble)​
[Wealthy Backers] Falsified Paperwork
[Grace Under Fire]​
[A Charitable Act] (Bandits) — As a police officer, Čedomir helped put a dent in more than a few small-time gangs working around the Zone. It was a moment of mercy that would come to define his career as a policeman, however, when he released a small-fry gang leader that had been set up by corrupt officers with planted evidence. Nothing ever came of it, at least not at the agency, but the man would not forget, even as he grew his influence and power over the Zone. If certain senior bandits were to see Čedomir's face, or hear his name uttered, they would doubtlessly remember a hefty favor owed...

Refresh: 3
Fate Points: 3
Physical: 4
Morale: 3
Consequences:

2 Years — Conscript in the Russian Ground Forces
3 Years — Police Officer
4 Years — Undercover Officer
2 Years — Undercover Journalist (Falsified Credentials)
3 Years — "Archaeologist" (Falsified Credentials)

Čedomir is a thick-skinned social person, capable of showing trust and even compassion. Not only does being calm and courteous leave a good impression, it also helps to distance himself from his cover identities, who usually aren't. Has the tendency to be deflective or prickly on the topic of disguises or sensitive information, earning him the nickname Catcus. Is used to a fast-paced and competitive lifestyle, but has the maturity to wait for the long-haul. But his desire for the fast life is tempered by a preference for action that's based on preparation and research, or failing that experience. That flies out the window when his imposter syndrome enters the picture, stoking his fears about being exposed as a fraud. Suddenly his sense of risk assessment becomes skewed, making him more prone to irrational drastic action when his credentials are in question.

Adopted by one of the Chernobyl Liquidators, who moved to Russia before the fall of the Soviet Union. (Bio here.)
Čedomir is weird Ecologist in the sense that he is not connected to academic institutions. Originally a loner who came to the Zone for personal reasons, he found a niche in collecting scientific data for the interested. By being able to work independently while also being knowledgeable enough to collect useful data, Čedomir could complete research jobs with minimal support. Whether they be inside the Zone and and in need of an expert, or outside of it and in need of research done cheaply and independent of the public eye, Čedomir was equally willing to provide.

But this took an abrupt turn when he had the bad luck to be caught in a firefight near an anomaly, as well as personal failings he was barely able to brush off as one-time issues. Eager for a solution, he reached out to Ecologist contacts who would be willing to help him achieve a more stable arrangement. What he got was success beyond his expectations, but also beyond his means to handle. Rather than an NGO or a private eccentric who could be talked into paying more than they expected yet still leave happy, he found himself up against a professional organization that presented firm opposition to his tricks while advancing their own agenda. In the end he was able to convince them to of both his credentials and professional integrity, getting him the job and a notice that he would be responsible to fulfill every Zone-related request asked of him.

Skills:
Deceive +4 (Lore +4)​
Shoot +3, Physique +3​
Electronics +2, Contacts +2, Will +2​
Fight +1, Survival +1, Lore +1, Empathy +1​

Stunts:
[Anomalous Materials]
(Ecologist)
With time and some available equipment, you may spend a Fate Point to infuse a machine or piece of equipment with an Artifact using your Craft or Electronics Skill. Additionally, you have the equipment to pick up most Artifacts without negative effects.​

[Become the Mask]
You have a cover identity you can assume. Describe your cover identity, choose a high concept and a trouble aspect for your cover identity, and choose an apex skill for your cover identity. You can assume that identity with enough preparation and the expenditure of a fate point. While you're in that identity, its high concept and trouble replace yours and you can use Deceive in place of its apex skill. You lose these benefits as soon as your cover is blown, and you may have to spend some time creating a new cover identity. (Fate System Toolkit, p.42)​

[Walking Library]
Your prodigious reading has paid off in spades, and you are able to recall minute details from even the most obscure literary works. You don't ever have to spend a fate point to declare that you have the proper tools for research using Lore, even in extreme situations (like being imprisoned and unable to access a library). This source of opposition is just off the table. (adapted from Spirit of the Century SRD, §6.2.2)​


What brings you to the Zone?
A: "The Zone itself is what appeals to me. The opportunities, the unknown, the challenges. The Zone is the new frontier for human exploration, and I want to leave my mark on history as being a part of it."

What experiences have prepared you for the Zone?
A: "I've done a lot of work in the Zone. More importantly, I've experienced first hand how dangerous the Zone is. I've seen many focus on anomalies and radiation at the expense of neglecting their fellow Stalkers and mutants. I have no intention of paying that price."

Equipment requests?
A: "Batteries for certain, I'm always searching for those. A good gun wouldn't go amiss either, I know how to handle myself in a gunfight. And this is unorthodox, but could you send me a Russian or Soviet camouflage uniform and a leather jacket? Enviromental suit's too colorful, it's a big "please shoot me" sign visible from a mile away, so I'll need something to blend in."

What is your true wish?
A: If asked, they would answer for a complete scientific understanding of the Zone for the benefit of mankind. Subconsciously however, they wish to understand the meaning of life, so that they can act on such information to achieve true, lasting change and satisfaction.
 
Last edited:
Still no scientist to protect, but might as well get to it


Name: Tetyana Warner
Aliases:
"Police Girl"
Appearance: 5"4
Fluff:

Age: 32
Born: New Mexico
Gender: Female
Ethnicity: Ukrainian
-
Rank:
Rookie
Role: Fighter (Breacher)
Faction: Mercs (Eco Security)
-
Experience: Santa Fe Sherrif's Office (Deputy, 1998 - 2002, 4 years), Black Mesa Security Force (Security Officer Level 3, 200- - 200-, 6 years. Security Agent Level 4, Current)

Aspects:
  • High Concept: In Charge of Your Protection - "Don't die on me Doc, or they'll dock my pay."
  • Trouble: Merciless - "They wouldn't have given us a chance. Not out here."
  • Aspect #1: Lazy, But Takes the Job Seriously
  • Aspect #2: Don't Let this Place Get to You
  • Aspect #3: The Black Shift
Personality:

- {W.I.P.} -

Biography:

- {W.I.P.} -

Mechanics:

Refresh: 3
Fate Points: 3 / 3

Stress:


Physical: [] [] [] []
Morale: [] [] []
Wealth: x

Consequences:

Mild (2): []
Moderate (4): []
Severe (6): []

Skills:

4+Notice
3+PreparationPhysique
2+WillAthleticsShoot
1+SurvivalInvestigateMedicineDrive

Stunts:

Global Warfighter — You're a trained killer. You gain a +1 to attacking Stalkers with firearms. Once per scene, you can spend a Fate Point to call down a simple supply drop from your company.

Police Training — Hand-to-Hand is nice and all, but do they really teach you that in the academy? You get a +1 to Shoot when using handguns and shotguns, and you can use them instead of Fight in CQC.

I'm Pretty Sure I've Seen That Before 'Mesa is one of the world's leading laboratories researching anomalous phenomena. You might know a thing or two about how they look like. You can use Notice instead of Lore when identifying artifacts or anomalies.

+ Commerical Equipment
+ Friendly with Ecologists








Hey, thanks for the app. It's worth mentioning the last game we had a "Police" character, and it's totally possible to do that angle if that suits your concept better. I think it would generally be seen as an offshoot of the "Military" faction as you work for the government. So if that's something you want to do I can cook up a stunt that's more fitting if you're not into the PMC thing.

Can you define the last Aspect for me? The others look good, I think you could look at replacing the High Concept with something a bit more... descriptive to the character perhaps? We could bake being in charge of someone else into the last aspect if you wanted.

Stunts: Second stunt needs to be changed to just "you can use a handgun to attack in a melee fight." I would extend that to shotguns if they happen to be sawn off. Since you have a +1 from the PMC stunt, I would not give you another +1 as it would get out of hand. Additionally, stunts need to do one thing rather than two or three different things, unless they're something I put into your faction stunt.

I do want to say I like the Half-Life angle but I'd have to decide if seeing zone specimens within Black Mesa is really cohesive to the setting I have in mind, so I'll have to mull that over.
 
Name: "Mutt" (Nadiya Honchar)
Appearance:
Just a little below average in height Nadiya's almost entirely wiry muscle with tough, rough skin covered in scars. Some of the most prominent being from large racking claws of some kind. With a few small chunks of flesh missing here and there. Her face has remained surprisingly free beyond a few light nicks and cuts here and there and a chewed on ear. Her scraggy black hair seemingly stuck in a state of half cleanliness. Mutt's striking red eyes used to be a dull brown but slowly shifted after Chernobyl begun to show anomalous activity. Likely due to exposure to the minor amounts of material from the zone that spread across Europe during the disaster. Although the colour has noticeably darkened and thickened over her years of service at the edge of the zone eventually removing any trace of their original colour.

Age: 29
Rank: Rookie
Faction: Military
Birthplace: Kiev, Ukraine

Experience: Enlisted in Ukranian Armed Forces at 18. Served 3 years before being promoted to Lance Corporal (Or it's Ukrainian equivalent) Refusing further promotion after 2 more years of service, citing lack of ability. Seconded to Ukrainian State Security Service for Zone Operations and Security on recommendation. Serving for 2 years before [REPORT REDACTED] and being returned to the military. Being honourably discharged for unspecified reasons shortly after. 2 years experience working with security firms in England before quitting for unspecified medial reasons.

Aspects:
Disgraced Dog of the Military (High Concept)
Partial Wendigo Possession (Trouble)
Dutybound
Stonecold Killer
(This Aspect will explain how you know the main cast.)

Refresh: 3
Fate Points: 3
Physical Stress: 1[_] 2[_] 3[_]
Morale Stress: 1[_] 2[_] 3[_] 4[_]

Wealth Stress: ???
Consequences: 2-4-6

Personality & Bio:

Nadiya was born to a troubled low income family within Kiev. Her earliest memories are of screaming, shouting, loud thumps as things were thrown. For some reason though none of this bothered her. Perhaps because for all their arguments and troubles her parents seemed to be able to, mostly, come together to care for her. Something she's still confused by. Mostly she spent her youth exploring the apartment building nook's and crannies before heading off to school. At school Nadiya found herself struggling regularly with most none physical or kinetic topics. Excelling at those few however. Otherwise being a model, if failing, student. Doing everything asked of her as best she could. Eventually being nudged towards military service by a few friendly teachers and oddly enough her father.

She enlisted as soon as she hit 18. Finding she understood orders and physical activities far better than anything else. So much so she dedicated herself almost utterly to her service. To a point which confused others and pissed off most everyone at her level she worked with. Reporting almost every infraction, after at least attempting to tell them to stop, no matter how small. Even annoying her superiors until they realised they could just order her not to report those. While considered tricky to work with such a trait, once understood, was valued in it's own way.

Nadiya never found herself involved in any of the early zone operations. Partly due to luck and partly due to a lack of experience as well as other factors. Instead focused on simply doing her job. Eventually, and somewhat to her surprise, she found herself promoted and while working with a small squad appealed to her. Once she hear rumblings of further promotion she did her best to stop it. On some instinctive level knowing she wasn't for anything larger. The, significantly larger than normal amount, of paperwork likely involved likely helping as well.

From there on Nadiya was your mostly average squad leader. Happy to continue on as she had and was vaguely surprised to be seconded to the Ukrainian State Security Service, mostly due to her obedience and mental fortitude according to those she asked, to patrol and guard the border of the mysterious Zone. While she had trouble adjusting to the very corrupted and somewhat ineffective command structures of the guards. Refusing to accept bribes or turn a blind eye at first. Not out of any moral motivation but simply because, as she had been taught, it was illegal and the punishment death and no one had thought to inform her of how things operated. After being punished somewhat and her superior realised the issue, after asking a few pointed questions to the military, she was given amended orders and begun operating "Normally" for the guards. Saying she was glad the misunderstanding was cleared up. Although she was used as something of a threat due to her quickly earned reputation as a merciless killer and was more actively used to hunt down known toll dodgers and such to further it. Finding success and commendations for her service.

However during a relatively routine running down of someone dodging the toll Nadiya found herself suddenly separated from her squad after entering a small clearing in a patch of woodland that hadn't been there hours before. Not that anyone had a chance to notice. Leaving her unaware of it at the time she had wandered into an anomaly. At first everything was fine. Until she noticed the food steps behind her weren't quite right. Turning to find nothing and far more forest than there should've been. Seeing the toll dodger, their face twisted in fear before everything in her memories becomes a blur of sound, bloodly murder and joy and all consuming hunger.


All told Nadiya was missing for two weeks after the wooded area vanished. Considered k.i.a she was found on the other side of the containment zone entierly after being thrown with great force from another small patch of trees that promptly vanished. Covered in a mixture human blood, only half hers, and animal remains. Some of which was in her mouth, throat and wedged between her teeth. Everything barring her ripped up clothes missing. Medical tests showing a completely empty stomach, faint signs of malnutrition and a large amount of new scars that didn't match any known creature natural or otherwise. All of which seemed to be years old judging by their healing. Otherwise appearing fine. She was still unconscious, if restless in her sleep, for another week before waking up screaming and panting. Although she quickly claimed to have she remembered almost nothing and was kept under observation for some time. No trace at all of the presumed S.T.A.L.K.E.R was ever found outside blood and fragments of meat here and there.

Due to her prolonged exposure to a mysterious anomaly alongside some suspicions she was, as is somewhat standard procedure, deemed potentially compromised and returned to the military under observation. Something she actively protested. Something quite out of the ordinary and utterly pointless, a fact she should have been well aware of, based on her records. Only further cementing the choice in the eyes of others. Even if she did eventually accept it and all related orders.


For a short while everything seemed fine. Nadiya's increased energy and restlessness attributed to being cooped up so long considering her usual work ethic. Although it quickly became apparent something was wrong. Nadiya being seen at all hours of the day preforming her duties without sleep and when she was sleeping. She was in reality awake and heavily armed. Prompting numerous complaints. She began eating far in excess of what was allowed all in meat. Refusing everything else. While she never quite got along with her fellow soldiers due to her issues with orders and rules there wasn't any serious bad blood in general. Quickly though that changed as many reported the feeling they were being followed, watched and stared at in just a fucked up way by Nadiya. On top of her standing stock still in random locations looking at walls for hours on end. Some, rarely, reported her smelling like rancid meat. Although these claims could never be corroborated. All this on top of her increased aggression in training and overall rudeness quickly tanked her reputation and any good will with the rank and file.

While it was true many soldiers who returned from duty at the zone came back just plain strange. Nadiya was far in excess of what was acceptable. Made even worse by her regular, on the dot, requests to return to the zone. All this on top of worsening health and her spiralling psychological evaluations despite seemingly being more efficient and dangerous than ever caused her, after some extra investigation, to be honourably discharged from the military. Largely due to the good will her conduct had earned her among superiors alongside a hint of sympathy. A team had been on standby to handle her should she turn violent. Instead it seemed to snap her back to reality. The woman only mumbling she understood and leaving in a daze.

Nadiya returned to her family in Kiev for a short few months. Seemingly still in a daze and off balance. Her memories fuzzy all over. Moving through life in a daze much to the concern of her parents who's fighting had calmed somewhat and in the face of her current state. Faded completely. Only to blink a few times and find herself with a bag full of supplies, weapons and the means to travel towards the zone. Just knowing she had to go there and see someone. Although not sure for what. Before being quietly approached by some military buddies, although if they could be called that anymore was debatable, and it made clear she was to leave the country and not return. Unless she wanted to be found in a ditch. Even quietly shoved orders to just go. Which prompted her to actually do so.


As Nadiya got further from the Zone, having decided to head to England on a whim and having studied the language in school, despite feeling it's pull she found the haze that had consumed her lifting and many of the incidents surrounding her began to trail off in frequency until they too were a fuzzy, distance memory. Just the result of some kind of mental affliction or the Zone. Nothing serious. Even if she never dreamed of anything again but a forest. Where every tree bearing claw marks just like the ones upon her flesh. She never remembered it in the mornings though. So it was fine. Everything was fine. Her memories were getting better. Her focus was returning. She'd found a nice apartment with her built up funds, having never spent overly much during her service and she'd found a few good jobs within private security. Her credentials doing most of the work. Made some friends. Learned quite a bit... mostly swears. Still while it was better it was all still wrong somehow.

Until one day. Nadiya found herself on a detail protecting some rich asshole while he went hunting. Nadiya didn't think anything of it. Despite never having stepped foot in a wooded area since leaving the zone. Following along and guarding him as people began to get uncomfortable again. The haze nagged at her. People looking at her. Asking if she was sick and a few more concerned than angry had asked if she was taking care of herself. Which she was... until the asshole shot and killed a deer. In that moment. Everything came back to her. As she saw a flicker of the thing that'd caused all this. Indistinct, blurry but in that moment she remembered. The mental influence it had being washed away. Nadiya returning to herself properly in that moment for the first time in years.

She remembered the thing that looked like her, had taken her shape it's mouth bloody standing in the doorway on her quarters for hours on end. Watching her. She remembered how it followed and watched and stared at everyone scaring them. How it'd whispered and taunted her and twisted her mind done the same to others if lesser and fleeting. Pushing her to fight. To insult. To hate. To lie at the worst possible times when asked just the right things. She remembered how it made her forget over and over and over and over. She remembered how sometimes they switched places. Her watching as it did things with her body and still did on full moons. She remembered how she hadn't eaten anything but under cooked meat in years. The marks she'd carved into wood and bone on her travels. She remembered what'd it made her do in those wood of it's. How long she'd been in that hell. The tastes. The smells. How good it had been. How it felt to be marked. Joyful and painful all in one. She remembered all the times she'd tried so hard to kill it's manifestations. To end it's shadow upon her. Even trying to cut out the marks, forgetting at the last second. How she'd tried to return to hunt it once. Had those orders even been real? Those people? Every single little thing rushing back to her in that single, terrible moment.

And. it. Was. Still. There. Just lesser. Weakened by distance. Drawing just enough strength from the forest and the hunt to assert itself. To call. To taunt again.

Nadiya informed her coworkers she was indeed sick. Meaning every word of it because she was. In a way. She left that forest as fast as humanly possible. Returned home and began gathering weapons almost on instinct. Planning out how she'd return to the zone. It'd be difficult. Dangerous and in all likelihood. She'd suffer a fate worse than death. A part of her whispering how wonderful it'd be to serve p r o p e r l y. A perfect vessel. Nadiya. Will and focus. True nature no matter how tainted renewed shoving it aside as she quickly planned to figure out some kind of dead man's switch. Although perhaps a partner to put her down would be better. Considering how a dead man's switch could either be unreliable or too unstable to be safe. It grated though as she kept coming back to her orders. Orders to stay away. Denying them just felt impossible. Unable to determine if they were real or not.

Nadiya didn't know what she felt when that letter arrived days later. With all the proof needed after a few tests and calls. That it was legitimate. Not a hallucination or trick. The timing just too perfect. Maybe the creature had known somehow. Maybe not. It didn't take long to decide. Every part of her. Even the parts not really her. Agreeing to go for their own reasons. Nadiya knew why deep down though. She'd find that thing or die trying and put it down for good. She'd never be whole. One way, or the other if she didn't. Never be able to serve properly. Live properly. Forever stuck flickering between awareness and enforced ignorance. A fate almost worse than the others.

She just had to hold it together long enough to see things through.

Personality wise Nadiya is an extreme workaholic. Focusing entierly on her current tasks, duties or hobbies to the point she lives breaths and sleeps them. Only able to keep up proper training regimes, sleep and eating habits due to knowing they'd negatively impact her ability to act. Nadiya is also extremely obedient and loyal to an almost insane degree to her direct superiors or those designated as such although conditions applied to that might impact what she's willing to do in those cases. She will however lodge complaints or make suggestions or orders she considers ineffective at achieving anything. Even if she'll follow through should her superior refuse to change them, barring something like completely pointless suicide. While she was once extremely uptight her time in security and away from the military and other events have loosened her up somewhat. Causing her to develop a British accent, a bad sense of humour, a motley collection of British swears and seemingly losing the ability to speak formally as she'd done nearly constantly before. Allowing her to, somewhat, make friends easier than before. Although she still takes some time to warm up to people normally without combat or shared suffering to push it along. Nadiya seeming to greatly enjoy such circumstances and express herself more within them. Strangely though there are the occasional moments where Nadiya will have outbursts of blunt rudeness, threats of violence or even just acting wrong. Which seem to come under control quickly enough....

Skills:
+4 Will
+3 Athletics, Shoot
+2 Fight, Physique, Notice
+1 Heavy Weapons, Survival, Preparation, Medicine

Stunts:

"It Fell off a Truck" — Once per scene, you may make a special Preparation roll to see if you have "accidentally" obtained a piece of military hardware. You may specify the vague type of equipment you're looking for.
Wendigo's Mark — +2 to will defence against supernatural mental intrusions. Something's already got it's claws in this one. Many, many times over.
To a T — Once per scene you may add +2 to one action roll. Provided it is being taken on or in service of direct orders, taken as literally as possible, from a recognised superior. Once a dog always a dog.

=}+{=
Thanks for the app, you put a lot of work into it. Stunts, skills questions, those seem fine.

I gave it a quick read as the bio is pretty long. It's a bit late so apologies if my response wanders a bit, just wanted to give you my thoughts before bed.

My main concern is that the nature of what happened to your character seems sort of... drastic and obviously wrong, and in my mind the military would have seen these things and locked her up in a lab and probably experimented on her. The world of Stalker is rooted in this sort of grim pragmatism and I think it would make the most sense to make this character's descent into this twisted... animal sort of state more gradual and insidious. It's sorta breaking my suspension of disbelief that some government organization didn't slap this person into a cell, basically.

So I would say the best type of character for a game tends to be more subtle / less obviously changed by the effects of the zone itself.

Like this "Wendigo," rather than getting attacked in the woods, maybe it started out as something simple, but unnerving. Every night she could hear a strange, bone chilling howl within the zone that nobody else heard. And then one day it became a pair of eyes staring back at her from the brush, becoming more and more real even though nobody else was seeing it, and this totally normal soldier who did their job normally just realizes they're slowly losing their mind. And their superiors notice it too, they notice the random wounds that show up when she wakes up after expeditions overnight into the zone. That's along the lines of what I'd recommend.

Because from my perspective as a GM, your character at the start of the RP is at point A. You need to have a point B they could reach by the path of the game... if your character is cranked up to 11 already when the game starts, it becomes difficult to mesh with a party of people who are pretty normal, realistic types. If the Zone's already hugely changed your character by the time the game starts it becomes hard to manage in the long term.

That aside, a lot of the early backstory, like teachers recommending the military (?) or being a stickler for reporting every violation seem to be excess fluff without tying into the greater idea of the character. These things make sense if, for example, your character's by-the-book attitude leads them to make a certain decision that ends up being very important in their life; the one time they refused to ignore some stalkers bribing their way into the zone and the way it subsequently got her fired, planting the seeds for a deep-seated resentment toward stalkers, etc. But instead it's mentioned your character used to be a stickler for the rules, someone talked to them, and they weren't.

There's a lot of things like that which that can be thinned down to compromise the central idea of who your character is and what they're doing in the party.

Please don't take this as being discouraging to your efforts, I think it's quite a lot of nice work. I tend to be a bit picky with character profile development because it pays dividends down the line when you're becoming a part of the game world we're making.

Please let me know if you have any other questions and feel free to PM me or ask on Discord.
 
Put together some tentative inventories, things I had in mind for what your kits will look like. Nothing final, characters haven't been picked yet so it's just brainstorming, etc.

@dryskim
Situation
"Haunted by a Ghost" x 1

500 RU

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Handgun]: 12 Ga. Lupara
_____[+2 Short Range]
[Rifle]: 5.45x39mm AKS-74u
[Medium Armor]: Bandit Suit w/Kirasa-N Vest
_____[+1 Slash Resistance]
[Mask]: Painter's Mask
"Echo" Anomaly Detector

3 x 30-Round AK-74 6L20 Magazine (PS)
4 x "Khattabka" Grenade [+2]
Hunting Knife

⟮RK-ShT-30 ᴀssᴀᴜʟᴛ ᴘᴀᴄᴋ⟯ 4/6
"AI-2 Individual Medical Kits"
"Premium Menthols"
"Fresh Bread"
"Bag of 12 Ga. Cartridges" (Buckshot)

@DB_Explorer
Situation
"Well Rested" x 1

500 RU

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Rifle]: .366 TKM VPO-208 Carbine
[Light Armor]: Mail-Reinforced Jacket
_____[+1 Slash Resistance]
[Medium Mask]: Welding Facemask
"Echo" Anomaly Detector

5 x 10-Round .366 Stripper Clip (Geksa SP)
2 x Smoke Bomb
Welding Kit
Precision Tools
Big Hunting Knife [+1]

⟮ᴀʟɪᴄᴇ ʀᴜᴄᴋsᴀᴄᴋ⟯ 3/8
"First Aid Kit"
"Bellows"
"Trail Mix"
"An Assortment of Cutlery"

@Sushi
Situation
"Creeped Out" x 1

500 RU

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Handgun]: .45 Rubber Makarych MP-80-13T Trauma Pistol
_____[Less Lethal]
[Rifle]: 7.62x39mm Rookie Rifle
[Light Armor]: Lightweight Merc Suit
_____[+1 Stealth]
[Mask]: N95 Respirator

4 x 6-Round Makarych .45 Magazine
2 x Smoke Bomb
Lockpick Set
Pocketknife

⟮ᴄᴀɴᴠᴀs ʙᴀɢ⟯ 4/7
"Dollar-Store First Aid Kit"
"Energy Drinks"
"Bags of Jerky"
"Assorted Trinkets"

@A Wise Hermit
Situation
"Deja Vu" x 1

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Handgun]: 9x19mm Glock 19
[Rifle]: 5.56x45mm M4A1 CQBR Carbine w/M68 CCO [+1]
[Rifle]: 12 Ga. M500A2 MEK Breaching Shotgun
_____[+2 Short Range]
[Light Armor]: "PACA" Low Visibility Vest w/Micro Fight Chest Rig

4 x 30-Round M4A1 EPM Magazine (M855)
2 x 15-Round G19 Magazine (125 JHP)
4 x CTS 7290 Flashbang Grenade
ER Fulcrum Bayonet

⟮ᴍʙss ʙᴀᴄᴋᴘᴀᴄᴋ⟯ 3/4
"USGI IFAK" [+1]
"Box of Shotgun Shells" (Slugs)
"Several MREs"

@Leolu
Situation
"Visions of Wendigo" x 1

500 RU

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Rifle]: 5.45x39mm AK-74N [+1]
[Heavy Armor]: PSZ-7 Army Combat Uniform w/"Shark" DU Armor Carrier (Multicam)
_____[+1 Bullet Resistance]
[Medium Helmet]: TOR-D Ballistic Helmet (Tan)
"Bear" Anomaly Detector [+1]

7 x 30-Round AK-74 6L23 Magazine (BP)
2 x RGD-5 Fragmentation Grenade [+2]
6h5 Bayonet

⟮ᴀssᴀᴜʟᴛ ᴘᴀᴄᴋ⟯ 3/6
"USGI IFAK" [+1]
"Carton of Armor-Piercing 5.45"
"IRP Rations"
"Assorted Trinkets"

@NeonLights
Situation
Fresh Identity x 1

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Rifle]: 9x19mm MP5A5 [+1]
_____[Short Range]
[Medium Armor]: CS-2 Exploration Suit
_____[+1 Anomalous Resistance]
_____[+1 Artifact Container]
"Bear" Anomaly Detector [+1]

[Portable Artifact Container (PKA)]: Empty Container

5 x 30-Round MP5 Magazine (125 NATO)
2 x M26A1 Fragmentation Grenade [+2]
2 x RDG-2 Smoke Grenade [+2]
Concealed PMM Pistol
Survival Knife [+1]

⟮ᴠᴇsʜᴍᴇsʜᴏᴋ ʙᴀɢ⟯ 3/6
"Prototype Magnetic Grip Device"
"AI-2 Individual Medical Kits"
"Anti-Radiation Drugs"

@PanzerWaffles
Situation
"Hot Merch" x 1

500 RU

⟮ᴇǫᴜɪᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ⟯
[Handgun]: 9x19mm MP-444
[Rifle]: 9x18mm PM-84 Glauberyt [+1]
_____[Short Range]
[Light Armor]: "Horizon" Treated Uniform w/"Schturm-VV" Ballistic Vest
_____[+1 Bullet Resistance]
[Medium Mask]: SM90 Gas Mask [+1]

4 x 25-Round PM-84 Magazine (P gzh)
2 x 15-Round MP-444 Magazine (PST)
2 x Pipe Bomb [+1]
2 x Zerya Stun Grenade [+2]
Baofeng UV-5R Radio
Kizlyar Fighting Knife

⟮sᴛᴇᴀʟᴛʜ ᴘᴀᴄᴋ⟯ 3/5
"Large Medical Bag" [+1]
"Survival Kit"
"Field Rations"
 
Last edited:
I'll try to actually write out my character if I finally feel better tomorrow. I have a number of messy ideas written down but nothing fleshed out.
 
The Broken Manor
______This base exists to demonstrate the format for the game. Who knows if it exists, where it might be, or how good it is. It is pretty messy. Your base will probably be better than this and need far less renovations. On the flip side, there aren't any mutants or bandits out here.


> [Game Testing Area]
> [Basement Shelter]
> [Peaceful]
> [Good View]
> [???]

New threadmark, and a placeholder base. You can expect something like this to return to after a hard day's work.
 
Uh...! Sorry for any delays. School started back up and it's taking time to finish my sheet. I'll be done as soon as possible. Other than that, game's looking pretty high-tech for SV from what I've seen.

Thanks.
 
The Broken Manor
______This base exists to demonstrate the format for the game. Who knows if it exists, where it might be, or how good it is. It is pretty messy. Your base will probably be better than this and need far less renovations. On the flip side, there aren't any mutants or bandits out here.


> [Game Testing Area]
> [Basement Shelter]
> [Good View]
> [Peaceful]
> [???]






Swamp Battle
______A swamp like any other, filled with your standard-issue random encounters, deadly anomalies, and irrationally hungry mutants. There's some interesting looking structures over there which are probably full of useful, and somehow unused rations and ammunition.


> [Foggy Swamp]
> [Anomalous Terrain]
> [Ruined Structure]
> [???]
> [???]

Just added some new maps to the PDA - Map threadmark.. You should have a good idea now of what the tactical maps, scenes, and base will look like:



 
Back
Top