Death Stranding [EX] (M/F, M/M, F/F)

[TheBlackThrone]

Low Roar - Dreamer (Story Theme)
There are no game spoilers in this for those who played or are playing the game.

Everything you thought you knew was a lie...

     Once upon a time, everything was normal—so normal that nobody would have imagined that the world would end in a second. There were a series of unexplained explosions called void outs that occurred all over the planet. These explosions made vast craters, the size of a city. Entire civilizations were erased in an instant. The plane of the dead and the living became one, and the event was known as Death Stranding.

     The Death Stranding destroyed all religious truths. There wasn’t a Heaven or Hell. There was only The Beach. The Beach was the world between the afterlife and the physical world of the living. When beings die, their body becomes a Beached Thing or BT. If a body isn’t cremated within hours of its death, then the body will necrotize and create another void out. There are also the living BTs. These kinds cannot be seen by normal humans. Only special humans with the ability to sense them can do so, and these humans are called DOOMS. The BTs were once from The Beach (the afterlife), but with the merging of the two planes, they now inhabit our world. They consume living people, creating void outs which eradicate the population.

     The merging of the planes also caused matter from the dead plane to materialize on the plane of the living. This matter takes on the form of a yellow crystal in the shape of a clawed hand called chiralium. Chiralium has many negative effects on normal humans (not DOOMS). Chiralium influences suicidal impulses and mass concentrations released into the atmosphere create a deadly rain called Timefall. Timefall causes whatever it rains on to rapidly age from youth to old age, and then death. The timefall destroys ecosystems, making the geography unrecognizable. Animals run from the stores and hide for they know death exists in the clouds. Structures ware, rust and crumble in the timefall.

Impact on Human Society

     The initial explosions nearly wiped out mankind. The chiralium in the atmosphere has destroyed humankind’s ability to communicate as we once did. Aerospace travel, satellite communication, and radio transmission no longer work. Nations were reduced to cities and some further reduced to pockets of surviving populations, stranded with no communication outside their communities.

     The setting of this story takes place in what used to be the United States of America. The union was reduced to multiple cities called Knot Cities, and a handful of smaller settlements scattered about. Unofficially, the new name for the nation is the United Cities of America. The president’s identity has not yet been revealed.



     Humanity in the post-apocalyptic future relies on Fed-Ex. No; seriously. Except the business is not called as such. The two most prominent companies in the UCA are Bridges and Fragile Express. Bridges was formed to reconnect the fractured society of the UCA, and has a close connection with the conglomerate who founded the name UCA. Fragile Express is the other company, but it is known for corruption.

     No longer having the internet, satellite, airplanes, etc. Humanity relies on delivery men and women called Porters to deliver what they need to survive and progress. Porters brave the timefall and all the horrors of the torn landscape to deliver supplies, materials, and equipment to the various civilizations throughout the UCA. The journey is not easy, especially for a normal person, but the companies have a way around that. They prefer to hire DOOMS even though they still hire anyone brave enough to make the treks.

DOOMS

     There is a condition called DOOMS and those who are born with the condition are called “Sufferers.” Sufferers have a greater connection to the other side. DOOMS was spread by a being called an extinction entity (EE). An EE’s purpose is to bring about mass extinctions, and they are the bridge by which the Death Stranding occurs. How EEs are created is unknown, but they have a special connection to The Beach that they may be inseparable from, and are capable of appearing anywhere spiritually around the world. However, their physical body does exist somewhere on the planet.

     The primary physical manifestation of DOOMS is a chiral allergy, a sudden onset of tears involuntarily released from the eyes as a reaction to high levels of chiralium or entities from the other side (BTs). DOOMS sufferers are more connected with and aware of the nature of The Beach, and the greater the level of their condition, the more powerful this connection makes them. DOOMS has severe drawbacks, however. Sufferers experience distressing nightmares of a singularly apocalyptic theme, which can cause mental illness (phobias and other issues). They are more resistant to chiralium exposure than normal humans, but they are not immune to high doses of it. Higher levels of DOOMS precipitate the erratic, suicidal, or homicidal tendencies such as Homo Demens.

     High levels of DOOMS abilities have been observed in those born under the constellations such as Cancer, Pisces, Cetus, Delphinus, and Gigas.

     There are three enemies in this world and they’re not all from the other side or influenced by it: Beached Things, Homo Demens, and Mules.

     Beached Things are entities whose souls are stranded in the world of the living due to the Death Stranding. They are extremely dangerous and very hostile toward living things. Because the bodies of BTs contain antimatter, if they consume a living thing, a voidout will be triggered. They appear as floating apparitions, dark grey, and with a long, rope-like umbilical cord stretching from their abdomens. They are born when a deceased soul of a living thing fails to cross The Beach into the world of the dead, and therefore, wanders. The first recording of a BT was when a doctor performed a Caesarean section on a braindead mother. When the soul (ka) is separated from the body (ha), it will try to return to the body after death. The body will start to necrotize, turning black with an ink-like ichor, and its face turning a glimmering gold. If the body is not cremated in time, the soul will successfully return to the body, and the birth of the BT will trigger a voidout.

     BTs can be perceived by DOOMS sufferers, but they can also be detected via trance connection to being called a bridge baby. Due to this game being on Elliquiy, Bridge Babies will not be a thing here. So we will say DOOMS sufferers can only perceive BTs. The extent to which DOOMS sufferers can interact with BTs depends on how high their condition’s level is. One DOOMS sufferer may be able to see a BTs footprints walking about and sense their presence through a chiral allergic reaction (flash reddening of the skin and tears). Another DOOMS sufferer can see them without the need of what would have been a bridge baby. There has even been reported of a high level DOOMS sufferer who can no only see BTs but control them. There are many types of BTs, and I won’t go into their explanation. They will be open to our use if we decide to use them.

     Homo Demens are a decentralized group of militant separtists. They seek to maintain independence of the UCA and are reputed for slaughtering residents and engineering voidouts. Homo Demens seek out high level DOOMS sufferers and force them to join their cause. They kidnap, brainwash, or make a deal with sufferers that they can’t refuse at the cost of their own life. Thus, some join and feel there is no way out of the group once in. The current leader of the Homo Demens is kept a secret, but he apparently has the power to control BTs.

     MULES or Homo gestalts (due to their irrational obsession with their profession) are cargo thieves. They ambush porters, kill them, and steal their cargo. They have camps scattered in the high and low lands, tucked away in secrecy, and they like to wait along popular delivery routes with electric polearms and other weapons. MULE camps have cargo of their own, which can be stolen.








The porters can be from the same company (Bridges or Fragile) or from different companies and they are rivals:

Partners

• They have never worked with each other before.
• One can be brand new to delivery or they both can be seasoned veterans at it.
• I prefer they both to have DOOMS or even have a secret past or something unique about them.
• Be very open to a romantic relationship that gradually develops.

Rivals

• They come from competing companies.
• They decide to work together to deliver cargo to an incinerator (corpse)
• I prefer they both have DOOMs, secret past, or something unique about them.
• Be very open to a romantic relationship that develops.

     Depending on which path we choose, our characters eventually find themselves caught up in a bigger adventure that can determine the fate of the world. They get captured and forced into the UCA’s mission to connect all the cities on the chiral network. I’m not expecting us to connect every city. We can easily do a time skip somewhere in the story to say they continued the mission. But they eventually meet the separatist leader who has been facilitating many of the voidouts. They have to work together to beat this guy, and maybe we also learn how to destroy the bridge that holds the afterlife and the realm of living together. We can make that part up.

• Action
• Adventure
• Horror
• Romance
• Supernatural
• Mature/Adult Themes
• Flexible Gender (I’m a legate so…doesn’t matter to me)

• Confidence: Do not join this game if you are not confident in your writing. I probably sound like a butt saying this, but I am serious. Confidence is a part of life. You need it to get a job, you need it to get promoted, and sometimes you need it to get the guy or girl. If you do not have this, I am not here to teach you how to find it. I am not a therapist. I didn't go to school for it. So please join this game only if you know you can take hold of this story line and blow it up with your imagination.
• Communication: Do not assume. You cannot hear my voice. I cannot read your mind. In order to avoid misunderstanding or misinterpretation, we must communicate and ask questions. Please communicate with me.
• Activity: This goes under communication. I work. I have a job. I have a workload. I'm not a stay-at-home anything. The game may pause for a week at most. If this will kill your muse, do not join this game. I will not be the person who posts 5 times in a day. If I post once a day, then that is a good sign. It means work isn't taking up my time, my muse is rolling, and we probably got good chemistry. There are several factors for this. However, if I ever get held up with a busy schedule, I will be sure to communicate that with you, and I expect the same in return. Give me an expected return date from your vacation, break, etc. Please do not leave me in the dark. After 14 days of silence, I will send a PM. After a month, I will find a new partner.
• No Longer Interested: If you lose interest during this story, it is not your fault. It is no one's fault. It happens. Muses die. If for some reason our characters don't connect, which I expect this to happen a lot (looking for that glass slipper wearer), then it's no one's fault. Again, it happens. I want us both to be happy, and if you aren't happy, then I'm not happy. Do not force yourself to go on. Just send me a PM and say, Hey TBT it's not working, and things will end there. No stress. So please do not be afraid to communicate with me. People who go silent and vanish on a person are more offensive than those who just outright tell the truth. Don't be that guy or gal please.
• Be a Writer: I feel silly saying this, but it has to be said. I am not the Dungeon Master. I am not here to control EVERYTHING. I am seeking out a writer who can collab with me on this awesome story. That is what I am looking for. So if you don't see yourself as a writer who can throw out their own lore, NPCs, and function independently without their hand needing to be held, then do not apply. It's like sex. If you only lay in bed like a stiff board, then how is that fun for both sides? We both have to contribute.
• Believable Character: Dynamic Character please! No Static. No one who has this Mary Sue or Gary Stu. I am just perfect in every single thing. It doesn't exist. I know this is a fantasy game, but do not play me. I will not write with a Mary Sue or Gary Stu. Mr or Ms. Perfect. I refuse. I cannot stand their existence in group games, and I definitely do not in solo games. If they are a DOOMs sufferer, then they clearly have some sort of issues and are not 100% perfect and God's gift to the planet. So please be real. I love it when a writer puts a personality in their character. A quirky character who you can just feel. I think all people love reading this kind of character, so I hope to see one and have the privilege to experience one.

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[float=right][img height=250 padding=3]face claim here[/img]
[center][b]Face Claim:[/b] face claim’s name[/center][/float]
[b]Character Name:[/b]
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Gender:[/b]
[b]Ethnicity:[/b]
[b]Nationality:[/b]
[b]Height:[/b]
[b]Weight:[/b]
[b]Hair Color:[/b]
[b]Eye Color:[/b]
[b]Build:[/b]
[b]Complexion:[/b]

[b]General Appearance:[/b] You can go into details about their porter uniform. It is a jumpsuit. You can describe its colors or if it has any designs. Do they wear hats, sunglasses, or other accessories? Have any tattoos? Maybe they have hand prints that discolor their skin on their bodies from being touched by BTs?

[b]Personality:[/b] Basic idea.

[b]History:[/b] It doesn’t have to be long, but it should give you a decent foundation to start with. You do not have to mention any secret stuff if you would rather that be figured out in game.

[b]Extra:[/b] By default our DOOMS sufferers can detect and see BTs. They will start out basic, but their level will develop during their journey granting them more abilities of our making. This section will be if your character has a bike or some sort of transportation. Maybe they even have an animal companion or something. Anything you think is necessary to mention in this section goes here. Weapons can go here as well.

     This Character Sheet can be customized however you want. Multiple applicants can submit a CS to this story. I will choose the best concept to start it off. Choosing the best concept does not mean you are a bad writer. It is a highly opinionated choosing and not a judgment of character, so please do not have the feels if you are not selected. See it more like if the initial person falls out, then you’re next if you’re still interested. Solos often have a high turnover rate.

[TheBlackThrone]

Opening post has been finished and updated.