The Killzone: Assembly

Here aspiring creators can lay down some basic ideas of what they are going to do before submitting a finalized form for the viewing public. A good place to get some help from your fellows.
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Vinnam
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The Killzone: Assembly

Post by Vinnam » Thu Jun 18, 2009 12:56 am

As the doors to the conference room quietly slide open, a uniformed man strides into the room and hands a stack of folders to one of the soldiers flanking the doorway.

"You mind distributing one of these to everyone here, Private... Donahue?" says the man, adjusting his glasses to read the Private's tag. His face impassive, the soldier begins walking around the table, distributing manila folders to everyone who is seated.

Having done this, the man takes a seat at the head of the large conference table and begin speaking to the assembled personnel.

"Good evening, colleagues. My name is Sergeant Major Stanford, and I'll be giving you the details of the assignment you'll be going out on. If you'll all open your folders to the first page, you'll see some of the last known coordinates of our quarry, along with the dates we obtained said information."

Stanford clears his throat, giving everyone a chance to skim through the information before proceeding.

"Unfortunately for us, said coordinates place them deep inside the Killzone proper, which makes Extraction a bit trickier than first anticipated. However, we do need to retrieve these people, as they have information that may be vital to ending the current stalemate we find ourselves in. Now, if you will all turn to the second page...

Thirty days ago, a small group of scientists managed to slip out of the base, ostensibly to go collect samples from a nearby way-station, but in reality to penetrate the border and enter the Killzone in order to find a 'cure' for the viral strain that produces the Undead. By the time we had figured this out, we had lost track of the group and were on high alert until we received a transmission from a border station along the Killzone."

Having said this, the Sergeant pulls a small tape recorder out of his pocket and places it on the table, pressing the PLAY button to let everyone hear the recorded audio.

"*Hiss**Crackle*...nyone there? This is...*Sharp whine*...an Blackthorne, calling in from Echo Base. We re...*Pop*...d a party of techs earlier, claimed to be working out of Al...*Hiss*...ase to go out into KayZee, calling to confirm, over?"

Stanford then hits the STOP button, cutting off the rest of the audio. Surveying the rest of the room, the Sergeant's eyes pass over everyone equally, settling on the papers before him only after he has glanced at every person around the table. Following this, he continues.

"Following this short transmission, said border station was overrun by Undead. We do not know the exact cause of the attack, or how in fact the station was overrun when it was, as near as our records can tell, in excellent shape, but the fact of the matter is that we picked up the groups trail again shortly thereafter. Unfortunately for both us and them, they had already penetrated deep into the Killzone at this point, and an extraction team was unfeasible due to increased Undead activity. If you'll all turn the page again, you will find dossiers on the leaders of this group, Iannis Velisarios and James Laxer."

Iannis Velisarios

Name: Iannis Velisarios
Rank: Civilian
Occupation: Pathologist
Age: 44
Weight: 174 lbs
Height: 5'7"
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Black
Country of Origin: Greece

Dossier: Doctor Velisarios was instrumental in the later stages of the disease in discovering ways of preventing the infection from spreading to those that were uninfected, though his advances came too late for practical civilian usage. Up until defection was leading research teams that were attempting to create a Vaccine for the Undead Virus, last known position was in the Killzone among a small group of Scientists and Soldiers. Details concerning Velisarios' work out in the wastes is limited, but preliminary observation seems to indicate that the Doctor has continued his experimentation and may have made a breakthrough concerning the Virus.

Assessment:
-Independent streak. May be problematic in Group exercises.
-Single-Minded nature. Can be set to task and be sure of task being done.
-Practical nature. An asset to late-stage Group exercises.
-Overall an asset to Group exercises, with a chance to complicate matters if not monitored.
James Laxer

Name: James Laxer
Rank: First Sergeant
Occupation: Soldier
Age: 27
Weight: 184 lbs
Height: 5'11"
Eye Color: Hazel
Hair Color: Black
Country of Origin: United States of America

Dossier: Joined the United States army at a young age. Records indicate Laxer was a High School dropout who was accepted due to the Draft imposed after the US entered the War. Showed early promise in training and quickly rose in rank after being involved in numerous Undead offensives, most notably the retaking of Galveston from Undead hands. After his decorated service in the US Army, Laxer was sent along with other troops to aid the United Federations army in Eastern Europe in order to assist with the strip of desolation known colloquially as "The Killzone". Last known position was in the heart of the Killzone leading a contingent of Soldiers and Scientists. Communication with the group has ceased, as last transmission implied a high amount of distress.

Assessment:
-Strong-willed nature. An asset to coordinating Group exercises
-Lacks cunning. May result in failure of Group exercises.
-Independent streak. May or may not result in failure of Group exercises. Monitor to ensure success
"These are the two individuals who we believe led the initial party, though we do not know if they are alive at this junction. Either way, it is imperative that we extract what remains of their team in order to assess whatever data Doctor Velisarios may have accrued, as our last correspondence with the Doctor implied that he had made a breakthrough concerning Undead Physiology and the nature of the Virus that is giving a semblance of life to these corpses."

Sergeant Stanford looks up again, eyeing each person around the table before adjusting his glasses.

"You have all been assembled here due to our computers matching your strengths and weaknesses in order to create the optimal team for retrieving either the team or whatever data the team may have gathered. You may choose not to go, of course, though know that you will be doing the world a great disservice should you choose not to go. It should also be noted that if you refuse this task, you will have your assignment changed to that of Frontier Patrol, seeing as we've been having serious losses due to the recent increase in undead activity."

Stanford gave a predatory grin, his face a picture of malice.

"So, are you in, or are you in?"

((And so with this, The Killzone begins. The basic character format is as shown, and please, use Hidden tags to conceal your character and make the thread look nicer. Assessments are the Military's perception of your character strengths and weaknesses. As soon as we get everyone to put up a character, I'll hand the reins over to Bush for his part, since i'll be cooking up some SEKRIT STUFFZ FOR U GAIZ.

Oh, and feel free to get mad at Sergeant Stanford. He is a douche.))
Trainer: Brendan Creed
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Lineup: Noir & Batista

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VZBushkiller20
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Posts: 178
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Re: The Killzone: Assembly

Post by VZBushkiller20 » Thu Jun 18, 2009 1:59 pm

Name: Trent Callahan
Rank: Command Sergeant Major (CSM)
Occupation: Soldier
Age: 28
Weight: 176 lbs
Height: 5'9"
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Red
Country of Origin: Ireland, United States Citizen

Dossier: Child of Irish immigrants to the United States, Trent grew up in New York. Having been accepted into college, Callahan was passed over in the first round of the Draft. However, two years into college the situation had not improved, and Callahan was drafted. He was marked early on as a disciplinary problem, a rebellious soldier who had no respect for authority. After almost receiving a dishonorable discharge, Callahan begin to show signs of improvement, and rose to the ranks began to rise through the ranks. When the United States Army joined the rest of the world's forces in the United Federation Army, Callahan had risen to the rank of staff sergeant, despite many complaints and warnings by some of the more orthodox officers. After his years of military service and accomplishments, including organizing the defense of Nuvo Mesto in Prague, Callahan earned the rank of Command Sergeant Major.

Assessment:
-Loose Canon. Callahan still acts in a rebellious manner to those higher than him. He has little respect for orders, and has been known to disobey orders if he believes them to be detrimental to his health. A liability in both Group exercises and in combat situations. Must be observed constantly
-Out of the box approach. An asset in coordinating sorties and strikes
-Natural Charisma. An asset in coordinating Group exercises
-In short, Callahan shows signs of excellent leadership, yet needs to be continuously watched or he will not obey orders.
Callahan leaned back in his chair as Sergeant Stanford gave the briefing. CSM Callahan hated this part. All protocol and orders. No wonder they had sent someone like Stanford to explain the situation. He went over everything twice, dotted every i and crossed every t. That's why the men hated him. That...and he was just a sadistic troll. Callahan thought little of his techniques. Coercion was a way to get you shot in the back. It was always easier to just be blunt and forward...everything else took too much effort.

He looked over the room. Most of them were scientists, but there were still those few soldiers in the room. Callahan was willing to bet his rank that most of them had no idea what was waiting for them out there. Hell, he'd been in this cursed place for years and he still didn't know what was waiting for him. Callahan noticed that people began to look at him. His head snapped back to Stanford and he pretended to pay attention. Showing the recruits the dossier of Velisarios and Laxer. Callahan opened them up, though by now he had them memorized he had read them so many times. Still, never hurt to gave the impression that he actually cared about what the blowhole standing was saying.

Shame about Laxer. He had been in Callahan's squad back when they were both privates. He had always been a bit rebellious as well, but Laxer had always given in at the end of the day. Still, he was a good soldier and Callahan felt he was better than the sycophants and ass kissers he met on a daily basis. Like Stanford. Who, it appeared seem to be wrapping up.

"So, are you in, or are you in?"

Callahan rolled his eyes and prayed that his secondary officer would not be Stanford.

OOC: By the way, I just want to mention that I do not want only soldiers. In fact, I don't want too many soldier characters. Scientists, engineers, doctors, and even non-military civilians are welcome. Civilians especially. If you really want to be a soldier, that's fine, but it will work better if we have variety in occupations. That is all.
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Kurogamon
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Re: The Killzone: Assembly

Post by Kurogamon » Sat Jun 20, 2009 1:35 am

Name: Dust "Colossus" Blackwell
Rank: Retired, former Colour Sergeant (CSgt)
Occupation: Combat Engineer, Pack Rat
Age: 46
Weight: 213 lbs.
Height: 6'1"
Eye color: Gold
Hair color: Sandy brown
Country of Origin: England, United States Citizen

Dossier: After finding himself thrown off the money train in his family business of carpentry at the age of 27, Dust joined the British Royal Marines out of desperation for his situation. He passed the PRMC with flying colors, and with the help of an enigmatic "Friend" in the officer ranks, was started on a track to the 24 Commando Regiment Royal Engineers. His commanding officers noted his impressive physical stature and creativity, demonstrated on his first day as he repaired a storage shelter with only a crowbar and several nails. His near effortlessness during Basic Training and the famed Commando Course earned the respect of his colleagues. Becoming a Mountain Leader as his specialty training, he deployed on five successful tours of duty. He showed no special ambition and a calm demeanor, leading to several emotionally charged conflicts against his seeming indifference, one of which narrowly missed murder charges. His careful, efficient style earned him the rank of Colour Sergeant. Following a mentally debilitating mission on the German border over a small arms trafficking conflict that culminated in a massacre of civilians, he was deemed unfit for duty and given an honorable discharge. He has since spent his days in the US, surveying the deteriorating condition of the worldwide outbreak. He began keeping up on his military training recently again, refitting a small cache of weapons he has gathered, including engineer equipment and his weapon of choice, a seven-shot revolver chambered for the massive .500 S&W Magnum round, described by his peers as "The Handcannon". He has been called back into service due to the intensifying of the zombie situation, but strangely his records deeming him unfit for duty seem to be missing...

Assessment:
-Calm and collected. Blackwell is known for not panicking under the most trying of stressful situations. This, however, alienates him somewhat from fellow soldiers who view him as a machine who simply operates without passion. He may have interesting personality traits hidden under his exterior. This may pose a problem for motivation, however, and already has in the past.
-Slow and careful. This is both a help and a hinderance at the same time. Blackwell's handiwork in fortification, clearing, and general combat operation is near flawless, making everything last far longer than it is expected to. He has a slightly perfectionist attitude as a result, which frustrates commanding officers who require speedy work. It's unsure whether he saved more trouble by being careful or caused more trouble by being slow.
-Physically imposing. His massive frame intimidates most people. His strength is most useful for carrying more equipment than should be allowed, and well-suited to the tasks of breaching, clearing, and also lifting tasks or endurance events that would leave a lesser man panting in the dirt. He has been getting out of shape since his retirement, though he is picking up his training again.
-Blackwell is a methodic, efficient engineer whose demeanor calms stressed peers. Useful to have around in any difficult or extended mission where morale may be an issue.
Blackwell saw no need for the glares his new colleagues were giving Sergeant Stanford. He was carrying out his duty with the zeal of a officer who truly was an officer. Of course, he was known for being less than pleasant and sadistically commanding, but he did drill anything he needed to tell into the minds of the dullest idiots. Secretly bemused at the eye-rolling and huffing of the soldier sitting in front of him, he glanced over the file again.

This would only be his second intrusion into the Killzone. He had numerous dealings with the zombies in recent times as he was recalled to assist in defense tasks in US cities, but he did not feel quite as confident as he would have liked.

He read slowly through the dossiers for what seemed to be much too many times already. Blah blah, go into enemy territory, get the group of lost guys. Typical enough. What worried him was the interesting nature of the mission. Why did this group slip out of the base, and why are they smack in the middle of the Killzone?

He sighed and made an effort to focus his eyes on the strutting Sergeant, who was now leering at a terrified private, drilling some message or other. The sergeant straightened, and addressed the entire room.

"So, are you in, or are you in?"

Bullshit, thought Dust. Bastard comes in, pulls us out, and now we're given a choice between death and more death. Not that he had a choice. Since the raid...

He shook his head again, to clear his thoughts.

Gonna be one hell of a trip.


<<OOC: How am I doing? All I have to go on is what Vinnie and Bush put together around here, so I hope I don't screw up too often. Apologies in advance. Had to start a character from scratch, I haven't done anything before with a role like this. Not having played L4D makes me feel sad...>>
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TheDeathstalker
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Re: The Killzone: Assembly

Post by TheDeathstalker » Sat Jun 27, 2009 4:18 am

Name: Rigel Arturo
Degrees: PhDs of Molecular Biology and Virology
Occupation: [Classified]
Age: 38
Weight: 201 lbs.
Height: 6'2"
Eye color: Green
Hair color: Brown
Country of Origin: Canada

Dossier: [Redacted for security reasons]

Assessment:
-Brilliant: While not the top of his class, he shows clear intelligence vastly exceeding his peers.
-Trustworthy: Keeps secrets well.
-Disconnected: Has a tendency to be in his own world, with it's own rules. This is his greatest asset and weakness. Needs constant watching for this reason.
Rigel sat in the back, gnawing on the back of his pen, vastly ignoring the goingons around him. He already had been briefed on the goings on, and didn't think accepting a mission for the second time was quite necessary. Instead he thumbed through the documents he had been given, skimming through the most intimate details on the others in the room. He didn't much care, but if he would be entering the Killzone with these men, he had to know who would run, who would have his back, and most importantly, who was most likely to slip and become infected.

This Colossus fellow caught his particular attention, for a myriad of reasons, perhaps the least of which was his potential utility in combat. His eyes darted to the steel briefcase sitting beside him, but he shook his head, refocusing. His mission was very specific with regards to the package, and that's more than enough for him.

Bored, he closed the files, leaning back in his chair, grabbing the pen between his canines and losing himself in thought for the rest of the presentation, only awakening when the commotion began. Soon he would know what poor souls would be venturing with him to the Killzone.
And though you come out of each gruelling bout,
All broken and beaten and scarred,
Just have one more try—it’s dead easy to die,
It’s the keeping-on-living that’s hard.

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Re: The Killzone: Assembly

Post by Black_Heart » Sat Jun 27, 2009 1:27 pm

Name: Jonathan Snyder
Degrees: PhD in Robotics and Software Design
Occupation: Self-employed
Age: 35
Weight: 170 lbs
Height: 5'11"
Eye color: Blue
Hair color: Black
Country of Origin: United States of America

Dossier: Jonathan's career is unremarkable. He went to school, got his degrees, and then vanished, occasionally taking freelance programming jobs but largely removed from society. It was only as the disease began to spread that he began making short appearances again, renting a small apartment in a densely populated area and disappearing into it with no clear reason why. It was never important enough to warrant investigation until analysts realized that all his apartments were located in areas that later became infected. Scans of the area show that he set up small observation posts in each apartment he rented to allow him to listen in on local communications.

Areas in which he placed observation posts have somewhat higher rates of survival.

Assessment:
-Inventor. Jonathan can, and has, created a number of mechanical devices. His PhDs alone do not accurately assess his knowledge. When he encounters an obstacle, Jonathan builds something to solve it.
-Computer master. There is not a computer system that exists that Jonathan cannot crack. Additionally, there is almost no security system that he cannot crack, assuming it has any interface with a computer.
-Socially inept. Jonathan is not particularly skilled at interacting with other human beings. Could potentially cause inter-group fighting.
-Prepared. Jonathan has observation posts set up in various cities, some inside the Killzone, and most of them are still intact. Each has some supplies in stock, as well as parts for Jonathan's machinery and a communications rig. Recommend making use of them whenever possible.
-Surprisingly knowledgeable. Jonathan has displayed knowledge in subjects outside the range of his academic education. It is unknown how much he knows or why.
"So, are you in, or are you in?"

Jonathan continued smiling, as he had for most of the briefing. He took the essential facts of the briefing and condensed them: A team was in the Killzone, they had something the military wanted back, and they were going to go and get them both. That was all he needed to know — the rest was all just details. He took a cursory glance through the files he'd been given before looking up at Stanford.

"Just hurry and get us moving. The longer we wait, the more difficult it is going to be." His tone implied that Jonathan didn't really care what Stanford had to say at all, and would have preferred to simply read the dossiers they had given him. He adjusted his glasses slightly, glancing around at the others in the room. There was a mix of people present, and Jonathan predicted that they had a fairly good chance of surviving inside the Killzone.

A tiny blue light shined into his eyes from the corners of his glasses, unseen by everyone else. In the three seconds it shined, Jonathan read and understood. It was concise, as always.

78%.

Those were good odds, he thought. Better than most of the groups he'd observed, certainly.

Jonathan patted his coat pocket subconsciously and waited for them to depart.
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