As we press forward in the next chapter of Outbreak, our newest priority is the sense of realism and survivalism. In pushing for these, we felt it best to quickly list off the current situations on the sim to make sure all players are on the same page.

As we move forward staff -will- be advised to reach out to players that are felt to be blatantly ignoring or going against the survivalist direction of the sim. Outbreak is a sim about trying to stay alive in a horrible situation, not a light hearted zombies-in-a-city romp. Please respect this.

Outbreak takes place on Arklay Island, off the coast of the northernmost tip of California. Arklay is a barrier island, not far off the mainland and is connected to the mainland itself via a singular bridge - wide enough for a lane of traffic in each direction.

- Power. Electricity is dead and gone, finito, period. All electronic devices would after this much time likely be dead as well, and with no easy way to recharge, especially cell phones and laptops, would go silent.  Cell towers have ceased to function and satellites are out of alignment and out of reception - all that's left are landlines and radio waves. Anyone who wants any sort of power will need to find, purchase, or acquire a generator and the fuel needed to run it. Only the hospital and Deimos have the resources to run power for limited, high need situations. (Factions, groups, and businesses are not exempt from the IC chore, power is not going to be easy to come by, if ever)

- Food. Food isn't as easy to find as it used to be. Supermarkets have since been picked clean, canned food and fresh food is the name of the game. Whether through built up and dwindling supplies, growing, hydroponics, fishing, or hunting. As things cross into the 4-5 month threshold, those still alive will need to start thinking more strategically about where to get their next meal.

- Water. Running water is no more. The taps have stopped working, both clean water going in and sewage going out are no longer viable options. Bottled water will eventually run out, and stockpiles won't last forever. Rain/dew catching initiatives as well as old tried and true methods of purifying seawater will need to be carried out -  saying nothing about the increase of disease and bacteria lying within water.

- Medical Supplies. Medicine is on short supply. The misc items we've become reliant on will continue to become harder and harder to find until they are neigh impossible. Medicine for indigestion, heartburn, painkillers, colds - and more critically heart conditions and those who are diabetic will be limited, if even at all available. Old military medkits, commercial or personal first aid kits, and others will become more valuable, with the hospital getting the lions share of what of these left can be found. What can be found though, isn't guaranteed to be sterilized or even sanitary, but if it comes to bleeding out or unsterilized medical supplies - that's not much of a decision.

- Government. The federal government has all but collapsed, with state and county authority centers close behind. Local and municipal authorities who have some sort of powerbase may still be exhibiting basic states of authority but those with any real power are likely hunkered down in some bunker god knows where riding out the storm. There is no one coming to save Arklay.

- The Military. What is still standing of the military has largely devolved into independent outposts and bases. Whether still aligned towards the government and country that arguably is no more, or using the pandemic as an excuse to fulfill secessionist activity - what pockets of military are left are dug in and holding down their own areas and are in no hurry to come to the aid of non-military survivors.