Howlers
By Melciuh Ceriano

FOUNDING MEMBERS: rosiejacobs resident, selihra resident

OVERVIEW: -Content- ~Section One - OOC Concept~ A) What they are B) What they believe. C) The Design D) Degeneration Stages E) Short & Long Term Goals F) Initial starter players S1A) =What they are= They are a criminal element in the Outbreak sim. The characters, mostly already pre-criminal in their histories leading up to the infection outbreak, have opted to take advantage of the strife and difficulties of Arklay's struggling population and increasing lawlessness. S1B) =What they believe= They believe in nothing except survival. In that essence, they will band together and steal, torture and murder to protect what they do not have and to further their own ambitions within the settlement. They have no sophisticated aims other than simply 'having more' initially. As they endure the prospects of trying to simply 'get by', it will be the realization of the group, in their success that there are fundamental walls that exist that may impede or completely destroy their succession and continued existence on the island. They will recognize first other gangs and groups are to be handled in due course, for their immediate survival. Larger forces like the AES are to be dealt with cautiously until the Howlers have the numbers to realistic overpower and battle them. When/if it becomes public speculation that Deimos might be researching a cure or vaccine, they will become an immediate threat to the Howlers whom have built their entire existence and reliance of societies inability to recover from the infection. S1C) =The Design= Outbreak provides a rather unique opportunity for 'dynamic' groups. By dynamic, their philosophies, morality, culture, activity and even appearance can be highly optimized as conditions worsen in Arklay. This dynamic change has provided those interested in the group to envision it in different stages that may come over time, depending on just how survivable the social and environmental climate on the island becomes. The following is completely superficial in the sense that we cannot predict the future decisions of the sim, nor what lays ahead of the group. But here, we wanted to explain the dynamic and degeneration factors. S1D) =Degeneration stages= -Stage One- Early Pandemic (0-8 weeks after initial pandemic) As with other survivors, the group is banding together. Social unsavories, delinquents, hardened criminals and the depraved eventually make the first ragged bands. When the law of the land no longer protects the citizens, then these groups will become to actively target and take what they want, with little or no lawful reproach. The Howlers are amongst these fledgling gangs, looting and committing acts of robbery and theft on the streets. -Stage Two- Pandemic (8-14 weeks after initial pandemic) Where power, water, food and other life-comfortable resources are being quickly frenzied away by communities and survivors, a certain amount of scarcity will start to settle into the Howlers. A need for expansion and growth will become a major overriding factor in decisions for the group. It will push them to openly engage in exploiting other groups for needed resources, through the prospects of kidnap, terror, actionable threats and violent political movements. -Stage Three and beyond- (14-52 weeks after initial pandemic) Packs of Howlers are a registered plague of Arklay Island. As law failed major portions of the city, the underbelly of primal humanity was stimulated. They loot, murder and rape - the strong are assimilated into their tribal, primeval mass. Some Howlers may find interest in a new Religion, others may reach the lowest forms of humanity as they succumb to cannibalism. At their base and worst form, after such a length of degeneration they may become as savage and animal-like. Technology is of little relevance. As ammunition might become scarce, the Howlers may usually reap their greatest interest in violent melee with cutting, stabbing and throwing weapons. They are not against using pistols, rifles and other assets in order to uphold their territory in disputes. S1C) =What they are= They are a criminal element in the Outbreak sim. The characters, mostly already pre-criminal in their histories leading up to the infection outbreak, have opted to take advantage of the strife and difficulties of Arklay's struggling population and increasing lawlessness. S1D) =What they believe= They believe in nothing except survival. In that essence, they will band together and steal, torture and murder to protect what they do not have and to further their own ambitions within the settlement. They have no sophisticated aims other than simply 'having more' initially. As they endure the prospects of trying to simply 'get by', it will be the realization of the group, in their success that there are fundamental walls that exist that may impede or completely destroy their succession and continued existence on the island. They will recognize first other gangs and groups are to be handled in due course, for their immediate survival. Larger forces like the AES are to be dealt with cautiously until the Howlers have the numbers to realistic overpower and battle them. When/if it becomes public speculation that Deimos might be researching a cure or vaccine, they will become an immediate threat to the Howlers whom have built their entire existence and reliance of societies inability to recover from the infection. S1E) =Short & Long Term Goals= (Goals, but not necessarily achievable. This group will persistently mirror the plights and environment they exist) In the short term, as the gang generates its own internal ethical codes and makes sense of itself, these will be the targets:- 1) Generate a fearsome reputation worthy of respect. (How cliche'!) 2) Recruitment (Blooding). 3) Seizing property/territorial gains. 4) Generating a sustainable method of survival (taxation or harvesting from criminal exploits) 5) Actively work towards eliminating or assimilating other weaker enclaves (Rebels, start up gangs and cliques etc) 6) Acquiesce a facility as a headquarters for the purpose of resting, holding hostages and stockpiling equipment. In the long term, with consideration to the social devolution of this group, these are the targets (realistic or not):- 1) Become the final authority of the Island. 2) Break the remnants of the AES, in order to usurp the town. 3) Break the remnants of Deimos/Epsilon, in order to prevent a cure.

POTENTIAL ENEMY: ~Current Enemies~ AES (Classically, a cultish raiding group will be at odds with the law. ~Current Allies~ None. ~Potential Allies~ 1) Businesses that are, through In Character means, subjected to 'protection' of the Howlers. 2) There might be future relationships with other organisations where similar short terms goals allow for temporary co-operation between groups. ~Potential Enemies~ 1) Deimos & Epison, since a cure is entirely counter productive to the long term control the Howlers are looking to maintain on Arklay. They will actively work against groups known to be working on preventing the spreading or an antibody for the infection.

EXPERIENCE:I've played Secondlife for around six years - a large chunk of that scattered between various modern RP sims such as Crack Den, Perdition City and Crael. I've put my hand to medieval sims and had a long term in Gor. My experiences also encompass plenty of post apocalyptic sims such as Ark 13, Firestone and dystopian future sims. This gives me a vast knowledge of existing SL Roleplayers of which the Howlers will also shamelessly exploit for potential recruitment for new sim players. I have personally ran factions such as the Perdition Carmela Mafi and a 140 player group of a once popular Gor tribe. I've been the admin of Ark 13 and horror survival Larisa, security for Firestone and generally love to keep it chaotic.

IDEAS:It will become known that if a player is wishing to join the Howlers specifically as a recruit, they will need to go to the forest. In the forest, they will need to sacrifice a living animal, small or otherwise near the reservoir. Any Howlers in the vicinity that are detectable and within appropriate range to identify the individual will report them for potential recruitment. New recruits are assigned a task that will drive the Howlers forward, be it a robbery, a burglary, a violent message, severe criminal damage, kidnapping - something that will make them wanted by the AES and spread the terror of the organisation. Depending on the task outcome and also suitability, the character may then be invited to the Howlers where their neck is tattooed. After that, they are receiving weekly tasks and assignments, to gain respect and good faith of the 'pack'.