<strong><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 36pt;">&lt;Work in progress&gt;</span></strong><br/><br/><strong>Name:</strong>Host<br/><br/><strong>Age:</strong><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: impact;">[CLASSIFIED]</span></span><br/><br/><strong>Looks:</strong><br/><br/><em>Host</em>(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/NightArmorSuit.jpg) (Leader; Heavy Weapons)<br/><br/><em>The Triumvirate: </em>(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/TheBrothersBlack-TheDivertheSnipera.jpg)<br/><br/><em>Top Left:</em>Dust (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/CyberAssassinSuit.jpg) (Close Range)<br/><br/><em>Top Right:</em>Closer (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/DarkSwordsman.jpg) (Mid-Range)<br/><br/><em>Bottom:</em>REM (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/SyntheticMechSoldier.jpg) (Far Range)<br/><br/><strong>Short Bio:</strong><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: impact;">[CLASSIFIED]</span></span><br/><br/><strong>Their Group’s Name: </strong>The Brothers Black<br/><br/><strong>Group’s Description:</strong><br/><br/>The Brothers Black consists of four highly trained specialists of unknown origin with enough armaments at their disposal to supply a small army.  It is probable that they hail from some sort of classified government facility within or beneath Neonopolis, though they do not seem eager to clarify these rumors.  Whether they were actually part of some military organization or the product of some experiment is equally unknown, but given their almost superhuman capabilities and extensive synthetic modification, it would seem that the latter is exceedingly likely.  They are extremely reclusive individuals, but will generally communicate with those who make a non-hostile request of them.  Very few survivors have actually seen any of the four in person, as they prefer to send out small probes with video feeds instead of venturing beyond their territory.<br/><br/>Within the first day of the incident, District 4 (Now known as the "Warzone") had been claimed by The Brothers Black.  Acting as government officials they herded all survivors out of the area and across the bridge to the Mainland, sending along a generous amount of supplies (food, water, tents, medicine, etcetera).  This alone was more than enough incentive for everyone to clear out, and over the past few days the former residents of the Island have built up a sizable refugee camp on the Mainland portion of District 4.<br/><br/>Over the next four days The Brothers Black have systematically sealed off the Island using government protocols.  If the rumors of an underground facility were true, it would make sense for the government to have prepare adequate defenses in the event of an attack.  Heavily fortified walls, much like the ones scattered throughout the other Districts, were raised in order to defend against a possible aquatic assault, turning the bridge the sole entrance into that part of the city; a convenient choking point.  The bridge was the first to be weaponized, with gun installations, mines, and drones scattered amongst the hundreds of abandoned vehicles.<br/><br/>Much of the Island has been demolished following the disaster, with most buildings shattered or completely toppled over.  This wreckage has made navigating the terrain a difficult affair, effectively transforming District 4 into a labyrinth of high concrete walls and crumbling skyscrapers.  With each day the Brothers Black increase their defenses, setting up layers upon layers of perimeters, traps, weapons platforms, and minefields.  They seem completely dedicated to entrenching themselves completely within District 4, and have shown absolutely no hostile intent towards the other groups of survivors.  Nor have they expressed any wishes to expand beyond the Island that they have captured.  Every day they send out several Cargo Drones with more supplies for the refugees at the opposite end of the bridge.  This generosity has led many unaffiliated (uncaptured) survivors to set up shop within this camp, as it seems to be the only place in the entire city where food and medication are in guaranteed supply.  Some of the refugees have since gotten their hands on weapons, but not nearly enough to keep them from being a rather juicy target.  It is unclear whether or not The Brothers Black would continue to send out food and medicine if another group were to take the Refugee Camp by force.<br/><br/><strong>Weapons:</strong><em>The Brothers Black have access to an alarmingly wide range of potent experimental weaponry, no doubt pilfered from whatever government facility that they were stationed at before the Disaster.  What they lack in numbers they make up for with sheer technological superiority and a system of remote-controlled and automated defenses that allow them to defend and keep control of their territory.  Most technology is set to auto-terminate when disabled; likely a fail-safe installed by the government to keep such tech from falling into enemy hands.</em><br/><br/><strong><em>Automated Defenses:</em></strong><br/><br/>Stationary Gun Installations (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/StationaryTurretMech.jpg)<em>(Installed in large numbers on the exterior and interiors of most buildings.  Capable of switching from railgun mode at far range, to a highly destructive laser or plasma burst at close range)</em><br/>Stationary (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/AutomaticTurretMech.jpg)<em>(Numerous, but once the target has moved past them they are incapable of turning around)</em><br/>Mobile Gun Installations (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/MobileTurretMech.jpg)<em>(Most commonly found with Mobile Landmines, the two are capable of constantly transforming the battlefield and setting up dangerous killzones)</em><br/>Mobile Landmines (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/WalkingLandmineMech.jpg)<em>(Capable of burying themselves into the ground, and detonating when they sense an organic target)</em><br/>Air-to-Ground Combat Drones (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/HoverShipMech.jpg)<em>(Size Comparison:  Motorcycle)</em><em>(Fairly weak, but extremely fast and lethal in large numbers)</em><br/>Anti-Personnel Drones (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/GatlingDroneMech.jpg)<em>(Size Comparison: Stove) </em><em>(Heavily Armored, Heavily Armed, and Dangerous)</em><br/>Anti-Vehicle Drones (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/RailgunDroneMech.jpg)<em>(Size Comparison: Refrigerator)</em><em>(One shot, one kill is their motto.  Capable of attacking from far ranges, but mostly only dangerous in tandem with other drones)</em><br/>Swarmers (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/Spider_Cult_by_Beloved_Creature.jpg)<em>Swarmers are primitive child-sized synthetic constructs.  They are lightly armored and unarmed, but possess the strength of an average adult male and can move swiftly over most surfaces.  Dangerous in larger numbers.  Limited intelligence allows them to discern friends from foes according to targeting perimeters, set up ambushes, and make tactical retreats.  Only deployed at night.</em><br/><br/><strong><em>Tanks:</em></strong>Due to limited numbers, only four tanks are capable of remaining active at any given time.  Tanks may be remotely or manually controlled, or set to automated.  However, both tanks and Armed Suits suffer from decreased efficiency when automated.<br/><br/>Roller Tank (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/RollerMechTank.jpg)<br/>Tarantula Tank (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/SpiderTankMech2.jpg)<br/>Spider Tank (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/SpiderTankMech.jpg)<br/>Rail Tank (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/HeavyTankMech.jpg)<br/><br/><strong><em>Gunships:</em></strong>Must be piloted manually.  Only two may be operational at any given time, as two people are required to operate.<br/><br/>Jigabachi Attack Chopper (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/JigabachiAttackChopper.jpg)<br/>"Hornet" Gunship (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/HoverShipMech2.jpg)<br/><br/><strong><em>Armed Suits:</em></strong>Each brother operates a distinct Armed Suit, each about the size of a Humvee.  Only used in extreme scenarios as a final defensive measure.  Powerful, fast, and durable.<br/><br/>Host (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/NergalMech.jpg)<br/>Dust (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/ClawMech.jpg)<br/>Closer (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/StormSuitMecha.jpg)<br/>REM (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/Mechas.jpg)<br/><br/><strong>Personal Weaponry:</strong>Each member has access to state of the art experimental weapons, most of which would be immediately outlawed if they were ever subjected to scrutiny of the World's governments.  Either possessing more punch than their legal counterparts or possessing alternate firing modes that are meant to obliterate targets in an excruciatingly inhumane manner, it is quite clear that whatever facility they hail from was not interested in abiding by government restrictions.<br/><br/><strong>Dust</strong>uses an assortment of close range weaponry, from massive retracting vibroblades to Ballistic Knives, and a prototype "Pulse Trident" capable of vaporizing objects upon contact.<br/><strong>Closer</strong>uses various light arms, such as submachine guns, swords at close range, and tripwire mines or sticky grenades.  Additionally, Closer wields a "Flechette Cannon", a weapon designed to tear targets to shreds beneath a cloud of nearly microscopic blades.<br/><strong>REM </strong>utilizes a massive rail gun (the sort normally found on a full-sized tank) for both human and vehicle targets, but should a target get close enough he will switch to an assault rifle or explosive crossbow.<br/><strong>Host</strong>gets the big guns, from mortar cannons to gatling guns, and is the best when it comes to using the various tanks.<br/><br/><strong>Numbers:</strong>Four.  No more, no less.<br/><br/><strong>Territory:</strong>Black/Four<br/><br/>(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Mech%20Suits/FortressCityLights.jpg)<br/><br/>(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Landscapes/DeadCity2.jpg)<br/><br/>(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/rcburner/Landscapes/DeadCity1.png)<br/><br/>The district that was once known as Adonis Heights has now become simply "The Island", its beautiful forest of skyscrapers reduced to a labyrinth of fallen giants, broken glass, and deep caverns.  Only a few short days have passed since the Cataclysm and already it has the reek of ancient times, its technology ruined and civilization stripped away.  The shores of The Island have been completely barricaded following the devastation; due to some unknown military protocol, a massive metal wall has since risen around the perimeter of the district and totally cut it off from the outside world.  Only a few particularly resilient skyscrapers are tall enough to peek out over the top of this new fortress, but for most The Island has become a nation unto itself, isolated and impenetrable.  This is due in no small part to the efforts of The Host, who have turned the only way into the District, a bridge connecting it with the mainland, into a death trap filled with automated turrets and minefields hidden amongst the sea of abandoned cars.  No one has yet to actually make it past these intimidating defenses, let alone make contact with the enigmatic figures currently dominating this section of the city.<br/><br/>On the mainland side of the bridge, things are far more optimistic.  Survivors from all over the city have gathered here in droves and erected a hastily constructed shanty town within the parks and shopping boulevards, banding together to fend off the gangs that have already laid claim to other areas of the city and shunning the lawlessness of the No Man's Land between their territories.  For unknown reasons The Host have been sending out food, water, and medical supplies to the survivors struggling to survive on the outskirts of their territory, enough to make living surprisingly comfortable so soon after the Cataclysm.  Unfortunately, this also makes them rather juicy targets for other desperate survivors, and earns the jealousy of gangs who have not been lucky enough to have such vital supplies simply gifted into their laps.<br/><br/><strong><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">&lt;This section is still in development, but those of you who wish to have your characters settle into the Refugee Camp (or plot to try and take it over or steal from it) may do so.  I'll have a more concrete post up later in the week&gt;</span></strong><br/><br/><strong>Current Layout of The Island:</strong><br/><br/><em>Hell's Gate:</em><br/><br/>The impromptu nickname for the bridge leading into former Adonis Heights, this massive highway has quickly earned its title.  It remained surprisingly intact following the Cataclysm, though parts of it have been reduced from four lanes to a mere two due to structural collapse.  Countless vehicles have been abandoned on the roads, many of them with keys still in the ignition.  Following the evacuation of The Island by the Brother's Black, automated defense systems were immediately distributed across its surface to create a deadly bottleneck in record time.  Many of the cars have been turned into motion-sensitive bombs, or are otherwise outfitted with tripwire explosives.  Large stretches of the bridge have been completely riddled with Bouncing Betties, mines that fire up out of the concrete and detonate with high yields of deadly shrapnel at about chest height.  Other areas are patrolled by roving turrets that effortlessly navigate past the elaborate traps in order to engage any hostiles attempting to cross over into Adonis Heights.  At night the spotlights of various airborne drones can be seen from afar, typically patrolling the bridge in swarms of three or four.  It is quite clear that anyone truly desperate enough to try and enter District Black will require more than just numbers to overcome such obstacles.<br/><br/><em>The Silent Maw:</em><br/><br/>Currently unexplored territory.  The Silent Maw is the area just beyond the bridge and the Wall sealing off Adonis Heights from the rest of the city.  It once served as a transit hub for those entering the city, and is made up of a massive courtyard bordered by various subway stations leading off into different parts of the city.  The streets have all been sealed off by rubble, the skeletons of once proud skyscrapers transformed into medieval walls that turn the entire area into one big cul-de-sac.  The only cover here comes from the empty cars strewn about and the occasional stall idling on the sidewalks.  True to its name, it is a place shrouded in a deathly stillness.  Debris and dust scatters on the wind, and broken windows yawn from the looming corpses of old buildings like rows of open graves.  One could hear a pin drop in such unnatural silence.  There are no bodies to be found.  Only statues.<br/><br/>But that does not mean it is a safe either.  Those that tarry for too long in this empty place will find themselves with a few more holes in them for their trouble.  REM currently holds sway over this domain, effortlessly waiting to pick off those that dare intrude upon the silence.  He employs several other long-range turrets hidden away in the countless windows overlooking the courtyard, making it difficult to discern his position at any given moment.  Thus, one must make a decision when entering this dangerous grounds: resist, retreat, or push onwards into the subway system and away from REM's lethal gaze.<br/><br/><em>The Labyrinth:</em><br/><br/>Currently unexplored territory.  Though it is hypothetically possible to try and avoid REM's fire and escape into the buildings themselves, thus bypassing the subway entirely, such a tactic would surely result in untold casualties.  Truth be told, there is no easy option to move further into Black territory.  The Labyrinth is what the subway system of Adonis Heights has become following the Cataclysm, with old tunnels having collapsed into ruin and new tunnels gaping open and leading into uncharted depths.  With little room to maneuver and the chance that more rubble may crash down from overhead at any given moment, one must be both swift and careful when attempting to travel underground.  It is here that one finds the first signs of death, with many subway cars still filled with corpses.  Odder still are those cars who have been completely stained with blood but lack any bodies at all.<br/><br/>The Labyrinth is home to many dangers, but the worst of them lurk in places where the lights have faded utterly.  Strange monstrosities prowl the darkest depths of the tunnels, child-like things with many eyes and deadly grips.  The danger of encountering them rises only once one has gotten sufficiently deep into District Black, whereas the outer tunnels are guarded mostly by mobile turrets and the occasional Anti-Personnel Drone.  It is not wise to linger long within these blighted depths, lest one be consumed by them.<br/><br/>In addition to these defenses, the Tunnels are occasionally patrolled by Dust himself.  The close quarters aid him immensely, and it would not be cowardly to retreat should one be unlucky enough to encounter him in the underground.<br/><br/><em>The Catacombs:</em><br/><br/>Currently unexplored territory.  The Catacombs include the area just beyond The Silent Maw, and are usually only accessible via the Labyrinth under normal conditions.  This area was once the most densely populated area of Adonis Heights, but is now nothing more than a giant mass of collapsed buildings.  It is hard to tell where one ruined structure begins and another ends, and the roads are completely covered in rubble.  One must navigate through the hallways of the buildings themselves in order to get closer to the center of the city.  The defenses here are still in their preliminary stages, but the outer walls of most buildings are littered with hordes of stationary turrets that force intruders to hide within the cover of the fallen skyscrapers.  As for the interiors, one must expect to find yet more explosive traps and stationary turrets.  As most buildings are in such disarray that the paths are tilted or otherwise inaccessible to drones, there are surprisingly few dangers inside the buildings themselves.<br/><br/>However, the uncertain layout of The Catacombs makes traveling through them both exhausting and time consuming.  Therein lies the true danger of this area.  Upon nightfall, this section of the city becomes a true den of horrors.  Swarmers surge up from the depths of the Labyrinth and attack whatever happens to be unlucky enough to get in their way, attempting to overwhelm intruders through massive numbers.  Their small size and ability to climb over sheer surfaces gives them an unparalleled advantage here, making combat both frantic and potentially hopeless without proper firepower and strategy.  It's times like these that would make any survivor wish for something as mundane as a zombie outbreak.<br/><br/>Like the two areas before it, this sector is also governed by one of the Brothers.  Closer makes this area his home, putting his mid-range combat skills to good use and devastating invaders with various explosive weapons that turn the terrain itself against them.<br/>