“If you ever find yourself in a certain death situation, look back on your life and be grateful that it has been good to you so far. Conversely, if life hasn’t been good to you so far, which given your current circumstances is more likely the case, take comfort in the fact that it won’t be bothering you much longer.”

The timeline for this adventure is present day, Technology Level 8. The setting for our start is a little town up north on the coast called Hellview Harbor, Oregon. It’s a small harbor town that didn’t quite make it any bigger, grown in a small valley sheltered by mountains. There’s sharp, underwater rocks navigable to those that know it by heart (or trial and error), a hidden inlet that lends credence to the fact that this was a smuggler port at some point (a theory that the local museum has started emphasizing more in the past few years), and a lighthouse that works perhaps 79% of the time needed.

Hellview Harbor boasts of a local population numbering around 300, depending on those who have decided to pack up and leave this small-town life in order to try to make it in the great big world out there and those who have decided that the great big world out there isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and are moving back into town. The town is somewhat self-sufficient. During the Spring, Summer and Fall, the town offers its services as a place to “get away from it all,” with all the idyllic pleasures it can provide— horseback riding, hiking, small-town pubs, multiple fishing locations and little to no chance of someone coming looking for you here.

Although the winters in Hellview Harbor are relatively mild, the mountain roads are dangerous to drive when the weather gets rough, as they are then often clogged with heavy snow and ice and the vehicles of people that tried to make it through said snow and ice. The local junkyard has plenty of evidence to back this fact up.

The local school has only a few teachers as there is only a handful of students for any particular grade, if there are any at all. The local football team, The Hellview Hellhounds, is co-ed and has enough players to enter into competition, iron-man style, and forfeits more games than it cares to when too many players get injured or sick (the dangerous road conditions are often handled by boat ferries to Seaside, a town up the coast to the north). Be that as it may, there are still a few players that seem to have found their niche and have had interest shown in them for college football.

Locally, there is a hospital/clinic that has opened its doors to medical research companies in order to stay afloat. City hall combines the politicians and city support structure as well as the police force and a single military recruiter for all branches of the U.S. military. There are three bars to choose from for your imbibing pleasure and a single fast food/ice cream restaurant that is open, begrudgingly, 24 hours seasonally. A single fire house services the community, much like the only hair salon/barber. There is a single apartment building servicing the long-stay vacationers, and a couple of seasonal Bed & Breakfast inns. There are several parks, including (separately) a dog park and a cat park that are funded by the estate of a local woman. There is a small horse ranch and stable, and more than a few fishing spots.

What I need from you is a character of 150 points, plus 25 from Disadvantages, with the obligatory 5 in Quirks (so 180 points total) of at least 16 years of age (still in high school till then) to senior-citizenship. These are normal people however— no Superpowers, Psionics, Magic or Gadgets granting them abilities far above and beyond that of normal humans. If you don’t know if something is a valid ability or skill, feel free to ask and maybe something can be worked out. Some advantages and disadvantages may become irrelevant, depending on how the storyline goes, but you will be allowed to choose, or have me choose, what replaces them instead.

These characters are normal people, just slightly more talented/skilled/equipped (in terms of possessions— get your mind out of the gutter, it’s crowding mine) than the average person, and can be anyone from town or someone who just happens to be around (gotten lost, on vacation or are visiting for some don’t-ask-me-any-questions-and-I-shall-tell-you-no-lies reason). Should the characters survive the initial difficulties I’m planning on putting them through, they may have the opportunity to grow, change and adapt. Other options may become available as well. This is a starter character, and I hope to have them progress.

Feel free to make up as much of a background history and character profile as you wish. It will only help me create a better setting, hopefully.

And without giving too much away (again, hopefully) I need some specific information. Answering these is for your own benefit, as otherwise I get to choose. (Muhahahahahaha!)

- What do you have in your possession/home/vehicle/school locker, etc.? Anything a person from today’s society has access to, is available to your character, be it information, tools, contraband or the latest, hottest gaming system.

- On a scale of 0 through 10 (zero being never, 10 being always) how often to you eat organic foods/organically prepared foods? There’s hunting in the mountain & forest areas, Fishing in the river, ocean and various ponds, and a single organic farm in town.

- Is there anyone your character has a strong friendship or rivalry with? What’s their relationship with their family, and is the rest of the family currently local?

- What do you do for a living? Are you locally employed, telecommuting, or living off of the slimey underside of even this society? If you’re still in school, do you have a part-time job working at the local restaurants, movie theater, spa, etc? (ask for specifics)

More may be added later as it pops into my head…

Certain Death

Tenks MarcRichardson MisssTrace mlhm jcortrite