(?) Looks like someone left their journal here.
( click on the image to continue. )
NAME: Nightheart
D.O.B: September 14th
AGE: 18
HEIGHT: 5'7"
STATUS: ALIVE(?)
ALLIGNMENT: Previously Sherwood, Currently unknown.
At first, Nightheart doesn't seem like much of a talker, nor do they seem to partake in social activities unless it's necessary. They're clearly an outsider, and their origins are pretty much unknown to everyone, the only information they give is that their previous group had overrun. If you interact with them overtime, they might warm up to you about themselves; how their anti-social personality is from how they grew up in the apocalypse.You could compare them to a myth, a "blink and you'll miss them" kind of character. Hidden in plain sight, their mysterious aura makes them a very valuable asset to any group that might find them. Their lanky appearance would make you think they can't exactly fight on their own- But you'd be wrong. Their style of combat is using the resources & environment around them to their advantage, all the while being naturally cautious & sneaky to get through nearly any obstacle.
Nightheart was only a small child when the apocalypse began. (Rather than being 16) when they murdered Corey, they were instead roughly 10-11 years old, and had to kill him again when he turned into a walker. They don’t remember much of their previous life before everything began, but they remember a lady (Helen, their foster mother) frantically taking them somewhere safe only to be torn to shreds by walkers in order to save them and some other children. This group of adults referred to themselves as Sherwood, and that they’ll take care of them and make sure they survive in this new horrible world. The leader of the group was an intimidating yet soft spoken man who was known as The Savior.Sherwood would be described best as a cult of sorts, but one that kept to themselves and never tried to convert others into their way of living as “Everyone survives differently, there is no real ‘right’ way”. Their signature was their bizarre names and the masks they wore; they were named Nightheart and crafted their own mask that matches their new name. The groups reasoning for the changes is that their previous lives did not matter in this new one- They’re different identities from those who used to live normal lives until the walkers came. This group wasn’t completely harmless however, one of their rituals was that when a member passed away due to any reason, the head must be severed and the body must be eaten in order to fuel others and in a way, parts of the soul of the deceased will guide them in life. ( Though this does create a bit of a problem later on for Ally. )
Over the years Nightheart was slowly going up the ranks and doing the best they could to serve their group as a respectable member- Though despite their reputation they didn’t seem to have friends. There had been talks of trading supplies with a group known as The Delta, but something fell through and it created a huge problem. Before they even knew it, there was a raid that resulted in a massive fire. There were no survivors, as far as Delta knew, anyone who might've "gotten away" surely would've been consumed by the flames or walkers, maybe both.And yet... Nightheart lived. Granted with burns all over the left side of their body, and a few arrow related injuries- But alive never the less. For months they had been travelling alone with things healing incorrectly, causing them to have a near permeant limp to their walk, and perhaps a bit of a damaged psyche. There's nothing they want more than vengeance, if not for themselves then for the people they've lost that day, even if they don't know how they'll get there.They'll die trying if it really comes down to it.
THIS IS THE END OF LIFE AS YOU KNEW IT.The Savior will teach you the new way to survival, at any cost. The undead are rising from their graves, and humanity has never been crueler! Here are some guidelines in our society of Sherwood that will guarantee safety within our walls.1. NEW NAMES.
Your name from the old life no longer matters, new members will be given an interview to understand your personality, ideals, etc. in order to determine your new name. Names usually will start with a prefix and a suffix, though this doesn't always apply to every single person. New members are also allowed to choose a new name as long as it follows Sherwood's guidelines; we understand that it may take a while to get used to the new name, but we assure you it's for the better.2. HIDING FEATURES.
Identity, i.e the self, it's not just names that need to adapt. No one needs to know or truly care about what you really look like, the only thing that matters is survival against the undead. Members will be given masks or can create their own with what tools/resources are available, and can make any changes later on if need be. Members can also hide any parts of them that may reveal skin not only to cover the remnants of the past but as to protect you from any harm.3. BE STILL, BE QUIET.
In the event that you are surrounded by undead, the best chance you have at survival is being still, and being quiet. It's been reported that covering yourself in the guts of the undead hides your scent from them- Blending in with the undead as long as you're careful will be your only ticket out of whatever mess you put yourself in.4. MORNING MEETINGS.
Every morning (Unless said otherwise) will have every member gather to the center of the shelter as The Savior will instruct us on what the plan will be for that day. Members will be put into small groups to complete these tasks until said task is done. If task is done earlier than expected, members are expected to help other groups fulfill their daily tasks.5. BE AWARE & CAUTIOUS OF OTHER GROUPS.
As humanity falls, the remains of the past refuse to die- Their harsh & selfish nature needs to be noted and observed by Sherwood members in order to prevent getting into trouble with outsiders or worse. Keep close eyes on body language, tones and any other telltale signs of someone's true intentions.While it is true that groups will trade with us in exchange for other resources; that doesn't mean we should automatically trust them.6. WHAT TO DO WITH DECEASED SHERWOOD MEMBERS.
If a Sherwood member has recently passed away, first: Remove the head if it hasn't been already removed (in order to prevent them from turning into the undead), then remove the arms & legs from the torso if applicable. All body parts will need to be cooked in order to be edible, in order to keep the spirits of those recently passed pure. The undead are ruthless, corrupted souls that couldn't be saved in time; the only way to cure this infection is to rid one of the undead's main source of food- Dead bodies.You are not permitted to eat the deceased of other groups unless other food resources are low and/or given permission by The Savior and other higher ups in Sherwood.You are forbidden from eating the undead.7. IN THE EVENT OF EXILE
If a member is exiled, members are refrained from speaking to the exiled individual, or acknowledge their existence. Death as a punishment is not enough to teach them a lesson.8. QUESTIONS.
If you or someone you know has any questions regarding Sherwood, refer to the higher ups and they may give you the answers you're looking for. Questions about the past life, questioning anything The Savior does or questioning Sherwood's survivability are strictly forbidden.
[ This is where relationships with other characters go, these have yet to be added! ]
The naming system in Sherwood is highly inspired by how characters are named in the Warriors franchise, though not every member will have a name like that.Nightheart's mask is inspired by the "two face" trope, one side is white; implying to be innocent and caring, while the other is dark, and hides many awful secrets. The teeth on the left side only add to that.Nightheart will usually speak through ASL, or through a cassette tape (Heavily inspired by how Jacket speaks in Payday 2), however they can speak- Their voice is just very raspy.