*
ALPHA - the leader of a pack, the "central figure" who holds the ultimate power to control and dictate the rules and regulations governing the whole group. they are not obligated to engage in any of the tasks assigned to the ranks below them, but they may choose to participate voluntarily. the leader commands the utmost respect and authority, and they have the ability to threaten, exile, or even cause harm to other members if necessary. their influence is absolute, and their decisions carry significant weight in the pack's dynamics.
(* high rank)*
BETA - the second in command holds a crucial role within the hierarchy, acting as the alpha's judge by sharing the responsibility of enforcing the pack's laws upon its members when and where necessary. as well as their jury, often offering a voice of reason when it comes to dealing with difficult situations. in the absence of the alpha, they will step in to act-on the duties of the alpha until their return. betas possess the ability to maintain peace within the group, only resorting to violence when all peaceful persuasion tactics have failed. they may also assist the kappa should it be called for if they believe they'll encounter a high volume of unwelcomed visitors.
(* high rank)*
KAPPA - the most dominant lambda of the group. they are trusted with the vital responsibility of maintaining the groups’ resources, leading many, if not all, of the scouting searches for food, water and other objects to keep their members sustained; as well as ensuring the resources found are distributed fairly among all individuals. in addition to this, they are the first line of defence surrounding the area outside of the pack’s shelter at the fort, frequently keeping an eye out for potential threats and repelling any intruders that get too close for comfort. they may also corroborate with the alpha to establish new ways to protect the pack and unlike the beta, they are able to be more lenient with aggressive tactics as not all trespassers will travel with good intent.
(* high rank)EPSILON - the oldest and probably the most wisest among the group. they may offer counsel to members who wish to seek emotional solace during hardships and can occasionally be the one to look to for further input when it comes to eruptive disagreements amongst the members. although they might not be in their physical peak as the other dogs, they still tend to lend a hand where they're able. this can include scouting missions closer to the fort that are considered on the "relaxed" side of things, and more importantly: guarding resources within the fort.
(mid-rank)THETA - the medics of the pack. they both seem to claim the respect of being the “middlemen” and share the same amount of authority throughout the hierarchy for their hard work towards keeping the pack in a healthy as-can-be condition. without them, it’s unlikely the pack would survive any longer than a few months. although the blast may have incinerated many of the traditional herbs, thetas tend to join alongside either the kappa or lambda during scout missions to investigate areas with potential remedies, whether it’s natural materials or man-made. when it comes to dealing with ailments, two days will never be the same and for that very reason, thetas will depend on one another to step into a more “primary” role, if they feel the other is run off their feet.
(mid-rank)LAMBDA - the subordinates of the group, although the lowest within the hierarchy, they’re an integral part to the groups' survival and are considered the backbone – consisting of a significant number of members. they are usually found working alongside the kappa and following their orders during patrols and scouting missions. lambda’s have a diverse and well-rounded role and are also known for providing support to other ranks within the group, such as offering company to the thetas when they require more hands on deck, and ensuring the epsilon is well guarded outside of the fort. they are immensely reliable and ready to lend a hand if it means the group can survive another day amidst the fallout. (
low-rank)both kappa and lambda do not follow the traditional roles, however, for the ease of the roleplay, these ranks have been rounded into a generalised subordinate rank.x￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣
xGOLDEN GATE BRIDGE - after the explosion, the bridge has been reduced to ruins and debris, standing as a mere shadow of its former self. the first two major pylons are still standing, providing a stark contrast to the rest of the bridge, which is either submerged in the water or reduced to rubble. unfortunately, due to the damage caused by the blast, the dogs have no way of crossing over to either side. despite the destruction, the view from the remaining part of the bridge is stunning, with the strait stretching out before you. however, it's important to note that the bridge is considered dangerous, as it has a sheer drop on either side, especially near the two pylons. it's not a place for the faint-hearted or those who are not surefooted. additionally, the fallout has had an impact on the weather, making it erratic and hazardous to be on the bridge alone, particularly during extreme weather events. As a result, it is crucial to exercise caution and stay vigilant about the changing weather patterns before venturing onto the bridge.
FORT POINT - perched on a craggy seafront, on the southern side of san francisco bay, stands a magnificent stone fortification that is a symphony of architectural brilliance and natural beauty. this awe-inspiring structure is nestled beneath the majestic golden gate bridge, and its core, the fortification is a multi-tiered edifice, with several staircases that wind their way up to the summit. a fenced walkway encircles the entire building, allowing for a bird's-eye view of the nuclear panorama below. here, the waters of the bay stretch out to the foggy horizon, while the distant hills and scorched forests form a breathtaking otherworldly backdrop. but, it's not just the exterior of the fortification that is a marvel to behold. inside, the lower level of the building is a vast, open space that is characterised by its arched hallways, providing a glimpse into the past. these hallways are interconnected by a maze-like system of passages that provide ample cover from the elements, making it easy for the dogs to transverse the fortification even in adverse weather conditions.
MARSHALL’S BEACH - located in a secluded spot, the shorefront is a minuscule and obscure location, surrounded by a rough and uneven terrain, characterised by sharp rocks and askew outcroppings. the area is often shrouded in a thick and eerie sea mist, which the group suspects to be heavily contaminated with radiation. this makes it difficult to see anything beyond a few feet past the shoreline and can leave a metallic aftertaste in one's mouth. this region's food sources are scarce, having the majority of it's marine life decimated by the blast, which some now lies washed up on the shore decomposing. the small percentage of sea creatures that have been able to survive the initial impact now swim within highly polluted waters. although it should be often avoided due to the risks of severe contamination, the dogs may find themselves having to resort to fishing when all else fails.
CRISSY FIELD - this recreational area was once a peaceful haven, thriving with human life for its serene and picturesque landscape, is now an abandoned and desolate wasteland. barren and lifeless, with remnants of surviving flora and fauna scattered in arbitrarily small patches. the once flourishing trees that towered along the outskirts are nothing but burnt and charcoaled, still standing atop of deep roots beneath the surface. however several break the consistent eye-line having fallen, mighty evergreens forced to ash and dust leaving their wooden shells upon the ground. the once-teeming environment is now dominated by open spaces. at the field's edge lies a treacherous tidal marsh which is incredibly boggy, making it difficult for the dogs to navigate. it's considered a dangerous passage due to the surrounding tides becoming ever more-so unpredictable, having the ability to suddenly engulf the marsh and fuel its rip currents between each crash, dragging anything back into much deeper waters. beyond the marsh to the east, is a beachfront, which stretches along the strait and offers a stark contrast to its bleak surroundings. with the constant sounds of the water creeping back and forth, and gulls soaring above, crissy field still holds a unique beauty creating a surreal and rather haunting atmosphere that leaves a lasting impression on those who dare to venture through.
FINE ART RUINS - settled northeast of crissy field in the marina distirct, the palace of fine arts is a historic monument that has stood the test of time and was seen as a symbol of resilience and survival. however, now it lies in ruin, with only pillars of plaster, wood and burlap standing as a testament to its former glory. despite its current state, the fine art ruins still holds a special significance for those who seek refuge in its vicinty. the building in the middle of the structure boasts large open archways that don't offer much protection from the elements. the surrounding area is a large body of water, which although is contaminated, it remains the group's best chances of avoiding dehydration and ensuring ease of access. in this new age, the palace of fine arts and it's bodied water are seen as sacred, serving the dogs as the symbol of hope they so desperately need.
YACHT HARBOUR - beyond the serene Crissy Fields, a group of dogs will stumble upon a partially enclosed marina basin that was once surrounded by a thriving woodland grove. the area is a unique blend of ruined moorings and scattered vessels, some of which are still relatively intact. sadly, the marina was hit hard by the blast, and the initial shockwaves caused most items found around the docks to either submerge into the depths of the sea or crumble to pieces. despite this, the location still holds a more hopeful promise for shorter scout searches, with valuable resources hidden or locked behind iron walls that have not yet succumbed to the harsh conditions. as the marina stretches further out towards the strait, denser volumes of debris can be seen decaying alongside the eroding metal of the vessels. some of these vessels have been tipped upside down, forever floating in a state of submersion. while some of the dogs may be able to swim under the decaying vessels to search for supplies, it’s only recommended as a last resort due to the water still holding a lot of radiation.
DOWNTOWN - nearer to the east and probably the furthest away from camp is the civic center district. a large downtown area filled with skyscraping buildings and historical architecture such as city hall with a wonderous design now in ruins, the museum, and its famous auditorium. downtown is considered the most dangerous due to both its distance away from the fort and other ‘survivors’ lurking around although it does provide a lot of shelter for unstable weather and other circumstances.
more locations can be added and implemented into the roleplay if people would like a larger range. however, it would have to be discovered through further explorations (which would need to be discussed).x￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣
xRADIATION SICKNESS - given the destructive impact of the blast on the surrounding environment and the limited availability of resources, it is highly probable that the survivors may suffer from radiation sickness. additionally, consuming food or water that has been contaminated by the radioactive particles near the site of the bomb explosion could lead to a more severe and potentially lethal form of illness in the dogs.
EXTREME WEATHER - during the initial months following the fallout, the group has had to face unpredictable and often severe weather conditions. the violent gusts of wind, torrential rains, and scorching temperatures pose a significant threat to the group's well-being and overall survival. it is crucial for the group to locate secure shelter during these unstable times, failing which they risk the danger of fatalities, injuries, or sickness.
FAULT LINES - san francisco situates on top of possibly one of the world's most infamous geographical lines, aka the san andreas fault. prone to earthquakes pre-blast, it didn't have much of a concern with most hardly hitting over six and three quarters on the richter scale, however with the sudden pressure and rising temperatures from the nuclear warhead, it seems that seismic activity is becoming more and more frequent. many seem to not have much affect and are barely noticeable, producing low rumbles and slight movement for mere seconds.. others however, have the ability to soar past the safer end of the scale, emitting terrible groans and quick jagged movement which can be heard echoing between the infrastructure. these types of earthquakes will be of the highest concern for the dogs, especially with the radiation eroding nearby buildings, it poses the risk of collapsing and, although still considered a "rare" phenomenon during seismic events, the ground splitting.
(*)
TRAPPERS - animals that were severely injured and their wounds being exposed to the fallout in an extreme way. post-nuclear mutants. their bodies are beyond recognising, covered in burnt flesh, tumors across their legs, and the ability to slice open their head and neck in half, covered in sharp teeth on the inside, to create a larger mouth. average speed, but enhanced strength. it is thought the best way to take down a trapper is in a small group. their bite is often fatal.
(*)
CLICKERS - animals that were severely injured and their wounds were exposed to extreme levels of radiation. post-nuclear mutants, even deadlier than the trappers. their bodies are a little more recognisable, having slight burns and tumors across their head/neck making them blind, but have the ability of echolocation by using a clicking sound to work it's environment. fast speed, average strength. it is thought the best way to take down a trapper is in a large group or complete avoidance altogether. the scratch from their claws is often fatal.
(*)
HUMAN SURVIVORS - before the explosion, the dogs were considered “man’s best friend”. however this was proved wrong for many lives as they scrambled as fast as they could away from the horrors the blast provided.. forgetting their four-legged pals behind the tire marks. others tried to take them along, and those that were unable to leave the city, stayed with their beloved companions. pre-blast, all parts of the city would be vividly thriving with the noise of human life, but in post-blast hardly the insects can be heard anymore.. it seems that humans took the brunt of the fatalities, as now it’s more
rare to encounter humans whether it be individuals or small groups. how they survived, no one really knows, but it seems that nature traded their health for their viability - covered in burns and extreme losses of hair, they hide beneath rugged hoods, scouring what’s left of their home once every couple of months before moving on elsewhere. a very small percentage still harbour compassion over survival towards the dogs and may throw them small scraps if they have an abundance. others not so much.. with survival, they’ve had to grow a much more opportunistic diet. ingesting anything that can be, just to see the sun another day. no one can blame them of course, but it’s probably best for the dogs to not become overly comfortable in their presence as there is truly no telling what's on the menu.
OTHER CANINES - in the aftermath of the catastrophic blast, amidst the ruins and debris, there are dogs wandering around, sniffing for any traces of their past life. some of them have formed packs, while others roam alone. however, not all survivors are welcoming and benevolent. some have succumbed to their primal instincts of fear and greed, making them an even greater peril to those around them.
(*) - this means the group have yet to discover this threat, and will only do so from deeper explorations. once they have discovered something new, an update will be thrown into the f&d thread to alert the possibility of the new threat(s).x
