OUTBREAK: ZERO is a semi post-apocalyptic pandemic roleplay set in the fictional city of Lethford, USA. Current season: Winter, 20/21.
March 2020. The world is in pandemonium as one month ago, GHNv-20 was confirmed, five months after the beginning of norovirus season. The number of the infected are in the higher hundred thousands, and the death toll is at an estimated 250,000, with about seventy percent of the rest of the population experiencing mild to moderate illnesses connected to the S. pyogenes bacteria.
The fear of the unknown has caused mass hysteria and panic.
In an attempt to provide a semblance of safety and control, military personnel patrol the streets, even here in Lethford City, and the police force is trying to keep up with the rising street violence, assault, and theft.
Welcome to OUTBREAK: zero. Will you survive?
HAYANA
SITE OWNER + HEAD ADMINISTRATOR
Hi! I'm Haya. I'm pretty much your girl for everything! If you have any questions regarding our plot, membergroups, etc. don't hesitate to ask me. I'm also in charge of coding, graphics, anything skin related, and advertising/affiliates.
GENERAL INQUIRIES
CODING
GRAPHICS
ADVERTISING
CHARACTERS
ADDI
ADMINISTRATOR
Hey! I'm Addi. Hit me up if you need help with anything. I'm always for plotting so don't be shy. I like coffee, booze, and working out. I'm back from a long hiatus the dead so if you need anything, best ask the others until I get back into the groove of things!
GENERAL INQUIRIES
APPLICATIONS
THREAD MODERATION
MEDIATOR
CHARACTERS
FINNLEY
GLOBAL MODERATOR
Hi hello! My name is Finnley, or Finn, call whichever and I'll be there for you (yes like the FRIENDS theme song). I am in charge of the claims and helping with miscellaneous things. Let me know if you have any questions!
GENERAL INQUIRIES
CLAIMS
DIRECTORY
CHARACTERS
STAFF NAME
OPEN MODERATOR POSITION
outbreak
/ˈaʊtbreɪk/ zero /ˈzɪərəʊ/
a sudden occurrence of something unwelcome, such as war or disease. number, no quantity or number; nought; the figure 0.
[attr="class","CONTENT"] Calm eyes skimmed through the next page of the paper, crinkling it slightly on the sides where he held on to it. What once used to be the space for adverts from various stores, online sites, products, was now covered with donation requests. Cries for help. Some looked legit, desperate, others sounded more like a scam. Make use of that exact desperation and agony.
Getting people’s hopes up for a successful vaccine or cure was perhaps the same - a scam. For now at least. It’s been months and there was no success so far. Meanwhile Joseph’s rivals, at least he considers them that, were pretending to be having more of a success. If that was true… he wasn’t sure. But he knew it wasn’t on the market yet and after just a couple of months the hype about it had died down significantly.
Joseph didn‘t bother to look up from the newspaper. However, at the mention of the Sinoxyn Trials, his ears perked up, electric blue eyes flicking towards the other male. The Sinoxyn Trials were currently more of a deathtrap than anything else. He was aware that quite a high percentage of test subjects died after administration of the experimental cure.
He nodded slowly. "I see. Well, I hope you’ll be able to transfer smoothly." he replied, turning his gaze back to the newspaper. Joseph wondered if the guy knew what he had gotten himself into. Might as well be his last transfer too. "I was planning to visit and check on the progress this week but unfortunately... there were some complications." he added, flipping the pages of the paper once again before he ultimately put it down on the table once he started talking about the Advotex Trials.
A mocking laugh left his lips as he leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. One taunting eyebrow was raised before he turned his head to look at Thomas. "I quite like the quietness around our version of the trials. I’m not sure how much information you were given so far but maybe in the near future you will know why." Joseph said, glancing around the man to look at the coffee machine as it brewed the coffee he was longing for.
"As for the Advotex Trials…" he continued, clicking his tongue once. "We will see what will save them or who will. If any of us do, that is. Who knows-" he replied, shrugging. "Maybe it will be too late by the time a successful cure is made." But either way it wouldn’t really matter because all Joseph cared about was the money anyway and he already had that… plenty.
Another laugh left his lips, this time there was no mocking or sarcasm in it though. It was just a plain, perhaps even a little genuine laugh. “Mhmm. When you grow up having all eyes on you most of the time because of your family you kind of get used to it. Maybe if you’re successful with the Sinoxyn trials you might end up on the front page as well.” he told him, a devious chuckle escaping his throat. Either with the success of the trials or for taking part in some crooked, highly illegal mischief. "As for the hiding here part... I may be the president of the company but I'm still an employee as well. Just needed to go and stretch my legs a bit. So tell me, Thomas-" Joseph started, looking him right in the eyes. "What made you choose this specific department? It’s not something anyone could get into or would want to get into. You know… things could go wrong." He gave him a quick flick of his eyebrows as he spoke the last part.
[attr="class","CONTENT"] Joseph raised his eyebrows in slight astonishment. He wasn’t entirely sure if the man was courageous or a fool but he offered to make the coffee so he would take either. He gestured towards the coffee machine and nodded. "Have a go at it." he said, his voice very plain. Moving out of his way, the dark blonde walked over to the small table on the other side. He pulled one of the four chairs out and sat down, crossing his leg over the other.
Stifling a yawn he gave the room a quick look around. There really wasn’t much to it. It was just a plain, boring break room. Good enough to grab a cup of coffee, eat lunch, sit down for a minute. It was efficient enough. His employees were doing important work and he was almost certain no one had time to take regular breaks. He didn’t either. And while he wasn’t standing in one of the labs himself, he was busy with the paperwork, trying to get more funds, finding ways to develop everything better and faster. In the end, it would all be for the money.
His gaze fell upon a newspaper someone had left on the table. He reached for it, sliding it over to his side and folding it open. Someone definitely read it but someone else used it as a coaster for their cup of coffee as the big, brown stain gave away.
"Which department do you work in?" he asked, flipping open yesterday’s newspaper lying on the table. Cold eyes scanned its content for anything interesting. There was so much going on in the city and the world in general that the news section seemed cluttered. Pausing on an article about the ongoing Advotex Trials, although it did not deliver much information on it and was more of a made-up message to citizens. A sad attempt to raise their hopes that things will get better - they probably won’t.
The shadow of a small smile appeared on his lips as he read through the whole thing, softly shaking his head and internally snickering at it. "You know if the coffee doesn't taste decent I'll have to fire you." Joseph told him very nonchalantly, obviously, he didn't mean it. But putting a bit of pressure on someone couldn't hurt. He gave the newspaper a shake before flipping to the next page.
[attr="class","CONTENT"] Click. Click. Click. The sound of a mechanical keyboard being used to type away rung through the office. Joseph had completely lost track of time as he replied to one e-mail after another. A quick glance at the small digits in the bottom corner of his computer screen told him it was too late for a regular person to still be at work.
The demand for a cure or a vaccine was just as high as the demand for answers. When is it going to be ready? Is there any clinical test runs yet? What’s the approximate date for release? Will it work? Joseph stared at the screen or rather glared, as a window popped open with an unexpected video conference call. For the briefest of moments, he considered declining, but that’s not what a businessman should do.
There he was, sitting in front of his desk for another hour trying to explain the current situation and information about the status of the vaccine to one of the bigger investors from overseas. With a sigh, he finally hung up, leaning back into his chair, hands resting on his thighs. Yet another ten minutes passed before the president of Prism decided to rise from his chair and leave his office, one hand casually tucked away in the pocket of his slacks.
The hallways were dark, most of the lights out. Not because of the power outages because those didn’t affect Prism since they had a good reason to keep working 24/7. Nevertheless, it looked better if they seemed to care and pretended to save energy or empathize with the citizens of Lethford.
Joseph strode down the dark corridor down to the small breakroom for staff, silent steps, and the darkness making him almost invisible. During non-pandemic times Joseph would never be caught dead in one of these rooms, and surely not to grab a cup of coffee. Cheap, tasteless coffee. Unfortunately, these times were different.
He stepped inside the room, taking in how tiny it was compared to just his office. A snort rippled through the silence, gaze falling onto the coffee machine. Moving over to it he reached up to open one of the hanging cabinets, searching for the actual coffee to make it. Once he gathered all the things he needed: the ground coffee beans, a filter, and water, he placed them in front of the machine.
Now, one would think someone as smart as Joseph - the owner of the company searching for a cure - would know how to make coffee… but he didn’t. Just for the simple reason that it had been years since the last time he made himself a coffee that didn’t require just pushing a button to get some fancy latte.
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[attr="class","dilyrics3"]two paper moons hanging on the night ceiling sometimes to be seen, or unseen
[attr="class","dilyric3"]as it please
[attr="class","dibody3"]
‘Sir, your daughter Phoebe was taken to the clinic in Lethford Heath. She was involved in a car accident caused by her driver. We were told her attending doctor was Beau Atlas. We thought you might want to know.’
Joseph sighed, sitting in the back of his black sedan and looking through the tinted windows towards a house on the other side of the street. It had been a while since he took a trip out of the city ever since the pandemic started. There just has been no need for it. Meetings and conferences were all held online. Contracts and papers were signed digitally or scanned and sent via email. And any business that required someone present on site was dealt with by his employees.
He told his driver not to wait for him. He wanted the car out of sight. Opening the door he moved out of the car, stepping into the cul de sac, adjusting his suit jacket, and brushing off invisible dust. His hands slid into the pockets of his slacks before he started walking towards the building. Long strides carried him over to the completely darkened house. There was no sign of anyone being at home.
Of course, Joseph wouldn’t be Joseph if this was going to stop him. He would always be able to find a way to get something he wanted - even if it was just something as small and simple as breaking into someone’s home. The search for an entry offered him the opportunity to check out the architecture of the house. It was quite nice, deemed fit for someone like his brother. Not too big, elegant, simple - but yet, nothing compared to his own home.
A few moments later he was inside, continuing his observation. Joseph was the kind of person who liked to see and know everything in case he needed the information. There was nothing more crucial than knowing thy enemy - Beau was on the very top of that list, especially after his little mishap with Phoebe and Thea.
After a short saunter through the lower floor of the building, he made himself comfortable, pouring a glass of his brother's perhaps finest bourbon and took a seat on the armchair in the living room. Electric blue eyes watched the golden liquid swish around as he shifted the glass in his hand. He sat in the dark, time passed - he didn't mind - while he enjoyed the silence which was only interrupted by the unlocking and opening of the front door. It didn't take long for his brother to appear near him.
"Hello, brother. Your taste in liquor didn't change at all."
Joseph was basically born as a business man, loves to make deals and work his way to success. His dedication to work and his own company is great, although, it sometimes makes him forget about everything else. He's a workaholic who spends most of his time at work. He likes to set goals, goals he knows he cannot achieve but strifes to achieve them anyway no matter what it costs. He does, however, likes to leave the arguing part to his henchmen and prefers to quietly watch, his face usually a mask of utter boredom. His belief is that money solves everything.
He's a rather cold-hearted individual and business comes before family. He's not exactly the caring kind of father you would want. His definition of care are different from others. He is very resilient, ambitious and stubborn - especially when told something he cannot or shouldn't do. If there's a down he doesn't let it get himself down and strifes for something even greater. But to achieve this he can often be found using unlawful methods, not knowing the word restrictions. He hates when someone tries to get in his way and doesn't even blink to dismiss those or even get rid of them.
Confidence is the key to running a business and being a boss. He makes sure to never let his guards down in front of his employees, clients, or business partners. He can sometimes be arrogant and presumptuous, especially when at work, and holds his head up high. Growing up being expected to take over the family business by his father pretty much forced him to. His father always had high expectations of Joseph and that's exactly what he wants from his own family. He has expectations his daughter has to meet.
[attr="class","ozapptitle"]BIOGRAPHY
Joseph was born to Arthur Monroe, founder of NarioxVacc, the fundament which would later become Prism BioTech Corps. His mother is unknown and he was raised by his father alone. He was born and raised in Lethford City where he grew up trying to reach his father's ridiculously high expectations.
Once his father passed away, Joseph thought there would be a feeling of freedom waiting for him... but all he felt was the need to keep the business running. He struggled to do so for a while and as they were on the verge of going bankrupt, he put all of his effort and funds into reshaping it. He changed the name, changed the facilities, and changed the company goal. What used to be a biopharmaceutical company trying to help those in need became a place of horror and greed. But once Joseph brushed the greed with his fingertips he couldn't let go of it - or rather, it couldn't let go of him.
As years passed Joseph opted for illegal procedures here and there. He would work together with corrupt government officials, law enforcement, and big business people. All of them funded the company and he was able to get Prism as high up as it is now.
Somewhere in between, he met the mother of his future daughters. A wonderful, nice but naive young woman who thought she met the love of her life, her prince Charming. Little did she know she would regret the decisions she made regarding Joseph. Their romance started out slow, he didn't pay much attention to her nor did he care about her at all. She was just another employee. However, her beauty was the talk of the company the moment she started working at Prism and rumors caught his attention. A hint of interest turned into an awful bet made with his close partners at Prism. A bet which would turn her life upside down.
Joseph definitely wasn't the most charming person out there but he for sure was the most manipulative and cunning one - at least at Prism. A young woman struggling with her life and finances was the perfect target. He would start by visiting her department more often, get her attention, hand out money pretending it's a company bonus for special employees. He would continue to give her special benefits and treatment, forcing her to think he'd be such a kind and generous man. And she fell into his trap.
He was planning to let her go after achieving his goal but then he found out she was the daughter of a larger biopharmaceutical company in a neighboring city - a company he was dying to create a partnership with for years. Thus... he couldn't let go of her, so he could use her for his purposes. They ended up getting married and soon would be the parents of twins.
His wife had been oblivious to most of his doings and his real personality but once the twins were born he started showing his true self because he wanted to use them, use them for the companies benefits. Of course, she was against it, and they argued for days. She would not let her kids out of her sight in fear of him stealing them.
Two weeks later he caught her trying to run away with the twins - run away from him. So he decided to do what he thought he had to do to keep his daughters: lock up his wife. He administrated a project they worked on at Prism. A sedative drug that messes with a person's mental liability and health. She was put away in a private hospital for the mentally ill and away from her daughters. They would never know about the drug. Instead, they would think their mom went crazy after having them.
But even after going through this little struggle, he opted to only keep one of the twins. One, Phoebe, would be raised by him and introduced to the public, one, Thea, would be raised by his employees at Prism BioTech, hidden from the public. Everything was going well until he found out about his daughter's secret doings. He put a stop to that the moment he found out, sending Phoebe to join his wife, making her disappear. But with that Thea had to be used as a stand-in to cover up.
Now with the outbreak Prism BioTech is aiming to find a cure and a vaccine for GHnV-20. Meanwhile, Joseph is also trying to keep all the secrets hidden.
