we are a crime, horror, and post-apocalyptic group based in west virginia centered around plots and character development. we take inspiration from media / games such asïž° fallout, last of us, the walking dead, elder scrolls, annihilation, mayans, resident evil, the stand, and others. we welcome writers and muses who are 18+, we hope you will join us!
acceptancesïž°Â rolling daily.
writer countïž°Â 11
wanted connectionsïž°17
current event / plot dropïž°after the storm
rp statusïž° inactive
THE WILD & WONDERFUL APPALACHIA WELCOMESâŠ
morrow wood 'roy' kiefer as written by felix ( he / him ).
â± affiliated with EAST ATLANTIC ARMY ( FIRST LIEUTENANT )
â± working as CIVIC COUNCILLOR
â± has taken up residence in AFTERGLOW COMPOUND
â± born on AUGUST 5TH ( 38 )
â± identifying as CIS MAN ( HE / HIM )
â± known to be CHARISTMATIC, PERCEPTIVE, CLEVER, STRONG-WILLED, RESILIENT
â± also know to be MANIPULATIVE, DEVIOUS, DISTRUSTING, RUTHLESS, SELFISH
â± portrayed by RYAN GOSLING
DIGGING DEEPER.
TW: abuse, alcoholism, addiction, violence
Kiefer was born and raised in Lost Angeles. His father was a violent drunk and his mother an emotionally unstable addict. His father died when he was young, vicious rumors had it that Kiefer killed him, having a history of aggression and often finding himself entangled in criminal activity even at his young age. Shortly after, his mother was put in prison for assault (supposedly biting off s man's dick) and possession of illegal substances. Kiefer was consequently placed in the care of his uncle who sold him to the government.
After initial difficulties at the military academy, things start looking up for the first time in Kiefer's life. A brief period of rose-tinted belief in Afterglow and its mission is followed by inevitable disillusionment. This paired with teenage rebellion has Kiefer testing the boundaries and nearly gets kicked out. This is around the time when he meets Dio who would become a large influence on Kiefer, filling the role of the father he never had. He learns perspective and that there is more to life than just survival. There's power if he dare take it.
Through the years, Kiefer works his way through the ranks of the army from the bottom up, building reputation and influence. He's a charismatic young man, well-liked by his peers who firmly consider him one of them even now that he's made it to First Lieutenant. How much of this is real or part of Kiefer's scheme, who knows? And while he did earn his current position by proving himself worthy, secretly, he's always had the privilege of having a direct connection to Dio and has been his eyes and ears.
It was only within the last two years that he was made First Lieutenant and he aims to succeed Dio in favor of his biological son. This is everything he has, everything he's worked for so hard and for so long. Suddenly, he has things to lose and with that realisation fear seeps in. The days of just surviving one day to the next with nothing to his name are long gone. Could he lose everything and still know persevere or have those muscles long since atrophied?
EXTRAS.
Connections:
Dio - Father figure, mentor, role model and perhaps the only person he truly trusts and is loyal to.
Welcome to DEVILSELBOWHQ! Beneath the cut you will find the accepted applicants. Make sure to read over the NEW MEMBER CHECKLIST. You have TWENTY-FOUR hours to send in your character accounts. Once received we will invite you to the groupâs discord server. Hope you survive out there in wild & wonderful Appalachia!
MORROW 'ROY' KIEFER ( ryan gosling ) âą east atlantic army, first lieutenant âą penned by felix. *WC dioginiâs first lieutenant
oh i could no sooner pick my favorite star in the sky, why would you do this to me? i had to flip a coin, honestly, and connor storrie won! personally, i see them both here so, like, why not both?
both is good.
hello! where could you see freddie fox or sadie sink fitting and are there any wcs that they could fit? thank you :)
hey there, thank you so much for the ask! we love both of these options and would be delighted to see you bring in either! here are a few ideas for connections they could fill or places they might fit.
freddie fox:
i just mentioned this in a previous post, but as of right now, the shamrocks currently have zero capos. feary o'brien, shamrocks underboss and floor manager at hell's gate, is looking for four and i think that freddie would be a perfect match! along that same vein, he's also looking for more floor managers to fill out the staff at hell's gate.
if crime isn't your speed and you'd prefer to see him in a more lawful position ( this is debatable, but everybody's got opinions on the east atlantic army ) major-general diogini scevola is looking for his first lieutenant. too much responsibility? don't worry! the east atlantic army is always recruiting, and you'll find plenty of camaraderie in the barracks with your brothers- and sisters-in-arms.
there are also plenty of open roles available not tied to wcs that tie your character to something larger, so you'll have plenty of connections immediately upon arrival! afterglow research solutions is looking for their r&d officer, and there are always positions available for bright young researchers and engineers.
sadie sink:
so we don't have very many listed wanted connections that she'd fit into as easily, mostly because the open ones on the page are geared toward older characters, but there are still plenty of places where she could fit.
the east atlantic army needs new recruits now more than ever. recovery efforts from the latest storm have put a strain on their forces as squadrons are sent out to provide aid to citizens. sadie would fit in well amidst all of the other privates in the barracks, whether she's there because she actually supports the eaa or because they can provide something for herâstructure, stability, information. enlist today!
the shamrocks are still looking for another set of eyes, and someone with such a young, fresh face would hardly be the first suspect when trying to track down a spy. or maybe she's the younger sibling to a jackal and a prospect herself? from the moment you bring her in, she'd be walking into a familyâeven if they are a little stressed at the moment. what family isn't?
this last one was just an idea that came to me off the top of my head, but i could definitely see her as a young initiate to the children of mothmen, a neophyte who joined with the intention of 'going undercover at the moth cult' because she's actually a hopeful reporter or journalist looking for the big break story that would land her a position at the daily burn. given that the children have scattered because their home was destroyed in the recent storm, this would be the perfect time for her to break off from the group and start putting her story together.
admin kit has also said that both sadie sink and freddie fox would work for children of their upcoming character, afterglow ceo isabelle fontaine, so feel free to reach out to them at @murdcrofcrows if that sounds like it might be of interest to you, too!
mw fcs and the kinds of characters thatâs wanted ? :)
sure! here's a non-comprehensive list of some faces we'd love to see around devil's elbow:
aaron pierre, ryan destiny, wagner moura, devery jacobs, connor storrie, charles melton, valentina zenere, lewis pullman, colman domingo, alycia debnham-carey, bill hader, pablo schreiber, andrew garfield, devon bostick, paul dano, asa germann, alex wolff, lucy liu, lizeth selene, thandiwe newton, sobhita dhulipala, naveen andrews, varada sethu, tyriq withers, bailey bass, icaro silva, harry shum jr., park jinyoung, karla crome, sadie sink, emma d'arcy, freddie fox
as far as kinds of characters that are wanted, we have plenty!
both the shamrocks and the jackals might be interested in boosting their numbers after the incident at the community center has cause tensions to rise between both criminal organizations. got a taste for power? the shamrocks have a staggering lack of capos to keep their soldiers in line. just dipping your toes into the swampy criminal underbelly of burnington? maybe start small as a prospect for the jackals and work your way up!
the recent storm has caused the children of mothman to scatter from their sudden loss of refuge. it would be the perfect time for anyone questioning their faith to disappear from the eclipse and try to acclimate to survival beyond the ranch. or maybe you don't want to disappear, maybe you want to be heard and the children have been silencing your voice in favor of the dread father's. they're weakened now, it's the perfect opportunity for a new faith to rise to power.
unsatisfied with the way burnington's constant natural disasters are being handled? join the east atlantic governance! there are still three spots open on the civic council, and that's not counting the countless open positions for community work and emergency services. be the change you want to see in devil's elbow!
maybe science is more your speed than community work? perfect! the researchers and engineers at afterglow research solutions are constantly working around the clock to come up with the next big breakthrough to make your life easier. with departments ranging from technology to medicine and beyond, whatever your STEM-loving heart desires can be explored in their state-of-the-art facilities.
we also recently added several new locations to our locations page, most of which are in desperate need of staffing! the world is your ( slightly mutated ) oyster!
THE WILD & WONDERFUL APPALACHIA WELCOMESâŠ
isaac attano as written by ghost ( it / he ).
â± affiliated with EAST ATLANTIC ARMY
â± working as SPECIALIST
â± has taken up residence in AFTERGLOW COMPOUND
â± born on AUGUST 31ST ( 21 )
â± identifying as CIS MAN ( HE / HIM )
â± known to be ANALYTICAL, INDEPENDENT, STRATEGIC, ADAPTABLE, DISCIPLINED
â± also know to be PRIVATE, CRITICAL, SCEPTICAL, MISTRUSTING, CYNICAL
â± portrayed by RYAN POTTER
DIGGING DEEPER.
TW: needles tw; torture tw; indoctrination tw
chapter 1 ( just another product ) : he's not the only parentless child raised by the military. if he didn't know better, isaac would assume that the east atlantic army doubles as an orphanage for the multitude of children it manages to nurture and train. he can't say he remembers his childhood all that well, whether it's because there's nothing to properly remember, or because there's too much to remember, he can't say. his life wasn't unlike those of his classmates, most of whom were his age, but some older, some younger. he vaguely remembers a hall of bunkbeds, a large cafeteria, scrubbing bathrooms, physical training and classrooms with projectors. the only aspect of his childhood before his teens that's any sort of hold over is, of course, vera ward.
chapter 2 ( the best i know ) : what it is about vera that initially attracted him, isaac doesn't know. all he knows is that, anywhere she was, he found himself gravitating towards. they'd eat together in the cafeteria, they'd train together in their free time, did homework and studied for tests together; perhaps it's the part where she's always just accepted him for who he is. not loud, not outgoing, hardly a playful bone in his bodyâthough whether that's because of his environment or his personality, isaac has no idea, and frankly, doesn't care to do any sort of deep dive into. vera is softer than he is, far more compassionate, and it helps him ease the tension permanently etched into the muscles of his shoulders.
chapter 3 ( a beating heart of stone ) : the way their pathsâand his path from the other kids in their yearâdiverge is when he's sixteen, handpicked for a different program after graduation, instead of the few years of prep for fieldwork. the adults would continuously explain to him that this is a good thing, an honour, a result of all the hard work he's put in; isaac believed them, initially. it's how he met felix estrada, a man he'd only heard of before that moment. when this new part of his training starts, isaac realises with blinding pain that he's made a mistake, but with the inability to give inâgive upâhe doesn't let anyone know. they use the neuramble system for rti training as a stepping stone to his specialist trainingâas a forward unit, he'd be more susceptible for capture than the main squad, something that isn't explained as a likelihood, rather than an inevitability.
chapter 4 ( the price you pay ) : he'd never been born with any mutations, adverse or otherwise, at least, not to his knowledge. perhaps that's what actually makes him the right, blank slate for the work dr. estrada does on him, as part of his further education. isaac has never seen the details about the procedures, just knows the very visceral effects thereafterâa break-through, they'd call him, in the next stage of human evolution. he doesn't know what it means, and doesn't quite cares to know, mostly focused on getting through it all. at this point in his life, it's not so much the injections that hurt anymore, rather than the delayed effect, the feeling like frost in his veins spreading up his arm, seizing muscles, the headaches and the burning eyes, the searing skin and the throbbing eardrums. the ultimate result of it is muscle efficiency, making him faster and stronger than the average soldier, with eyesight and hearing to matchâthe downside is being shackled to afterglow for system maintenance.
chapter 5 ( heads will roll ) : it's only recently that he's graduated from his specialist training as well, receiving his first assignment under one ryo sasaki. it's a name he's more than familiar withânot only did he find out in his early teens that vera ward, his best friend, is much more than that, and that the story of his life thus far has been⊠fiction at best, by sixteen, he was more than aware of who his parents truly were. ryo sasaki, his father, has never so much as spoken a word to either of his children, let them feel alone in the world, raised by a machine, and while isaac will follow the orders of a superior officer as he's been trained and conditioned to, this knowledge makes it difficult for him respect the man. as for his other parent, well⊠he knows he's the second chance, to show those who raised him that treason is not genetic, that failure isn't bred in, and isaac is determined to be all that she was, and better.
EXTRAS.
( CONNECTIONS. )
falina âclaymoreâ roux ( biological parent )
ryo sasaki ( biological father )
felix estrada ( physician )
vera ward ( fraternal twin sister )
( MEDIA. )
pinterest
soundtrack
( QUICK STATS. )
mbti : intj
enneagram : 5w6
moral alignment : lawful neutral
temperament : melancholic-choleric
greek god : ker
zodiac : virgo sun ; capricorn moon ; taurus rising
THE WILD & WONDERFUL APPALACHIA WELCOMESâŠ
vera ward as written by maddie ( she / her ).
â± affiliated with EAST ATLANTIC ARMY
â± working as PRIVATE
â± has taken up residence in AFTERGLOW COMPOUND
â± born on AUGUST 31 ( 21 )
â± identifying as CIS WOMAN ( SHE / HER )
â± known to be OBSERVANT, LOYAL, DISCIPLINED, COMPASSIONATE, CURIOUS
â± also know to be NAIVE, STUBBORN, SELF-SACRIFICING, OVERCRITICAL, RESTLESS
â± portrayed by MIKA SCHNEIDER
WANTED CONNECTIONS.
â„ First real friend outside the army <3 Veraâs whole life has been in the army, I would love for her to develop a friendship with someone who likes her for herself, rather than her rank/unit.
â„ Squadmate. Someone in the same unit, and when theyâre in the field they trust each other completely; but off-duty they fucking hate each other. Iâm envisioning a loudmouth attention grabbing type character who thinks Vera is uptight, and she thinks theyâre annoying. I just think it would be a fun dynamic!
DIGGING DEEPER.
TW: stillbirth tw
Raised from infancy at the East Atlantic Military Academy as an orphan, Vera Ward has spent her entire life within the army system. A disciplined, capable young soldier, she genuinely believes in the ideals of service, order, and the protection of others. She is not the strongest or the fastest, but her loyalty is endless.
An excellent student with a particular love of learning, Vera developed a reputation for being observant, methodical, and reliable. Though only recently assigned to duty as a private, she is already noted for her strong fieldcraft, attention to detail, and aptitude for reconnaissance work.
Vera never knew her biological family and has always accepted the army as her home. She implicitly trusts the institution that raised her and had little reason to question the official story of her parentsâ deaths. Until, that is, she learned that she had a twin brother, and a father, there in the background of her life the whole time.
Vera, as it turns out, is the daughter of former army specialist Falina Roux and Command Sergeant RyĆ, two soldiers who were falsely told their children had been stillborn. Her mother later defected after uncovering the truth, while her father remained within the system. She grew up admiring RyĆ, modelling herself after him; learning that he was her father, absent yet present, and she wants to know why. Why he stayed, why he never said anything; sheâs not angry, like Isaac is. But she desperately needs to understand.
Having learned that the story of her life was nothing but a construction, Vera is now torn between loyalty to the institution that formed her and love for the family she never knew. Isaac is the only one she can trust fully, and the only one that can see the fragility that lies beneath her surface.
EXTRAS.
* full biography
Vera ward never lacked family: she had warrant officers that taught her to read, instructors that taught her to shoot, fellow cadets who shared her dormitory. The East Atlantic Army had clothed her, educated her, and given her purpose. It had never once occurred to her to question where she belonged.
Her earliest memories are of lying in the warm grass between drills, laughing with the other cadets for how out of breath they had become. They are of heavy army rations, strengthening her after long runs. They are of bronzed skin in the sun, glowing with strength and exertion, and of knowing exactly how everything fit together. The world made sense. She learned discipline from the academy; a skill that she will always carry with her. She learned companionship from a fellow cadet: Isaac. They grew up together and had a natural affinity for one another. They understood each otherâs limits, could push each other to the brink and figure out how to excel, as a team and as individuals.
Isaac might have been born for the role of soldier, but Vera had to approach it with the same diligence she did everything else. She loved the training and worked hard at it, but her natural curiosity also led her to love learning more broadly. She has always kept notebooks, and observes things keenly. Of particular interest, are maps: she loves old maps, seeing how humanityâs understanding of the world changed, and she makes her own maps too. Usually of the world as it is, but sometimes of the worlds she wishes she could inhabit instead. Shortly before graduation, a crack appeared in the story she had been told her entire life. Or perhaps more accurately, a crack was deliberately revealed. Vera was sent into the archives to do some research, and it was the strangest thing: in among the files she was meant to be looking at, were some unrelated personnel files. And it was then that she learned the truth: that her connection to Isaac ran deeper than friendship, and that her parents were alive. This was not the truth of the world as Vera had learned it, and this new truth was a cataclysm she could never have prepared for.
Claymore, the traitor, the defector. That is the story that Vera was told. And RyĆ, the loyal soldier. She knew that one well. Both, as it happened, are not entirely true, not as it pertains to Vera. She does not know now whether to think of her mother as a hero or a traitor, and whether her father is a coward or a protector. She does not know whether the army raised her out of kindness or convenience. There is a lot that she doesnât know any more, and Vera has never been particularly good at leaving questions unanswered.
For now, the only one she trusts fully is Isaac. Her best friend, and apparently her twin. He has been deceived just as she has, though they're processing in very different ways. Vera has never been an explosive person. While her worldview is shattered, and she is realising how naive she has been, it does not erupt from her. Below the surface she is shifting, tectonic plates beneath her skin, trying to understand her new identity in this world that is new to nobody but her.
* headcanons  Â
Vera is a big map nerd. She collects obsolete old ones, thinks itâs neat to see what changed, what disappeared, what people thought was important. She also enjoys making her own, both of the real world around her and of imaginary worlds. Â Â
Loves watchtowers and high places. Vera is always climbing things. Observation decks, old water towers, ridges etc. She likes seeing how places fit together. Â Â
Repairs paper. If she finds torn maps, damaged books, crumpled reports, whatever, she repairs them. The army taught her to maintain equipment and she extends that philosophy to information. Â Â
Keeps detailed field journals. Absurdly detailed. Sheâs always jotting things down, margins jam packed with notes and observations
* pinterest boards / playlists  Â
* No official playlist yet but a couple of songs that have been in my head for this character: Â Â
Family Tree (Intro) - Ethel Cain. [The fates already fucked me sideways, swinginâ by my neck from the family tree. Heâll laugh and say, âYou know I raised you better than thisâ, then leave me hanging so they all can laugh at me.] Â Â
The Culling - Chelsea Wolfe. [Iâll never tell the secrets of my family. Bled out, a cult of anonymity; the kettle is wheeling, my love, riding on the back of a hell they caused] Â Â
Abrahamâs Daughter - The Arcade Fire [Then the angel asked her what her name was; she said I have none then he asked how can this be? My father never gave me one. And when he saw her raised for the slaughter, Abrahamâs daughter raised her bow. How darest you child defy your father? You better let young Isaac go.]
* character inspo.
Dana Scully, The X-Files (the truth is out there and she will sniff it out! but she is also going to be sensible and rational about it!). David Strorm, The Chrysalids (learning that the truth she was indoctrinated into might not be the whole truth; maybe she can't fully trust the institutions around her). Maybe a bit of Lyra Belacqua from His Dark Materials, even? In that the adults have been hiding something monumental from her her whole life.
This is a MONTHLY INTEREST CHECK, if you would like to stay here at devilselbowhq, PLEASE LIKE THIS POST. You have FORTY-EIGHT HOURS to do so. If you do not like this post by 10 AM MST / 12 PM EST WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3RD, your role will be reopened. This does not include those on hiatus, if you have any questions please feel free to send them in discord or send them to the main!
Welcome to DEVILSELBOWHQ! Beneath the cut you will find the accepted applicants. Make sure to read over the NEW MEMBER CHECKLIST. You have TWENTY-FOUR hours to send in your character accounts. Once received we will invite you to the groupâs discord server. Hope you survive out there in wild & wonderful Appalachia!
VERA WARD ( mika schneider ) âą east atlantic army private âą penned by maddie. * wc for clay's child
ISAAC ATTANO ( ryan potter ) âą east atlantic army specialist âą penned by ghost.
