#med classification

[infopals]

You find yourself in a lounge car aboard the Express that is surprisingly well-populated by other guests. Wary, but thankful for some sense of normalcy, you ask if you can join the large group in one of the unoccupied armchairs. The one with an almost upsettingly neon pair of overalls on - still bright despite the wear and tear that comes with trying to survive in this place - smiles at you and cheerfully invites you to sit down. The woman with her hair in purple curls next to them is quick to point out which of the seats was a mimic, and warn you away from any of the pots or cups of tea scattered around the room. You thank her, perform a once-over of the chair yourself, and finally get off of your aching feet.

Whatever they're doing, it's some kind of meeting. A woman with red and blonde hair seems to be explaining a rating system she made to help judge how dangerous an encounter with a Resident may be, and how best to escape... or if you even have any chance of surviving at all.

You take note of the way your hand had begun to drift towards one of the teacups on the polished wooden table beside your chair, and discreetly tuck the both of them between your knees and hold them there. Then you focus your attention on this "MED Classification" the group is discussing, and the Resident they've decided to use as an example.

You're familiar with this one - it got someone you had been trying to stick with last week. You take a quiet, shuddering breath, and firmly push the memories of your friend's voice begging you to open the door for them, please, please please - you push it to the back of your mind.

Now you had a name for it.

The Poacher.

MED CLASSIFICATION: Method of Escape + Danger

Method: The method one should use to Escape/Survive a Resident Encounter F | P | D | S

Flight (running should always be your first choice when available)

Pacification (something that neutralizes the danger a resident presents)

Distraction (a resident that can be distracted/occupied in order to run)

Sacrifice (for when you're out of options)

Escape: Level of difficulty/likelihood of escape L | D | I

Likely (you'll probably survive the night, as long as you pick the correct method)

Difficult (possible, but only just. no room for hesitation or mistakes)

Impossible (no escape. search for signs that these residents are nearby and avoid them altogether)

Danger: Level of danger associated with encountering a specific Resident/Likelihood of sustaining injury from an encounter L | I | H

Low (an encounter that should end in little to no harm)

Intermediate (decent risk. most likely you won't get out unscathed)

High (you WILL be hurt. very likely you won't survive - either by the resident's hands, or via the injuries they inflict on you)

(Journal Excerpt about the Poacher/Voice Stealing Hyena below the cut.)

THE POACHER

. The Poacher - or, as Itzy exclusively refers to it - the "Voice-Stealing Hyena," is one of the many residents aboard the Express. While definitely deadly and dangerous to encounter, this is one of the Residents that you may have a better chance of escaping from.

. APPEARANCE: This Resident looks - for the most part - like a Hyena. Alongside the spiked mane of fur along it's neck/back, it also has several sharp spines that stand out starkly. Poachers often travel in packs - younger members have the skin and fur of their face intact. Older Poachers seem to have the flesh either decayed or torn away with time, exposing the skull.

. Typically, the ears and anything past them tend to remain and don't wear away like the snout does. All Poachers - both young and old - have a gaping hole in their throat. Viscera can be clearly seen, but this doesn't seem to hinder the Poacher at all.

. The front legs split at the distal joint to form two smaller, cloven feet on each limb. The back legs are typical of a dog/hyena. Poachers appear to be blind, and primarily use sound - maybe smell + vibrations? - to hunt. They have long, thin tails with a fluffy end.

. BEHAVIOR: Poachers are social creatures, much like the Hyenas they resemble. If you encounter one, it's more than likely another is nearby. Specifically, they use the stolen voices of their past victims to lure in new prey. This does seem to indicate a greater level of intelligence. As far as I'm aware, they are not limited to merely repeating words or phrases, but capable of constructing any sentence they please with a stolen voice.

. The easiest way to tell that a Poacher is nearby is the sudden and abrupt loss of your voice. You become unable to make a sound - any sound - at all. I think this also serves as a way for the poachers to detect prey.

. Poachers can also sometimes be found near the recently deceased. Ensure that there isn't a poacher hiding within a corpse before approaching - they've been known to burrow into/hide inside the bodies of their victims. They don't actually seem to eat the bodies, for whatever reason. The Fireman still comes to collect.

(The following MED score applies specifically to the Poacher described in the entry above.)

M.E.D

Method of Escape + Danger

M F | P | D | S

flight, distraction, sacrifice

E L | D | I

difficult

D L | I | H

intermediate-high