Name: Aleksandr 'King' Alekseyev
Age: 27
Personality: when aleksandr was still green his group had a bad run in with a controller and never returned. folks thought him dead but found him years later talking gibberish and imitating zombies in the red forest. once shot at (by mistake, the stalker said he didnt recognize him), he displayed a remarkable mastery of foul language. no one could figure out how he retained even -some- of his mental faculties after years of exposure to psi. some say he's crazy, others say he's no longer human (pointing to stories of him running and barking with blind dogs and getting into wrestling-matches with snorks). but the self-proclaimed 'king of the zone,' from which his nickname comes, garners a certain amount of respect for his wiliness and independence.
Strengths/Skills: likes to hunt bloodsuckers in his undies. stealthy, courageous, and brilliant when interested, dangerous when bored. very coordinated and unconventional, can blend in with zombies (nnggawr!)
Weaknessess: doesn't always know when to stop blending in with zombies or acting like other mutants, unpredictable, antisocial, short attention span, mistrustful of people, especially faction groups. speaks in riddles and makes bad jokes, given to bouts of unsettling laughter and mutant imitations. in the heat of battle, may be distracted by deciding which weapon to use. wastes a lot of time scavaging from dead bodies, because he is a compulsive packrat with numerous hidden caches.
Outfit/Looks: short and energetic with long beard and hair, walks around with a staff (with grenades tied to it) and makes his own cloaks, shoes, and underpants from pseudodog hide. favors dual wield over two handed weapons. usually uses viper 5s, sawed off shotguns, pistols, grenades, knives, and the occasional sniper rifle. travels light. has a strange resistance or 'luck' with the zone environment, in spite of rarely wearing armor, suits, and never a mask.
Name: Artur 'herbie' Igorov
Age: 23
Personality: doesnt like fighting, closes his eyes when he shoots, usually gets stuck carrying the important stuff because his friends know he will run and hide when the shooting starts and the enemy will never find him. then his friends will be walking along and find him playing guitar acting like nothing happened. also is too curious for his own good, sometimes gets into people's stuff and steals their food, then tries to smooth talk his way out of it.
Strengths/Skills: good with money, cardgames, women, people in general, very relaxed, plays guitar and knows a lot of good (russian?) songs. good at customizing guns and ammo, cleaning repairing guns, equipment, and especially patching up suits. he gets a lot of work repairing things, and has a good eye for artifacts and good equipment (as well as an eye for anomalies). in spite of not fighting much he has a good pain tolerance. due to his good eye for trade, and self-profitting, entrepeneurial ways, he is often a go-to guy for just about everyone in the zone for buying and selling various trinkets and special items. usually when he goes on an expedition to scavenge he will have some of his friends do the shooting for him. due to his people skills he is able to maintain a neutral status between the factions, but this also means he doesn't like getting involved in inter-faction fights.
Weaknessess: squeemish, not good at fighting/killing things. the exception is that when he gets drunk, if you call him a fatso he will get in a fist fight with you, or if you make fun of other sensitive topics, but usually he's just too friendly for his own good, and also a bit greedy
Outfit/Looks: slightly overweight, has an old oversized stalker suit with patch-ups on it, because he can't find a new one his size. wears big shin-high rubber boots because he doesnt like snakes and doesnt like getting his feet wet. if he's out in the zone he'll wear a gas mask, or goggles and a scarf or bandana over his mouth, he doesnt like dirt. the only weapons he will carry are flash grenades and a silenced pistol for emergencies. he sometimes keeps a couple cans with coins in them, tied on a rope, to swing around as a noisemaker and scare off mutants; also will use a flare gun for the same. likes to come prepared.
Name: Viktor 'Vik' Valentinov
Age: 31
Personality: dark, brooding, takes pleasure in power, fighting and killing (hunts mutants as a pastime). viktor lost his parents to the russian mobsters when he was young, and his sister, Inna, was later taken into 'protective custody' by the mob, who has sent him into the zone to pay off his fathers' debts. he has plans of his own, though, hoping to gain dominance within the zone at some point, and become powerful enough to challenge his family's murderers. due to the tragedy and fear of his life, he is jaded and brutal. he is also deceptive and subtle, carrying out the orders of duty bosses and moving up the ladder, although he is not truly committed to anyone but himself and his sister.
Strengths/Skills: has become very familiar and adept to the conditions of the zone, the behavior of all its inhabitants, and the terrain of the various areas. he is good at situational awareness, leading a squad, and is a strategic thinker. he is also ballsy and a good shot, although he will not get into the fight unless doing so is advantageous. takes no unnecessary risks. a good sniper and sneaker, good at fighting alone as well, strong and good with a knife, and knows when to cut his losses. keeps various artifacts on his body for when they are useful, and is always looking for and stashing more.
Weaknessess: cold, somewhat distant, curt, keeps people at a distance, uses others, does not inspire 'trust,' among his men, although he does earn respect. has a weakness for vodka, at which point he can range from depressed and withdrawn to extremely violent. proud and has a hard time letting go a slight. vindictive and consuming anger. has a weakness for women who, like his sister, are not a threat to him. his anger and desire for revenge may cause him to lose his cool and act rashly.
Outfit/Looks: stomps about in heavy environment suits, either of the faction he is serving or otherwise, usually concealing his face because he wishes to keep his identity hidden. will wear lighter suits if going on solo missions. his hair is dark with an early gray spreading through it. clean-shaven. wears simple clothing, often something paramilitary. keeps a knife in his boot and a pistol on his backside, aside from that works well with assault rifles and sniper rifles, and is well versed enough to pick up enemy weapons in the field and put them to use. favors an obokan with a scope.