Community Spotlight – March 2023

DrDeSync

2 years ago

The March Spotlight

As winter comes to an end its time to start shedding off all those layers, get back into the world and smell that fresh, spring air!

Character Story: Death and Redemption

Written by /u/CptPainkiller822

This Journal is written in my character’s own perspective and intended for OOC enjoyment.

Everything you read is to be taken only as OOC info.

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Chapter 1 – A Second Chance

I was merely a Prospect when it happened – just another cog in the machine spreading misery.
I’ve said that I did not know what could happen to the burned man, though I cannot hide behind that lie anymore.

In the end, I did it – I delivered the note that got him killed. And I was there when it happened.
I watched him die – gunned down, defenseless.

I wonder if it was regret that drove me to leave their cause… or was it something more…
I’d be damned if I knew why I sought them out. I was looking for something foreign to me, something that had eluded me since I joined the Loyalist’s recruitment – and something that I haven’t found since I had left them.

They met with me, of course… why would they not?
I told them of how unfair his death was, and how I hoped that the killing would end.
But they would not listen to reason. Their leader, Waxxer, had no control over his rage. Grief had overcome him completely.

I offered a way out, to help set up those who were responsible for Ekho’s death.
But that is not who I am.

He held his shotgun to my chest, speaking of how I can be redeemed if I survive his anger.

“Do what you must.” I spoke as I closed my eyes, accepting my fate.

“I do hope you live through this.” Said the renegade, before shooting me in the stomach.

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Chapter 2 – Borrowed Life

I awoke in a pool of dried blood, tucked away in a corner within the Western Woods – propped up against a tree. The pain I felt was unbearable, and it took forever for my vision to steady.
I looked upon my wounds and realized that I had been patched upbandaged so I would not bleed out. As I attempted to lift myself, my arm scraped against a tin can atop a rock. They had left me food as well.

“Perhaps he did overcome his rage.” I thought.

The month that followed was difficult. I felt a sharp pain pierce my skin with every breath I took. Every step I made towards recovery led to another tumble into ruin.

My body was broken, and my mind was following suit.

I cannot convey upon this canvas an accurate vision of the hatred I had felt.

I never called myself a good man. We all have our demons. And it took EVERYTHING I had in order to keep them at bay.

No help. No friends. Nothing but my will to stay true to myself.

And in the end… I survived.

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Chapter 3 – Purpose

I was not expecting to run into Alice Fraser ever again. At the very least not behind the confides of The Collective, with her club patches torn off her jacket.

She had deserted the club, seeing with her own eyes the despair that her brother’s subjects wrought upon the land. And she was in hiding… same as I.

The vengeful enemies of the Loyalists would take her life given the chance, and so would the bikers whom she’d betrayed.

How did I got pulled into this conflict that I wished to avoid…

It was not long after that we had set out to the South – the two of us and a very strange man by the name of Jimmy.

We ended up at Green Mountain, where the Outrider Caravan Company had set up their trading post. Alice was unsure of whether or not to enter their compound with me. I understood why, of course, FL and ORCC have been at each other’s throats for even longer than I had been within Chernarus. But she eventually gave in, and followed me behind their walls.

If only I could find a way to describe the sigh I let out when I saw Waxxer inside that compound.
At that point, for her sake, I was hoping they wouldn’t recognize her – though of course they did.

The accusations and the heated arguments started immediately. No one would believe that the president’s own sister would abandon the club. Though perhaps my word held more weight that hers when it came to that matter:

“You gave me a chance for redemption once, give her one as well.” I spoke up. “I’ve heard her story, and I believe her motives.”

Surprisingly – he listened… though only partially.

I could not tell whether or not it was that same rage that engulfed Waxxer’s heart, or the sheer amount of temporary power he had that compelled him to do what he did next.

“Come with me, Alice.” He said as he and a few of the ORCC escorted her behind some walls.

I was powerless to stop him.
There were too many of them – too many that idly stood by and watched as a single Renegade took a defenseless woman to the corner and carved one of her eyes out.

Were they monsters? Letting that happen because they wished it to?

Or were they cowards… allowing a single man to exercise his sick punishment within their own home.

She eventually returned, with an eye patch covering her wound. Her assailant proudly striding with a smile on his face.

It all comes full circle in the end… I was responsible for Death.
And now I am responsible for Life.

But I have not been Redeemed just yet.

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Chapter 4 – Massacre

I had only just met the foxes, Raz and Fletcher, though Alice trusted them – and that was good enough for me. Same went for the people of The Collective – Casper and Miller.

The five of us had headed out into the nearby valley, alongside a friend of Humble Haven. We had shared stories and gotten to know one another along the way – before the day turned dark and red.

Over the horizon manifested silhouettes of multiple people headed our way. We quickly confirmed that it was ORCC – coming to speak with us.

Our group of six stood at a line facing theirs which consisted of eight fully armed individuals.

A conflict arose, arguments of ridiculous proportions:

The ORCC had heard that somehow FOX were working with FL… of course Fletcher denied this, though he could as well have been talking to wall.

I mentioned how ORCC let Waxxer mutilate Alice and they did nothing to stop it, and then they accused The Collective of doing the same things when Dark As Midnight had overpowered them at Humble Haven. Yeah, it doesn’t exactly sound like the same thing, does it?

It’s funny how they had all this hatred for Alice being former FL, when they had a pet who dressed as a clown that was also once part of the club.

Hypocrites.

It was about fifteen minutes into the heated argument at this point, and whenever I thought that we had come to a resolution and reason was shown – the verbal conflict just got louder and louder.

Ah.. the agony of listening to that bickering…

Nevertheless, they would not back off, hammering down on the rumor that Fletcher and FOX allegedly worked with FL

Then… the first reasonable thing I’ve witnessed all day finally happened:

Fletcher nodded and spoke a word – a word that all six of us knew meant death.

He was the first to draw fire, taking down an ORCC or two before they shot him in the chest.

The rest of us quickly followed his lead, coating the ground with their blood and ours.

By the time I took out two of them plus their pet clown, three of us lay gravely injured upon the ground. Fletcher was unconscious, saved by his plate carrier. Casper too was knocked out temporarily.

I was the last of us standing, facing the willow tree that the remaining two enemies were cowering behind.

I rushed them head-on and opened fire, and I did not stop until their bodies hit the ground.

Fletcher awoke soon after, spotting one of the ORCC attempting to get back up. He ended his attempt swiftly and looked onto me as I assured him the rest were dealt with.

The two of us then made sure not a single one of the eight people we fought still drew breath.

Casper then woke up, though he was in worse shape due to the lack of armor. We looted the bodies and found medicine and morphine to heal his wounds.

Then we tended to the other three; Miller, Raz and their associate. To our fortune – they were all still breathing. We bandaged their wounds and began plotting where we would take them to recover. Then we slowly dragged them uphill – to the North.

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Chapter 5 – Conclusion

Needless to say I did not feel redeemed when the terms were set by someone else’s standards. It was not enough to me that Alice survived thanks to my vouching for her. By saving a life I am forgiven for being responsible for ending another – but then that meant I was back to square one with nothing achieved.

Being responsible of killing 5 out of the 8 bastards who confronted us, however – now THAT felt like REDEMPTION.

Ridding the world of filth that would stand by and watch someone go through what she did – yes… that feeling there was something to hold onto.

We all have our demons, but it takes fire to kill fire in a world so cold.

And whilst I may be on the side of the Angels,

I am most certainly NOT one of them.

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Those bastards… better stay dead…

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– VANE

Screenshots and Artwork

Welcome Comrades

We want to start strong and show off one of the best pieces in quite a while! “Welcome Comrades” by Valdark is a South Zagorian People’s Army illustration, showing off what looks to be a food line for some local survivors in need. While the hosts may look a bit ominous, surely they are there to do some good, right?

Artwork by Valdark

A FOX overlooks the ruin

Next up we have a screenshot of one of DUG’s new custom locations. Say hello to Adamovka, a re-imagining of the original location that can be found on iZurvive if you’re ever interested in visiting. DayzUnderground is hard at work to bring more places like this in the future for people to explore and even settle down in.

Screenshot by Fletcher

Franco Montana

The recent DayZ 1.20 Update brought us a couple of new cosmetics and it looks like Young Drilla is channeling his inner bandit with the Carnival Mask.

Screenshot by Young Drilla

Dr. Stitches Hard at Work

Has the Dark Carnival made its return? Here we see Dr. Stitches, concocting who knows what in their lab. Are they trying to learn the secrets of the lingering gas… or trying to weaponize it further?

Artwork Commissioned by Jestersgamble

Video Series: Making new friends in DAYZ

https://youtu.be/BcWHOZAVfL0Q

Video by Legit-POP!

Let’s end this spotlight off by sharing with you the new episode from Legit-POP!’s DayzUnderground series. Leaving the Overlook Barn with Barnaby Trinket & Alexander, they head to Tulga to investigate an attack that happened earlier in the day.

Thanks for Reading!

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