Ms. Porcupiss

The Executioner - American Badger: Solitary, secretive, and defensive animals, badgers are burrowing critters who typically try to avoid both humans and other animals. Though primarily known for avoiding conflict, they will fiercely defend themselves and stand their ground with hissing, snapping, clawing, and their signature musk response. They are relentless hunters, and are one of the few animals known to participate in excess hunting - killing more animals than they need to eat, seemingly for pure sport. And, on rare occasion, badgers are known to partner with other animals in order to catch prey, making grumpy but reliable company on a hunt.

Solitary, secretive, and generally avoidant of most interactions unless provoked, the Executioner primarily takes residence in his underground bunker, only coming to the surface to gather collected prey or attend necessary meetings to arrange for new hunts. Rarely does he break routine otherwise. Though apathetic and content with isolation, provocation results in an explosive display of frightening speed and power to defend himself. He likes very few people, and trusts even fewer. And while he prefers to do things himself, he's smart enough to know when he's trying to bite off more than he can chew - and he will enlist the help of the Kidnapper for assistance on occasion.

The Kidnapper - Kamchatka Brown Bear: Also known as the Eurasian Brown Bear or Far East Brown Bear; Kamchatkas are the largest brown bear species in Eurasia. Boasting a powerful build and a bite force strong enough to crush a bowling ball, these bears primarily live solitary lives spent mostly foraging. Much like their Alaska cousins, they are also dependent on an annual salmon migration to build up their fat reserves for winter hibernation, during which groups of bears congregate and peacefully spend their time gorging themselves on fish and engaging in playful wrestling or other social bonding experiences with familiar bears. Though social with other bears, Kamchatkas tend to avoid humans. Encounters typically consist of these intelligent creatures getting curious, assessing potential threats, and leaving. Attacks are incredibly rare, and usually due to provocation or getting too close to cubs.

Best known for his imposing height and broad stature, Dmitry is a generally easy-going individual. Though those who confuse his gentleness for weakness will very quickly find that Dmitry is both just as vicious as a bear, and just as strong as one. Though generally preferring to keep to himself and run his shop (or work his night job alone), Dmitry gladly congregates with the other for meetings - or even better, meeting up with his friends outside of work to spend time together. Especially if it means he gets to cook lavish meals for them! And as to be expected, he is as fiercely protective of his companions as he is his own son.

The Breather - Xoloitzcuintli: Also known as the Mexican Hairless Dog; one of the world's oldest dog breeds, between 3,000 and 5,000 years old. Revered by the indigenous peoples of Mexico's history, these dogs were believed to help heal ailments, guard homes against evil spirits, and guide the spirits of the deceased to the afterlife. Though nearly hunted to extinction by European colonizers, the Xolo made a tremendous comeback in the 20th century and is revered as a national symbol of pride in Mexico. Nowadays the breed is primarily recognized by its signature hairless or sparsely furred look. However, Xolos also incredibly personalities and are adaptable in a number of ways. Though quite aloof and reserved with outsiders, Xolos are incredible attached to their family. Loyal and devoted to their people, they make for wonderful cuddlers and tend to be very calm indoors. On the other hand, they are incredibly alert watchdogs, boasting an uncanny intellect, intense prey drive, and a tremendous sense of agility and energy when allowed outdoors-- and as a bonus, they are incredibly clean creatures, frequently grooming themselves to keep the evidence of their outdoor adventures to a minimum. At times, their intellect can give way to a stubborn kind of independence that requires patience and respect when training.

Despite his impressive kill count and terrifying elusiveness, the Breather is most commonly known for (and recognized by) his appearance: hairless and lithe with a deceptive strength. He boasts a terrifying speed and endurance, especially when locked on to potential prey. He is a persistent and relentless hunter, studying his prey's habits, using intimidation to drive them, and striking when the moment is right with relentless fury. While on the job, he acts as a well-trained enforcer and a watchful protector to his allies. Off of work, that intelligence is better put to use helping people by offering affordable under-the-table medical care, such as wound care, surgeries, and medications. Or at his day job working the floor at a medical supply warehouse and distributor - the same place he gets easy access to a lot of his supplies. Like his friends, Mike tends to enjoy his own company more than anything, living and working out of his van and traveling from place to place. He's especially wary of strangers or new people given his history. However, if the opportunity arises for him to spend time with people he knows and trusts as friends- even if it's during one of Adam's shitty meetings- he'll happily pounce on the opportunity, displaying a level sociability and playfulness that far exceeds expectations. He is a devoted ally, never hesitating to defend against a perceived threat.

The Nympho - American Mink: One of the most adaptable creatures in North America, the mink is a semi-aquatic, burrowing animal that also has the ability to climb trees. Historically valued for their luscious, dense, waterproof fur coats, minks are deceptively fierce and territorial creatures — and one of the most prolific predators on the continent. With a high metabolism, minks make an average of 3-5 kills per day, often targeting animals larger than themselves using incredible speed and cunning. A favored prey of the mink is rabbits. Though unlikely to successfully catch a rabbit in a foot race, minks are known to perform something known as “the weasel war dance.” This hypnotic series of carefully coordinated but randomly appearing movements entrances their prey, preventing them from noticing how close the mink is until it’s too late. The mink then quickly overtakes their prey; using they’re tightly fitted jaws allow them to bite down with enough force to make a quick kill. Don’t be fooled - what they lack in size, they more than make up for in guts.

Like the rest of his "family" he came to learn that attachment was prohibited, safety was nonexistent, and resistance was met with harsh consequences. He was subjected to intense violence, public humiliation and mutilation, and severe abuse in order to ensure his compliance through fear and pain. This culminated in him being locked in a basement and having a dog set upon him for challenging the cult's leader when he was just 8 years old, leading to his being severely mauled, blinded in one eye, permanent nerve dysfunction, and Kluver-Bucy Syndrome from repeated head trauma.

In 1993, the ATF and the FBI raided the compound after a multi-day standoff. Joseph was one of the few children who survive both the fire and the gas. With no known family and no other adults deemed fit to take him in, Joseph was placed in foster care. From the start, he was deemed a difficult child; his age, flat affect, lack of expressiveness or attachment, and general avoidance of others made him undesirable for adoption and made man of his caretakers uneasy. He bounced between homes, racking up a notable record with law enforcement for petty crimes like theft, vandalism, and assault for fighting that led to him being placed into a troubled teen program. Like many of the time, the program did not provide any actual assistance and only compounded the abuse he'd suffered at the hands of others and effectively solidified his mistrust and aggression towards authority figures before aging out of the system. Following this, he relocated to New York by bus, where he wandered around for a time before finally finding work at Dmitry's shop. Dmitry was the first person not to be offput by Joe's demeanor and rather enjoyed his company while respecting his space, leading to the two becoming rather close friends. Joe would work and live with Dmitry for several years before eventually making a home out of one of the abandoned bunkers located outside of Queens. Finding it more familiar and comfortable than a standard home, he restored the facility for his own use. This was also around the time he began taking an interest in the Dark Web - specifically, snuff films. Having found himself enjoying the act of violently attacking others (hence his record), Joe began by luring people he'd meet online out to the woods with the promise of work or drugs, only to beat them unconscious, kidnap them, and record their torture and murder. It started with convicts, early release prisoners, and known predators -- people Joe figured that no one would miss or look for too seriously. At first, he took to killing the people in his own creative ways; however, over time, he realized people would pay him to do what they wanted - and he readily agreed. His theatrical persona and homemade mask worn for shows earned him the nickname The Executioner. As the business grew, Joe informed Dmitry that he was leaving the shop to pursue his own endeavors. Dmitry, curious and concerned, pressed for details - where he learned of Joe's activities. Though initially shocked, hearing of Joe's target demographics made Dim more considerate. Being former Russian military and trained in enemy capture, Dmitry offered to help Joe on the condition that they stick to targeting people who "deserved such a fate." Joe, surprised at the offer, readily accepted. His streams would eventually catch the attention of Adam, who - fascinated in the demand for custom-tailored suffering - would reach out with an offer to invest heavily in the project, supplying materials and victims, in exchange for a portion of profits and the ability to share the streams with his own clientele. Joe was not happy with the idea of no longer having independent control over his own operation; instead, the two agreed to compromise. They'd maintain control of their operation, picking and choosing their own targets, and keep the majority of revenue earned. Adam would supply them and have access to the streams to share, take the smaller portion of revenue, and ensure their safety and security to avoid law enforcement's discovery. It was a tense agreement, but a deal was made so that Joe could keep what he started with relatively little oversight or influence from someone else. And that's just how he likes it.

It’s very difficult to find records of Joseph’s existence past foster care. This is partially because of his name change. He changed his name shortly after dropping out and went on to essentially disappear. He has no records, identification cards, passports, etc. (Not legitimate ones at least). He also doesn’t have a death certificate either. (Yes, this means Joseph has committed tax fraud.)

Joseph and Dmitry were dating at some point. It was a very brief relationship, ending shortly after Konstantin (Dmitry's adopted son) left the nest. Joe actually helped raise Konstantin to a degree.

Joseph’s favorite movie is Pinocchio.

Joe has three cats: a striking grey angora with three legs and a missing right eye named Monet; a very big and very affectionate Maine Coone named Edgar; and a Sphinx always dressed in sweaters named Frida.

Technically, Joe has a house in a quiet suburb of Queens. On legal documents, that’s his address. That’s where all his mail and usual packages get delivered. In reality though, Joe lives inside a bunker out in the near-wilderness beyond Queens — off the highway and close to Chris’ motel actually!

Having been raised in a literal cult and then subjected to the revolving door of neglect that is foster care, Joe’s education was severely stunted to a certain extent. However, what he lacks in formal education, he makes up for in survival and DIY expertise. Case in point: his bunker? He built it entirely on his own. Every single aspect of the shelter was raised from knowledge he gained while living among the Branch-Davidians. He learned how to build thick, stable, soundproof walls, solar/water power sources with backup generators, reliable sources of clean running water and fresh, filtered air, sensors to make sure everything runs smoothly and gets proper maintenance in time, and he made the bunker expansive enough that it serves as a maximum security prison for his victims, a dedicated studio workspace for his streams, as well his true home.

Though honestly, home is a stretch. The “living space” he utilizes is sparsely furnished, lacks comfort or decorations, and is VERY much practical and utilitarian in nature. The bare minimum kind of stuff you’d see in a military barrack. It’s rough living. But it’s also what he’s used to.

While Joe will say it was the most practical choice given his profession, some part of him feels comforted staying in a bunker rather than a standard house or apartment. There’s a deep level of familiarity with it that makes him feel safe and secure, despite his history of living in one largely against his will because of a doomsday cult.

Joe has a lot of sensory issues. A lot. The most noticeable being the fact that, at random, his hands and feet start to tingle and his muscles feel strange. He’ll have uncontrollable spasms or twitchy movements. It’s the result of improper nourishment as a child, as well as lingering peripheral nerve response from being abused. It’s not painful, but the tremors and twitching can make things irritating.

For similar reasons, this also means that Joe has reduced tactile sensation. Separate from his pain tolerance (which is high already), Joe literally can’t feel certain sensations— especially if they’re in the hands and feet. There have been instances where a victim has stabbed or sliced him, or even shot him non-fatally, and he either didn’t notice or didn’t think it was severe enough to warrant medical attention because his nervous system literally didn’t get the message.

This lack of tactile sensation and awareness is also why Joe comes off as “heavy-handed” or “clumsy.” He struggles to measure his strength correctly because he can’t always adequately feel things he’s holding/doing to know the appropriate amount of pressure to apply. The result is him being the most brutal of the characters when it comes to attacking (and the knuckle dusters don’t help), randomly dropping things without realizing, and occasionally losing his balance because he struggles to feel the ground under him. (He HATES cushy shoes with lots of padding.)

On exceptionally rare occasions, his face will remember that a dog chewed on it and trigger debilitating trigeminal nerve pain. When that happens, he’s basically out for the count. The medication he gets for trigeminal neuralgia makes him groggy as hell, and even if it didn’t, the pain isn’t something he can tolerate.

As mentioned previously, Joe is blind in his right eye. Not completely - he can still recognize colors and light/shadows. But everything is incredibly blurry and unfocused and muted. This also means his depth perception is off at times.

Joe has Kluver-Bucy Syndrome - a condition caused by repeated bilateral brain trauma that - for him - is characterized by flat affect, difficulty experiencing or expressing emotions, a tendency to touch every everything, hyperorality, face-blindness, and disordered eating.

Joe also has PTSD and Schizoid personality disorder; he prefers to be on his own, can be impulsive without reason at times, and prefers to position himself so he can see all of a room whenever possible.

Social ettiquette is neither understood nor cared for by Joe. He will say things plainly, bluntly, and we won't care how others react. And while he does understand similes and metaphors for the most part, occasionally he misunderstands things as being literal.

Sadism and inflicting pain on others is one of the few ways Joseph can feel something other than apathy. He genuinely enjoys hurting people and putting them in distressing situations. It brings him legitimate joy and satisfaction.

That's not the only way he can feel things though. Joe feels satisfaction from making art. A lot of the time, art is how Joe expresses his feelings and inner thoughts that he can't express on his own. He uses color, symbolism, scenery, and subjects to convey messages he can't parse for himself or fully explain if he tried.

Joe also loves DIY in all of its forms. Woodworking, metal working, building, crafting - to him it feels very therapeutic. He's more likely to enjoy building birdhouses than being around other people.

Joe is a caffeine freak. He sleep cycle is already cooked from the brain damage and his nervous system issues often leave him feeling understimulated. Caffeine helps - and he loves his coffee sweet.

Joe also smoke cigarettes for similar reasons. The nicotine helps him feel stimulated and "in control" of himself. He prefers flavored cigarettes - specifically vanilla.

While Joe is more partial to cats and strongly dislikes dogs, he has never and would never harm an animal. To him, animals are inherently innocent and only do wrong because they're trying to survive or are trained to - unlike humans.

Joe is a big fan of knuckle dusters. He has a collection and he enjoys wearing and using them whenever possible.

Going hand in hand with that, Joe enjoys fight sports. He trains religiously in boxing and wrestling with Dmitry. it helps keeps him strong and sharp, as well as provides reassurance that he can defend himself.

Though not hypersexual, Joe is a sexual deviant. He's very exploratory and well versed in kink (BDSM, leather, latex, power dynamics, etc)