All right, for you fuck-ups who don't have any common sense, here it is. Maybe I'll save the life of some idiot who couldn't figure this stuff out on their own.
THE STUDENT'S SURVIVAL GUIDE INSTALLMENT #2Equipment and SkillsEQUIPMENT Things to Carry on your Person First Aid Kit: Refer to the Fireman's First Aid Guide to stock your first aid kit, but be sure to have bandages, gauze, medical tape, some antibiotics, painkillers and peroxide. Ask the Dragon Slayers for more detail. Superglue is surprisingly useful here, I've found. That bit where it bonds skin instantly works on wounds, as well. Of course, it can also cause cancer if you use it that way, so most of you will probably want to avoid that. Rope: Extremely versatile. Can be used to climb, bind, or as a last ditch weapon (whip or garrote). Knife: To cut rope, be sure to have a half serrated knife. Also a generally useful thing to have, for making stakes in a hurry, stabbing people, etc. You should be able to get at your knife in awkward positions. If you chose a folding knife, make sure it has a locking mechanism. You don't want it folding over and cutting off your fingers. Flashlight: Useful for entering dark areas. Use caution, as it may give away your position. Night vision goggles may also fall under this category, but are often out of the price range of many hunters, in addition to being rather heavy and impractical. Just remember, though, you do have night vision, though it will be ruined if you smoke, like me. Don't smoke. Really. It's bad. Duct tape: More useful than I can describe. Lighter: For setting things on fire. Matches also work, but they need to be coated with clear nail polish, to ensure that they will still work if wet. Remember, fire spreads, and faster than most people think. Be very careful. Things to Carry in your Vehicle Spare First Aid Kit: Always keep fully stocked. Spare Clothing: In case you have to ditch everything and run. This is clothing that you'll be wearing in case you can't go back home. You may also want another bag with disposable clothing. Cash: Same reason. Rope: You can never have enough rope. Blankets: For those long nights. Some use them to lie on for sniper work. Also can be used for makeshift bandages and for victims of shock. Entrenching Tool: The army surplus has one that folds up for storage, but all hardware stores sell shovels. When you have to bury the body, nothing beats it. Crowbar: For when the door just won't open any other way. Bottled Water and Food: If you have to travel long distances, live out of your vehicle for a few days, or have to hide out, a two day's supply will be a godsend. Don't forget the can opener. Things for your Place of Residence Security System: Whether a beer bottle balanced on the doorknob or a full electronic suite, a security system will help to keep the monsters from surprising you in your sleep. At least, the corporeal monsters. Spare Weapons: If you are attacked at home, make sure you can get to a weapon to defend yourself with. Of course, you'll want to make sure that little Billy doesn't accidentally spray the wall with his brains, either. First Aid Kit: It's the most important thing you can have. Duffel Bag: A bag with clothing, a weapon and some cash where you can grab it will save you the time to pack if you have to leave in a hurry. This one is in case you have to ditch the car. Tools: You never know what might come in handy. Saws, sledgehammers, lawnmowers, wood chippers, who knows what you may end up using? If anyone has anything I've overlooked on this list, feel free to point it out. Be sure to tailor your load to what you're expecting. SKILLS Your job skills: learn to use them in any capacity that will harm the enemy. If you work in a bank, screw with their records. If you are with the local government, arrange daytime inspections of their homes. If you are a pizza delivery boy, use your job to scout for areas that may have supernatural activity. No job cannot be used to harass the enemy. Self Defense: Take self-defense classes. Karate, Kung Fu and Aikido may not help you against something three times as strong as you, but it will put you in shape and give you a slightly better chance if it should come to that. Just remember, though, if you have to get that close, you fucked up, and it will hurt. And most of you won't be good enough to make a difference at that point anyway. People invented weapons for a reason, and a zombie probably won't care if you kick it in the groin. An axe to the skull, however… Hunting: If you can, learn to stalk moose or bear. This will teach you many skills valuable in the hunt: stalking, camouflage, woodcraft, and shooting live targets. Learn from someone who knows how to really do it, if you can, and stay alert. Preferably, learn it from someone who doesn't eat if they don't manage to get a deer. Computers: Use the net to find monsters, mess with their records, anything. This is more involved than it sounds, however. At a minimum, learn about basic computer security. Surveillance: learn to observe your quarry without being spotted. Observation is a good thing. Firearms: For those who can't, learn to shoot, and shoot safely. Learn to clear a jam, to reload your weapon. Don't rely on the movies on this one. And, remember, guns are overrated as killing weapons, especially against rots. There are other skill-sets out there that may be useful. People with a talent for demolitions, lock picking or gunsmithing may use this knowledge in the fight, but this is far beyond what your "average" hunter will be familiar with. Most of these skills that I've mentioned can be fairly easily acquired with some planning. Use the Internet, your local library, and the yellow pages to increase your chances of surviving your encounters. Take classes at community colleges or dojos. Do your best to do what it takes to survive. Of course, the most important things you can teach yourself are those stupid little things that action-movie heroes do without a second thought, but most people are incapable of. Can you climb a rope? A surprising number of people can't. Teach yourself to run up and down stairs quickly, without falling. Teach yourself to dive for cover, ending up prone. That will save your life. Can you exit a moving vehicle without getting hurt? Can you really climb chain-link fence that fast? Do you know how to use the emergency brake to make the car turn quickly? Can you make a stake in ten seconds flat? Can you dive past a door and fire under your body at the people inside? This is a short list of a hundred things that you need to be able to do, and not even think about it. There is no class for this, no Hunter 101. You need to learn to do these things, and if you don't, you may end up dead. I'll be talking about weapons later, if I get around to it. The Student (Student32's email is thestudent32@hotmail.com however, since the character is dead, this is OOC only.) |