Alesh

CALL SIGN: Alesh GENDER: male AFFILIATION: United Workers' Syndicates of Talos II DATE OF BIRTH: September 1 RACE: Anati ORIPATHIAS INFECTION STATUS Positive (infected), based on medical reports.

COMPREHENSIVE PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT PHYSICAL STRENGTH: standard COMBAT SKILLS: standard TACTICAL SMARTNESS: Excellent MASTERING ORIGINIAN ARTS: Excellent

We can learn a lot from studying the original arts of operative Alyosha. Presumably, it was through these arts that he created the water-like construct from memory or imagination. It's unlikely that the water-like construct is an entity "summoned" from another dangerous or unknown dimension... or so I think.

Alyosha is a tall, sturdy man with slightly tanned skin. He has a bright yellow left eye, is missing his right eye, and a large, now-filled scar runs across his right eye and right eyebrow. He has unruly black hair with white tips; it's slightly longer than usual and he wears it in a small ponytail at the back, secured with a small clip. He has small black raccoon ears with white fur on the inside, and a fluffy black and white raccoon tail on his back. Alyosha's body is covered with numerous small, healed scars.

Alesh prefers comfortable and practical clothing. He typically wears black overalls and a warm white knit sweater underneath. His overalls feature a heavy black belt, which can be used to attach essential work items. Attached to the belt are black chaps with metal knee pads and additional pockets, which he wears on his legs over his overalls. A silver medallion on a gold chain hangs from his neck, likely a souvenir. A bright blue belt with a fishing line attached to it is slung across his chest. He wears a signature UWST short jacket in mustard yellow with a white lining. He wears semi-high, waterproof semi-sneakers and semi-boots with light blue rubber soles. He wears black work gloves with a yellow interior. Aleš often wears blue sunglasses on his head.

Alesh is a cheerful and carefree man, often good-natured and somewhat lazy, preferring to slack off rather than work. He has a habit of whining to try to get out of work. Alesh's frivolous nature conceals a dark past and the difficult character of someone who grew up on the streets and fought for his life. Alesh often says ambiguous things, pretending to be talking about fishing, but in reality, he often means darker and more sinister things, like murders or fights. Alesh likes to pretend he's innocent, just passing by and completely unaware, but in the end, it turns out that Alesh somehow solves the main problem (or is the cause of it). Alesh is meticulous about money and watches his finances, often buying goods only on sale. He's not averse to lending money, but that debt is bound to come back to him, for better or worse. Alesh hates debt. Alyosha was likely brash, impudent, and abrupt in his youth, but these days he prefers to forget his dark past in the yard. Alyosha almost always has a smile on his face, either bright or relaxed, but in certain situations this smile can seem creepy and out of place. Alyosha loves to joke and tease, which in certain situations can also sound downright creepy. Alyosha loves to read and loves books, in every sense of the word: Alyosha can read books and memorize quotes from them, use them as a seat, a pillow, or kindling for a fire, and can also be used to block out the sun or place them on his face to hide his sleep. Alyosha truly believes that books are very useful. Alyosha speaks with a Spanish accent and occasionally inserts Spanish words. Apparently, Alyosha enjoys shows about tarot and fortune-telling and watches them periodically. His luck is important to Alyosha. Alyosha is generous and can give his last to someone in need, but he is very surprised when someone sincerely gives him something in return or gives him a gift. Alyosha doesn't like to talk about his past and hides it.

Aleš doesn't like to talk about his "boring" past. All that's known is that he made his way through the lower reaches of the borderlands, where intrigue and betrayal awaited him at every turn. He left the streets with one blind eye and a tormented body. Aleš was likely born and raised in the city of La Estrada, where for a time he was known as the "Second Gangster at the Head of La Estrada." Aleš was likely a street kid, growing up alongside other street kids: at first, they mortally hated each other, constantly fighting and squabbling, but then a new child appeared among their ranks, teaching them the importance of shared survival, trust, and support. Aleš's two best childhood friends likely betrayed each other and nearly killed each other. Aleš intervened in the fight to stop them, ultimately losing both his right eye and his childhood friends. Aleš detests betrayal, even though it has become incredibly familiar to him thanks to life on the streets. The streets also taught him to constantly cheat and prevaricate, never truly revealing his true thoughts and feelings to anyone. "The old employer," as Alyosha calls him, apparently knew Pleshka almost since childhood; perhaps he's a crime boss who financially supported Alyosha's fish shop in his later years, and then sent Alyosha's file to Endfield, likely wanting a better life for Alyosha. This "former employer," likely already quite old and wheelchair-bound, still writes letters to Alyosha, sometimes grumbling like an old man, sometimes worrying about Alyosha's well-being. Alyosha himself is clearly attached to this old man, though he pretends otherwise and doesn't care.

Alesh is a fishmonger by trade, and he spends his days fishing. But beneath his feigned insouciance lies honed instincts and profound insight. When the time comes, Alesh's gaze becomes as sharp as a hook, and he knows as many tricks for solving problems as he does for catching fish. With an invariably gentle smile, Alesh triumphs on missions when no one expects it.

Aleš joined Endfield on the recommendation of a coordinator from the UWST security bureau (SORT) to provide communications and cover in the borderlands. In his spare time, he also teaches the company's employees how to fish.

Profile: 1 Survival: Aquatic Biomes. Able to survive in uncharted waters, deep and shallow.

Profile: 2 Tactics: planning operations. Alesh is always thinking about something. Sometimes about fishing, other times about casting nets.

Hobbies: 1 Culture: serious literature. "Mr. Alesh usually dozes with a book on his face. The book changes once a week."

Hobbies: 2 Sport: ocean fishing. Fishing for waterfowl may seem like a relaxing activity, but in reality it is a constant battle with fearsome waves.

Currently, operative Alesh is involved in catching and selling waterfowl. He joined Endfield on the recommendation of a coordinator from UWST (SORT) nicknamed "Seagull." Based on our assessment, we believe the operative is capable of serving as a coordinator or conducting special operations in border areas. Upon arrival at Endfield, operative Alesh placed a fresh waterfowl of an unknown species on my desk. It glistened brightly and smelled of the sea. Realizing I had no need for squirrels, he immediately suggested stuffing the catch and hanging it on the wall as a memento of our meeting. After a brief pause, I handed the waterfowl over to the logistics headquarters, completed the onboarding process, and signed a contract to serve as a regional coordinator, as well as a contract to conduct special operations. He summarized his understanding of his duties with the following phrase: "We'll catch it with live bait, but not for food." Preliminary observations: Alesh has quickly adapted to the work environment, displays exceptional self-confidence, and exhibits no other abnormal characteristics. His professional composure and productivity require further monitoring. — Martin Marvin Malen, Assistant, Human Resources, Endfield

Hmm... Hey, guys. I just got hired as a consultant on waterfowl fishing strategies and a recreational fishing instructor... Didn't know? Oh, right. Apparently some bigwig misread my resume, that's why they hired me. Or maybe he sneezed and signed the wrong way. I just catch and sell waterfowl, you know. Also, your Endfield system seems to be full of holes, since they counted a freezer as combat gear. Anyway, I'm with you now. Well, since no one's pushing me away, I'll share my knowledge with you. It's not about engineering or tactics. My business is waterfowl fishing. It shouldn't be underestimated. Fishing is an excuse for lazy old men to laze around—that's what those who know nothing about it think of it. But for real anglers, it's like meditation in the fresh air. I'll tell you about fishing in company jargon. Basically, it's like a miniature tactical operation. You have bait, a hook, cunning, and patience. Who will ultimately fail? Who will take the bait? Who will become the bait? And who will devour the fried waterfowl on the shore? It's all a matter of luck and instinct. Now let's look at two basic terms: float fishing and bottom fishing. What is float fishing? It's when you scatter bait in the water and then watch the float. The float twitches a little—you think there's a bite. But when you excitedly pull the line out, you realize: the waterfowl isn't there; it's laughing at you and blowing bubbles. Some waterfowl sometimes take the bait twice and swim away. And some don't even like the bait. They just tug on the line and leave you high and dry. It's like a gangster shootout. The thug gave you a strange look—you thought he'd twitch... But it turns out he'd simply remembered he'd left the spices in his fish soup. There are no magic tricks in fishing. The main thing is not to break the rod after twenty empty hooks. And what is bottom fishing anyway? You lie low, cast the bait, and then—nothing. — Alyosha's speech at a hobby discussion meeting

I knew a gang advisor, he was an expert on bottom fishing. He'd always say, "Don't move, son. They're more afraid when you're still." And this Senor Advisor would sit there all day long in his second-hand rocking chair while they broke our legs. And then he'd narrow his eyes and say, "Look! The enemy's taken the bait." He's taken it, yeah... Damn him, the old donkey! I was the bait, damn him! I got carried away... Anyway, fishing's a great pastime. Try it yourself and you'll immediately realize how much fun it is! In my humble opinion, catching waterfowl is much more beneficial than sitting here staring into cold, dark space... What was your question? What am I doing here? The food in the cafeteria is decent, and no one keeps track of how long I sleep. All in all, it's a nice place. The waterfowl don't care about your efforts. They even roll their eyes before swimming away. — Alyosha's speech at a hobby discussion meeting

DOCUMENT: Alyosha's daily routine 06:00. He wakes up. He prepares his tackle and bait. He sharpens his hooks, muttering under his breath: "I'm definitely going to hook those waterfowl today." 06:30. He comes out and throws a few waterfowl bones to the homeless cloud animals on the street. 06:45–09:15. Morning fishing. Finds a spot with a slower current and patiently waits for a bite. 09:15–10:00. He rolls up his gear. He checks his catch. He inspects the condition of the caught waterfowl. He sets aside any "special" catch for other purposes. 10:00–12:00. Morning shift at the water gift shop. The water darlings are carefully arranged in several rows, each in a specific direction. These details are crucial. 12:00–13:00. Lunch. Roasting a waterfowl over the fire. Eating, glancing at the mini-terminal. 13:00–15:00. He naps or strolls. Sometimes he goes to the pier to practice his fishing skills, or sits on a bench and chats with strangers about good fishing spots. He chats incessantly, scaring away all the waterfowl. 15:00–17:30. Evening shift at the water gift shop. Continues selling water darters, scanning the crowd for "familiar faces" who shouldn't be there. 17:45–19:45. Night fishing in the deep. The last run is at sunset. The target is "huge waterfowl," which are usually cautious and vigilant. They are most active at sunset. This is also when enemies most often make mistakes. 20:00–21:00. Dinner. He reviews the day's catch. He jots down the fishing results and the daily "waterfowl intelligence" gleaned from conversations. 21:00–22:00. Relaxation. He relaxes on the balcony, gazing at the stars with his one eye. Sometimes he recalls eventful nights... The territorial wars are a thing of the past, but memories of them, like undercurrents, can suddenly sweep him away while fishing. 22:00. Prepares bait. Checks gear. "Who will I catch tomorrow?"

The new coordinator arrived for the first time at the secret spot on the corner of the pier. The shopkeeper rested motionless on a bench, his face covered by a book. The waterfowl were arranged on the counter in a specific order: gray ones facing north, red cupras in pairs, and a white waterfowl with a strange pattern lurked at the edge. The coordinator blinked, trying to remember the waterfowl code he'd learned. Try as he might, he couldn't decipher the instructions. He was about to call headquarters when the shopkeeper tossed him a waterfowl with chunks of crushed ice. "There are no big fish today," he said. "Here, have some food." The coordinator was momentarily taken aback, then accepted the water raft and nodded gratefully. Stepping back, he turned and looked at the bench again. The owner was lying on it as if nothing had happened. Daily report: situation normal. Intelligence is accurate and... quite reliable.

The "Popper" tactic was proposed by operative Alesh. The principle is based on poppers, a type of lure often used by amateur fishermen. According to Alesh's extremely detailed but unverifiable explanations, a popper is a fake floating waterfowl. It dances, glitters, wags its tail, irritates, and ultimately irritates the angry large waterfowl to the point that they suddenly rise from the depths. Simply put, poppers provoke: "Don't want to move? Okay. I'll foul up your territory, play dead, and steal your loot. And when you finally attack me, you'll see there's more than one actor in the show." What? Explain a recent incident? It was a simple undercover mission. The convoy was supposed to travel along Route 17, but the prisoners had taken a liking to that area. Bandits are stealing cargo, kidnapping people, and even taking over radio stations. "Night Road Radio" has literally turned into a snake pit, emitting nothing but crude language. I was about to go fix my fishing rod when the mission notification arrived. The words "simple undercover operation" instantly killed all desire to work. Anyway, I glanced at the map and said under my breath, "Eh. Should I try a 'popper'?" Of course, no one understood me. The convoy probably thought it was some kind of new weapon and agreed without a second thought. Amazing naivety. I'm muttering something under my breath, and the people agree. Basically, it was all very simple. We abandoned two trucks by the road and made it look like they were broken down, then placed several boxes of "firearms" next to them. No, it's too early to celebrate. The boxes contained bricks. We even wrote "Class I Hazard" on them to make it look authentic. Then we played a distress call, recorded in a shaky voice. Basically, to make sure they'd bite! And not like on my last fishing trip. – The story of the “Popper” tactic.

The first squad of smashers arrived as expected. They were creeping up on us like animals drawn by fresh waterfowl, hungry, barely able to contain themselves! Everyone wanted a piece of the freebie. And that wasn't the end. I reinforced the distress signal, and a second squad arrived. The first guys were really angry. Their attitude changed from "I want a piece" to "I'll bite your head off." These cutthroats didn't even say hello and immediately started beating each other up. Just like wild, rabid animals fighting over a waterfowl. We hid behind a hill and enjoyed the show. We started commenting on their fighting style while snacking on dried waterfowl. Yes, it was quite a circus. I remembered how I used to cause trouble in the port as a kid—I was a better fighter than these guys. When the battle died down, we swooped in—pure forensic photographers. We took a few photos and cleaned everything up. They removed the dead, the maimed, and those who were thought to be dead or maimed. Basically, after that little war, few could speak. And the convoy moved on calmly. One truck driver even said to me, "Bro, that operation was masterfully executed." And I replied, "Thanks. I originally planned to stare at the blue sky all day. Who knew a whole school of fish would show up." The main conclusion I drew from this: life is like fishing. Think on your feet and seize the moment. In my opinion, that's much more effective than making detailed plans. – The story of the “Popper” tactic.

Let me introduce an old friend of mine. Wait a minute... Yeah, I guess we're old friends. Anyway, the story starts with my least favorite fishing style—cast and yank. It's pretty self-explanatory: no lures or bait, no waiting for a waterfowl to bite. You throw the hook, yank with all your might, and hope you catch something you can throw in the bucket. Some call it fishing, but to me, it's more like robbery. Zero patience and skill—one hundred percent brute force. I first saw this technique on an abandoned pier. An old waterfowl fisherman with scars all over his face cast and yanked—and, man, it was underwater murder! Blood spurted, and the poor waterfowl was still floundering. A bunch of us kids hid behind barrels and mastered the technique while eating flatbread. And that's how I "met" an old friend. I tried "cast and yank" for the first time—and pulled the creature out of the water. But it fought back and eventually broke free. I'll never forget its bloody wound and its disfigured eye. Ugh, I can still feel that look on me. Of course, back then, I didn't care about the relationship between people and waterfowl. If you're hungry, you have to fish, and sometimes it doesn't go well. When I was a kid, we lived like sardines in a can. The first thing we did in the morning was count who survived and who was "eaten" by the streets. Stealing, robbing, and cheating? Our methods of survival. We negotiated with our fists. "Cast and yank" is a trick for the most desperate times.

• a story about a strange waterfowl.

Then this guy showed up. He was the only one who didn't treat us like wild animals. He taught us how to negotiate, make concessions, and protect our own. He even entrusted me with La Estrada. He said someone had to change the city. And I believed him. I decided I could restore order and make a name for myself. Back then, the nights were quiet. I sometimes fished at the pier. And that's when I saw that thing again. It had grown enormous. The monster always fought back, broke free, and performed a gleeful lap of victory. The ring of ripples on the water was like a mockery. Anyway, I fought people during the day, and the waterfowl at night. And so it went on, until... my two most trusted friends started playing "Gang Game" with a good pinch of betrayal. They were like two rabid predatory waterfowl, trying to finish each other off, and I paid with my eye to stop them. The day the gang broke up, I sat on the pier and watched the waves crash against the wall. We used to draw on it together as kids. Now there was only foam. Our friendship had faded, like the waterfowl. Gutted and scaleless. That same day, I realized the creature had aged: the monster had lost much weight, its scales had peeled off. Its wounded eye had become a cataract. The waterfowl leaped out of the water and stared coldly at me. It laughed at me, as if to say, "Serves me right." I thought this would be our last meeting.

• The story of a strange waterfowl.

But just two days ago, after closing the shop, I encountered this old beast while fishing at night. It was a full moon, and I knew the water fin had taken the bait. Damn, I would have recognized that immense strength anywhere. The fight seemed to last for a hundred years. You should have seen the splash! It was as if Mei-Mei were testing explosives underwater. But I emerged victorious. The line didn't break, and I pulled the monster out of the water. It looked even bigger than in its prime. I was about to lower it into the water fin box when I saw nothing on the hook. Even the bait was intact. Had I even hooked this thing? Did it just show up and disappear? Or was this hidden melancholy and doubt manifesting itself under the cover of night? I understood everything when the last ripple died down. This was no longer just a water fin. He embodied my deep-seated grievances and obsessions, the doubts that linger when I see someone leave or die too soon. I even considered "fishing" him out entirely using the Origin Arts: I knew his form, his wounds, his movements, even the way he looked at people. He lives within me—much more alive than he ever was in the water.

• The story of a strange waterfowl.

"Life isn't like fishing. When you're fishing, you can always reel in your cast-away bait. But in real life, once you're in trouble, you can't get anything back."

"You have to live your days happily. That's real life wisdom from an old man, Endmin."

"This is my philosophy of life: tolerate the small things and avoid the big ones. And if you can't avoid them, you pay them back in full and certainly don't let them get back on their feet."

A deadly disease and simultaneously the most powerful weapon in this world. There is no cure, but there are powerful suppressants that allow one to live a normal life. The disease can be contracted through contact with Originium crystals. The disease cannot be transmitted from person to person; even if two infected people have a child, the child will still be healthy.

There are several stages of infection, each of which both gives more strength and takes more life:

Stage 1 (1-25%).

Weak external manifestations of body crystallization, magic of average strength, minor physical or psychological deficiencies.

Stage 2. (26-50%).

Average external manifestations of body crystallization, high-power magic, average physical or psychological deficiencies.

Stage 3. (51-75%).

Strong external manifestations of body crystallization, super-powerful magic, severe physical or psychological disabilities, possible loss of personality or extinction of the ability to recognize and remember.

Stage 4. (76-100%).

Almost complete crystallization of the body, the level of magic cannot be measured, too much power, deprivation of the ability to move or function of organs, loss of personality or complete destruction of human form.

In addition to the stages, there are manifestations of oropathy, of which there are only two: magical and physical.

The difference lies in the ways magic interacts: magical magic affects the threads of other matter and does not directly affect itself, while physical magic affects only itself. In essence, the physical method can also be considered magical, since the magician influences their own threads. However, such magic will only manifest through physical manifestation. This is the major difference between magical and physical manifestation.

Magical manifestation is more often used by mages, and physical manifestation is more often used by warriors or tanks, enhancing attacks or strengthening the body.

Ether is a dangerous substance that destroys worlds, planets, and universes. He has gathered a circle of followers around him who believe in the ethereal world and that it will lead them to a bright and happy future.

Pestilence is a dangerous substance that kills all living things in its path, has a core, is subject to destruction, and can exist in both liquid and solid form.

Anchors are enormous cosmic rock formations resembling long, elongated stone spikes that summon alien creatures known as Aggels. Anchors have a core at the base of their formation; if this core is destroyed, the anchor will be destroyed.

Aggels are stone alien creatures summoned by Ankers. Aggels are unintelligent and aggressive, attacking and killing all living things. They are extremely dangerous and must be destroyed. They may vaguely resemble Earth animals, crudely carved from stone.

Earthshatters (ES) are the people who inhabited Tallos II before the Belt of Civilization was established there. Earthshatters are quite primitive and aggressive, live in clans, and are reluctant to communicate. Some Earthshatter clans believe in the Ethereal World.

The Bonebreakers are a clan of Earthbreakers who are particularly ardent and fanatical in their support of the idea of ​​the Ethereal World. They are incredibly aggressive, often attacking, robbing, and killing civilians. Their way of life is quite primitive, their language is poorly developed, there is no written language as such, and they can convey information through special drawings. They are subject to extermination.

The Pack is a clan of Earthshatters currently working with Endfield. They are reserved but not overly aggressive, fairly sophisticated, and proactive in their communication, almost indistinguishable from the current inhabitants of Talos Two. They live by their own Laws and have distinct moral values. They are allies.

The Belt of Civilization is a conventional name for the coordinates among which life and civilization develop.

Endfield Corporation: The Dijiang spaceship is considered their main base. They maintain bases on Talos II in Valley IV. They primarily focus on origin arts, developing innovative industrial technologies, and assisting in the development of civilization on Talos II. They help create and maintain refugee shelters. They work closely with UWST (SORT).

UWST (GRADE).

GTPT.