𐔌 . ⋮ Tariq .ᐟ ֹ ₊ ꒱

HOPE stands for Human Oversight for Purgatory Evaluation. It is an initiative/department focused on evaluating and rehabilitating souls considered problematic or high-risk within the Purgatory of Pripyat.

The person most closely associated with HOPE is Carrie Newkirk, a Canadian social worker. She is portrayed as empathetic, optimistic, and patient, preferring to talk to and listen to the residents rather than simply punish them.

What's interesting is that her work involves people who can be violent, unstable, or extremely difficult to deal with. Carrie organizes support groups, individual counseling, and other ways to try to prevent these souls from ending up in Hell.

So, within the universe, one could think of HOPE as a kind of afterlife rehabilitation program, operating amidst the bureaucracy and chaos of pripyatory.

The idea originates from the real Pripyat, the Ukrainian city abandoned after the Chernobyl disaster. In reality, it is marked by empty residential buildings, schools, hospitals, parks, and other spaces gradually overtaken by vegetation.
In Pripyatory, however, this city ceases to be simply an abandoned city and transforms into a world for the dead. It is a kind of boundary city: people who have died continue to exist and coexist with one another, forming communities and leading a kind of "second existence".
The setting combines the decaying appearance of Pripyat with an inhabited society. Soviet buildings, apartments, streets, and public spaces remain, but now they may be occupied by the dead. There are different social groups and classes; in fact, there are references to a "Pripyat elite," composed of people who were famous or wealthy during their lives.
This creates an interesting contrast: the city appears dead, but it is full of dead people living in it.
But what is purgatory?
Purgatory, in the Christian tradition, is understood primarily as a state of purification after death. It is neither Hell nor Heaven: it is intended for souls that still need to be purified before reaching the presence of God.
In the concept of Pripyatory, the idea seems to be used in a freer and more fictional way: it is an intermediate place where certain people remain after death, before their final destination.
So you can imagine it like this:
Life → death → Pripyatory → judgment → final destiny
But there is an important difference: not every inhabitant of Pripyatory is necessarily awaiting Heaven. The creator himself has clarified that some characters belong to Hell, therefore the universe has a distinction between those who are in purgatory and those who have already been destined for another place.
In terms of atmosphere, I would describe Pripyatory as a ghost town that paradoxically possesses life.

In Pripyat, Tariq struggles to adapt to the bureaucratic environment. His extremist ideology and retrograde views contrast sharply with the city's diverse population, comprised of residents from all over the world. He is frequently enrolled in Carrie's REHABILITATION classes, though his progress remains limited due to his refusal to abandon his convictions.

He frequently clashes with others over matters of religion, politics, and cultural practices, unable to reconcile his rigid faith with the realities of life in purgatory. Despite tangible evidence of an afterlife and a bureaucracy that transcends religion, Tariq continues to insist on the supremacy of Islam and Allah. His presence in Pripyat is a source of tension, making him one of the city's most volatile residents.

During the mass protests that followed the fall of the Assad regime in 2024, Tariq participated in ongoing demonstrations and clashes in central Damascus. While atop a truck, leading chants and inciting violence, he heard gunshots and attempted to flee with other protesters. In the ensuing panic, he slipped and fell into the densely packed crowd, being trampled and suffering catastrophic crushing injuries. Paramedics later pronounced him dead; his death was recorded among the multiple victims of that day's unrest.

Tariq was born and raised in Damascus, in a family living in extreme poverty. Raised amidst scarcity and political repression, he gravitated towards conservative religious communities that offered an explanation for social injustice. He graduated and worked as a construction worker, a low-status and physically demanding occupation that provided him with a meager income and the flexibility to participate in street protests. Over time, his religious conservatism transformed into a radical and uncompromising stance.

As his activism intensifies, Tariq develops contacts with individuals and small terrorist cells who share his militant views (Hayat Tahrir al-Sham). Authorities and some opposition sources later allege that he helps organize the logistics of the protests—moving supplies, coordinating small groups, and organizing meeting points—with the aim of creating situations designed to confront or kill security agents. These allegations are part of the record that accompanies him during the uprising that culminates in 2024.

Temperamental
Extremist
Cynical
Temperamental
Comic relief
Detestable
Tariq is volatile, hostile, and deeply entrenched in extremist thought. He considers all sovereignty and government illegitimate, labeling every elected official a fraud deserving of death. He remains fiercely loyal to his beliefs, showing little interest in compromise or dialogue. His worldview is shaped by anger, resentment, and an unwavering sense of divine justice.

He is also a misogynist, believing that women are submissive and unworthy of leadership positions. His rigidity and explosive temper make interaction with him difficult, and in Pripyat he frequently clashes with residents who question his ideology or lifestyle. His loyalty to Islam and Allah is absolute, to the point of preventing him from recognizing perspectives outside his limited worldview.

Tariq has a rugged and intimidating appearance. He has dark skin, a broad face, and striking features, with a strong jaw and a short, unshaven beard covering his chin and the sides of his face. His hair is black, short, and shaved on the sides, while the top is kept slightly longer and simply styled. His eyebrows are thick and quite arched, reinforcing his naturally severe expression. His eyes are large and dark, usually highlighted by an intense and distrustful expression.
He has a strong build without defined muscles, especially in his arms and shoulders, with visible hair on his forearms. He wears a black and red sports shirt with vertical stripes at the bottom, over which he wears a camouflage tactical vest with several pockets and magazine pouches. Around his neck, he wears a red and white keffiyeh. He completes the look with wide, sturdy, greyish-green cargo pants, suitable for field activities.

Height: 1.76 cm (5'9")
Hair: Black
Eyes: Dark
Body type: Average
Tariq is wearing a red Al-Jaish SC shirt with black vertical stripes, a camouflage tactical vest with several pockets worn over the shirt, a red and white checkered scarf (keffiyeh style) tied around his neck, beige cargo pants, and dark sneakers.

Where he was born: Damascus, Syria 🇸🇾
Death: accidental, trampled
Occupation: Construction worker (formerly), currently unemployed.
Residency status: Eligible for hell, case pending.

Full name: Tariq Kassem Al-Baroudi
Nickname: Tariq
Gender: male
Age: 40 years