GOLDEN

GOLDEN (capitalization is a style choice, it can just be written as "Golden") is my original story I've been working on ever since 2023 in it's early stages - originally stemming from an Alternative Univeerse (AU) version of my original OCs, it's since been repurposed to it's own centered storyline. Most of the older characters from the original universe, Juturna, have alternate versions in a dimension called Occator. The two co-exist and can interact with one-another thanks to scientific development who's allowed them to go that far.

The story's atmosphere is rather modern, almost sci-fi like in some aspects, and in general the world is plagued with underlying military conflict between organizations. New forms of revolt just happen to be using military power and trying to turn tables on everybody. This story's genre could be classified as war and action, with slight bits of drama.

MAIN CHARACTERS

Ezekiel Burgheim, more commonly known as Vines or Ivy, is the primary protagonist of GOLDEN, serving a position as an assassin, saboteur and operative for underground criminal organization "Obsidian Network" as a last resort to make ends meet at the end of the month due to financial instability. Often leading in different versatile missions, he's become known in his field for his (often) flawless work. Split between personal life and work, he comes to face this reoccuring dilemma through his career. He was raised by a rather violent and psychotic adoptive father, which led him to grow some thicker skin when it came to killing, since it's something he was used to by then; it's definitely not new to him. Though, killing obviously comes with moral and emotional dilemmas, as to whether his job is really what he'd want to potentially spend the rest of his life doing, considering the fact he's rather young when it takes place, being 23 years old. And, in general, work just brings him legal trouble since he has a lengthy criminal record.
His work and life comes with a lot of regret, guilt, frustration and mental stress weighing on him which causes him to crack under pressure rather easily after a certain point. Him "cracking" can be anything from a meltdown to an eager shoot-out where only one person walks out alive—that being him.
A lot of people consider him like a kid, which he doesn't appreciate much at all and would prefer being seen as a more serious person when in his sort of killer persona. Well, after having made quite a name for himself as an agile, quick and trusted worker, some people stopped making jokes after having seen that their fellow colleagues who they'd be joking with had suddenly disappeared the next day. Could it be coincidence, maybe bad luck?

Estelle Octavia Santoro is the secondary primary character of GOLDEN. Vines and her work in very close cooperation, seen as inseparable. They share close loyalty and quiet agreements behind the backs of the organization. Estelle works as a senior-ranked saboteuse for the Obsidian Network, fierce and feared by many as she intended it to be. She feels generally in control of her own life, but that starts to crumble as conflict between her and her faithful "acolyte", Vines, start to rise. Most notably, conflict of interest. As Vines starts shying away from the whole assassination business due to constant memories of his parent and being in their place, Estelle tries to get him to stay; as much out of need for his company to last, as well as out of fear of him being hunted down for information or simply giving out information.
Cunning, tough and deceitful, she gets around in conversations and makes it go her way. Her confidence only serves her better, though she pushes it a little far sometimes and can get possessive, or obsessive. Despite her attitude and personality, she acts rather selflessly as a result of her confidence, being sure she can get out of anything and would rather have other people escape as she thinks she'll always live. Which is somewhat true, she's "cheated" death countless times; those times only serve to push her luck to extremes, but it won't last forever, which is something she's conscious of. Every near-death experience is like a permanent mark engraved in her mental, a reminder she's not invincible.

---

INSPIRRATIONS

GOLDEN is generally inspired by all media I've consumed in the past: whether it be Inglorious Basterds, 1984, Army of Shadows, The Long Long Holidays, or even just webseries like Helluva Boss (I don't support Vivziepop). I also based myself off of Cishshato's works, like Entry Point, Entry Point: Freelancer's Cut and Operators Demo. Music is my main source of inspiration and motivation, and I've made a playlist surrounding the story: some of these songs are global representations, mostly the ones put at the very top, and some others just represent stand-alone characters. The genres of songs is pretty varied. Playing the playlist in order is recommended because the top songs are picked out specifically, but shuffle works just as fine.
Playlist here

---

ORGANIZATIONS

Conflict is mostly between three organizations and some others aside from my own story: the Global Unity Alliance, which was the first one to exist; the Free Nations Confederation, which appeared short after the GUA due to conflicting ideologies; and the BloodHound Unit that stemmed from former FNC officers, having quit due to an increase in monetary corruption amongst the FNC, and their shift in ideology.

The BloodHound Unit

Paramilitary organization based in Bosnia, spread out across the world, though it's widely legally recognized. Started out as a criminal organization but grew bigger.

The BloodHound Unit is a military organization in both Juturna and Occator, having their separate values, members and differences based on the dimension referred to. The primary base that is most presented in the lore, the most important and also talked about is the base in Srnetica, Bosnia.

The main BloodHound Unit base is located in Srnetica, Bosnia - a rural and relatively calm, abandoned place in the middle of the mountains and forests. It is located more towards the north-west of Bosnia.
They have locations across Europe - in the Sankt Anton am Arlberg forest, Austria, in the middle of the Brezina Forest in Trenčín, Slovakia, in the forests of Trento, Italy, the forests of Ozuluama de Mascareñas, Mexico, and the forests of Wexford, Ireland.

---

January 17th, 2024: Estelle and Vines meet for the first time at a Café down a street in Northern England. He's tired and slips out his problems and everything on his mind about the disappearance of Noah's brother, financial problems, his father etc. As a result, Estelle invites him to consider joining the Obsidian Network as she sees a lot of fighting and smart potential within him. She says that she'll be giving him time to think it over. Estelle buys Vines another coffee and the two part on a good note, though Vines feels conflicted.

January 19th, 2024: Estelle reaches out to Vines over the phone and wants to hear his input on joining the Obsidian Network 2 days later. He says he could go on missions but wouldn't join them.

March 12th, 2024: Vines' first "major" solo mission as an operative: infiltrated a Global Unity Alliance base and inputting spyware into their local servers to gather information and data about them.

April 28th, 2024: Vines officially joins the Obsidian Network under the initial codename "Poison Ivy", soon shortened by people to just "Ivy". This codename is mostly due to his earthly abilities, but also has some funny origins.

January 22nd, 2025: Estelle and Vines go on a big sabotage mission at a Czech Chaos Insurgency base, in which they cut off communication and power lines and were also secretly able to steal a laptop of theirs. Estelle passes off this mission as a "test run" after being questioned about why specifically this base, since it wasn't a big concern. She gets released after the interrogation.

July 10th, 2025: After the disappearance of Daniel being taken into a state of force recruiting by the Chaos Insurgency, Vines makes multiple attempts at sabotage of their bases in the following days. He plans out an infiltration plan with Estelle, but it doesn't go too well—though, the Obsidian Network collects information about the Chaos Insurgency: freeing 5 forced recruits, terminating 8 active personel, getting training info and phone numbers as well as frequencies and radio decryption keys.

July 11th, 2025: Vines tracks down Daniel and Radko's position as they were out fishing thanks to coordinates, takes Radko out temporarily and brings Daniel with him.

August 2nd, 2025: Vines works in close affiliation to the BloodHound Unit during the month of July, and proposes himself for a distraction mission on the Free Nations Confederation as a cover-up for the planned assassination of one of their financial backers by specialised marksman, Andrea.

August 4th, 2025: Vines is hired to assassinate ex-BloodHound Unit member Jacob Daley following leaks of BloodHound Unit information and plans to the Global Unity Alliance. The mission is a success.