Wisp
Overview
"Never."
Group/Faction Affiliation: Coalition
Status: Deceased
Keeper of secrets. Holder of promises. A warm shoulder to some, and a cold gaze to others. All of these phrases apply to Elise “Wisp” Saresh, a woman who quickly found herself thrust into an age of strife within South Zagoria. Many knew her for work within the Coalition, as well as her open services as a therapist. Her passion and resolve would lead her to make many allies, yet there were many who questioned her true intentions. After her first encounter upon the cliffs of Stary Yar, she found herself locked in a dance of death with the Cult of Papa, before eventually being executed at the Mogilevka Massacre.
Appearance
After earning many scars, Wisp would often go out of her way to conceal her face as much as possible, choosing to reveal bits only around people she would trust. She would often wrap a grey shemagh around her head in a loose shawl, layered over a white ski mask and blue sport goggles. The rest of her ensemble featured a patrol jacket, torn jeans, and a leg holster which would house her signature weapon: an MK II pistol named Nameless, for the cultist it had vanquished.
Origins
Wisp barely ever spoke of her time before Chernarus, only sharing bits and pieces with her inner circle. She had previously held the profession of a social worker, often taking gigs in HR and small roles in counseling. Her travel to South Zagoria was motivated by a promise she had made to her first lover shortly before her death. Wanting to understand her partner’s homeland, she arranged for work in Severograd, before being displaced in transit upon the outbreak. It would take her another few years of travel by foot, until she finally reached her destination.
Demeanor
Despite how much she enjoyed the quiet, Wisp was socially skilled. She’d often try her best to connect with others on a middle ground, being open and inviting. Yet she was very deliberate in her word choice. She believed that a comfortable person would be the most willing to cooperate or even let crucial information slip. She preferred one-on-one conversations the most, enjoying their intimacy, but would not shy away from addressing crowds, in events such the Coalition Market and the Stary Yar Summit.
In her duties within the Coalition and the House of Hope, Wisp would be fairly casual and relaxed, maintaining a calm atmosphere to the wounded and weary. In sessions with those seeking counseling or guidance, she would be warm, never displaying judgement, and adopt an unbiased stance. Contrastingly, in situations involving the Cult of Papa, she would almost “come to life”, displaying a focus and sharpness that meant she was giving her full attention.
While Wisp valued honesty and care, she was not above lying. Adopting an almost accelerationist mindset, she would often forge notes and documents meant to further along both the Coalition’s and her own personal agendas. She believed that discretion outweighed everything else, that information had both the capacity to harm and turn tides. The only line she would never cross would be that of promises, which she held as sacred.
Actions
First Blood
When Wisp had first joined the Coalition, she was still very naive, having never faced real conflict before. One fateful night, Dark as Midnight found her alone at the House of Hope, and decided to administer a “self-defense lesson” upon her.They marched Wisp out and placed a DMR in her hands; under that extreme pressure, she committed her first murder. DAMN then handed her a sword to slice up the corpse, before leaving her to her own devices. Wisp would fall into a spiral of self-loathing, refusing to use guns of any kind, attempting to atone for her sin. It was Gary who snapped her out of her stupor, bringing her back to a somber reality. She eventually accepted that she could no longer live a life of pacifism.
Sacrifice in Stary Yar
The trouble began one day at St. Joseph’s, when Wisp curiously met a man named Joseph. He claimed that the camp and others like it were places of darkness, and attempted to pry info out of her regarding Greeny, Ivy, and Will. Wisp would later learn that Joseph had been working with both Greeny and Ivy in attempts to restore his memory, often being cryptic. A similar individual, going by the name of Gerald, was also an amnesiac trying to receive help from the Coalition. Gerald believed that he had a connection to the Lucky Bastards, often stating how familiar Stary Yar felt, with hazy memories coming back to him.
Upon a chance encounter of Joseph and Gerald showing up together, Greeny, Ivy, and Wisp decided to accompany them up to Stary Yar, in an attempt to help with Gerald’s memories. The search was not very fruitful, however the group encountered a man named Calum, around the cliffside pub. Calum, who had been openly chanting a prayer in ‘’Holy Is The Word’’ (a holy book of the Cult of Papa), goaded the group to follow him, which Greeny and Ivy refused. It was at this moment, that the trap was sprung, and these three mysterious men attempted to murder their captives. Joseph was killed by Calum, who was then put down by Ivy. Wisp killed Gerald, barely surviving. It was then later explained to her by Will that Gerald was Nameless, a cultist who had been stalking him and Matt for years. The Cult’s goal that day was never explained, but it would not be the last time that they would try to inflict suffering upon Wisp and her comrades. For now, they went dormant once more, and this was when Wisp began wearing what would become her regular attire.
Of Ears
Later on, the Coalition would recruit Mamie, a woman who had previously been a member of the Dugout and most recently the Fireflies. In seeking to move North for Ember’s sake, she wished to have past hostilities against her fade away. However, Dark as Midnight would not believe her clean break, accusing her of still being a spy for the Fireflies. To prove her innocence, she was charged with bringing back 5 ears, strung up on a cannibal knife. Mamie could not bring herself to openly murder any innocents, so Wisp, along with other members of the Coalition, sacrificed one of her ears to add to the collection. Mamie was able to prove herself to DAMN, however it would take a while for those affected to adjust to their hearing loss. A few months later, both Wisp and Greeny had new ears stitched onto them by Tedic of the Dark Carnival, restoring their full senses of perception.
Therapy
In her spare time, Wisp would run a little therapy practice, offering guidance and helping clients sort through issues they faced in their day-to-day lives. Her program was titled “Wellness With Wisp”, and had an open-door policy, promising to service anyone regardless of their group or faction background. Of course, there was an ulterior motive to this. This would be both an insight into the lives of these groups, any sensitive information, and very rarely, a way for her to test anyone she suspected to be a cultist.
Over time, her client list began to grow, and she started to find actual fulfillment in this role, becoming more invested in their well-being than any information. She connected with people such as Bean of the Dark Carnival (much to Worm’s anger), Doris of the Merry Men, Trev of the Golden Peppers after a head injury, and many others over the course of her travels.
Pulling Strings
Wisp favored dialogue, meetings, and the passage of information, rather than get her own hands dirty. When she had an agenda to push, she worked her best to weave it into a sympathetic, believable cause. These kinds of skills came most into play when the Coalition would run shadow campaigns against the Black Mountain Rangers and the HOST. Spreading rumors, planting notes, and convincing other groups to deny them service, was the way she would wage her battles. Other instances of her diplomatic tendencies would come in frequent clandestine meetings with the Grey Manes and the Merry Men, in the attempt to form a Northeast Council charged with the welfare of that region of Chernarus. However, she would go out of her way to avoid ever entering a formal contract or arrangement when it came to information, believing them to often not end well. Events that Wisp took major roles in, such as the Coalition Market and the Stary Yar Summit, were orchestrated both to promote unity, but also serve as effective platforms to spread bias to the masses.
The Cult Resurfaces
The Cult of Papa would eventually make their return, hell-bent on bringing suffering to the Coalition, and featuring many new operatives. The first of these was known as Vici, who would eventually become one of the high lords within the Cult’s hierarchy. Vici immediately opened with seeking the killer of Nameless on the radio, something that Greeny gave himself up for in order to protect Wisp. This incident brought a great sense of guilt to her, only fueling her own self-sacrificial tendencies.
Wisp would come face to face with the Cult on many occasions. She adopted the mentality that shooting them was pointless - you’d only be furthering the inevitable outcome of the next batch showing up. Instead, she sought out dialogue as much as possible, in order to understand their next moves and true goals. She would not resist on occasions when she was captured, patiently enduring different torture techniques, learning individual cultist names and characteristics, understanding how each one ticked. Suppression was the main way she operated, whether it was through warning others or encouraging them to be vigilant.
The death of Matt began the ticking of a doomsday clock, requiring 11 more sacrifices of those the cult considered “worthy”. It was here that Wisp began mobilizing, working her best to prevent any further deaths. She would travel far and wide, making contact with different groups and factions, warning them of the danger that was coming. Some did heed her call, while others simply dismissed her worries as mere superstition. Wisp would also lose herself within the works of Redstar, listening to her tapes with an almost religious fervor. This obsession, this singular drive had the opposite effect, where groups like HOST began to suspect Wisp of being a cultist herself. She would have the chance to prove her conviction, shortly before her death.
Notable Relationships
Nattasha Petrov
Wisp’s second lover and closest confidante. The two would bond together over the runs they would make separate from the Coalition, both investigating the Cult of Papa for their own reasons. Wisp also wished to find out if there really ever was any link between Nattasha and Bog Petrov, the faintest of rumors. Nattasha promised to be a safeguard, a last resort that would put Wisp down if she was ever corrupted by the cult. The two were making plans to leave the Coalition together and settle down to a quiet life, shortly before Wisp’s death.
Greeny
Greeny served as both a mentor to Wisp, and something of a surrogate father figure. The two of them would bond over several life-or-death experiences over the Cult, with Wisp eventually becoming his second-in-command. He trusted her with his past identity of Raphael, and had Wisp make the same promise to him regarding should he ever fall to corruption. It was at his insistence that she never abandoned the Coalition.
Pat
Pat and Wisp both joined the Coalition on the same day, receiving their armbands later within the same ceremony. They used to live together until Wisp became romantically involved with Nattasha, but nonetheless maintained a close trust. Quiet, contemplative discussions with Pat was a way for Wisp to ground herself and regain focus.
Rosco
Wisp would become allies with Rosco and Delilah, the leaders of the HOST, after a situation unfolded in which BMR abducted and wounded Delilah during the Coalition Market. Coordinating with the hired forces of Rise Against, Wisp did her best to help Rosco seek justice. Over time, the Coalition became good friends with HOST, however this connection would be severed over time as the groups began to grow doubtful over each other. This resentment would culminate in Rosco critically wounding Wisp at the Stary Yar Summit, believing her to be in league with the Cult of Papa.
Vici
Of all the cultists that Wisp would encounter, it was Vici who became the most frequent. She would witness him from when he first showed up as a simple acolyte, to when he became a high lord, and when he went deep undercover underneath the persona of “Luc”. Vici enjoyed toying with her, promising horrible fates for those close to her. Eventually, after finding out that Wisp was responsible for the demise of Nameless, Vici would orchestrate the circumstances of her death, with the assistance of the Blackthorn Gang. He would also perish within the same hour.
Trev
Wisp would form a sort of friendship with Trev, often conversing with him whenever Nattasha or Cob would go off to speak about private matters. The two would pick up on conversations with gaps lasting months in between. When Trev suffered a traumatic head injury leading to partial amnesia, Wisp took special concern in helping him with his recovery, against the wishes of Cob. She emphasized seeking individuality, rather than letting the others around him define his world.
Matt
Wisp would know Matt only briefly, shortly after he returned from faking his death and yet his demise at the hands of the Cult served as a critical wake-up call. His parting advice on how to deal with the Cult and still maintain one’s own sanity served as a way to anchor herself, and she would ultimately hold those lessons close to her heart. She promised that his death would not be in vain.
Bean
Wisp knew Bean from before she had become a mango of the Dark Carnival, back when she was simply a woman named Lex. Lex was a resident of Bedtime’s community camp at Nizhnoye, often dealing with countless threats daily. Wisp made it her mission to help Bean remember her past self, working to connect her with the people of the past, while also guiding her to find harmony in her current life, even if it would anger the other clowns.
Kajia
At the time, Kajia was one of the Keepers of Eclipse, and would bond with Wisp after the events of the Stary Yar Summit. She would offer refuge in the South, away from the troubles of the North, even setting aside a dwelling for her and Nattasha. Kajia would provide a sense of warmth, that there was light to be found in any corner of South Zagoria.
Big Dave
Wisp first met Big Dave shortly after Mamie joined the Coalition, finding a shared interest in Ember’s projects. He would quickly become a trusted friend, and this trust would only grow when he joined the Merry Men. He was the first person Wisp turned to when she was briefly being extorted for information by the Forsaken Loyalists.
Where are they now?
Desperate for any leads, Wisp attended the sermon held by Father Abraham, after he had sent a summons to the Coalition and other groups. There, the Cult of Papa revealed themselves to have been puppeteering Abraham, and began to carry out their remaining sacrifices. When it finally came to Wisp’s turn, Forest offered to take her place, which Wisp denied.
The Cult made their final offer: join or die. Wisp simply had one word for them: Never. Thus, she was gunned down, joining the total count as the seventh sacrifice.
A private funeral was held for her near the House of Hope, with Coalition and close friends in attendance. She rests now in the Northeast, the home she had come to love.