"A mother knows what her child's gone through, even if she didn't see it herself."
The Basics
Full Name
Robyn Lynn Dempsey
Nicknames
She's never really had nicknames besides Ginger and Red Head. Robyn's also been called "Mom" or the mom of the group.
Gender
Female
Age
Fifty-three
Ethnicity/Race:
Irish and Scottish; Caucasian
Sexual Orientation:
Homosexual
Prior Occupation:
Social Worker
Current Occupation:
Unofficial group leader
What's on the Outside
Hair Color: Her hair is, thanks to her Irish lineage, ginger.
Eye Color: Green
Height: Five feet, four inches
Weight: One hundred, fifteen pounds
Tattoos & Piercings: Robyn has an infinity symbol tattooed on her left, inner bicep. She has the average ear piercings in both ears and a cartilage piercing on her right ear. She once had a nose ring, and the hole still remains though she hasn't worn the ring in ages. Robyn also had her bellybutton pierced, but she hasn't used it in years either.
Scars: She has scrapes and scratches on her knees and hands from falls as a child. She has a deep scar on her left pinky from where she nearly severed it cooking dinner once.
Character Color: #006600
Description: Robyn's appearance simply screams "Irish". She's been blessed with ginger hair that falls just above her chest. Usually, however, it's pulled into a sloppy bun to keep it out of her face. A smattering of freckles fall on her nose and cheeks, but they are also found periodically on her arms and back. Robyn lacks a very intimidating figure, but she has no need for one because who would pick a fight with her? She's average weight for her stature, though she's on the skinny side. Once, she had a multitude of piercings. But, as she matured, Robyn began to use them less and less. Her green eyes, sometimes sympathetic and sometimes piercing, appear all knowing, as if she can read into one's past.
Eye Color: Green
Height: Five feet, four inches
Weight: One hundred, fifteen pounds
Tattoos & Piercings: Robyn has an infinity symbol tattooed on her left, inner bicep. She has the average ear piercings in both ears and a cartilage piercing on her right ear. She once had a nose ring, and the hole still remains though she hasn't worn the ring in ages. Robyn also had her bellybutton pierced, but she hasn't used it in years either.
Scars: She has scrapes and scratches on her knees and hands from falls as a child. She has a deep scar on her left pinky from where she nearly severed it cooking dinner once.
Character Color: #006600
Description: Robyn's appearance simply screams "Irish". She's been blessed with ginger hair that falls just above her chest. Usually, however, it's pulled into a sloppy bun to keep it out of her face. A smattering of freckles fall on her nose and cheeks, but they are also found periodically on her arms and back. Robyn lacks a very intimidating figure, but she has no need for one because who would pick a fight with her? She's average weight for her stature, though she's on the skinny side. Once, she had a multitude of piercings. But, as she matured, Robyn began to use them less and less. Her green eyes, sometimes sympathetic and sometimes piercing, appear all knowing, as if she can read into one's past.
What's on the Inside
Personality:
{Laid-back, clear-headed, goal-oriented, easily offended, compassionate}
If there was ever a woman made to be a leader in the time of the apocalypse, it would certainly be Robyn Dempsey. She is usually quite laid-back. Rules, she knows, are important, but so are the liberties and rights of others. Generally she believes that as long as it doesn't negatively affect the others, it's probably okay. But, then again, she knows that this isn't always the case. Her clear-headedness in times of stress allow her to think things through rationally whereas others might rely on fight or flight. Robyn has seen enough zombie shows and movies to know that when the people lose their control, they tend to spiral downward. She certainly does not want this to happen, for everyone in the group is like a child to her. She knows this is probably because she misses her daughter so greatly, but Robyn certainly hopes that this is because the others have begun to trust her like a child would a mother.
When confronted or singled out by another, Robyn quickly grows defensive. In college, even though she excelled, she was known as the girl from the slums. However, she usually doesn't snap suddenly. Instead, Robyn kindly asks and slowly increases her voice in volume and her words in intensity to express her anger. She's a goal-oriented woman who refuses to be deterred by any man or woman. Robyn knows they will have to make the move to the South if they want to survive the winter, and she refuses to let sentimentality stop her. She especially refuses to let her own sentimentality keep her from leaving. Robyn usually never regrets life experiences. "Whatever will be, will be" as the song goes. But, she does have her own few personal regrets. There are times when she looks to Nathan and wonders if he truly is capable of leading a group like this. Also, she regrets not pursuing Beverly and Phillipa to try and find them. The days ahead are dark, and Robyn knows this. Yet, she still holds on to shreds of hope and continues to lead her group of rag-tag survivors to a safer home.
Hobbies:
Reading, especially mysteries || Biking || Knitting, though she'll admit she wasn't really good at it || Cooking, though she's never really been good at this either
Habits:
Tends to check her phone every half hour or so in case her daughter calls || Toys with her wedding ring when nervous or bored || Chews the inside of her cheek when she thinks || Speaks softly when she's in "mom mode" || Tends to baby the younger members of the group
Oddities:
Allergic to dogs and bee stings || Abused drugs for a period in her youth || Becomes suddenly upset and depressed at the mention of her daughter and wife
- Mystery novels
- Wine coolers
- Children
- Random facts or trivia
- Light rain
- Fleetwood Mac
- Green Tea
- Birds
- Irises
- Hearing people chew
- Moist air
- Non-fiction books or articles
- Being provoked or singled out
- Walking around alone
- Peanut butter
- Bees and wasps
- Her hair color
- Brandy and whiskey
What Makes Us Special
Strengths and Weaknesses
Character Skills/Talents:
Robyn experimented with drugs through most of her high school career || Sometimes regrets making Nathan her right hand man because of his arrogance || Usually leaves some kind of note wherever they camp so that Beverly or Phillipa can find her later
Fears/Phobias:
Being attacked by a zombie while alone || Seeing a family member as a zombie || Bee stings or wasp stings || Prolonged death (she'd much rather go out with a bullet or something instant)
Character Skills/Talents:
- Robyn's extremely sympathetic with the other group members.
- In high pressure scenarios, she's usually able to keep a clear mind.
- Being in good physical shape allows her to keep up with the younger members of the group.
- Having navigated New York streets for years, Robyn's a pretty adept driver (contrary to popular stereotypes).
- Though she's still in very good physical shape, Robyn knows she is aging and worries she'll eventually be a liability.
- She easily takes offense to harsh words or anything she perceives as an insult.
- She can not shoot a gun for the life of her. Well, she can, but she has a poor sense of aim.
- Robyn lacks the ability to lie well, even though she tends to be calm in most situations.
Robyn experimented with drugs through most of her high school career || Sometimes regrets making Nathan her right hand man because of his arrogance || Usually leaves some kind of note wherever they camp so that Beverly or Phillipa can find her later
Fears/Phobias:
Being attacked by a zombie while alone || Seeing a family member as a zombie || Bee stings or wasp stings || Prolonged death (she'd much rather go out with a bullet or something instant)
What's Done Is Done
Biography
Place Of Origin: Philadelphia, PA
Birth Date: August 18th, 1965
History:
Robyn Dempsey never knew her father. Then again, most of her classmates didn't know their fathers either. She was the second child born to Fiona Dempsey, the ex-wife of a history teacher. Fiona herself was a teacher at a local Philadelphia elementary school. From what her brother told her years later, her father was an abusive man. After finding out she was pregnant again, Fiona mustered up the courage to divorce him. Growing up in the slums of Philadelphia certainly wasn't the best place for young Robyn. But, her elder brother seemed to constantly appear at her side to help guide her through life. Both he and Fiona made sure the young girl excelled in her studies. Life fell into a simple pattern. Though they never had an excess of money, the Dempsey family made do with what they had. When Robyn was twelve, she boldly announced to her mother that she wanted a little brother. Though she was reluctant to bring another member into the family, Fiona adopted Will when he was one year old. Quickly, the young boy fit into the family. In middle school, Robyn began to go out with boys, but this was only because she wasn't even aware homosexuality was an option. Since elementary school, she'd never really been drawn to boys. Her first kiss, in fact, was a peck on the lips with a girl in sixth grade after a dare. By high school, she was fully aware of her sexuality and embraced it. At the end of high school, she graduated top of her class and then attended University of Delaware so that she could become a school social worker. Too often had she met students abused at home or bullied, and it inspired her to help them.
She graduated and moved to New York, settling in an apartment with a few other girls. Luckily, work wasn't too hard to find, and only a few months out of college, she found a decent job as a part-time social worker. On top of this, she moonlighted at bars and took up odd shifts at a book store. For years, she was quite content. And then her friends began to get married. At one of these weddings, she ran into a young accountant named Beverly Patterson. The two talked almost the entire night and exchanged numbers to keep in touch. They became close friends, but things didn't become romantic until the two spent a drunken night out on the town. After that, the two found it difficult to ignore the sudden love they felt for each other. Robyn and Beverly moved into their own apartment together and lived as any married couple would, even though gay marriage hadn't been legalized yet.
When Robyn was 37, she and Beverly decided to try and have a child via donated sperm. It took years of trying, but Beverly was finally pregnant after a year of trying. Phillipa Hero Dempsey-Patterson was born nine months later and became the apple of her mothers' eyes. Robyn floated blissfully along on Cloud 9. Three years ago, her mother died, but her grief was overshadowed by her own wedding. In 2011, she and Beverly were two of the first to get married once gay marriage had been legalized. With a wife, a daughter, and a stable job, it seemed life could not get any better. And it would not.
Robyn was at work when the outbreak began. An odd man was pacing on the lawn in front of the school, so the school was sent into lock down. Police were alerted, but an officer was bitten when he tried to talk to the man. Terrified, Robyn watched the news with worried thoughts running through her mind. At about three PM, still under lock-down, Robyn learned the horrible truth. She frantically called family members, but none of the calls gave her any real closure. Knowing that she had to get out, Robyn snuck into her car and drove off to her apartment, hoping to find her wife or daughter. Both of them were still out. Reluctantly, she gathered food, charged her phone, wrote a note, and left her home. Quickly, she found a group of "refugees" roaming with weapons and vehicles. She joined the chaotic group and quickly became their "leader" simply because she was able to unite them. Since then, she's been wandering with them around New York. She knows, however, they'll have to move out soon. Winter is coming, and that means freezing temperatures.
Family Tree
Mother: Fiona Dempsey || 82 (at death) || Dead
Brothers: Conner Dempsey || 59 || Dead; Will Dempsey || 42 || Unknown
Wife: Beverly Patterson || 44 || Unknown
Daugther: Phillipa Hero Dempsey-Patterson || 16 || Unknown
Happiest Memory: Her happiest memory is when, after years of Beverly trying to get pregnant through donated sperm, they finally received the call saying that they were expecting. The next months passed in a blissful blur (or at least they did to Robyn). Phillipa was, and still is, her "baby", and she is terrified that she doesn't know where she is.
Saddest Memory: Robyn is still haunted by the responses she received when she called her family members after finding out about the apocalypse. Her eldest brother told her he was in the hospital, having driven his wife there that morning. She warned him, but before he could get away from the hospital, she suddenly heard a scream and the phone fell as flesh torn and bone crunched on the other end. Will never picked up his phone. She called Beverly next, only to find out her cell phone was left in the kitchen that morning. Finally, she dialed her daughter's number and waited until the young girl picked up, frantic. She said that Beverly had picked her up from school, but that they were stuck in unmoving traffic. People were walking around "like zombies", and she was frightened. Before Robyn could find out where they were, Phillipa told her she'd call her back and hung up. She still hasn't called back, though Robyn always carries her phone with her.
