WEEK 1

[biteys]

WEEK ONE

❝Don’t panic. You’re waking up somewhere unfamiliar, but try to relax. You aren’t dead, and I don’t have any intention to harm you. You’ve just been selected for a very special mission. A delivery, I guess. I’d do it myself but… let’s just say I can’t travel in the state I’m in. Take the blue container I’ve left to where I’ve marked on the maps within eight weeks, and you’ll be able to go home happy. More than, really. Any time or place you want to go… I can send you there. It's kinda my thing. Think of it as your payment. Everything else you need to know, I’ll tell you in time. Know that I’m sorry that I had to resort to this, and I’ll pay for my sins in Hell.❞

!

the beginning of the end

That’s what’s playing on repeat on a tape recorder, when the survivors come to.

Characters will find themselves in a humble, American townhouse, which other than being a bit dusty, is still mostly clean. All characters will be sprawled out on the floor and furniture of the living room, in front of what looks to be a giant portal. Characters will also notice they have a seemingly indestructible silver wristband around their wrists, and they have nothing with them but the clothes on their back.

Take a look around, and you'll realize that everyone in the room is likely a stranger. Aside from the tape playing, there's little explanation or proof that what's being said to you is even true. For all you know, one of the people in the room could be responsible for you being suddenly taken here.

Exploring the house's many rooms will reveal that there are small stockpiles food, water, weapons (a few guns, a few bats, a few knives), and maps, along with a large, strange container of blue liquid. The maps all chart a route from Los Angeles to San Francisco, and sport detailed recommended time stamps on them. Strangely, the recommended path occasionally diverges into two separate routes.

Upon searching the house, Haru Okumura finds a set of notes, while Leontuzzo Bellone finds a separate set. They are free to keep these notes to themselves, or share them with the group.

Nothing has anyone's names on it — not the notes, and certainly not the supplies. Everyone will have to compete for the same things. Or maybe all of you can be civilized about this, before anyone goes hoarding weapons and food? Maybe you can even introduce yourselves, while you're at it. For some strange reason, every window and door in this place is locked (and impossible to break), and will be for at least 72 hours, as if someone wanted you all to be cooped up together for a time before heading out.

Most interestingly, in the deepest basement of the house, there's a room with a large, heavy dresser shoved in front of it… and a low moaning and banging emanating from the other side. The door’s slightly ajar, and a closer look reveals a zombie is the source of the sound. Context clues around the basement, like the PhD in interdimensional travel hung up on the wall (for a Dr. Bei), hint that the woman inside is whoever left you this cryptic message - the woman who brought you here, allegedly. But she's long long gone, only this monster left in her wake. It seems she was smart enough to lock herself away to prevent you from being harmed, at least... and it'll give you a preview of the threat that looms outside.

sewer diving

After 72 hours have passed, one and only one door unlocks – in the very same basement that the zombie of Dr. Bei can be found. It leads down to a dark, dingy tunnel that connects to the sewers. Not only is the smell awful, but (non-infected) rats scurry about, keeping to the shadows – but the smell of any of the food you've taken from the house will attract them. Careful!

The party will need to create some light to navigate their way out and keep the rats at bay, or they’ll be bumping around in the dark for quite a while. Now might be a good time to share if you have some matches, or a special talent for being a lantern. Mercifully, there's only one exit that actually opens down in this labyrinth, as if it's a route the Doctor designed to take all the time.

At one point, Puppy falls into the sewage, and loses something they brought from the house.

oh! that's a baseball

Once characters make it out of the sewers, they’ll be a day’s travel to the first mark on the party’s map: “Dodger’s Stadium.” The road they’ll have to hike to get there is winding, curvy, and uphill, which will give the party a good overview of the now dilapidated Los Angeles, along with the many abandoned buildings and cars that litter the place. The stadium itself looks to have been cleared of threats and fashioned into a safe spot a long time ago, as all entrances but one have been completely welded shut. The high walls keep zombies out, and the winding path up here deters most of them from even approaching.

Inside the stadium, there’s some baseball merch (and equipment) to scavenge, not to mention some really old peanuts! Delicious. Maybe there are even some old fireworks laying around this place. Setting up camp here won’t be very comfortable… but at least it’s very safe. A luxury the party won’t have for much longer, if the map is anything to go by. You'll be heading through the city, next, so rest up while you can.

!

week one objectives

➤ make acquaintances with your fellow travelers
➤ decide what to do with the zombie of dr. bei
➤ arm yourself with what you can find
➤ scavenge some portable food from the house and while traveling
➤ make camp at the stadium

code

Comments

[venomnom]

[That's a sentiment she can share. There's no way she would have been authorized to go on an extended mission without advanced notice after recent events. The woman behind their appearances, if the announcement is to be believed, has committed an egregious crime in the eyes of some.

Reiju perches a hand on her hip. Having said that, she's ignorant of the boy's situation to go any further.]

I haven't seen anyone who fits that description. Should I let him know you're looking for him if I do?

[normalness]

[She asks a rational question, and it's one he should have expected, yet somehow a well of complex feelings rises up in him all the same. Not all of them great.

Should she? After all, Brenner represents familiarity, and in this new and anxiety-ridden situation, maybe that also means safety, but... but... everything else...]

Can you just— tell me that he's here first? Before you mention me to him?

[Maybe that tells Reiju enough.]

[venomnom]

[He doesn't know what he wants; that's what she hears. And that tells her enough for now.]

All right. [In such a scenario, she figures he'd just tell the doctor himself. Or . . . ] But, unless there are more of us out there, this isn't a particularly large group. You could be the one who's seen first.

[normalness]

[He loses her gaze again.]

That's fine. I'll deal with it if that happens.

[Whatever "deal with it" could mean. Even Henry doesn't know.]

Anyway, we've all got more important things to be worrying about right now. All the doors are locked. I think we're trapped in here.

[venomnom]

[Shifty.

Seeing as she isn't qualified to speak on that, she'll take this.]

If that's true, the others will likely gather to discuss the next course of action. After all, we can't make a delivery unless there's a way out.

[normalness]

[Sus!]

Delivery... That's right. Do you really believe any of what that message was saying, though?

[venomnom]

Whether we believe it or not, it's a starting point. As of now, we don't have any other leads.

[normalness]

[He nods. Fair enough.]

So, what, we look around? I don't know about you, but I'm not exactly equipped to make any kind of future deliveries.

[venomnom]

I doubt many of us are. We can look around and see what there is to help us.

[normalness]

Okay.

[Okay.




Awkward beat.]

What’s your name? I’m Henry.

[venomnom]

[Like the unit of electrical inductance?]

Nice to meet you. I'm Reiju.

[With that established, she begins to walk. The townhouse won't explore itself, and they can use all the resources they can find.]

[normalness]

[N… no. Like a Henry.]

Where are you from?

[He’s going to follow, casting about as he does.]

[venomnom]

I came from Germa. [She doesn't expect him to know the name, so she continues:] And you?

[normalness]

[She's right, he has no idea where that is.]

Indiana. Have you heard of it?

[venomnom]

No. I don't recognize the architecture of this place, either.

[Everything is, as expected, unfamiliar.]

[normalness]

You don't? It just looks like... someone's house?

[venomnom]

The houses I'm used to look nothing like this. You're more familiar to it than I am.

[normalness]

[Oh.... so he was assuming.]

Really? What's Germa like, then?

[venomnom]

Strong.

All the walls of Germa's homes are made from the hardiest of stones. Though appearances can be deceiving, this place looks much softer in comparison.

[normalness]

Softer? [A huff.] I doubt brick and mortar compares to the "hardiest" stones, no.

I wouldn't discount this house too much, though. I can't even get any of the locked doors open.

[venomnom]

They must have been reinforced to keep the dangers out. This house is stronger than it looks.

[Despite herself, her smile widens a smidgen, faint amusement dancing along the subtle curvature.]

We'll have to find another way out.

[normalness]

[She seems so calm despite everything.]

We might need some tools for that. Or even a weapon or two, depending on what's out there. Do you know how to fight?

[venomnom]

Yes. I'm a mercenary by trade. [Despite the frills and mini dress.] Do you?

[normalness]

[Appearances can be deceiving. He'll take her at her word.]

That depends on who you ask.

[venomnom]

If I were to ask you?