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

[normalness]

A civil servant with a gun?

[ARE YOU DA POLICE

Well. Okay. Maybe he won't ask for more details for now.]

Well, if you're any good with it, then that's still a reason for you to have been chosen. This sounds like it's going to be a long journey. We need people here who can protect us.

[rifare]

[ The idea of being an officer is an even funnier thought.

Though the question just gets a shrug in response from Leon. No reason to get into his spotty backstory with a child. No reason to get into it with anyone here really. ]

As long as I have bullets, I'll do my best to.

[ His head cants to the side as he considers Henry more carefully though. ]

And what about yourself?

[ There was a reason he volunteered information about himself, and it wasn't that he's just generous and loves sharing. ]

[normalness]

[Well. Speaking of spotty backstory. Henry stares at the lantern light and fidgets again with his wristband.]

I have powers. I'm trying to learn how to control them.

[Which can mean any number of things, and he realizes that's a dearth of information, but it's not like Leon gave a bunch of details either, right?

Still, trying to be more helpful:]

Like, with my mind.

[rifare]

[ Nothing about this revelation seems to startle Leon in the slightest. Powers are common enough in the world that he came from, so his expression doesn't change much as Henry explains, only looking thoughtful at the addition. ]

Are you able to use them here? Even without something to channel through?

[ Though knowing people with powers in his world does mean Leon's automatically putting his assumptions of how they work onto this boy. ]

[normalness]

Channel...?

[He looks back at Leon, expression flickered with confusion.]

Why would I need that?

[DID SOMEONE CHANGE THE RULES ON HIM WHEN HE WASN'T LOOKING]

[rifare]

[ If it helps? Leon looks just as confused in turn. ]

You don't need to?

[ Give him a second here. ]

Where I am from, if you want to use Arts you need something made of originium to channel them through. ... Do you not?

[ Here he is talking about a mineral that doesn't exist in this world at all. That doesn't exist in ANY world outside of Terra. ]

[normalness]

[Shakes his head.]

I don't know what "originium" is. I don't need anything extra to channel my abilities, though, I just have to focus.

[And hope the darkness doesn't overtake; the shadow stays at bay, remains quiet for now. Does it even exist, this far departed from home?

Either way, Henry gives an example: he focuses on the little lantern and it begins to float inches up in the air.]

See?

[rifare]

[ Well, that sure is handy... ]

I do.

[ Leontuzzo reaches up to rest his index finger against his chin in thought. ]

Is it difficult for you then? You said you were still learning.

[normalness]

[Henry lowers it back to the ground. No point in wasting energy beyond a demonstration.]

Not always difficult, but sometimes hard to control. And I can strain myself if I’m not careful — that’ll put me out of commission for awhile if that happens.

[rifare]

[ His hand stays where it is for a moment longer, before he drops it back to his lap. ]

Then if we need to ask for that sort of help, we'll save it for emergencies.

[ No point knocking out one party member and forcing another one to lug them around. That'll mean two people unable to fight. ]

It may not be bad to see if we can find you a weapon in the meantime.

[normalness]

[He nods. It's a sound decision that manages to make him feel simultaneously helpful and useless at the same time.]

Okay. But I'm not just going to stand around and not use it if it helps us, too.

[As for a weapon, he gestures nearby, where he's gathered up a backpack to stuff in some of his things. Out of it peeks a baseball bat. steve harrington would be proud (no)]

I found a baseball bat.

[rifare]

[ Leon leans forward to look at the bag. Whether he found it at the house or at the stadium doesn't matter much, it looks like it could provide a solid enough whack regardless. ]

Good. That should be easy to use if worse comes to worst.

[ He's making some assumptions as a man who has never played baseball even once in his life. He has never even held a bat. They're made for swinging though, right? So surely... ]

Well... if it comes to worst, that's when you use your power, so maybe just if it comes to worse.

[normalness]

[They're definitely made for swinging, but Henry thinks he can whack someone on the head with this powers using it, which is even better.

He offers him a smile, though, a little wan.]

How about we just hope we never run into trouble at all?

[Ah, wishful thinking.]

Um, you can sit, too, if you want.

[rifare]

[ There's a pause on Leontuzzo's part, where he tries to decide how gentle he wants to be with his words for the sake of the boy, or how realistic. In the end he opts for something in the middle. ]

Perhaps we don't count on it, but we can certainly hope still.

[ He says it all while moving to take a seat. One of the conveniences of finding this area is there's plenty of hard benches around to perch on top of. Maybe not the most comfortable, but if that's the worst of their problems currently, it's not so bad. ]

[normalness]

[It's fine, that's a rational way to look about it. Not too hopeful, not too cynical.

He fidgets a little. Scooting aside to give him room to settle.]

So, what was your name, again?

[rifare]

[ Seated as he is, Leon politely curls his tail (as best as he can, he's a wolf, not a cat) to the side opposite of young Henry to keep it from intruding into his space. ]

Leontuzzo Bellone, but you can simply call me Leon or Vigil.

[ He's happy to answer to any of his names really. ]

And you?

[normalness]

Leontuzzo... That's a fancy name. [Bluntly. Then he blinks.] I'll just call you Leon.

[Ah, he awkwardly but sincerely extends a hand to shake.]

My name's Henry. Creel. You can just call me Henry.

[rifare]

Is it? I suppose even in Siracusa it wasn't a common name.

[ He doesn't seem offended by the comment though as he takes Henry's hand to give him a firm handshake. He's even mindful of his gloves, which have stupid little metal claws at the end. Look... it's an over-designed anime thing. ]

Leon is just fine by me though. It's nice to meet you, Henry.

[normalness]

[Let's be real, to him, those pointy gloves just make him cooler than Henry. He's sure they have a practical application, too!]

What's it like? [Handshake achieved! He's getting good at this social stuff.] Living in Siracusa, I mean.

[rifare]

[ He is very kind to make assumptions that Leon does anything for better reason than style points.

He hums thoughtfully at that question, not sure how exactly to answer it when he's in the middle of a long plan to upend the current social order of his own country. ]

It can be difficult in its own way, but nothing like this world. In Siracusa though people have reasons to walk on eggshells, they can at least go about their day to day lives without fear of becoming the kind of thing the doctor who brought us here turned into.

[ A pause, he has a lot of rants he could go on, but the situation here is dire enough, maybe he can focus on some of the positives instead. ]

It's a good country for entertainment. The plays and opera are both exceptional, and the food is second to none.