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WEEK 1
WEEK ONE
!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.
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.
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.
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
➤ 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
no subject
No, I'm not.
[ Not even close to it, though he has agreed to take on some work for Rhodes Island that comes closer to military operations than anything he did prior to partnering with the organization. ]
Other circumstances in my life required I learn to use a weapon, but that is not so uncommon where I come from.
[ And he'll be leaving it at that for now. ]
no subject
[ But like, now that that matter's out of the way, he can't help the way his thoughts drift to a very different subject.
Yes his gaze flits towards Leon's tail before forcibly being dragged away. ]
Ummm. [ 'Where are you from?' 'Does everyone have tails where you're from?' He wants to ask those so badly. But they're maybe a little too forward, so -- ] It, uh, really feels like people here're from all sorts of places, huh? Just, like. In terms of atmosphere. Everyone feels so different ... if that makes sense?
no subject
It hardly matters anyways. They're not familiar faces to him.
Either way, Leon's letting out a subdued chuckle at the comment. ]
You do not have to be polite. I realize we do not exactly look alike.
no subject
R-right! Sorry ... I didn't mean to be rude. It's just -- you know? Just asking about what was going on felt like it might be rude, and I know it's not really any of my business, but it was also really hard, um, pretending not to see them, so ...
[ Oh, he's rambling. He cuts himself off with a awkward laugh, then pauses before giving Lion a furtive glance. ]
But um. So those, uh -- [ doing the little hand gestures at his head to signify the ears ] -- they're real, right? They're really yours?
no subject
So there's no offense taken here, just mild bemusement as he twitches on ear in response to the question. ]
I don't know whose they would be if not mine.
[ He rests his chin against the top of his hand for a moment. ]
Are there really no Lupus where you come from?
[ Because honestly, that seems more wild to him than anything. ]
no subject
Not to my knowledge, no ... I mean, I guess it's possible that Lupus might exist somewhere out there and I've just never heard of them, but they're not common, at least.
[ Lupus. That's -- wolves? He vaguely remembers something from a biology textbook a few years back. ]
That's real neat though, if they're actually real. I've just never seen anything like'em before ... can you hear well, too? Like real wolves?
no subject
He won't worry about it regardless, and instead contemplate the weirdness of a world with no Lupus. ]
My hearing is certainly better than most of the races with just two ears.
no subject
[ He’s sounding 300% intrigued by this point, leaning in a little and looking as starry-eyed as he can, given how he usually squints. ]
Can I ask what kinds of races they are? Like what the races with two ears are? Why don’t they get the extra ears?
no subject
Help me continue to search these rooms, and I will tell you about some of them.
[ At least that way they can do something useful as he rambles about Terran races. ]
no subject
[ He promptly looks a little flustered by the admonishment before giving a little nod to himself, a reminder to keep it together. Even if the sheer weirdness gives everything here a surreal sheen, it's still a mission. An important one. He can't completely lose his focus.
Jion ends up straightening back up to his full height as he points over to one of the side rooms. ]
Um, I already did a pretty thorough of that room, and the one next to it? At least, I don't think I missed anything substantial ... so maybe we should keep looking this way? [ Pointing off in the opposite direction, down the corridor. ]
no subject
For now he'll start towards the corridor with a dismissive away of his hand as he casts aside Jion's apology. ]
Where did you want me to start with my explanation? There are more than one group on Terra who only have two ears. The Aegirs, the Liberi, the Sarkaz, the Sankta to name a few.
[ And this is only listing the ones with ears more like Jion. He's not even getting into the fuzzy two-earers. ]
no subject
[ A droning hum in thought as he obediently pads after Leon into unexplored territory. -- Aegir? Liberi? None of these are as indicative as 'Lupos' when it comes to what animal they might be, not to his knowledge. ]
Well. It sounds like there's a lot of differences races, huh? I guess -- [ pause. ] -- are all those races also, um, similar to animals? Even if they don't have the ears?
[ At least he keeps his hands moving even as he talks. Jion does promptly start rummaging through a cupboard once they enter the room, looking for anything useful. ]
no subject
For his own part he'll start to look through drawers as he starts to ramble out more names of more Terran races. ]
Not all of us, though certainly the majority. The Sarkaz, the Sankta, the Durin, the Oni... none of them seem to have ties to any other species the way most of us Terrans do.