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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
Anyway, don't mind the way she abruptly snorts and covers her mouth at I don't even have a house, taken off guard by his (slightly) pathetic response. Mercifully, she doesn't laugh anymore after that, mostly because she was trying to puff herself up and be intimidating (as intimidating as a tiny girl with purple hair in a beanie can be). But, tbh, it kind of broke the tension in the room, really, and she can't help but be unserious about it. With mostly faux shock: ]
So they've teleported a bunch of broke people...!
no subject
I-it's not like that...
[ well. it kind of is. he wouldn't say he's not broke, but it's mostly because his other apartment was haunted by an evil serial killer or something and Eileen agreed to split rent with him if they moved out, but that's easier said than done, especially when she's still in the hospital...
he is not about to talk about this. Rubbing his face, he tries to redirect. ]
Anyway, I'm just as confused as you.
no subject
So you don't know a single thing either!? God fucking damn it.... [ don't mind her while she gives the portal another last kid, venting her frustrations. She doesn't kick it lightly either — it's hard, enough to make a loud clang with the tip of her shoe. ] When I find who dragged us here, I'm going to smash their head!
[ Given the immature and hasty way she says it, her attitude seems less bloodthirsty and more just aimlessly angry, hopped up but with no one to direct her irritation at. One gets the sense she just wants to beat up the culprit, not immediately jump to killing them. ]
I mean, we're not delivery people! [ a beat. ] Well, maybe you are....
[ He looks like he might delivers pizzas? Is that what this guy's job is???? Anyways, she is referring to how the recording says they have to deliver something... it's still playing in the background. ]
no subject
No, I'm not, [ he defends himself somewhat lamely. ] There must be some reason they picked us...
[ not that he knows what's going on? He has exactly as much information as she does. Trailing off, his eyes return to the metal structure she just attacked. ]
What is that thing, anyway...?
no subject
It looks like some kind of portal. You know, like in video games.
[ Like the ones in Brash Bandicoot??? She just assumes he's gonna know what she's talking about, and moves on. ]
I bet it warped us here somehow. [ teleporter traps exist in her world, so this is not too huge of a leap in logic for her, even though they are literally in another dimension. ] If it would turn back on, we could probably go back.
no subject
Oh... maybe. Are you sure it's not working?
[ have you tried stepping through it, Hella?? he's seen them work when it shouldn't be possible. ]
no subject
[ This is the scientific term, obviously. She gestures with an open palm to the big opening of the structure, squinting her eyes as if she's going to see something that isn't there. Then, she obediently stands on one leg to put the other one in, watching as.... absolutely nothing happens. ]
....See, it's not working!!
no subject
[ he just told her he didn't build it!! he has no idea what it is or how it's supposed to look and he hasn't watched enough stargate to even make a good guess. very sad. that said, he can't say he's surprised when nothing happens as she steps through the big metal hoop. ]
Look, maybe we can find some instructions nearby. It looks like it must be important.
no subject
Well, okay, if you say so, mister.... [ He has successfully proved himself not to be a threat to her, so now he's been promoted to "mister" status. Tugging on her beanie, she hops back over the threshold of the portal, eyes scrutinizing the litany of still sleeping bodies out and about the living room. ] But let's check somewhere else. I don't think we should stay here.
[ It's her Syndicate rat instincts; any one of these people could be the culprit, or someone they don't want to mess with. She got lucky enough by being near someone who seems pretty harmless, but Hella isn't so trusting or optimistic to assume everyone in this room will be that way. ]
no subject
he looks rather taken aback by her announcement, enough that he forgets to tell her she can just call him Henry. ]
A-are you sure? It's probably not a good idea to split up the group... At least, I don't think so...
[ he was planning on just looking around this room?! even if there are a lot of freaks in here, it makes sense that the manual for the big machine would be nearby - in addition to his horror movie instincts to not split the party. ]
no subject
[ Her first instinct is to assume they might have been put here to duke it out or kill each other, because that is what she knows for a fact happens in places like the lab she came from. And if the recording is from a researcher, then.... she shakes her head. ]
I don't know, this is giving me a bad feeling...
[ She frowns, seeming to speak from experience. She'd feel better if she at least had a weapon in hand, but she doesn't go hopping off without him, obediently (for now) sticking close. It's a good thing she's learned a shrivel of respect for people older than her, by now.... ]