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

[mocktails]

[ Those are all logical conclusions to make. If this container they're delivering is so important, then the person who left that message for them would have made it easy to find.

At the question, Gallagher glances down to the silver band around his wrist. He's already noted that all of them have one. The fact that they were all brought here, that they're being to some degree forced into this task — it's not for nothing. ]

Whatever it is, it must be important.

[ He can't guess much more than that until they get out of this house.

He nods to the kid, studying his face a little more closely as he asks: ] Are you willing to be responsible for it for now? Once we get outta here, I mean. Someone's gonna have to carry it.

[normalness]

[An authority figure (he assumes, by way of this being an Adult) asking if he can be responsible? Oh, he's not old enough for this habit to be strangled out of him just yet: he straightens, looking the man in the eye, and nods dutifully.]

Yeah, of course. I'm always really careful with things that are important. I have a delicate touch — I handle spiders a lot, you know. Or, I did.

[A little snippet of info that surely is in his favor!]

[mocktails]

[ It had been a test of sorts, to see how this kid reacted to any kind of authority. And, well, the need to please is pretty much written all over him. It's not something Gallagher's necessarily going to take advantage of, but it is good to keep in mind for whatever's ahead of them.

In a crisis situation, he'll probably react well to taking orders from someone with a little more experience, and will be eager to help.

Although, that example he gives for why he's qualified is a little unexpected. Gallagher tilts his head to one side. ]

Spiders, huh? You keep them as pets?

[normalness]

[He's definitely very helpful and not at all a handful to certain doctors but that's okay because if everyone here treats him kindly then surely there's no reason to act out-

Nods again!]

I used to. Black widows. I'd keep them in jars and draw them a lot. [That probably counts as... pets... right.] You have to be careful with how you handle them, or else you could scare them into biting you.

Then you'd really be in a world of trouble.

[So, like, this not!lava lamp should be easy in comparison.]

[mocktails]

[ Black widows? Gallagher is no entomologist, but those are pretty dangerous, aren't they? The kid's explanation seems to confirm as much, and yet that apparently hadn't stopped him from handling them all the same. ]

Huh. You're more of a risk-taker than I would have guessed.

[ Not that he really knows the kid at all, but he's got a sort of anxious vibe about him, so this is an interesting revelation. ]

In that case, I'm fine with entrusting the container to you for now. [ He gives the kid a firm nod. ] Take good care of it.

1/2

[normalness]

Yes, sir.

[To his credit, he's only a risk-taker when he thinks it's worth it. or when his hyperfixation kicks in]

[normalness]

[


also,]

What's your name? I'm Henry.

[mocktails]

Yeah, no need to call me "sir."

[ Even posing as a bloodhound, it had always felt kind of weird to be addressed like that.

He nods and jabs a thumb against his chest. ]

I'm Gallagher. Now, what do you say we keep looking around?

[normalness]

[WEIRD TO CALL AN ADULT THEIR NAME WITHOUT A TITLE but if that's the request, then he'll try to remember it.]

Nice to meet you. [wao Gallagher is so cool and casual] And right, let's keep looking. I don't want to miss anything else important.

[He will take the time to find a towel to wrap up the package, though, and then something to tie around that, keeping it secure first.

Time to snoop!]

[mocktails]

[ Gallagher hangs near the doorway while Henry wraps up the lava lamp, watching how he takes so much care with it. Yeah, he doesn't see it as a bad call to leave that with someone so eager to please.

He certainly doesn't want to be the one responsible for it, he knows that much.

Once Henry is ready, Gallagher leads them back toward the first floor. ]

Found any kind of weapon yet? Other than food and water, that's probably priority number one.

[normalness]

[He follows dutifully enough, still carrying the now-protected lava lamp. He’ll have to find a bag to put it in later for easing carrying.]

I found a baseball bat earlier. I figure that’ll have to work for now if I really need to… uh, hit anything.

[Says the psychic boy.]

[mocktails]

[ Don't worry, Gallagher will learn that in another thread.

He does show real interest at the mention of a baseball bat, though, and might even be wearing a small smile as he turns toward Henry. ]

It should, yeah. Did you happen to see any others around? I'd like to get my hands on one too.

[ It's not really his weapon of choice, but that's built in. This will just serve as some extra security. ]

[normalness]

Oh, yeah, sure. If you don't mind following me, I'll show you.

[He gestures at him to follow as he turns, leading him into what he assumes was one of the old bedrooms — here, there's a stockpile of supplies available, and in the corner? A few more baseball bats propped up, collecting dust.]