biteys: (Default)
NIMBO ([personal profile] biteys) wrote in [community profile] turnout2024-06-29 09:53 am

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.
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
normalness: (🌟🕷️ 018)

[personal profile] normalness 2024-07-02 02:24 pm (UTC)(link)
[Immediately, because he doesn't want to make a misstep:] I didn't say that you were! Just... that's surprising. I've never heard of someone doing that. What were these people accused of?

[Must be very terrible, or very personal, if she and her friends are breaking into prisons to help them...]
empression: (This may hurt a bit)

[personal profile] empression 2024-07-02 11:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Being individuals and thinking independently.

[ Well.

It's also not wrong. ]
normalness: (🌟🕷️ 007)

[personal profile] normalness 2024-07-02 11:24 pm (UTC)(link)
…They jail people for that?

[Do you live in a dystopian society ma’am.]
empression: (Adieu)

[personal profile] empression 2024-07-03 12:52 am (UTC)(link)
It's a long story... I'd be happy to explain it when we're, ah... less sewer-bound?
normalness: (🌟🕷️ 002)

[personal profile] normalness 2024-07-03 02:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Uh... probably.

[But... He wants to fill the silence with more than just the darkness encompassing them, and the thoughts of something dangerous just around the corner, and the awful smell, and the sloshing echo of their footsteps through sludgy water-]

What's your name? I'm Henry. [That works, right.]
empression: (Killing demons is so refreshing!)

[personal profile] empression 2024-07-03 10:17 pm (UTC)(link)
It's a pleasure, Henry-kun. [ Another Henry... oh boy. ] My name is Haru--Haru Okumura.

What an interesting situation we've found ourselves in, generally!
normalness: (🌟🕷️ 029)

[personal profile] normalness 2024-07-06 11:49 am (UTC)(link)
[There are Two of Them.]

It's nice to meet you, too, Haru.

[He's pretty sure that's a Japanese name, too? Plus that "-kun" gives it away, right? Lots of people from Japan here!]

You're pretty upbeat about this, at least. [Not a bad thing. Just... he wishes he could be that kind of positive right now.]
empression: (Two shots of vodka can be good)

[personal profile] empression 2024-07-06 08:51 pm (UTC)(link)
I think there are bright spots to be found in many situations, though it may take some searching in certain ones.

[ With a little smile. ]