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

re: message 001

[irreversal]

[ Surprise, the bracelets aren't just fun little symbols of their newfound friendships!! Shoko has her own thoughts about where she'd rather go, and despite her tendency towards letting others start these kinds of discussions, well...

She was already just sort of roaming around the stadium aimlessly when the message went off, and so she will be waving anyone she comes across and doing whatever she can to convince the party to gather... in one of the locker rooms, since it's hot af outside, and why not? They gotta huddle. ]

'Kaaay! You heard Dr. Bei. Now would be a good time for everyone to speak up about their specialties and where they wanna go, huh?

[ And since she suggested it, she will go first: ]

I'm a healer. I'd rather go to the hospital to get supplies, but facing a horde sounds like a pain...

[sisterlessbehavior]

I would also like to go to the hospital. I can't particularly say I'm good at physical excursions so if running and swimming are required I'd be a detriment. [These feathers getting wet would be a nightmare.] Further if there are a horde it'd be a good chance to see if my halo works in soothing something like these zombies. That might make this journey a little less treacherous assuming it works.

grips aya's shoulder

[irreversal]

[ Shoko hasn't had a chance to talk angel guy up or really be up close just yet, but damn. That really is a halo and some wing-looking features. ]

Huh... You think that could work? What happens if it doesn't, Angel-san?

[mocktails]

[ Soothing, huh. Is that what he wants to call it?

Gallagher isn't going to make a scene by calling Sunday out right now, but he does send him a glance when he mentions swimming, looking mildly amused at the thought of the birdie getting soaked to the bone.

Too bad he won't get to see it. ]

[kototama]

[raises her hand!!

She's sitting cross-legged on a chair.]

I'm pretty flex, I'll go wherever we need some more bodies! I can play pretty good support with my kotodama, too.

[hydrotherapy]

Make you sure don't overdo it, okay?

[ SHE'S WORRIED ABOUT YOU, GIRL ]

[irreversal]

[ Shoko calls on her like a teacher would. What a courteous student! ]

Yes, Koto-chan. [ A beat. ] Your kotodama... it's not something you can just keep doing, though, is it?

[ Everyone's power has some kind of limit, she imagines. ]

[mocktails]

[ Just... tilts his head at her from where he's slumped in his own chair. ]

... Kotodama?

[ The word comes awkwardly out of his mouth. He's clearly not used to Japanese pronunciation. ]

[normalness]

[The not-so-implied threat of pain, should they wander too far away... Dr. Bei lost some points with Henry after hearing that message.

But that's neither here nor there right now. He eventually pipes up.]

If going to the mall requires a lot of physical activity, I think I'l be more useful at the hospital. I'm pretty sure I'm on that list of "offensive candidates"...? So I can try to fend off a horde if I need to, especially if I'm working with other people.

[A beat.]

I wonder if we should have a healer for each group, just in case something bad happens.

[hydrotherapy]

[ the way you beat me to that last suggestion but there's wholehearted agreement from Sigewinne, who nods at his words. ]

[irreversal]

[ Dr. Bei's message did indeed confirm Shoko's suspicion that the bracelet could be some kind of leash on them, so to speak, but. Well. She's not exactly interested in straying from the mission, herself, so she doesn't want to give it more thought than she thinks she needs to, either. ]

I was thinking the same thing, about splitting Chibi-sensei and I up. Ahaha. And maybe you can teach Gojo something about teamwork while you're at it. He's been whining about having to work with other people this whole time.

[hydrotherapy]

[ Oh, what a good idea. Sigewinne's hopped up onto one of the benches, her legs swinging in the air as she listens. ]

I think it would be a good idea if we split up. [ 'We' meaning her and Shoko. ] That way each group has someone who can take care of any injuries in case something happens.

[ Oh, and— ]

If you're worried about facing a horde, maybe Mister Gojo can go with you? He said he was really strong [ his words ], plus it sounds like he trusts you a lot [ her words ].

[normalness]

[GOOFY LIL THUMBS UP AT THE HEALER SUGGESTION from where he stands.]

[unliminal]

[ Fortunately, he's on the same page with this suggestion. He wouldn't let Shoko out of his sight on a dangerous expedition like this, and he doesn't trust anyone else to keep her safe in his place. ]

Yeah, I'll go with Shoko to the hospital. I've been dyin' to throw down with some zombies, anyway.

[ Maybe wrong choice of words... ]

[irreversal]

[ Oh my god, her legs swinging... sensei, you're way too cute. ]

Ehhh, but I wanted to hang out with sensei more...

[ She says, but she does nod in agreement, ultimately. ]

You're right, though. Besides, your little bubble trick might come in handy for getting through the mall~

Gojo's going to go wherever he can fight things, whether or not I'm there. [ or so she thinks. With a sigh: ] But yeah. We could stick together for this one.

[venomnom]

[Reiju is seated on a bench with one leg crossed over the other.]

I can go to either location. I'm a mercenary and an adept swimmer, but I'm also something of a toxicologist.

[mocktails]

[ Gallagher is sitting leaned back in a chair as if he's relaxing on a couch or something. Sounds like things are gonna get hectic soon, so he may as well relax while he can. ]

I can go to either place, but I'm leaning toward the hospital since I'm ready and willing to deal with the horde. [ Which doesn't sound fun, but it is what it is. ]

On the other hand, I think we need capable combatants at both locations. This is gonna be our first brush with danger, after all.

[ And who knows what might happen. ]

Is there anyone here who can't swim? That makes some choices for us.

[bicth]

[ Hella doesn't take a ton of time mulling over the options, lifting her hands up to mess with her beanie. No, what she needs to mull over is how forthcoming to be about her "specialties".... and how to temper her irritable reaction to that damned scientist telling her what to do. She hasn't felt this upset about the lab in quite a while... ]

I'm picking the mall. [ She says definitively. ] I don't know shit about medical supplies, but I've scavenged in tons of abandoned places. I'm basically a pro.

[ That's to say she's used to looting a dilapidated place. It's even fun! ]

And if we all have to cough it up, I can't die, that's probably why that asshole wanted me here. Researchers are all the same — they think a punching bag is a great asset to have around.

[ Even though she's smiling, it's cold, and her words are thick with disdain, contrasting to her usual upbeat demeanor. Hella is an energetic and cheerful young woman, but she has some pent up animosity at the doctor for dragging her here to be used as what she sees as a tool. ]

"Unlimited regeneration," that's what the scientists called it.

If there are more of us like me, we should just band up so the healers can stay on one side.

[killboss]

[ Help, he can't describe his skills in depth!! ]

— █ CAN FIGHT
— █ HAVE NANOTECH

[ That's a lot at once, and his mask sparks. Causing him to duck his head briefly before doggedly adding: ]

— █ PROTECT WEAK

[parttimesoldier]

[This was not how she expected the messages from Dr. Bei to come around, which leaves her even more suspicious of these bracelets of theirs. Particularly with that little unspoken threat trying to run off on their own comes with.

Regardless, that’s a problem for later—tackling how to proceed is the problem for now.]

I’m willing to go either route, but it seems like we’ve already got a few heavy hitters all too willing to square up with the horde at the hospital [you know who you are], so maybe I’ll stick with the mall group. If we run into any trouble there, I can help make sure we get out of there safe.

[The “if” feels more like a “when,” but whatever. Can’t hurt to be a little optimistic.]

Plus, I’m pretty agile and can pick my way through an abandoned place like that easy peasy.

[empression]

I have some experience with a variety of obstacle-maneuvering and climbing things, so I certainly don't mind going to the mall.

[ SHE DOES??? ]

[organfarm]

[ Raising his hand before he talks like they're in a classroom??? ]

Um ... I'm a combat medic? Just a normal medic, sorry, I can't do anything particularly special, nothing, um, magical or supernatural. But I do think I can probably pick out necessary supplies at the hospital pretty quickly, if we need to get in and out of there real fast.

[ His words peter off with a hum in thought for a moment before he continues. ]

-- though, um, I guess when it comes to specialties, maybe the mall is better? I'm pretty used to running around carrying a bunch of heavy supplies or people. Swimming, climbing, all that, however much is necessary. So I'm okay with whichever side ends up needing more hands on deck.

[insinnerate]

I can fight.

[That's it! God's most useless group discussion participant.

Okay, no, actually - after sitting in her surly silence for a little while, she can offer at least a little more detail.]

When my blood begins to boil, I become even stronger, but when that happens, I don't care who you are. If I have a blade, I can cut anything down. That's what I'm useful for.

[titlecard]

I'd probably be pretty good at evading a horde. I can fly and I'm really fast, so...

[ he also doesn't know he's been nerfed yet so he isn't unreasonably fast anymore but that's a problem for future mark ]

But I'm also really strong, so I might be able to carry a lot more stuff. And I can fight. [ if you've seen him be hesitant or unnerved at the prospect of killing anything. no you didn't ] I dunno, maybe I'd be more useful at the hospital?

[302]

[ well. He'd rather not go to the hospital for personal reasons, but he's already resigned himself to going wherever he needs to go - although "needs" is probably a strong word. Listening to everyone else list their amazing abilities makes him wonder why the hell he's even here. The universe has a sick sense of humor, it seems.

At least he's not alone this time. The bar is low.

Henry stays quiet, looking vaguely uncomfortable in the background for most of the discussion - although he always looks slightly uncomfortable, so whether or not it's more than usual may be hard to discern. Eventually, he pipes up: ]

... She threatened us if we don't obey.

[ concerning! ]