Zombies ate my neighbors!

[lucetimods]

Hey everyone, here are the draft details we promised you. We’re going to toss them at you first with a timeline of events, an idea of what sort of threats needs to be dealt with, along with some answers to the questions asked in the last post. If you still haven’t signed your characters up for the draft but would now like to, please do so here. We’ll have another post soon for the village-side event.

TIMELINE OF EVENTS

25th:
Lucetians are ushered into the Vaskoth enclosure after only an hour’s warning. The message is broadcast very early in the morning -- around 4AM. The Malnosso have rigged this message to actually ring through the journals, much like an emergency alarm. However, if draftees are not awake to receive and act upon the warning, droids will arrive to try and drag them from their beds. Due to the sabotage mission, some of these droids can be fought off and escaped; more droids may come for drafted individuals but if someone does escape the droids, it is up to them whether they then proceed to the transporters.

Draftees are forewarned to not bring weapons that were crafted in other worlds or from material procured from other worlds. The Vaskoth security system prevents otherworldly weapons from being carried around. However they are promised access to Vaskoth’s armory before engaging in battle if they are unable to procure such a weapon from Luceti. If they attempt to bring a weapon, the security system will cause it to mysteriously vanish from their person and be deposited at Luceti’s weapon shop; this does not apply to any weaponry or technology that is imbedded in an individual’s body.

They leave Luceti at 5AM and arrive at the enclosure at 10AM. For the full day, they are left to deal with typical cultists enemies: soldiers, elites, shifters, and shift hunters. In this battle, Luceti will be assisted by Vaskoth’s own MSF soldiers, reinforcements led by Specialist Davis, and additional draftees from three other enclosures: Excenn, Zompania, and Kin’cora. More details on the enclosures can be found at the end of this post.

Note: Due to an ongoing experiment that the Vaskothans previously voted on, the entire enclosure will be night time for the entirety of the draft.

The Vaskoth enclosure is quite large and supports a population of 5,000. At the northeast quarter of the town is a setup similar to Luceti’s, but it outwardly expands with many more houses and buildings. Paved roads crisscross the town, go into the mountains and forests. The road even has a tunnel through the mountain range. Naturally these paved roads are used for the ample number of automobiles owned by the Vaskothans. A number of stores dot the town and they utilize their own currency in the form of copper, silver, and gold coins. They maintain their own barracks and military base by the southern lake. All of their weapons are stored and maintained here.

26th:
By 9AM, there are early reports of strange symptoms among the cultists. By 2PM, fellow draftees and MSF soldiers are hospitalized for displaying unusual symptoms. Come midnight, the hospital is lost to the virus as the first patients begin to succumb. Driven into a hyper state, they move faster, are stronger, and exhibit violent tendencies.

Preliminary intel suggests that it takes roughly twelve hours between contracting the infection and succumbing to it entirely. Before it was overrun, the hospital was working frantically upon a cure but all they managed to determine was that the infection is ultimately resistant to traditional healing magic and shifting. Before the head medic loses the ability to communicate effectively, he scrawls a note that states he remembered hearing about a Region 6 enclosure suffering from the same virus, and that one of its subjects was found immune.

Kin’corans are the first to abandon the battle and enter into survival mode and go against MSF orders by heading into the woods and forests to outmaneuver the plague. Those who manage to speak to them at length learn that they had experienced the same outbreak in their enclosure with the same pattern. The Malnosso was unable to cure it in their enclosure and killed off all the infected except for one sole survivor.

For those who might recognize her from her previous time in Luceti (and those who may want to meet with her anew), Carol is living in ‘Old Town’. She will be available for interaction at two points during the draft -- in these early stages, she can be approached while attempting to organize a relief effort.

27th:
The virus spreads spreads fast. As the zombie hoard gains numbers, larger groups are torn apart and comrades are separated. Survival is no longer possible in considerable numbers, as it appears that the infected are drawn to obvious signs of life -- sounds, sights, and smells that might suggest that a larger group is taking shelter. Groups of over five or six will find themselves suddenly ambushed by the recently infected.

It becomes apparent that the infection can be spread by bodily fluids - saliva and blood. The majority of the cultist horde has been infected, lacking the proper means or preparation to combat the plague. However, they also seem to be trapped in the barrier along with the draftees. Whatever means they used to enter the barrier have now been closed off, seemingly by their own on the other side. The Shift Hunters do not appear to be infected, but they become carriers for the virus.

28th:
Mid-day, an evacuation is ordered. Luceti draftees are provided with the option to fall back and enter into a twelve hour quarantine, be checked for the infection, and then returned to their own enclosure once they are given a clean bill of health. Draftees are told they must clear their own way to Vaskoth’s teleporters; although evacuation is ultimately optional, it appears as though most of the other enclosures’ draftees are beating a hasty retreat. From the inside, Vaskoth appears doomed. Specialist Davis and a small contingent of MSF soldiers remain to defend the teleporters until the end of the draft.

At this point, those infected during the first day will begin to slow down. No longer moving quickly, these zombies are now only shambling forward, though they are no less powerful. Medically, it seems as though the virus is literally tearing their bodies apart by constantly being pushed to its limits. To any who study their remains, some will begin to exhibit the signs of major organ failure.

The lakes and rivers are deemed unsafe, as the virus is capable of sustaining itself in water and passing on infections this way. Due to the cultist presence, the water available in both residential and commercial pipes grows increasingly limited.

29th:
Clean water and unclaimed food supplies are scarce. Electricity Shifts providing the town with power flickered out shortly after the first evacuation. At this point, it becomes difficult to estimate just how many uninfected draftees are left within Vaskoth.

Throughout the day, reports trickle through what’s left of the Vaskoth radio network that a lone survivor -- unaffected but still drinking from the natural water supply -- has been spotted north of the mountain tunnel.

The Malnosso announce over the radio network that a full power cap will be instituted. From 12PM on the 29th, everyone will be reduced to normal abilities, including infected cultists.

Carol, hoping to coordinate talent from whatever survivors are left, will also broadcast over the radio system. Keep an eye out for this message!

(Note: There will be a new log here for the remainder of the draft.)

30th:
Deeming the situation out of control, the Malnosso order a Shift-bomb to be detonated in Vaskoth in order to completely eliminate the plague. By then, most draftees from other enclosures not yet infected will have evacuated. Remaining MSF soldiers will begin to withdraw as well. Lucetians will continue to have the option to evacuate or to stay and try to find a cure. Anyone hoping to work on the cure will have to wait for (or arrange to have) the hospital area OR the bio-lab at the MSF barracks cleared of their shamblers.

31st:
The threat of the bomb looms over the area. Specialist Davis and his remaining men will hold the path to the teleporters for any last minute survivors to escape. By 3PM, the bomb will be dropped and detonated. The last of the MSF will be gone by 2:30PM and at this point, no one will be able to evacuate. If a cure is not presented by 2:50PM, it will be too late to stop the detonation process. Anyone left in the enclosure will be killed.

ENEMIES

On the first day of the draft, the enemies will all be the same uninfected Foot Soldiers, Elites, Shifters, and Shift Hunters we know and love. Refer to the The Nitpicker’s Guide for more information. NOTE: There will be no Dream Shifters on this draft. Like Lucetians, the cultists will not have access to their typical weapons either. Elites will be Shifting invisible weapons, whereas standard soldiers will use whatever they can get their hands on.

For the rest of the time...

Early Infected Cultists, MSF, and draftees from all enclosures -- after the virus incubates for twelve hours -- become monstrous, irrationally violent versions of themselves. The Kin’corans, having experienced this virus before, refer to them as runners. Runners lose the capacity for speech roughly six hours after contracting the virus. Another six hours later, they are entirely beyond reason and seem to exist only to maim others and attempt to pass the virus around. A runner’s strength and speed exceeds what they had before; however, a sliding scale still exists and a runner who was once a healthy cultist elite will still be stronger than a runner who was once a mere foot soldier.

Advanced Infected Cultists, MSF, and draftees from all enclosures -- once the virus has been in their system for a few days -- will become what other draftees start to call shamblers. In comparison to the initial viral symptoms, shamblers are slower and incapable of fine motor functions; however, they are no less dangerous -- especially when they gather in large hoards. At this point, the virus is ravaging their internal organs and without a cure their bodies will be torn apart from the inside out with no hope of rescue. Even curing them at this stage could pose a threat, as the virus is literally keeping them alive.

Infected Shifters - On top of being either runners or shamblers, Third Party Shifters are uniquely affected by this virus. While all MSF and draftee infected seem to lose most of their special abilities upon infection, Shifters retain their powers. However, they no longer possess rational control over their own Shifting. As such, glitchers are Shifters whose cerebral cortexes are so compromised by the virus that their Shifting glitches on and off -- seemingly at random. This may manifest as large area Shifts that disable powers or technology, but they may function in other ways. Other Shifts may cause those around the glitcher to suffer from a loss of motor skills, blindness, intense paranoia, a loss of rational thought, and other such effects.

Shift Hunters who are immune to the virus can otherwise act as carriers. Their bites will potentially infect draftees. Those searching for a cure may want to consider trapping and studying the Hunters. While studying their immunity will be invaluable in providing the building blocks of an answer, it ultimately will not provide anything but a partial clue towards a working cure.

GEOGRAPHY, SUPPLIES & SHELTER


(click here for larger version)
Notes on the map:

• The map is a ROUGH idea of Vaskoth’s format and shouldn’t be taken as literally or to scale. General locations include:
  
  • Old Town - a setting similar to Luceti’s village, primarily populated by residents from the first five cycles. Old Town houses the city’s modest government buildings.
    
  • Downtown Area - a larger area lined with roads and larger buildings. Most of the stores and residential areas can be found here, as well as numerous industrial locations. The Hospital (H) sits at the northern edge, between Old Town and the new downtown.
    
  • Harbor Area - Primarily used for fishing. The highway passes over a hydro-electric dam used to generate some of the power used in Vaskoth.
    
  • Battle Dome - A massive complex many times the size of Luceti, boasting eight floors and forty separate chambers for training, relaxation, and so on. Unlike Luceti, it contains no medical facility. Lucetians will be unable to use it during the draft.
    
  • MSF Base - A fenced off base that is heavily patrolled and operated typically by MSF soldiers who call Vaskoth home. It contains its own medical facilities and an advanced laboratory.
    
  • Farmland - Thousands of acres of farmland extend westward of the town and provide 75% of the enclosure’s own food supply. The Vaskothans pride themselves on nearly achieving self-sufficiency.
    
  • Main Highway - There is a central route that cuts through both the downtown and the Old Town areas, leading towards the teleporters. The conclusion of this highway will be well-guarded by Specialist Davis and his men.

When compared to Luceti, Vaskoth is a far more densely populated enclosure. Initially, most of its houses and apartment buildings will already be inhabited with very little room to spare except for what has been freed up by the ravages of war within the enclosure. The Malnosso will be expecting their draftees to camp out for what was supposed to be a routine battle situation. However, as more and more individuals fall to the virus, more rooms and houses will become available. Keep in mind, they are not always the safest option.

Although many supplies -- food or otherwise -- are up for grabs in the early scramble for survival, most of Vaskoth’s recent harvest, groceries, and necessities will be snapped up by those with a homefield advantage: those who live in Vaskoth. Paranoid over the fate of their home and uncertain as to who else has been infected, many will be reluctant to help anyone who could be a possible carrier for the virus. Draftees may have to forage far afield to make their meals, barter with other draftees, or resort to theft.

Q&A
Q: Will killing it be the only way to stop a zombie?
A: You can lock a zombie up, chain them down, strap them to a bed, or whatever. But zombies will be much stronger than they were before being infected, so they may break through restraints. Otherwise they’ll keep pushing themselves forward unless an obstacle stops them.

Q: Will draftees be warned about the virus and advised to put down the infected?
A: The initial draft announcement will not mention the virus; after all, even the Malnosso are unaware of it at that point. However, after the first Runners start attacking the hospital, a bulletin will go out on the radio to be aware of a potential outbreak. Draftees will be advised to keep open wounds closed. As the situation worsens, draftees will at first be advised to focus on the cultists and leave the situation to MSF. Once order breaks down, most NPCs won’t hesitate to take on zombies to save their own lives.

Q: Will the draft be in an area large enough to support Luceti’s larger-sized characters, such as dragons?
A: It takes place in an enclosure larger than Luceti, so there’s more than enough room.

Q: Does the virus encompass all sorts of species and not just humanoid ones?
A: It attacks higher brain functions, so sentient creatures would be vulnerable to it. Though some exceptions may exist on a case-by-case basis regarding anything that may prevent the subject from being infected. In general you should be able to figure this out on your own or among your cast.

Q: How is the virus spread?
A: The virus is spread by bodily fluids, primarily blood. So, for example, any draftees who fight in a manner which requires them to bite or tear into their opponents will be infected very quickly.

Q: How long would it take for the virus to run its course? How long before someone loses their ability to think and reason?
A: The first six hours go through flu-like symptoms as the subject feels weak and nauseous, breaks out into a cold sweat, and feels light headed and weak. Six hours after, they begin to act more aggressively and will be extremely hungry, though no food they are given will seem to sate their appetite. This is also around the time when infected individuals lose their capacity for speech or even the will to communicate effectively. They will begin to act hostile around anyone treating them. After this first twelve hours (time varying on each person), they will lose all sense of rationality and be driven to attack and consume. They are, however, seemingly able to tell who is already infected and have no interest in fellow zombies.

Q: How much will infected characters remember after the event?
A: They’ll remember the first twelve hours. Anything else after will be highly fragmented and nonsensical memories strewn together randomly.

Q: Would the infection be able to get around someone having high immunity or high resistance to diseases?
A: Again, a case by case basis. In most situations, the virus would take longer to take control of them. Those who are quick healers may not experience as many negative symptoms, though will eventually succumb to it too. Someone like Wolverine would likely never devolve into a shambler.

Q: Will draftees be able to request special items going into this draft?
A: There will be no time for special requests due to how soon they are sent to the enclosure. They’ll have to make do with what’s in the enclosure already.

Q: Will characters be able to use any special powers and abilities even after being infected?
A: It varies on the power. Someone who has powers that take thought and focus - like most brands of magic, would no longer have the presence of mind to use them. Instinctive abilities would remain functioning up until the Shift that disables powers.

Q: Can special abilities/powers/magics stop or deter the virus?
A: The disease is extremely persistent, enough so that the cultists’ own Shifting doesn’t seem to hold up against it. While characters may be able to treat the symptoms or slow the virus down depending on their abilities, it can’t be stopped until a cure is found. Even Runners may be given temporary sanity again if somehow the infection is cleansed from them, but they will quickly be lost to it again, faster than the first time. Shamblers are beyond helping.

Q: How do evacuation and quarantine work?
A: Characters will have the option to evacuate on the 28th until the last day of the draft. If they are injured, MSF soldiers may try to transport them to safety without their approval. All draftees will be held in a 12 hour quarantine near the teleporter system to ensure they have not been infected. At this point, they will be escorted to the teleporter system and returned to Luceti. One teleported, they will be unable to return to the draft. Specialist Davis and his men will be in control of the teleporter and quarantine.

If a draftee is found to be infected, they will be restrained and held until the enclosure is either left to be blown up or a cure is found.

Q: Can you impart some spare zombie wisdom for those amongst us who aren’t familiar with them?
A: Our zombies -- while they are not truly members of the undead legions -- are essentially humans reduced to base instincts to attack and feed on the uninfected. Those in the Runner stage are healthy humans that are currently in a biological state where their adrenaline is super charged. They are making use of the maximum amount of strength and speed their body can output, regardless of how bad it is for their bodies. This makes them fast, strong, and extremely violent.

Shamblers are more your typical zombies. Their bodies are being torn apart by the stress of running at full speed for so long. Although not strictly undead, most Shamblers have been left in this state for so long that the virus is literally the only thing keeping them alive. Consequently, curing the virus could inevitably end up killing them.

In both cases, the zombies lack any rational thought and are acting purely on instinct. They lack self awareness and will not acknowledge or recognize friends or family. They will have lost all ability to speak or communicate.

ENCLOSURES

For some ideas on NPCs, here is some more information about the different enclosures who have sent draftees to Vaskoth:

Luceti
Cycle: Sixth Year
Population: 300+
Region: Six
Deployed: TBD
An enclosure far into its development and often a focus of much of the Malnosso’s attention. Although considered wildly dangerous, they have proven cooperative with the Malnosso and have accomplished remarkable feats that would be considered impossible for other enclosures. As a favorite enclosure of the previous CEO, it is has been the subject of many gifts and considerations other enclosures haven’t. Unlike most enclosures, subjects in Luceti are noted for having relatively brief stays within the world and consequently the ever shifting population leaves the enclosure divided.

Kin’cora
Cycle: First Year
Population: 500+
Region: Six
Deployed: 300
An enclosure still very early in its development that was unintentionally exposed to the world at large during a cultist attack that forced refugees to stay in Luceti. Two of its notable leaders are a rational man named Homer and a rough warrior named Korras Blake. They previously experienced a zombie outbreak in their own village. Due to the brutality of experiments in their enclosure, they share a close bond with each other and are very suspicious of others. They do not currently have access to missions and this is their first draft.

Vaskoth
Cycle: Ninth Year
Population: 5000+
Region: Eleven
Deployed: All
An enclosure far into its development. Resembling a small town more than a village, Vaskoth has developed to the point of having its own currency, roads and vehicles, homes spread out across the forest and mountains, an elected mayor and city council, and even the ability to vote for experiments conducted. They maintain their own MSF base, crewed primarily by their own people. Only soldiers are sent to battle, with the rest having won draft immunity via cooperation. They have not been seen on missions before, though they do cooperate with MARS. The enclosure has many children among its population, most of them having been born within Vaskoth.

Zompania
Cycle: Third Year
Population: 100+
Region: Thirteen
Deployed: 50
A small enclosure established in honor of Count Zompano some time ago. Despite the subjects being relatively ‘normal’ and lacking in powers, they have been a favorite of the MARS program due to how often they participate in missions. They are sometimes used on drafts, but usually in support roles, due to the low number of fighters among them. Although they have crossed paths with Lucetians on previous recurring missions, they were not on the space draft.

Excenn
Cycle: Fourth Year
Population: 300+
Region: Three
Deployed: 200
A standard enclosure quite similar to Luceti and Kin’cora. With a diverse population of fighters and civilians, it has proven receptive to cooperating with the Malnosso, though only to an extent. They are frequently seen on missions, often in combat roles, and were involved with the space draft. The stories of Luceti has been passed around within Excenn to the extent that most of the population tends to idolize Lucetians and are eager to work with them on drafts and missions. Although they have numerous soldiers, most of them pale in comparison to Luceti’s fighters.

On top of that, there’s also the Malnosso Security Forces:

Malnosso Security Forces
Deployed: 3000
Commanded by Specialist Davis and Arms Manager Jewel, the Security Forces are comprised partially of soldiers from Vaskoth who themselves are already enlisted. The MSF will have their own base located in the mountains to act from. Organized and smart, the MSF will typically be working with each other in large groups of ten or more. Expect them to be pulling people out of tough situations if they get cut off. As the zombie plague threatens stability. the MSF will become more strict with survivors and try to maintain order. They are equipped with modern weapons. They will also have a few helicopters on site, as well as several military jeeps and APCs. The majority of their forces will have been recalled and gone after the 28th.

Whew! And that’s a wrap. As always, use this post to plot, ask questions, or wonder how on earth you read all this.

Comments

[mikangirl]

Nami will be without her climatact, which is going to make her all kinds of pissy and ... uh. Vulnerable. Thanks, Malnosso. Due to the nature of this draft, she'll likely spend the first day as a volunteer medic because she still has access to filial magic, and then when the reports of infected come in, sticking very, very close to her crew or other CR, a lot of which are going, to keep them as patched up as possible.

Which will be detrimental when SOME IDIOT gets infected protecting her from SOME OTHER IDIOT and everything goes to hell. UM... really this limits me a bit because logically she'd stay with people who could protect her and not be by herself, but IF YOU WANT TO DO THINGS WE CAN WORK STUFF OUT.

I can offer Nami as a healer and just general CR threads and ...possibly later in the draft she might possibly very much need someone to shake her a few times or something. I don't know. 8|a I'm bad at this stuff.

[thefinaljedi]

Luke's tied up for most of it, but I can throw Saori at her if you like. It could be at any point, though late in the draft Saori is going to be in a very cold, very *dark* place.

[concasse]

Being the lucky bastard he is, Sanji will be going on the draft and won't be affected by the lack of weapons, seeing as his body is the weapon. So if anyone needs some ass-saving, he's your guy. That said, he'll be sticking with his crew for the majority (GOSH GUYS STOP BEING VULNERABLE), so we might have to get creative for the one-on-one threads.

Though to be frank, this draft will be really hard on him. He will most likely be the one to kill one of his crewmates... who was infected by one of his closer friends... who is currently dead thanks to that certain infected shithead whose sole purpose for existing is to give Sanji an ulcer. B|; On top of that, I think zombie times for Xion and Kotetsu are still on? /looks at relevant muns for answers

Point being, after Zoro dies, Sanji's demeanor will shift, and he'll be very cold, distant, easily agitated, and will kill without discrimination because LOL he killed Zoro, what's a few more zombies? If anyone wants to catch him in this state, I'm definitely open to the idea. /o/ Just uh, watch out for flying feet. Possibly mental breakdowns. Who knows?

[mikangirl]

Sanji let's go rock in the corner together okay? Okay.

8D

[wildkotetsu]

Kotetsu is gonna have his hands full with this one. Sometime around the 27th he's gonna be bitten by a kawaii young girl that needed saving (only she was hitting the stages of chomping OOPS). So he'll have his 6 hours of being all sick and gross until he freaks the fuck out and rages probably at Sanji. definitely at sanji. he deserves it. THEN he'll be available for turning people into infected if they need someone to chew on them!

He'll be a slow-brained walker/shambler at some point later, so if anyone's game for locking him in a room, lemme know. I decided to be gentle and not kill him. I think. Probably. Yeah. If people are okay with backtags, I'd loooove to have Kotetsu and your characters have some zombie surviving going on pre-bite.

He'll be around for the beginning of the evac, to help everyone out, too.

Wolfwood will be doing the same. Fortunately for him, he's really good at shooting, so... He's gonna have an easier time than most, beyond a lot of moral stuff that he's trying to sort through. If people need lessons in guns or anything like that, come to him! He'll show ya a thing or two. Like with Kotetsu, I'd love to have some survival horror fun time. :|a

Also, if anyone needs their characters put down, Wolfwood's a very clean shot. He'll be regressing a LOT into his old days, so he'll be pretty stone cold killin' at the end. Until he goes home, anyway.

:^J

[halfnhalf]

WAIRUDO TAIGA let's TEAM UP pre-bite and be HEROES /yea

[deadlyjuliet]

Grell will be losing her deathscythe and Death List during this draft, so she'll be looking for a new weapon and will likely take any sort of blade. That said, she still has her speed and strength and can do mercy killings or save some people if needed. Quick extractions and providing cover support is what she'd be best at. She's looking to blow off some major steam, so she'll be in the thick of it as much as possible.

Okita will have his own sword but is still working with half lung capacity. He wants to be on the front lines and I think there are Shinsengumi shenanigans planned, but if anyone needs mercy killings or protection, he's more than up for that. Not sure if I want him to get infected either, but he's the most likely to get it if I choose to have anyone go down.

[destinysong]

come for shinsenanigans

I think Hijikata's going to go rasetsu sometime during the event I DON'T KNOW HOW OTHEROKITA WILL FEEL ABOUT SUDDEN VAMPIRISM but yeah it's been discussed if he would like to join the excessive killing

[chikaidestroyer]

Right now, I'm planning on sending Walter and Albert on the draft. Akihiko is still up in the air, and Leon is a definite no.

Walter will likely be sticking around for the whole draft, or at least until the powercap comes into play after evacuations begin. I suppose he can start picking up sharp objects and using those, once his eres is no longer helping him out there. Still debating whether or not he gets infected.

Albert may head back soon after evacuations start up, or may stay on after it becomes apparent many of the security forces are withdrawing. (That is to say, I haven't decided what to do yet. /coughs) He'll initially be assisting with strategy-type things, and then shifting focus once things start to devolve. (Probably being close to the hospital for intel when it's overrun, asking others for assistance with talking to the Kin'corans after they break rank and flee into the forests.) Depending on if there are communication devices, he may be asking for volunteers to gather devices on the field for redistribution amongst alive/uninfected troops, especially as it becomes apparent they have to travel in smaller groups. He also might be fighting or healing (with magic) once in awhile.

Definitely open for plotting or ... just interacting with characters in a stressful situation. :|a

[endgames]

Strategy times are the only times we hang out.

[screw_fate]

Plotting for my dudes!

Neji and Jiraiya are both going on the draft, because I'm a lamer and find zombies hilarious. Even if I can't watch most zombie movies

Neji's gonna be meeting up with Shikamaru at some point, and will stick with him from there on out, especially once the power cap kicks in. Before that, he'll be available for anyone who wants a little extra muscle and magical x-ray eyes with them.

However, Jiraiya is getting zombiefied! I'm still turning over details in my head for this, but he is definitely getting infected. Anyone want a crazed ninja zombie out for their brains? Anyone feel they'd want to be the ones giving him a mercy bullet to the brain? (Anyone want to cure him?) The circumstances that get him infected are also totally open for plotting, and he's the kind of guy who wouldn't hesitate to help out total strangers in this kind of situation, so if you've got a character who needs/wants rescue or escort or whatever, he can totally go down doing that for them!

[rashness]

I was planning on sending Rin, and to be honest I still might. Thing of it is, though, not being able to bring weapons from other worlds really hamstrings my ability to plot as much with him because his sword is his (demonic) heart. Not having access to it means I'd need to plot with someone not in the draft to play sword opener for him to be able to do much more than hit things, and given that I'm not a big fan of running an infection plot...

That said, if I do keep Rin around, he's strong (even without impunity-access to his demon form he has a healing factor and is as strong as about five men) and kind. Mostly I'd suspect he would be involved in trying to Save people. He'd also, well, not want to kill anyone. This means Third Party and Runners he'd both actively try to only incapacitate, not kill. Shift hunters and shamblers are close enough to demons that they are fair game though. Not sure about glitchers offhand. Given that what he'd immediately think of (trying to burn out the plague from people) will only work temporarily and in fact make it resurface faster after he'd be taking the "retreat" thing because he's just not that useful... I think. I don't know, he's a hero and his ability to do that would be severely hacked off--

Which leads me to the alternative. It's very possible that because of these limitations and the fact NPCs he's met before are going I'll forgo sending Rin in favor of sending Masaomi into the draft. Because I've only thought about him for a moment I'm not sure what he'd do yet but I'd like to get him involved with trying to find the Kin'cora people (natch), running favors for the NPCs, and possibly collecting a possee. He'll have access to all his weaponry except the impact dial too, so he's pretty much set. Whether he falls back or not at the retreat point depends on his NPC interactions before it.

Neither of them will be infected, simply because I don't really want to run a plot like that. On the offchance I do decide to run and infection, it will be late in the game and if it looks like there's an inevitability of their death or a cure.

I am v. open to other people's plots and ideas though.

[endgames]

Whoever you go with, THINGS SHOULD HAPPEN. Probably earlier into the draft.

On the note of Rin though, have you asked the mods about Rin's sword? It's not imbedded in him, but it almost works in reverse so given that condition, it may actually count.

[wise_maiden]

Waiting on a few answers, but I think Raine is definitely going to be sent out there anyway. (If Carol is confirmed to be who I think she is, she might be one of the few people that's talked to her previously! But waiting on that.)

- I haven't decided if she stays on past the "point of no return" mark or if she heads back when people are recalled. (This probably depends on what's going on in the village as well, or the state of things on the draft, anyone is welcome to toss me a bone or idea here. Maybe if she's completely exhausted?) Update: Since evacs are ongoing, there's still a window of time to play with when spells/etc stop working and can contribute to research.

- She will probably be more involved in helping find a cure unless she's needed on the field for healing

- In regard to healing, her resurrection spell will at first seem "as though it's succeeded but the virus has just gone into remission for another 12 hours. Ultimately, the infection is reset. This CAN help extend someone's chances to last longer until a real cure is made, but it also has the possibility of being less and less effective every time." (Aly) - so if anyone infected wants to play with that and still have the infection play out later, here's a chance for that.

- Also the Kin'corrans who held her hostage might be here, so something interesting could be done with that.

[fortunefail]

Mark Yuan down for Resurrection help at some point! I'd like to say later on the 28th, if Raine hasn't chosen the option to evacuate by then.

[bloodybishie]

Fighting and horror fan that he is, Prince is going to be at the front lines as much as possible. That is, until he gets infected. I had some potential infection ideas bouncing around, but timing being what it is, it may end up just being because he has the hobby tendency to get covered head to toe in the blood of his enemies. This will probably happen after people figure out what's what in regards to the zombies, and possibly shortly after the cure project starts.

Either way, he'll be captured or turn himself in, and end up in the medical division as a guinea pig. Although I'd prefer not to have him killed, if the cure takes too long and he dies once it's administered or the cure is never found and a shift bomb ends up wiping the place out, I could deal with it.

Canti, on the other hand, is immune to infection, and will be playing support trooper, much like he did on the space draft. He is capable of pretty much any kind of rescue, and I am very much open to plotting on his part as I have no plans whatsoever for him yet!

[dragoon_pride]

Either way, whether we go with Kain infecting him or not... I'm definitely up for some kind of interaction!

[not_a_troll]

Okok, last change.

Loki will be in the draft. He will busy himself with setting up traps across the town and making deals with the inhabitants, since he has his special way with words and all.

He'll be infected on the 27th, and be killed on the 28th right before evacuation will happen (he'll be a runner-zombie then).

I can offer expert trap-making things, shenanigans and trickery or some sad moments when he's infected.

[touchofrogue]

Little Loki. ;;

[relictusdeus]

Isaac will be taking out all his rage on them cultist zombies in some much-needed stress relief. Not all too much to say here, alas, since *he* wouldn't want to team up with someone else or rely on their help. He might help someone out of some sticky situation if they're surrounded (and then mock their lack of skill or something because he's a butt <<). I won't have him be infected because he was sort of in berserker mode a few months ago. <:3 If there are any zombified Luceti folk looking to be offed, by any chance this guy would gladly think to be the one to do it.

[markofthewise]

Wolverine will be infected on the first day. He'll remain in Runner mode for as long as the power cap isn't on, though he'll start to fall apart at that point. FORTUNATELY he'll be able to heal himself from the terrible shape he's in at the end of it. But it's gonna suck for him, since in Shambler mode his body will be dealing with the virus AND adamantium poisoning. The X-men will be trying to keep him contained, but there may be moments where he escapes and can cause trouble. If you want him to attack or infect yours? Gimme a shout. Zombies with claws are terrifying.

Spike will be going and probably be my main focus on the draft. I figure being dead should make him more or less immune to the virus. He'll be sticking it out to the end, unless for some reason Buffy doesn't. I have no solid plans for him but I figure he's going to get separated from the people he cares about most (Buffy) once it goes to hell. So if you want to do a thing with him, shout it out!

Sokka is sitting the draft out. He'll be at home babysitting, preventing Ikki from being abducted, frowning at all the weapons being dropped in the smithy, and maybe playing with Rin's sword.

Ling will be going with Ran Fan, but he may bail out due to injuries once the power cap sets in. He didn't get to fight the 'zombies' that attacked Central, so this will be an EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE for him.

[shenevermisses]

I would love to have Spike and Clove at least run into each other during some part of the action!

[rageface]

Ragna is going to be around and probably not doing so well at kicking ass and taking names thanks to his death penalty and the fact he hasn't actually been practicing too much with only one arm and eye. He won't be around for long either, since he'll be taking the first ticket the heck out of there once evacuations are suggested. Open for anything before that.

Spider-Man will be all over the place trying to help out as many people as he can, it being his first draft and all. He'll probably be one of the guys who refuses to kill anyone, zombies included, so there's always that. He's also going to end up infected, but it probably won't happen until the power cap is in effect. After that, I'm all ears for what to do. I could probably do with him getting infected earlier if the situation calls for it, like sacrificing himself for someone else. Something heroic? He's a superhero.

Naruto will be staying in the village.

[touchofrogue]

Spider-Man and Rogue for some kind of Marvel team-up at some point? I don't think we've even threaded them yet, which is a shame.

[frost_jewel]

Whew! I kind of feel like I shouldn't have gone to bed as soon as I did, whoa. Anyway, business:

Mia is going to spend the majority of her time working on finding that cure, once the effort to do so starts up. She won't go home when the chance is offered and if anyone is there right up until the last moment trying to find one she will be there with them. It's possible to convince her otherwise - just hard.

She also doesn't need a weapon to fight, and so will make use of any standard staff or mace (staff, once they find out about the blood thing) lying around in the armory. She won't be infected, but she will struggle on for that cure for as long as possible.

There are a few things I'd like to explore with her and I am having the hardest time articulating them all of a sudden. So, mostly the finding a cure stuff. The rest will come in one way or another!

Raven is also going, and will be leaving the battlefield uninfected on the eve of the 29th. She can use any sword she manages to find, and most likely will not be turning into a bird. At all. Birds are fragile.

[innerdragon]

Estelle will be there with Mia to the end to help her find a cure. Go go determined healers!

[innerdragon]

Lance will be fighting in Asch's group until things start really getting hectic and/or the evacuation is called. He'll be using his dragons to help get people out of there for as long as he can and will then evacuate himself. Provided that he doesn't get bitten or something. I'm not opposed to him or his Pokemon getting bitten but I'm not for it either. Would rather play things out and see what happens, but it is a possibility. XD

Estelle will be helping the other medics in treating wounds and trying to keep people alive. She will also probably help them with trying to find a cure also and might stick it out to the end in this endeavor.

Simba will be staying in the village.

[heartisabattleground]

Does Estelle need a guard for some of this? Sora has been known to protect royalty.

[accepted]

Caius will be going out and will be doing his best to keep people safe by waving whatever sword he finds around or transforming into his other form and fighting that way. By the 27th he'll be infected, but he's not going to let a little sweat and light-headedness stop him. Chances are he'll still be out there fighting unless someone convinces him to turn around and rest up. He'll probably still be barely rational by the 12 hour mark rolls around since the Leymon blood in him won't let some virus push him around. Ultimately, he'll be a lost cause by the 28th when the evacuation order goes out. He's going to be open for hero things and then zombie things past the 28th! At some point he's going to attack Mia (if Vil is still down for this!), though I'm not sure whether this will be when he's just acting more aggressive or when he's full zombie. WE SHALL SEE.

Also going is Duplica who will be evacuating as soon as she can so she can keep her Pokemon safe. She'll be out on the first day fighting, but will be hanging back more come the 26th. Since Duplica will be relying completely on her Dittos for her safety she might approach another trainer or someone with a weapon so she can have one of her Ditto transform into another Pokemon or some other means for her to defend herself. She won't be swinging a sword around or anything like that, so she will probably find someone with a ranged weapon for Ditto to copy. She'll also likely try and find a small group she can tag along with and might even recall her Dittos to their pokeballs if only to make group numbers smaller.

Finally there's Pascal who I'm actually undecided on. If she does end up going then chances are that she won't be getting infected but will be staying around until the very end to help out as best she can. She'll stay away from casting artes, since the majority of them are close range, and will work on firing whatever blaster/rifle-type weapon she can pick up. Pascal also has access to a few support artes, so she might try running around and casting those to keep people going.

Aah figs, this ended up way longer than I was hoping it would. tl;dr plot all the things with your choice of tales hero ♂, tales hero ♀ and a pokemon trainer.

[frost_jewel]

Of course I am still up for it. This is one of the things I want to explore that I have such a hard time writing out. If at all possible she'll get the heck away without killing him.

Hawkeye

[asthehawkflies]

Clint will be there, probably up on a rooftop somewhere picking off zombies before they get close, or down on the ground in the middle of combat if he really has to. So if people need someone to keep watch, that is what he's good at.

While he isn't going to get infected, near the start of the draft he is going to get a scratch from something which might make people worry he's been infected.

He'll probably be sticking around until the bitter end, covering people who are trying to get away.

[windandrain]

Hey Hawkeye, we should do a thread. With either Luke or Saori, really. Something related to hunting zombies.

[averybadfeeling]

25th

Obi-Wan is free for some Cultist-smashing. He will not be happy at all that he doesn't get to bring his lightsaber, but he'll find a suitable replacement weapon or two and deal. Blasters. So uncivilized.

26th

As soon as the hospital goes down, he'll be helping to evacuate people.

27th

He'll mostly be playing bodyguard to the medics, as well as attempting to nonlethally subdue any infected draftees.

28th

He'll be busy for much of the 28th and the early 29th (We think), because he will be attempting to keep Steve Rogers subdued following his infection.

29th onward

He's sticking it out to the bitter end. As long as Lucetians are in the village, he will be too. I don't want him getting infected, but if the cure isn't found and the bomb goes off, he's going with it.

Aside from the business with the good Captain, his schedule is largely free and clear, so let's plot!

[goldenglasses]

Vash: Is getting infected. I haven't decided how just yet. If no one wants to bite him then it will probably be from protecting an NPC. After being infected have fun with an unstable Plant!Zombie running around. Good thing he won't have the sense to use his angel arm? (Unless someone REALLY wants to plot with that, planning on not causing MASS destruction with that baby without a fun reason!)

He's got a few people I've thrown around of him possibly biting, but I'm happy to have him terrorize/bite as many people as you may like. I'm also happy to have him just go for the kill if anyone wants it.

And Zoro will be the lucky one to stop Vash's crazy-times.

Please plot away with me!

NOTE: I'm looking for more darker threads this time around, but I'm still happy to do some lighter/fun threads too if that's what you're looking for!

As for my half dragon, water nymph Xzana she may not be going. Seeing as she more of self preservation type, she'd probably just hide at the bottom of the lake until this is all over. HOWEVER! If you'd like a big dragon or a tiny spirit who packs a punch with water attacks let me know!

[clioheika]

Love and BRAINS! Love and BRAIIGNHDSJJFSDNKGNFGggghhhssss................




lmao /shot

[selphie_t]

Selphie is gonna be on this draft for sure. She might have a weapon similar to her usual one or she might have her usual style of weapon. That all depends on the mods who are totally awesome for planning an event this huge and make it this awesome. I don't want Selphie to get infected with the virus and she'd have to be dragged away in order to evacuate. Or, if someone can convince her to evacuate early, go for it but you'd have to know her really, really well to do this. >.>

Otherwise, come at me!

[ofwesternwinds]

I think Masa mentioned (on plurk) that most types of weapons could be found in the armory, noting that's it's very diverse. So, I think we're allowed to get a little creative here?

Aside from that, I'm up for having these two run into each other if you are. \o/

[redjacketthief]

I'm going to be having Lupin here going and he will be so sad because he doesn't have his Walther. He's not made for this sort of thing, but he's also not entirely a non-combatant. Early on he'll be getting himself some firearms and will be sticking close to the medical personnel for both his own safety and to help protect their's.

That said, he still will likely be taking out zombies from a distance. Has anyone said any thing about gratuitous use of fire yet? Because he knows how to play with fire.

I think he's going to be involved with a certain debacle involving Steve, so that will lock him up toward the end--and he will be hopping on one of the early evacuation trains because of this...and the fact that he carries no illusions of being a soldier.

Though I might be a little tied up, I'm willing to work something out so we can do something. There are cars, right? I've been dying for a chance to show off the fact that he is indeed a high stakes race car driver when the opportunity arises.

[flameoroku]

Alexei Nothing has changed since I brought it up before. During the latter half of the draft, Alexei will get infected, though it may take him a day before realization and it's already too late. DEPENDING ON SOME CR IF THEY'RE GOING TO KILL THEMSELVES, Alexei may either die or get a cure in time. I got one person who wants their char to get infected by him, if anyone else wants to get infected, let me know!

He's basically open at the start of the this. Proobably explore the city for a while, and before being zombified defend people. Either that or look into the group that is working on a cure.

Roku Is going around and being a good helpful Avatar that he is. I don't really have any solid ideas for him and just going to send him around to help people for the time being.

Update: Roku's going to be part of the team to fight against Moro when she becomes infected. He's gonna have a hard time actually attacking her for the kill.

[brokethefourthwall]

Oh boy. This is going to be great. Let's have some chaos.

Pinkie will (keywords relevant) be blissfully unaware of what the purpose of this draft is. She's much more interested in exploring the first human town she's ever seen. As such, she'll be playing more as an excited tourist, popping in and out of random areas just to soak in the atmosphere-- an atmosphere that people happen to be killing each other in, but details.

Her Pinkie Sense is going to largely keep her out of danger. She's obviously going to avoid areas that give her bad "vibes", but if she sees some of her friends, she's probably going to try and talk to them, regardless of situation. That being said, her party cannon and welcome wagon will be on the battlefield, so she should be able to handle her own in a fight, in her own way.

If you spot Pinkie, feel free to use her as a Mail Mare to pass messages and items along to other combatants. Just... don't ask how she gets them there so quickly.

Mordin is going to be in a party with Luke, Daisy and Shepard, and will largely act as a field medic. However, he will also be taking tissue and blood samples of zombies they encounter, trying to synthesize a cure. Shift magic being what it is, he will likely fail, but the medicine he creates should at least prevent the infection from spreading. He will try to create the cure before the evacuation on the 28th, but who knows what will happen.

He'll also be studying and sampling the architecture and technology of the Vaskothans, taking note on what allows them to produce such (comparatively) advanced technology within the barrier.

[teenwonder]

Ohay event plotting it's good to see you again!

As noted last post, Robin is going to have bad times. He'll be saving civilians or trying to stop people from killing (Seriously, Jason. That shit ain't cool. :| ) or something and get all bitten and RAWRy in the process. If anyone wants, he'll also be a carrier during the incubation period because ROBINS DO NOT STOP FOR SICKNESSES that is silly. He'll probably keep going until brains start looking yummy and then need to be detained. He'll take to capture the way cats take to wearing doll clothes, so he might break out a few times while he can still manage it. He'll probably be herded fairly easily when the shambling sets in, unless there's a pack of zombie bros around to create strength in numbers.

And that is my Robin story. I hope you enjoyed it. He will be available for rescuing and fighting and infecting and standing around in the background moaning.

[calmbeforethe]

Trap talked to me yesterday about Jason needing help in dealing with zombie!Robin here, and that maybe Storm could help out with that! She won't be killing anything if at all possible, so maybe she can be Jason's foil in that respect? |Da?

[daisy023]

These are my plans for Daisy, and for the Plot of Daisy, Shepard, Luke, Mordin, and Michael in the Hospital.

25th, things will be pretty much normal for Daisy. Even though she will have to work without an effective suit of armor like the MJOLNIR, she will get a rifle similar to her MA5B, a radio, rations, along with a helmet-camera with squadron-wide live feed and a radio. Things to replace the many functions of her armor, but without the increased protection or her augmented strength.

It's all normal. Hell, Daisy even feels a little pleased to actually be fighting, and especially so in an Urban Environment, but she is still unhappy over the fact not as many are even trained in that environment.


On the 26th, it's when the fun starts. With the early reports of strange activity, Daisy will want to investigate the Hospital that's received some of these reports. Because of the nature of the mission, Daisy will insist to them to use the same gear as she is.

IDEAS // NOT SOLID PARTS FOR THE PLOT

The complex will be mostly abandoned, kind of coated in blood and with a few unsettling things, hints of a disaster that happened: spent rounds, doors pried open that used to be locked ot hell and back, bodies dragged and destroyed, fun stuff; as part of the hints, there could be Doomed Logs in the form of journal entries of civilians, voice recordings from scientists working in it -- hell, there could even be a video recording showing what the hell happened in the building.

There could even be a single resident or infected one, but too crazy or zombified to give any decent clues (forced to kill?).

In any case, once they reach the top floor of the building, near what could have been the last hideout, it's when they learn what just happened: Zombies just happened, that's what. Eventually, something finally tips them off, and fucking zombies come eveywhere for the poor schmucks that were dumb enough to follow a Spartan that happens to wander into an abandoned installation.

They get out, either fighting their way downstairs, or getting to the rooftop and defending their position until they find another way to escape from it. But still, it's the confirmation that shit has hit the fan.

Luke, Daisy, Mordin, Shepard, and possibly Michael as well, will all be part of the team that goes in. In the way fire teams work, order will possibly be Luke 1st, Daisy 2nd, Michael 3rd if he joins them, Mordin 4th, and Shepard 5th. (Taking in account - Field Guide 1st, Gunner 2nd, Grenadier 3rd, and Gunner 4th).

Luke is a better melee combatant that has force senses, so he'd serve as a good Field Guide; Daisy is one of the best in urban warfare in Luceti, so she'd be right behind him with Michael covering him as well with his remarkable marksmanship; Mordin will be covered by both front and back given his importance, and Shepard's covering the rearguard, more because she's actually friendly with aliens and she's rather powerful on her own.

IDEAS // NOT SOLID PARTS FOR THE PLOT


27th-29th

Daisy will survive, and will continue to fight as part of the forces that are evacuating survivors. Given her experience in Urban combat, she will have to fight there, and possibly defend the medics. She will be busy.

With the reports of the lone survivor drinking water, she may be part of the team that would come to take him, and possibly work on finding a cure thanks to his immunity. Could be plotted out? Daisy will know he would be pretty important, so taking him would be prioritary in the work for a cure.

30th-31st

Daisy's fighting until the very end. Given she knows more than anyone how to fight without powers and in an urban environment, she will be forced to stay along with those working on a cure. She will refrain from abandoning battle, and will keep fighting until the very end if that's what it takes. She may get a few thoughts about her first death.

[sapphire_sniper]

Michel will definitely be joining Daisy and the others to investigate the zombie outbreak and the lone survivor reports. Between the major actions he'll probably be on the defensive though, not exactly wanting to go all BOOM, HEADSHOT on infected allies.