Zombies, and how they work

 

The Zombie plague is caused by the rapidly mutating microbe that entered the air-conditioning system.  Once this enters the system it destroys the subject’s CNS and kills them, subsequently taking control of the “host” body and spreading itself via fresh infections.  The hosts will also look to eat flesh, as the virus is able to draw nutrition from recently-diseased (minutes-old) flesh.

 

 

 

The Primary Rule

 

Never, ever, ever break character whilst playing a Zombie.  Unless the game is halted because of a safety call, stay in character whenever you think players might be around.  Don't moan "Brains" at players.  Don't say "Yum!" when you swarm over them on the floor.  Neither of those things are big or clever.  If a player is causing trouble, retreat/corpse and inform your nearest Zombie GM.

 

 

 

Speed

 

Zombies have three speeds.

 

Wander - Used when there are no sources of stimuli in the area (see below for stimuli rules).  Imagine you were walking through a shop and in no particular hurry - that sort of speed.

 

Stagger - Used when there are dubious sources of stimuli in the area.  Imagine you were in town and you see someone you're not particularly keen on seeing, but they've seen you, and they're waving, and you have to go and say hello. 

 

Hunt - Used when in the presence of high-level stimuli.  Imagine you see someone across the street that you haven't seen in years, and you really want to shake their hand.  About that fast, but not as friendly.

Stimuli

 

The virus only manages to handle the simplest input of stimuli through its host’s ravaged CNS.  Zombie crew have almost no initiative, instead relying on the following chart.

 

1) If you see large amounts of movement (a character running in full view), full-speed Hunt at it until it’s dead.  Moan loudly to attract other zombies.

2) If you see small amounts of movement (a thrown object, a slow moving character, another zombie), Stagger towards it and investigate.  You need not moan.  Once it stops, return to Wander.  If it is a character, smell it, and then attack.

3) If you hear a noise, Hunt towards it.  Other Zombies moaning count as noise.  A gunshot overrules anything else you have heard or seen and that must be investigated, unless you are currently following step one.

4) If none of the above apply, Wander around in circles.

 

Visual stimuli counts for far more than audible stimuli.  A character may, therefore, throw an object over the heads of a Zombie group and sneak behind them, until they become disinterested in the bottle and look around again.

 

Attacking Players

 

As mentioned in the human rules, if you touch a survivor they take one level of damage.  Once you have touched them recoil for a couple of seconds as though you have been hit.  This represents the survivor pushing you away without going into the physical contact needed for that.  If you take a player down - you reduce them to zero health levels - try to interpose yourself between them and their teammates.  Do not step on them or grab them.

 

 

Zombie Damage

 

 

As a Zombie you are very hard to kill, seeing as you've been through the whole affair once before and treat it with a jaded and typically undead resilience.  The following rules determine how you react to enemy attacks.

 

(a note to players - there is no need to make calls, i.e. shout "Chest" when you hit a Zombie in the chest.  They are fully aware)

 

Critical Shot – A critical shot is a shot to the chest.  This puts a you down – they fall to the floor – and you must stay down for six seconds.  After this, get up and act as normal.

 

Flesh Wound – A zombie hit anywhere else on their body is slowed, but not severely inconvenienced.  If hit in the stomach, a zombie doubles up for three seconds and then continues.  If hit in the arm, the zombie staggers back under the impact (for three seconds) and then recovers.  If hit in the leg, the zombie goes down on one or two knees for – you guessed it – three seconds, before standing up once more.

 

Melee Attack – Melee weapons work in an unusual fashion.  Depending on the amount of time a player takes to hit you, i.e. pretending that they have a fireaxe and not a short length of foam in the shape of one, the amount of damage varies.  Recoil for a couple of seconds from a quick jab, and fall over/stagger backwards from a decently-timed shouty two-handed overhead swing.  In addition, a melee weapon can pin you in place - if you're down and a player touches you with a weapon, stay down for as long as they maintain contact.

 

Destroyed - Some attacks can destroy you - i.e. stop you from moving outright.  If you are a) shot in the chest whilst on the floor recovering from a critical shot or b) hit with both barrels of a shotgun at once, hit the deck and die.  Whilst you are dead, you cannot move or act until the players have left the area.  At this point, get up as act as normal.

 

White Knights

 

 

White Knights are advanced forms of Zombie born from Occult power and various advanced scientific techniques.  If you are lucky enough to be playing a White Knight, you are given a melee weapon and complete autonomy of movement.  Your base instinct is to eat living beings, but you can do it through use of stealth, running, sneak attacks, etc.  You also use health levels - like a human character - although you have four health levels with Regeneration.  A character with Regeneration regains any lost health levels once it is out of Combat (as described under spell duration in the magic system).

 

The Rules

 

The Human Condition - Playing a Survivor 

 

- Get in Character - The Character Classes 

 

Bringing the Dead to Unlife - Playing a Zombie 

 

The Power of Gods and Demons - The Magic Rules

 

Play nice - The Unavoidable Safety Rules