Of course the world ends. It happens quickly, faster than anyone could predict. The Red Plague hits a world already on the brink of collapse. Extreme climate change, global economic crisis, increasing conflict between old and new superpowers. When the pandemic comes, the last thin veneer of stability crumbles.
One billion people die in the first year. Utter panic reigns supreme, solidarity between nations is non-existent. Wars break out over the last, dwindling resources of the world. For the first time since 1945 nuclear weapons are used in armed conflict. Mushroom clouds rise from east to west. Everyone tries to save themselves. The rich and powerful start monumental projects to escape the surface of the dying Earth: going deep underground, to the bottom of the oceans, into the cold darkness of space. The seats in these final lifeboats for mankind are desperately few. For most of the world’s inhabitants, there is no way out.
Once it’s all over, Earth is still. Nature invades ruined cities. Winds sweep through empty streets turned into graveyards. Time gnaws the windows off skyscrapers, panes falling to the ground in a slow rain of glass.
Yet life remains. Slivers of humanity survive the Apocalypse. In the Ark, a small settlement at the edge of a dead city, the People live. You are the spawn of humanity, but not quite human. You are twisted funhouse images, mutated freaks. Your bodies and minds have incredible powers, but you are unstable. Fragile. None of the People are over 30 years old.
Except the Elder. Your leader, but not like you. One of the Ancients. For decades he has warned you: be on your guard, don’t leave the Ark. Stay here, or the Rot will get you. Or something even worse. So far, you have obeyed his commands. Lived off rations from the Old Age. Chased off every stranger who came close to the Ark. Few dared to go out into the Zone. That is what the Elder calls the outside world.
But the safe days are over. Food is running scarce, and the fight for what’s left is turning violent. You starve. Factions are forming, bosses on top and grunts at the bottom. In the middle, fixers who try to turn a profit from anyone and everyone. And the Elder can’t stand up on his own anymore. They say he can’t even take a piss without help. You’re on your own now.
It’s time to venture out. To explore the Zone, to search for artifacts and knowledge. Build, grow the land, seek out others, create a new civilization on the ruins of the old one. Seek your origin. No children are born to the People – if you do nothing, you will perish. Maybe, one day, you will find the Eden of legend, the Ancients’ haven from the encroaching hellscape. That’s where salvation and truth await, the stories say.
Maybe it’s all fairy tales. It doesn’t matter. You have no choice. This is the beginning.
This is Year Zero.
***
Session 1: The People at the End of Time
***
The Bosses have called the People together in the Ark's assembly room. Rows and rows of worn and threadbare chairs face a large stage of warped and rotting wood upon which the Bosses stand. The Elder says this room used to be a "theater," a place where the Ancients would put on shows to entertain one another. Such frivolity seems laughable compared to the perils of day-to-day life in the Dawnworld.
The Ark has three bosses. There's Boss Marlotte, who most of you are on good terms with. She genuinely seems interested in the well-being of the People. Boss Johammed is a drunken a&+!*~# whose occasional flashes of brilliant insight allow him to keep his power. And Boss Oscartian is a bureaucrat, a low-key leader who preaches maintaining the status quo by following the rules of the commandments of the Elder.
The food supply of the Ark is decent enough. Starvation still isn’t far away, but the People have enough grub to cover their day to day needs – as long as the harvest or the hunt isn’t threatened. However, the People are severely lacking in cultural expression and the understanding of technology, and the Ark itself is totally defenseless against enemies from the outside.
After outlining these points, the Bosses open up discussion to the gathered Assembly as the People decide which projects to work on...
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Koko crouches on the edge of one of the seats, arms wrapped around too-long legs. She doesn't like Assemblies. All the People crowded together in one place with no place to run if things go sour. (Not that they should. Assemblies were a sacred tradition created by the Elder. Even as diminished as he was these days, the People respected him too much to break that tradition.)
She doesn't usually speak up during these things, but this time she voices a few concerns during a lull in the noise. "Last trip inta the Zone I didn't get far 'fore seein' a bunch of Zone-Ghouls. Never seen a group that big that close before. Think maybe they're runnin' out of grub, same as everything else, and movin' around to find more of it." She rubs her hands together nervously. "If'n they come this way we don't have much to stop 'em. Zone-Ghouls ain't the worst things out there neither. "
"We got a decent supply of grub now." Her lip involuntarily curls as she catches sight of Johammed, whose brilliance is the reason for said supply but who also treats (Eriel) his Grunts like s%$$. "We need to defend it. Get some barricades or something. Otherwise they could walk right up the ramps and be in our stockpiles 'fore we could say scat."
More than likely, it was in this very theatre where Ardor first learned of "The Beautiful" from the Old Age. Pages with images of unmutated Ancients wearing wondrous clothing, or not in some cases, and showing unblemished skin like his ... he always had a sense of awe when he was in this room. "I agree with Miss Koko on this, but I also know that we must begin to venerate who we are and who we came from: there is a great deal that we can achieve if we begin working on a Temple to our ancesters, prior to putting together a museum about the Old Age. We need to build ourselves as a People so that what we defend truly matters."
Listening to what the others are saying, Ford mulls over his thoughts before he raises his hand to speak.
"I do agree that we need to defend ourselves, and building a Temple might help bring us all together, but before all that I think we really need to ensure our food supply. I know we seem to have enough in storage right now, but one bad season or unexpected emergency and we could be facing starvation. For these reasons, I think we should work on our food production."
After some more debate, the People agree to begin work on the three projects that you proposed.
***
The next day, the common areas of the Ark are bustling with activity. Near the hatches leading in and out of the beached cruise ship, Boss Oscariot makes plans with some of the enforcers to start building barricades. Across the way, Boss Johammed's Grunts have cleared away a large swath of empty ground where you hope to build the cropland. And in one of the ship's run-down lounges, Boss Marlotte confers with the Ark's Chroniclers on how best to create the temple.
It is a hot summer day. The sun beats down relentlessly from high in the hazy sky...
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Ford heads out with a crew of workers to look over the cleared space and make any improvements he can think of to their new fields.
Base Dice (Wits):
Skill:
Tool: ??
Push Rolls
Base Dice (Wits):
Skill: 1 success
Tool: ??
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Koko packs up for another trip into the Zone. A short one this time, just to see if the Zone-Ghouls are still where she last saw them. Knowing where the monsters will come from will help them plan out the barricades.
Unfortunately she's not able to find the Zone-Ghouls. Defeated, she heads back towards the Ark.
Ford pushes himself to help out with the crops, wracking his brain to try to comprehend the instructions Boss Johammed barks. It ends up causing him to become slightly bewildered, but he does make a bit of progress towards completing the project.
Koko doesn't find any ghouls on her short trip into the Zone. On the way back to the Ark, though, she comes upon a strange sight--a man lies on a beach near the Ark, shivering with hypothermia. He wears a worn coverall with strange markings on it, and he appears to be slightly delirious as he reaches out a hand for help...
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Koko slows down as she spots the man, eyes darting around the area. He could be luring her into an ambush. Strangers were tricky like that. It's why the Elder never let any of them into the Ark. She doesn't see anyone else though, just one pitiful guy begging for help.
He's not one of the People. She doesn't owe him anything. However she's also not entirely heartless, and so with a sigh she resigns herself to her fate. "Uh, hey there. If those clothes are wet ya need to get them off; they're doin' more harm than good." She takes off her own jacket for the stranger to use as a temporary blanket and starts looking around for shelter, something to build a fire, anything to get him warmed up.
"Th-thank you," the man says, pulling the jacket around himself. Koko is able to find enough broken wood and debris around to get a small fire going. The man huddles by the flickering flames, a worried look on his face.
Still reeling from the attempt to help with the creation of new croplands, Ford wanders the encampment still slightly bewildered and not quite feeling himself.
Koko doesn't do small talk. Or talk at all, really. Sometimes to Eriel sure, (or, more recently, Ford and Blaze), but not to many other people. (Not that many other people want to talk to Stalkers anyway.) However the silence is extremely uncomfortable and she's kind of stuck here until the stranger's clothes dry. Unless she wants to demand her jacket back before then, but again, she's not totally heartless.
"Didya fall off a boat or somethin'? You musta been in the water a real long time." It's the only explanation she can think of for how he ended up wet and cold on a hot summer's day. "You're, uh, safe now. I guess? This area ain't too bad. Got a few Zone-Ghouls but not much else." She shifts uncomfortably from foot to foot. "I ain't mapped out too much of the area but if you tell me where you're from I'll see if I recognize it. Point ya in the right direction."
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Blaze is able to help Marlotte and the chronicles make some progress on the temple project he proposed. "Nice work, kid," Marlotte says, clapping Blaze on the shoulder. She is a scarred woman with buzz-cut hair, but her eyes are warm. "There's still a long way to go, but it's a good start. Why don't you come to my cabin for a bit? I have grub and booze."
Meanwhile, the Enforcer Elon finds Ford as he wanders aimlessly through the Ark. Elon is short and stocky, wearing patchwork scrap armor and brass knuckles. He gives Ford a concerned look. "Hey, Ford, what's up? You look a little lost. Anything I can do for you?"
***
"I am sorry. I... I don't remember what happened to me," the man says. He speaks with a strange, foreign accent that Koko has never heard before. "I can't even remember who I am. All I remember is being in the water... And then you found me."
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"Oh. That's weird." Well s$+~. If he doesn't remember where he came from that means he doesn't have anywhere to go. Strangers weren't allowed on the Ark, but leaving him in the Zone like this was tantamount to killing him herself.
There's a saying Blaze once taught her from those magazines he's so fond of: this is way above her paygrade.
"Um. I guess you can come with me? See what the Elder thinks. Maybe he'll know somethin' about that outfit you're wearin'." Or, as is more likely these days, he'll be drooling into his soup and completely incoherent. "If'n we can't see him I'll try to introduce you to Boss Marlotte. She's..." Nice isn't the right word. "Fair. And she knows a lot of Chroniclers, so maybe they'll be able to figure somethin' out about where you came from."
The man nods and goes along with Koko. The pair make it back to the Ark shortly after nightfall. The mutants on watch break into a hubbub at the sight of the strange man, and before long, a crowd of people have gathered to gawk at the outsider.
Boss Marlotte pushes through the crowd to stare warily at the stranger. "Koko, who is this? Where did you find him? And why have you brought him here?"
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The center of attention. Exactly where Koko most hates to be. By the time Boss Marlotte comes out she's practically hiding behind the stranger. She has to take a step to the side in order to look the boss in the eyes. "Found him on a beach nearby, somehow freezing cold on a day like this. I figured I'd get him warmed up and send him on his way. He says he don't remember nothin' though. Not where he's from, not how he got cold, not even his own name. A man who don't remember nothin' ain't gonna survive in the Zone, and it seemed a shame leavin' him to die after I went to all the trouble of savin' him." She tries to give a casual shrug but ends up hunching her shoulders around her ears instead. "Those symbols on his clothes look weird so I thought a Chronicler here might recognize 'em. Or maybe even the Elder, if he's feelin' up to it. Help us figure out where he's from and how he got here."
Blaze has always been a good read of character, and he's concerned.
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Blaze gets the sense that the man is quite afraid and confused. It doesn't seem like he's planning any immediate betrayal.
Marlotte grunts. "Hmph. We don't usually make it a habit of bringing outsiders into the Ark. We've got enough grub for all of our People, but he is not of the People."
She peers closely at the man, who shies away from the intimidating Boss. "So, what kinda mutant are you, exactly? Can you spit acid? Drain energy? Kill people with your mind bullets?"
The man blinks. "I'm sorry, I... I don't understand. Mutant?"
"Yeah, mutant, like all of us!" Marlotte barks. "There ain't no pure humans alive anymore. Anybody who still survives in the Dawnworld has some sorta mutation. What's yours?"
"I... I don't think I have one," the man murmurs.
The gathered People gasp in shock! Could this actually be a surviving unmutated human?!?
Marlotte grunts. "Hmph. We don't usually make it a habit of bringing outsiders into the Ark. We've got enough grub for all of our People, but he is not of the People."
"If you wanna turn him away I won't argue. Just seemed a shame, like I said." Koko's tried to help but there's a limit to how far she's willing to stick out her neck for a stranger. Whether he lives or dies he is officially no longer Her Problem.
"Yeah, mutant, like all of us!" Marlotte barks. "There ain't no pure humans alive anymore. Anybody who still survives in the Dawnworld has some sorta mutation. What's yours?"
"I... I don't think I have one," the man murmurs.
"Maybe you just don't remember it?" Koko suggests. "Everyone's got a mutation but some of 'em are real subtle. Like bein' extra resistant to the Rot or somethin'." It's more plausible than him not having any mutation at all. "Still, if there's a chance he really don't have a mutation we should look into it, right? All the more reason to figure out where he came from."
Left unspoken is a hope too fragile to put into words. Could he be from Eden?
Marlotte grunts. "Hmph. We don't usually make it a habit of bringing outsiders into the Ark. We've got enough grub for all of our People, but he is not of the People.""If you wanna turn him away I won't argue. Just seemed a shame, like I said." Koko's tried to help but there's a limit to how far she's willing to stick out her neck for a stranger. Whether he lives or dies he is officially no longer Her Problem.
"Yeah, mutant, like all of us!" Marlotte barks. "There ain't no pure humans alive anymore. Anybody who still survives in the Dawnworld has some sorta mutation. What's yours?"
"I... I don't think I have one," the man murmurs.
"Maybe you just don't remember it?" Koko suggests. "Everyone's got a mutation but some of 'em are real subtle. Like bein' extra resistant to the Rot or somethin'." It's more plausible than him not having any mutation at all. "Still, if there's a chance he really don't have a mutation we should look into it, right? All the more reason to figure out where he came from."
Left unspoken is a hope too fragile to put into words. Could he be from Eden?
Um ... MY mutation was pretty subtle ... until it wasn't. Just seemed like anything I put into my mouth was cooked until it was edible, but like I said, we all know how that turned out. LOL and we can ask Jonats if we've forgotten. That said, I would in fact argue; I would argue that our guest become a Ward of the People. I would argue that he be brought before the Elder for additional evaluation. Lastly, I would argue that our ward be fed from the allocations assigned to the thieves Jonats & Kara."
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Boss Marlotte grunts. "Yeah. We gotta figure out what's going on with this guy. I'll take him into my custody for now. I'll make sure nothing happens to him until the Elder can take a look at him."
She snaps her fingers, and two of her burly enforcers move to escort the strange man away...