Tears of Scarlet - The Endsville Extinction

[Xanatos]

No one knows why it happened… No one knows how it happened… But everyone knows when it happened… And everyone knows what had happened…

The first of them came in small groups that were easily gunned down and ignored… However, every once in a while, it would happen again… Another would be infected… Another would ignore it… Another city would fall…

These creatures… They looked so much like our loved ones… So much like our neighbors, our friends… It’s easy to kill them when they aren’t familiar… But how do we kill our children? Our spouses? Our parents? For lack of a better word, the government called them zombies…

2015… No one’s sure if this is the year or not, but it seemed as good a year to restart the calendar as any. In the wake of the government’s collapse, a manufacturing firm known as Jo-Jo Manufacturing began the construction of isolated towns to protect the remaining population from the cannibalistic hordes that threatened them. These isolated cities functioned under the law of the Jo-Jo security forces. These police forces were manned primarily be inhuman creatures, humanoid in nature but taller, stronger, and covered in fur. Stranger lizard creatures began to emerge from the sewers followed by other equally strange beings of inhuman origins.

The cities are now dark reflections of former civilization. Though they appear normal in nature… An ever present sense of impending doom looms over the city, though no one dare speak of it. Gangs rage in the streets, vying for control of the long mistreated slums. Martial law commands the land. Zombies tear at the walls, gates, and fences… No one speaks of the danger, no one speaks against the ever vigilant Jo-Jo… The city tries to pretend the world isn’t in disrepair, but in truth, this City is crying for a hero. A cry, that has since fallen on deaf ears…

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Welcome to Endsville. One of the many isolated cities located across what remains of the United States. As one of it's citizens you are constantly surrounded by reminders of the threats of gang war, martial law, and the undead menace that pounds at the city walls. Though you know this isn't the way life should be lived, you've had no reason to question it, or to raise your voice. Why should you? Your parents were silent, your peers are silent, the city is silent.

Large television screens blare the same constant propaganda. Jo-Jo Manufacturing is a name forever burned into your memory. These people, make constant promises to protect you. Just don't ask questions and don't resist them. The city has traded liberty for safety and has had no reason to give it a second thought. Death surrounds you, and life eludes you...

Do you continue to ignore the threats that surround you and stare at your feet? Or do you take action and free yourself from the hell that surrounds you... There's a darkness this city wants to ignore. Someone has to bring out the light, for better or worse.

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If you're interested in playing send me a PM so I can help you create your character and explain to you how the game will be played.

 

[Xanatos]

The Districts of Endsville

(I don't typically do this, but Kite had this pretty well organized before I got involved. I'll be using what he had written for the specifics of the city.)

Endsville is a megalopolis, capable of containing, well, a LOT of people, so naturally, there are multiple business and living districts, as well as a small, highly guarded area dedicated to providing energy to the massive city. Each district, excepting the obvious, possess schools, asylums, and prisons, as well as firehouses, police stations, cemetaries, and so on.

High-Class Res District - Much like a suburb, this district is filled with houses that can be bought or rented. They usually range in size from 3 to 5 bedrooms, and are comfortable and secure at the least. This area is well guarded, having security cars pass through often. Security is included in regular bills, such as utilities. This district also plays host to some mansions, which are usually owned by JoJo officials. Yard space is low, but any lawn areas are required to be manicured properly.

City Res District - This district contains living quarters for the average citizen. These quarters are usually 1 or 2 bedroom apartment buildings stacked many stories high. Rent must be paid on time, or your belongings will be promptly removed to make space for a citizen who has the money. These types of buildings range in comfort, price and security, though there is always a doorman and security clearance to enter a building.

Slum District - This area is very low in comfort and non-existent in security. Rent is paid weekly, rather than monthly, and each slumlord has a small group of thugs willing to evict you at a moment's notice, forcefully or otherwise. This area is crawling with gangs, and crimes in broad daylight are common. Drugs and few illegal weapons are easy to find here, even during daylight hours. However, nighttime is total chaos. Gangs patrol the streets of this district, looking for stragglers that should have followed the curfew. Murderers and rapists find their home in this district, so unwary people who stray here often disappear with little more than a bloodstain left where they stood.

Red Light District - Gentlemens' clubs, "Massage parlors", private investigation firms, private security firms, small casinos and less than legal shops are commonly found in this district. Here, money equals power, and the creature with the most men and cash wins. Organized crime has a strong presence in this district, and human trafficking is a strong part of its economy. This is the place where people disappear without a trace, and rather than sleep with the fishes in a bay somewhere, you're more likely to be hobbling with the zombies on the other side of the wall.

Farming District - This district is reserved solely for farming and livestock, and is surrounded by a tall, strong steel fence topped with razorwire. Regular citizens aren't allowed to enter without permission of the local farmers or cattle herders. This section is watched 24/7 by guards and CCTV, due to how vital this area is. This district is beautifully green, with expanses of orchards, grasslands, and tall fields of corn, as well as other fruits and vegetables. Trespassers are usually shot on sight. If one happens to be caught instead of shot, they are immediate reported and arrested.

Energy District - Only large power plants reside in this district. Anyone without proper clearance is immediately detained by JoJo's special guard. If you happen to get close enough to see anyone, they are usually either holding a rifle or a clipboard. This area is more heavily guarded than the Farming District, and is surrounded by two tall and heavily fortified walls, an outer partition and an inner partition. The tops of the walls are regularly patrolled by JoJo's special guard, and have permission to shoot anyone who seems to be involved in suspicious activity in or around the Energy District.

Endsville Central - This is where JoJo Manufacturing's headquarters resides. It is the tallest building in the city, and is heavily guarded by a constant presence of JoJo's own personal guard. Employees are rarely seen entering and exiting the building, and a common citizen couldn't tell you what was inside. Despite the shadiness of JoJo, they provide welfare for a great many looking to pick themselves up. The welfare system that JoJo provides is non-exploitable, and people looking to get a free ride usually end up in the slums.

The Wall - The massive walls that surround the megalopolis of Endsville aren't your run-of-the-mill concrete walls. These walls are built with battle and defense in mind. Layers of steel, concrete, and smooth, polished ceramic many yards thick are what The Wall is consisted of. JoJo's own specially trained wall guards defend the city from zombie invasion. Small groups of two to three guards patrol sections of The Wall, and areas that aren't capable of being watched by a normal guard are ogled by the unblinking eye of CCTV, which is carefully monitored by attentive guards.

Patrols are instructed not to fire at the horde below unless it poses a threat to the wall itself, so that corpses do not pile up and create a ramp for the nigh endless horde. The Wall itself is about as wide, if not wider, than a highway, so it is easy for vehicles to move freely and safely on the wall, thus making it easier to transport guards and heavy artillery, should the need arise.

Citizens are strictly forbidden from entering the inner hallways or the top of The Wall. Depending on a trespasser's intent, guards have permission to simply toss them over into the outside, rather than waste ammo on them. Unique clearance is required for gaining access to the wall, and those without it are immediately detained. Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) that move excess citizens from one city to another enter and exit through partitions located at the significant directions (N, S, E, W), and must enter a special bay after the partitioned area has been cleared of infected. The special bay is located inside The Wall, and is capable of immediate incineration if it is compromised. This bay is dedicated to disinfecting the outside of the APC, as well as inspecting the inside of the APC, checking passengers for infection and contraband, and separate areas for detaining infected passengers and smugglers.

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Before someone asks a stupid question such as; "Y U NO KITE!?" Kite AND I created this Setting a few years ago for the purpose of D20 Modern gaming and the eventual writing of a book series. As such, I have just as many rights to the project as he.

What I hope to create is a darker, grittier, sexier Tears of Scarlet than has existed in past reproductions. Welcome to Tears of Scarlet through the eyes of the Xan-Man.

 

[Xanatos]

The game will be using a simple system called Leaping Literature. Based on Risus: The Anything RPG. An example of play goes like this. Basically you give me a description of your actions in regards to the situation I set before you and I make a dice roll to determine whether or not you succeed. The roll is modified by your character's skill and your ability to describe your action. So the more literate you are the better.


GM: As you begin to move down the corridoor, the ground beneath you quakes as a loud explosion can be heard from behind. Looking behind you, you can see the corridoor is quickly being consumed by flame.

Player: Realizing that to stay would be suicide, Atroku began sprinting down the hall away from the flames.

GM: As you run, the flooring before you gives out and reveals a drop several floors down. About half way across the gap a fire escape ladder is visible, but it's too far to jump to from here.

Player: Without pausing to weigh his options, Atroku relied on his base instinct. Leaping to the wall on the left side of the freshly made chasm, Atroku made use of his athleticism to run along the wall... (Roll Result:10) and then leap across the chasm to the fire escape... (Roll Result: 3)

GM: You successfully ran the length of the chasm wall and leapt towards the fire escape, however, your were not fast enough to grip the ladder and begin falling deeper down into the building. Along the way you do see that several wires, and braces are protruding from the ruined cielings.

Player: Once again, relying on his reflexes, Atroku reached out to grab one of the exposed wires to use as a rope (Roll Result: 10), hoping to swing onto one of the exposed floors of the building.

GM: You successfully grab onto the wire, your momentum combined with the flexibility of the rope easily swing you within range of the exposed halls of the lower levels.

Player: Atroku released the rope as the floor came into view and tumbled to avoid hurting himself from impact. (Roll Result: 11)

GM: You successfully rolled into a save, crouching stance with ease. A few pieces of debris fall onto your shoulders as a result of the now dislodged wire.

Player: Atroku rose to his feet after a moment to catch his breath. He brushed the debris from his shoulder as if the task had been a mediocre one. He turned to look at the chasm he had fallen through before giving a small sigh. He proceeded down the hall to the room he knew Tesix would be waiting for him in. Entering the room, Atroku gave a mock salute before saying, "Sorry to keep you waiting, I had to take a detour."

 

[Kite Xiroh]

I'm in. My character is ready.