biccat wrote:If you've got Free Running (best skill to have), this means you can get into one of the Extremely Heavily barricaded buildings.

JohnnoM wrote:k, are you gonna join us in the mansion?

biccat wrote:For zombies: if you want to get revived, hang out in a graveyard or near a church.

April 4, 2012

I awoke on a cold steel gurney under fluorescent lights. For a moment, I thought I might have become one of the creatures. One of the zombies. It is hard for a man of science to use that term but a man of science must face the facts. And in the quarantined city of Malton, reanimation of the dead is an apparent fact.

I do not know how they smuggled me into the city although I would guess they have some influence with the military. Of course, the city's guardians in this case are less interested in keeping outsiders out than insiders in. What's one more death among the roll of millions? I doubt any substantial amount was spent on the necessary bribes.

In any event, I proceeded immediately to the primary target. My jaunt across half of Malton was both disappointingly and blessedly quiet. The streets were empty of life, though unlife stirred here and there. The ones I saw simply swayed back and forth, allowing me no significant observation to test my hypotheses. Yet I daresay I will encounter more than enough data before my tasks in this city are complete.

The target was not difficult for me to locate although I had been there only infrequently as a boy. How familiar was the piled block of that looming manor, the idiot vigilance of its cast iron gates and the dreary, blighted grounds beyond. Yes, it is ostensibly a ruin after weathering these long years of quarantine but I have no memory of it otherwise. To my child's eye, I suppose, the place had always been ghastly.

I thrilled to see rays, seemingly of electric light, stealing through what few crannies the occupants had left in their skillful barricades. For an instant, I envisioned the lord of the house, my uncle, peering out at me and it seemed that my mission would soon be accomplished. Foolishness. For one thing, anyone could presently be squatting in my family's estate. (I must train my mind not to assume the social niceties taken for granted outside of Malton.) For another, I realized that I had no means of entrance regarding these obviously thorough fortifications.

I appreciated of a sudden that my anxious constitutional down those awful boulevards had been terribly enervating and so employed what little vigor remained in finding relatively secure shelter in a warehouse adjoining the manor grounds. Surprisingly, sleep came quickly and I awoke refreshed at dawn. A little morning light did not assist the discovery of any useful implements or rather any that I would deign to wield. I cannot imagine swinging any length of pipe effectively, whether my fortunate victim be quick or dead. No, weapons of any kind will not aid my quest and might only serve to distract me.

I hurried from my erstwhile sanctuary and happened across another of them, also swaying and apparently oblivious. (Have they also need of rest?) I approached cautiously, circling behind the thing in case it bestirred itself, to within arm's reach. The smell was quite horrific, which struck me as odd given that decomposition seemed far from advanced. Indeed, the corpse displayed but a few obvious (yet superficial) wounds. Cause of death therefore must have been infection. Plucking up my meager courage, I extracted a sample from the grey-green, noisesome flesh and absconded.

Barred from entry to the primary target, I approached the secondary one. The bulk of my uncle's research will no doubt be hidden in the manor if it still exists at all but it stands to reason that he might have kept (or presently keeps; I must remind myself that I do not actually know his fate) some fragmentary notes in his offices at Coymer. Frustratingly, the museum is similarly barricaded although I perceived no other sign of occupancy.

I contented myself therefore with investigating the Cator Museum nearby. Perhaps uncle had shared some gleaning of his work with colleagues? If so, there is no trace to be found at Cator. I have discovered only mouldering tapestries here although there is enough light left in the day to pen these lines and puzzle over the DNA sample I obtained from the zombie. Strange how I still hesitate to put that word into writing, even having seen the things with my own eyes, even staring at the sample analysis.

But I am determined to face all of the facts. Indeed, as I am sure I will often have cause to remember, I myself chose this path.

Platuan4th wrote:Started a Necrotech named William Briar. Currently in Quarlesbank.

I'll head to Pitman to join up with the rest of the Dakkites heading there.

Manchu wrote:The unfortunately named Balchin Building was barricaded (not sure by how much) and powered as of about three hours ago.

Manchu wrote:The unfortunately named Balchin Building was barricaded (not sure by how much) and powered as of about three hours ago.

Spoiler:

Coolyo294 wrote:So my second character just got turned into a zombie... I'm really starting to get pissed at this game...