Fifty to Cincy — IC

[Scratcherclaw]

Lane puts his finger to his lips, eyes going wide as he spots the nearby horde. Shit. So much for them being alive, or friendly... Don't think they've seen us yet though. He looks to his companions, waiting for any wordless communication on how they want to handle this. Well, as long as I'm not the slowest runner here. But let's hope it won't come to that.

[Namelessjake]

Fuck, Nate thinks, his eyes going wide as the horde comes into view.

He points back up the road, before then pointing inland, trying to convey the idea of retreating and circling around the horde.

[Chanchabruhh]

Tane will nod towards nate looking at everyone else

[ratwizard]

Backing away from the guardrail, you plunge through the thicket once more toward the river. As you emerge, you immediately take notice of the two shapes on the bridge Lane had spotted, standing on a makeshift platform of parked cars. They appear to be standing at attention in your direction. One of the figures waves an arm in a wide arc, gesturing at you for a moment.

[Namelessjake]

"Well I guess they saw us," Nate says. "They seem friendly enough though. Might be a better way around that horde if we cross the river?"

[Scratcherclaw]

"Yeah, thank god," Lane whispers back, feeling some slight relief. "Make for the bridge then? Just gotta be quick and quiet."

[ratwizard]

As the four of you walk toward the bridge, you get a better look at it from below. Unremarkable and almost entirely concrete, it seems to connect road traffic from one end of this commercial center to the other. The dirt road alongside the river continues underneath the bridge, while a small trail leads up toward the raised street level and mouth of the bridge on your right. However, you notice that the immediate vicinity of the bridge appears to be blockaded off using a myriad of materials: chain-link fences, makeshift barricades held in place by parked cars, plywood sheets, and heaps of other small debris stacked and roped over. While not quite a military installation, it looks reasonably fortified against the risen dead.

Above you, the two figures stand watch as you approach: a woman wearing an expensive-looking down parka, a small semi-automatic rifle slung over a shoulder, and a man, arms crossed and frowning, the hood of athletic hoodie pulled over his head.

"Alright, that's close enough, my friends," the woman calls down once you're about twenty meters away. "What was all that back there? Dipping into the bushes? Good way to get us all overrun out here."

[Scratcherclaw]

"We were just trying to stay out of sight is all," Lane says back, grimacing that their attempts at stealth didn't go as planned. Guess it's good the zombies didn't see us if we were obvious to these people. "We saw you up there, but weren't sure if you were friendly... or even people. Our bad." He puts up his hands defensively, not wanting to antagonize any potential allies.

[Fialova]

"Looks like you guys got a nice perimeter set up," Woody responds, ignoring their question, letting Lane's answer suffice for now. "Guess you already knew those were over there, huh? How long you been holding this bridge? It keep those things out? They don't swim?" If they don't, then this is a real smart position. Unless they're just holing up on the bridge itself, then what? They'd be fucked if attacked from both sides. Hopefully they got some sorta bunker set up over there, maybe a safe zone we can travel through.

[Namelessjake]

Damn, they're tooled up. Good thing they're friendly, Nate thinks, noticing the group's weapons as they approach the bridge.

That's a lot of questions, the engineer thinks as Woody rattles through his list of queries.

"We're trying to get to the Safe Zone in the city, like the broadcast said to," he adds.

[ratwizard]

The woman nods impassively at Lane's explanation before turning to Woody.

"Kept them out so far and I intend to keep it that way. They don't swim, no," she calls down. "But they can still get across walking the bottom." She raises an eyebrow at Nate's mention of the Safe Zone. "That's a long walk through hell."

The other man mutters something to her.

"Right. There's a toll if you want to come through this way. And it sounds like you do. It's not steep, just food, or gear, or meds. What will it be today?"

[Scratcherclaw]

Mechanics

Any relevant signage on the bridge/location? Wis/Notice: [2d6]=7

[ratwizard]

Lane

Peering about the length of the traffic bridge for signage, you spot some canvas flags hanging along the streetlights showing "Welcome to Historic Loveland!" In addition, there are traffic signs indicating an entrance onto Highway 48 about a mile ahead from the far side of the bridge, across the water from you.

[Scratcherclaw]

Lane spots the sign in the distance and frowns. Damn, this close to being literal highway robbery. Ah well. He looks to his companions, curious if the rest are still interested in crossing. If a day of food can get all of us over, we might as well. Guess we'll see how greedy they are.

[Chanchabruhh]

Tane will look towards his group and back to the man waiting to see how the others go about it. Well i think water and food will be fine.. just got to be light on our feet and keep it pushing.

[Namelessjake]

Walking across the bottom of a freezing cold river? That's insane, but so is everything right now, Nate thinks, shrugging at the woman's mention of the walk to the safe zone.

"What else are we meant to do? Hole up on another bridge out here? He jokes in reply.

We don't have much to spare but crossing does avoid that horde, he considers, weighing up what could be parted with, looking at the others to see what they're thinking.

[ratwizard]

The woman with the rifle signals toward her companion, who disappears for a moment. He returns with a five gallon bucket, hanging it over the side and lowering it from a thick rope.

"Alright, load it up, each of you, and you can be on your way," she says, taking a moment to scan the horizons.

[Scratcherclaw]

Not like we have much of a choice. Glad I stocked up, Lane thinks, pulling off his backpack and taking out some of the foodstuffs he'd looted. He drops them into the bucket, looking toward the others impatiently.

Mechanics

Lose 1 days of scavenged food

[Namelessjake]

We should be able to find more food on the other side, Nate reassures himself, following Lane's lead and depositing his supply of food in the bucket.

Mechanics

Lose 1 days worth of scavenged food

[Chanchabruhh]

Tāne will look through his bag and let out a small sigh before looking towards the bucket 

“well it would seem I do not have any scavenged food, really anything worth to put into the Bucket Is there anything I can do to accommodate for it?”

[ratwizard]

"No payment, no entry," the woman calls down to Tane, her voice matter-of-fact.

[Chanchabruhh]

“ is there anything you need found or anyone I could do as a favor as my payment?

[ratwizard]

The woman with the rifle pauses, staring down at you for a moment, seeming to size you each up.

"Actually, yeah, there is," the woman calls down. "We lost the West End two days ago," she says, pointing toward the commercial district on the side of the river you're on. "A friend of ours who ran the golf store down the road never turned back up. If you can find him — alive or otherwise — we can call it square. For all of you."

The other sentry spins toward her, speaking too softly to quite make out the words — though his tone is stilted with concern.

The woman puts a hand up dismissively. "I have to know, Peter." She looks back down at the four of you. "What do you say?"

[Namelessjake]

Jesus, there's packing light and then there's this. What was he planning on eating? Nate wonders incredulously.

He shrugs at the suggestion of searching for the missing man. "If we're quick and quiet it shouldn't be too risky. And hanging on to our food isn't a bad idea," he says, beginning to take his contribution out of the bucket and stow in back in his backpack.

Mechanics

Gain 1 days worth of scavenged food

[Fialova]

"Fine, that works for me," Woody responds. Not keen to give up any of this food anyway. But how the fuck does that guy not have anything on him to pay the toll? Did he not snag some food before we left that house?

[Chanchabruhh]

"Sounds good to me ill keep a eye out."

[Scratcherclaw]

Lane's eyes move between Tane and his duffel bag in bewilderment, mouth agape. Is there like... a hole in that bag or something? The fuck? He sighs, taking his food back from the bucket and stowing it again. "Sure thing," the firefighter says through gritted teeth, sympathetic to the woman but frustrated at having to risk their lives.

"What's this friend of yours look like? Name? Identifying features?" Who knows if this guy's even still alive, after all. He might be a part of that horde by now.

Mechanics

Regain 1 day of scavenged food

[ratwizard]

As you take your supplies back from the bucket, the quiet sentry begins pulling the rope back up, fist by fist.

The woman with the rifle nods at Lane. "His name's Farhan. He's Arab. Uh, pretty tall. Balding, with a short beard." She reaches into a pocket of her down parka, pulling out a phone.

"Any of you got an iPhone? I'll just um," she says, pausing to frown as she thumbs through. "I'll just AirDrop a photo. It's from last February but he was wearing the same getup when he went out there to check on his shop."

Lane, and anyone looking over his shoulder

Should Lane accept, a cropped photo will come through. A handsome, smiling man looks up at you, an arm around the shoulder of somebody out of frame. He looks to be in his 40s and is wearing a considerably-worn Bengals bomber jacket.

"He owns Dodger Run," the woman continues. "Golf shop, about two blocks in. You can't miss it."

[Scratcherclaw]

"Got it," Lane responds, studying the photo and showing it around to his companions. Least the bright orange should be a dead giveaway from a distance. Not a bad looking dude though. "We'll try and find him then." He looks to the others, giving a look that says "ready?"

[Namelessjake]

"Let's go," Nate says. "We should cut across the roads quickly and try to use the buildings for cover," he suggests.

[Fialova]

"Yep, good plan." Alright, get in, find our target, get back out all in one piece. Done this several times already in Iraq, shouldn't be any harder here. Though who knows if these guys have what it takes to get into the thick of it if things go south.

[ratwizard]

The woman gives you a final nod as you take off, climbing a footpath up a slight hill to your right that seems to lead up toward the West End. You pass by a minuscule park, naught but a few benches with placards showing donor dedications and a pair of planters full of ice and rotten mulch. You reach the top of the hill, finally on level with the bridge, finding yourself in the end of an alley. Immediately to your left is the main avenue, however the bridgekeepers' plethora of improvised barricades bar your entry and much of your view.

The West End itself appears to be a middle-class shopping center from the little you can see of it, the avenue flanked with two- and three-story buildings. You are at the rear of one such building — brick, and somewhat modern — a single unmarked door serving the alley you're in. Further down the alley you spot a pair of wrecked cars, thoroughly burned out.

OOC

You know that the golf shop is on the main avenue, about two blocks down.

Shitty Paint Sketch

[Namelessjake]

"Over those wrecked cars?" Nate suggests, pointing down the alleyway. "Sticking close to, but staying out of, the buildings seems like the best move," he adds.

[Scratcherclaw]

"Yeah," Lane says with a frown, wincing at the sight in front of them. God, this is real. This isn't just some movie. Even if it looks straight out of one. "Just keep an eye out, and maybe don't get too close to that door. Who the fuck knows what's inside?"

[ratwizard]

You make for the wrecked cars. They look to have collided before the fire from one seemingly torched the other. The crumpled bumpers have even fused together in places. As you approach, you get a better look beyond wreck. The alley continues behind another few buildings before it ends at a cross-street.

At your approach, you catch movement. A decaying corpse missing half a leg thrashes with wordless grunts, its hoodie momentarily caught on the tow hitch of one of the wrecks. Its eyes are like white globes of fog — inhuman and pupil-less — and yet inexplicably, you can feel the hungering gaze upon you. The effort seem to catch the attention of another horror, a couple buildings down near the other end of the alley. This other is no half-ruined corpse — instead it takes jerking yet complete steps with plodding certainty in your direction.

OOC

As most zombies are slower-moving than an able-bodied human, I will not always begin dangerous scenes with formal initiative order. It is assumed that (unless surrounded, injured, or otherwise limited in your movement) you can generally escape from a typical pursuer.

However, lingering too long in an area, or drawing the attention of many zombies (especially a Horde) will result in entering formal initiative order. Obviously, directly engaging zombies will, too.

[Namelessjake]

"Through the building then? Or the devil we know?" Nate asks.

[Scratcherclaw]

"Or could walk up on top of that concrete wall? Would give us a better view of the area too," Lane says under his breath, eyeing the zombie shambling toward them ahead. Don't wanna draw even more attention toward us. Thank god it's only the one. "Then maybe we can break line of sight somewhere and they'll give up."

 

[ratwizard]

OOC

The cinder-block wall spanning the right side of the alley runs almost all the way to the cross-street where the alley ends.

It looks about 8 or 9 feet tall. Climbing on top of it will require a DC 6 Dex or Str/Exert check.

[Namelessjake]

"We could, it's pretty tall though," Nate says.

[Chanchabruhh]

Tāne looks to the cinder-block wall then looks back to the group

"Yeah but I'm down to climb it if you guys are." 

[Scratcherclaw]

"It's not that bad. Just feel around for footholds and stuff," Lane says, scaling up the cinderblock wall with ease. He looks down from the top, shrugging. "See?"

Mechanics

Str/Exert: [2d6+2]=11+2=13

[Namelessjake]

Following Lane's lead, Nate jumps up to catch the top of the wall, attempting to pull himself up the wall. He struggles with the extra weight of his backpack, but after a few moments he is able to swing a leg up and over the wall, joining Lane atop it.

"Ok that wasn't too bad," he says. waiting for the others to follow suit.

Mechanics

Str/Exert : [2d6-1]=8-1=7

[Fialova]

"Yeah, climbing and avoiding the hostiles all-together is smart, good thinking," Woody replies, as he makes his way after the others towards the wall. "Don't see one of those shamblers managing that, at least not in enough time to get us if we're fleeing." Just gotta keep our balance, we got this.

Mechanics

Dex/Exert: [2d6]=7

[Chanchabruhh]

Yeah i can't be the only one to not make it up I've got a decent upper body from my workouts

Mechanics

 Str climb[2d6+1]=5+1=6

[ratwizard]

The four of you reach for the wall of the alley. Lane's service training proves useful as he scales it with ease — the less-graceful Nate and Woody scrambling after. Tane loses his footing toward the top, and he tumbles back from the cinder blocks to the asphalt with a clatter that echoes off the concrete around you. The former security guard is able to shift his weight to avoid injury, though the fall leaves him sprawled out momentarily.

A tearing sound comes from the decaying corpse as its caught hoodie rips free from the tow hitch, and it begins to crawl toward you, ruined legs dragging behind. Just past the wreck, the better-preserved corpse lumbers closer. A muffled groaning emanates from its slack jaw as it picks up speed toward you. Deeper into the alley, another horror stumbles in from around the corner of a building — this one presumably drawn by the sounds. With dragging legs or lurching steps, all three descend upon your position.

Mechanics

Everyone, roll initiative!

[Namelessjake]

"Shit! Get up here quick!" Nate says to Tane as the undead down the alleyway begin to draw closer.

Mechanics

Initiative: [1d8]=3

[Scratcherclaw]

Of course, Lane thinks, watching Tane's footing slip along the concrete surface. He grimaces, spotting the mangled zombie finally free itself and begin to approach. "Just take a deep breath and try again," he coaches, hoping growing nerves don't cause another slip.

Mechanics

Init: [1d8]=8

[Fialova]

"Second time's the charm, come on, man," Woody says, as he watches Tane's failed climb, and the approaching zombies. Too much to ask for things to just go smoothly here? Damn.

Mechanics

Initiative: [1d8+1]=2+1=3

[Chanchabruhh]

Tane looks down the alley and sees the zombies then looks back up to the group "Yeah I'm trying"

Mechanics

 Initiative: [1d8+1]=7+1=8

[ratwizard]

Go: Lane & Tane

The former security guard manages to come to his senses quicker than the approaching dead.

Mechanics

Tane falls prone.

Nobody is currently engaged in melee but Walker 1 and Shambler 1 can reach Tane on their next turn.

Map

Status