Outbreak Undead 2e Gamemaster's Guide

OUTBREAK: UNDEAD.. ZOMBIE SURVIVAL ROLE-PLAYING GAME GAMEMASTER’S GUIDE

SECOND EDITION
Written by: Christopher J. De La Rosa

AdditionalWriting: Alex Huilman, Jake Michels, Ivan Van Norman, Rob Dake, Jennifer Brozek

Illustrators: Anthony Jones, Kent Davis, Shar Tuiasoa, Pace Porter-Zasada, Lorena De La Rosa,
Christopher J. De La Rosa

Photographers: Brian MacElvaine, Anthony Altomare, Eric Anderson, Christopher J. De La Rosa

Models: Jessica Dru Johnson, Mason McDaniel, Hayden Gilbert, B. DaveWalters,Vince Caso,
Kai Norman, Noxweiller Berf, Gil Ramirez, Cassandra Sheade, Liz Forkin Kunert, Bryan Merlongi,
Lily Bais, Shawn Kelce, Alex Huilman, Christan Shelton, Leo Camacho, Brett Lynam,Trish Ladd,
Alex Bistrevsky, Alcuin Gersh, Doug Knox

Photo Compositing: Christopher J. De La Rosa

Graphic Design & Layout: Michal Cross, Christopher J. De La Rosa, Alex Huilman,
Nancy Nguyen

Editor: Nathan Pullan

Copyeditor: Ivan Van Norman

Marketing: Ivan Van Norman

RENEGADE GAME STUDIOS HUNTERS ENTERTAINMENT
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. BURBANK, CALIFORNIA
Manufacturer: 3727 Magnolia Boulevard #465
Renegade Games, LLC. Burbank, CA 91505
306N West El Norte Parkway #325,
Escondido CA 92026. www.outbreakundead.com
Importer: www.huntersentertainment.com
Renegade France
52 avenue Pierre Semard facebook.com/HuntersEntertainment facebook.com/outbreakundead
94200 Ivry sur Seine France @outbreakundead
P:+33 (0)1 77 37 60 47
www.renegadegames.com

facebook.com/PlayRGS
@PlayRenegade
@renegade_game_studios

All text and artwork in this book are © 2019 Hunters Entertainment LLC, All rights reserved.
© 2019 Renegade Game Studios, All rights reserved.

Puget Sound Map is in public domain, published in the U.S. before 1923 (1859)
and therefore public domain in the U.S.

Additional photography was obtained for compositions from stock libraries Shutterstock and
Adobe Stock or are other images labeled fair use or fair use with modification.

ISBN- 978-0-9998548-6-0

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Made in Shenzhen, China. ENTERTAINMENT

zombie survival role playing game

second edition

Contents

Warning............................................................................................................007 GAME RESOURCES......................... 058

WHAT IS OUTBREAK: UNDEAD..?.... 024 Survival Points................................................ 058

(Welcome to the Apocalypse).............................. 024 Resource Catalog............................................. 059
The Group..................................................... 024 Stronghold Economy......................................... 061
Establishing Boundaries in Gameplay..................... 028 Gestalt Levels and Gestalt Abilities........................ 062
Gamemaster Resources..................................... 031 Time............................................................ 066
Using the Real World........................................ 031 Competence Points.......................................... 067
Risk............................................................. 069
RUNNING GAMES .......................... 032 Stronghold Resources........................................ 071

Setting.......................................................... 032 ENVIRONMENTS............................. 072
The Campaign................................................ 032
Outbreak Level............................................... 033 Environmental Scale......................................... 072
Preparation.................................................... 034 Environmental Modifiers.................................... 073
Troubleshooting.............................................. 037 Environmental Conditions.................................. 074
Scenario Location............................................ 039 Biomes......................................................... 076
The Basics of Storytelling................................... 040 Biome Types................................................... 086
Gamemaster Tools............................................ 041 Locations....................................................... 104
Deploying Opponents....................................... 043
Using Encounters Narratively.............................. 045 MISSIONS AND OBJECTIVES...........114
Advanced Encounters........................................ 046
ResolvingWith Narration................................... 048 About Missions and Objectives............................ 115
Time and Timelines.......................................... 049 Mission Construction........................................ 116
Player Character Morale.................................... 054 The Mission Brief............................................. 118
Insanity......................................................... 057 Survival Missions............................................. 138
Medical Missions............................................. 146
Objectives..................................................... 152

In Between Sessions.......................................... 156

OPPONENTS.................................. 158

Outbreak Scenario and Opponents........................ 158
The One Big Monster (O.B.M.)........................... 159
The Living..................................................... 170
Beasts........................................................... 174
Health and Disease........................................... 180
Custom Viruses............................................... 185

THE STRONGHOLD GUIDE............... 186

What Is A Stronghold........................................ 186
The Stronghold............................................... 187
Stronghold Damage and Collapse.......................... 203
Marketplaces.................................................. 206
Contacts........................................................ 212
Governance and Unrest..................................... 220
Governments.................................................. 223
Civic Missions................................................. 224
Stronghold Supplies.......................................... 228
Stronghold Upgrade Missions.............................. 228
Power Upgrades.............................................. 235
Areas............................................................ 240
NPC Controlled Strongholds............................... 248

GAMEMASTER RESOURCES............. 250

The Grid....................................................... 250

INDEX............................................258

FOREWORD

Has it been ten years that I’ve known Ivan? Seems like only yesterday
we were both at Chapman University in Film Production. My first
memories of Ivan still embedded in my head was him spinning fire and
doing wild tricks that no mere mortal should be able to do. He was the
crazy-edgier side of nerdism, while I was the more withdrawn nerd, but
we both shared the same passions for storytelling. It was safe to say
we got along from the start.

As time went on Ivan and I left school and started creating our own
art, coincidentally both ‘zombie’ related. Our crossed paths time and
again when he came on We’re Alive to be the first voice of Skittles…
whom we strategically replaced later on to bring to the cast the voice
of a very prominent cartoon pig. Ivan was super awesome about us
being replaced, especially given the pig’s background. As years went
on we kept talking about how we might find a way to finally bring our
zombies together, since they seemed to play so nicely in the park. As
fate would have it, that opportunity came with the launch of We’re
Alive: Frontier, the RPG series from Geek and Sundry that placed live
play/characters in my world, using the game engine you now hold in
your hands. Ivan returned to the world as Colonel Yaksley, and will
now forever be part of the UA.

Behind every good fire-spinning-game-master-colonel, is a mastermind
of art and numbers. Christopher De La Rosa and I have not known each
other as long, but it was instantaneous kismet as we see eye to eye on
the technicalities and aspects of survival. He’s got things figured
out that I haven’t even considered, and probably the one that I would
seek out at the end of days.

For me, I love telling stories, but don’t like focusing on the
technicalities of everything, and Outbreak was simple for me to
understand. Too many variables can be overwhelming, and after a few
sessions and with the guide, it made it easier to focus on the story-
side, and let the dice do the hard work. Even in my own stories,
there’s a lot of math behind the storytelling. It’s the natural limit
that sets the boundaries of the world. Survival is a calculable risk.
How much food a human needs to survive, the rate of exhaustion when
completing an activity, or even the amount of time needed to ready a
weapon and utilize it while under pressure, are all aspects that can
be assigned a value. The creators of Outbreak Undead have already
taken all those aspects and made it so the players and game master can
focus on the most important part of RPGs: having fun.

kc Wayland

Creator, Head Writer “We’re Alive!”

Warning

This is a game of Survivor Horror. Contained in these pages are numerous ways to describe the end of the world, and
what people must do to endure that reality.This kind of ‘setting’ can create a lot of despair, anxiety, and terror. It can
also invoke hope, but often at great costs to the living.As a result, we wish to give you some ‘before you start’ advice.
Entertaining the idea of societal collapse because of a zombie outbreak comes with a sort of cheekiness that is hard
to take too seriously. Nevertheless, the elements of this game in particular invite a certain real psychological hazard
to the players.This is especially true of players that play themselves as characters.
Players that play themselves as characters are exposed to the idea of their own mortality and Outbreak: Undead.. has
always been a very lethal game for characters.
While “CreatingYourself as a Character” is a major feature of the game, we recommend you and your players do
not play themselves as characters if they could be uncomfortable with the thought of their own, potentially grisly,
demise.This warning also extends to GM’s using friends, family and even pets to occupy what would normally be
disposable side-characters or non-player characters in a role-playing game.
We say this with all seriousness because experience has shown this to not only reduce the joy of playing the game,
but also causes distress if not handled properly.
This is a zombie survival simulation, so the odds are already against you. It is not necessary to compound the player’s
distress further. It is also a game, and at the end of the day should be treated as such. If any lesson can be learned from
using realism in a game such as this, it is that even a disastrous result can be learned from and a player can potentially
garner some insight into a gap in their skillset or a personal flaw that could endanger themselves and others in a
survival situation. In this sense, it can be a vehicle for some personal growth if a player so chooses.
Regardless, please talk to your group about these potential hazards and set clear boundaries before character creation
as opposed to simply assuming the willingness of a player to go along with an avatar of themselves. It is perfectly
acceptable to have a mix of true avatars and fictional player characters in a setting.

Managing the Here and Now

An Outbreak: Undead.. Story
Jennifer Brozek

“‘Let’s do the Pacific Crest Trail early,’ you said. ‘Make everyone else
walk in our footsteps,’ you said. Most sane hikers wait until the spring mush and
mud is gone.” Jacob grumped and grumbled as he slid on yet another wet,
mossy rock. Thank goodness for sturdy hiking poles.

“Where’s the fun in that?” Ken called over his shoulder. “You want to live
forever?”
“Yes.” Only half-joking with the retort. “This is my second chance at life. One
heart attack is enough, thank you very much.”
Ken paused, all joking gone, his face serious. “You okay?”

The sudden concern stuck in Jacob’s craw. “If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t
complain.” You idiot was implied, but he didn’t have the breath to express it.
Yes, the heart attack sucked. Yes, it led to a series of small strokes that limited
his mobility—some, too much. Yes, he was at risk for another one. That’s why he
was living now.

As if reading his mind or maybe his face, Ken’s concern morphed into
snark once more. “Well, you did say go big or go home. The Pacific Crest Trail,
even part of it, is pretty big.”
“Yeah. But did we have to go off-trail to get more water? We
have plenty.”
Ken shrugged. “It’s not really off-trail. I mean, it is. But it’s a known off-
trail spot. To the point that there’s a bit of a trail here.” He pointed to the
thin line of worn ground.
Jacob shifted from his good leg to balance on both. “Is that a footprint?”
“Well spotted, Tenderfoot. We’re not the first people here.”
“So much for having others walk in our footsteps and avoiding humanity
altogether.”

“Meh.” Ken gestured down trail. “Maybe they’ll be less grumpy than you.”
Jacob waved his friend on with a shooing motion, knowing Ken watched and
waited for him to catch his breath. Four days out and the two of them had
become good at reading each other.

It’d taken all of six hours of Ken hovering for Jacob to have a blunt
conversation about his ability to hike and his energy levels. Six hours later,
Ken had turned that blunt talk back on Jacob about not pushing too hard. The
Pacific Crest Trail would be there waiting no matter how long it took them to
traverse the whole of Washington state from the North Cascades National Park
to the Cascade–Siskiyou National Monument. They’d come to an agreement: Ken
wouldn’t smother him and Jacob wouldn’t be stupid.
Ken stopped and put up a hand, cocking his head in a listening pose.
“What is it?” Jacob kept his voice low.
“People. Don’t sound happy. I think they’re in trouble.” He took off at a fast
pace, calling in a raised voice as he did. “Ho to the camp, is everything
alright? Ho to the camp!”

Startled, Jacob stood there and listened. There was quiet except for
the sound of Ken’s tromping. Then a babble of voices—at least two—erupted. He
couldn’t understand what they were saying. He hurried towards the commotion.

Around the bend was a clearing with a small waterfall, three people,
including Ken, and the most breathtaking view he’d seen in the last four days.
The clearing dropped away to the forested valley with a spectacular view of
snow-covered mountains, framed by cascading waterfalls, granite cliffs, and
misty clouds rushing by on the wind. Only the distress of the other two hikers,
both women, detracted from the scene.
Turning away from the view he’d come looking for when he decided to
do this hike, he listened to the jumbled conversation.
“… there was blood everywhere,” the first woman said.
“… it was completely ripped up. A bear, maybe,” the second woman continued.
“But no bodies. They might still be alive. We’ve got to call someone,” the first
woman concluded.

All four of them wore almost the exact same Pacific Northwest hiking
outfit: long-sleeved t-shirts, puffy vests, good hiking boots, and moveable,
breathable pants. The women had the addition of headbands to keep their
hair out of their faces. Jacob would have smiled at the thought if not for the
sober nature of their words. Death by mauling was no laughing matter.
Ken listened, nodding here and there as he split his attention between the
women and his cell phone. He was part of a volunteer search-and-rescue
organization. Jacob figured he was letting them get their initial shock out
before asking for pertinent information. In the meantime, Jacob dug for his
phone and turned it on. It was the sound of it booting up that drew everyone’s
attention to him.

Both women shifted backwards and closer together in an unconscious
realization of a potential threat, now that there were two men here. Jacob
waved. “I’m Jacob Backus. My competent friend is Ken Lo.” Jacob gave the cell
phone a deliberate look. “I’ll see if I have signal.”
The first woman nodded. “I’m Maria.” She pointed to her companion. “Willow.”
Ken shook his head. “No signal yet. We didn’t even bring a booster. We were
avoiding… everyone.” He waved his phone around watching the signal icon.
Jacob stayed where he was, watching his phone. “I missed the opening credits.
Uh, so… blood everywhere?”

“We were doing the same thing,” Willow said. A“ voiding people. But
we know about a couple of good off-trail spots and we found a destroyed
campsite. There’s blood everywhere, but no bodies. It looks fresh and is tacky
to the touch. The rips in the tent look like claw marks. We came up here to
try and call someone.”
Ken shook his head again. “No signal. You two willing to show us the
campsite? I do search-and-rescue.”
Maria and Willow glanced at each other. They had an entire “Should
we?” conversation in that look. Willow nodded. Maria gestured towards a set
of trees. “It’s this way.”
“No signal here, either.” Jacob put his phone away. He and Ken
exchanged a glance. It was a question. Jacob shrugged.
Ken nodded. “Okay. Let’s go see what we see.

#
The campsite was a disaster zone. The single tent had rents and
tears in it—a couple were smeared with blood. The cold fire had been
stomped through. Both the little chair and the cooler were overturned. Ken
hunkered down while Jacob bent over and picked up what looked to be a
mining helmet—complete with headlamp. Glancing around, he saw more mining
equipment: a small rock hammer, a hand pickaxe, and a scale.
Through it all, Maria and Willow stood to the side. “There was music
going. Not too loud. I turned it off. It creeped me out.” Maria pointed to a
Bluetooth speaker on its side. Next to it was a cell phone.
Jacob put the helmet down and checked the phone. No signal with
seven percent battery left. He turned it off and set it next to the speaker.
“I think I know what’s wrong with the campsite.” Willow frowned and hunkered down.

Maria mirrored her frown. “Besides the blood and evidence of a
struggle?”
Willow gestured to the dirt. “No bear tracks. When we first got here,
we were sure that’s what it was. But…” She let the word trail off.

Ken stood, brushing dirt from his hands. “Yeah. Whatever did this, it
wasn’t a bear.” He didn’t look at anyone. He peered to the side of the camp.

“There’s a lot of steps going to and from this way. Looks like two or three people,
I think.”

Jacob pointed at the mining helmet. “Here’s a clue. Maybe they found
something interesting and someone got upset.”
“He.” Maria held a wallet. “Wyatt Schmidt.” She flipped through it.
“Married. Father. One daughter.”
“Do you think he’s still alive?” Jacob looked among the three people standing
there.
“Maybe. I see fresh blood over there.” Ken pointed towards a bush. “I
gotta see if I can help. Jacob will come with me. The two of you can—”
“No way,” Maria interrupted. “If I don’t find out what happened now, I’ll
wonder about it for the rest of this hike… probably the rest of my life.”
Willow looked less sure, but didn’t say anything.
Ken gave Jacob a look. Another question.
“It’s dangerous to go alone…?” Jacob felt uneasy about the idea, but
Maria was right: if they didn’t find out what happened to “Wyatt Schmidt,”
he’d wonder about the man for the rest of his life. Part of him wished he

didn’t know the man’s name or that he’d had a family. Has, Jacob chided
himself, you don’t know he’s dead. He bent down and retrieved the hand
pickaxe. It was a good, makeshift weapon. Just in case.

Ken and Jacob led the way with Maria and Willow behind. All of them
silent as they tromped off-trail for real this time. Ken followed the footsteps
and blood. There was enough of both for Jacob, nascent trail master that he
was, to follow along, too.
The trail led to a hidden clearing full of a recent rockslide. Most of
the area was covered in downed trees, large rocks, and uneven piles of dirt.
In the middle of the rock face was a small but distinct mineshaft entryway.

They all stared at the opening in the side of the mountain.
“Whoa,” Jacob murmured. “Is it safe?”
“I think so.” Ken moved around the clearing and gazed up at the mountainside.
“That’s different.” Maria looked to her friend. “Did they mine these mountains?
Willow nodded. “Silver, mostly.”

“Makes sense,” Jacob said. “There’s a miner’s helmet at the camp and
some personal mining equipment. I think he found this place and was looking to
see if it was still viable.”
“How does that make sense?”
“There was a landslide. It opened up an old mine. Wyatt found it. Maybe found
something else important and got attacked for it.” Jacob shrugged his good shoulder.

“Doesn’t make sense.” Ken pointed to the edge of the entrance. “There’s
blood here. While there was sign of more than one person at the camp, there
was no sign of them camping. So, unless they were already in the cave… which
isn’t likely… I’m not sure this is where they came from.”
“Maybe they camped off-trail and you missed it.” Willow opened her
mouth to say more. She stopped at a sound from within the mineshaft.
She wasn’t the only one who heard it. Ken leaned his head in. “Hello? Hello!”
“Help…” The voice was soft and far away.
Ken sprang into action. He dropped his backpack then dug into it for
rappelling ropes. “Jacob, your gear.”

“What are you doing?” Jacob moved slower, beginning to understand what
his friend was preparing to do. “You can’t go in there alone. You have no idea
what shape the cave is in.”
Ken paused and looked at the women.
Maria shook her head. “I’m not splitting up from Willow.”
Willow nodded her agreement. “But we need to do something. I’ve got
spelunking experience. I’m a half-decent climber.”
“I’m not sure…” Jacob paused longer than he’d intended to. He didn’t
know how to end his sentence—unsure if he wanted to go cave diving in his
condition or unsure if he wanted to stay up here alone?
“It’s a mineshaft. Not a cave. It’s not spelunking.” Ken stuck his head into
the opening again and waved a flashlight around. “It’s pretty level and
secure, all things considered.”
“So, the four of us will go in?” Jacob had meant to make it a statement.
His uncertainty made it the question it was.
Ken looked at Willow and Maria who nodded. Both prepared for the

descent. They had ropes and head flashlights out before he said anything.
“Wyatt’s hurt. It’s gonna take more than one person to get him out. Two minimum.

Maybe more. Everyone is needed.”
“I…” Jacob stared at the ground. He was the weak link here and he

knew it.
Ken moved close to Jacob and lowered his voice. “You won’t have
to carry anything other than your pack and maybe an extra flashlight. I
remember…,” he gestured to the left side of Jacob’s body. “We’ll put you as
anchor. Manage the here and now. You’ve got this. It’s showtime.”
Jacob nodded, repeating. “I’ve got this.” He pulled out his flashlight, but
didn’t put the pickaxe away.
Ken raised his voice. “Me and Willow will be in front. Then Maria and
Jacob. Hopefully, he’s not down a shaft. But we’ll see.”
The four of them were silent as they got ready, linking together with
rope and carabiners. Ken borrowed Maria’s headlamp, allowing the two in the
front to keep their hands free.
“If it gets too dangerous, we turn back,” Willow said. Everyone nodded.
A“ greed. Let’s go.” Ken took the lead and moved into the exposed
m ineshaft.

The small entrance opened into an actual tunnel with support beams—half-
rotted, but standing and dotted with burned out lanterns. Most of the walls
were stone, shot through with a mixture of dirt and something that looked

like quartz. Some of it glistened as the moving lights struck it. Jacob couldn’t
tell if this was because there were reflective minerals in the walls or
because they were wet.
“Wyatt?” Ken called out. “I need you to make some noise. We’re coming to
get you.”
A low moan echoed in the darkness.
“That’s good, Wyatt. We’re coming. Just hold on.”

#
Two turns and a swerve later, they seemed no closer to the injured
man. His occasional moans echoed through the tunnels; sometimes so low, Jacob
almost couldn’t hear them. He felt them, though. They were the moans of a
man not quite giving up, but close. It was hard to tell in the pitch black,

illuminated only by wavering flashlights and punctuated by their steps on dirt
and stone. His grip on both the flashlight and his pickaxe grew tighter.

“Wyatt?” Ken’s voice, soft and uncertain, like he wasn’t sure why they were there.
“I think…” Willow’s voice matched Ken’s in softness. “I think we need to go

back to the beginning and grid it out. I—”
A chorus of moans erupted from around the corner and feet scuffed
against dirt. They appeared. Men, dirty and disheveled. In the dark, it
could’ve been six or sixty.
Ken stepped forward. A“ re you Wyatt? What happen? Holy Christ, man…”
Jacob also thought it was Wyatt with friends—all of whom had been hurt
based on the blood on their faces and grasping hands. His animal instinct
kicked in and he backpedalled even before he realized what was wrong.
They leapt upon their would-be rescuer—grabbing, holding, tearing, biting.
Ken screamed. Not manly grunts of pain, but full-throated cries of sudden

terror and agony. They dragged him to the ground, pulling the rest of the
hikers with him.
Willow dug her feet in and yanked backwards, trying to escape the
onslaught. As she was dragged forward under the force of Ken’s flails, she
pulled the utility knife from her belt and cut the rope tying them together.

Maria’s scream joined Ken’s as a creature—a dirty man—lurched forward
from a side tunnel they hadn’t realized was there and latched onto her
raised arm with both hands and teeth. She dropped the flashlight and beat

at the man with her free arm as he savaged her captured hand like a dog.
Jacob rushed forward and hit him in the head with the pickaxe; the sound
was like a melon hitting concrete from a distance. The hammer sunk in more
than it should have. He pulled the pickaxe from the man’s head, his stomach roiling.
Willow grabbed Maria. “Run!”
The next sixty seconds flashed in a series of panicked snapshots:
…The rope that had tied them together slid out of their carabiners,

freeing the women to run ahead without him.
…The light illuminated Ken, and the things that consumed him alive, long
enough for Jacob to be certain that while they were men, they were already dead.
…Willow was right. He had to run. He followed their panicked flight by
following their light.

…In less time than it takes to cross a street, they’d become lost in the
darkness and unfamiliar tunnels.

…The door they found had the word “Foreman” carved on it in crude letters.
…The room they found behind the door had a chair to wedge under

the doorknob, a table to push in front of the door, and no other way out.
Willow turned off her headlamp. She put a hand over Jacob’s flashlight
until he clicked it off. They stood there panting in the darkness, trying to
listen, to see if they’d been followed.
“They… Ken.... I couldn’t….” Jacob kept his voice low, but still didn’t admit
to what he’d seen. “I killed the one that attacked… attacked… her.” He couldn’t
remember the other woman’s name.
Willow turned from him and groped in the dark for Maria. “Where are you hurt?”
“My hand. It bit my hand. It ate my finger.”
Willow pulled her cell phone out and lowered its brightness until
everyone could see just enough within its scant light. She gave it to Maria
who held it in her good hand over the bleeding wound. The light shook and
danced, but it stayed centered on what Willow needed to see.
There was so much blood. It dripped out of her hand in a steady
stream. A growing puddle glinted in the phone’s light. Jacob saw white and

red in the wound. Part of her palm was missing, too. Was that bone? Feeling
faint, he sat hard as he watched Willow work with a practiced motion. The
bite mark was more of a tear in the flesh and blood continued to pour out of

it. The man, creature—zombie, his mind whispered even as he shook it away—
hadn’t bitten to hold. It was to feast like a starving, wild animal.
Even as the still bleeding wound disappeared under the gauze,
bandage, and wrap from Willow’s backpack, they all knew it was fatal. In any
other circumstance, it wouldn’t be. It would be a tragedy, a maiming, a war
story to beat all other war stories at the bar. Here and now, with the blood
loss, trauma shock, the unsanitary conditions… and the creatures keeping them

trapped, it would be the end of her.
“Don’t let me turn.” Maria’s hand holding the phone, shook as she spoke.
“I don’t want to be like that. Promise me.” Her eyes locked on Willow’s face as
her friend finished binding the wound.
Willow didn’t say anything as she stood and took a step back.

Jacob couldn’t stand the fear in Maria’s voice. “Don’t talk like that. You’ll
be fine.”

“No. I won’t.”
“You will.”

“It was a zombie. I won’t. I’ve seen every zombie flick out there. I know
what happens to those who get bitten.”
“Zombies don’t exist.” Even as he denied the facts in front of his face,
he knew he was wrong. He didn’t want to be wrong. He couldn’t be wrong. The
alternative was unthinkable.
They both looked at Willow who cleaned her hands with a wet wipe, the
alcohol scent of it filled the air. She was almost invisible in her phone’s light.
They waited to see which side of the debate she’d come down on.
The earth spoke for her. First, in a soft trembling. Then, in a couple of
hard jerks that finished with a muted roar to the side of them. Willow, the

only one who’d been standing, crouched and looked up as the room’s ceiling
showered them in a spray of dirt, dust, and small rocks.
“Landslide or earthquake. I have no idea if this has opened the mine
more or closed it again.” Willow tilted her head, listening. After a moment of
silence, she pulled an LED camp lantern from Maria’s pack and turned it on.

Maria turned Willow’s phone off and handed it to her friend.
The lantern light was so bright it seared Jacob’s brain. Dizziness and the
copper taste of impending vomit became the whole of his being. He clenched

his fists and tried to breathe through his nose to calm his roiling stomach,
but he couldn’t catch his breath. Tight pain traveled up the back of his neck
and down into his chest. Unrealized panic shifted from the outskirts of his
mind to the forefront of everything.
It wasn’t the light. It was another heart attack.
He slapped at his breast pockets where he kept his nitro pills, but his fingers
wouldn’t do their job. Grunts came in panted waves as the pain grew. He had

to get his pills.
Then Willow was there, pushing his hand away from his chest. She
unbuttoned his pocket. Helpless to do anything except ride through the pain,
dizziness, and nausea, Jacob watched the woman pop open the pill bottle, fish
out a tiny pill, and recap the bottle. With a practiced motion, she seized him

by the jaw in a way that opened his mouth then pushed the pill under his
tongue.
As the lifesaving pill dissolved, the nausea was replaced by a
fullness and his head pulsed in time with his rapidly beating heart. Jacob
breathed deep and worked to slow his gasps for air. As everything slowed
and returned to normal, two things revealed themselves: the infamous nitro
headache throbbed in a good pain—he was still alive—and his left hand
refused to unclench. “How?” he asked. His voice slurred and his tongue felt
too big for his mouth.
Maria answered as Willow returned his pill bottle to his pocket. “We’re
nurses. We know trauma.”
Willow examined his face. “Better?”
Jacob nodded his lie. He knew he’d never be better again. Even as he
regained control of his senses, he knew he’d had another stroke. A bad one
this time. He couldn’t feel much of his left side.
Willow stood, stuck her finger in her mouth, then held it up like an
absent minded professor pausing in mid-sentence. Moments clicked over and
over before she smiled. “Fresh air. There’s a breeze. We can get out of here.”
Maria shook her head. “I’ve been bitten. I’m going to die. I’m going to turn.
You’ve got to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Glancing over her shoulder, but not actually looking at her friend,
Willow said, “We’ll talk about that later. Right now, getting out of here is more
important.” She picked up the camp lantern and moved to the back of the cave.
Jacob saw Maria sweating in the dim light before it moved away. He
wanted to deny what he saw—the ashy tone to her skin, the dark circles in
the hollows of her eyes, and the bloody bandage wrapped around her hand.
Something about her made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. It
wasn’t just because she’d been hurt. Something told him that she was Infected
with a capital I.
She saw him looking. “Get out your lantern. Take a good look and tell me
zombies don’t exist.” Her tone was calm, pleasant even. All the while, everything
in her body posture screamed, I dare you, you coward!
One-handed, he pulled his backpack to him and did as she demanded. In the

light, there was no denying that Maria was sick. Sicker than she should’ve been
from a simple human bite; much less this rapidly. It was impossible, but there

it was in front of his face: Zombies exist. Maria has been bit. She’s dying.
She will die and turn into a zombie. Then she’ll turn on us. As he thought

the words in such naked language, something clicked over in his brain. The
realization must’ve showed on his face.
Maria nodded a smiled a tight-lipped smile. “Okay then. Maybe now
you’ll help me not become one of them.”
Willow returned without the lamp. She winced when she looked Maria
in the face. She turned to Jacob. “There’s a fissure. One I know I can fit into.
I have to widen the entrance from this side, but about five feet away, it looks
like it opens into another tunnel. Or a shaft. I’m not sure. I need your pickaxe.”
“You can have it.” Jacob still wasn’t sure if he could move, let alone help her
break rock. There was no way he was going to shimmy into a fissure then climb
up a mineshaft. This was his tomb, like it or not. The best he could do was help
Willow escape, save Maria from her fate, and die well.
There was a relief in accepting that the end had come. Death wasn’t here,
but it was walking up to the front door. He didn’t have to wonder when the next
heart attack would hit. It already had. All that was left were the details.

Maria struggled to her feet. It was painful to watch. She shrugged off
Willow’s steadying hand before staggering to the table in front of the door
and staring at it for a while.

“What are you doing?” Willow watched with horrified fascination.
“Making sure you have enough time to break open that fissure and get
out before the zombies break down this door.” Maria pulled and pushed on
the table until it fell to its side with enough noise to make them all twitch.
She pushed it until it wedged against the chair and the stone wall next to
the door. Panting, she half-collapsed to her knees and shifted herself until
she leaned up against the underside of the table. “Even when I go… my body

weight will hold the door. I’m gonna be like Hodor.” She chuckled to herself.
Willow shook her head, denying the words. “Maria…”
Maria put her finger to her lips then pointed over her head at the
door. In the long moment of silence, a low, distant moan erupted. “They’re
looking for us. As soon as you start breaking rocks, they’ll find us. You need all

the time you can get.”
Jacob raised a hand to Willow’s leg. “I’ll help you widen the crack as

much as I can. If you’re gonna escape, you need to work fast.” He could see
the denial all over her face. The unwillingness to let them both go. At least,

she was no longer denying her friend’s lethal condition.
The main question was whether or not he could help Willow out of this
room before either the zombies broke in or Maria turned.
“Come on. Let’s see what we can do.” When Willow turned away, Jacob
gave Maria a knowing nod. She nodded back. He struggled to his feet. It took
longer than he wanted it to and forced him to unhook and open one of his
hiking poles to help him succeed. Half-hopping, half-dragging his unfeeling
leg, he managed to get to the back of the cave. The makeshift office had
a pile of equipment that included a couple of rusty pickaxes, buckets, and
questionable rope.

Willow stared at the six inch gap in the wall, aiming her flashlight this
way and that. She didn’t say anything or even look at Jacob when he got to
her side. He knew she was in denial. If she didn’t see her friend dying or
see him struggling, it wasn’t happening.
“Where’s the best place to hit? The widest part of the fissure?” Jacob

craned his neck to see into the crack, to see what she was seeing.
Willow held her hand out and touched the wall at hip level. “Here. It’s
a good eighteen inches wide and opens up.”

He nodded, not bothering to say anything about the fact that his forty-
eight year old ‘dad bod’ wouldn’t fit in an eighteen inch crack. No matter
how much he sucked his gut in. He’d had a heart attack (and the second one)
for a reason. “Right. Get your pack and mine and pull them over here. Once
we start, we’ll have limited time. As soon as you can, you need to get in there
and see what kind of shaft we’re working with. I’ll push the packs through.”
Willow looked over her shoulder at Maria. In the lamp light, her friend’s eyes

were closed and she was still. Willow looked back at Jacob, her eyes begging
him to lie to her.
He did. “I’ll tie rope to my pack. You can help pull me through. If we
work fast enough, we can get help for Maria.”
She stared at him.

Jacob didn’t flinch.
A“ ll right. Work fast. Get in. Push the packs through. Pull you through. Get
help for Maria.”

The lie held just long enough for them to get to work. As the glimmer
of tears sprang to her eyes, Jacob grabbed the nearest pickaxe and gave it a
clumsy swing against the rock. The sound was enormous in the quiet. He swung
again; all sound and no progress.
“Here. Use this one.” Willow gave him the hand pickaxe and took the
heavy miner’s one from him.
Together, with Willow doing the bulk of the work, they broke the rock face,
widening the gap. The moans of the zombies came closer with every strike of
metal to rock. Just as they opened the gap widen enough for Willow to get
through, Maria whispered, “They’re here.”

The first thud of rotting flesh to wood resonated through the cave.
“Hurry,” Jacob commanded. “Move!”
Willow paused until the singular thuds became multiple and the chorus
of moans sounded like shrieks. She shimmied into the fissure head first,
moving forward with a combination of grasping hands and body undulations.
Jacob watched, fear and adrenaline coursing through him. She had to get
out before they got in. It was the one thing he could do now.
After she pulled herself through to the other side, she stood. “It’s a
vertical shaft with small ledges. I think it’s some sort of elevator shaft. I’ve got
about a foot of clearance here, but we’re gonna have to climb out.”
“Good. Good. Ready for the first backpack?” He didn’t wait for an
answer. While the door seemed to be holding—thanks to the wedged chair
and table and Maria’s body weight—he didn’t know how long it would hold. He
shoved her backpack into the fissure and pushed it forward with his hiking
pole. When she grabbed it and slung it over her shoulders, Jacob pushed his
backpack through.

“The rope. You forgot the rope.”
He heard the resignation and the lie. “I didn’t. You know I didn’t. There’s two

weeks of dried meals and six days of emergency water in that pack. We both
know I can’t climb. I can’t even feel the left side of my body. I’m going to stay
with Maria. You need to go.”
“But…”
“No, Willow. You’re a nurse. You know better. You’re the only one who’s
going to survive this. Now move. Alert whoever needs to know. Go.”
Willow hesitated.

In that moment of silence, the zombies renewed their attack on the door.
She looked up. Then reached high. The last Jacob saw of her was her foot on
the fissure wall, boosting herself up. She didn’t say good-bye.
Jacob didn’t mind. He dragged himself back to the where Maria sat
with her eyes closed. She twitched and jerked with every thudding impact.
As he let himself half-sit, half-fall to the ground, she opened her eyes. They
were still alive and intelligent, but so very far away.
“Did she make it out?”
One more lie wouldn’t hurt things. “Yes. She did.” Maybe it wasn’t a lie.
Maybe it was. He didn’t know. He pushed his paralyzed leg until his foot
wedged against the table leg. He would help as much as he could.
“You gonna keep me from being a zombie?” Her words were soft, dull,
and almost gone.
“I’m gonna try.”
“How?”
Jacob didn’t say anything as he considered his options. As long as they
were alive, they’d keep the zombies occupied. Once she died, she’d become
a zombie and she’d bite him. Then he’d die. Wonder if I’ll still be paralyzed
on one side of my body. He barked laughter at the idea that becoming the
undead would give him more mobility and life.
Maria smiled at his laughter. “What’s funny?”
A“ ll this. I told Ken I wanted to live forever. I would if I became a zombie.”
“No. You’d lose yourself. All that you were. You’d work on animal instinct.”
“Sounds a little like having a stroke. You lose pieces of yourself—physically
and mentally—until all you can do is have someone help you eat and clean your
bedpan. Even then, half the time you can’t understand what’s happening.”

“Would you allow yourself to live like that?” Her eyes burned with fever
as she focused in on him.
Jacob shook his head.
“You gonna make sure I don’t?”
He nodded.
“How?” Her whole world rested on the question.
He hefted the hiking pole and put it on his good knee, pointing
the metal tip at her face. “Spike through the eye and into the brain. If I
remember my zombie lore, should do the trick.”

Maria smiled, weak and closed mouthed. “That’ll work. Take the mud
guard off first. Just in case.” She leaned her head back against the table,
but still watched him through slitted eyes. “Don’t let them take you.”
“I won’t.”

She closed her eyes. “Good.” The word was barely an exhale of breath.
Jacob knew he didn’t have a lot of time. As he unscrewed the hiking pole’s
mud guard and replaced the metal tip, he considered how he’d go. It’s not
like he could stab himself in the eye. He did have a knife though. He poked
his paralyzed thigh. Nothing. He did it again, harder. Still nothing.
Now he had a plan. Wait for Maria to go unconscious, deal with her as
promised, then cut his femoral artery: unconscious in one minute and dead in
less than five from blood loss. No pain. No terror. Just like going to sleep.
It wasn’t the way he thought he’d go, but it was the best he could manage
here and now. At least, he got Willow out.
Maria’s hands, clutched to her chest, went slack and fell to her sides.
Her head, still tilted back, lolled. The zombies, as if sensing the impending
loss of a meal, renewed their attack. This time, the door hinge gave way and
a dirty, grasping hand forced its way into the room.

Jacob leaned forward and shook Maria’s foot. She didn’t respond. It
was time to fulfill his promise. “Okay then. I’ve got this.” He took a breath.
“Showtime.”

Chapter 1

OUWUNHTDABETRAIEDSA..?K:

(Welcome to the Apocalypse)
To run a session of Outbreak:Undead..
requires a certain willingness and overall zeitgeist of the communities
to subject characters, who may player characters interact with.
be based on the players themselves, to
WHAT MAKES OUTBREAK:
UNDEAD.. DIFFERENT?unimaginable horrors.The threat of their

demise is ever-present. For this reason, a
lot of caution and some planning needs
to go into each session so that the players Outbreak: Undead.. is a strange hybrid: part
have an enjoyable (and possibly even simulation, part role playing game.A GM
informative) session. still prepares for it, and runs it as if it were
any other Role Playing Game. However,
WHAT’S IN THIS BOOK? because it is often a modern setting using
realistic elements in our world, it can play
This book is divided into two main sections, as a simulation as well.
the Gamester’s Guide and the Stronghold
Guide.The Gamemaster’s Guide is designed This provides a unique challenge to the
to assist gamemasters in their efforts to run GM as there will be a need to strike a
games of Outbreak: Undead.. whereas the balance between the two extremes of game
Stronghold Guide is a set of world-building and simulation, skewing towards what best
tools that GMs (and players, to some keeps the interest of the players. No matter
extent) can use when creating the features how gritty your simulation elements are.

The Group

Your gaming group will likely be friends or copy of the Outbreak: Undead.. Survivor’s
fellow gaming enthusiasts who want to try Guide
their hand at survival horror. Organized nn Several d10s (as percentile dice)
play will allow autonomous player nn Color coded d6s (red, white, black and
characters to filter in and out of groups, blue are recommended)
but those would likely be the exception. nn Enough completed character sheets for
They will be led by an organizer who will the players to play
often host the events. These organizers nn Pencils and some scratch paper
are called the Gamemaster (GM) and Some other optional supplies could
this book is (obviously) largely for their enhance the experience:
benefit. Even if the GM doesn’t host, they nn Miniatures
will do the most heavy lifting in regards to nn Blank note cards
planning and pacing sessions. nn Reference cards
nn Maps (printed or online)
SUPPLIES FOR PLAY nn A GM screen to hide pertinent infor-
mation and keep some rolls secret
For an Outbreak: Undead... game, you’ll nn Snacks/Food…but enough for everyone
need the following: unless you want to beTHAT person
nn A copy of this book and at least one

PLAYER CHARACTERS in Formations).They see the best way of nn Having them ground their thrill-seek-
survival is unity of purpose under their ing nature in the reality as presented by
The cast, as it were, is made up of player watchful eye. the Gamemaster to serve as innovation
characters.These are controlled by real Encourage the Leader by... and encourage other players
people who are roleplaying as the in-game nn Giving them opportunities to demon-
characters.They are often referred to as Be sure that an Adventurer does
“Survivors” or “Character” and the two are strate their competence not…
used more or less interchangeably. nn Demonstrating the value of decisive- nn Continually undertake needlessly dan-
Players will bring with themselves a variety
of skills, experiences and storytelling ability ness in a survival situation gerous situations to endanger the party
to bring their character to life.They also Be sure that the Leader does not... nn Forget that the rewards and thrills
will have varied expectations as to how nn Dominate other players by literally
their characters will fare in the upcoming sought by the party as a whole may
trials for survival. ordering them around not be in line with what this player
nn Speak for other players unless the character values.
MOTIVATIONS
other players have agreed to have the The Metagamer
The benefit of running a survival horror words and actions of the leader speak A game like Outbreak: Undead.. has plenty
game is that most players are lock-step for them of opportunities to truly “min/max” stats
in their motivations: to survive as long as to become powerhouses and to test the
possible. Nonetheless, a few variants of The Adventurer limits of the system. They take delight
the Survivor archetype may exist that you This player is probably the most unusual in seeing how the machinery of a game
can play to when creating your scenario. in regards to the genre, but that doesn’t operates as much, if not more, than
Feel free to lean into these motivations mean they should be discouraged they are the in-game world. They see
when building a Survivor Group, in the from their enthusiasm. This attitude is that the best way to survive is to weigh
same way that in a Fantasy RPG you would only strange because when projected their options carefully and exploit every
be filling out what would be considered onto a player character the “chase the advantage they get.
traditional party roles with various fun” attitude makes a character seem Encourage the Metagamer to...
character classes (despite there being no completely oblivious to the dangers nn Explore their abilities gained by
real mechanical distinction based strictly around them. Nonetheless, their positive
on these categories). attitude and their continual thrill-seeking exploiting advantages they find
can be a welcome breath of fresh air in nn Help other players who are unsure how
The Leader an otherwise dark and heavy setting. It
It is almost a given that one character may is this relentless positivity that gives an to make a character that is effective
emerge as the de-facto leader of a group, Adventurer an edge when it comes to and fun to play
by means of survival acumen or by sheer survival as they, by their very nature can Be sure that the Metagamer does
force of personality.The player who falls imagine their own success. not...
into this role should be encouraged to do Encourage the Adventurers by… nn Routinely derail the game with con-
so (and there are some gameplay benefits nn Having their positive attitude and good stant “rules lawyering”
to a character that takes “Point” position nn Spend too much time in metagaming
roleplaying rewarded with narrative or details during a game session itself
material benefits for them and the party.

Introduction – 025

Note: Outbreak: Undead.. has a unique The Storyteller Encourage the Maverick to...
challenge as a GM in that, especially for Someone who plays to see the unfolding nn Investigate and be one to try the new
characters based on players,player knowledge drama against the backdrop of the collapse
is character knowledge. It is entirely possible of civilization is part actor, part storyteller thing others may be afraid to
then that a player is not rules-lawyering themselves.They add valuable context to nn Occasionally gravitate towards cooper-
game mechanics, they’re appealing to the trials faced by the party.They see the
an abundance of experience in the real best way of survival as being true to their ation, always couching it in their own
world that may run contrary to the world own goals or the goals of the party. best interests, of course
you’re creating as a GM. In either case, Encourage the Storyteller to... Be sure that the Maverick does not…
it’s important that for both kinds of rules nn Develop backstories for their characters nn Lead the party down strange paths due
lawyering; the in-game reality is as the GM to their need for independence
presents it, for better or worse. A GM can and to justify why they may be at odds nn Recklessly imperil the other characters
retract a false statement, but the players are with the zeitgeist of the party.
encouraged to remember that constantly fact nn Assist in adding narration and descrip- DAY ZER0
checking rules or real life rarely makes a tion to a scene
session more enjoyable. Be sure that the Storyteller does What happened on the onset of the
For example: Player Characters may know not… Outbreak or “Day Zero” will largely
thatWoodley Avenue connects withVictory, nn Dominate the session with their own inform where the characters came to meet
and they should be able to go North, but if creative contributions or what set them on the collision course
the GM’s purpose is to block that path. Let nn Speak for other player characters or to bring them to where they currently
them know wreckage or disaster is prevent- assume the motivations or write the are when the scenario starts.This is less
ing them from taking that route. Likewise, backstory of other player characters important for scenarios that take place
if they fail starting a skill they are ‘very without permission later in the Outbreak (i.e. Outbreak Level
knowledgeable in’ - remind them that stress 3 or so) but having some backstory as to
and outside elements of Hunger, Exhaustion, The Observer why the player characters are friends, or
and Anxiety can all take a toll. The quiet watcher sees all, but says little. at least allies of convenience is a good
This might be due to a more introverted stepping off point for a story.
TheWarrior personality or that the player wants to play Having a hook that drags the party into
Someone who sees survival as strictly a a character who is quiet and mysterious. a series of events you plan as a GM is
matter of conquest and fighting would be They see the best method of survival is to crucial. It is much more organic to invest
a welcome addition as the fighting arm of lay low and be patient. them into the story as a group. Having a
a party. Indeed, a whole party of players Encourage the Observer to… common set of goals or history will be a
can be like this and the game can be easily nn Engage the group at their comfort level very exploitable way of giving all player
adjusted to a more casual Mode of Play nn Withhold the use of the majority of characters a reason to care about the
(Arcade orWeekendWarrior Mode).This setting and the story you have prepared
player sees victory in battle as the only real their valuable Gestalt Levels, only using for them.
means of survival. them to bolster skills at dramatically
Encourage the Warrior to... opportune moments A player can reveal their character’s “Day
nn Find and improve weapons and armor Be sure that an Observer does not… Zero” experiences at their own dramatic
nn Distract the table with some other convenience. A good example is the show
for not only themselves but the party activity before their turn comes around “We’re Alive: Frontier” on Project Alpha, the
as well nn Become so disengaged as to withhold second season brought several previously
nn Demonstrate their value to the party as assistance to other player characters repressed memories that explained a lot of
being effective soldiers and defenders idiosyncrasies and personalities demonstrated
and to courageously lead by example. Maverick in the first season… it also helps that
Be sure that the Warrior does not... This player sees their character as the they’re playing Outbreak: Undead.. which
nn See combat as the only option in a maverick of the group by some dint of is beneficial to see how games can be run
given situation. Outbreak: Undead.. is an survival skill or combat acumen. They and the roleplaying potential of the game.
extremely lethal game to characters and see going it alone as the best chance of For settings in later Outbreak Levels, a
every encounter carries with it a sig- survival, but by some twist of fate, their great technique is to ask players questions
nificant risk of player character death. lot got thrown in with the other player about what happened to get them to where
nn Neglect to consider the costs of the characters. A player believes that the best they are.Vague questions like “What was
fight they are considering starting. chance of survival is knowing when big risks a MAJOR success for your group in the
are warranted, which exist independent of last 6 months”, or “Who in your group is
the will of the group at large. not with you today, and WHY”, can not
only help get players in the mood - but
can help build upon your world and get
players more invested.

026 – Introduction

THE GAMEMASTER The settings can also be far flung and to other sessions is what is being referred
can involve distant countries, corporate to here.
This is (presumably) you, the one in espionage and vast international
charge of running the game and ensuring conspiracies. So the scope of this style of Solo Gamemaster
that everyone gets the most out of it.The game can be vast and the cast colorful and This will largely be the most common
majority of the preparation time and the eccentric from esoteric backgrounds. arrangement. One person acting as GM
responsibility of knowing the rules falls presents the in-game reality that the
to the Gamemaster.This is not to say you Caper player characters must contend with. It
can’t delegate to the players. Indeed, some The setting can be dark, deadly and has a great potential for storytelling arcs
players really enjoy certain aspects of the horrifying, but the story that takes place and character development over multiple
game that would normally fall under the within that world can be of a much more game sessions, but the stress of organizing
purview of the GM.The Stronghold is an simple and relatable scope and have the session and mandatory attendance
excellent example of this, and will be gone nothing at all to do with the infection. are required of the GM in almost every
over in a section all its own. The fall of civilization, as it were, is just possible iteration.
another opportunity for fame, glory and Pandemic Play (Organized Play)
PLAY STYLES profit.The cast of characters are bound The duties of acting as a GM is distributed
together by a mutual business venture among a few designated “Action Rangers”
It is the GM’s duty to decide what kind of (which can just as easily be illicit as it is who serve as official referees for multiple
game they want to run and set the tone legitimate).They could be planning a heist sessions in a shared in-game world.
accordingly. Since it is survival horror, the at a now abandoned bank deep in territory While a GM can benefit from drastically
GM may feel railroaded into having to do swarming with infected, hired guns to reduced prep time by being provided
some extremely dark and serious settings, protect a nearby Stronghold, they could most of the ground rules, timetables and
but this is not always the case. pool their resources to buy a boat to carry other pertinent story information from a
some valuable secret cargo and so on. central hub.The drawback is that the ease
True Grit This version has a high potential for a of prep is that the players can come from
The most no-nonsense version of this more storytelling as the narrative hooks, anywhere and it is less likely that a GM
game will often require all players to be where they come form and where they will have a consistent group that they can
playing Survivalist mode (the full range of go can vary wildly in scope and theme. really develop stories with.
rules) with a fewWeekendWarrior Modes Most convention games will have the
there who are learning about the game Run and Gun veneer of a one-off session, but the players
enough to transition characters into the The focus of the game is strictly combat are able to use past character resources
Survivalist mode. and the player characters often have access and equipment as well as obtain new ones
The players are all serious about their to valuable supply lines that keep them that they can take from session to session.
intent to survive and drama will be heavy. fed and their guns loaded. Either that or
Since the rules are generally heavier and they inexplicably keep stumbling upon All In
more strictly applied, and since reality is plentiful supplies as they continue their The means of running Outbreak: Undead..
a crucial component, it is likely that the journey. Since realism is likely thrown out could be so mechanically sound, that it is
events of the game would be very localized the window anyway, this is probably the entirely possible that there is no dedicated
to a single region. most prime candidate for Arcade mode GM per-se.With a predetermined set of
It is these games that will be the ones most as far as GM styles go. Since combat is ground rules for deploying and moving
likely to feature a Stronghold. so prominent and since this game is so opponents as well as how often and when
unbelievably lethal, having a small amount Encounter checks are made can allow
Fantasy of characters to replace dead ones may be the game to play out accurately.You’d be
Technically, every version of this game necessary, or players can “re-skin” their missing out on storytelling elements, but
is considered science fiction (in addition dead characters, keeping the same stats it is possible to play this way… or even
to, you know, survival horror), but there and equipment as before but with some solo, if one was so inclined.
are scenarios where the nature of the superficial change.
threat is either totally beyond belief or KINDS OF GAMES This type of game can be enhanced
supernatural.The bioforms that results It can come as no surprise then that with significantly by making use of the official
from infection defy all natural law or multiple styles of running games, there Outbreak: Undead.. reference card decks
rational explanation and seem to be are multiple methods of structuring game which can allow for a random variety of
organic killing machines or engineered events. To the readers of the Outbreak: encounters, loot, locations, and more as
purely to cause revulsion or horror in Undead.. Survivor’s Guide, the three you make your way through the evolving
the cast. Such exotic monsters can be modes of play, Survivalist, Weekend scenario.
hidden behind pseudoscience jargon as Warrior, and Arcade modes.This is not the
to their origin, but ultimately, this is not same as those things.Those are differences
a method of play that is high on realism insofar as the players are concerned.The
but can easily factor in plenty of realistic structure of the game session in relation
survival elements.

Introduction – 027

Establishing Boundaries in Gameplay

We cannot stress enough the importance of It’s much easier to have the conversation Walls are, simply put, content that players
gauging the general attitude of your group about issues such as ‘Do you want your or you as the Gamemaster have absolutely
before planning a session.This is almost an family present this scenario? If they do, no desire to explore or acknowledge in any
issue unique to Outbreak: Undead.. because keep in fact they may die in the game’, way during the course of play, to the extent
this is one of the few games that has players or ‘Are you comfortable with your pets that it should never even be mentioned
playing themselves as characters as a well- being infected?’,or even ‘Are you ok with or hinted at. These are essentially the
integrated method of gameplay; and in a Raiders taking advantage of the innocent?’, themes, concepts, and content you would
world filled with death, morbid choices, before it’s too late and everyone is just prefer to be “out of sight, out of mind”
and sever world consequences and ask “what already playing. It may even provide an when it comes to your game.
would you do?”, furthermore - it has the enlightening conversation about how Curtains on the other hand represent
audacity to allow you to make it personal your players may interact with your world things that, while you wouldn’t want to
by playing a character similar to yourself. which will aid your game. directly roleplay through the situations or
As such, the players will want to believe Do your best to also emphasize to your concepts in detail, you are not opposed
themselves capable, composed, intelligent, players that they are walking into a world to them being used contextually within
and qualified.The events of the game may filled with death and that by playing this the game.These can be seen as the “fade
prove this incredibly untrue. Depending game they will be making hard choices, to black” moments in movies and video
upon the personality of the player, this may see terrible things happen, and will have games where it is clearly implied what
be news that is not well taken.This caution to survive it the best they can. Remind has happened, but the (typically horrific
also extends to the use of family, friends, or them it’s not fun if it’s all rainbows and or lurid) details of the situation are left
even pets of the players. joy, and that sometimes, challenging your unexplored (or to the imagination, rather).
Of equal impor tance to consider, boundaries allows you to discover new When establishing “Walls and Curtains”
the setting of this game invites some ways of handling them.There is no real for your games it is important to adhere
incredibly dark and ghastly possibilities triumph without some adversity, after to a general rule: if anyone considers a
for encounters and events.This can expose all. Essentially, remind your players this concept or situation to be a “curtain” it
your players and their characters to the is a horror game and you’re going to be will be treated as such for all participants,
darkest depths of human depravity as putting them through the ringer. even when others would be willing to
realties their characters could face but that explore these themes, concepts, or content
are personally revolting to the players for WALLS AND CURTAINS further.This is also true for something that
good reason. Ruthless vigilantism, cottage anyone considers to be a “wall”, in which
industry cannibalism, human trafficking, Every person who sits down at a gaming case it will be treated accordingly for all
and the reduction of humans to chattel to table has a different comfort level when it participants (even if others might consider
be bred, brutalized, or even auctioned off comes to the depiction of certain mature the content to be a “curtain” or even
as slaves may result from the collapse of themes.While this is a factor to consider something they might be willing to directly
society, and they are (rightly) unpalatable passively in most games, it is more play).Again, the point of roleplaying is that
subjects. Some of those elements are often deliberately necessary in games of the everyone has a good experience, but that
not distant enough cultural memories horror genre such as Outbreak: Undead.. For can only happen if everybody agrees to
to be exploited for the sake of a game some, the exploration of these often darker play the game in a way that will not single
without risking outright insensitivity. In themes is fun, and it’s often necessary as anyone out and make them uncomfortable.
some cases, such savage realities exist to a way to distinguish the morality of the As a final note, it is also important to
this day, and to make light of it would be characters from that of their opponents. ensure that the process of establishing
disrespectful and particularly immoral Some, however, may find certain subject your Walls and Curtains does not cause
to ignore, as being a tragic reality of our matter completely unpalatable regardless anyone at the table to feel singled out. A
present human condition. of how it is presented to them. good way to ensure that everyone feels
As a general matter, it’s helpfulc to make There is no right or wrong in regards to comfortable being completely honest
this a part of Session 0 planning. personal comfort levels, or what one finds with their sentiments, the Gamemaster
personally disturbing or unpleasant.The can employ a “Blind Submission” method.
SESSION 0 purpose of an RPG is for everyone to have This entails every player making a set of
fun.To help facilitate this you may want lists, one of their Curtains and one of
“Session 0” can act in part of Character to consider using “Walls and Curtains” in their Walls.This can be done on a single
Creation, and allows the GM to have your sessions.These concepts have been sheet of notebook paper, a notecard, or
private/public conversations about what discussed at length within the roleplaying any other medium so long as all players
is ok, and not ok, to bring up in a session community at large, most commonly use the same medium. Each player then
when discussing less charged elements like referred to as “Lines and Veils” as first hands their list to the Gamemaster, who
character backstory and Trait choices. coined by Ron Edwards, though others will shuffle them once all are received
might have their own terminology when and use these to compile a master list for
it comes to the premise.We will give a
basic overview of them for you here.

028 – Introduction

the whole table. Keep in mind you will of the things the players list, then they None of this is written
want to list any Curtains that come up as can surreptitiously alter their scenario to to appease our own
a compiled listing, with the only exception accommodate with no one being the wiser. conscience or under the
being if someone considers a topic to be a All that said, not everyone is looking for assumption that a GM or
Wall which supersedes Curtains.This helps harsh realism in their games in the slightest players are so dense or
to ensure that no one debates, questions, and just want to kill zombies. It is possible callous that if we didn’t
or asks for justification of any of the that a completely casual tone circumvents write this, then the game
things presented on the list, thus causing the need for these sorts of discussions would degrade into
someone to be singled out. completely, where death is no greater
This blind submission method also allows consequence than a video game, complete fbpwthitslorhgeuaceibhprewnsbtepngesieeatnrfnrnoitoeissirnorstgoswthtuvchihemesnoeearanebntslrspoeetslrotlyceahukeayseicoe.nusndtrosWiseusoweodgnrhi.whuntaetrtooinfg
a GM to keep secret their horror surprises .w.a.Iadt’ssdternsoetsasplirotet tatofyfteatrnimdtehiettofact.
or plot twists by not having to ask the with “respawn” for an l penalty (and a .F.t.IhUte’Ns ,palowsiohnitcnhootfisaulslmoathrllaetboemriuncglehss
players ahead of time what they’re not
ok with. If none of their nasty tricks are comically convenient introduction of a here.
listed among the player’s submissions, replacement character with only the most
then they can proceed confidently. If one superficial of changes from the recently
of the GM’s planned surprises runs afoul dead character).Arcade Mode as described
in the Survivor’s Guide is particularly good
at facilitating this.

Preparing handouts like
this (and with equal lack of
production value) can go a
long way with introducing a
mission, a setting or story
hook of some kind...
In this case, who WOULDN’T
want to make that kind of
money? Even if the ship is
called the “Rusty Cadaver”.
Worth a look at least, isn’t it?

Introduction – 029

TRAGEDY VS. EVIL these sorts of questions to arise.This topic opponents will likely be willing to kill
will undoubtedly be one that can cause them in their own self interest. This is
When formulating your campaign, it severe discomfort at the table, as true to not to say that the philosophical principle
helps as a storyteller to differentiate reality as it may be.A good story balances of charity needs to be given to every
the nature of tragedy versus that of evil the interplay between tragedy and evil (sentient) opponent, but since this game
since both will make an appearance and the eventual triumph of good.What takes place in the “real world” these sort
in most conceivable stories. The most is necessary is that clear-cut cases of evil of factors can come into play, and in some
comfortable place to be as a storyteller must exist frequent enough to players to cases, absolutely should if they are to have
might be that there is no rhyme or have their characters engage as forces of any dramatic weight at all. In some scripted
reason to the trials the characters are put the good (or at least marginally better) scenarios, the GM will be given ways to
through. Characters are simply forced by so that there IS that moral distinction slant a story one way or another in sections
circumstance to face the difficulty of a daily between them and others. As any decent that will better suit their in-game world as
struggle to survive. Conversely, the most understanding of history likewise presented to the player characters.These
comfortable place for a player to be is one illustrates, is that the distinction between crossroads will be designated as “The
where they are not facing the whims of opposing sides in a conflict may be Moral Gray”.
an uncaring universe, but an actual agent profound in many distinct and important Not every conflict is this philosophical,
of evil who is the cause of their misery matters, but even an enemy is the hero of (nor should they be in the context of a
and the misery of others.This opposing their own story. game), but the human condition has been
force makes for a rallying point for the Despite what we might be fooled into defined by its response to perceived evil
player characters, to sufficiently “other”, thinking, the world is not populated by us, throughout history with such frequency
so that the opponents can be fought and and a cast of comic book villains who seek it is difficult for us to dismiss out of hand
killed if need be to emerge triumphantly to foil us at every turn.Those that stand in that acts of evil committed against each
as some sort of hero. The difficulty as conflict may have extremely good reasons other are simply isolated events that run
a storyteller is that true human evil is to do what it is that they do and think contrary to our better natures.The human
often a necessary element to this sort of what they think.Those reasons may grate element to conflict makes for a complex
antagonism in this setting. Otherwise, the or offend our own sensibilities but may problem for a storyteller. If the entire
villains (as it were) are ordinary people nonetheless be perfectly logical in their time the players feel they are constantly
who are trying to get by with no more reasoning when formulating their opposing operating in the moral margins, they may
defective a moral compass than that of the point of view. Attributing all opposition become mentally exhausted and there is
player characters or who are under their to simply hate, ignorance or some sort some danger of real distress and loss of
own (wholly understandable) pressures of phobia is nakedly self-aggrandizing at interest of Outbreak: Undead.. in favor of
in order to act against the interests of the best and deeply stupid at worst; revealing a game with a simpler heroic narrative to
player characters. In the safe setting of a simultaneously the complete inability to play. A healthy dose of zombie opponents
simulation, a player may wish to assume the empathize and think critically. Ironically, would make a good moral palette cleanser,
better nature of the people they encounter it will be this simplistic perspective that as the undead are still among the only
(and that of their own characters) which would motivate evil in opposition to the monsters in all of mythology and popular
may or may not be trust that is misplaced. characters, sufficiently dehumanizing the culture that we have been given full license
Regardless, these interactions will cause player characters to the point where the to massacre with a clean conscience.

EXAMPLE: safe zone to sidestep the corruption that has
THE MORAL GRAY - “THE PASSAGE” taken hold of the quarantine zone.
Situation B: Several designated and cleared
In the scripted scenario “The Passage” the “safe zones” have been severely compromised
players are introduced to the situation where by infected people infiltrating them by
there is someone forging medical screening obtaining forged “Medical Passports”.
passports to allow people to escape into and These formerly secure areas are now in
out of quarantine zones.This can play out a tremendous peril and potentially thousands
couple ways and it depends on the slant of of lives are at stake unless the source of the
your story which one makes the most sense forged passports are found and brought to
to emphasize… and like any situation inThe justice.
Moral Gray, they can both be true at once: Both Situation A and B could be describing
the exact same situation; so the angle that’s
Situation A: An overzealous government being played by the GM for the campaign or
faction has been keeping people prisoners session will determine what perspective the
in what were once considered quarantine player characters would likely take. But this
zones. Freedom of passage only exists to illustrates the depth and complexity possible
those with the right connections to get a with the trials of the player characters and
“Medical Passport” (in addition to actually the narrative potential of Outbreak: Undead..
passing the medical screening) but one brave in general.
forger on the inside has been secretly forging
passports so that some can escape or enter a

030 – Introduction

Gamemaster Resources

There are numerous resources that can stories or historical dramas of heroism, is on a story of survival against terrible
be utilized when constructing a zombie or sometimes barbarism. odds. It can also allow the ability to
scenario, and shockingly, few of them These resources can be utilized to make recast a known historical event as being
relate to zombies. Gamemasters can the fantastic situation of a zombie outbreak catalyzed or influenced by the outbreak
derive their inspiration from news reports, more grounded in reality when the focus of the zombie virus as a playful thought
political essays, practical guides, true experiment within a historical setting.

Using the Real World

One of the best resources a GM can Nonetheless, the real world provides GPS Navigation software even have a ‘3D’
utilize is the real world. A relatable and several usable touchstones to provide the Mode or StreetView that will allow players
somewhat common event can give a sense proper narrative or emotional weight to to get a real ‘visual’ on where they may be,
of familiarity to what is otherwise a strange the scenario. and give a sense of scale to their journey.
or fantastic situation. Of course, caution Giving the game a short pause for “Reality In the spirit of reality checking, having
should be exercised when looping in Checks” (as it were) is perfectly fine.The characters bring or use physical maps
elements from the real world as that will GM can either look something up on an to use them as practical guides as well
invite players to begin exploring things internet search engine, or reference their as props will go a long way in helping
in exhaustive detail, distracting from the maps (using GPS navigation software or with immersion.
larger picture of the campaign. physical maps), before making a call. Many

Introduction – 031

Chapter 2

RUNNING GAMES

Setting
The world presented in Outbreak:
Undead.. is familiar, yet unsettling. game means that there are few restrictions
Very likely, characters will be in in what sort of setting can be used. So long
as there is a vein of realism that is strung
a place not unlike the one the players throughout the setting, it works well with
themselves are familiar with. For this Outbreak: Undead..Truly alien and fantastic
reason running a game poses some unique settings function only with a certain liberty
opportunities and challenges. taken to the rules. Although alternate
timelines, historical settings, and near-
The first consideration a GM must make is future settings work well with virtually
determining the setting.The nature of this no adaptation to the rules.

The Campaign

SCENARIO TYPES In a “Survival Horror” scenario,
characters start with an unusually
This is the highest level consideration you large amount of (possibly shared pool
will need to make as the GM, exactly what
kind of scenario it is that you intend to of) Competence Points ( P ) at the
run. Outbreak: Undead.. lends itself well to
a variety of playstyles and themes within beginning. As the session progresses,
the broader genre. Provided are examples
of some of the most common scenario the player will be forced to use the P
types used, though it is by no means an
exhaustive list and you’re encouraged to for any number of benefits to get them
come up with your own concepts to suit out of tough situations, often surviving
the needs of your game. ridiculous odds in the process until

SURVIVAL HORROR their pool of P runs dangerously low

The classic Survival Horror scenario is a (or exhausts). In which case the safety
good default if you don’t know what to net is gone, and characters are forced
do. Resources are scarce, the chance of to feel the full brunt of their challenges.
survival is low and there are many avenues The truly dastardly part of Survival
a character can attempt in a desperate bid
to survive. In this scenario, character Horror is that all baseline l rewards
personalities and the social roles they adopt for Mission Success is l0. A session
are very important to distinguish, as this
is a highly story-driven campaign. Realism that is structured as “Survival Horror”
and elements of horror are married well
in this sort of scenario. Rarely does this will only earn l by converting unused
scenario involve truly digging in and P into l at the session’s end (see
making a dedicated Stronghold, although pg. 68). If the P pool was shared by
they may establish encampments as
they make their way to their ultimate all players, then this could also require
destination.
Recommended for: General interest, the l reward for the conversion to be
fans of horror, those who enjoy strategy
and managing dwindling resources. divided evenly among characters.

HACK AND SLASH

This scenario is a straightforward getting
from point A to point B to survive sort
of game. The goal here is to make the
encounters with Opponents fast and
fun with little concern for story. This is
easily the most story and realism-light
way to play, which means that characters
can, in fact, inexplicably have access to
military grade weapons and face foes that
defy reason or any real logical origin.

Elements of fantasy and sorcery of some The Aftermath will almost always take are known, then that knowledge exerts a
kind can even be a part of your story if place in OL4. All missions are essentially certain gravitational pull that orients all
you so desire. character initiated or follows a loose storytelling arcs in that direction whether
Recommended for: Fans of slasher story arc provided by the GM. In truth, you intended to or not.
films, casual gamers, one-off scenarios this could be called Outbreak Level In the hands of a talented storyteller, this
Characters in a “Hack and Slash” 5, which indicates a purely speculative is not a problem but considering that
scenario don’t have to obey any logical post-apocalypse society. In this scenario, this is a game and that the characters are
story cohesion as to how or why they the characters must make every effort to ostensibly “the heroes” of the story, the
are fighting on the same side. GMs can maintain a Stronghold.The players can expectation can be that they are obligated
offer their own Resource Catalogs that continue to use their characters so long to seek the cure somehow in order to
include any kind of weapon and include as they are alive, but without a Strong- fulfill what they may feel is required of
Opponents of any variety. hold to run or be a part of, this scenario them in their heroic role.
would be considered a failure.The The caveat mentioned earlier of a talented
THE AFTERMATH characters must then resort to Survival storyteller being able to use the origin
Horror until they can establish a new and/or cure in their stories comes from
This is a very involved scenario. It requires Stronghold. their ability to have the players willingly
a dedicated group that represent likewise- accept a different scope of heroism
minded characters who are determined to SCOPE than having their characters saving the
rebuild civilization by carving an existence world.While it borders on nihilism, the
in the wasteland of the apocalypse left To begin, we suggest considering the exploitation of seeking a cure can be
behind.The focus is on not just surviving, scope of the campaign.The easiest way to steered down so many hopeless paths that
but living. For this reason, characters describe this is just to consider how much the players may be forced to manage that
may be finding and working on things ‘story’ you want to cover, and the ‘affect’ expectation on their own.The squelching
that involve more than just day-to-day the players have on the world you’ve of rumors and punishing those that exploit
survival.Things like locating important created.The obvious, and intended, scope the desire for a cure for personal gain or
books and building a nursery may seem is that characters are only responsible for to swindle those who still think a cure is
trivial, but they may mean everything to their own actions and have little to no possible can become a story as well, but
the characters in this scenario. chance of “stopping” the outbreak, and are it is one that involves dashing the hopes
Recommended for: Fans of drama and only trying to survive Day-by-Day. of those who come in contact with them.
thrillers, hardcore survivalists, campaigns This is one among many options though. This is why a skillful storyteller can treat
In The Aftermath, the GM must spend Stories that travel across cities (even this point of hopelessness as the low
some thought and time describing what states), can be explored - or even entire point that defines the Act 2 of any story.
form the post-apocalypse has taken.This campaigns that take place in a single The skilled storyteller can work with a
should include what, if any, competing metropolitan area. The scope of your hopeless exposition and find a way to
forces are at work other than the in-game world can be enormous or extract a meaningful victory in Act 3
omnipresent threat of the Undead. Lastly, confined as you wish and the collective despite it.This is not easy and if a GM
this scenario has an incredible range of efforts of your players can make a doesn’t feel they can walk that fine line,
roles the characters can play.They can be measured difference, or none at all. then they would be better avoiding the
very involved and tell a detailed story of cure as a plot point in their scenario.There
this post-apocalypse world, or they can “THE CURE” are plenty of other stories to tell that are
actually play the role of players, and let not as nuanced or emotionally charged
an Encounter Table and supplementary An easy narrative trap a GM can fall into that are just as entertaining to be a part of.
Encounter Decks decide what dangers is making “a cure” or the nature and origin
the players all face. of the zombie virus a central plot device.
It is identified as a narrative trap because if
the nature and origin of the zombie virus

Outbreak Level

Much of what happens to characters A scenario may have it that society free OUTBREAK LEVELS
in-game is determined by the “Outbreak falls from OL1 to 3 in a matter of months
Level”, often abbreviated as “OL”. The but will cling onto OL3 for decades before OUTBREAK LEVEL 0
higher the number of OL, the further sleeping to OL4.
away from an intact society the game This is most peoples’ frame of reference
takes place. There will be other places where OL will for what is normal.There is no disruption
As such, the span of time between factor in,but those instances will be included of commerce. Citizens go about their day
Outbreak Levels is not measured in years. in the sections to which OL applies.This is as if nothing at all is amiss.
It’s generally measured in milestones is how it applies to scenario construction
where certain aspects of society crumble. and character creation, which generally take OUTBREAK LEVEL 1
place first.
The initial onset of a conflict. Many facili-

Running Games – 033

ties are intact, and most familiar surround- The government sets up tight enclaves OUTBREAK LEVEL AND
ings are unscathed. Panic is setting in, and where they can exert control and pro- STARTING GESTALT LEVEL
the world that the characters know may vide protection. All who fall outside of
change forever but society is nowhere near that territory will fill the void of leader- Scenarios starting at different Outbreak
the precipice of chaos.The majority of the ship with their own “tribes” with varying Levels mean that characters have demon-
population could be unaware that anything levels of sympathies towards centralized strated considerable survival acumen.As a
is even awry. government and other outsiders in gen- result of this, new characters that start at
eral. Characters are often allied with one Outbreak Levels other than 0 have access
OUTBREAK LEVEL 2 or more of these factions that emerge. to a larger pool of Gestalt Levels to rep-
resent this greater experience.
It is apparent this is severe crisis. Most OUTBREAK LEVEL 4 You may allow characters who start sce-
people have at least heard something is narios at different Outbreak Levels to have
wrong.The threat is escalating, and most The “Fall” is now something of history. the following bonus Gestalt Levels
people are abandoning their posts if not Resources are all but spent.Technolog- nn OL 0: no bonus
obligated by the military or government. ical development is set back sometimes nn OL 1: +5 Gestalt Levels
If they haven’t already been jammed, cities by centuries. Even if the opponents were nn OL 2: +10 Gestalt Levels
no longer have passage via major freeways defeated, the social conscience of the pop- nn OL 3: +15 Gestalt Levels
and most side streets are likewise unnav- ulace will still be forever scarred.There nn OL 4+: +20 Gestalt Levels
igable. Public utilities start to become is no assurance that things will be normal
unreliable at best. again.

OUTBREAK LEVEL 3

Panic sets in. Martial Law is formally
declared, and non-essential business halts.

Preparation

Running games of Outbreak: Undead.. up the population and how do they relate SESSION “TIME”
successfully requires preparation. The to the player characters. Obviously, player
nature of the in-game reality you want characters will only interact with a handful The “Time” that a session represents
to present will determine the extent a of the Stronghold’s denizens, so those varies by scope and the state of the player
GM ought to prepare. There are a few personalities and their roles should be characters. Generally though, a game
expected levels of preparation and the GM distinct and be developed somewhat. session rarely covers more than the events
can gauge how in-depth their session is and If you as a GM are uncomfortable or that unfold during a couple days.Anything
can expand upon it as needed. Regardless are unsure of their roleplaying as the longer than that will often lack dramatic
of how prepared a GM wishes to be, there supporting cast members of the scenario, tension and urgency.A Mission Brief will
will always be a few considerations that you can have the NPCs address the player give some idea as to how long missions
remain standard: characters by talking to the player in third with certain characteristics last and can be
person. “He says this, she does that” and so helpful when planning a session.
STRONGHOLDS on and so forth.This gives the supporting
cast marginally less personality, but the NOTE:The use of “Time” with a capital
At this point in planning, whether or players will also be a lot less likely to “T” refers to the in-game mechanic ofTime,
not your session involves a Stronghold read into a GM’s performance as an
needs only to be a yes/no question. A actor and instead assuming that the third- which is represented by either the 6 or the
Stronghold is a major population center person perspective represents the best
that is inhabited by varying numbers of information that a player can glean from ^ symbol as frequently as possible in order
other non-player characters. Access to the interaction with the NPC.The GM
that many people with the potential safety in this sense can filter information that to eliminate confusion when talking about
that involves being within a Stronghold’s is relevant and omit details that players the passage of time in the real world com-
borders alters the scope of the game themselves have missed out on or ones pared to the in-game world.
considerably. Being without a Stronghold their characters would probably fail to
or encountering one alters the kinds of pick up on. TIME BETWEEN SESSIONS
things characters scavenge and determines There will be tables as part of scenario
the ability to rest up to heal serious books to help generate NPCs at random The span of in-game time between
injuries. Both are major considerations. within the context of that setting. This sessions can still vary. If characters are
can be especially helpful, because player in a situation where food and water is
THE NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS characters can spend some of their available and their lodgings are assumed to
(NPCS) valuable Gestalt Levels to have helpful be affordable, relatively safe and stable (in
NPC contact. both cases a Stronghold at an appropriate
An ancillary consideration of the Level can represent all of these things)
Strongholds is what kind of people make then a Session and the amount of time
between sessions can be weeks or even
months.

034 – Running Games

TIMETABLE AND NARRATION their ability. As a GM, you can upgrade character for their own personal tastes and
a Mission Brief with Objectives until the history. It’s different from the dramatic
The implementation of aTimetable would length ofTime you want the Session to be principle called Chekhov’s Gun where
go miles in the effort to give the campaign is reached or until the player characters every detail presented must ultimately
the proper dramatic tension and overall feel suitably challenged. Objectives will matter, so presenting only details that
nearly always add extra rewards, which matter will encourage the players to
pacing of the event. The use of 6 as an should make the players happy. metagame and assume their character’s
unerring perspective by means of
in-game way to gauge session duration ATMOSPHERE consistently identifying that which is most
gives a quick way to reference the events important. However, Outbreak: Undead.. is
of the session.Time sensitive Missions (of Once the overall setting and style of mis- ultimately a survival horror game.The fear
which there can be several) will actually sion is chosen, the atmosphere the GM of the unknown is not just encouraged,
have proper gravitas. Using pure narra- lends to the setting gives the session its it’s vital. If there are a fair few details
tion, however rarely requires more than life.When giving a setting its proper atmo- that are noteworthy from an atmospheric
a loose outline that describe some events sphere, it’s always best to follow a few standpoint that characters can be led astray
in sequence. rules of thumb: with, the players will still have a healthy
skepticism of their own competence and
CHOOSE A MISSION BRIEF KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET safety and the world will feel more realistic
to the players.
Luckily for a GM, there are several Nothing kills a mood than going overboard
Missions Briefs in this book that cover the on a description with details that may SHOW, DON’T TELL
general factors of Scenario construction. ultimately not even matter. Fact is, in the
They provide a good template that can be theater of the mind, a lot of what events Sounds like strange advice for a game that
later improved upon.A list of “Objectives” take place and how they look will often be relies heavily on verbal description but it
and potential rewards that can be added more vivid in the imagination of the player helps to describe things with sensations,
to the Mission will be provided as well. than the descriptive power of the GM. not directly by describing what it is.What
The provided Mission Briefs even factor does it smell like, does the air have a tinge
in character ability in certain areas to DETAILS of smoke or a ferrous stench of blood? Do
modify the “Time” a session takes so you faint motes of dust glint in the shafts of
can comfortably plan sessions that play to Alert players with what their character light streaming in from the outside? Does
the strengths of the characters as well as would deem as important or what would the sound of water dripping rhythmically
know what and how many Missions you’d catch their attention. Even if a detail is clanging against pans in the sink fill the
be able to fit into the “Session Time” as innocuous, if the characters would attain silence of the house?
described earlier. to it for even a brief moment it’s worth
mentioning.
OBJECTIVES
RED HERRINGS
There are a catalog of “Objectives” that
can be chosen to add to a Mission Brief If you focus on a detail, then the players
if it turns out the characters would make assumption is that it is important to the
short work of the Mission it based on story, even if it’s only appropriate to the

ENDING A SESSION As far as narrations go, a cliffhanger will either be a new, unfore-
seen event that is shrouded in some mystery or be just outright
How a GM ends a session can be done in ways that range from bad news (full stop) that the characters will need to find a way
strictly mechanical (as described the Mission Brief) to the strictly around in between now and their next session. Either way, the
narrative with a cliffhanger that makes the players eager to attend goal is to get your players to talk about it out of game, weighing
the next session. Obviously, those two are not mutually exclu- out strategies and pros and cons of one plan or another so that
sive and a skilled GM can easily do both, but a GM who is still they arrive at the next session excited and ready to implement
learning can lean on one or the other while they figure out how whatever course of action they have spent all this time delib-
to use all the tools at their disposal and figure out proper pacing. erating on.

CLIFFHANGER FINALES

This can be a narrative hook that deepens the existing plot of the There are a few Hazards and Objectives that are designated as
story.The biggest decision a GM needs to make is whether or not “Finales” which are suitably challenging situations that the player
characters can face as final, dramatic obstacles to ultimate success
anyTime (6) passes in between sessions. If characters are in the in their Mission.There can only be one Finale to a session and it
can be used only once during that session (and generally at the
same Mission as they were, it is likely that they continue until end or near the end). If there are multiple Missions in a single
the Mission ultimately succeeds or fails.A Mission that actually Session, it is still recommended that there be only one Finale.
ends with a cliffhanger will mean that the mission succeeds or
fails as per the Mission Brief entry, but an additional twist has
made the consequences of such an event a little less cut and dry
than a mere binary outcome of success or failure.

Running Games – 035

The Survivors enter a room, guns drawn and scan it.
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r“esmtaayincainlmdoo-r-s-”
036 – Running Games

Troubleshooting

It is inevitable that problems will arise, but a clearer picture as to what is important extreme run of bad luck. It has been
if everyone at the table is committed to for them to focus on. remarked that players in such a situation
enjoying the game with each other, there would be better off having their characters
are fairly simple solutions that can be PLAYERS TABLE TALK FOR TOO LONG do nothing, since the potential for large
implemented. Most of the time, problems amounts of Degrees of Failure makes
can be headed off before they start by Characters that spend too much time simply doing nothing seem like the best
managing expectations about the nature deliberating feel that their explaining the course of action. This is obviously not
of the game.The game can be very lethal minutiae of their actions would somehow really possible since no one simply does
for characters and percentile systems improve their odds. Remind the players nothing. Nonetheless, you can encourage
are notoriously unforgiving of mistakes that all they need to do is declare what players to use some of their Competence
and carry a very small chance of success they want to do and that they resolve Points that they get from session to session
sometimes. Understanding this walking narratively using their Degrees of Success to bolster their rolls. Also, characters
in, players can manage their expectations and/or Degrees of Failure. sitting on a large pool of Gestalt Levels
on their own and develop characters that are encouraged to use them to improve
work better with the level of comfort and THE GAME DRAGS DURING the percentage chance of Skill Checks.
teamwork required of the players. ENCOUNTERS It is possible to encourage players or as
a GM research options for Formations,
Another category of troubleshooting While the combat in Outbreak: Undead.. which usually grant party-wide passive
comes from lack of preparedness or is highly tactical by design, it is easy to benefits as well as further options to
understanding on the GM’s part, but there get lost in the details and lose track of enhance the chance of success during
is much that can be done there too. what’s happening or feel like the number gameplay.
of tactical options paralyze a player’s
GAMEPLAY PROBLEMS decision making. A player can make this PROBLEM PLAYERS
easier by ignoring the Triggered Effects
These are problems that generally come While everyone is generally in for a
from a lack of understanding in the rules and allowing a GM to simply resolve + collectively enjoyable time when they play
or how to handle a situation that the GM and - narratively based on a player’s together, there may be some stand-out
is not prepared for. examples of players that may complicate
intent. a session. The assumption is made that
PLAYERS WANDER AIMLESSLY OR ARE everyone can know best how to handle
UNSURE WHAT TO DO CHARACTERS ARE ROUTINELY personal or rule disputes maturely, but
FAILING OTHERWISE SIMPLE SKILL Outbreak: Undead.. presents some unique
In this situation, it is likely that the GM CHECKS hurdles that a Gamemaster may not be
has made the world too open-ended. A expecting.
GM needs to narrow down the amount of While the idea of Skill Checks is meant
details that are presented so that they have to determine results when the chance
of failure is greater than normal (time
sensitive or under duress for example)
it is possible that characters have an

Running Games – 037

INCOMPETENT CYAC off the land. This is not a problem for personality add to dramatic roleplaying
them, per se but a GM would be best to and even ultimately be the starting point
Most players actually fall into this category. find things that appeal to their sense of of a redemptive story arc that makes for
Believe it or not, most people would be duty and to validate their preparedness by great storytelling. Be that as it may, being
woefully unprepared for the zombie encouraging them to use their position of too cavalier with offense and with out of
apocalypse. The difference between a power to reach outward and to become control characters is disruptive, regardless
problem player and an agreeable one is an active force for order, adopting of the intentions of the player. In this case,
a sense of humility, rarely is it a matter a truly heroic role. The scope of the it is completely appropriate for a GM to
of disparate ability. Some players refuse missions can be much greater than other step in and declare what a player is doing
to believe that they are as inept as their characters would generally endure and is strictly out of bounds, especially if this
character avatars actually are. Setting aside increasing what influence they have over is violating one of the “Walls and Curtains”
that many underperforming characters the defense of their region would offset established by the group ahead of time.
have not yet utilized their allotment of their overwhelming martial superiority. If something is violative of what would
Gestalt Levels to improve themselves in In this sense, their biggest opponent may normally have been considered a “Wall
ways relevant to the player’s experience, not be zombies at all, but rival Strongholds and/or Curtain” but it was not discussed
a GM working with this kind of player who abuse their power and influence and ahead of time, a warning and some
has a few options. A GM can alter the managing the increasingly large amount explanation is a better course of action as
of refugees that are indirectly under their opposed to outright censure of behavior
q for Missions, for example.While a protection and care. during gameplay.
If such players are incredulous about
character may be inept in combat, the their invincibility, whether valid or not, DISTRESSED PLAYERS
problem player may have good ideas that they will have to ask themselves what
result in better outcomes than their dice sort of game they want to play.They may Characters based on players mean that
rolls indicate and can be helpful as a result. be behind walls with plenty of food and players have innately greater attachment
This tension can become redirected into ammo, but if they are playing Outbreak: than normal to their character (for obvi-
having this player take on this “idea man” Undead.. then presumably, they are ous reasons). Because of this, a player who
role, so long as they are willing to accept not joining a game group to roleplay a is becoming too uncomfortable playing
GM arbitration. Should the player refuse situation where they eat cans of peaches themselves as characters can, at any time,
this or continue being combative, then day after day in a fallout shelter as the shift their character to become non-CYAC
encourage them to alter their character world burns to ashes outside. by changing the name and altering Gestalt
to aTemplate Character since if the setting The real hazard for this sort of person Level.This is generally sufficient to con-
is not real, they may appreciate the game can also be a practical one and disrupting tinue play, although more serious distress
more if they were playing a character comforting plans are well within the spirit may require a short break.
further removed from their real-life of the game. For instance, a character
experience. that has a bunker with solar power might LATE OR ABSENT PLAYERS
Aside from a run of bad luck, it is entirely suddenly have to deal with a force of
possible that this player is sitting on a nature that renders it useless (heavy As ideal as it would be to run a game
hoard of Gestalt Levels that could be used rain/clouds) or destroys it outright.The with everyone present, life gets in the
to improve their character. In this case, a character may have plenty of food but way sometimes. Outbreak: Undead.. is
GM would be advised in recommending the outbreak hits when they were hosting actually a highly tolerant system for
that the player spend some of their (what are now) player characters, which absent players mechanically, especially if
character’s Gestalt Levels in order to drastically reduces the length of time the the GM is using a Timetable.The use of
improve their character. character’s stored food may last.
Basically, if a character has access to vast q to gauge the effort needed for most
OVERLY COMPETENT CYAC amounts of supplies, you may begin the
game at a higher OL, presumably when Missions means that absent players are
One of the hazards a GM faces when their enormous amount of supplies has able to have their characters contribute
players are playing themselves as run out or some unforeseen catastrophe to efforts passively that players can use
characters is that some may actually be forces them to venture outwards. towards the completion of Missions.
highly prepared, competent and effective So absent players are able to contribute
individuals.They own, and are proficient OUT OF CONTROL PLAYERS effectively.This does not help if there is a
with, survival tools and weapons and crucial story arc that features the missing
their mindset is primed for conflict that Some players relish the boundary pushing player characters, in which case it may be
most people couldn’t bother themselves that is allowed when playing characters better to have another trusted player fill
with.These are people who are generally that are different from they are.While this in or even reschedule.
military, police, search & rescue and other is fun and liberating, the behavior can lapse Missing player characters will need to
such professions or die-hard preppers, into the obnoxious or even offensive. It is
who play themselves as characters only possible that with enough disclosure ahead account for the lost 6 if they are trying
to find they have humongous combat and of time and with the permissions of the
survival advantages. Some even have (in group, that grating, offensive aspects of a to keep pace with the rest of the group.
real life) food and supplies to last years There are plenty of resources in this book
and the training to not need to rely upon that the Gamemaster and players can use
them 100%; and in extreme examples to make characters useful by means of
are even able to live almost exclusively Objectives and Stronghold or Safehouse
Features.

038 – Running Games

Scenario Location

FAMILIAR TERRITORY granted, and an alien setting has its own a more entertaining and engaging
reality that needs to be established and experience without really changing the
When running a game within the general reinforced to make it immersive while nature of the game. One of the easiest
area where the players live, landmarks not… well, too alienating. references for this are novelty birthday
and places used will be readily accessible booklets that detail a good cross section
in their imagination. Maps and online ALTERNATE TIME PERIODS of events and trends of a particular year at
tools make street to street navigation a glance. Between resources like these and
both accurate and immersive.This makes A GM may want to set their game in a good playlist of music, you can transport
narration very easy, but it is difficult different points in history, not just the session to a new and exciting place that
when a player has more familiarity with geography.There are many reasons why is both familiar and alien all at once
a specific location than a GM. This can this sort of setting may be appealing to
lead to some conflict, but there should both run and play. One of the main reasons NEAR-FUTURE
be a mutual understanding ahead of time is that a GM wants to restrict access to
when a player yields and when a GM yields technology that would easily be used as a A near-future setting is one with only
to experience. crutch or expand the scope well beyond a few tweaks to the level of technology
Because the game lacks the flexibility of a what was intended by the GM. A GM accessible to the characters. Basically,
totally unique, fictional setting, a GM can accommodating the players’ detailed plan what characters have access to are amped
instead use a timetable to add narrative that involves cell phones and internet up versions of current technology within
flair to the scenario. A Timetable can will not be a huge concern of scenario an otherwise very familiar setting.This can
feature a set of events that happen beyond construction for a game that takes place in be represented by utilizing Tech Points to
the characters’ control that would affect 1983, for example. So not only will there modify existing equipment slightly.
them.This will be gone over later in the be practical limitations to technological
Time section, as the events in aTimetable choices to force creativity on behalf of HIGH TECH
correspond to the usage of Time as a the players, it will give a chance for a GM
scenario pacing tool. to expand their creative horizons into High tech settings feature technology far
alternate histories and timelines. Players and beyond what a person would feasibly
ALIEN SETTING and GMs will have a chance to treat the see within even a century. Space and
setting as more of a fantastic one, even interdimensional travel, otherworldly
An alien setting is one that is entirely though it is a setting that they may have colonies, alien races, and technology that
fictional or that a player is generally been exposed to first hand and have it as is so phenomenal that to our eyes it would
unfamiliar with.This will allow scenario both a reference point, but alien enough seem more like magic would fall under
construction to operate with more in memory for elements of the fantastic this category.
creative liberty. Reality is entirely as the to have a firm toehold in the imagination For GM’s wishing to run settings with
GM presents it and it is up to the player’s A GM can make it an interesting research fantastic technology and terrors beyond
willingness to suspend disbelief to enjoy project to find peripheral information to space and time, Outbreak:Deep Space has
the story as it plays out.This also has the give the setting more narrative depth. a wealth of information on how to customize
potential to expand the encounters and Choices of music, trends of the day, such a scenario.The rule structure for the
equipment that characters can have access historical events, and the politics. The game will largely be unchanged.
to. This does require more prep as the tongue and cheek anachronistic and pop
given realities of present day are taken for cultural references can give all involved

Running Games – 039

The Basics of Storytelling

While you are running a game, what you ZOMBIES ARE (EVENTUALLY) Gamemasters actually have a whole world
are actually doing is immersing the play- BORING OPPONENTS of information to utilize. It turns out that
ers into a story that they are participating the real world has innumerable resources
in.There are many examples of zombie What differentiates Outbreak: Undead.. in regards to setting and story that you
movies, books, television shows, and from most other roleplaying games is that are able to gain insight from. Real stories
comics that vary tremendously in their zombies, humans and animals (infected of survival against harrowing odds are in
effectiveness in telling a story.With few or otherwise) are pretty much the only many ways inspiring. Practical books about
exceptions, all the ones you are thinking things that can be encountered and fought survival, stories of heroism in the face of
of, whether you like it or not, told the in most scenarios. Unlike other games disaster, and even the bleakest stories the
story they set out to tell.The difference which have the comparative luxury of news has to offer in the wake of natural
is how much the audience can resonate numerous books featuring a vast catalog disasters and political unrest can give a
with the characters, and any good story of various fantastic opponents to choose clear picture of not only what is going on
will involve caring deeply about what from, and potentially other worlds, distant in the world, but how such information can
happens to the characters.Then again, a lands or other dimensions as a setting, be utilized when constructing a scenario.
“slasher” film with the undead will not Outbreak: Undead.. has but a few variations It is easy to forget that the appeal of this
concern itself so much with the characters on the same theme of opponent and takes game is the minutia of what happens to
but with the delight of killing zombies and place on Earth.The only real variety is the characters, primarily, with the zombie
maybe saving/losing a few companions in transmission and potential treatment and apocalypse being a mere backdrop against
the process (all in good fun in that situa- origin of the zombie virus as well as any which a more relatable human drama
tion).There may even be a perverse joy in failed strains that may cause mutations of unfolds.A Health Point lost is less interest-
seeing just how badly the characters end some sort.The nature of these things hold ing than roleplaying the broken bone that
up meeting their demise. In this way there interest only so long as it is a mystery.This it may represent and how it impacts the
are a variety of games you can run given can make Encounters somewhat tedious party.When hyperrealism is the founda-
the setting. and repetitive with fairly predictable cues tion upon which the game is built, it helps
The first thing you ought to do as a GM is to indicate that something is awry that to exploit that for drama when the range
decide what kind of story your Scenario players will quickly catch on to. Players of opponents is so narrow. It is important
is telling.The rest of the details will con- in longer campaigns especially will soon to remember when running larger cam-
form themselves to that overarching goal. become wise to the various permutations paigns that the undead are best when used
Determine whether or not your desired of undead encounters and may rapidly tire as a catalyst for a larger personal drama or
setting supports or works against that goal of them. story of survival.
and last, determine the relationship of the This can prove a challenge to gamemas-
player characters to each other and their ters that run Outbreak: Undead.. as they
role in context of the greater events of the don’t have all of these in-game fantastic
outbreak. Clarity in these elements will resources to choose from when making
allow a GM much more creative liberty their scenarios... or do they?
when some time is spent determining what
these answers are.

ItOtozahntiucon’natarimsbivdttutrbiuinlvaieriifesezteaaasearlakeytt:oginctuofahaptrnUimetoreanaseiensdnssclyteisoyobsrltaflolkeoeawmdpiapni.eh.tddshe.e,outtoof

040 – Running Games

Gamemaster Tools

A GM will have a number of tools that are the percentage chance of the {E%} is 30%, Many Opponent special rules such as the
specific only to them and the opponents he’ll have to roll30 or under on a d100 to “Improved Sense” which will grant fur-
they can potentially deploy against players. deploy anything during encounters naturally, ther bonuses under certain circumstances.
They will help add an element of chance Some Hazards can alter this as well.
to the events of the outbreak, but all GM but the GM gets a bonus + for the setting
checks in this section can be ignored in USING CARDS
favor of a narrative or a scripted scenario. taking place at OL1.
A GM can opt to use an Encounter Deck.
ENCOUNTER CHECKS Many Hazards and Tactics as well as using This is in place of, or supplementary to,
Checks like {Stealth%} can alter the using the cards as purely a narrative ref-
An {Encounter%} Check is a d% that {Encounter%}.They generally will add erence.The GM has 5 cards ‘In Play’ that
is based on the level of danger posed function as different challenges a character
to the characters. Its chance of success either + or a - .Apply such alterations can face and draws 3 cards into their hand
is generally based on the speed and +1 additional card per OL.The cards in
perceptiveness of the Standard Opponents before deploying any Opponents or playing play are what are added to the Encounter
and their pervasiveness. any additional effects that are based on the Table and can be a unique set of Oppo-
A GM will be able to deploy Opponents result of an {Encounter%}. nents, special circumstances, hazards or
some special event. All of these can be
and other challenges by using the + An Encounter Table can be specific to a utilized at certain results of an Encounter
scenario, but there is a general table that Check as if they were part of the Encoun-
from an {Encounter%}. Each OL will can be used until the GM can specialize it
further with their own unique Opponents. terTable or played as Hazards by paying W
add a bonus + to the {Encounter%}
result, as high numbers of + will gener- DETERMINING THE PERCENTAGE costs. A card In Play should be used only
CHANCE OF AN ENCOUNTER CHECK once, then discarded and replaced with the
ally result in an Encounter with more or next card on the top of the deck or from a
deadlier Opponents. Unless a target percentage chance is prede- number of cards in the GM’s hand of their
termined by scenario notes, the percentage choosing until5 cards are In Play again..
Example:The GM is playing with the ‘stan- chance of an {Encounter%} is equal to
dard’ zombie opponent at OL1.Assuming 10% per Pb of the “Standard” Opponent
and a further +10% per Outbreak Level.

WHEN TO MAKE MULTIPLE ENCOUNTER and hoping to spur some conflict into the
ENCOUNTER CHECKS CHECKS scenario - can roll up to 3 additional ‘Free’
Encounter Rolls during the session based
The majority of what a GM does There are many scenarios where charac-
while running a session is making and ters get into really involved situations.This on the 6 the Mission requires without
interpreting Encounter Checks, called would have them making involved actions
{Encounter%} or simply {E%}. The spending Risk. He declares he’s going to roll
question of where and when depends upon that take several periods of 6.This will them as the party enters the town.
the scenario, but there are a few rules of The GM fails all3 rolls, and now if the GM
thumb the GM can use to determine when be common when characters are Navigat- really is desperate to create an Encounter at
to make Encounter Checks. ing or Searching or when characters are this moment, they would have to spend Risk
undertaking a Mission.
nn One period of Time (61) passes When starting a Mission that takes place to add + to any of their {Encounter%}

nn Whenever narration dictates that it during multiple periods of 6, a GM will rolls to do so.
would be feasible*
have at least 1 free Encounter check to
nn Characters enter a new Location
nn A certain number of Rounds pass make per 6 of the Mission.The GM can

during an Encounter make the checks whenever they like, even

nn The GM pays W10 reduced by W1 multiple ones in the same period of 6, but
once they use those up, unless W is used
per Outbreak Level
nn Characters spend too much time out of to force an Encounter, the Mission can
essentially be considered a Success under
game deliberating most circumstances, requiring only that
*This “whenever a GM feels narratively
appropriate” pool has a limit. A GM gets the characters spend the 6 as indicated in

one narrative {Encounter%} per 6 the Mission Brief or scenario notes.
Example:The players have decided to embark
in a Mission description. See “Multiple on a ‘Search and Rescue’ mission, and the
Encounter Checks” below for more detail on dice have been particularly kind to them,
how this works. resulting in no Encounters so far.The GM,
seeing an opportunity in the narration

Running Games – 041

BASIC ENCOUNTER CHECKS EntEtAhihcfneoetchuyGtionheruMetwnyRelatiriecamGns%arrkMittn,ewCofpprnhohuraroeneoliydclntvsFe.kieadrsravneeenoderry

Each Outbreak Level will add a bonus + to the {Encounter%}
result.The GM can also add a bonus + to the {Encounter%}
result by spending W1 after the roll is made.

Standard,Template, and Unique Opponents will be gone over in
detail in the Opponents section, but a basic rundown is as follows:
nn Standard Opponents –The most common Opponent pos-

sible. It is their Pb that will determine the {Encounter%}
percentage chance.
nn Template Opponents – An upgraded version of a Standard
Opponent. Some special Opponents can be deployed if the
{E%} results in this, or a Standard Opponent can be upgraded

with various Wpurchases.

nn Unique Opponents – An Opponent that is literally one of
a kind, extremely rare or particularly deadly.

CHARACTER RESPONSE characters will have the encounter with h could indicate that all the Opponents
TO THE RESULT OF AN the opponents anyway. In both cases, it is
ENCOUNTER CHECK safe to assume that these are considered are deployed, but the characters have the
‘Risky’ actions, which will compound any advantage of having a Surprise Round.
If the characters are at a severe disadvan- negative results the players get or simply Characters attempt to sneak if they are
tage where the GM decides to have the generate more Risk. trying to reduce the results of an {E%}
Encounter, then the characters will be but still wish to Move.The Difficulty of
able to make a {Navigation%} as a Save STEALTH RESPONSES
Throw to the GM’s {Encounter%}.The the Check is increased by n per + in
Characters attempt to hide if they are
side with the higher + will be allowed going to ground and diverting all their the {E%}, but the Check is made as an
efforts into not being detected.The char- Opposed Check to the {Spot/Listen%}
to determine where the Encounter takes acters stop their Movement at wherever of their Opponents. If the Check is suc-
place.Ties will go to the GM. However, if the Encounter takes place and make a cessful, then the Encounter Check is
the players wish to change the Location of {Stealth%} against the Opponent’s’ modified (for better or worse) or avoided
the Encounter, then the characters count {Spot/Listen%}.The characters’ Check entirely based on the result, but the GM
as having actually traveled in that direction will be treated as a normal Opposed Check decides where it is the characters needed
and entered that Location.This is import- in regards to how it alters the result of the to go in order to effectively sneak around
ant, because the GM is often restricted in opposing Check. their Opponents.The Location moved to
the kinds of Opponents and Hazards they in order to avoid the Encounter may not
are able to play, and different Locations Characters who do not get enough + to be any further than any distance that‘Slow’
will often alter what it is a GM can deploy movement will allow from the Encounter’s
and use against the characters. reduce the {Encounter%} to less than original Location. The GM can present
The opposed Check of the GM’s options as to where a character may go
{Encounter%} versus the characters’ 0 + will still have an Encounter, but in order to attempt a Sneak Check, and
{Navigation%} does not alter the rolls. the reduced + will be what is applied bonuses or penalties or some scenario nar-
The full result of the GM’s {Encoun- rative may be altered as a result.
ter%} is what is used to determine the to the results of the {Encounter%}. The GM must be able to describe this with
severity of the Encounter. This represents the characters avoiding some narrative, otherwise the GM is just
If characters wish to alter the results of the the bulk of the Opponents with their stalling and frustrating the characters for
{Encounter%} itself, they make either efforts. However, there is no reason no real reason other than because the rules
a {Stealth%} against whatever Oppo- why the GM can’t deploy the remaining mechanically allow for it. If the GM cannot
nents are deployed against them or the Opponents determined by the original come up with a convincing reason as to
{Encounter%} after enough rounds why characters are stalled or diverted from
pass or run a "Stealth Encounter”, as their original course, then they should not
described on pg. 47. A general rule of do so.
thumb is that the additional Opponents
arrive (d5! - Pb of the Opponent) Rounds
later, to a minimum of 1.The result of an

042 – Running Games

Deploying Opponents

GMs “Deploy” Opponents once they deter- of check. Rather it is a category that can against each other with weapons that fea-
mine how many are in the Encounter with be fulfilled by a few different kinds of Skill ture a Long Range multiplier. In fact, it
Checks as the situation dictates. Occa- is precisely for these situations that Long
characters by resolving the + from the sionally the opponents must overcome an Range Lethality is even provided, as oth-
actual physical barrier, like walls, doors, erwise the ranges represented by that
{Encounter%} with the options available fences, and windows. Sometimes, it’s dis- multiplier would almost never factor into
on the Encounter Chart (which is estab- tance and time. Regardless, the Opponents the distances represented in an Encounter.
lished by the Gamemaster or provided by must succeed in a Check relative to the Opponents may stay Out of Bounds if it’s
the Scenario or Mission Brief). Since the kind of obstacle they are overcoming in advantageous for them to do so, in which
location of the Encounter can vary tremen- order to be Deployed. Failing this Check case characters must make an effort to
dously, the GM deploys Opponents based will have them remain “Out of Bounds” hunt them down if they wish to fight them
on relative distance to the characters. for the Encounter and unable to partici- or fight back with a Long Range weapon
Opponents may not be deployed closer pate actively in the Encounter. Until their of their own.
than 10 feet per Pb of a character. The Breach Check is successful, they are con- If characters flee an Encounter while there
minimum distance can be altered by 10 sidered “Out of Bounds”.An opponent can are still Opponents that are both Deployed
attempt a Breach Check once per Turn as and Out of Bounds, then the GM can add
feet per + in a {Stealth%} or {Spot/ per their result on the Speed Dice, or once
per Turn if no Speed Dice roll is made. W per Opponent that was Out of Bounds
Listen%} by the defending or attacking The following are suggested Skill Checks
side respectively. that can be used for a Breach Check, based when the characters flee. Deployed Oppo-
on the type of material attempting to be
DEPLOYING OPPONENTS breached or barriers being traversed: nents will typically add Wif anything at
Barrier: Possible SC% for Breach%
Here are ways that a GM can deploy Doors: {Brawl%, Melee Attack%} all.
Opponents against player characters. Ducts/Pipes: {Climb%, Navigation%} Note: Some opponents have special rules
Fences: {Climb%, Navigation%} while Out of Bounds which usually amount
NEW OPPONENTS ENTERING Roads/Streets/Bodies of Water: to special Hazards that a GM has access
ENCOUNTERS {Endurance%, Navigation%, Swim%,
Pil–Vehicle%} to or an altered W penalty when fleeing
New Opponents can be deployed in an Walls: {Climb%, Navigation%}
existing Encounter, as many Opponents Wilderness: {Navigation%, Spot/ Encounters while the opponents are still Out
and Hazards have the ability to raise an Listen%, Survival%} of Bounds.
alarm, calling for reinforcements. Some Windows: {Brawl%, Climb%, Melee Characters can fire upon Opponents that
Opponents just draw more attention to Attack%} are Out of Bounds by using the Long
themselves naturally.The GM can deploy Some Opponents have unique options to Range Lethality of certain weapons (typ-
new Opponents (if allowed by some rule them when attempting to Breach.They ically long guns or some bows). It is for
or by the paying of Risk). They are not will either ignore normal barriers by being targets that are Out of Bounds that the
deployed automatically, however. New adapted well enough to take advantage of Long Range Lethality is intended for in
Opponents must somehow “Breach” the different kinds of Skill Checks to attempt a the first place. It is possible to exchange
boundaries of the Encounter and so begin Breach action or be able to ignore obstacles fire from quite a distance or the survivors
as “Out of Bounds”. altogether. For instance, any barrier that can attempt to avoid the hazards caused
can be overcome by {Climb%} can be by Out of Bounds opponents narratively.
Another rule of thumb is that Opponents ignored by Opponents that can fly, and can
are to be deployed as intrusively as thus be Deployed immediately. OPPONENTS AS HAZARDS
possible while still obeying the deployment
distance, as an Encounter represents a OUT OF BOUNDS A GM can deploy whatever is in an Oppo-
situation with no obvious escape. OPPONENTS nent’s entry by spending the appropriate

OPPONENTS IN COMBAT Characters and Opponents with ranged amount of Wto do so.The Opponent in
weapons will be able to make attacks
Enemies will have an Intent, Check and the entry can represent a group of oppo-
Resolution phase that is taken the same nents or a single powerful one.The entry
time as the player characters and the Skill will specify how many of an Opponent will
Check descriptions should be the same. be deployed.There is generally a limit to
Any special Triggered Effect options an
Opponent has will be listed in the entry. how much Wcan be spent on deploying
The difference is, that a GM will generally
keep the Intent phase of the Opponents a Opponents based on Outbreak Level. A
secret, for obvious reasons. Hazard type deployment of opponents can
be used to augment ones deployed through
BREACH CHECKS
the spending of + in an {Encounter%}.
A Breach Check, or {Breach%}, is much Both the + from {E%} and spending of
like a SaveThrow, in that it is not one kind Ware used interchangeably in entries, in
that a GM can either spend + or pay W

in order to use the Opponents listed. A

Running Games – 043

GM can also deploy additional Opponents l50% of what they would have gotten advised to arm themselves with these kinds
of weapons, but there is often a tradeoff in
after an Encounter by paying Wor making by defeating them in combat. A character
can also accomplish a “Lay Low” Mission the form of adding Wwith use or by being
a subsequent {Encounter%}. However, to do this.
these opponents must pass a {Breach%} extremely impractical outside of combat
as determined by the Location in order SKILL CHECKS AND to carry.
to be deployed. A character may attack OPPONENTS
Opponents that have not yet passed a STARTING ENEMY MORALE
{Breach%} with the Long Range Lethal- Because Opponents could be much more
ity of any Ranged weapons they may have numerous and possess stats that are far less Enemy Base Formation Morale: Leader’s
or with [Pi] melee weapons by stabbing robust than player characters, it is perfectly Wb + Eb
through points of entry if close enough. acceptable for a GM to only roll a d10 on Modifiers to Enemy Formation Morale
Opponents passing the {Breach%} check their behalf when making skill checks, fac-
must be deployed as if they have come toring in only the 10s digit of the relevant Enemies have superior numbers: +J1
from an obvious point of entry unless the percentage chance of the Skill Check they
entry says otherwise. Opponents that do per opponent more than the characters in
not pass a {Breach%} before Encounter’s attempt when determining any + or - the Encounter
Enemies have ambushed the characters,
end will instead award half of the Wcost generated.
getting a “Surprise Round”: +J2
spent to deploy them back to the GM. If ENEMY FORMATIONS
the characters fled the encounter, the GM Enemies hate the player characters specif-
can also make a free {Encounter%} to be Much like player characters, a group of
able to deploy the opponents (should they (living) opponents will have a breaking ically and carry a grudge: +J3
be logically able to do so), representing point for how long they are willing to fight. Enemies are desperate, or starving: +J4
the Opponents in pursuit or simply being For this reason, all enemies who would
blundered into by fleeing characters.This logically be on the same side will have their Enemies are insane, fearing nothing for
{Encounter%} is counted as having been own Morale rating just like characters in
made during the same period of Time. Formation. Each Round of fighting, the their own safety: +J5
enemy party Morale is reduced by 1. Ene-
SURPRISE ROUNDS Some unique opponents or highly orga-
mies reaching J0 lose their will to fight nized opponents may have special rules
A “Surprise Round” (by either the oppo- that they can use by reducing their own
nents or characters) is like any other and either flee or surrender (whatever Morale, in the same way as many Forma-
round, but the surprised party will not be makes the most sense narratively). Some tions characters use. Such special rules
able to make any Intent phase.This means opponents have special rules in regards to will be listed in the opponent’s entries.
that for the round, the surprised party will Such special rules apply strictly to living
only be able to make {Save Throws%}. J and fleeing, but most fleeing enemies opponents who have some organization
will add W1 per opponent to a GM’s Risk and leadership to focus their attention.
EVASION
Pool. Note that most undead opponents will fight
An Encounter Check {E%} can be replaced Characters usingTriggered Effects that are until their destruction, caring nothing for
by an opponent’s {Spot/Listen%}, and Stressors will also negatively impact the their own safety.They will not have Morale
characters can oppose it with {Stealth%}. Morale of Enemy Formations. It should be ratings nor will they break and flee an
Avoiding an Encounter by Eliminating noted that the uses of some kinds of Gear Encounter under nearly every circumstance.
will damage enemy Morale. Players will be
all of a GM’s + in the {E%} will grant

044 – Running Games

Using Encounters Narratively

A Narrative Scenario is one that is largely 2. Have characters adopt a Formation what the characters are doing during Nar-
driven by a story. As a result, there needs (if they can). ration.
to be attention spent on what happens
during periods of Time and when any 3. Check the 6 requirement by cross The amount of 6 to undertake a Supply
{Encounter%} checks are made.The GM referencing the Labor Value (q) Run Mission is determined to be 63. Rel-
can even opt against using {Encounter%}
Checks at all and have every Encounter listed in the Mission Briefing with atively short for a Mission.The GM decides
scripted, planned or determined by the the appropriate Training Values of that Rich, undertaking the Mission all by
narration of the session.This version is far the characters on the provided chart himself will have an {E%} rolled against
more informal and requires the GM to be on pg. 119.This will give an approx- him when he enters the building he’s search-
well-invested in the development of the imate amount of Time the Mission ing and saves the other two from when he
scenario. should take. explores the darker corners of the home where
When deciding whether to use {E%} 4. Characters make Skill Checks danger would be reasonably expected.
or Narrative Scenarios, it’s important indicated in the Mission entry as Once all the Encounter Checks are made,
to remember that it is not an either/or being laborious (ones that can be the characters count as having spent the
decision. In fact, even using strictly {E%}, used with the “Labor” Triggered
the GM would benefit their players tre- Effect). The results will apply to 6 required by the Mission and count it
mendously by explaining how or in what the entire scenario in some way.
manner the Opponents encounter the as a Mission success and get the rewards
players in the way one does in a purely A. + can be used to reduce described in the “Success” of the Mission
narrative scenario. the 6 of the Mission further or Briefing’s entry.

NARRATIVE SCENARIOS be turned into a Competence Note:A GM can purchase additional {E%}
AND MISSIONS Point they can use normally.
by spending some of their W from their
To handle a narrative scenario, it still helps B. - can be used to either add
to have set Mission parameters.The reason additional Risk (W), increase the Risk Pool.
is that using the Mission Briefings (pro- 6 requirement or they can be held
vided in this book later) will give the GM FORMATIONS
some context while they concentrate on onto in a pool for them or the GM
having the story unveiling organically with to resolve in the process of narra- The Formations that characters adopt will
the cooperation of the players within that tion. often restrict what kinds of Skill Checks
framework. 5. The characters play the scenario they can take against the Mission. This
Narrative Scenario Steps normally. does not mean they cannot take other
1. Choose (or create) a Mission Briefing Skill Checks during the narrative play or
ENCOUNTER CHECKS AND Encounters. It just means that before the
that best describes the session (see NARRATIVE SCENARIOS Mission begins, the kinds of Skill Checks
pg. 118).
The GM will get one {Encounter%} they can take to reduce 6 needed or gain

check that can be made per 6 of the Mis- some advantage (like extra Competence
Points) is restricted.The tradeoff is that
sion based on the result of 3 and 4 of the they often get party-wide special rules or
previous steps.These {Encounter%} can bonuses to certain kinds of Skill Checks
be used at any time that is appropriate to until the Mission’s end or the Formation
is broken (whichever comes first).

EXAMPLE OF NARRATIVE Mission the GM sees that to fully loot this 3-1 = 2). So the overall narrative Mission
PLAY
small block will take 610 normally. will take place over 68 (610 - 62 = 68).
The survivors were fortunate enough to The GM also gets an additional - -
find a minivan and used it to expand their The GM tells all three characters to roll
search radius for supplies.They arrive in {Search%} and they collectively get worth of Risk. Consulting the Mission
a fog-choked residential street high in the
mountains that looks like it hasn’t been +++--- Briefing, a - will generate W1 when
touched. Player 1: “I want to Resolve my + + +
The GM decides that they are very obvi- resolved.
ously on a “Supply Run” Mission.The GM to reduce Time” All in all, the GM will now have 8
combines the party’s Training Values for {Encounter%} Checks (1 for each
“Reconnaissance Gear” since he decides Player 2: “I want to Resolve my - to
that’s the most appropriate measure. Cross period of 6) at their disposal in addition
increase Time”
referencing that with the q Value of the to the pool of Risk to spend on either
Player 3: “I want to Resolve my - - to extra {Encounter%} Checks, Hazards or
Opponent Upgrades during the game ses-
generate Risk.” sion. If the characters survive this ordeal,
In total, the combined effort will reduce
then they will have spent 68 searching the
the 6 needed by 62 (+ + + - - ,
town and will have what is owed to them
based on the Mission’s “Success” entry.

Running Games – 045

Advanced Encounters

SECRET INTENTS A character and the GM are required sion% and Determine Motives%} in
to place an “Action Marker”: A counter, order to place more of such markers to
Player characters in pitched battles with card or a token that is relevant to where bluff the player or GM as to what they are
intelligent, astute or organized Opponents the character wants to go or wants to do wanting to do, adding an additional marker
can have mind games be as important of among their Engaged opponents. Using
a factor in the Encounter as combat skill miniatures and maps will allow for tokens per + relevant to the Encounter. Con-
checks. For this reason, you can opt to do to be used by placing them in relevant
Secret Intents.This is not the default way places on the game map each participant versely, characters in a bad position may
of playing because it slows the game down taking turns placing one Action Marker at a be allowed fewer markers than normal,
significantly, but it is tense and can be very time. Narrative scenarios will require writ- so that opponents vis-a-vis the GM know
exciting. It also requires players to both ten descriptions on note cards or scratch what the player character is up to. In such
be veteran players of Outbreak: Undead.. to paper or pre-made cards.A player or GM an instance, a player or GM gets one less
operate so independently and also be very may have 1 such Action Marker per Pb or
aware of the tolerance of a GM to apply the Wb* (whichever is higher) and upon their per - they wish to resolve.
result of Skill Checks. By necessity, this has turn, they must do what is indicated on
to discard some narrative flair in exchange one of the remaining markers. Characters A player or GM can remove Action
for a surprise in actions and stick to the or opponents with no markers remaining Markers that are fairly obvious with
Triggered Effects very literally, since a GM may do nothing but make SaveThrows on
is forfeiting their veto ability of a player’s their turn. some creative uses of + . For instance, a
Intent since they won’t know what it is. Save Throws: Making a {Save Throw%}
Secret Intent means that characters and while a character still has Action Mark- character trying to pin an opponent down
Opponents do not reveal what they are can use Suppression Fire and not only add
doing to each other during the Intent ers or + ,- to Resolve will require
Phase. Players and the GM have a set of some n to the opponent’s Dice Pool as
reference cards or note paper to write one Action Marker to be removed of the
down the common actions that a character attacker’s choosing. normal, a GM can also remove any of
or opponent can take, only revealing them *Undead do not have the option of using the target’s Action Markers that indicates
in the Check Phase. Wb and are restricted to just using Pb. movement through the character’s line
A character can use {Hold%, Expres- of fire. It should be noted that a lot of
uses like this are doable purely through
narration, and undoubtedly that’s where
most GMs will settle when considering
this method of play, but if it is player vs.
player or when the stakes are fairly high,
this sort of nuance in the rules may be
appreciated or needed.

EXAMPLE OF SECRET With 5 Action Markers on him, it seems bluff that he is reloading.This removes an
INTENTS impossible for Cy to avoid to be targeted Action Marker on Cy and requires him to
with some form of Triggered Effect. pass an {Assess Person%} as a SaveThrow
Cy has been happened upon by a pair of The rest of the round plays out as normal. in order to prevent Cy from being forced
Vigilantes who have pinned him down to move to his Action Maker behind the
behind a concrete barricade with small Cy goes first and resolves one of his + to car and get shot at. Making a Save Throw,
arms fire. Cy returns fire with his pistol he loses one of his Action Makers, so he
and the ambush is now a standoff. fire sideways from behind the barricade at chooses the one on theVigilante he pinned.
Cy weighs his options and places 4 Action the closest Vigilante to remove an Action Cy fails his {Assess Person%} and bolts
Markers that the GM allows him to have: 2 Marker placed by the Vigilante to the car. for cover not knowing that he will be fired
targeting the closestVigilante, 1 targeting This effectively pins him in place. upon.
the one further away, and 1 to a nearby The closest Vigilante now has no choice Gunshots ring out as Cy is shot at, theVigi-
car that he can run to for cover if things
go bad. but to try to resolve whatever + he has lante resolving one of his + , Cy is hit and
This means that Cy is only able to move to
against Cy, regardless of how unlikely it takes damage. Cy’s path is cut short and
or Resolve any + or d to any of the tar- is for his small caliber pistol to penetrate he is now stranded between two pieces of
the cement barricade Cy is hiding behind. cover, clutching his fresh wound in agony.
gets he has called out with Action Markers. The closest Vigilante removes an Action It is now Cy’s turn and he has one Action
This effectively is Cy’s Intent Phase. Marker he placed on Cy and resolves all his Marker remaining. He decides to roll over
The other Vigilantes get 3 each. and the and quickly return fire upon the one who
closest one puts 2 on Cy and one on a + trying to return fire into Cy, to inflict
nearby car.The other Vigilante puts all 3 is firing upon him with his last + .
on Cy. damage but it predictably doesn’t work and
The Vigilante takes {Dodge%} as a Save
his turn is over, having used all his + . Throw and (succeed or fail) loses his

The furthest Vigilante has no such issue. last Action Maker.With all + and -
With all 3 of his Action Markers on Cy, he
decides to try to draw him out and hit him. Resolved, the Round is over.
He targets Cy with an {Expression%} to

046 – Running Games

DEEP STRATEGY - STEALTH nn Detect: Player or GM can remove If an Opponent loses all their Action Mark-
ENCOUNTER one Action Marker of their choice. ers before they are to make their next
Removing the last Action Marker Intent, they may be targeted with Attacks
Building off of the “Secret Intent” section, from any character or opponent will
you can run a game where the goal is to pin them in their place and will grant next turn that do not generate W(such as
sneak past opponents instead of fighting all other Opponents an additional
them. Characters must be in Formation Action Marker next Round. knives, bows/crossbows, clubs or grapple)
and must manage their Action Markers and without fear of blowing their cover. Failing
Morale as a group. Using the Action Mark- nn Hide: Remove all Opponent’s Action to subdue or kill that target will likely raise
ers described in the Secret Intent section, Markers targeting this Character and an alarm and end the Stealth Encounter,
a player and GM can add and remove the remove all Action Markers a character as will another opponent stumbling on
Action Markers of characters by distraction has placed that doesn’t indicate them the body.The Undead will not recognize
or attempts to locate hidden characters. hiding in place.This character cannot a body left behind in this manner, however.
move. If any character loses all their Action Mark-
Using the + or gear that allows for a ers before they are able to make their next
An Opponent that comes in contact with Intent, the character is essentially pinned
bonus to {Stealth%} and other such Skill a Character will automatically detect them and is stuck in their hiding place and will
Checks can allow characters to throw off and end the Stealth Encounter (barring an
attention as they make their way to the extreme circumstance), but the detected lose J1 perTurn. If they have no logical
outer boundary of the Encounter to escape character will get a Surprise Round against
safely. For a reference, use the following the detecting opponent. place to hide or they run out of Morale,
additional rules toTriggered Effects to run Using “Reconnaissance Gear” properly they are no longer “Hidden” and are either
a Stealth Encounter. grants an additional Action Marker per discovered or break from their hiding place
Mx each Turn and anything designated and run in fear. Either of these ends the
nn Distract: Player can add one Action as “Bait/Lure” will also grant additional Stealth Encounter and it begins as a normal
Marker of their choosing or remove Action Markers when used (it will vary Encounter.
an Action Marker from their Oppo- by entry or by GM discretion).
nent. A player can also move or add
an Action Marker on behalf of an
opponent.

Running Games – 047

Resolving With Narration

All checks made, whether combat checks, existed by adding confounding details Players can petition a narrative to the
Encounter checks or Breach checks can or advantageous elements to explain the
results of the dice rolls. GM about how their - resolve in order
have the resulting + and - resolve
Example: Asher is being dragged out of a to prevent the GM from resolving them
narratively.This is not only possible, it is moving train by some zombies that have for him or her. Similarly, a player may
strongly encouraged. Outbreak: Undead.. latched onto him as he jumped on board. want to add an in-game or narrative perk
is not just a game about the exchange The player makes a {Lift/Pull%) in order
of blows in combat with dice rolls, it is for Asher to hoist himself back onto the train, to their result by resolving a + in a way
meant to be a cooperative storytelling
experience. A GM or a player can resolve but he gets - - ... the weight is pull- not described by any specific Triggered
Effect. If the GM feels that the explanation
a + or - with a story as to how it ing him back! Rae, in the same train car,
warrants the resolution of one or more +
could benefit or hinder them (or their sees this and has + of her own to Resolve. or - , then that is perfectly in line with
fellow party members) respectively in
their current situation. This absolutely Since her Intent was to help Asher escape the flow of gameplay.
opens up the potential for storytelling and the pursuing zombies, the GM allows her to
adds a life and richness to the encounter
or scene that would not have otherwise resolve her existing + to pull Asher aboard.

While Asher is pulled to safety, there is still

- - for the GM to resolve...

This is very important when considering a player’s attempt to resolve their
own Degrees of Failure... always keep this in mind when figuring out what
happens during a Resolution Phase.

CONSIDERATION WHEN RESOLVING to cover the magnitude of failure a player has to account for as
DEGREES OF FAILURE
indicated by the number of - they have to Resolve.
Resolving - narratively in particular, it should be noted that It will be up to the GM to resolve the remaining - in whatever

player characters should get only one chance at describing way they feel appropriate to the reality of the situation.This can
mean telling a part of the narration that the player was unwilling
what happens; a GM is not obligated to resolve any - in this to consider due to the terrible consequences to their character or

way if the player’s narration strains credulity.A generous GM can the party.The - can also remain on the character to Resolve by

remove some, but not all of the - if the story told by the player an Engaged opponent normally. A GM can choose either option
or a mix of the two.They can also just resolve them for Risk.
feasibly can explain what happened, but is somehow insufficient

048 – Running Games

Time and Timelines

One of the most effective tools a GM has Time in an entry, and are instead given a is in. It should be noted that these events
for structuring their scenarios is Time, are generally far beyond character ability
Labor Value indicated with a q symbol. to alter the outcome of. Published settings
represented by 6or ^ (the different likewise haveTimelines to reference. As a
The LaborValue will be increased by many GM, it is helpful to construct your own
symbols are for legibility, they otherwise factors, including the size and scope of the Timeline so you don’t lose track of how
mean exactly the same thing). It not only undertaking and Environmental Modifiers. long the characters have been at their
allows proper pacing of larger events, it particular mission and if anything event-
gives an ability for a character to perform TIME ful happens beyond their control. It also
essential tasks in order to maintain/con- serves to remind characters of their suste-
struct equipment, make progress on long The mechanic of Time should be familiar nance needs for the duration of the session
term projects, practice new skills, research to players of Outbreak: Undead.. It should you have planned (resource management
available information, undertake neces- come as no surprise that all players are is a crucial element of Survival Horror,
sary repairs around a Stronghold or even restricted to a certain number of periods after all).
sell their availableTime to the Stronghold ofTime in order to accomplish missions if A player cannot save up or borrow allot-
population for additional funding for better there is to be any real tension. tedTime from one period to the next out
equipment or services in between sessions. of courtesy to the other players, but they
All of these can be done to represent the Example:The threat of sunset will plunge can spend their Waking Time passively
time in between the more important story characters into darkness and potentially doing some menial task to contribute to
events that actual game sessions typically invite new terrors to pursue them.The GM a Stronghold’s efforts somehow if they
cover. In addition to this, the ever-present are unable to participate in any organized
threat of nightfall can make the amount of determines that there is only 66 left in the events that month. This (and only this)
can be declared retroactively and only
6 characters spend on various things of day before the sun sets. during the first session after an absence.
A GM will also use an overall total to scale Even then, it’s up to the discretion of the
paramount importance. their session to fall within a certain amount GM in order to determine if the activity
Since many features listed earlier will of Time.This sort of organization is most of a character makes sense.This generally
require a functioning Stronghold, it’s good useful during organized “Pandemic Play” implies a secure Stronghold where a char-
to understand how to scale it for charac- but any GM can make use of this when acter can do maintenance, construction or
ters that both have a Stronghold to operate timing their own sessions. repair work in relative safety. In this case,
from in addition to characters interacting
with other party members and the occa- As stated, each day is divided into 620. a character has only 6336 to perform any
sional stranger (hostile or not).
Extrapolating from this, a character has tasks, as the other half of theTime they are
TIME AND MISSIONS the following amount of Time: presumed to be sleeping or resting.This is
Time by Number of Days considered “Waking Time” and there are
Several Mission parameters in this book many factors and Gear that can increase or
1 day: 620 (~12Waking Time) decrease this amount.This is also done if a
have a recommended 6 requirement 1 week: 6140 (~84Waking Time) character is recovering from some Injury,
1 month: 6560 (~336Waking Time) especially if it’s a very serious one.
in order to represent the extent of the 1 year: 66720 (~4032Waking Time)
undertaking. Some Missions are merely Note:Very active groups that meet multiple
making a single Skill Check and using up In the case of organized “Pandemic Play” a times throughout the month can restrict each
timeline of major events that take place in session to a certain amount of periods of
an allotment of 6 in order to represent the United States are provided and these
events can be either interesting back- Time that are less than the overall 6560
how long it took. ground or a major obstacle to overcome,
Things that can be accomplished given depending on what Region the character allotted for a player each month of in-game
enough attention will be done faster by Time.A large event, like at a convention may
skilled or well-equipped characters. See likewise have a fixed number ofTime periods
the section on Labor andTime for details.
Some tasks are absent a flat amount of

The curious player or GM may wonder why bother including or differentiating Waking vs total Time.
A player that finds themselves needing to spend periods of Time to accomplish various Objec-
tives and participate in scripted Sessions must draw from their Waking Time. Rest and recovery
can draw half from the overall Time. For instance, a character needing to sacrifice three days

6 6 6( 60) to remove an n from an Injury removes 30 from Waking Time and 30 from any overall
6 6allotment they are allowed for that session to make up the 60 Time needed ( 20 x 3 days = 60)

and can continue playing after removing the n . In general, common sense must dictate whether

or not the Waking Time is needed to be drawn from. When a character reaches 0 Waking Time from
their allotment, they are no longer able to participate in sessions until the Time refreshes
or the next season of organized play begins or the player wishes to create a new character.

Running Games – 049