So this thread will be the grounds for dicussion of the city,who lives there and all that info.
If your making a post please make sure to include if its before or After the zombie apocalypse.
And yes I stole the name from the mall in the 78 Dawn of the Dead:P
It needs a shopping mall, hydroelectric dam (could make for a very creepy adventure), a massive sprawling byzantine sewer/undercity, a shopping mall, a port, and a shopping mall.
We'll start with the Dam, who run its,who works there?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hydroelectric_dam.svg
Obviously, the city's nuclear power plant has shut down durning the emergency - the dam may prove a far more reliable alternative with regards to restoring power to the city.
-DF
Or we could just pick a timeframe and work on that. :P
We might want to build this city in several states of decay, starting with pre-infection, moving to infection (infected are starting to show up, and slowly taking over the city), then going into post-infection, and finally a decade post-infection.
Or we could just pick a timeframe and work on that. :P
Well if you read my OP it says to state which time fram your tlaking abotu either Pre or during or post Zombie
Person one: Hey, you know what we should do? We should sneak in there and take the files without letting anyone know.
Person two: That's stupid. We should sneak in and snag the files before anyone sees us.
Person one: I just said that...
Sorry, dude.
The Nuclear generator gave me an interesting adventure idea. It requires a PC or NPC who is something of a techy, though. But basically, the PC's suspect (or know somehow) that the reactor is about to go critical and have X hours/minutes to shut it down, and it's off on the far side of the city (or not even in the city, I don't know where they put these things).
It seems like a great way to get the PCs out of their stronghold to me. Anyways, once the nuke reactor is shut down, in order to keep the city on the grid (if that's what they want to do- only works if they haven't got a reliable power generator) they'll have to go reactivate the 70's-era station. The station itself is in a state of disrepair, with catwalks rusted through so they might break and the occasional zombie, too. Sort of like a classic dungeon crawl, but in a power plant.
Then they get the techie to the control room (or whatever) and he realises it will take some time to fix- and the PCs have to defend him against waves of zombies while he does his thing.
For bonus points, have a battle on the top of the dam and throw someone off.
I like the dam idea but feel that it might be a bit challenging for the PCs to fix all from one room. If anything I think it might be something that would require them to split up into smaller parties to turn on two switches at the same time or something similar to that.
Also, can anyone start suggesting rules for things like population, origins of city and everything like that? or do you want to start us off trappedslider?
I didn't realize I was left out of the creative process 
.
I didn't realize I was left out of the creative process .
I'm letting you handle most of the details....like where,origin etc..
Ah yes, location, location, location.
I'm voting to keep it in Kazakhstan, unless someone has a really good cooler/temperate climate United States city in mind.
Ah yes, location, location, location.
I'm voting to keep it in Kazakhstan, unless someone has a really good cooler/temperate climate United States city in mind.
Why the US at all? put it in quebec. the PCs can set up in Fort Saint-Jean or something. It'll be great. They can eat poutine.
It's a place most forum-goers here are familiar with.
It's a place most forum-goers here are familiar with.
and the towns name is Fort Monroeville
I thought that was just a placeholder name, because the region hadn't been chosen yet.
I thought that was just a placeholder name, because the region hadn't been chosen yet.
I thought that that was actually the town name... thought it would set it in the United States. I also feel that as most people on these forums know american customs/architecture and other such features, making it based in the USA or Canada would allow for the greatest development of a city...
I thought that was just a placeholder name, because the region hadn't been chosen yet.
nah,its hte official name,but we can still put it whereever the heck we feel like putting it...We'll jsut call this the american translation of the name
The city has a river flowing through it. This is for certain.
It also needs to have a tree covered wilderness in the immediate vicinity. I don't know why, but that just feels right.
And...there must be a mall.
The city has a river flowing through it. This is for certain.
It also needs to have a tree covered wilderness in the immediate vicinity. I don't know why, but that just feels right.
And...there must be a mall.
like a centeral park type of wilderness?
like a centeral park type of wilderness?
Not so much in the city, but outside.
How about some nearby mountains, too?
Also, I don't think it should be on the coast- its too tempting to just grab a boat and live off fish. River should work, or a lake.
Fort Monroeville:
Population (pre-zombies): 132,573
Males: 52%
Females: 48%
Average Family: 2 parents, 1-2 child
Average Age: 37
Average Education Level: Highschool with some College level education (currently attending or otherwise)
Faith: 72% Christian, 15% Jewish, 4% Muslim, 9% Agnostic/Atheist
Average Household Income: $36,263
How about some nearby mountains, too?
Also, I don't think it should be on the coast- its too tempting to just grab a boat and live off fish. River should work, or a lake.
Agreed. In my mind, it was never on a coast.
I too never felt that it would be on a coast. If anything, it sounds like it would be found somewhere in the midwest, former Northwest Territories type thing... maybe even in Central Canada. With the name of the city, it sounds like it might have been originally a fort built in the wilderness (might explain the mountains/forest that are nearby). It even sounds like the name of some backwater town, but the tower wouldn't be found there if this was the case i'm sure.
I too never felt that it would be on a coast. If anything, it sounds like it would be found somewhere in the midwest, former Northwest Territories type thing... maybe even in Central Canada. With the name of the city, it sounds like it might have been originally a fort built in the wilderness (might explain the mountains/forest that are nearby). It even sounds like the name of some backwater town, but the tower wouldn't be found there if this was the case i'm sure.
well as i said before, the name can be the american translation,so it can be anywhere in the world.
HOOAH! Awsome! Thanks for getting the ball rolling Traps,
Ok now, I vote no on Canada, now wait a sec my Canadian friends, I have nothing against you or anything, I have several good friends from Canada. My reasoning, correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm thinking that because Canada is up there it gets cold in the winter right? The Zombies will freeze and the survivors will be safe, atleast from the Zombies, and can just go out and destroy them at there will. We don't want that now do we? I say Mid-West where it does not get cold enough for Zombies to freeze.
I love the Dam idea and the possible adventure arch with the Nuclear power plant.
Ok I have been reading an online comic strip called Zombie Hunters, Awsome! It has some cool ideas for alternate Zombies that would be cool for a campaign. Now is this setting were making just gonna have run of the mill zombies, slow moving or fast/running gouls?
Anyways heres the link for the comic strip so if anyone wants to add it to there settings...
www.thezombiehunters.com/index.php?strip...
Heres a link to the encyclopedia for the zombies in the strip...
www.thezombiehunters.com/zombies.php
Fort Monroeville:
Population (pre-zombies): 132,573
Males: 52%
Females: 48%
Average Family: 2 parents, 1-2 child
Average Age: 37
Average Education Level: Highschool with some College level education (currently attending or otherwise)
Faith: 72% Christian, 15% Jewish, 4% Muslim, 9% Agnostic/Atheist
Average Household Income: $36,263
I think we found the basic stats for hte city unless anyone disargees?
I like those stats (as I came up with them 
) but the one problem they create is that it narrows the countries that Fort Monroeville could be in significantly. With that being said, you're unlikely to find such a large, mostly (but not entirely) Christian demographic elsewhere, especially with a family structure, income and such in other areas of the world (outside the USA and Canada, possibly some European countries, i'm not entirely sure though). With taht being said, if we can't decide to put F.M. in the USA or other like area, all of that needs to be redone... by someone who knows other regions of the globe better than i do.
Fort Monroeville History:
Originating from a French Fort in what is now Indiana, Fort Monroeville was originally a strategic point along the cost of Lake Michigan. Here, a key British victory was scored in the French and Indian War, ending a stalemate that lasted two months, and resulted in the capture of 326 French troops. From here, ownership passed to the British, before they too lost it in the Revolutionary War and finally it remains within United States control today. What originally was a defense, soon became a region of relative success with many industries forming in the immediate region. It's downtown became a center of finance for the entire state, and The Tower (DO WE HAVE A NAME) and several other structures of business being constructed in the late 1980's. From here, the city has drawn its power mainly from the national power grid but is supplemented by a Hydro Electric Damn on the Portage River (7 miles due south of the city of Fort Monroeville).
Come on now, those zombies aren't going to kill themselves.
Pretty much everything so far sounds great. One item however, when it is talked about a hydroelectric dam. I am not aware of too many dams of this sort in the midwest, as they dont have the mountains or enough geographic elevation change to enable such a dam of any proportion. I am sure a small hydro electric dam could be, and probably are used on rivers in the midwest, but living in the rocky mountians for the majority of my life, I have been around the two biggest hydro electric dams in the US.
So my question is this, is the dam a small one that holds back a small resevoir and has limited generation potential. Perhaps being built in the late 1800's to early 1900's and only had to supply power to perhaps 10,000 to 15,000. And then replaced by the nuclear plant, when demand increased. Leaving the hydro electric dam to be nothing more than a recreation area, and thus the power generation equipment either completly useless or removed entirely?
Or is it to be a large Dam holding back several miles of water, and several hundred feet tall. With the power generation capability to supply a city of 50,000 to 75,000 and still be in some limited capacity use after the nuclear plant was brought online. Which would leave it still capable of generating power, and having a much greater array of natural life in and around its waters, capable of supporting a greater amount of fauna?
A larger dam is going to require either mountains of some elevation or some geographic feature that lends itself to such construction.
Also the Nuclear Plant needs to be near this river, which needs to have a considerable amount of water for its safe operation. Likely the town would be located between the Dam and the nuclear plant and perhaps straddling the river. And perhaps this town, has say a couple of bridges that cross the river, one that is in the central part of the city and one upstream in a more residential area. Because the town builders didnt think anything about building the city below the dam, and its implications.
The Shopping Mall would be built on the East side of the river, in a newer developed side of town. The older part of town would be across the bridge on the west side, with its narrower streets and older brick buildings. Many small mom & pop stores hanging on, as the east side of the town became more developed. And of course you cant forget to put a Wal-mart or two on the east side of the river, that just adds to the realility of the town.
Just my two cents, take it or leave it
All most forgot. Fort Monroeville wouldnt be Fort Monroeville without a Fort. So a suitably built fort on the North West side of the river, with residential areas north of it, the Old city center to its south and sitting on the banks of the river with a good vantage point both up and down the river as well.
Since the Town was settled in the 1800's give or take a decade, and considering the construction of many forts of the time, it would be feasible that it still stands in fair to good condition. Probably having been reconditioned in perhaps the 1920's to 1930's as a CC project. And now stands as draw for tourists. The only really pertinent question would be, is it a traditional wood fort built like many US cavalry forts, thus requiring a forest of some type in near vicinity. Or was it constructed from stone, providing there is some mountianous terrain nearby to provide the stone? I have been to both styles of early forts built by pioneers for protection, it all depends on which material is in ready supply. If stone is present, pioneers definately took advantage of it. Likewise, some of the older buildings in the city would also be built from the same stone, and same with the older residential homes.
Both of these potential constructions, leave us with another geographic item of interest. The forest which provides the lumber for a wooden fort, becomes either a plenitful supply of wild game or a nightmarish place filled with zombies. Likewise, the Stone Fort also provides a stone quarry, which can be a fairly defenseable location that is secluded, or a pit full of zombies.
Another thought, if we go with the town being located near some mountians, and have the large dam, and the stone fort, often times when towns were located near mountians different minerals would be found and exploited. It wouldnt be much of a stretch to have catacombs of abandoned mines deep into the mountains that were mined extensively during the mid and late 1800's. Adding the element of abandoned mines, gives a potential nest for the zombies to find refuge by day and return to the surface at night to feed.
Two more cents
I like these ideas. I imagined originally that the dam would be small and work as a sort of backup, but making it be turned off would create an interesting need to "fix the equipment" type mission for PCs. I also feel that the fort might be made of stone on the banks of the river, as a tourist stop. Seems like that would make the most sense all in all.
Pretty much everything so far sounds great. One item however, when it is talked about a hydroelectric dam. I am not aware of too many dams of this sort in the midwest,
theres the Truman Reservoir in Missouri
Found this on Wilkepedia about the Truman Resevoir:
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built and manages the lake and dam. Its primary mission is flood control. Some other missions are power generation, recreation, and wildlife management.
Originally named Kaysinger Bluff Dam and Reservoir in 1954, when construction was authorized, construction began in August 1964. It was renamed the Harry S. Truman Dam and Reservoir in honor of the former president from Missouri by Congress in 1970. Construction was completed in 1979.
Completing the Truman Project took many years of planning, land acquisition, constructing new bridges and demolishing old ones. Several roads, towns, and cemeteries had to be relocated. The first construction project completed on the project was relocating Route 13 so it would be above maximum pool level.
The creation of the lake forced the closure of the Frisco Railroad's "Highline". Rising water levels severed the railroad tracks near Osceola and Deepwater and railroad officials declined to spend millions of dollars to reroute the lightly-used tracks. The Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, however, did relocate its main line between La Due and Clinton; the project included five miles of new track and a causeway/bridge combination over the lake.
General personalities for sure, but I am not confident in my statblock ability.
General personalities for sure, but I am not confident in my statblock ability.
same here...alrighty you can do that if you or add to the city
Having this large dock, with such a large amount of shipping being done, and with the fact that there is a criminal element involved. It would be realistic that this said criminal element, obtained this cargo container somewhere in the middle east and had it smuggled into the country on a cargo ship. Once it arrives, they promptly open it to relish in the great treasures they have obtained. Only it is not any type of wealth, rather a container of rotted bodies. Perhaps from a people smuggling operation gone wrong, one of the people in the container had escaped a medical research facility. Perhaps in N. Korea or somewhere simular, where research of a new virus was being studied in human subjects.
Once the container's doors are opened it, the criminal element realizes that they have lost their expensive cargo. Being that these types of operations typically do their work under cover of dark, our ghoulishly infected passengers start coming out of the container looking for a fresh meal. From that point its a pretty downward spiral, as they begin their attack under cover of night most of the city is at sleep and dont have sufficient time to respond to this new attack.
where the grass is brown,
and the girls are decaying.
So, if you'd like, I can give it a go for any Personalities that people might come up with.
Jimmy commons (Fast Ordinary 1): CR 1; Medium-size humanoid; HD 1d8+2; HP 7; Mas 14; Init +0; Spd 30 ft; Defense 13, touch 13, flatfooted 13 (+0 size, +0 Dex, +3 class); BAB +0; Grap +0; Atk +0 melee (1d6+0, weapon), or +0 ranged (1d6+0, weapon); FS 5 ft by 5 ft; Reach 5 ft; SQ ; AL none; SV Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +0; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 11, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 11, Cha 11.
Occupation: White Collar (Diplomacy, Knowledge [Civics])
Skills: Craft (mechanical) +2, Diplomacy +2, Drive +1, Hide +1, Knowledge (Civics) +2, Knowledge (Current Events) +3, Knowledge (Popular Culture) +2, Knowledge (Streetwise) +2, Move Silently +2, Pilot +2, Profession +1, Read/Write Language +1 (Germen,), Sleight of Hand +1, Speak Language +1 (germen,), Tumble +4
Feats: Archaic Weapons Proficiency, Personal Firearms Proficiency, Simple Weapons Proficiency
Talents (Fast Ordinary):
Possessions: weapon, weapon; Wealth +8