Project Crimson: An Old-School Zombie Apocalypse Quest

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"When there's no more room in Hell, the dead will walk the Earth."
-Peter Washington, Dawn of...
Vito Scaletta

Vito Scaletta

Immoralist
Location
The City of Empire Bay


"When there's no more room in Hell, the dead will walk the Earth."
-Peter Washington, Dawn of the Dead

"They're dead, they're all messed up!"
-Sheriff McClelland, Night of the Living Dead
​

Eastern United States
October, 19XX

In the final few decades of the 20th Century, a mysterious and catastrophic plague began to slowly yet steadily sweep its way across the country.

It was known by the scientists and government officials as "Project Crimson" and by the common folks on the street as "Captain Crypt", "Savini Syndrome", "Romero's Disease", and "Scarlet Flu" and it was starting to appear all over the country.

Project Crimson was a blood-bourne viral illness and was incurable but was something worse than being merely fatal.

Initial symptoms included fatigue, nausea, flu-like symptoms, all combined with symptoms perpetually bloodshot eyes and flushed skin. Within a few days, the infected would start coughing blood and some would develop a deep red rash before dying. Within one or two hours upon death, the deceased would then immediately reanimate into an aggressive and violent zombie-like creature that was incapable of fear, pain, rational thought, or emotion. A creature of pure motorized instinct. Upon reanimation, their skin turns into a bluish-gray pallor and their eyes remain glassy and bloodshot but more noticeably so.

Any violent method that could kill a normal human could kill these zombies, but due to their persistence combined with their inability to feel fear or pain, a head shot or decapitation was the quickest, safest, and most efficient way to terminate these things.

All of this was happening despite the government's best efforts to suppress it, up to and including a unanimous decision from Congress declaring complete and total martial law for the entire United States.

At this point, the suburban and rural areas are mostly fine (for now) due to the government's efforts, but chaos is rapidly setting in throughout the major cities and even in the slums of smaller and mid-sized cities.

Each passing day, it is getting worse and the government is losing more control as the disease becomes more and more apparent, with zombies popping up all over.

In addition to the death and destruction of the disease, a second issue is starting to emerge, the disruption and breakdown of society is leading to a massive spike in violent crime, civil unrest, and disruption of basic commerce and government services. The United States is falling apart and even if the national quarantine keeps Project Crimson from spreading across the globe, the economic effects from the collapse of the United States would be devastating....

But governments and the economy doesn't really matter much to you at this point.

All you care about is escape, survival, and getting even.

You are a lone wolf forced to start over and you've lost everything you once valued. Your friends, your family and loved ones, and even your fellow brothers and sisters in arms, all because of one disgustingly evil opportunist who you once respected.

You're going to survive and you're not going to let those diseased zombie freaks get you. Nor will you let any looters or psychopaths get you either. Not as long as that bastard is still out there alive...

You are The Survivor and you have made a solemn vow to survive this apocalypse and make sure that Trent Waylon finally pays for betraying you!
Okay, this is an open-world sandbox quest that is also survival horror-themed, set in a Late 20th Century America that never was, freely blending fashion, technology, culture, and aesthetics from the 1970's, 1980's, and 1990's as well as mixing in old-school anime aesthetics to give this a unique style.

Primary influences for this quest include Stephen King's apocalyptic epic novel The Stand and the zombie films of the late great George A. Romero, primarily Night of the Living Dead (1968), Dawn of the Dead (1978), and Day of the Dead (1985) as well as old-school ultra-violent anime OVA's that were popular in the 1980's and 1990's from back in the day, think stuff like Vampire Hunter D, Angel Cop, or Ninja Scroll.

Gameplay mechanics are heavily influenced by classic old-school First Person Shooter games from back in the 1990's, well before Halo and Call of Duty ruined everything. Think along the lines of classics such as Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, Duke Nukem 3D, Blood, Shadow Warrior, Alien Trilogy, and countless clones, mods, and WAD's of Doom.

There are also some mechanical influences from old-school tabletop role-playing games of the 1970's and 1980's such as Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and Boot Hill.

Your character is a mysterious figure known as The Survivor, a determined yet lone individual trying to survive the chaos of a zombie apocalypse and the resulting mass societal breakdown so they can get their revenge on a powerful man named Trent Waylon, who betrayed them and their comrades, leaving the Survivor as the only one left to set right what has gone horribly wrong.

Although, if they can survive long enough and manage to get their revenge on Trent Waylon, then maybe they might be able to help rebuild society and turn back the tide...but for now, revenge and basic survival are of prime importance.
Basics of Game Play

The Survivor starts off in this quest with 100 Health Points, 0 Armor Points, and a couple of weapons determined by their character class they select at the beginning of the game. Throughout the game, the Survivor can find more weapon pickups, armor pickups, health pickups to replenish lost health, and even temporary power-up items as well.

Health and Armor can be maxed out at 200 Points and if The Survivor hits 0 Health Points, they will die.

Combat is determined via an online dice roller and I will post the results of each encounter at the beginning of every turn.

These items are all inspired by and roughly analogous to the items from the original Doom and its sequel Doom II.

Each Class automatically starts off with the Combat Knife and the Middle Finger, and a third ranged weapon dependent on their class.
Weapons

Slot 1: Combat Knife
Slot 2: Rohm RG-38 Revolver
Slot 3: Ithaca 37 Shotgun
Slot 4: Winchester Model 70 Rifle
Slot 5: Katana
Slot 6: Colt M16 Assault Rifle
Slot 7: M79 Grenade Launcher
Slot 8: M60 Machine Gun
Slot 9: Kunai Darts
Slot 10: Middle Finger

The Middle Finger is useless as an actual weapon and cannot work against zombies, but it can be used to get non-hostile human NPC's to attack you, allowing you to kill them and take any items they may own without incurring a penalty to your Karma.

Yes, there is a Karma Meter and that can affect the ending of the quest.
Now onto Armor and Health Pickups, and true to the spirit of old-school video games, Armor acts as a second health meter.

Health Pickups
Mountain Dew: +1 Health
Monster Energy Zero Ultra: +10 Health (*sips*)
Sailor Moon Vitamins: +25 Health
First Aid Kit: +50 Health
Advanced First Aid Kit: +100 Health

Armor Pickups
M1 Helmet: +1 Armor
Leather Jacket: +25 Armor
Police Vest: +50 Armor
M69 Flak Jacket: +75 Armor
Gas Mask: +1 Armor and protection from environmental hazards for 1d6 turns
Hazmat Suit: +25 Armor and protection from environmental hazards for 2d6 turns
Power Armor: +100 Armor and protection from environmental hazards for 4d6 turns

Environmental hazards include floors covered in poison gas (gray clouds), toxic waste (neon green), infected blood (deep red), or lava (bright glowing orange)

Fortunately, these hazards are rare and only found in later levels of the quest.
Power Ups

These potions provide temporary bonuses for The Survivor in the game

Crystal Pepsi: Invisibility for 1d6 turns
Mello Yello: Full Night Vision for 1d6 turns
Pepsi MAX: Flight and Levitation for 1d6 turns
Jameson Irish Whiskey: Berserker Mode for 1d6 turns

In Berserker Mode, The Survivor is completely invulnerable to all damage from either enemies or environmental hazards and can instantly one-hit kill all enemies (excluding boss enemies) for the duration of the effect. For better effect, imagine the Survivor's field of vision going black-and-white and the audio being replaced with Beethoven's "Ode To Joy" while they are in Berserker Mode
Enemies

Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't there. A lot of things can and will try to kill you in the chaos of the Project Crimson outbreak.

Zombie: The most common enemy, they're slow and dumb but they're everywhere and are basically the classic gray-skinned walking zombies from the original Dawn of the Dead

Punk: A common opportunist trying to steal shit and cause further chaos. They're easy to spot, decked out in old punk rocker fashions of the 70's and 80's such as tattoos, Mohawk haircuts or dyed hair, Anarchist-themed T-shirts, and ripped jeans. They're usually armed with a knife or a handgun and may occasionally drop some ammunition for the revolver.

Biker: An outlaw biker that's a bit tougher than either the zombies or the punks due to being smarter, faster, and always carrying a gun, usually a revolver or a pump shotgun.

Biker Warlord: A higher-ranking biker that wears leather armor and carries a hunting rifle. Can take more punishment and deals more damage with greater accuracy than either the punks or the lower-ranking bikers.

Ninja: Members of the dangerous Black Dragon Clan and allies of Trent Waylon. They dress in black pajamas and black masks like stereotypical ninjas from old martial arts films from the 1970's and 1980's. They're very fast and armed with kunai darts for their ranged attacks and a katana for melee attacks.

Renegade Soldier: These are a mix of former military and private mercenaries alike who have gone rogue, abandoned their duties, and joined forces with Trent Waylon and his cult. These guys are extremely dangerous, armed with M16 rifles and the proper training to use said rifles.

Renegade Commando: A mix of officers and special operations personnel who have deserted their posts and joined Trent Waylon's cult. These guys really don't fuck around and will fuck you up if you're not careful. They have high levels of health, wear M69 Flak Jackets for extra armor, and carry M60 machine guns.

There are also four boss enemies, the final one is Trent Waylon and the other three are a secret for now...

Allied NPC's

These generic NPC's are not hostile to the Survivor and can sometimes be helpful. They can be killed and the Survivor can always get good loot from them, but if these NPC's are killed without any form of provocation, the Survivor will suffer losses to their Karma and their Honor.

However, you can use the Middle Finger on Allied NPC's and have a 50% chance of provoking them to attack you. If you kill them after they are provoked, you won't be penalized since you technically acted in self-defense.

However, some Allied NPC's can also be killed by zombies or human enemies like punks and bikers and will still drop their loot when they die, allowing the Survivor to get their loot without any moral dilemma.

Civilian: A typical wide-eyed anime character in ordinary civilian clothing and sporting a panicked look on their face, always either a handsome bishonen or a cute waifu type. The guys look like Tamaki Suoh and the gals look like Faye Valentine.

Civilians are unarmed but usually drop items like armor, health items, or power-ups. If provoked into attacking, they will use their fists.

Police Officer: A typical patrolman in a blue uniform and armed with a service revolver. They are trying to protect civilians from zombies and criminals, and will drop ammunition for the Revolver.

Militia: These brave volunteers are out there helping the police and the military fight the zombies and restore order. And let's face it, these rednecks are probably enjoying the whole thing anyway. Dressed in typical redneck attire (orange vest and hunter's camo for males, white tank top and blue jeans for females, both genders wear black ball caps with the Kingdom Hearts logo on it), Militia members are typically armed with a shotgun (although stronger ones may carry a hunting rifle) and will drop ammo and a small health pickup.

The weaker Militia drop shotgun ammo and a can of Mountain Dew while the stronger Militia will drop rifle ammo and a can of Monster Energy Zero Ultra.

Ninja: Friendly ninjas belonging to the Mugen Tenshin Clan, a rival of the Black Dragon and enemies of Trent Waylon. They also wear black pajamas but instead of wearing a face mask, they wear sunglasses and a Naruto headband. They always drop kunai darts or a katana, and have a 50% chance of dropping Sailor Moon Vitamins or a 25% chance of dropping Crystal Pepsi or Mello Yello.

Soldier: These brave men and women of the United States Army are helping rescue civilians, kill zombies, and enforce martial law until the crisis is resolved. They are mostly members of the United States Army Reserve and the National Guard, but some are also active duty soldiers. They all wear the typical Olive Drab fatigues of the 1960's and 1970's as well as M1 Combat Helmets and carry M16's.

Active Duty soldiers also wear M69 Flak Jackets as well. All soldiers drop ammo for the M16 and an M1 Helmet. The more rare Active Duty soldiers also drop the M69 Flak Jacket in addition to their helmet and service rifle.

All soldiers also have a 50% chance of dropping a First Aid Kit and Active Duty troops also have a 25% chance of dropping either an M79 Grenade Launcher or an M60 Machine Gun (or ammunition for them if you already have these weapons)
But before we begin this quest, I must ask you fine players two questions...

Question 1: What Character Class Does The Survivor Belong To?
All character classes automatically begin the quest with the knife and the middle finger as well as their listed starting weapon.

[ ] Thug (Begins the game with a Rohm RG-38 Revolver)
[ ] Biker (Begins the game with an Ithaca 37 Shotgun)
[ ] Ninja (Begins the game with Kunai Darts and a Katana instead of the knife)
[ ] Cop (Begins the game with both a Revolver and an Ithaca 37 Shotgun)
[ ] Soldier (Begins the game with an M16 Assault Rifle)

Question 2: What Difficulty Level Are We Playing On?

[ ] Kawaii Mode-"Can I Play, Daddy?" (Easy difficulty)
[ ] Shonen Mode-"Hey, not too rough!" (Medium difficulty)
[ ] Seinen Mode-"Bring 'em on!" (Hard difficulty)
[ ] Guro Mode-"I Am Death Incarnate!" (Dante Must Die difficulty)
 
Last edited:
[X] Ninja (Begins the game with Kunai Darts and a Katana instead of the knife)
[X] Kawaii Mode-"Can I Play, Daddy?" (Easy difficulty)
 
Wow, I just posted this this morning and I'm already getting decent interest!

I'm excited for this!

Right now, Ninja is in the lead for the Survivor's class but it is still WAY too early to tell.
 
[X] Soldier (Begins the game with an M16 Assault Rifle)
[X] Kawaii Mode-"Can I Play, Daddy?" (Easy difficulty)
 
Paulie Romanov said:
Okay, this is an open-world sandbox quest that is also survival horror-themed, set in a Late 20th Century America that never was, freely blending fashion, technology, culture, and aesthetics from the 1970's, 1980's, and 1990's as well as mixing in old-school anime aesthetics to give this a unique style.

Primary influences for this quest include Stephen King's apocalyptic epic novel The Stand and the zombie films of the late great George A. Romero, primarily Night of the Living Dead (1968), Dawn of the Dead (1978), and Day of the Dead (1985) as well as old-school ultra-violent anime OVA's that were popular in the 1980's and 1990's from back in the day, think stuff like Vampire Hunter D, Angel Cop, or Ninja Scroll.

Gameplay mechanics are heavily influenced by classic old-school First Person Shooter games from back in the 1990's, well before Halo and Call of Duty ruined everything. Think along the lines of classics such as Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, Duke Nukem 3D, Blood, Shadow Warrior, Alien Trilogy, and countless clones, mods, and WAD's of Doom.

There are also some mechanical influences from old-school tabletop role-playing games of the 1970's and 1980's such as Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and Boot Hill.

Your character is a mysterious figure known as The Survivor, a determined yet lone individual trying to survive the chaos of a zombie apocalypse and the resulting mass societal breakdown so they can get their revenge on a powerful man named Trent Waylon, who betrayed them and their comrades, leaving the Survivor as the only one left to set right what has gone horribly wrong.

Although, if they can survive long enough and manage to get their revenge on Trent Waylon, then maybe they might be able to help rebuild society and turn back the tide...but for now, revenge and basic survival are of prime importance.

Basics of Game Play

The Survivor starts off in this quest with 100 Health Points, 0 Armor Points, and a couple of weapons determined by their character class they select at the beginning of the game. Throughout the game, the Survivor can find more weapon pickups, armor pickups, health pickups to replenish lost health, and even temporary power-up items as well.

Health and Armor can be maxed out at 200 Points and if The Survivor hits 0 Health Points, they will die.

Combat is determined via an online dice roller and I will post the results of each encounter at the beginning of every turn.

These items are all inspired by and roughly analogous to the items from the original Doom and its sequel Doom II.

Each Class automatically starts off with the Combat Knife and the Middle Finger, and a third ranged weapon dependent on their class.

Weapons

Slot 1: Combat Knife
Slot 2: Rohm RG-38 Revolver
Slot 3: Ithaca 37 Shotgun
Slot 4: Winchester Model 70 Rifle
Slot 5: Katana
Slot 6: Colt M16 Assault Rifle
Slot 7: M79 Grenade Launcher
Slot 8: M60 Machine Gun
Slot 9: Kunai Darts
Slot 10: Middle Finger

The Middle Finger is useless as an actual weapon and cannot work against zombies, but it can be used to get non-hostile human NPC's to attack you, allowing you to kill them and take any items they may own without incurring a penalty to your Karma.

Yes, there is a Karma Meter and that can affect the ending of the quest.

Now onto Armor and Health Pickups, and true to the spirit of old-school video games, Armor acts as a second health meter.

Health Pickups
Mountain Dew: +1 Health
Monster Energy Zero Ultra: +10 Health (*sips*)
Sailor Moon Vitamins: +25 Health
First Aid Kit: +50 Health
Advanced First Aid Kit: +100 Health

Armor Pickups
M1 Helmet: +1 Armor
Leather Jacket: +25 Armor
Police Vest: +50 Armor
M69 Flak Jacket: +75 Armor
Gas Mask: +1 Armor and protection from environmental hazards for 1d6 turns
Hazmat Suit: +25 Armor and protection from environmental hazards for 2d6 turns
Power Armor: +100 Armor and protection from environmental hazards for 4d6 turns

Environmental hazards include floors covered in poison gas (gray clouds), toxic waste (neon green), infected blood (deep red), or lava (bright glowing orange)

Fortunately, these hazards are rare and only found in later levels of the quest.

Power Ups

These potions provide temporary bonuses for The Survivor in the game

Crystal Pepsi: Invisibility for 1d6 turns
Mello Yello: Full Night Vision for 1d6 turns
Pepsi MAX: Flight and Levitation for 1d6 turns
Jameson Irish Whiskey: Berserker Mode for 1d6 turns

In Berserker Mode, The Survivor is completely invulnerable to all damage from either enemies or environmental hazards and can instantly one-hit kill all enemies (excluding boss enemies) for the duration of the effect. For better effect, imagine the Survivor's field of vision going black-and-white and the audio being replaced with Beethoven's "Ode To Joy" while they are in Berserker Mode

Enemies

Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't there. A lot of things can and will try to kill you in the chaos of the Project Crimson outbreak.

Zombie: The most common enemy, they're slow and dumb but they're everywhere and are basically the classic gray-skinned walking zombies from the original Dawn of the Dead

Punk: A common opportunist trying to steal shit and cause further chaos. They're easy to spot, decked out in old punk rocker fashions of the 70's and 80's such as tattoos, Mohawk haircuts or dyed hair, Anarchist-themed T-shirts, and ripped jeans. They're usually armed with a knife or a handgun and may occasionally drop some ammunition for the revolver.

Biker: An outlaw biker that's a bit tougher than either the zombies or the punks due to being smarter, faster, and always carrying a gun, usually a revolver or a pump shotgun.

Biker Warlord: A higher-ranking biker that wears leather armor and carries a hunting rifle. Can take more punishment and deals more damage with greater accuracy than either the punks or the lower-ranking bikers.

Ninja: Members of the dangerous Black Dragon Clan and allies of Trent Waylon. They dress in black pajamas and black masks like stereotypical ninjas from old martial arts films from the 1970's and 1980's. They're very fast and armed with kunai darts for their ranged attacks and a katana for melee attacks.

Renegade Soldier: These are a mix of former military and private mercenaries alike who have gone rogue, abandoned their duties, and joined forces with Trent Waylon and his cult. These guys are extremely dangerous, armed with M16 rifles and the proper training to use said rifles.

Renegade Commando: A mix of officers and special operations personnel who have deserted their posts and joined Trent Waylon's cult. These guys really don't fuck around and will fuck you up if you're not careful. They have high levels of health, wear M69 Flak Jackets for extra armor, and carry M60 machine guns.

There are also four boss enemies, the final one is Trent Waylon and the other three are a secret for now...

Allied NPC's

These generic NPC's are not hostile to the Survivor and can sometimes be helpful. They can be killed and the Survivor can always get good loot from them, but if these NPC's are killed without any form of provocation, the Survivor will suffer losses to their Karma and their Honor.

However, you can use the Middle Finger on Allied NPC's and have a 50% chance of provoking them to attack you. If you kill them after they are provoked, you won't be penalized since you technically acted in self-defense.

However, some Allied NPC's can also be killed by zombies or human enemies like punks and bikers and will still drop their loot when they die, allowing the Survivor to get their loot without any moral dilemma.

Civilian: A typical wide-eyed anime character in ordinary civilian clothing and sporting a panicked look on their face, always either a handsome bishonen or a cute waifu type. The guys look like Tamaki Suoh and the gals look like Faye Valentine.

Civilians are unarmed but usually drop items like armor, health items, or power-ups. If provoked into attacking, they will use their fists.

Police Officer: A typical patrolman in a blue uniform and armed with a service revolver. They are trying to protect civilians from zombies and criminals, and will drop ammunition for the Revolver.

Militia: These brave volunteers are out there helping the police and the military fight the zombies and restore order. And let's face it, these rednecks are probably enjoying the whole thing anyway. Dressed in typical redneck attire (orange vest and hunter's camo for males, white tank top and blue jeans for females, both genders wear black ball caps with the Kingdom Hearts logo on it), Militia members are typically armed with a shotgun (although stronger ones may carry a hunting rifle) and will drop ammo and a small health pickup.

The weaker Militia drop shotgun ammo and a can of Mountain Dew while the stronger Militia will drop rifle ammo and a can of Monster Energy Zero Ultra.

Ninja: Friendly ninjas belonging to the Mugen Tenshin Clan, a rival of the Black Dragon and enemies of Trent Waylon. They also wear black pajamas but instead of wearing a face mask, they wear sunglasses and a Naruto headband. They always drop kunai darts or a katana, and have a 50% chance of dropping Sailor Moon Vitamins or a 25% chance of dropping Crystal Pepsi or Mello Yello.

Soldier: These brave men and women of the United States Army are helping rescue civilians, kill zombies, and enforce martial law until the crisis is resolved. They are mostly members of the United States Army Reserve and the National Guard, but some are also active duty soldiers. They all wear the typical Olive Drab fatigues of the 1960's and 1970's as well as M1 Combat Helmets and carry M16's.

Active Duty soldiers also wear M69 Flak Jackets as well. All soldiers drop ammo for the M16 and an M1 Helmet. The more rare Active Duty soldiers also drop the M69 Flak Jacket in addition to their helmet and service rifle.

All soldiers also have a 50% chance of dropping a First Aid Kit and Active Duty troops also have a 25% chance of dropping either an M79 Grenade Launcher or an M60 Machine Gun (or ammunition for them if you already have these weapons)


But before we begin this quest, I must ask you fine players two questions...
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Could you shove this into a spoiler or a seperate information post.
[X] Soldier (Begins the game with an M16 Assault Rifle)
[X] Shonen Mode-"Hey, not too rough!" (Medium difficulty)
 
[X] Ninja (Begins the game with Kunai Darts and a Katana instead of the knife)
[X] Shonen Mode-"Hey, not too rough!" (Medium difficulty)

The best advantage for the ninja in my opinion is that the Katana means that we don't need to worry as much about ammo while the kunai gives us a silent long ranged option which is just in a zombie apocalypse since we don't want to alert every zombie within a mile radius of our location each time we need to fire a shot.

Also don't remember the last time there was a ninja option for a zombie quest.
 
Currently looks like we're going to be evenly split between the Ninja and the Soldier. I'll give it a few more votes before deciding which class The Survivor will be.

As for the difficulty, I will close the books on that one decision.

We will be playing on Shonen Mode (AKA Medium Difficulty)
 
[x] Biker (Begins the game with an Ithaca 37 Shotgun)
[x] Seinen Mode-"Bring 'em on!" (Hard difficulty)

Ultra-Violence for life.
 
[X] Biker (Begins the game with an Ithaca 37 Shotgun)
[X] Seinen Mode-"Bring 'em on!" (Hard difficulty)

It's time for us to light up the night.
 
[X] Ninja (Begins the game with Kunai Darts and a Katana instead of the knife)
[X] Shonen Mode-"Hey, not too rough!" (Medium difficulty)
 
Alright, the people have spoken...

The Survivor will be a Ninja and we will be playing on Shonen Mode

I'll have the full character sheet up soon
 
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