ATZ Campaign, Day 1, Part 3: Conclusion

Bruised and battered, Robb staggered away from the store and looked over at his girlfriend Irene.  "I've got a great idea," he said with effort, "let's just get home in one piece."

"Sounds good," she said.

Final location for Day One: Home (returning from the first location)

Robb is a Rep 3 Civilian Star with Agile, Born Leader, and a BA Pistol.  Irene is a Rep 3 Civilian with Athletic, a shotgun, and a very, very useful baseball bat.

Turn 19: Robb 6, Zombies 6

Turn 20: Robb 5, Zombies 3

Turn 21: Robb 1, Zombies 6

"Let's see if we can pick up the pace this time," said Robb wearily.  He took a few tentative jogging steps then faltered.  "Okay, I can't."

A seven once again means zombies, three this time, two towards the top, one off to the left.  Robb attempted a fast move and failed 0d6, meaning they move normally.

Turn 22: Robb 5, Zombies 3

The zombies draw closer.

Turn 23: Robb 4, Zombies 1

A guttural moan announced to Robb and Irene the arrival of more the dreaded zombies.  Irene quickly bashed one with her bat, but she and Robb found themselves once again desperately try to fend of one of the undead.

Quick note: I totally forgot to roll to see if they could shoot, but went straight to melee combat.  At least I wouldn't be summoning more zombies this time.  Irene defeated one, and tied the other.  Rob tied his zombie in combat and it would go to the next turn.

Turn 24: Robb 3, Zombies 3

Robb continued to try to hold off the decaying corpse that was trying to eat him.  Irene shoved her zombie back with her shoulder and then smashed it with a backhand from the bat.

Robb again tied, while Irene defeated hers.  Having a weapon makes all the difference in this game!  I also decided not to mess with the doubles.  I don't know how a three-way fight would work out, and I figured that my Star had his hands full as it was.

Turn 25: Robb 6, Zombies 4

"Get away from him!" Irene shouted as she smashed the bat down on the head of the zombie wrestling with Robb.  "Thanks," Robb said, wondering how many he owed his girlfriend at this point.

Irene easily managed the final zombie.  I keep getting lucky with Robb's rolls--he's come too close to losing melee combat while unarmed.

Turn 26: Robb 4, Zombies 6

Turn 27: Robb 4, Zombies 5

Turn 28: Robb 1, Zombies 4

Hearing another moan from behind them, Robb said, "okay, now I can run" and the two of them began racing down the street.  Irene decided she would not get too far ahead of Robb, despite easily moving faster than he could with her skates on.

Robb passed 1d6 on a fast move, giving the two of them some comfortable distance between them and some of the pursuing zombies.  It did mean they were moving closer to one between them and the house, however.

Turn 29: Robb 1, Zombies 1

Three people were running down the street in the opposite direction.  "Coming through!" Irene shouted and she plowed into two of them.  Robb shouldered his way past one and kept running.

Doubles again, for the upteenth time.  Three panicked civilians.  Robb handled one, while Irene handled the other two.  

Turn 30: Robb 5, Zombies 3

The zombies (moving at a slower clip) pursued from behind, while the one in front of them drew closer.

Turn 31: Robb 3, Zombies 4

More zombies appear, four this time.  Two to the right, one at the bottom, and another on the left.  The one in front was right on top of them.

Turn 32: Robb 6, Zombies 4

Robb skidded to a halt at the sight of the zombie just in front of his house.  He quickly drew his Colt .45 ACP and loosed a wild shot, missing the zombie as it lurched towards him.  Irene stepped in front and clubbed the zombie to the ground.

Robb passed his "Zed or No Zed" test and his Being Charged test 2d6, but then missed completely his shot with his BA pistol.  Irene easily handled the zombie, however, rolling 4d6 to his 1d6.

Turn 33: Robb 4, Zombies 2

The remaining zombies drew every closer, now inches behind Robb and Irene.

Turn 34: Robb 4, Zombies 5

Turn 35: Robb 4, Zombies 6

Turn 36: Robb 2, Zombies 6

Robb and Irene bolted into their house, slamming the door behind them.  A glance outside showed several of the zombies milling about.  They watched in terror until the zombies, now apparently unable to locate them, began to move towards other targets.

"Too close," said Irene.

"Tell me about it.  You still uninjured?"  

"I'm fine.  The bat is pretty badly gunked up, though.  I wonder how many I killed?"

"No idea.  I'm going to go check the garage to see if I can find anything I can use for a weapon myself."

"That's fine.  Say, it looks like a package was delivered on the front stoop."

Robb quickly opened the door and grabbed the package, then shut the door quickly.  "It's from Ohio," he said.  "I wonder what it is."

He opened the parcel.  Inside was a black machete, it's blade spotted with bits of old debris and rust.  

"It's the machete we left with your friend back in our own hometown," Robb said.

"She must have found it and mailed it back to us," said Irene.

"Good timing," said Robb as he examined the weapon, "because I think we're going to need it."

Author's Note:

After I started blogging the campaign, the true life friend of ours read the notation where Irene mentions having left the machete that I used to own with her back in our old hometown.  She had been using it to help control the weeds and the like around our house while it was still on the market.  When she saw that "Robb" and "Irene" had missed it, she sent it to our new house.  I was glad to have it back, both because it has an interesting history involving a man who lived in the African bush in WWII, was later homeless on the streets of LA, and finally became a major executive for an American automotive company, but also because I could have claimed it as a weapon in ATZ if we had possessed it in the house at the beginning of the campaign.  In honor of our friend's willingness to send it back (and because he desperately needs it), I'm adding the machete to Robb's arsenal.