It's fascinating to me how the Year Zero Engine gets modified for every new game Fria Ligan produces, and getting to see how it started out has been pretty exciting. This is probably the most complicated implementation I've seen, requiring three different colours of dice, and it's the only one where I'd actually be tempted to buy the official dice for tabletop play. Fortunately there are some decent character sheets and macros available on Roll20 as this would be a struggle with a more basic dice roller app.
There's a lot of moving parts, and we're taking a little time to get used to it all, but the parts all work, and add to the overall experience. It feels like the effort is paying off. Post-apoc is a new genre for me, but I'm starting to get a feel for the overall desperation of the setting just from the way the rules work.
So here's how things went down...
A Canoe Over Troubled Water
Education and culture was valued highly in the Seven Sisters Ark. Many of the inhabitants could read a little, even if it was only the words 'Seven Sisters' written on the walls, and everyone enjoyed listening to stories. The audience that Chronicler Venno had gathered today were not high status enough in the Ark to hear the readings of the Sacred Tomes, but they were all ready to hear one of his tales from outside.
"It was when the water was running out. There were rumours of a place out in the zone where we would be able to find all the clean water we needed, enough to support the Ark for years. An expedition went out in search of it. When they didn't come back, a second group went out to look for them.
There were three of them in the second group. Stalker Katin, to guide them through the zone, Gearhead Zippo, to examine the machinery they hoped to find, and Enforcer Lenny, to keep the other two safe. Lenny also carried Zippo's artefact; a vessel that would carry them across the lake that lay between them and the mysterious Pure Plant. Lenny was sceptical of the craft's ability to keep them all afloat. Zippo gave Lenny permission to punch him if it failed. Katin assured everyone that the lake was not deep, and instructed them that in the event of them falling in, they should run for the shore.
As they took to the water, Lenny was reminded of the journey of Frodo and Sam from one of the Sacred Tomes. A short paddle later (with Lenny sitting at one end of the canoe and Katin and Zippo attempting to balance his weight at the other) they pulled up at the jetty and started to look around. Katin headed into a small building, while Lenny and Zippo waited outside. A slight mist hung over the lake, but even through that they could make out movement in the distance. They were not alone on this island.
Katin returned from scouting. The building was empty, apart from a bit of old furniture and a lot of bird droppings, but she had found two things - a baseball bat and some muddy footprints.
They picked up the trail, Katin's sense of smell taking over once footprints failed, and made their way to a larger building. Signs of a fight weren't hard to find. Katin silently pointed out the blood splatters to the others. A blocked door lay ahead of them, and they prepared their weapons...
And then realised that whoever was behind it was probably hiding from something dangerous outside, rather than the other way around. Katin knocked on the door. After introducing themselves as members of the Seven Sisters Ark, the barricaded door was opened and they were allowed inside.
Three survivors were sheltering in the building: Enforcer Nelma, Gearhead Lambda and Grunt Eriel. Katin hugged Eriel and asked what was going on, and Nelma explained. There were dangers on the island. Zone ghouls. A number of them. A number that was definitely 'some', probably 'quite a few', possibly 'dozens' and maybe even 'at least fifty'. However many of them there were though, it was enough to cause trouble. But they weren't the only danger.
A tall tower stood nearby, and in the top nested a huge bird. It had captured their stalker and taken him to its nest. He was probably dead, and almost as bad, all his gear was up there too.
There was only one thing for it. They were going to have to get up that tower to the nest and retrieve the stalker's gear. Fortunately Lenny was familiar with the passages in one of the Sacred Tomes about the proper health and safety precautions to take when climbing. Another of the Sacred Tomes mentioned how eagles sometimes rescued people from the tops of towers rather than taking them there, but perhaps the bird had not read the text?
Katin scouted outside, and spotted three zone ghouls that had wandered into the area. They could try to sneak past them to the tower, but with Lenny on side, a more direct approach seemed viable. It would also reduce the number of zone ghouls they would have to deal with later.
Katin passed the baseball bat she'd found to Zippo, then dived into some solid cover. While she traded arrows for slingshot pebbles with one ghoul, Zippo threw himself at another. Fortunately he had Lenny for backup.
The fight was gruelling, and by the time all three zone ghouls had been put down (and additionally smashed by Lenny to make sure they stayed down) the three of them were injured and exhausted. They debated resting for a while, but that would risk more zone ghouls showing up and then they'd be in an even worse position. They had to go now.
Lenny began the climb up the rickety ladder, closely followed by Zippo. Katin found her tired arms refused to support her, and waited at the bottom.
Armed with the knowledge of the Sacred Health and Safety Manual, Lenny and Zippo reached the top of the tower and began searching. Many treasures revealed themselves: a gun, bullets, water, and two exciting artefacts - some kind of hand written book and a device with a pointing needle. They loaded up and prepared to leave before the flappy bird returned.
Meanwhile, at the base of the tower, Katin heard footsteps. More zone ghouls - far more than she could take on by herself. And then one spoke."
There was a collective sigh and some disgruntled mumbling from the audience when they realised Zenno had finished. Zenno just smiled. They could wait until next time.
(Thanks to some internet woes, not all of this game is on Twitch but it should appear more or less intact on YouTube if you want to watch it later.)
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