Superesse Mortuus BLACK PDF

Superesse Mortuus
The Story of How You Died

Preface 3
Playing the Game 4

Momentum & Hesitation 4
Quirks of Fate 4
Survivor Creation 5
Core Attributes 6
Derived Attributes 7
The Values 8
Wounds 10
Skills 14
Wandering the Wastes 15

That Dragon, Time 15
Traveling the World 17
Scavenging 18
Struggles 21
Survivor Actions 22
Risen & Defensive Actions 23
Tiles and Movement 24
Medical Checks 25
Blood Loss 25
Broken Bones 26
Sickness 26
From Survival to Living 27

Home, Sweet Home 27
Residential Improvements 30
An Engine of Salvation 34
Driving School 36
A Car Buyers Guide to the Zone 37
Safe Driving & Part Decay 38
Sweat, Grease, and Metal 39
Repair Work 39
Systematic, Hydromatic, and Ultramatic 40
Equipment 41
The Risen & The Damned 44

The Risen 44
The Damned 46
Preface
Superesse Mortus (Super-es-say Mor-Toos) is a Game Jam game designed for three very distinct
reasons, none of them particularly good in by themselves.
The first is that I’ve been recently playing Project Zomboid since its Build 41 release, something
about the game triggers that innate monkey brain that really enjoys the feel of surviving the day to day.
My mind kicked into overdrive when I realized it’s pretty much the “Rimworld” of Cataclysm Dark Days
Ahead, a cleaned up and simplified version with actual GUI. While it doesn’t have the Mi-Go Nightmares
(yet), Zomboid does invoke a certain nostalgic feeling playing it.
Secondly, it is a game jam. Two in fact. The C&D Jam and the Apocalypse Jam. C&D or Cease &
Desist Jam is all about making legally distinct games or just sharing what you made already. I don’t tend
to upload any of my legally distinct games on these simply due to my use of others' art and it doesn’t
quite feel right to ask for donations regardless. And with most Jams I partake in, I make something
entirely new because that’s what a Jam is, is it not?
Finally, I want to make something weird, it’s been a while since I placed a very arbitrary
restriction on myself (the game must be heavy simulationist) and as they say “Limits Breed Creativity.”
And by God, am I feeling creative with the sheer monstrosity I have cooking up below.
Alright everyone, three, two, one, let’s jam!
Playing the Game
Supereesse Mortuus is played with one to three players, a Game Master, a set of standard dice
(D4, D6, D8, D10, D12, and a D20), as well as the inevitable feeling of loss.
Supereesse Mortuus is designed around the D100, which is a percentile roll by rolling two D10's
with one being designated as the 10's and the other as the 1's. For example, rolling a 4 and a 3, makes a
43, however if the Survivor rolls a 0 on both dice, they roll 100.
Standard Checks will involve the Survivors rolling percentile under their Attribute to succeed.
Opposed Checks will have two or more Characters roll off, with the lowest value succeeding, as long as
it is under the Character's Attribute as well.
A Critical is scored when the Survivor rolls "Dubs" on their dice. Rolling the same number twice
on their roll (44, 66, 77, etc). Criticals are an exageration of the results of a roll. The result of the roll,
Success or Failure, will result in a Critical of that result, increasing its effects (and potential disaster).
Momentum & Hesitation

Certain situations may have the Survivor attain Momentum or Hesitate. When they have
Momentum the Survivor, when rolling a Check, may reroll either of their dice . If they Hesitate, they will
reroll their 10's die and take the new result.
Quirks of Fate
Checks are an interaction with the world, and as such, the world bites back. Whether it is a boon,
good tidings, excellent conditions, proper facilities, or a bane, with bad luck, terrible situations, or
subpar tools, the Survivor may incur a Bonus or Penalty. These natural bonuses and penalties range
from +50 to -50 as determined by the Game Master.
If a Survivor exceeds 100, then they will automatically pass the check, they may still choose to roll
for a critical, but rolling a 100 would result in a failure. A Survivor falling below a 0 has absolutely no
chance of possibly succeeding, and as such cannot even bother attempting the action.
Side Note: Difficulty Modifier Number

Hard numbers are nice sometimes, so
here are some basic numbers for you to use.
● Simple (+20%)
● Easy (+10%)
● Average (+0%)
● Hard (-10%)
● Complex (-20%)
● Difficult (-30%)
● Insane (-40%)
Survivor Creation
During the opening days of The Event, many lost their lives, only to return to unlife. Survivors
quickly dwindled as safehouses were overrun and petty squabbles escalated with the end of law and
order.
The Survivors are one of the few remaining, disparate wanderers trying to make their life in a
world of the dead, damned, and starving.
The Players will be taking the role of these Survivors, somewhat hardened to the rigors of the
world Post-Event. The Survivors are drawn from all walks of life, from the competent to the
incompetant, all of which are in this mess together.
Survivors roll 5d10+15 (average around 40) for each of their Core Attributes to determine their
value. The Core Attributes are Body, Coordination, Cunning, Insight, and Guts.
Side Note: Alternate Attribute Distribution

If the Randomized Attribute system
above is not satisfactory, consult the
following methods.
● Assigned - Each Player assigns a 30, 35,

40, 45 and 50 to their Attributes.
● Less Random - Each Player rolls
40+2d10 for all Attributes, with an
average of 51, and range of 42 to 60.
● Point Buy - Each Player has 225
Attribute Points to distribute among
all of their Attributes with a maximum
at 75.
● True Chaos - Each Player rolls
20+6d10 for their attributes, with an
average of 52 and a range of 26 to 80.
Core Attributes
A Survivor is constructed from their Core Attributes, which reflects their innate abilities as well
as personal performances in certain areas. The Survivors are regular people, with all the problems and
issues associated with it.
Body (BOD) - The Survivor’s physique and internal constitution. Body is important for the Survivor’s
carrying capacity and natural resilience to wounds as well as infection.
Coordination (COR) - The Survivor's physical dexterity, natural speed, and hand-eye coordination.
Coordination is required for delicate movement and speedy retreats.
Cunning (CUN) - The Survivor's natural instinct and pragmatism toward life. Cunning is used to
improvise, understand, and overcome immediate obstacles and problems.
Insight (INS) - The Survivor’s educational analysis and mental acuity in a formal setting. Insight is
frequently used by Survivors to determine aspects of the physical world and understand the nuances
behind it.
Guts (GUT) - The Survivor’s determination in the face of disaster and terror. Guts is informally the
measure of the Survivor’s ability to remain calm in disaster and convince others of their point of view.
Derived Attributes
Each Survivor has a set of Derived Attributes which are tied to the Core Attributes of the
Survivor. These Derived Attributes can shift and change just as much as the Core Attributes in play.
When the 10's value is called, take only the 10's Value of the Core Attribute (for example, 43 has the
10's value be 4). Penalties do not affect these Derived Attributes unless the Attribute is directly
affected.
Carry Capacity ((BOD 10's x 2) + GUT 10's) - The Survivor's natural carrying capacity. Fifty percent over
Carry Capacity is considered Encumbered (-10% to all Checks), one hundred percent over Carry
Capacity is considered Extreme Encumbrance (-30% to all Checks) and cannot run. One-Hundred and
Fifty Percent over rendered the Survivor unable to move1.
Combat Instinct, Ranged (Average of COR+INS) - The Survivor’s ability to wage war against the dead
using a variety of ranged weapons.
Combat Instinct, Melee (Average of BOD+CUN)- The Survivor’s ability to fight against the dead using
melee weapons of all shapes and sizes.
Survivor Sense (Average of CUN+INS) - The Survivor’s natural ability to pick through trash, scavenge
for supplies, forage for food, and other useful survival instincts.
Terror Threshold (CUN 10’s + GUT 10’s) - The Survivor’s ability to keep their calm in desperate
situations. The Terror Threshold is the number of terrifying events or enemies the Survivor can handle
before they begin to break. Mood is decreased by 2% for each value over the Terror Threshold per
round of a Struggle.
1
For example, I have a Carrying Capacity of 10, at 15 I am Encumbered, at 20 I am Extremely Encumbered, and at 25 I am
unable to move.
The Values
A Survivor is composed of multiple Values which determine a plethora of effects and problems
that they must balance to go about their daily life.
These Values are rarely easy to simply ignore and can easily lead to death if forgotten about.
When a Value reaches 80%, the Survivor is in need of something to increase it, at 60% the effects are
growing severe with the Complication starting, finally at 20% the effects are dire, the Survivor taking
the Terminal Complication as well. When a Value is reduced to 0%, they suffer the Final Complication, a
disastrous crescendo to their existence.
Bile Blood - THe Survivor has been infected by the Virus. They can delay the effects by blood
transfusion, eating raw meat, or intense immunotherapy. They cannot eliminate the Virus unless the
infected limb is amputated within an hour of infection. When the Survivor dies, they will reanimate.
● Complication - The Survivor gains +1 Action during a Struggle.
● Terminal Complication - The Survivor gains a +15% to all Actions, all other Value penalties are
ignored.
● Final Complication - Death and Reanimation.
Blood Loss - The Survivor’s blood is leaving their body when it shouldn’t. Time can gradually restore the
blood flow, but immediately it can be stemmed with bandages and tourniquets. The Infected have a keen
sense of smell for natural blood, infected blood does not alert them.
● Complication - The Survivor has a chill through their body, -10% to all Actions.
● Terminal Complications - Functions begin to shut down, -35% to all Actions.
● Final Complication - Death.
Fatigue - The Survivor’s natural endurance and ability to remain functional in high intensity situations.
Fatigue lowers during high intensity situations such as Struggles or when running long distances.
● Complication - The Survivor’s body rejects the current situation, they suffer a -5% to all Actions.
● Terminal Complication - The Survivor’s body needs rest as their lungs burn from exertion, they
suffer a -10% to all Attributes.
● Final Complication - The Survivor’s body gasps for air, struggling to even function as it sears into
their soul, they have -1 Struggle Actions and can only use the Stagger Action.
Hunger - The Survivors' innate need for food. Eat to regain, starve to lose.
● Complication - -1% to all Actions per 2% Under 60.
● Terminal Complication - -10% to BOD, COR, and GUT Core Attributes.
Mood - The Survivors current mood and outlook on life. Raises naturally to 100%, but problems will
reduce it, such as injury, death of friends, witnessing horrible events, and general negativity.
● Complication - -5% to all Actions, every failed Action reduces Mood by -10%
● Terminal Complication - The Survivor can no longer score Criticals, and when they do, reduce
Mood by 4%.
● Final Complication - The Survivor has fallen into complete despair, they can no longer perform
actions until it raises above 20%.
Pain Threshold - The Survivor’s ability to deal with pain, the more damage the Survivor takes the
quicker their Pain Threshold will fall, but taking pain relievers can mitigate the effects.
● Complication - The pain is getting bad, the Survivor takes a -5% to all their Attributes.
● Terminal Complication - The pain is agonizing, the Survivor takes a -10% to all of their Attributes.
● Final Complication - The pain is so bad, the Survivor passes out from the pain.
Sickness - The Survivor has ingested bad food, come down with a cold, slowly succumbing to an
infection or some variation of internal problem. Medicine will be needed, but rest, food, and water are
all necessary to recover.
● Complication - -10% to all Checks as the Survivor begins to feel the effects of the illness.
● Terminal Complication - -25% to all Checks as the Survivor begins to succumb to the sickness.
Temperature - The Survivor is in extreme temperature situations, requiring them to find warmth or a
cool place.
● Complication - The Survivor has a -10% to all Combat Checks.
● Terminal Complication - The Survivor has a -20% to all Combat Checks and has -1 Actions during
a Struggle
● Final Complication - Death
Thirst - The Survivors' innate need for water or liquid. Drink to regain, but ignore to gradually lose it.
● Complication - -1% to all Actions per 2% Under 60.
● Terminal Complication - -10% to CUN and INS Core Attributes.
● Final Complication - Death
Designer Notes: Values

An emulation factor from most of those "Immersive Sim" kind of games. A computer can
easily calculate the fact the surrounding area is .4 degrees colder, allowing the Characters
Temperature Rating to decrease at a rate of .4 and so on. One of the issues even emulating
games like these is that they are computational nightmares, but still able to calculate distinct
values instantly compared to our feeble tiny meat brains.
If I was smarter, I could probably hacksaw some more basic concepts here, but again,
that would imply this isn't just a proof of concept.
Wounds
Superesse Mortuus has a unique method of tracking damage, which is to say it tracks everything.
Almost every part of the body is tracked regarding the Survivor's health, with each part having values to
signify the Penetrating and Blunt Trauma it can sustain before it's rendered useless or simply killing the
Survivor.
When the Survivor takes damage, they will reduce the struck part by the damage value the
weapon has, often represented with a XDX Roll. Certain weapons will be considered Hyper Lethal,
which getting struck by them will reduce the body part to 0 if they successfully penetrate the armor
worn.
Blunt and Penetrating Damage is tracked separately using the same "Damage Tier" System.
None / Light / Heavy / Serious / Deep / Terminal / Destroyed
These are reflected by the amount of Health the limb has lost with a particular damage type. For
example, Head (20/16/12/8/4/0) would mean if a Survivor would take 15 Blunt Damage by a metal pipe
impacting their head, they would be at Deep Damage, at 5 Health.
For context, the Damage Tiers are split up between Blunt and Penetrating, but perform the same.
Certain wounds will take longer to heal than others, or require different medical procedures to assist in
the recovery process.
Blunt: None / Light Bruising / Heavy Bruising / Crack / Break / Shatter / Mulched
Penetrating: None / Cut / Slashed / Lacerated / Gouged / Severed.
When a Limb reaches 0 Health in either Blunt (as the bones in the location have been smashed
beyond repair causing internal damage) or Penetrating (as the limb itself has either been mostly torn off
or is dangling by tendons), it will be have a Loss of Function, unable to be used.
The Survivor's Pain Threshold decreases by 1% each point of damage they take from any source.
Head (20/16/12/8/4/0) - The Head is a vital part of the body, with each tier of damage incurring a -5% to
all Checks. If it is ever Destroyed or has Loss of Function, the Survivor will die.
Neck (10/8/6/4/2/0) - The Neck is a vital part of the body, without it, the Survivor will quickly die. If it
reaches Loss of Function, the Survivor will perish.
Chest (150/120/90/60/30/0) - The Chest houses major organs and is protected by the ribcage. Every
Tier of Damage incurs a -5% to all Checks, as the Survivor’s ribcage is either being gradually broken, or a
sharp object has entered and struck major organs. If it ever reaches Destroyed or Loss of Function, the
Survivor will die.
Gut (80/64/48/32/16/0) - The Gut is home to the other set of major organs as well as the entrails of the
Survivor. Should the Gut ever be Destroyed or Lose Function, the Survivor will die.
Groin (50/40/30/20/10/0) - The Groin and hip region of the body houses the lower entrails as well as
reproductive functions. Every Tier of Damage, the Survivor takes -10% to their Mood. Should it reach
Loss of Function with Blunt Damage, the Survivor is knocked unconscious from the pain, losing
reproductive functions. Should it reach Destroyed on with Penetrating Damage, deal 75 Damage to the
Gut and have Loss of Function in both legs.
Upper Arm (80/64/48/32/16/0) - The shoulder and upper arm allow the use of the entire arm. Should
the Upper Arm reach Destroyed or Loss of Function, the Lower Arm and Hand also lose function.
Lower Arm (80/64/48/32/16/0) - The elbow to wrist allows the use of finer manipulation and the hand.
Should the Lower Arm be Destroyed or have Loss of Function, the Hand also loses function.
Hand (20/16/12/8/4/0) - The hand allows fine manipulation of objects and has a thumb, you're a real
person with one of those. Every tier of damage has all manipulation checks with it taking a -10%. Should
it reach Destroyed, the hand is irreparable.
Upper Leg (100/80/60/40/20/0) - The thigh to the knee, allowing for movement and accurate
movement. At Serious Tier, all movement actions cost one additional Action, while travel speed is
halved. At Destroyed or Loss of Function, the Survivor may only crawl unless supported.
Lower Leg (100/80/60/40/20/0) - The knee to the ankle, a perfect angle to chop off in dire straits. At
Serious Tier, all movement actions cost one additional Action, while travel speed is halved. At Destroyed
or Loss of Function, the Survivor may only crawl unless supported.
Foot (20/16/12/8/4/0) - The foot is the basic mode of transportation for most individual Survivors, the
loss of which is bad. At Serious Tier, all movement actions cost one additional Action, while travel speed
is halved. At Destroyed or Loss of Function, the Survivor may only crawl unless supported.
Certain Body Parts have an “Agony Threshold”

which can be summarized as taking too much damage to
remain functional regardless of injuries. These are
reflected across each section of the limb, and after the
threshold has been reached or exceeded, the entire limb is
considered to suffer from Loss of Function.
● Arm - 100 (Upper Arm, Lower Arm, Hand)

● Leg - 120 (Upper Leg, Lower Leg, Foot)
● Body - 150 (Chest, Gut, Groin)
Side Note: Bleeding and Breaks
When a Survivor takes Heavy Penetrating Trauma or Serious Blunt Trauma, the Survivor is
undergoing some pretty serious problems, notably, bleeding and breaks.
When a Survivor reaches Slashed, they will begin to Bleed, reducing their Blood Loss at a rate
of 2% / Struggle Round or minute. Reaching Lacerated raises this to 5% / Struggle Round or minute,
while reaching Gouged increases the effect to 10% / Struggle Round or minute. Finally, if a part is
severed, they will begin to Exsanguinate, taking 15% Blood Loss / Struggle Round or Minute until
they die.
When a Survivor reaches a Crack or Break with Blunt Force Trauma, the limb cannot rise
above that until time has passed. Cracks can take 1d3 Weeks to recover, while a Break in the Hand
or Foot will take 4d6 Weeks, and everywhere else 8d6. Serious activity increases recovery time by
1d2 Weeks each day it is undertaken, including travel.
A Broken Neck is lethal in almost every circumstance, but since this damage modeling system
relies on pseudo-abstraction, the "Broken" Damage Tier, is not "Broken," more "Severe Crack Which
Will Inevitably Lead to Gruesome Death."
Overall, it's a good idea to just not get hurt at the end of days.
Side Note: Non-Typical Damage

Blunt and Penetrating are the most common types of damage available, and as such the most
readily tracked. Should a Survivor take major injuries involving non-typical sources, they are also
tracked, albeit slightly differently.
Burns - A Burn will follow a "Reverse" track of health, starting at Destroyed and building up. The catch
here is that it reduces the total health a section can have. So for example, a Severe (20 HP) Burn to
your Upper Arm (80/64/48/32/16/0) would make it appear as the following: Upper Arm
(80/64/48/28/0/0). This can lead to death faster as the injuries are closer to Terminal or even
Destroyed.
Asphyxiation - When a Survivor cannot breathe, they have their BOD 10's Value / 2 in minutes to find
oxygen or they will pass out. After that they have BOD 10's Value Minutes before death.
Side Note: Temperature

The current Temperature is displayed at 10 to -10 (10 is crossing 70 C while -10 is around -35
C). A Survivor has a "Natural Temperature" which indicates the combination of body heat and clothing,
which reflects their comfort in hot/cold conditions. A fully clothed human has a Natural Temperature
of -1, while a naked Survivor has a Natural Temperature of 0.
A Survivor can reasonably be assumed to live comfortably within 2 of their current Natural
Temperature. So, a Character at Natural Temperature -1 (Clothed) can survive and take no penalties to
their Temperature Value if they are at -3 to 1. Heavier clothing can further reduce the Natural
Temperature of the Survivor, allowing for safer movement in hostile conditions.
For context, putting on five layers of coats, shirts, and undershirts is a good idea when it's
freezing cold, but not when you're in Cancun.
If you're ever outside of that range, decrease temperature by the value over three times. For
example, Natural Temperature 0 in -8 Temperature, would decrease Temperature by -18%.
Designer Notes: Damage
"This damage system is pretty complicated, right?" Correct, the games I was trying to
emulate also have a series of systems like this, making it important to emulate with . . . relative
accuracy. Now, mechanically, this can be summarized as Completely Unusable Nightmare
Garbage, simply due to the fact there are a dozen different things to note down and consider.
If you take it objectively, it is twenty-two separate health bars which also affect one
another. In any other project I tend to stick to Head - Gut - Arms - Legs with a single damage
source, but I wanted to get the proper emulation correct. Nasty isn't it?
Generally speaking, I should perhaps formalize these down to make it easier to read, but
that would also imply that this game is meant to be played, which it isn't.
Designer Notes: Exterior Systems

The classic "Fuck! I need this don't I!?" was said for a majority of the systems above,
some basic explanation of what happens why you light yourself on fire, begin to choke on your
own blood, or even how long it takes for a smashed in kneecap to possibly recover.
Temperature was a desperate addition after I wrote the equipment section because
equipment is awful and I hate writing it. Adding a vague concept under a time limit is never
good.
Skills
A Survivor, in addition to the Attributes and Values, has a set of Skills they have developed. Skills
are ranked from 0 to 20. Each of these represent a breadth of knowledge the Survivor has in those
particular fields.
A Skill's Rank determines the bonus it gives to specific checks, increasing the value +5%, as well
as allowing the Survivor to perform certain actions by virtue of having it. A Skills Rank from 0 to 3 is a
Trainee, 4 to 7 is Familiar, 8 to 12 is Knowledgeable, 13 to 17 is Professional, and 18 to 20 is Masterful.
The Survivor begins with 25 Skill Ranks to distribute among all of the Skills. Skills cannot exceed
Rank 20.
● Electronics - The Survivor's knowledge of electronics and how to operate them.

● Fabrication - The Survivor's skill at craftsmanship and repairing objects.
● Greasehound - The Survivor's know-how of vehicles and operating on machinery.
● Housework - The Survivor's training in the fine art of upkeep, stitching clothes, cooking, and all
other mundane tasks.
● Lightfoot - The Survivor's stealthy movements and ability to keep quiet.
● Marksmanship - The Survivor's skill with aiming and hitting targets with ranged weapons.
● Medicine - The Survivor's medical training and ability to diagnose problems.
● Melee - The Survivor's skill at bashing someone's skull in or stabbing them mercilessly with a
sharp object.
● Speaking - The Survivor's knack for talking with others and convincing them to help.
● Survival - The Survivor's knowledge of wilderness survival, from firemaking to foraging.
● Unarmed - The Survivor's innate knowledge of the old art of punching, kicking, and flailing
helplessly.
Designer Notes: Skills & You!

Fun fact, this system is almost entirely ripped from another game of mine called PIGS,
which in turn rips off DwD's D100 System. I could have decided to go deep into Skills, but I
decided against it, allowing players to abstract their general competencies by virtue of their
Skill Rank.
"Hey, I'm Familiar with Electronics, what's this?" is something I wanted to occur, or
having a general guideline to the values of each skill more than hard numbers. Hell PIGS has
even less Skills. I am still apathetic about writing Pure Percentile Systems, too many variables
to consider for not enough pay off.
Wandering the Wastes
In this lonely world, sometimes the only thing you have to worry about is yourself and the
passage of time. As time passes, people change, shelters become homes, survival becomes living, or a
person becomes a monster. These events are all important in the Survivor's story, each one playing into
a larger picture of their demise, or salvation.
That Dragon, Time

Time is the most important thing the Survivor never has enough of. As day turns to night, summer
turns to autumn, and the low growl of the stomach becomes a howling vortex. Time is a fundamental
aspect of Superesse Mortuus and plays a key part of many of its systems.
Time is divided into a few increments for particular moments of time, and these act as a "Tick" for
certain effects and values. Multiple "Ticks" can occur if waiting or traveling.
Moments - The smallest scale of time, a

moment is a handful of seconds that has the
Survivor reacting to a situation with. During
Struggles, Moments are the traditional
"Turn-Round" structure, with simple actions
being able to take place during them.
Minutes - There are 60 Minutes in an hour,

with around 10 Moments in a Minute.
Hour - There are 24 Hours in a day, with 60

minutes per hour. The day and night cycle
differs from place to place, and season to
season, but when it gets dark, it gets harder
to see.
Days - Each day is composed of 24 Hours,

and there are 365 (366) days in a year. The
most common increment of time for "long
term" or "bird's eye view" actions will take
place in days.
Week - These are 7 days of time, these track massive projects or long journeys.
Month - There are 4 Weeks in a Month, and are only really used to track vast projects or passing time,
nothing more, nothing less.
Season - Seasons are in 3 Month increments, symbolizing changes in weather patterns or large passages
of time. Different areas may track seasons differently, extending to 4 to 6 months instead.
Year - A Year is 12 Months and is the largest increment of time, used almost exclusively for time skips or
major events. Survival for another year of time is a significant achievement.
Depending on when the infection began and where it's located, basic services will be disrupted
around two months into the quarantine, such as electricity, water, and sewage unless workers are
continuing to maintain those facilities. The Risen, after around 6 Months, or during extreme Seasons,
will begin to break down, but mutations will begin to run rampant among the survivors. In around a year,
most of the common Risen will be non-functioning, but mutated variants will dominate the hordes.
Depending on the location and infection severity, the local government may keep the quarantine,
or issue an eradication procedure. You have been warned.
Side Note: Time, You, and Bleeding to Death

Below are some major notes to keep an eye out regarding time and its effects on the Survivor.
Because a thousand variables keep track of these things, these are here and not in the main section.
GM’s, edit as you see fit in the situation at hand.
● Bile Blood - The Survivor decreases their Bile Blood resistance at a rate of 10% / day, however
Hunger, Thirst, or Mood can increase that by +3% for each tier they are at, potentially resulting
in a -27% decrease if the Survivor is Starving, Thirsty, and Miserable.
● Blood Loss - Calculated at a Per Minute rate.
● Dehydration - The Survivor will reduce their Thirst Value at a rate of around 1% an Hour. At
around Day 3 of no Water, the Character will be at around 10% and will perish should they be
unable to acquire Water.
● Hunger - The Survivor will roughly lose around .25% of their Hunger Value per Hour. Increasing
this to .50% if Thirst is at 80%, 1% if Thirst is at 60%, and 2% if Thirst is at 20%. Generally
speaking, decrease Hunger consistently at around 6% daily.
● Mood - Mood will increase at a rate of around 3% a day under normal conditions, but can be as
low as .5% if nothing is improving.
● Sickness - Initially tracked per day, when a Sickness reaches 60%, it's tracked per Hour,
potentially resulting in a rapid degradation of quality of a Survivors survival chances.
● Temperature - Tracked at an Hourly rate, severe cases may be Minute to Minute based.
● Wounds - Light to Heavy Wounds take will recover at a rate of 4 / 2 Blunt / Pierce a day, while
Serious to Deep Wounds recover at a rate of 2/1 Blunt / Pierce a Week. Certain Terminal
Wounds may require weeks or potentially a month or two to recover.
Traveling the World
When the infection was discovered, it hit hard and fast, the local authorities were powerless to
stop it, so they did the only thing they could: quarantine. The entire location has been cordoned off, a
stretch of land, a city, a county, it doesn't matter. The entire area has been sectioned off with a literal
wall between the Survivors and the rest of the world.
Approaching the Wall without the proper authorization often results in a fireteam eliminating a
potential infected individual. Until a cure is developed, or the government decides to purge out the Bile
Blood forcefully, the Survivors are trapped inside the walls with nothing but themselves to worry about.
In terms of the game, the area which it is set can be anywhere, just large enough to force people
to scrounge, but small enough for it to feel cramped. When designing a location, divide the area up into a
series of Districts, these Districts serve as Major Locations inside of the area. Second, designate the
travel time between them, whether it's an Hour, Day, Week, or Month.
When a Survivor chooses to move out, they will gather their supplies and begin heading to the
next District, allowing for better scavenging opportunities and safety. When inside the District, the time
increment below it reflects how long it can take to travel around the District itself.
For example:
Wick County has been infected, being locked off from the world. While it's not the largest, each
of the Districts are about a two-hour walk from one another. If a Survivor is in Atkinson South, then it’ll
take about 8 Hours to reach the lake outside of town.
Scavenging
When entering a District, the Survivors can begin attempting to loot and scavenge what they can
from what remains. When entering a District, the Survivors can begin looting particular locations that
may be there, or broad locations inside of the District2, allowing for different supplies to be gathered.
There are literally thousands upon millions of unique places in the world, instead of listing each
one, here is a curated list:
● Deep Forest - Deep, dark, and oppressive, these woods are home to the primal spirit of the land,
and not much else.
● Dense Countryside - Overgrown and wild, these locations are full of life, but full of dangers as
well.
● Dense Urban - A suburb or business area which has been overrun, many shops lay bare or
destroyed, but occasionally some goods can still be found.
● Forest - Woods as far as the eye can see, not terribly dense and occasional cabins and shacks can
be found in foliage.
● Roadside - Vast stretches of not a lot only punctuated by roadside attractions or loose bottles
from littering drivers.
● Sparse Countryside - Fields and other vast open areas full of nothing in particular. Maybe a few
things can be scrounged.
When the Survivors begin Scavenging for supplies, they will roll their Survivor Sense to see what
they actually acquire. Bonuses and penalties ranging from +30 to -30 should accompany locations with
ample supplies or empty nothingness. While in an area, Survivors are encouraged to apply Skills and
information to see if they can’t find additional supplies or uncover problems in an area.
Should a Survivor be successful, they will find loot in their local area. If they fail, they will come up
with minimal, or no goods. This can be repeated until nothing remains, but it will take time scrounging.
2
For example, Atkinson has locations such as a Food Mart, Gun Store, and Neighborhoods, while a forest may just have "the
woods."
When in an area, there is a Density, Value, and Type of Scavgended Gods. Density represents the
potential amount of goods in the area from a cursory examination, Value represents the quality of the
supplies, and finally the Type goods. Density is a number of dice, Value is a Die Size, while Type is broken
down into:
● Perishable Food - Edible if processed, will rot within a few days without being frozen or kept
properly.
● Processed Food - Perfectly edible and hermetically sealed.
● Raw Food - Edible, but not tasty food.
● Electronic Supplies - Electronic bits, bobs, and wires.

● Fabrics - Different kinds of fabrics, linens, and denim.
● Household Supplies - Necessary, if often forgotten niceties.
● Mechanic Supplies - Car parts and other mechanical tools.
● Medicals - Bandages, Needles, and other medical goods
● Metallic Supplies - Metal goods and supplies.
● Survival Supplies - Berries, Twigs, and other natural survival goods.
● Wooden Supplies - Wood goods and supplies.
● Melee Weapons - Tools and equipment dedicated to bludging, stabbing, or generally making a
mess of someone.
● Ranged Weapons - Guns, bows, crossbows, and throwing weapons, as well as their ammo.
When a Survivor succeeds at the Survivor Sense Check, the entire Supply Density (combined
number of dice in the Scavenging Area) is factored into how many dice are found, and rolled for Success
and Failure.
● 1 - 3 Supply Density - Success: 2 Dice / Failure: 0 Dice

When a Survivor retrieves their loot, they will either have it defined by the Game Master (“You
find a baseball bat and a few cans of potatoes”) or have it in the nebulous space of “Loot,” written down
with a value next to it. Each piece of Loot takes up 1 Carrying Capacity as the Survivor shoves what they
can in pockets and bags. When a Survivor needs to, they can “Spend” this loose loot to have items, gear,
and other useful tools if it is not defined.
Once defined, the gear cannot be “retraded” for its base material.
Side Note: An Example on how this functions
John and Addie have entered an abandoned house, the door broken off its hinges through
what can only be assumed as an intense, if unlucky, fight. After a cursory glance, they roughly think
they can get the following out of the location:
● 1d4 Wooden Supplies

● 2d8 Fabrics
● 2d8 Household Supplies
● 1d2 Medicals
● 1d2 Electronics
● 3d6 Perishable Food
● 1d10 Processed Food
With a Supply Density of 11, both of the Survivors choose and roll. John isn't the brightest,
failing his roll by just a smidge, while Addie's keen eye allows her to sort through the goods with ease.
John chooses 3, while Addie chooses 5.

● John: 1d10 Processed Food, 2d8 Household Supplies
● Addie:1d2 Medicals, 2d8 Fabrics, 1d2 Electronics, and 1d6 Perishables.
John scores a 5 on the Processed Food and 4 with Household Goods. Addie manages to
scrounge 2 Medicals, 7 Fabrics, 1 Electronic, and 3 Perishable Food.
Coming back to the kitchen, the pair sort through what they've found on the first pass.
Converting 4 Fabrics in a new heavy coat for John. The two scarf down the Perishable Food together,
packing away the rest. Their final haul ends with 5 Processed Food, 4 Household Goods, a bottle of
Aspirin, an Improvised Bandage, 2 Fabrics, and 1 Electronic.
Perhaps not the best haul, but the two decide to head out, the rest of the supplies not
necessarily useful for what they're needing.
Designer Notes: Scavenging

I actually thought I was quite clever to the scavenging mechanic, though I do admit it's
a bit . . . cumbersome. It needs a bit more refinement and in a better system to highlight its
features. Maybe having a more robust item system would be helpful, but fuck that I hate
writing gear upon gear upon gear.
Ideally it would be either a major focus or just an exterior side fun thing, hell, I may just
add it to my one Apocalypse Game to round it out.
Struggles
Survivors are given the title by what they accomplished, survived the initial outbreak, but that
title was given to few. When the virus hit, many succumbed to its clutches, now wandering the old world
in search of the living to fill that ravenous hunger deep in their cold, dead, stomachs.
A Struggle is when a Survivor is placed in a situation where every second counts, where time
slows down as their adrenaline spikes. A Struggle can both be a combat scenario or desperate, life or
death, situations.
When a Struggle begins, the Survivors will roll 1d10+CUN 10's Value to determine their
Momentum. Most of the Risen will have a Momentum of 0 or a fixed value, with Survivors always rolling
at the start of a Struggle.
A Struggle is broken up into Moments and Rounds. A Moment being a few seconds of time a
single Survivor or Risen can act, while a Round is the entire set of actions committed by every current
participant in the Struggle. In descending order, the Survivors, then the Risen, attempt to claim victory,
or at least emerge alive.
Survivor Actions
When a Survivor has the Momentum, they are able to perform Actions. A Survivor has by default
two Actions, allowing them to act faster and more efficiently. Certain conditions may increase or reduce
the number of Actions a Survivor has.
A Survivor can perform the following actions as many times as they wish. However, at the end of
their Moment, they will roll the corresponding dice (displayed as “Action (Fatigue Die)”) and reduce their
Fatigue by that much.
● Active Skill (DX) - The Survivor interacts with the environment in some way or makes a Skill
Check under duress. When this occurs, the GM will assign a Die Value to the Fatigue gain.
● Aim (D0) - The Survivor aims their weapon. They gain a +5% to their next attack, up to two Aims
can be done at once.
● Brutalize (D6+Weapon Die) - The Survivor attacks a downed target with a melee weapon,
dealing damage automatically.
● Cap (D0) - The Survivor aims and shoots a downed target immediately if they are in the same Tile.
The Capped Target takes immediate damage.
● Dash (D6) - The Survivor moves up to three Tiles in any direction.
● Hold (D0) - The Survivor forgoes an action, instead waiting for an Opponent’s Action or when a
particular trigger is reached3.
● Hype (DX) - The Survivor invigorates themselves, they add a +1dX to their Momentum. X can be
any die between D2 to D12.
● Melee Attack (Weapon Die) - The Survivor lashes out with a melee attack within range, rolling
their Melee Combat Instinct, if successful, they will land a solid hit, rolling damage. If a Critical
Success is rolled, double the damage.
● Ranged Attack (Weapon Die) - The Survivor shoots with their ranged weapon, up to the rate of
fire. They will roll their Ranged Combat Instinct, if successful, they will roll damage for each
struck bullet or arrow.
● Shove (D6) - The Survivor attempts to shove a Target in the same Tile as them. They roll their
BOD, if successful, the Target is moved back one Tile. Survivor Targets roll an Opposed BOD
Check, if successful, they are not knocked down. If a Risen is shoved, if the Survivor rolls 10%
under their BOD score(a 30 with 40 BOD for example), the Risen is knocked over.
● Stagger (D0) - The Survivor staggers away in pain 1 Tile, they roll a BOD Check, if they fail, they
collapse on the ground.
● Step (D4) - The Survivor takes a step back, moving one Tile in any direction.
Side Note: "Armor"

When a Character is hit, add up the total % Protection they have and reduce it by the total
damage. So, a Character with 12% Blunt Protection will take -12 damage from an attack, pretty
handy!
3
"I will shoot when the door opens" for example
Risen & Defensive Actions
When the Risen have seized Momentum, they will move with their Instincts, either closing the
distance, attacking, or performing a unique action based on their mutation.
For example, a standard Risen, with one Action, will Shamble Forward (Move 1 Tile) or Maul (Deal
2d6 Penetrating Damage, 15% + (5% / Wound Severity) of inflicting Bile Blood). Risen do not roll for
their actions, and unless the Survivor has a free action available, it will occur. If a Survivor does have an
Action available, they may perform a Defensive Action instead.
● Counter (D6+Weapon Die) - The Survivor rolls their Melee Combat Instinct, attempting to strike
the Target before they strike them. If successful, they will mitigate the attack.
● Dodge (D8) - The Survivor will make a COR Check, if successful, they will dodge the Attack of the
Risen.
● Scramble (D12) - The Survivor hurriedly jumps back, moving 1 Tile.
Side Note: Can I use Defensive Actions against other Survivors?

Yes.
Side Note: Executions

A single Standard Risen doesn't pose that much threat to a prepared Survivor. As an astute
observer can see, kiting (a term used for avoiding attacks with little retaliation) is fairly simple for a
Survivor to pull off. Rarely are combats simply a one on one affair however, as dozens of Risen can
appear with the intent of chewing their face off.
A Survivor who were to sneak up to a Risen (perhaps with a Lightfoot Check), are able to
Execute a Risen with a melee weapon. This involves numerous brutal strikes, often just cracking
them in the head just right to stop motor functions. Guns also work for this, but those are loud.
The Risen are attracted to loud noises, so unless you want a combat scenario from your
Execution, tread carefully.
Side Note: Ambushes

Sometimes people die in awkward places, these can be anywhere, and when that happens a
Risen can be in an awkward place. If the Survivors aren't careful, they may be ambushed by the dead.
When this occurs, the Risen will act as normal, but the Survivor will make a GUT Check. If successful,
the Survivor can make a single defensive action, on a failure, they're just as surprised as the Risen
would be if they didn't just spot a new meal.
Designer Notes: Struggles

How do you come up with a name for something you shouldn't do in a traditional
medium where that's the main thing you should be doing? Desperate and stupid is how.
Generally this entire section was "Fuck I have no space and I need help." Even in
gameplay!
Tiles and Movement
When a Struggle begins, the game master sketches out the immediate area where it's taking
place in a series of Tiles, roughly 5ft (1.5m) in length. When a Survivor or Risen takes a Dash, Step, or
Struggle Action, they will move Tiles. Multiple individuals can inhabit the same Tile, but the Survivor
takes a -5% to all Actions for each additional combatant inside of the tile past two (themselves and one
other).
For example, three Risen have occupied the same Tile as James, he'll be taking a -10% to his
Actions as he's currently being swarmed.
Dangerous Tiles occur when a Tile is awkward, uncomfortable, or not well suited for immediate
traversal (dense foliage for example). The Survivor will make a BOD, COR, or CUN Check to navigate
through it successfully, if they fail the Check, the GM will determine if they take minor (1d4 to 3d4)
damage to a body part4 or if they fall over.
Survivors who can successfully leave the area may not entirely be safe yet, as they may have
attracted others to their position.
4
For example if a location has nails on it or is burning
Medical Checks
Injury is inevitable, whether it's from a knife in the gut, a metal pipe to the leg, or Risen's teeth
sinking into the Survivor's skin. When a Survivor is injured they're going to need to treat themselves,
and often quickly.
Medical supplies can be consumed to mitigate the effects of injuries, but the effectiveness of
some supplies can be increased if making a successful INS (Medical) Check.
Raw Medicals can be converted into either Bandages, Painkillers, Sutures, Antibiotics, Splints,
Tourniquet, Ice Pack, Hot Pack, Face Mask, and Disinfectant.
A Survivor when they are injured has to perform a medical check on themselves to determine
what needs to be performed to mitigate the worst of the damage.
Blood Loss
When the Survivor is bleeding, they will need to determine the severity of the injury: Heavy to
Serious require a Bandage to mitigate the bleeding, Deep to Terminal will require to be first sewn shut,
then bandaged for a time. Sterilization is necessary to avoid an infection (8% chance) using Disinfectant,
but each day a Dirty Bandage is worn, the Survivor will have to roll to avoid Infection as well (5%
chance).
● Bandages (2 Medicals) - Reduce Blood Loss by 15%. The bandage will be considered dirty
after a day.
● Disinfectant (3 Medicals) - Can be used to disinfect bandages and a wound, preventing
initial Infection Chance.
● Improvised Bandages (1 Medical) - Reduce Blood Loss by 5%. Becomes dirtied after a day.
● Medical Gauze (3 Medicals) - Reduce Blood Loss by 30%. Becomes dirtied after two days.
● Needle & Thread (1 Medical) - Allows a Deep or Terminal Wound to heal, requires a
Medical Check. Decreases Pain Threshold by 2d8%
● Suture Kit (2 Medicals) - Allows a Deep or Terminal Wound to heal, requires a Medical
Check (+10%). Decreases Pain Threshold by 2d4%
● Tourniquet (3 Medicals) - Reduce Bleeding to 0%, even when Severed, for an hour. Seek
immediate medical assistance.
Side Note: Basic Blood Loss Medical Attention List.

You're bleeding and injured, that's bad! Follow this to prevent issues:
Identify Wound - Sterilize Wound with Disinfectant - Sew Wound shut if Serious - Bandage Wound.
If you don't sterilize the wound, there is an 8% Chance you will get an infection (technically
more depending on the location, injury, weapon, time, health, and a variety of other factors). If you
wear a clean bandage, great! If you don't, you also have to see again, at 5%, if you get an infection
from wearing a previously worn, bloody, bile filled, disgusting, bandage.
Broken Bones
When a Survivor takes a Deep Blunt Wound (Break), the Survivor's limb, while usable, is now
clearly broken and suffering heavily. While adrenaline can carry them through, after the break happens
they're going to need to apply a splint or hobble. Pain Threshold decreases by 10% for the Arm Breaks at
a rate of Day, decreases by 20% an hour for Leg Breaks, and decreases by 15% per day for Chest or Head
Breaks.
● Heavy Alcohol (1 Medical or 1 Processed Food) - Increase Pain Threshold by 3d6%,
ignoring the pain. Decrease Sickness by 15%.
● Pain Medication (1 Medical) - Increase Pain Threshold by 15%, pushing through the pain.
If taken with Alcohol, decrease Sickness by 40% at a Severity of 2d4%.
● Splint (4 Medical) - Reduce the Pain Threshold decrease of a broken Limb (Arm / Leg) by
half.
Sickness
When a Survivor has an Infection, Illness, or some sort of internal problem, the Survivor will have
to mitigate its effects until it either passes (BOD 10's Value - 14 Days) or the Survivor builds an
immunity to it (BOD 10's Value - 20 Days). To mitigate the effects, proper hydration and nutrition
(90%+) reduces the tick increase by 2%5.
● Antibiotics (1 Medical) - Increase the Sickness Value by 2d6, reducing the effects of the
illness.
5
Severity of Illness ranges from 12% to 2%, the higher is more deadly and crippling, while lower can be safely ignored.
From Survival to Living
Being in the Zone is a rough experience, one pockmarked by intense bouts of violence and quiet
moments of serenity, but it's not truly living. Thinking about the day to day survival needs, struggling to
find supplies, and wandering from place to place isn't a real way for a human to live. As the Survivor
begins to establish themselves, they will need to start living, more than surviving.
Home, Sweet Home

Home. It's an odd thing now, just a place to rest without the fear of being devoured or raided, a
small bolthole to store gear, supplies, or even just keep the injured in one place. During the initial days of
the outbreak, homes were raided, shops looted, and buildings burnt down in desperation and fear, now
the Survivors pick through what's left for supplies to live another day.
Survivors who manage to find someplace to stay, they may go about fortifying and improving
their new found residence, desperate to keep it safe from the Risen, or the living.
A Residence is distributed into multiple locations which symbolize walls, weak points, and
personal improvements they have gradually added to their new home. Each of these locations are given
a Durability, which reflects the amount of damage it can take before collapsing, but also the amount it
can be built back up.
The Foundation - The walls and roof, sturdy and strong, form not only the hardest protection against the
outside world, but also the safety of the inhabitants. Multiple Risen will need to slam into these to even
attempt to break it down, but most of the time these will be the first line of defense.
● Weak Foundation - Requires 15+ Risen to break.
● Strong Foundation - Requires 50+ Risen to break.
● Sturdy Foundation - Standard Risen cannot break down.
Weak Points - Windows, doors, entrances, and exits, every home has at least one to allow the occupants
out in some kind of way. Weak Points are essential, but also the most troublesome to defend.
● Exposed Weak Point - No Defense
● Flimsy Weak Point - 5 Blunt Damage6 to Break
● Strong Weak Point - 15 Blunt Damage to Break
● Powerful Weak Point - 50 Blunt Damage to Break
As the Survivor expands, they will need to construct various improvements to assist them in
making their squatter shack into a real home. Each Residence has Living Conditions to gradually
improve as the Survivors construct, find, and expand their living arrangements. These are treated similar
to Values, allowing the Survivor to raise, and lower, the overall quality of their Residence. To accompany
this, each of these Living Conditions have three steps (similar to Values at 60, 20, and 0 percent) which
grant bonuses, or penalties, for reaching.
6
Or, you know, anything that can break a window or a door down.
Comfort - The Residence's basic human living quality, everyone is unique in what makes a home a home,
but there are some basic guidelines.
● Standard - The Residence is relatively comfortable, a few chairs, a bed, and other niceties.
● Dire - The Residence is uncomfortable and "rough" to many, maybe a bed and a few chairs. -10%
Mood as long as the Survivor resides in the Residence.
● Critical - The Residence is as comfortable as sleeping on a pile of nails with a kink in the back.
-25% Mood as long as the Survivor resides in the Residence.
Living Space - The amount of room the Residence has for improvements and their acquired loot.
● Standard - The Residence is open enough, with enough room to store gear and make changes.
● Dire - The Residence is gradually getting packed, not much more can be comfortably fit in here.
● Critical - The Residence has no space left for anything, throw things out or expand.
Security - The Residences natural, or unnatural, defenses against the Risen or other ne'er do wells.
● Standard - The Residence has a few security features, the Survivor cannot be ambushed in the
Residence.
● Dire - The Residence has one line of warning, which may or may not work. The Survivors have a
50% chance of being warned should an intruder approach.
● Critical - The Residence is completely exposed, the only thing preventing ambush are the
inhabitants themselves.
Standards of Living - The Residence's overall quality of living, homes and apartments are better lived in
and built than living in a shack in the woods or a fortified sewer entrance. Time and effort can improve
Standards of Living.
● Standard - The Residence is liveable, with plenty of room and no immediate concerns to health.
● Dire - The Residence can be lived in, but the Survivor will need to make a BOD Check every week,
if they fail, they will take have a Severity 7% Sickness
● Critical - The Residence is inhabitable, staying there for any length of time will be poor for the
Survivor's Health. The Survivor will make a BOD (-20%) Check every week, if they fail, they will
develop a Severity 10% Sickness.
Sustainment - The Residence's ability to produce its own food and water over a period of time.
● Standard - The Residence is able to produce up to 3d4 Raw Food and 3d6 Units of Water every
Month
● Dire - The Residence can produce only 1d4 Raw Food and 2d6 Units of Water every Month
● Critical - The Residence produces nothing.
Example Residence: Antonio’s Apartment
Antonio has managed to secure a second floor apartment as his permanent base of operations,
it's not the largest, but the heavy doors provide decent enough protection.
● Sturdy Foundation (2nd Floor Concrete Apartment)

● Flimsy Weak Point (Window, facing the Street)
● Powerful Weak Point (Heavy Door)
● Comfort 50% (The bed was one of the few things remaining, the floor is rough and the cold
seeps through in the night.)
● Living Space 20% (Tight spaces and awkward layout makes the apartment not suited for heavy
living, but Antonio has stayed in smaller.)
● Security 0% (If the Risen make it up to him, his best bet is to jump out the window)
● Standards of Living - 70% (It's a small studio apartment, hardly a luxurious location, but nothing
overtly is wrong.)
● Sustainment 0% (Not even a window flower bed can save this place)
Antonio can work on improving the Comfort, Security, and even Standard of Living of his little
home, but the tight space may not be suited for the long-term.
Side Note: Storage Space

A Residence's primary function is about safety, security, and storage. A Survivor can store
supplies in their Residence at a ratio of 1% Living Space for 10 Resources, whether this is 10 Wooden
Supplies, 10 Mechanical Supplies, or even 10 Raw Food. The idea being more focused on storage space
and density rather than "realism."
You only have so much pantry space, so much closet space, and so on. Dragging in crates,
building sheds, and other such additions can change this ratio as well. Think ahead! Think smart!
Developer Note: Residences

The idea behind a Residence has a vague understanding of "Things in a House." The
game's primary inspiration, Project Zomboid, encourages the player to adopt a base of some
sort, a home that allows them to store supplies and gear.
You CAN decide to make your home in the glorified lean-to in the woods, or you CAN
make the deluxe mansion your base of operations. I couldn't just define "This is Base X and
Base Y" because there are a thousand different variables to the situation at hand. That lean-to
may be the only safe place in this wild, wild, world.
Residential Improvements
The Survivor can attempt to build, repair, and improve their Residence by expending resources
and time at building up additions to their home. Improvements fall into three categories:
Reinforcements, Additions, and Projects.
A Reinforcement is relatively simple to accomplish, as it involves boarding up and welding shut
exposed Weak Points of the Residence. Additions allow the Survivors to improve their Residence's
Values, allowing for not only more options, but better living conditions. Projects are large scale
endeavors which require plentiful resources and time to finish.
Reinforcements
When constructing reinforcements, the Survivor can attempt to either brute force the
construction or precisely construct it. Brute forcing takes more supplies, but requires no roll, while
precision requires a Fabrication Check, failing to do so ruins the supplies.
A Reinforcement can be added up to three times, increasing the effectiveness, taking more
supplies each time. Once a Weak Point is reinforced7, it is no longer allowed to exist or enter without
tearing down the Reinforcements.
● Wooden Reinforcements (Wooden Supplies x 6 / Wooden Supplies x 4)

○ Add +5 Damage to Break the Weak Point
● Metal Reinforcements (Metal Supplies x 5 / Metal Supplies x 3)
○ Increase Weak Point Value by one step.
○ If Weak Point is Powerful, add +10 Damage to Break the Weak Point
7
If the Weak Point can even be fortified, a hole in the wall will require a longer scale project.
Additions
Additions are adding or improving the already existing Values of the Residence, often taking time,
effort, and supplies. One thing to note is that most Additions will also reduce the available space in the
Residence. All additions require a Fabrication roll to be successful, failing it consumes the resources for
nothing.
Comfort Additions
● Massive Addition: 40 Electronic Supplies, Fabrics, Household Supplies, Metallic Supplies, or
Wooden Supplies.
○ +20% Comfort
○ -10% Living Space
● Medium Addition: 20 Electronic Supplies, Fabrics, Household Supplies, Metallic Supplies, or
Wooden Supplies.
○ +10% Comfort
● Small Addition: 10 Electronic Supplies, Fabrics, Household Supplies, Metallic Supplies, or Wooden
Supplies.
○ +5% Comfort
Security Additions
● Major Security Boost: 40 Electronic Supplies, Metallic Supplies, or Wooden Supplies.
○ +15% Security
● Minor Security Boost: 20 Electronic Supplies, Metallic Supplies, or Wooden Supplies.
○ +5% Security
Standards of Living Additions
● Significant Quality of Life: 75 Electronic Supplies, Fabrics, Household Supplies, Metallic Supplies,
or Wooden Supplies.
○ +15% Standard of Living
● Major Quality of Life: 50 Electronic Supplies, Fabrics, Household Supplies, Metallic Supplies, or
Wooden Supplies.
● Minor Quality of Life: 30 Electronic Supplies, Fabrics, Household Supplies, Metallic Supplies, or
Wooden Supplies.
Sustainment Additions
● Major Sustainability: 20 Metallic Supplies or Wooden Supplies, and 40 Raw Food
○ +10% Sustainability
● Minor Sustainability: 10 Metallic Supplies or Wooden Supplies, and 20 Raw Food.
○ +5% Sustainability
Projects
The final, and perhaps most crucial, part of Residence improvement are Projects. These are large
scale endeavors that require the Survivors to dump resources into in an effort to repair, move, build, or
even just get working. These can be as massive as the roof or as small as building a rope bridge across
houses. These Projects form some of the key parts of "building a home" and making it personal to the
Survivors.
Projects have no definite rules, as each one is unique, however consult the following for broad
ideas regarding the "price" in resources.
● Small Projects - 20 to 30 Assorted Supplies

● Medium Projects - 40 to 50 Assorted Supplies
● Large Projects - 60 to 80 Assorted Supplies
● Massive Projects - 100+ Supplies
Side Note: Things in a House

There comes a degree of common sense and information you, the Game Master and in turn the
players, have to understand. The most notable of which is that houses “have things in them." This
amazing revelation will save you a lot of effort and time, because you probably don't need to break
your back and worry about each detail of a home when detailing the Values.
Wing it, it's alright.
Tell people if there are important fixtures such as a stove, a basement, or maybe some kind of
garage. It's alright, they don't factor into anything necessarily, but they are important to the whole
experience. Let people explore, set up cabins in the woods for large projects, maybe even let them turn
a suburban house into a doom fort, but remember that the cave they're squatting in doesn't have
indoor plumbing installed.
An Engine of Salvation
One of mankind's greatest inventions of the 20th century was the proliferation of the car, a
simple concept, a vehicle designed to transport people and supplies across vast distances. In the zone, a
car is a holy grail, a motorized chariot, a little piece of hope in the zone. Not only does it allow the
Survivor to travel faster, it also allows easier storage of supplies, and even being converted into a
makeshift battering ram.
Vehicles in the Zone are rarely in good condition though, the ones that were have been bashed in,
crashed, parts rusted, or worse to an individual section. If the Survivor finds a car with relative working
condition, it'll take time and effort to repair it, slowly and steadily to turn it into a functional mechanical
beast, and longer to make it the Risen smashing monster.
All Vehicles have the following parts which can degrade in quality or may need repair, they are
8
based on a scale of 0% to 100% with the Values system (60, 20, 0).
Battery - The quality and charge of the car battery, without this thing, the entire vehicle is going
nowhere.
● Functional - The battery is charged and ready to go. For now.
● Faulty - The battery has reached a low level of charge or suffered damage. There is a 50% chance
the vehicle will not start when attempting to start it.
● Critical - The battery is dead, needing a jump and a charge to get going. The vehicle is not
functional.
Controls - The car's ability to steer, brake, and generally propel itself in many conditions.
● Functional - Little hiccups in the controls, all Driving Checks are at a -5% due to these small
issues.
● Faulty - The controls could use some work, all Driving Checks are at a -10% due to the rough
controls.
● Critical - The controls work half the time, a quarter of the time, all Driving Checks are at a -30%
due to the broken controls.
Doors (Equal to # of Doors) - The durability of the doors to the vehicle, whether it's a two door, four
door, or the fabled multi-door supercar.
● Functional - The doors are holding. Damaged, but holding.
● Faulty - The doors are holding on, they have been severely damaged, broken windows and
everything. Risen have a 50% chance to attack you while in the Vehicle.
● Critical - The door may be fully ripped off, windows shattered, or barely holding on. Risen can
freely tear you from the Vehicle.
8
Unsurprisingly, seriously are you surprised by this?
Engine - The most valuable part of the vehicle, the engine is a complex work of art that allows propulsion
and functionality.
● Functional - The vehicle can start, yay! For now.
● Faulty - The vehicle chugs when starting, there is a 50% chance that the vehicle will not start.
● Critical - The vehicle is dead in the water, requiring extreme maintenance or worse, a
replacement.
Gas Tank - The amount of gas in the tank, that’s why it’s called a gas tank.
● Functional - Sixty percent on the fuel gauge, enough to get wherever the Survivor needs to go.
● Faulty - In the red currently, the car will sputter along for a while on reservers.
● Critical - The car screeches to a halt, unable to start without fuel.
Main Body - The durability of the vehicle in general, including the hood, trunk, and other body parts.
● Functional - Slightly beat up, but nothing that can't be buffed out.
● Faulty - Beat up, scratched up, but still (mostly) functional. All Vehicle parts take a -10% to their
Values from the stress and damage.
● Critical - Severely beaten up to the point of disrepair, it may still chug along, but it's seen far, far,
better days.
Tires - The durability and power of the vehicle's tires, allowing it to move through tough terrain and not
careen into the oncoming solid wall.
● Functional - A bit rough, but the tires will keep spinning in most conditions. All Driving Checks in
harsh or dangerous terrain takes a -10%.
● Faulty - The wheels are torn up pretty badly, a bit of faith and hope keeps them working. All
Driving Checks take a -10%.
● Critical - Ever drive on hubcaps? All Driving Checks take a -35%.
Developer Note: Vehicles

Converting Cataclysm's vehicle system turned out to be a bit more complex than I had
originally intended, as that game tracks every single part of the car down to individual
bumpers. Since I had a revelation (and time limit), I decided to desperately hacksaw a system
together rather than have a decent one in place.
It really needs a system dedicated to it.
Driving School
When a Survivor finds a functional vehicle, as well as the key to it, the first thing to do is start it up
and get driving. When the Survivor performs any kind of stunt, high speed maneuver, or attempts to ram
a target, they will make a COR or GUTS (Greasehound) Check as their ability to navigate and control
their vehicle. If they fail, they will take damage (ranging from 1d10 to 10d10) to the Main Body or other
part of the Vehicle as they skid, swerve, and barely correct themselves. Major failures (by 30 or more)
may result in a frontal collision, resulting in damage to both the car, and the Survivor.
The value of the vehicle comes in the form of travel, using the district system, the Survivor will
reduce the time down by a full increment. When moving between Districts would take a week, it would
now take a day for example. Vehicles have the disadvantage of not being able to take informal roads (i.e.
driving straight through the woods) easily, keeping with the same time if they attempt such, in addition
to the wear & tear of moving a Sedan through the woods.
When in a location, the Vehicle has eight speeds: Stopped, Passive, Slow, Average, Speed Up, Fast,
Racing, and Crazed. Depending on the Vehicle type, these speeds will be slightly different narratively,
but the heavier the Vehicle, the slower it will be. If a Survivor is going at Fast or above, they will need to
make more Driving Checks to avoid collisions and losing control, taking a -5% at Racing, and -15% at
Crazed.
When striking a Risen (or Survivor) with a car, as long as the Vehicle is going Average or greater
Speed, the Risen or Survivor will take 6d10 Damage. If the Vehicle is going Fast, they will take 8d10, and
if they are going slow, only 4d10. Finally if the Vehicle is going at Passive speed, Survivors will take no
damage and Risen will be knocked over (but take no damage).
A Car Buyers Guide to the Zone
Not all Vehicles are built the same, from trucks to cabs to zippy bikes, Vehicles come in all shapes
and forms. To make life far simpler for everyone, Vehicles are broken down into three categories:
Standard, Heavy, and Sport.
Standard Vehicles are the bread and butter road vehicles of the masses, nothing too exciting
about them outside their ubiquity and consumer enjoyment. Heavy Vehicles are often larger and built
for a purpose, vans and trucks fall into this category, making them heavy and lumbering, but tough.
Finally, Sport Vehicles are the deluxe, able to quickly dash across the zone, but come with the fatal flaw
of not being terribly durable and difficult to maintain.
Standard Vehicles
The Vehicles are built for reliability and the commuter experience, allowing the driver to
maintain control and not worry about unnecessary problems. In exchange, they don't do anything
excessively "well" and serve as the most common Vehicles to tear apart and repair.
● Standard Vehicles have 4 Doors (Rarely 2)
● Standard Vehicles have a Carrying Capacity of 100 to 150.
● Standard Vehicle parts decay at 3% when making a Driving Check.
● Standard Vehicles take Main Body Damage at 3% when Ramming, and full damage when
crashing.
● Standard Vehicles can safely accelerate to Speed Up.
● Standard Vehicles are Average Difficulty (+0%) to repair.
● Standard Vehicles are Hard Difficulty (-10%) to modify.
Designer Notes: Cars

Cars are incredibly complex things. Do you know how many brands of cars there are?
Many. And many of these Vehicles change the millisecond they roll off the production floor,
changing fundamental parts of how they drive, operate, and everything.
Writing this section was hell for my 3 AM brain.
Heavy Vehicles
These Vehicles are built for purpose and the bulky designs show, they are large and in charge,
heavy, but reliable. The major downside is that keeping control of these monsters can be hard, but when
things do go wrong, it'll be able to survive a hit or two.
● Heavy Vehicles have 2 to 4 Doors
● Heavy Vehicles have a Carrying Capacity of 200 to 400
● Heavy Vehicle parts decay at 1 to 5% (Roll 1d10 and divide by 2, rounding up), when making a
Driving Check.
● Heavy Vehicles take Main Body Damage at 2% when Ramming and half damage when crashing.
● Heavy Vehicles can safely accelerate up to Average
● Heavy Vehicles are Average (+0%) or Hard (-10%) Difficulty to repair.
● Heavy Vehicles are Average Difficulty (+0%) to modify.
Sport Vehicles
Designer Vehicles for rich kids, middle aged men, or wives who found out about the affair. These
Vehicles are fast and powerful, allowing the driver to accelerate past their problems, but with a weak
body and low space, makes it not the most attractive survival option.
● Sport Vehicles have 2 Doors (Rarely 4)
● Sport Vehicles have a Carrying Capacity of 50 to 100
● Sport Vehicle parts decay at 5% when making a Driving Check.
● Sport Vehicles take Main Body Damage at 5% when Ramming, and double damage when
crashing.
● Sport Vehicles can safely accelerate up to Racing
● Sport Vehicles are Hard (-10%) or Complex (-20%) Difficulty to repair.
● Sport Vehicles are Easy (+10%) or Hard (-10%) Difficulty to modify.
Safe Driving & Part Decay

When driving a Vehicle, the Survivor can accelerate up to a certain speed with (relative9) safety.
Anytime the Survivor chooses to accelerate past the safe acceleration speed, they must make a Driving
Check as the Vehicle wasn’t particularly designed to go that fast.
Parts will gradually decay with use, anytime the Survivor makes a Driving Check (pushing the car
to its limits or struggling to control the vehicle), they will reduce any part except the Battery or Fuel Tank
by the Decay Value. The more checks made, the worse the car will end up.
9
Going 120 MPH in a rainstorm on a dirt road while your part of the Booze Cruise Gang is a bad idea even if you can “Safely”
accelerate to that speed.
Sweat, Grease, and Metal
A chariot sometimes needs a new wheel. The Survivor will inevitably have to repair their vehicle
as well as modify it to their heart's content. When this occurs, bust out the tools and get some parts.
Repair Work
A Survivor repairing a Vehicle must check their Vehicles repair ease, signifying the complexity of
the Vehicle itself, then begin to spend Mechanic Supplies to repair and polish the parts they can.
Individual sections of the Vehicle will also have their own modifiers, some will be simple, others will not,
this is added on top of the existing Vehicle modifier, potentially making a section nigh impossible to
repair by the layman.
Controls
● Ease of Repair: Hard (-10%)
● Functional (60%+): 2 Mechanic Supplies / 5%
● Faulty (10% to 60%): 3 Mechanic Supplies / 3%
● Critical10 (0% to 30%): 5 Mechanic Supplies / 3%
Doors
● Ease of Repair: Average (+0%)
● Functional (60%+): 2 Mechanic or Household Supplies / 4%
● Critical (0% to 30%): 3 Mechanic Supplies / 2%
Engine
● Ease of Repair: Complex (-20%)
● Functional (60%+): 5 Mechanic and 1 Engine Part / 4%
● Faulty (10% to 60%): 4 Mechanic Supplies and 2 Engine Parts / 2%
● Critical (0% to 30%): 3 Mechanic Supplies and 3 Engine Parts / 1%
Main Body
● Ease of Repair: Easy (+10%)
● Functional (60%+): 10 Mechanic Supplies / 5%
● Critical (0% to 30%): 10 Mechanic Supplies / 3%
10
"Nani!?" I hear you yell, let me explain. When you reach 20%, you're officially feeling the effects of the Faulty part, but the
repair threshold extends to 10% for your own sanity. If the part is Critical (0%), you're going to have to repair it even beyond
just being faulty to get it working right, no longer Critical, just Faulty. This is present to simulate parts being completely
FUBAR and the extra work it takes to get it running again.
Systematic, Hydromatic, and Ultramatic
Vehicles are living, breathing, entities that can change over time, especially with a blowtorch,
time, and metal sheets. Any Vehicle can add a series of modifications to it to enhance its abilities and
turn even the most middling cars into a souped out auto-dozer. However, there comes a cost to
everything, adding and modifying needs to have a trade off, often these are bodily integrity, lower safe
speeds, or killing Carrying Capacity.
Modifications, like Projects, have no definite rules. Each modification does however come with a
downside to it, so when planning out how to turn the Vehicle into the ideal dream machine, know when
to stop.
Small Modifications - 25 Mechanical Supplies Large Modifications - 60 Mechanical Supplies

● -15 Carrying Capacity ● -50 Carrying Capacity
● Part Decay increases by +2% ● Part Decay increases by +6%
● Main Body Damage increases by 5% ● Main Body Damage increases by 15%
● Reduce safe acceleration by one step. ● Reduce safe acceleration by two steps.
● Modify Difficulty to Repair by -5% ● Modify Difficulty to Repair by -15%
● Modify Difficulty to Modify by -5% ● Modify Difficulty to Modify by -10%
Medium Modifications - 40 Mechanical Massive Modifications - 100 Mechanical

Supplies Supplies
● -25 Carrying Capacity ● -80 Carrying Capacity
● Part Decay increases by +4% ● Part Decay increases by +10%
● Main Body Damage increases by 10% ● Main Body Damage increases by 20%
● Reduce safe acceleration by one step. ● Reduce safe acceleration by two steps.
● Modify Difficulty to Repair by -10% ● Modify Difficulty to Repair by -20%
● Modify Difficulty to Modify by -5% ● Modify Difficulty to Modify by -15%
Side Note: Louise and The Truck

Louise is planning on making a mad dash across the zone to reach a one a week extraction
point, but with the weather getting worse, she'll need a heavy-duty ride. On her last foray, she
managed to find the keys to a working Durant Truck in a shop, and rolling up her sleeves she'll decide
to install a makeshift plow and armor-up the exterior.
Assuming she makes her Greasehound Checks, Louise is making a Large Modification with the
Snow Plow, allowing her to ignore most of the worst road conditions, modifying its Repair Value by
-15%, she won't need it after she gets there. The armor plating will be a Medium Modification,
choosing to sacrifice 25 Carrying Capacity to reinforce the doors and main body, reducing all damage
received by half.
With the start of the engine, she rolls out into the snowy town, hoping to make her way to
salvation.
Equipment
Survivors naturally will need to equip themselves for the rigors of the Zone, going unarmed is a
death sentence in most sections, while being armored may be the difference between death and
another chance at survival.
Blunt Penetrating
Wearables Type Location Temperature Value Notes
Protection Protection
Carrying
Cargo Shorts Pants Groin, Upper Leg 4% 0% None 3 Fabric
Capacity +3
Civilian Boots Shoes Foot 5% 2% None 3 Fabric
Civilian Hat Hat Head 0% 0% None 1 Fabric
1 Fabric + 1
Civilian
Hat Head 10% 15% None Household
Helmet
Supplies
Civilian Vest Vest Chest, Gut 5% 2% None 3 Fabric
Take -5% Mood
Formal Shoe Shoes Foot 2% 0% None 1 Fabric if walking long
distances.
Chest, Gut, Upper Carrying

Heavy Jacket Jacket 10% 0% Cold -4 8 Fabric
Arm, Lower Arm Capacity +5
Groin, Upper Leg, Carrying

Heavy Pants Pants 8% 3% Cold -2 4 Fabric
Lower Leg Capacity +5
Heavy Short Chest, Gut, Upper
Shirt 5% 0% Cold -1 3 Fabric
Sleeve Arm
Kevlar Vest Vest Chest, Gut 25% 40% None Special Military Only
Chest, Gut, Upper Carrying

Light Jacket Jacket 5% 0% Cold -2 4 Fabric
Arm, Lower Arm Capacity +3
Groin, Upper Leg, Carrying

Light Pants Pants 0% 0% Cold -1 3 Fabric
Lower Leg Capacity +3
Light Short Chest, Gut, Upper
Shirt 3% 0% None 2 Fabric
Sleeve Arm
Military Boots Shoes Foot 7% 4% None 4 Fabric
Military
Hat Head 15% 20% None Special Military Only
Helmet
Sneaker Shoes Foot 0% 0% None 1 Fabric
Sport Shorts Pants Groin, Upper Leg 0% 0% Heat +1 2 Fabric
Chest, Gut, Upper

Winter Shirt Shirt 5% 0% Cold -2 4 Fabric
Arm, Lower Arm
Bags Carrying Capacity Value
Duffel Bag 18 20 Fabric + Household Supplies

Hiking Bag 22 24 Fabric + Household Supplies
Large Backpack 25 26 Fabric + Household Supplies
School Bag 15 10 Fabric + Household Supplies
Weapon Fatigue Penetrating

Type Blunt Damage Value Notes
(Broad) Die Damage
10 Ranged
Handgun Ranged D0 2d6 to 4d8 2d6 to 3d8
Weapons
16 Melee
Heavy Blunt Melee D8 2d8 to 3d10
Weapons
Heavy 16 Melee
Melee D6 2d6 to 4d6 2d10 to 3d12
Penetrating Weapons
4 Melee
Light Blunt Melee D0 2d4 to 2d6
Weapons
Light 4 Melee
Melee D0 0 to 1d6 2d4 to 1d8
Penetrating Weapons
8 Melee
Medium Blunt Melee D6 2d6 to 2d10
Weapons
Medium 8 Melee
Melee D4 1d6 to 3d6 2d8 to 3d10
Penetrating Weapons
15 Ranged
Rifle Ranged D2 2d6 to 4d10 4d10 to 8d10
Weapons
Determined by Distance,
12 Ranged short ranged engagements
Shotgun Ranged D6 2dX to 3dX 3dX to 5dX
Weapons (D12) but Long Ranged
(D6)
Side Note: "I was expecting a bit more . . ."

Do you know how many blunt force instruments there are in your home? How many items in
our beautiful world can be used to reduce someone's life expectancy down? How many articles of
clothing, tools, bits, and bobs? A lot! There are A LOT! So I decided to truncate the options down, its
abstracted, but if you want to make something, go for it. Wing it, it's a system dedicated to tell you
you're dying of a zombie plague, not a combat sim.
Weapon Fatigue Penetrating
Type Blunt Damage Value Notes
(Example) Die Damage
8 Melee
Weapons or
Baseball Bat Melee D6 1d8+1d10 0 Two-Handed
Household
Goods
.45 ACP Ammunition,
10 Ranged
DZT Hardshot Ranged D0 2d6 3d8 Range 50m (160 ft), 13
Weapons
Round Magazine
16 Melee
Fire Ax Melee D8 3d6 2d12 Two-Handed, Hyper Lethal
Weapons
12 to 28 Gauge Shell,
Gorchester 12 Ranged
Ranged D2 2dX 4dX Range 45ish m (150 ft), 5
1914 Weapon
Shot Loader. Hyper Lethal
4 Melee
Weapons or
Hammer Melee D0 4d4 0
Household
Goods
4 Melee
Hunting Knife Melee D0 0 2d6
Weapons
4 Melee
Makeshift Weapons + 4
Melee D4 1d4 2d8 Two-Handed
Spear Survival
Supplies
7.62x39 Ammunition,
15 Ranged
OT-14 Gortini Ranged D6 3d6 5d10 Ranged 300m (984 ft.), 30
Weapons
Round Magazine
16 Melee
Weapons or
Sledgehammer Melee D8 4d10 0 Two-Handed, Hyper Lethal
Wooden
Supplies
The Risen & The Damned
Many things describe the Zone and its situation, but only always comes up, a common descriptor.
Hostile
The Zone is a hostile place, a deadly place, a cut off piece of hell tailored to torment the living,
driving them to commit acts of inhumanity for the sake of survival. While the Risen are the most
common enemies wandering the Zone, Mutated Risen have begun to appear more frequently. All while
the desperate and hungry Survivors fight for their own salvation, a salvation that may never arrive.
The Risen
The Risen are the most common threat for Survivors in the Zone. There are a few theories to
"why" they are the way they are. The most accepted idea is that the Black Blood the Risen bite you with
reanimates you, but there have been instances of a macabre intelligence when they are in groups.
The only common thing among the infected are the following: They are attracted to sound, they
congregate around other infected, need to have their head or spine destroyed, and animals can't be
infected. While the Risen are the chief threat, they are rarely threatening isolated, slow and lumbering
during the day, but having a twitchy unpredictability to them at night, as if readjusting themselves.
Mutations have gradually been found among the Risen, these Risen have unique, if deadly,
properties associated with them, often found in unique situations or with an infected individual with a
particular condition.
Standard Risen Movement 1 Maul 2d6 Health 20
If Maul hits, 15% + 5% / Wound Severity of Inflicting Bile Blood on the Target.
A Risen, a person, just like you . . . at one point.
Bull Risen Movement 1 Slam 3d8 Health 120
The Bull will charge 5 Tiles in a single direction at any loud sound, if they impact a Target, they will deal 4d8 Damage.
A Risen Mutation, found isolated in open areas, observed among those who previously had or are currently suffering from
steroid abuse.
Jumper Risen Movement 2 Claw 1d4 Health 15
The Jumper has a 10% Chance of inflicting Bile Blood on a Target with a Claw Attack. May leap 3 Tiles in a straight
line, making an attack, if successful, the Survivor is pinned to the ground by the Jumper
A Risen Mutation, found in dark areas, believed to have opiates in the body during infection.
Popper Risen Movement 1 Punch 1d2 Health 5
The Popper, when damaged, will explode, and all Targets within 2 Tiles of them will suffer 3d6 Damage to all exposed
body parts due to the acidic bile.
A Risen Mutation, found idling among groups, unknown reason for mutation, but the smell of bleach on popper survivors have
been reported.
Mimic Risen Movement 2 Scratch 1d6 Health 12
If Scratch hits, 20% + 5% / Wound Severity of inflicting Bile Blood on Target. Can mimic voices of those its heard.
A uncommon Risen Mutation, found mostly isolated, will mimic voices of those its heard before, strained vocal cords and
isolated conditions indicate a strep throat or perhaps a respiratory disease.
Screecher Risen Movement 3 Scratch 1d2 Health 4
If Scratch hits, 20% + 5% / Wound Severity of inflicting Bile Blood on Target. Lets out a loud screech when in danger
or when it has spotted a target.
A Risen Mutation, small and twitchy even during the day, their scream is akin to an air horn going on with slightly different
pitches. They were almost universally children between the age of 8 to 12.
Goggle Risen Movement 1 Maul 2d6 Health 20
If Maul hits, 15% + 5% / Wound Severity of Inflicting Bile Blood on the Target. Deaf, detects entirely based on sight.
A Risen Mutation, mixed into regular hordes in small groups on the perimeter, overdeveloped vision capabilities and almost
universally deaf. Originally thought to be deaf, but later proved to have astigmatisms.
Gnawer Risen Movement 3 Chomp 3d10 Health 30
If Chomp hits, 50% + 5% Wound Severity of being inflicted with Bile Blood.
Risen Mutation, perhaps one of the most dangerous, but can be easily controlled with blood bait, as they are attracted to
non-infected blood almost obsessively. Raw meat sends them into a frenzy to eat it. Anemics are commonly believed to be the
cause of these ferocious mutants.
The Damned
Outside of the Risen, the most common type of individual to prowl the Zone are Survivors. These
unwashed masses are hungry, desperate, and willing to do just about anything to survive. Fortunately,
they are able to scrounge up supplies and goods relatively easily.
Those who can't often starve, or take by force.
Regular Survivors are built the same way as the Player Survivors are, with all the same quirks and
problems associated with them. Often these Survivors have their own set of supplies, gear, and fears to
worry about. Rather than track every Value, they simply have a Living Value, which acts as a universal
"how well are they doing" check. If a Character is expected to make repeated occurrences, then treating
that as a regular Survivor would help, but it is not mandatory.
Living Value - The overall well being of the Character.

● Complication - The Survivor is getting desperate, they have a -10% to all of their Actions.
● Terminal Complication - The Survivor has grown ferocious, pleading, miserable, or all of the above.
They take an additional -10% to all of their Actions.
● Final Complication - Death or Unconsciousness.
If the Game Master wishes for a Simpler Survivor for larger engagements, consider the following.
● The Simple Survivor has two Attributes: Combat Instinct and Survival Sense.
● The Simple Survivor has five locations for damage: Head, Chest, Upper Arms, and Upper Legs.
These are all at half health for more combat oriented games or full health for survival focused.
● The Simple Survivor has no Values.
● The Simple Survivor will have some gear, but rarely anything important.
Side Note: On Game Mastering

The core idea behind Superesse Mortuus is to create an interesting story with the pitch of "A
locked-in zombie apocalypse." While health and survival aspects are detailed, other parts, such as
equipment and enemy variety, may not be.
As two notes, keep things "within logic" as the Characters will discover things they want and
you'll provide them what you want them to have. The crafting system is there to help abstract every
nail, board, metal bit, and circuit to not keep track of it, while the combat system is there to simulate a
particular kind of game "Dangerous, but Survivable."
In short, play the game you want to run and make it consistent. I wrote this for two game jams
and it's now almost 4 AM, this is your profound statement.

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Superesse Mortuus

The Story of How You Died

Playing the Game 4

Wandering the Wastes 15

From Survival to Living 27

The Risen & The Damned 44

Momentum & Hesitation

Side Note: Difficulty Modifier Number

Side Note: Alternate Attribute Distribution

● Assigned - Each Player assigns a 30, 35,

Designer Notes: Values

None / Light / Heavy / Serious / Deep / Terminal / Destroyed

Certain Body Parts have an “Agony Threshold”

● Arm - 100 (Upper Arm, Lower Arm, Hand)

Side Note: Non-Typical Damage

Side Note: Temperature

Designer Notes: Exterior Systems

● Electronics - The Survivor's knowledge of electronics and how to operate them.

Designer Notes: Skills & You!

That Dragon, Time

Moments - The smallest scale of time, a

Minutes - There are 60 Minutes in an hour,

Hour - There are 24 Hours in a day, with 60

Days - Each day is composed of 24 Hours,

Side Note: Time, You, and Bleeding to Death

● Electronic Supplies - Electronic bits, bobs, and wires.

● 1 - 3 Supply Density - Success: 2 Dice / Failure: 0 Dice

● 1d4 Wooden Supplies

John chooses 3, while Addie chooses 5.

Designer Notes: Scavenging

Side Note: "Armor"

Side Note: Can I use Defensive Actions against other Survivors?

Side Note: Executions

Side Note: Ambushes

Designer Notes: Struggles

Side Note: Basic Blood Loss Medical Attention List.

Home, Sweet Home

● Sturdy Foundation (2nd Floor Concrete Apartment)

Side Note: Storage Space

Developer Note: Residences

● Wooden Reinforcements (Wooden Supplies x 6 / Wooden Supplies x 4)

● Small Projects - 20 to 30 Assorted Supplies

Side Note: Things in a House

Developer Note: Vehicles

Designer Notes: Cars

Safe Driving & Part Decay

Small Modifications - 25 Mechanical Supplies Large Modifications - 60 Mechanical Supplies

Medium Modifications - 40 Mechanical Massive Modifications - 100 Mechanical

Side Note: Louise and The Truck

Chest, Gut, Upper Carrying

Groin, Upper Leg, Carrying

Chest, Gut, Upper Carrying

Groin, Upper Leg, Carrying

Sport Shorts Pants Groin, Upper Leg 0% 0% Heat +1 2 Fabric

Chest, Gut, Upper

Duffel Bag 18 20 Fabric + Household Supplies

Large Backpack 25 26 Fabric + Household Supplies

School Bag 15 10 Fabric + Household Supplies

Weapon Fatigue Penetrating

Side Note: "I was expecting a bit more . . ."

Standard Risen Movement 1 Maul 2d6 Health 20

Bull Risen Movement 1 Slam 3d8 Health 120

Jumper Risen Movement 2 Claw 1d4 Health 15