Gaming Life: Return to War of the Dead Campaign Session 4 – Relocation Camp 5

We returned to the War of the Dead campaign just outside the CDC in Atlanta with the PCs (survivors) being herded to a relocation camp set up by the military to contain the residents of Atlanta who had not succumbed to the sickness.

As they were being led to their camp, the FBI agent with them breaks away, running toward a military commander on the scene. She yells at him, “Morrison, what the hell are you doing!” as the survivors notice that the CDC buildings are themselves surrounded by barbed wire fencing and soldiers facing in. The commander tells her that her little plan is over and that he’s in command now. She is led back to the group, who meanwhile use the distraction as an opportunity to steal a taser from one of the soldiers.

As they’re being forced into the fenced in camp, the soldiers pat down each of the survivors, but through more distractions, the survivors manage to sneak in the taser and a couple of small knives.

Inside the camp, they meet a number their fellow inmates residents, including Max the Fixer. You want it, he can probably get it. They trade the taser for crucial information on the guards and a promise of some lockpicks in four days time from him. They learn that some bikers recently arrived, but were put in a different camp.

The next day, a biker in an adjacent camp threatens Gina, one of the survivors. Hell is coming for her and her husband. She taunts him back to come and get her.

The rest of the group settles in to figuring out the weaknesses in the fencing, tracking the guards to ensure their information is correct and planning their escape. One of the survivors was bitten and has hidden it from the guards, but she knows it’s only a matter of time before she starts showing signs of the sickness. A guard who carries a flamethrower is a grim reminder that the camp’s way of dealing with the sickness isn’t a nice one.

The survivors put their plan to escape in action close to midnight on the their second night there, using a weak point in the fencing to sneak out. Miraculously, they all make their stealth checks and manage to get away. As they’re leaving, Gina notices the profile of Hell Furrie, the biker who is coming to kill her in an adjacent camp. He’s obviously waiting for his opportunity to escape into their camp and kill her. The group decides to just leave him and proceed to the barbed wire fencing.

Although a few of them get caught on the barbed wire, cutting themselves up a bit, they use a blanket and make it over without attracting any attention. It’s only once they make it into one of the CDC buildings that one of the girls with them slams the door closed too loudly and suddenly all lights are on the building. But, they’re in and they encounter some CDC scientists who, upon meeting the FBI agent with them, urges the survivors to go with them, there’s something big they have to see.

This night went very smoothly for the PCs. They played it smart and careful. No big risks were taken (other than the escape). They planned their escape well and didn’t take my bait for them to settle some scores and instead kept to plan and as a result there were no combats and no major confrontations at all. It was a good information gathering and plot development session, which is ironic since the sets were a huge amount of work, but everyone loved it and it added to the feeling of being penned up.

I also wanted to take a shot of what it looks like behind the GM screen. I have my item cards ready for most things they could get their hands on (and some that they’re not likely to get), face cards for the major NPCs they encounter, a zombie deck of cards, dice, markers, my wheel of raises, rulebook and notes for the session.

Happy gaming!