Realistic or Modern Red Markets Lore

[Vudukudu]

Lore Page

 

[Vudukudu]

<--- Information about the Infection, The Crash, The Recession, The Loss, and Setting Terminology

 

[Vudukudu]

Equipment Section: Purchasing equipment at character generation costs the listed price. Buying it DURING the game costs listed price x 2. After every mission, you must pay the upkeep cost of the item or risk it malfunctioning or breaking down. Upgrades cost 1 Bounty at all times.

Haul: Your character's Haul Rating is equal to their Strength stat. Each unit of Haul has a certain Bounty value which you will be made aware of upon acquiring a unit of Haul.

Spoiler: Weapons

Axe: Fire axes were the first weapons many picked up during the Crash; some opted to stick with them. In the years since, they've been sharpened, reinforced, and optimized to take Casualties. The basic principle remains the same: swing for the head and try not to let any get in your mouth.
Effect: Kill damage
Upkeep: 1
Charges: 10
Qualities: Manpower (spend rations to buy a roll), Wear'n'tear (one charge spent every success)
Upgrades: Sturdy (remove Wear'n'tear)

Bow and Quiver: In many ways, bows are the best projectile weapons for the undead. Takers can keep their distance, reuse their ammo, and be quiet about their work. However, the accuracy required to score a headshot on a slow moving Casualty is considerable and keeping steady as a mob closes in doesn't make things any easier. Those with reliable archery skills can name their price in the Carrion Economy.
Effect: Kill Damage
Upkeep: 1
Charges: 10
Qualities: Clunky (Stealth checks are made at Default only, no skill bonus), Specialized - Shoot: Bow (requires 1 rank in skill to use)
Upgrades: Quiver Cap (remove Clunky), RFID Arrows (+1 to Scavenge checks to recover arrows, arrows can now be tracked with proper equipment)

Club: Sticks are one of the few things still plentiful in the Loss. Others have less practical reasons for using
clubs, such as an attachment to a childhood baseball bat or beloved pipe.
Effect: Stun Damage or Kill Damage
Upkeep: 1 for purchase purposes only
Charges: 10
Qualities: Improvised (can Refresh with a successful Scavenge roll, no upkeep required), Wear'n'tear (lose one charge per successful use), Manpower (Spend Rations to buy a roll)
Upgrades: Versatile (pick Stun or Kill damage when attacking), Sturdy (buys off Wear'n'tear)

Crossbow and Quiver: Before the Crash, zombie movies advertised the crossbow as the ultimate weapon against the undead. A number of companies put out cheap, plastic versions of the medieval armament to capitalize off people with too much money and not enough sense. When the nightmares actually came true, many found out the hard way which crossbows were actually effective. Still more died realizing they were shit shots.
Effects: Kill Damage
Upkeep: 2
Charges: 10
Qualities: Clunky (Stealth at default only), Specialized Shoot: Crossbow (requires 1 rank in skill to use), Lengthy Reload (Has to be reloaded every shot)
Upgrades: Tactical (removes Clunky), RFID Bolts (+1 to Scavenge checks to recover bolts and bolts can be tracked electronically), Pump-Action (Can now be fired 5 times without reloading)

Grenade:
Though unreliable for headshots, grenades tend to mangle Casualties beyond the point of mobility
anyway. Humans fare even worse.
Effect: Kill Damage
Upkeep: 4 for purchase purposes only
Charges: 5
Qualities: In Demand (cannot be refreshed ever, but costs no upkeep after purchase), Loud (May attract more zombies)
Upgrades: Remote (Can be planted and triggered remotely)

Handgun:
Whether it be the family revolver found amidst a group suicide or the spec-ops sidearm pulled
from the corpse of a fallen checkpoint guard, anything that can shoot gets salvaged in the Loss. Luckily, the insane number of guns in the US before the Crash (and the propensity for current users to die) keeps prices down.
Effect: Kill damage
Upkeep: 2
Charges: 10
Qualities: Charged (can spend additional charges to get a +1 bonus), Hungry (two charges must be spent for every one used), Loud (May attract zombies)
Upgrades: Extended Magazine (removes Hungry), Silenced (removes Loud)

Heavy Rifle:
Finding ammo originally meant to destroy engine blocks is a struggle for your average Taker. But
the psychological benefits of turning an enemy into paste from two kilometers away is too much for some crews to pass up.
Effect: Kill damage
Upkeep: 5
Charges: 10
Qualities: Hungry (2 charges must be spent for every one), Loud (may attract zombies), Long-range (can be used at long distances), Specialized - Shoot: Heavy Rifles (requires 1 rank of Shoot: Heavy Rifles to use).
Upgrades: Sighted In (Buys off Hungry)

Knife: For when you absolutely must stab it.
Effect: Kill Damage
Upkeep: 1
Charges: 10
Qualities: Manpower (spend ration to buy a roll), Wear'n'tear (one charge spent on every success)
Upgrades: Sturdy (remove Wear'n'tear), Weighted (weapon can be thrown at short-range)

Light Machine Gun: During the withdrawal to the Recession, space and weight were at a premium. Precision weapons had preference over rate of fire. This left a glut of military automatic weapons in the Loss, but few with the ammo or expertise to use them.
Upkeep: 4
Effect: Kill damage
Charges; 10
Qualities: Charged (can spend additional Charges for a +1 bonus), Hungry (uses two charges per use), Hampering (reduce your Haul and Refreshes by 1 while carrying), Loud (may summon zombies), Specialized - Shoot LMG (requires 1 rank of Shoot LMG to use)
Upgrades: Extended Magazine (remove Hungry), Spray (spend 3 charges to hit an adjacent target)

Machete: The preferred choice of many Takers that work in close, machetes provide more reach than a knife, require less skill than a sword, and can be used in conjunction with a shield.
Upkeep: 2
Effect: Kill Damage
Charges: 10
Qualities: Manpower (spend ration to buy a roll), Wear'n'tear (one charge spent per success)
Upgrades: Gurkha Blade (provides +1 to attack rolls), Sturdy (remove Wear'n'Tear)

Molotov Cocktail:
Unless you get the fire hot enough to melt a skull, setting a Casualty is only a slightly faster
method of disposal than waiting for them to die of old age… but engulfing the bastards in flames makes it real hard for them to track you. It also kills Vectors that are too dumb to stop, drop, and roll. And as for humans? Fire is as effective a weapon as it is a deterrent; no one forgets the sound of a raider burning alive.
Upkeep: 2
Effect: Kill Damage
Charges: 5
Qualities: In Demand (cannot be refreshed but costs no upkeep after purchase), Loud (if used on a human)
Upgrades: Special Formula (flames cannot be doused except by submersion in water)

Plastic Explosives: A surprising amount of advanced plastic explosive was left behind during the Recession, and its the first thing corrupt DHQS guards pilfer from their ammo dumps to sell across the border. Since most Lost have no idea how to use the stuff, they figure it'll just end up blowing the purchaser up.
Upkeep: 4 for purchase purposes only
Effect: Kill and Stun Damage
Charges: 5
Qualities: In Demand (cannot be refreshed, costs no upkeep after purchase), Loud (may attract zombies), Specialized - Profession: Demolitions (requires Profession: Demolitions to use).
Upgrades: Shaped (Charges can be used to destroy structures with a Profession: Demolitions check)

Rifle: The average Taker's first experience with a firearm was executing a loved one. In the Loss, range is valued for more than its tactical benefit. The further away one gets from the ugliness, the better. Rifles are the best choice in the intersection between expense, skill, and distance.
Upkeep: 3
Effect: Kill damage
Charges: 10
Qualities: Loud (attracts zombies), Charged (can spend extra charges for a +1 bonus)
Upgrades: Scope (Weapon is now long-range), Silenced (removes Loud), Spray (spend 3 charges to hit an additional target)

Shotgun: Once a crew is sure the Bait knows how to keep the barrel pointed down, a shotgun is usually the first weapon for a new Taker.
Upkeep: 2
Effect: Kill Damage
Charges: 10
Qualities: Charged (can spend additional charges for a +1), Hungry (two charges per use), Loud (may attract zombies)
Upgrades: Military (buys off Hungry), Spread (spend an extra charge to hit an adjacent target)

Spear: Though the skills required to accurately target a thrust to the head are archaic, spears have made a big comeback among the many Fencemen of the Loss. Some Takers have grown so comfortable with them that they take their stickers into the field.
Upkeep: 2
Effect: Kill damage
Charges: 10
Qualities: Manpower (spend a ration to buy a roll), Wear'n'tear (one charge used per success), Specialized - Melee: Spear (requires Melee: Spear to use)
Upgrades: Reach (can attack from out of melee range), Sturdy (removes Wear'n'tear), Weighted (can be thrown at short-range), Crossbar (Can be used to hold a Casualty or Vector in place with a Resistance check)

Sword: Every asshat that thought the zombie apocalypse sounded fun went straight for a sword when the Crash happened, and promptly got eaten by Vectors. To be fair, anyone still using a sword this late in the game is probably good with it. Hopefully they're also deaf to all the jokes and insults it'll attract at the Enclave.
Upkeep: 3
Effect: Kill damage
Charges: 10
Qualities: Manpower (spend ration to use), wear'n'tear (lose one charge per success), Specialized - Melee: Sword (requires Melee: Sword spec to use)
Upgrades: Executioner's Edge (provides a +1 to attack rolls), Sturdy (remove Wear'n'tear)

Handaxe: Hatchets are second only to machetes in popularity. The small axe loses points because the temptation to throw it often outweighs a Taker's ability to do so well. Takers that don't want to be left in front of a hungry Casualty with nothing but their fists buy a backup.
Upkeep: 1
Effect: Kill damage
Charges: 10
Qualities: Manpower (spend rations to buy a roll), Wear'n'tear (spend one charge per success)
Upgrades: Sturdy (remove Wear'n'tear), Weighted (can throw weapon at short range)

Warhammer / Sledge: Most that succumb to size queen syndrome when desperately looking for bludgeons end up dead. Those strong enough to wield these well are hell on Casualties.
Upkeep: 2
Effect: Kill and stun damage
Charges: 10
Qualities: Manpower (spend rations to buy a roll), Wear'n'tear (spend one charge per success)
Upgrades: Sturdy (remove Wear'n'tear)

Spoiler: Drugs and Healthcare

Blood Testing Unit (BTU): BTUs range from the hacked-together pieces of shit used by the military at the Recession checkpoints to newer, sleek StopLoss designs. Regardless of the cosmetics, all models answer the same question: should I shoot my friend now or later?
Upkeep: 2
Effect: Allows player to make the STR check to resist Infection rather than the GM. This means the infected player knows the results and may spend Will to affect the check.
Qualities: None
Upgrades: Can only have one of the following --> DHQS Model (no First Aid check required, but sends results, Immunity especially, to a DHQS server), Hacked (Can only be read by a single user with password protection), Gen 2 (can diagnose players as Immune without even having been bitten)

First Aid Kit: Won't do shit against the Blight, but a lot can go wrong in the Loss. Nothing about Taker first aid is meant to keep you healthy. Kits are there to keep you alive, moving, and in agony until you're back home.
Upkeep: 2
Effect: Spend charges to make a First Aid check on an injured person. Additional charges add bonuses to the check.
Charges: 10
Qualities: None
Upgrades: DHQS Issue (First Aid check also administers a blood test for infection. Will cannot be spent on this test)

Rations: Mechanically, rations buy-a-roll for all acts of physical exertion and represent the caloric requirements of survival. The Charges are spent in the moment, but are narratively eaten off-screen before and after missions to give the character enough calories to burn and then replenish afterward. No one scarfs down beans mid-fight, but a protein bar afterward might just keep you moving.
Upkeep: 1
Effect: Buy-a-roll for any Athletics, Resistance, Unarmed, or Melee check.
Qualities: Charged (can spend an extra for a +1 bonus), Essential (Start with 10), Needed (Make a Stress test for every day you go without rations)

Scent Blocker:
Certain organs – the liver, the large intestine, etc – remain oddly untouched by Blight
infection. Collecting viscera from slain Casualties and squeezing it creates Scent Blocker, or “C-Juice” as it is sometimes called. The noxious substance reeks but remains sterile (well, at least of the Blight). Rubbing on scent blocker allows Takers to sneak past mobs of Casualties, though sight, sound, and behavior can still give the humans away.
Upkeep: 3 for purchase purposes only
Effect: Allows stealth checks against the undead. Cannot attempt Charisma checks until cleaned. Requires a Self-Control: Stress test to use.
Qualities: In Demand (cannot be refreshed, but costs no upkeep after purchase)
Upgrades: DHQS Issue Artificial Scent (makes Self-Control check unnecessary)

Soma: Soma is to anti-depressants as power drills are to screwdrivers. The government dumps this tranquilizing poison into the Free Parking ghettos to keep refugees from burning down the cities, but it does ease the pain, if only for a little while.
Upkeep: 3 for purchase only
Effect: Heals 1 humanity and boosts Self Control by +1 for the day, at the cost of 1 charge.
Charges: 5
Qualities: In Demand (cannot be refreshed but costs no upkeep after purchase), Addictive (make a STR test each time you take a dose - if you fail, you take a Self-Control: Stress test every day you go without Soma)
Upgrades: None

Stim Sauce:
Military-issue meth, issued to drivers to keep the caravans moving
East during the Crash. The feds claim it’s no longer in production, but there’s enough bootleggers that the truth doesn’t really matter. Many can’t face the though of the Loss without a little SS in their blood. After awhile, it becomes the only reason to get up in the morning.
Upkeep: 3 for purchase only
Effects: Boost Athletics by +1 for the day for 1 charge. All Self-Control checks must be made at default for the day.
Qualities: In Demand (cannot be refreshed but costs no upkeep after purchase), Addictive (make a STR test each time you take a dose - if you fail, you take a Self-Control: Stress test every day you go without Stim Sauce)
Upgrades: None

Suppression K-7864:
Derived from the bone marrow of the Immune, along with a cocktail of dangerously
caustic antiseptics and antibiotics, Suppression K-7864 is the only hope for someone infected with the Blight. The shot reverts live strains into their little-understood undead state. Though the infection still perforates every tissue with Blight sinews, the live cells responsible for destroying the brain and turning people into Vectors never activate. This turns the user into Latents, humans completely riddled with the Blight’s sinew, but sill alive and rational. As if that weren’t enough, the shot is no promise of survival; the process of becoming a Latent is agonizing, and it’s been said to kill many through shock alone.
Upkeep: 6 for purchase only
Effect: Once injected, renders an Infected person Latent. Roll a STR check or die anyway as the sinews spread through your body.
Charges: 1
Qualities: In Demand (cannot be refreshed but costs no upkeep after purchase)
Upgrades: None

Spoiler: Armor and Accessories

Backpack: There’s no reason to go out if you’re not bringing something back. Even the most desperate
Takers carry a backpack.
Upkeep: 1
Effect: Allows you to carry Haul = STR. Allows use of Refresh.
Charges: None
Qualities: Essential (start with Backpack)
Upgrades: None

Basilisk Body Armor:
Increased fatalities from the US’s never-ending stream of bush wars finally prompted
Congress to issue advanced body armor to all military personnel. Basilisk was the evolution of meta-material prototypes capable of stopping even high-caliber rounds without hindering mobility. Due to budget cuts and logistical fuck-ups, “the future of warfare” only saw a 16% roll-out before the Crash. Those lucky enough to scavenge a set off a dead DHQS soldier reap the best the military-industrial complex has to offer.
Upkeep: 6 for purchase purposes
Effect: Armors torso and arms (5-9) against damage. Spend charges to convert all Kill to Stun damage, or to negate a Stun damage.
Charges: 10
Qualities: In Demand (cannot be refreshed, but costs no upkeep), Armor (Spend charge to convert all Kill to Stun damage, or spend charges to negate a single point of stun damage)
Upgrades: DHQS Issue (blood monitors test for infection constantly and automatically destroy the armor's meta-materials on detection, removing the armor)

Carpet Gauntlets/Greaves:
The base layer of commercial carpeting – the plastic weave in which the strands
are embedded – can’t be pierced by human teeth or nails. Some early Taker realized that this made the floors of most abandoned houses a goldmine of anti-casualty kevlar. Five years later, carpet gauntlets and greaves is standard equipment for a lot of Takers. Feed your left arm to the zombie, scream like hell as it bites down on the carpet, and start bashing skulls before the dumb thing goes for juicer meat.
Upkeep: 4 for purchase only
Effect: Armors arms and legs (1-6) against Casualty and Vectors. No infection check for bites. Spend charges to convert all Kill to stun damage, or to negate a point of Stun damage.
Qualities: Armor (Spend charges to convert all Kill to stun damage, or to negate a point of Stun damage, Casualties only), Improvised (Refresh only with a Scavenge check, no upkeep required)

Chainmail: If its good enough for sharks and swords its good enough for Casualties. However, it requires constant maintenance.
Upkeep: 3
Effect: Armors arms and torso (5-9) against Melee and unarmed attacks. No infection checks for bites.
Charges: 10
Qualities: Armor (Spend charges to convert kill to stun damage, or spend charges to negate a single point of stun, melee/unarmed only), Clunky (Stealth checks at default only), Hampering (takes up one haul and one refresh while equipped or carried)
Upgrades: Advanced Alloy (remove Hampering), Padded (removes Clunky), Hooded (covers head(10))

Helmet: A bad idea when Latents go Vector, great for everything else.
Upkeep: 2 for purchase only
Effect: Armors the head (10) against damage from all sources. Spend charges to convert all Kill to Stun damage, or spend charges to negate a single point of stun.
Charges: 10
Qualities: In Demand (Cannot be refreshed, but costs no upkeep after purchase), Armor (Spend charges to convert all Kill to Stun damage, or spend charges to negate a single point of stun damage)
Upgrades: Facemask (no infection check on bites to head), Headlamp (allows awareness checks in darkness)

Kevlar: Slap one on and pray they aim for center mass.
Upkeep: 4 for purchase purposes
Effect: Armors the torso (7-9) against damage from all sources. Spend charges to convert all Kill to Stun damage, or spend charges to negate a single point of stun damage.
Qualities: Armor (Spend charges to convert all Kill to Stun damage, or spend charges to negate a single point of stun damage.), In Demand (Cannot be refreshed, but costs no upkeep after purchase)
Upgrades: Modular (replace charges at 1 bounty per charge)

Padded Gloves: It seems like a small thing, but a cut knuckle from a panicked punch has undone many a crew. Keep casualty teeth out of your skin and on the ground where they belong.
Upkeep: 1 for purchase purposes only
Effect: +1 stun damage to unarmed, prevents infection tests after punching Casualties
Charges: 10
Qualities: Improvised (refresh only with successful Scavenge test, no upkeep required), Wear'n'tear (one charge used per success), Manpower (spend one ration per use)
Upgrades: Sturdy (remove Wear'n'tear), Spiked (convert Stun damage to kill)

Riot Shield: Some enclaves exist today because the Fencemen trained to form a phalanx across the breach. Many Takers have brought them into the field to get some needed distance from the dead.
Upkeep: 4 for purchase purposes
Effect: Armors all locations except for the head (1-9) against melee damage of all types except knockdown. Spend one charge every time the shield absorbs damage.
Charges: 10
Qualities: Armor (spend charges to negate damage completely), Clunky (stealth checks at default only), In Demand (cannot be refreshed, but costs no upkeep after purchase)
Upgrades: SWAT Quality (protects against firearms)

Spoiler: Tools

Bicycle: Taker survival in the shot-term is about spending. The long-term is about sustainability.
Upkeep: 2
Effect: Spend a ration to move faster for narrative purposes, one extra ration per day.
Charges: 10
Qualities: Manpower (spend ration per use)
Upgrades: Basket (Add 1 to the Taker's Refresh number), Saddlebags (Add +1 to the Taker's Haul)

Binoculars: Whether walking into it, being chased by it, or getting flanked by it, see it before it sees you.
Upkeep: 1
Effect: Add 2 to Awareness checks and Scavenging outdoors.
Charges: 10
Qualities: Fragile (Breaks with a single hit or missed upkeep), Static (Does not use charges)
Upgrades: Digital Zoom (replace static with Charged, spending charges after a roll to add +1 to tests), Nightvision (requires digital zoom, spend a charge to use in darkness)

DDJs (Denial Door Jams):
Before the Crash, carbon nanotubes were being manufactured en masse by the military industrial complex for a number of uses in various defense contracts. As the chaos cancelled those grand projects, some demolitions expert got the bright idea to wrap all that spare unbreakable wire around a grenade. DDJs were about the only casualty-specific ordinance distributed before the withdrawal over the Mississippi. They were used by “shudder” teams deployed to retrieve vital personnel and fortify infrastructure. After entering a building, teams would pop a DDJ to ensure no more infected joined them from the outside. Tiny harpoons would deploy from the baseplate and embed in the walls and frame, barricading the door and tangling anything that managed to breakthrough. DDJ’s are a favorite of Taker crews specializing in extermination jobs, and many enclaves have started recycling nanotubes from detonated ordinance to manufacture their own units.
Upkeep: 3 for purchase only
Effect: Obstructs doorways and passages with a tangle of carbon nano-tube barbed wire. Applies kill damage.
Charges: 5
Qualities: In Demand (cannot be refreshed, but costs no upkeep), Loud (may attract attention)
Upgrades: Secondary Charge (an incendiary detonates after the wire deploys), Emergency Release (a wireless signal can detach wires from the base plate, opening up previously barricaded doorways)

Flashlight: Remember the Taker motto: "Prevent a bite with a nightlight, turn it off or heads get blown off."
Upkeep: 1
Effect: Allow Awareness checks in darkness.
Charges: 10
Qualities: Fragile (breaks if hit or upkeep is missed)
Upgrades: Ever-light (item becomes In Demand but never needs Charges to use), Mounted (no longer needs an open hand as long as Taker equips the Mounted Gear)

Electronics Kit: Basic software on minidrives, circuit boards, soldering irons, voltage meters – sometimes the best Scores require working with equipment too delicate for a simple toolbox. Takers specializing in
communications and high-end security systems carefully assemble kits catered to assist with advanced
electronics.
Upkeep: 3
Effect: Spend Charges to aid Mechanics checks on hacking, repairing, or crafting electronics.
Charges: 10
Qualities: Charged (can spend additional charges for +1 bonuses), Clunky (Stealth checks at default only)
Upgrades: Tailored (buys off Clunky)

Lockpicker's Kit: If you're lucky, the door is locked because idiots thought they'd come back someday. If you're not, they locked it to keep what's inside from getting out. Either way, the noise of forced entry is a bad idea and smart Takers know they need to rely on more than canceled credit cards.
Upkeep: 3
Effect: +1 Criminality to lockpicking tests
Charges: 10
Qualities: Charged (can spend additional charges for +1 bonuses)
Upgrades: Mrs Tumbles Brand PickGun (breaks locks without a test, uses all of kit's remaining charges)

Toolkit: Its the Loss, everything is breaking or already broken. Come prepared.
Upkeep: 2
Effect: Charges can be spent to aid Mechanics checks to repair or dismantle equipment.
Charges: 10
Qualities: Charged (can spend additional charges for +1 bonus), Clunky (Stealth checks at default only)
Upgrades: Tailored (buys off Clunky)

Spoiler: Pets

Dog:
Animals that try to feed off the flesh of Casualties usually get eaten themselves or die from the Blight’s
poison. Five years in,“man’s best friend” only survives by feasting off survivors in feral packs or remaining loyal to master. A well-trained pooch can be a lifesaver in the Loss, though. They can attack human rivals or distract Casualties without much fear of being caught. Outfitted with equipment, service dogs make great scouts. Perhaps most importantly, dogs are invaluable for morale. Life over the fence might be a harrowing nightmare to the rest of the crew, but Fido is just happy for walkies. But never forget, a dog is more than another piece of equipment to invest in. Many a Taker lived through the genocide of the Crash only to put a gun in their mouth when their dog died.
Upkeep: 2
Effects: Dogs can perform all actions you'd expect of a highly trained dog. Dogs use the owner's Profession: Animal Handling skill if need be.
Charges: 10
Qualities: Charged (charges can be spent for +1 bonus), Organic (charges refresh only with ration, and pet death requires a Self-Control: Trauma or Detachment check), Fragile (animal dies to any Kill damage or missed upkeep), Specialized Profession: Animal Handling (requires Profession: Animal Handling to use)
Upgrades: Attack Training (can perform a Kill damage attack on uninfected targets), Friendly (heal one humanity for free if dog is unharmed during mission), Hardy (Kill damage now eats through charges, 0 being death unless a First Aid check saves the creature), Harness (dog can carry one Haul), Hunter (the dog hunts its own food and no longer needs rations), Patrol Vest (dog outfitted with speaker, wireless camera, and directional pressure pad tactical vest for recon)

Falcon:
A lot of archaic knowledge became relevant again after the Crash; perhaps none so surprising as
falconry. A trained bird can hunt, scout, deliver unhackable mail, and perform a number of vital roles in a crew. The huge investment is required to train these wild animals, in time and emotional attachment.
Upkeep: 3
Effect: Can perform all the actions of a highly trained bird. Uses the owner's Profession: Animal Handling skill for all skill checks.
Charges: 10
Qualities: Charged (can spend charges to get +1 bonus), Fragile (animal dies with any kill damage or missed upkeep), Organic (charges refresh only with rations, death requires a Self-Control Trauma or Detachment check), Specialized Profession: Animal Handling (requires Profession: Animal Handling)
Upgrades: Attack Training (falcon can perform an attack against uninfected targets that deals Stun damage), Friendly (restore one Humanity for free if falcon was unharmed), Hunter (hunts its own food and no longer requires rations), Scout (falcon can deliver written messages and provides +3 Foresight and Awareness while in the air)

Spoiler: Advanced Electronics

Dron-key:
Though not quite breeching Terminator territory, AI advanced far enough before the Crash that
limited autonomous robotic units became the norm for most military ground units. Dron-key’s were used to carry equipment, relay communications, scout, and dispose of explosives (by running into them). A number of units were salvaged after the recall of US forces brought a glut of dron-keys into the domestic warzone. The Loss has long since learned to hack and mod the equipment for their needs. They may be dumb as all hell and look like cross between a pommel horse and deformed mule, but they carry your shit and don’t complain.
Upkeep: 5
Effect: Quadrapedal robot that follows you and carries up to 4 Haul worth of cargo.
Charges: 10
Qualities: Fragile (destroyed with kill damage or missed upkeep), Loud (attracts attention), Specialized - Profession: Drones (requires Profession: Drones to use)
Upgrades: Armored (immune to stun damage and all kill damage costs a single charge to negate), Stealth Servos (buys off Loud quality), Surveillance Suite (+2 Awareness and Foresight when piloted remotely)

Quadcopter: The government tried to crack down on civilian drone use after they became available, and failed just as quickly. Drones are the primary warning system of most enclaves and Beemail carriers are pretty close to a postal system in the Loss. If they can afford batteries and maintenance, many Taker crews bring drones to scout ahead.
Upkeep: 4
Effect: Fly, scout, deliver goods, requires Profession: Drones to use.
Qualities: Fragile (killed by any kill damage or missed upkeep), Hampering (takes one Haul and Refresh to equip or carry), Loud (attracts attention)
Upgrades: Beemail Chassis (drone can carry 1 haul), Kamikaze (crashing the drone triggers a bomb), Starlight (high-intensity LED light illuminates ground beneath drone, providing flashlight for all in area of effect), Surveillance Suite (provides +3 Awareness and Foresight when used remotely), Whisper Drive (removes Loud)

Laptop/Pad: Ubiq's aloft servers may still be up there in the stratosphere, but it doesn't mean shit if you can't access them. While hacked Specs remain the norm for many Takers because they're hands free, the limited UI leaves something to be desired. Takers that need to hack in a hurry or spend a lot of time online usually prefer laptops.
Upkeep: 3
Effect: Serves as a platform for apps and a wifi capable device.
Charges: 10
Qualities: Hungry (two charges per use), Memory (lose one charge permanently per installed app)
Upgrades: Optimized (buys off Hungry), App: Professionals EnMeshed (+2 networking online), App: BotSpammers (+2 Persuasion inside home Enclave), App: DigDataDug (+2 Research Online), App:RecessionPunk (+2 Mechanics for Repairs and Crafting), App: Blackstone (aggregates video and audio feeds into a tactical network)

Ubiq Specs:
The first wearable computing device to really take off, Specs finally made good on the promise of
augmented reality computing by removing the hassle and stigma. They came in a wide variety of attractive models, ranging from wire frames to sunglasses to horn-rimmed. The interface was designed to be compatible with all needs and proclivities, allowing for voice command, Ubiq On-Sight operation via specialized contact lenses, or wearable thimble inputs. The camera was ultralight and high-resolution, recording on microdrives hidden in the earpieces capable of holding nearly 100 gigs without noticeable extra weight. The AR interface sported the best visual recognition software yet made by man, and open-source code made sure the app market could meet every conceivable need. And not only did the calls have the lowest drop ratio of every major provider, but onboard sensors in the frames could be fed into a computer model of the user’s face to project an accurate facial expression to the person on the other end.
Specs were well on their way to replacing cell-phones…but then the apocalypse started, “terrorists” took over the servers, and everyone started using them to shoot zombies.
Upkeep: 2
Effect: Augmented reality glasses with video, phone, and web capabilities, operated by voice, touch, or thumbpad commands.
Charges: 10
Qualities: Hungry (two charges per use), Memory (reduce Charges by 1 per installed app)
Upgrades: Optimized (buy off Hungry), App: GhoulNet (persistent and secure text, video, and voice between Ubiq users allows for a tactical network), App: DeadEye Hack (RFID sights installed on a firearm provide +2 Shoot each time DeadEye uses a charge), App: Apophenia Overlay (AR Pattern recognition provides +2 Scavenge when charge is spent), App: FoolMeX2 (facial recognition software provides a +2 Sensitivity bonus), App: TriggerGuard (provides +2 to Self-Control checks when used)

Spoiler: Medical Care

Medical Care	Bounty
Heal all Stun damage in one location	Free
Heal all stun damage in another location	1 per additional location
Hire a doctor to cure a status effect	1 per location
Hire a doctor to convert all Kill damage to stun	1 per location
Convince a doctor to work on a Latent	1

 

[Vudukudu]

Stats and Skills:

Stats: At character creation, no stat can be above 3.
Skills: Can never be higher than their relevant Stat.

Spoiler: Stats

Strength (STR): Measures general physical prowess: muscle mass, memory, weight, and distribution. Strength is used to drive melee weapons through bone and barricade doors against the undead. It's used punch competition in bar brawls and wrestle Casualties to the ground. Determines your Haul rating, and is applied as a bonus whenever you make an infection check.

Speed (SPD): Measures a Taker's overall quickness over a sustained period of time, abstracting a combination of cardio, reflexes, and grace. SPD is required of skills like Shooting, Athletics, and anything else involving precision under time constraints. If you run out of rations, you can, once per mission, regain SPD charges worth of rations by tapping your inner metabolic reserves.

Adaptability (ADP): Represents an overall aptitude for situational awareness, quick thinking,
and self-discipline. If a skill check must be made to see how a character performs an intellectual
action on the fly or copes under extreme pressure, the skill is probably attached to Adaptability. Your character gets a number of Refreshes per mission equal to ADP. If a gun goes empty, spend a refresh to slap in a new clip. If a battery dies, spend a refresh to replace it. You do not need to declare what's in your backpack, refreshes serve to abstract that.

Intelligence (INT): It measures the total mental capacity of a Taker. It differs from the cognitive functions attached to Adaptability in that INT- based skills take time. For instance, it's difficult to Research the price of grain while zombies are trying to break down the door. This doesn't mean that INT skills can't be used in high-pressure situations (shit happens), but INT skills were as useful pre-Crash as they are today.

Charm (CHA): Charm (CHA) is the blanket term for social acumen and empathy. Related CHA skills have
simple uses in game – such as using Deception to lie to a guard – and more complex uses in the
negotiation mechanics (see p. XX). While CHA might not be very useful when surrounded by
hungry Casualties, it's essential for making trips out into the Loss financially worthwhile.

Will:
Will is the only Potential not attached to any skills because it is, by nature, difficult to
quantify. It's the stuff survivor's guilt is made of, the X factor that lets one person live and the next
person die. The impact of Will is as often ascribed to divine providence as it is to stoic
determination. It's a bastardized confluence of unbelievable luck, unbreakable resolve, absurd
optimism, and grim realism.
Will is the only Potential that can be spent. However many Will points are purchased at
character creation, that's the number of Will points the player refreshes at the start of a new game
session. Spending a point of Will is very powerful and can achieve many effects.
Switch Red and Black numbers (B4/R9 becomes B9/R4)
• Upgrade a success to a Critical Success
• Buy another narrative benefit to add onto an existing Critical Success
• Negate an opponent's Critical Success
• Turn a critical failure into a regular failure
• Shift the damage from the last round of combat to a piece of gear or hit location
• Jump to the front of initiative order (see p.XX)

Will points gain be gained and refreshed in the following ways:
• Buy a point of Will in character advancement
• Follow a weak spot into trouble
• Fulfill a personal obligation to a soft spot
• Suffer because of a tough spot
• Rest in-between jobs/game sessions

Spoiler: Skills

STR Skills: Unarmed, Melee, Resistance
Unarmed: Hand to hand combat, deals Stun damage unless gear changes it.
Melee: Use of a blade or bludgeon in melee or for throwing.
Resistance: Weightlifting power, physical feats like tipping a vending machine or blocking a door.

SPD Skills: Shoot, Athletics, Stealth
Shoot: It does what it says on the tin.
Athletics: Check to see if you get somewhere quickly or to dodge. Climb a tree, sprint to cover, run long distance, etc.
Stealth: Sneak about. Keep in mind, Casualties track by sense of smell.

ADP Skills: Awareness, Self-Control, Scavenging, Driving, Criminality
Awareness: Beyond sharp eyes, this covers area awareness, sense of smell, and hearing. If there's something worth noticing, Awareness is how to notice it.
Self-Control: The ability to control one's emotions or at least defer them until after the job. Usually used in response to traumatic events.
Scavenging: The ability to find useful things out in the Loss is what the business is all about. Used for looting bodies, checking houses, etc.
Driving: What it says on the tin. Everyone can do it, but doing it under stress is different.
Criminality: General knowledge of bad behavior, drug dealing, lockpicking, pickpocketing, identifying bandit leaders. Does not cover more high-tech crimes like hacking.

INT Skills: Foresight, Research, Mechanics, First Aid, Profession X
Foresight: Thinking done beforehand is often mistaken for quick thinking. The Loss demands preparation. Foresight is best used to get tactical information on the ground - no one knows for certain if there are Casualties in that mine, but a successful Foresight roll might identify which one they would gather in. Want to know what the weather is going to do? Foresight.

Research: Essential for getting the scoop on contracts and arriving to negotiate prepared. Also useful for acquiring intel on a job, usually requires a laptop or Ubiq Specs.

Mechanics: You find a device, but can you fix it, hack it, or build it? Make a Mechanics check.

First Aid: Exclusively refers to battlefield medicine, whereas Profession: Doctor covers full medical care. Spent charges from a first aid kit on a successful test can remove a penalty imposed by injury or stabilize a dying character.

Profession X: Profession skills are essentially free specializations. X must be a commonly recognized job, and Professions are highly versatile - Doctor might cover treating a flu, stitching a wound, prescribing medication, etc., whereas Electrician might cover a variety of mechanical skills. Professions are meant to cover any gaps in the rest of the skills. Progressing one profession costs normal amounts, but the price for a second Profession jumps to 2 skill points per +1 bonus.

CHA Skills: Networking, Persuasion, Sensitivity, Deception, Intimidation, Leadership
Networking: Roll Networking to find the person with the goods you need, a job, etc.
Persuasion: Convincing someone of something true.
Deception: Convincing someone of something untrue.
Sensitivity: Combination of empathy and psychology, picks up on personality aspects.
Intimidation: Convince someone you're bigger than them.
Leadership: Rally troops, manage contract negotiations, etc.

 

[Vudukudu]

Humanity Track: Your character has three humanity tracks, Detachment, Stress, and Trauma. If any of them reaches 5, you crack, momentarily going into a fight/flight/freeze response of your choice that usually endangers you or your comrades. At 10, you begin developing personality disorders. At 15, you are removed from play. You take Humanity damage by failing Self-Control checks, and heal it by engaging with your Dependents.

Dependents and References: You can have as many Dependents and as many References as your Charm skill.

Dependents: Dependents are friends, family, spouses, significant others, etc. that keep your character sane. Each Dependent costs 1 upkeep between missions to support, but lets you remove 1 box of Humanity damage from each track between missions. Failure to pay for Dependent upkeep means you no longer get this benefit, and if you fail it three times in a row the dependent dies or leaves.

References: References are people your character knows from other jobs or their pre-Crash life. References can be contacted to auto-pass a particular roll that their vocal input would support (drive, for example, wouldnt benefit from a phone call), but References must be repaid in either Bounty or favors.

 

[Vudukudu]

D-Town:​

Characters are all current inhabitants of D-Town, an Enclave about 250 miles east of Denver down I-70. D-Town (dubbed such because it is mostly comprised of survivors who left Denver and ran out of gas in the area) occupies what, pre-Crash, was known as Colby Municipal Airport, a small Kansas airport. D-Town originally consisted of the Colby Municipal Airport's terminal, its four small hangars, and the surrounding land for runways. Its fence, a chain-link affair, was no defense for Vectors, but the sturdy structures inside were enough to keep them out in the early days. When D-Town's huddled masses finally came out, long after the retreat over the Mississippi, they began the long and slow process of cleaning out the airport, thinning the mobs outside the fence, and turning the airport into an enclave - the fence was reinforced with scrap metal from the planes and construction materials from around town, the runway had dirt dumped over it until it and the lawn could be used for crops, and a motley assortment of sheet metal shacks have sprung up as storage and residential spaces. In the bitterly cold winters, D-Town relies on the terminal and an assortment of generators to keep the heat on and its inhabitants alive, and the enclave regularly contracts its Taker crews to take their oil tanker truck out to tap the oil drills on the other side of the Colorado border.

D-Town's needs at present are met by growing crops on the airfield and a handful of "gardens" growing outside the wall, usually the backyards of buildings that have been "secured" as safe houses - the inside is usually clear, and its interior has been made defensible one way or another. These locations have become more and more useful by the day, as the shambling hordes from Denver and other nearby large cities have begun spreading out in search of food and sometimes a Taker has to lay low for a day just to cross the street. D-Town's water needs are met by the town's reservoir, a 1960's project that provides a moderate water supply, and, if one has the time and safety to go fishing, some food. Energy is provided by a large solar panel, a smattering of hand cranks, and any oil that can be picked up from drills in other counties and processed into usable fuel, a difficult enough task as it is. Food, water, and energy are in constant short supply.

D-Town is home to about 300 survivors, and is run by Sergeant Eiji Tanaka, commanding officer of the remnants the Colorado National Guard 1st Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment that all but collapsed during the Crash. Leading a convoy of survivors east shortly after the word came that the government was retreating over the Mississippi, Captain Tanaka's convoy ran out of gas and was trapped in Colby. Commanding about a dozen survivors from his regiment, Sergeant Tanaka has thus far done an admirable job of managing the Enclave considering his modest National Guard career and his civilian background as an accountant. The Sergeant is neither especially intimidating or inspiring, and his leadership in D-Town is largely based on respect for his ability to keep the water running, the fence intact, and the worst of the Enclave jobs handled on a fair rotating basis. He's stepped up to bat for the Enclave on more than one occasion at personal risk to life and limb, and while no one is amazed by his modest charisma, not many people in D-Town have complaints about Sergeant Tanaka's continuing lazy, but pleasant, dictatorship. He applies justice fairly but not too harshly, though his power is obviously backed up by firepower.

When D-Town was born, it was about 1000 folks who got stranded in Colby. A Vector outbreak made quick work of that, reducing the full strength 157th to about 20 men and reducing the civilian population to 50, an event referred to as "The Disaster" among D-Towners. Since then, refugees and loners have popped in and laid down roots over the years, adding to the existing labor pool. Most of D-Town's residents live in the hangars or shanty shacks except for during winter when heating turns the Terminal into a slum, though permanent residence in the Terminal is considered a status marker and can only be earned by being of extreme value to the Enclave.

D-Town does allow Latents to live within the town's limits, but they must do so packed into Hangar C, which has been modified in such a way that it can be locked down completely in a matter of moments if an infection breaks out. There are about a dozen Latents on a permanent basis, though the occasional Taker crew or roaming scavenger occasionally adds a few more. Latents are typically given the dangerous work that other Enclavers would be threatened by - they, and the remainder of the 1st Battalion, fill out the Fencemen roster. When not guarding or maintaining the fence, they're often responsible for scouting the town to keep an eye on the gardens so that a group can safely go harvest a backyard's worth of cucumbers or potatoes without running into too many Casualties. Being a Latent in D-Town is dangerous work, but its better than getting shot. Immunes, for their part, can live anywhere in D-Town but generally find themselves taking the dangerous work as a way to buy their way out of being cut into parts for a dose of Suppression.

There are four entrances to D-Town, but only one is a gate, situated on the west end. The gate is enough to fit vehicles through, though when the Enclave is not expecting to need it opened soon they pile up reinforcing materials behind it. The other three entrances, north, south, and east, are elevated bridges that extend from the wall to a scaffold structure about seventy feet from the walls themselves. The last piece of the bridge is a hefty wooden board that can be pulled back into the Enclave, cutting off access from outside only to be slid back out later. Situating the access points away from the walls is intentional - Casualties tend to gather at the Fence, so returning Takers are better off quietly getting up the distant scaffolding and then walking over the bridge, safe from anything but a Vector. Each entry point is guarded around the clock by two Fencemen, and the entire perimeter is routinely patrolled to check for breaches. D-Town's defenses, besides the sturdy wall, consist of the mortar and rifles that the 1st Battalion had in their truck, as well as a smattering of weapons owned before the Crash or looted after it.

D-Town's primary imports are ammo, lumber for burning or construction, and finished goods like tools or electronics. Conversely, D-Town exports barrels of corn-whiskey fermented in old fuel tanks, medicine thanks to the town's doctor N'butu, and camping equipment - many of the initial convoy members had brought camping supplies, and Colby's modestly sized DICK's Sporting Goods escaped initial looting, meaning D-Town was free to pillage its stores of tents, cooking tools, firearms and ammo, and clothing.

Other Enclaves that D-Town often interacts with include the following:
1. The Blen: Short for Blenheim-Square Research Hospital, The Blen is about a 6 hour drive at 60 mph from D-Town, though in practice navigating the ruined highways and streets makes it more like 15 hours by car. On foot, its about a five and a half day hike at good speeds, more like a week given conditions. The Blen is a fortified hospital, its lower floors inaccessible and heavily booby-trapped, and its upper floors only accessible by a hand-powered elevator. The Blen was taken over in the early days by a radical conservative militia that partnered with the medical staff on-site (though the arrangement is perhaps more coercive than "partnership" implies) to secure the location. Led by Bill Vitilly, a Marine veteran and conservative talk radio host, the Blen became a veritable fortress of secure hallways and chokepoints that attracted a population of about 1,000 distributed throughout its patient treatment rooms. The Blen primarily exports medical materials and expertise, but as of last year the militia established the Forge, an outpost at a machinist shop in the city that produces ammunition and firearm parts. Their rooftop gardens, however, are insufficient, and they rely on food imports as well as fuel. Lastly, electronics are in high demand at The Blen, as few of its citizens owned Ubiq tech pre-Crash and internet access is in high demand.

2. The High School: Based out of Elizabeth High School on the eastern outskirts of Denver, the High School is about a 3 hour drive under normal conditions, but road blocks have made it more like 8. On foot, its about 3 days at a good pace, though odds are you'll take 4 or 5 days instead considering trouble along the way. The High School was initially a "Casualty Processing Center" during the outbreak, its doors locked with literal thousands of Casualties rotting inside as the government herded evacuees promised safe passage into a death camp and locked them inside. This proved unfortunate - the High School is decently sized, defensible, and has useful resources like the school's solar panel roof and personal water pump inside. A crew of enterprising college students from the University of Boulder saw this shortly after the Crash and decided to do something about it. Using an ingenious combination of sirens, noisemakers, Scent Blocker, personal courage, and a good bit of luck, the High School's current inhabitants, referred to as the Student Body, managed to empty out most of the building's Casualty population by luring them towards Denver before cleaning out the rest. Since then, they've fortified, rebuilt, and expanded the High School, using its solar generation and water to sustain themselves. The Student Body has become a democratic socialist regime with regular elections, a minimum "wage" (no one starves or goes without housing, even if they can't work), and respectable, if cramped, living conditions. Out of familiarity and humor, they've named the various wings of the building after Greek life fraternities and sororities. Now, the High School houses about 200 people of varying ages. The High School is in dire need of weapons and ammo basically all the time considering their proximity to Denver, though they are the only Enclave capable of selling water. They also have managed to set up a computer and electronics "repair shop" of sorts, scavenging nearby towns for dead people's laptops and restoring them to functioning condition.

3. The Mall: The Mall is about a 4 hour drive or a two day hike south to a town called Garden City. The Mall itself consists of a Walmart Supercenter, Sam's Club, Home Depot, and a few other small outlet stores. The Mall was only settled recently by the survivors of an abandoned Enclave in Texas, about 300 folks who saw their water supply running low and shipped out. While the Mall does not actually occupy any of the Mall buildings except the Sam's Club, they've barricaded off the Sam's Club using shipping containers and built safe passages of opened containers connecting it to the other buildings, which they are still in the process of slowly clearing out and fortifying for future use. The Mall has no leadership, and is instead made up largely of people who solve their problems communally but have no leadership. The Mall mostly imports weaponry to continue clearing out their town, though they also in dire need of food, water, and fuel. Currently, they're selling off vehicles and doses of Suppression and other drugs they seem to have taken off the hands of a cartel.

4. Sacred Heart: The Sacred Heart church is about a 30 hour walk or a 2.5 hour drive from D-Town. Housing about 60 survivors, Sacred Heart is led by the fanatical "Father" Marcus. The Catholic trappings of the Church have been removed, and now the occupants of the Sacred Heart worship The Faith of True Blood. The Faith of True Blood is centered on capturing and draining Immunes of their blood to drink in a cannibalistic ritual meant to confer immunity on the imbiber, and Immunes are seen as "blessed lambs" of a sort while Latents are shot on sight. D-Town trades with them reluctantly, because the Sacred Heart has the only functioning fuel refinery that is operational and easily accessible. If you need gas for your car, it means you have to deal with the Church. Just don't bring your Immune pals along.

5. McConnell Air Force Base: Unsurprisingly, military elements went rogue during the Crash. McConnell AFB is one of those places, seized by a motley assortment of US Army personnel turned pirates. They have superior firepower, a working helicopter, and a bad attitude. They produce enough food to sustain themselves using slave labor, not to mention the massive armory they're sitting on, but while they're generally aggressive toward other survivors, some members of the AFB do secretly trade with outsiders for luxury goods they can claim they scavenged. Run by Colonel Nicholas Tyne.

 

[Vudukudu]

Faces of D-Town:​

If anyone has ideas for NPCs living in D-Town and wants to see them added, get in touch!

Spoiler: Sergeant Eiji Tanaka

Sergeant Tanaka is in his late 30s, a Japanese-American accountant and National Guard sergeant in Colorado. He lucked out during the outbreak and avoided the worst of the Crash, nestled away in a remote mountain town in Colorado with his wife and two children. Since the Crash, he's assumed leadership of D-Town, where his general competence, middling personality, and luck have hidden the fact that he wasn't born for leadership.

Spoiler: Martha

Nobody knows Martha's real name, because Martha is a drag queen from Denver who showed up about two years ago and made a niche for herself in D-Town. Martha's prior life of sewing and modifying clothing has borne fruit in the apocalypse, and she's the go-to gal for getting clothing patched up. She also runs The Boot, a gaudy and painfully tacky"bar" built into the basement of the Terminal where the noise won't attract outside attention. Martha's everyone's friend, or at least wants to be, and she's great for catching up on the rumor mill.

Spoiler: Doctor N'butu

Doctor Kareem N'butu is a Nigerian-born American citizen, and a former ER doctor at a hospital in Denver. He also has a bit of a pharmacological background, and has been able to either preserve or produce limited amounts of medicine to D-Town and its economy.

Spoiler: Corporal Michael Peterson

One of the surviving National Guardsmen, Corporal Peterson is the actual face of the Fencemen and security in D-Town. While Tanaka handles administration, the Corporal is actually out maintaining order and popping Casualty heads. In his early 20s, Peterson puts on a tough face in public and is wracked by nightmares in his sleep.

Spoiler: Knick-Knack

Knick-Knack is a weird kid, no more than 20 years old and a scrawny little brat. He has a bad attitude (no doubt due to his family being killed in the Crash) but a real talent for computers that he picked up by virtue of his computer engineer father and a need to have a marketable skill in order to survive The Loss.

Spoiler: Casualty Count (CC)

Casualty Count is a group of Takers in D-Town, led by "Cross," a drop-dead gorgeous Latent redhead with a grudge against the Loss and a talent for keeping a supply of makeup available. Her crew of six are pleasant enough and specialize in hunting, killing, or luring Casualties away from an area. Inside D-Town, they back up the Fencemen, and outside, they're not going to shoot you unless you cause trouble.

Spoiler: Dime's Dashers

A relatively new outfit of Takers, Dime's Dashers are led by "Tenpenny," a wiry cut-throat bastard that nobody exactly likes. His lads, however, are loyal to Tenpenny, citing his talent for getting them out of trouble for saving their lives more than once. Rumor is they came to D-Town after getting expelled from another Enclave for scrapping with other Takers, but the LifeLine forums have nothing on them.