Category: The Dungeon World Tavern: New Monsters

#GiveEveryMonsterLife

(Pick a monster and describe an “in medias res” scenario with player-generated monster trope twists.)

Give Every Monster Life: Zombies

It’s day number two of the undead apocalypse. You have survived the night after barricading your group in a home with the acrid stench of a burnt pile of victims still wafting underneath the front door. Tears stream down the paladin’s face but the fighter’s remains resolute. Ranger, you startle suddenly at the break of dawn by your animal companion and the thief motions silently to a fight outside. A baby is crying. You peek between the boards of your makeshift shelter and see the mother screaming, holding a holy symbol of your order, Cleric. The father is wielding a pitchfork and fighting off a horde of 10 zombies, on the verge of being overwhelmed in an alley across the street. Wizard, you detect a distinctive feature on the father similar to others before they succumb to the zombie plague. Bard, one of the figures looks familiar but you can’t make out if they are living or dead.

Fighter: You had to make a hard choice last night, but you made the right decision even though the rest of the party looks at you now with wary eyes. What did you do?

Paladin: You carry a heavy burden and a guilty secret about something that happened last night. What is making you question yourself or your faith?

Cleric: You suspect that the victims of the zombies aren’t sought out for mere brains or flesh of the living. What is the reason why these zombies hunt and kill the living?

Thief: You have discovered that these zombies don’t die from a beheading or a strike through the brains. What is the key weakness of these shambling undead?

Wizard: You are developing a theory why some people are turning into zombies but others are not. One thing is certain, their bite does NOT cause an infection. You could confirm your theory, but you need just one thing… what event/component/object/clue do you need to determine the cause of the zombie outbreak?

Ranger: Your animal companion is able to detect who is a zombie and who is not, which sometimes isn’t as apparent as you would like. How does your AC tell the difference?

Bard: Civilization as you know it is rapidly crumbling, and in a zombie-eat-world scenario, small bands form and break alliances as needed for survival. Your quick thinking and leadership has helped you form a cohesive band, but you need to rescue a key person/group to solidify your base. Where do you think they are and why are they important?