The investigators receive at phone call around 6:00 p.m. The voice at the end of the line calmly invites them to 'a night at the opera'. The voice suggests that the team investigate Bainsville, as something has gone down there that needs investigating.
 

Bainsville is approximately 2 1/2 hours drive from where the agents are. It's a tiny speck in the road atlas. Web searches do not reveal anything significant other than its location on official maps. It's off the main road, lying on a minor road. The investigators should get there after dark. If they've got night sights, allow a Spot Hidden roll if requested: they see nothing even if they are successful.

There is a body in the middle of the road. Its clad only in dirty jeans and a plaid shirt. It's feet are bare. Immediately apparent are the shotgun wounds to the abdomen and the head. Also apparent in the desiccation that the body has suffered, the skin has shrunk and stretched, the toenails grown, however the body cavity still appears to quite moist, definitely not fresh. There are no signs of rigor mortis or the settling of blood after death. SAN loss is 0/1d4 A successful Spot Hidden allows a small cyst-like object in the abdomen of the corpse to spotted, it has tendrils extending from it to the major organs.

A successful 1/2 chance Medicine, Forensics or Biology roll indicates something is not quite right about the corpse. Another successful roll on the appropriate skill indicates that the corpse is not natural but an artificial construct.

A successful Track roll will reveal the corpse was dragged and dropped in position by up to three booted individuals, hence no viscera from the headshots being detectable.

Bainsville is a hamlet consisting of six building along the road, three on each side. Investigators with thermal sights will be able to scope out a group of four human heat signatures in the top floor of the sixth building, on a half Spot Hidden and only if they specifically mention they are looking at the sixth building.

The Bainsville buildings: four are two storey buildings, the other two are single storey. All have dusty backyards strewn with rubbish. There are several newish wheelie bins at the side of several of the buildings. Some have front porches, others don't. All have their doors unlocked. Some are blowing in the wind. All the contents of all the buildings have been trashed and strewn over the floors and standing horizontal services. The lights don't work and there is no electricity in any building. There is no food in the fridges or larder or cupboards. If looked for hard enough video cameras can be found in all the buildings. Where there are zombies hydraulic hooks and speakers can also be found.

An Idea roll suggests that the quality of furniture and artefacts is poor and second-hand in nature. Another Idea roll suggests that interior decor is something out of the fifties.

Building one has a hasty scribbled journal to be found in the living room. A successful Spot Hidden roll is required to find it. The diary's last date is two days ago. Its ends with the words "I'm the last one. They're coming to get me now. I can hear them outside. They can have me when my shotgun is empty". The rest of the journal starts simply enough - a record of simple daily events. Then nine days ago it records the falling of an asteroid in the nearby desert. In subsequent days it records the disappearance of the diary writer's neighbours. The writer contemplates their fate. Three days ago he recounts an incident with an ex-neighbour who was obviously not on this world any longer. The diary writer holes himself up in his house as his ex-neighbours roam the hamlet.

Building two has a zombie in the living room. It attacks when somebody enters the room. SAN loss is 1/1d6. It collapses if shot or attacked. If a careful search of the room is made a hydraulic hook, a pair of small speakers and a concealed video camera can be found. To find each, a 1/2 Spot Hidden roll is required due to searching by torchlight. If the investigators don't have torches inflict harsher penalties.

A zombie corpse is dressed in ragged clothes. It's skin is taunt and stretched if dried. There is less blood in the body than if 'fresh', and that is cool and thick. A successful Spot Hidden allows a small cyst-like object in the abdomen of the corpse if the abdomen is breached or cut open. A successful 1/2 chance Medicine, Forensics or Biology roll indicates something is not quite right about the corpse. Another successful roll on the appropriate skill indicates that the corpse is not natural but an
artificial construct. The joints and spine of the zombie corpse construct are aluminium, with plastic bones, latex organs and fake blood.

Building three has nothing of interest other than a bath in the bathroom filled with what looks like blood. Anyone dipping a hand in the liquid or bending down to examine will be grabbed by a zombie under the surface of the liquid. SAN loss is 1/1d6.

Building four is empty.

Between building five and six, if anyone is in the alleyway between the two buildings, two shapes will pass over one end of the alleyway when the investigators aren't looking - they're just catch it out of the corner of their eye with a Luck roll. If they investigate they can find no trace of the figures glimpsed.

Building five. There is a zombie in the living room, the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. Zombie fest!

Building six. Empty other than the fact the bedroom is sealed with a locked door. If anyone attempts to pry or blow open the door the lights came on, there is a sound of a door being unlocked and a man emerges and tells them that the test is over.

Bainsville map (needs to viewed in monotype font)

| |
XXXXX | | XXXXX
X X | | X X
X 4 X | | X 3 X
X X | | X X
XXXXX | | XXXXX
| |
XXXXX | | XXXXX
X X | | X X
X 5 X | | X 2 X
X X | | X X
XXXXX | | XXXXX
| | ------> crater
XXXXX | | XXXXX
X X | | X X
X 6 X | | X 1 X
X X | | X X
XXXXX | | XXXXX
| |

The meteor crater is approximately a 1/4 of a mile away from Bainsville. It's a burnt pit about 15' in diameter with a lump of what looks like burnt cinder block at the bottom.

Ending the Test: The test will end when the investigators figure out that the zombie are fakes, and start acting if they are. If this happens three men will appear in the main street one with a bull horn. All the light in the buildings will be put on. The man with the bull horn will announce: "The test is over. The test is over. Please come to the main street for debriefing".

The man with the bull horn will introduce himself as Agent Harry. The other two agents are also agents from H-Cell.

Agent Harry will explain that this is 'Zombieville', an interactive training program to allow agents to exercise skills normally only used in the field. This version is Zombieville Mk.3. The team will be shown video footage of their time in Bainsville, and Agent Harry will make the appropriate comments as to their conduct and actions.

SAN gain: +1 SAN if they successfully deduce that Bainsville is a test by building 3. No other SAN gains allowed. Allow any possible temporary insanities to gain all but one of their SAN loss back over the next few days as they get over the fright.

=====================================

Use as you will and enjoy!

Credits: Adam Crossingham Was, Is, Will Be: The Black Seal
First issue available now in UK shops or direct by PayPal
Check out our web site for details: http://www.theblackseal.org
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it