The rules in TOD are easy to modify to make games more or less thrilling. For more of a challenge, I'm not using any Special Zombies (except Giggle, of course!) and the only zeds who appear on the board do so either through PEF's or Defining moments (when entering buildings). Oh yeah, two normal zeds do guard the gate as well. In addition, all rolls that would spawn a Special Zed on the Contact Table instead spawn 1d6 normal zeds.
And the humans . . .
Alan: Rep 4, Sav 2, Pep 3, Rage, improvised weapon
Brad: Rep 4, Sav 3, Pep 2, Poser, imp. weapon, visual distraction (flashlight)
Callie: Rep 4, Sav 3, Pep 2, Attractive, imp. weapon, sound distraction (cell phone)
Dory: Rep 4, Savy 2, Pep 3, Free Spirit, imp. weapon, trap component (sharp)
The four woke up inside a deserted big top to find the seats covered with blood.
"What happened?" Dory asked.
Brad jumped and spun around as he heard hidious laughter in the distance. "I remember hearing that before we blacked out."
"Me too," callie said, "but this time it sounds . . . deeper . . . bigger."
Alan picked up a board, weilding like a club. "Well I don't give a $&%# what that is; bring 'em on !"
"Wait a minute," said Callie, searching the bleachers, "Where's my brother, Joey?"
Brad thought for a moment. "Right before we blacked out, I remember you telling him to run."
Callie jumped to her feet and headed for the tent's opening. "We've gotta find him!" (To balance the lack-of-zeds challenge, I'm using the, "Where's Joey" option.)
(Giggles will spawn in 3 turns.)
Two of the PEF's leave their buildings and move away from the humans. The last moves directly towards them.
"Maybe we should split up," Alan said. "We can cover more ground."
"You mean, 'with blood?'" Brad asked. "Forget it."
(Roll on Choice Table: Pass 2d6.)
"Brad's right," Dory said, "We're better off staying together."
"Yeah, we don't have a clue what's out here," Callie agreed.
"So which way should we go," Alan asked, "toward or away from the weird sounds?"
(Choice Table: Pass 2d6).
"Away, duh!" Brad said.
(The group explored the first building away from the sounds (Section 4). No items, no zeds, no Joey.)
First PEF approaches. Pass 1d6.
"Look at this," Alan said," pointing to the walls of the building as they stepped back outside.
Dory shuddered. "That's a lot of blood, and it's still wet. Whatever caused it is still out there."
(Giggles Spawns in 2 turns.)
(The group moved to Section 5 and inspected the buildings there. Again, no items, zeds, or Joey.)
Second PEF approaches. Pass 1d6. ER raised to 5.
The four spun around as their heard laughter in the air.
Callie wrapped her arms around her shoulders. "It's getting closer."
(Giggles spawns in 1 turn.)
Final PEF approaches and spawns as 2 zombies.
Dory pointed. "Look!"
The four froze in their tracks as two clowns approached. But these weren't ordinary clowns. Thei skin seemed rubbery and dark pale, and they spat blood between cackles.
Humans win Activation but don't activate (5-2). Zeds attack first with one taking Callie OOF.
"Callie!" Brad yelled as his girlfriend was tackled by one of the clowns. Alan lunged forward and slammed his club into its face. Blood and make-up splattered as the creature's head snapped back and it fell to the ground.
Second zed lunges, but Dory impaled it with metal pipe.
Brad rushed to Callie's side. (Recovery table - pass 2d6) "Are you okay?"
Callie slowly sat up, rubbing her head. ('Are you okay?' test - FAIL!) "Why Brad, dear, I'm hungry. Give us a kiss."
She lunged toward her boyfriend, but Alan decapitated her with his club.
"Sorry, man," Alan said, "she wasn't her anymore."
Searching her body and taking her cell phone, Brad glared at his friend. "If we get out of this alive, you're a #%#@@%%$@@ dead man!"
Dory suddenly looked up as the tent door opened. "What's that?"
"Hello, kiddies," Giggles said. "You need to laugh more, or rather I need to laugh more."
Tie on Activation. 2 more zeds spawn.
"Look!" Brad pointed as two more clowns approached. (Zeds win Activation.) The three started backing away when Dory looked around.
"Where's the big clown?"
"Right here! Giggles cackled as he shoved a woopie cushion into her face, smothering her to death.
Brad took off running while Alan spun to face the monster. "That was my girlfriend, you son of a %^#&*!"
(Both end up neutral in melee. The other zombies attack, but Alan kills them, breaks off melee (barely avoiding Giggles' attack, and takes off running.)
Alan bolted (fast travel to 3), keeping the various buildings between him and the creatures in pursuit, but after a few minutes, the laughter was all but distant in the wind. Catching his breath (Humans win Activation), he entered a lone structure and looked around. Hearing movement inside, he lifted his club.
(Search for Joey . . . )
"Joey!" Alan rushed forward and took the boy in his arms. "We've been looking everywhere for you. Are you okay?"
Shivering, little Joey nodded.
Nodding, Alan opened the door. "Let's go home." Spotting Brad as the other man appeared from behind a building, Alan yelled, "Brad, I found Joey!"
Zeds win activation.
Suddenly, Giggles appeared behind Alan. "And lookie who I found!" Knocking Alan to the ground, he dragged him to the dunking booth. "Care for a swim?" Not waiting for an answer, he lifted the man up and dropped him in head-first. "I promise you'll float . . . unless, of course, I hold you under . . . and pile rocks on your head . . . and seal you inside . . . "
Brad saw all of this but turning, he could see the front gates of the circus, guared by two more clowns.
(Choice Table with escape being the best choice and rescuing Joey being the worsy - Pass 2d6)
"I'll come back for you kid," Brad said as he bolted for the gates, "even if I have to bring the army with me."
(Tie on Activation Twice in a row. Two zeds appear in 1 and 1 appears in 2.)
Pulling out his flashlight, Brad turned it on and locked its setting (Savvy test - Pass 2d6). He threw it to the side (toward Section 2) (Physical test - Pass 2d6) away from the gates. Following the light with their life-less eyes, the clowns took off after it.
With the gates clear, Brad rushed to them and tried to open them. (Physical test - pass 1d6, pass 1d6 - Fail). But even with all his might, he couldn't get them to open.
"Yes," Giggles said as he suddenly appeared, "wear yourself out, little one. My turn's next!"
Pulling out his girlfriend's cellphone, Brad turned it on (Savvy test - Pass 2d6), and tried to throw it (Physical test - Pass 1d6), but out of strength, he simply dropped it on the ground. The clowns rushed forward and pounced the phone, giving Brad a few more seconds to make one more attempt on the gates.
(Physical test - FAIL!)
Zeds win Activation.
"Oh well, you tried," Giggles whispered over Brad's shoulder, before grabbing his shirt and throwing him to the ground. He then threw a pie in his face. "But my friends are hungry . . . and so am I!"
Brad shoved the pie pieces out of his face and looked up in horror as a 'rubber' mallet came crashing down over his head.
Alan, Brad, Callie, and Dory were never heard from again, and no one thought to search the circus, which was believed to be abandoned for years. As for little Joey . . .
Let's just say Giggle found a new friend.
THE END
