Survival is no longer a choice — it’s a grim necessity. In the wake of the zombie apocalypse, even the strongest cities cling to life by their fingertips. These creatures, once mindless and hungry, have ravaged the Forgotten Realms with a hunger so fierce that even magic itself was consumed by their relentless plague. The world has fallen silent, and the ruins of civilization echo with the whispers of the lost.

Only two cities remain: Yuril and Jaxon, and both owe their survival to the Bell Towers. Perched at the edges of each city and ringing solemnly in the center, these ancient structures are more than just landmarks — they are lifelines. The job of a Bellringer is one of honor, sacrifice, and inevitable death. When the city is threatened, the First Tower, standing on the city’s outskirts, rings its bell, alerting the people to danger. The Bellringer’s role? To ring that bell until the horde consumes them — a fate that none have ever survived.

But there is a silence that has fallen over the city for five years. The Second Tower, deep within the heart of the city, has never once been called upon. The bell has never tolled.

Instead, a grim routine of scouting parties and supply runs has become the norm. Every few days, groups are sent into the wasteland beyond the city walls in search of food, medicine, and resources. Few return. Those who do are rewarded — but survival is never guaranteed.

There is one rule that every scout knows: If you hear the bell, you have two choices.

• Hunker down and pray that the horde passes you by, or
• Run back to the city, risking everything to return to safety.

But something has changed.

In the desolate wilds, your party uncovers a relic — a glimmer of hope. A secret that could end the nightmare. An answer, buried beneath the rubble of a broken world.

But there are dangers beyond the zombies, lurking in the shadows of a world undone. Other scavengers — ruthless, desperate — will stop at nothing to claim this discovery for themselves. And even within your own group, trust will be tested. The question is no longer just how to survive. It’s how to protect this secret… and each other.

The clock is ticking. The horde is always closing in. Will you make it back to the city with the answer? Or will it consume you all before you even have the chance? 

Experience: low

Classes best suited: rogue, ranger, fighter, barbarian, monk

Level: 2 – 5

Theme: survival, zombies, grim world

Triggers: struggling to survive, sickness, betrayal