Information slowly leaked in, and survivors under France Córdova's protection started to fill in the details of the wide, zombie-filled world around them. Hiding in the airwaves, between the static, were ham radio reports of cities across the US besieged by armies of undeath. Closer to home, former friends and family members staggered around outside, grey skinned and moaning with hunger.
In the months following the zombie outbreak...
Rubble
As time passed, Brant honed his skills as a craftsman to help create a cache of weapons for the survivors. Isolated and unable to access modern production facilities, he utilizes his own medieval studies as well as the talents of a few surviving engineers to help design, test, and build. These devices are primitive but deadly, and this helps conserve the group's limited supply of bullets. He also acts as the group's historian, recording and preserving the stories of the survivors as more come to Córdova's group.
Angel Hair
Realizing the importance of morale, Steven quickly organized an informal theatre troupe to engage and entertain the survivors. Composed of whatever talent he can find, he runs practices and rehearsals for a variety of low-tech performances, including a cappella concerts, short plays, and of course, improv comedy. This helps break up the monotony of chores and constant patrols. The other Fools were quick to lend a hand, and once a week together they fight to bring laughter and joy to people- just as they did before the zombie outbreak.
Kamikaze
Renee and two other professors were all that was left of Purdue's psychology department. With an abundance of free time and test subjects they went to work trying to answer practical questions about their foe. Studies of zombie reaction speed, memory retention, and even the limits of endurance and perception are carried out in a carefully controlled environment - zombies chained up in a courtyard. In time they hope to answer bigger questions about the very nature of the undead threat.
Cowboy
Nobody worked harder than John trying to move up the command chain under Córdova's regime. Starting out as a shift supervisor for weekend night watch, he excelled and was steadily promoted, gaining responsibility and experience. As the number of survivors grew, he was eventually appointed one of her trusted Lieutenants - the only civilian to ever reach that rank. John also plays forward for the Gold Squad basketball team, currently in last place amongst the survivor squads.
Beard
As a biologist, Eric and the other handful of surviving scientists studied the zombie menace under a microscope, trying to answer a thousand questions as fast as possible- from the cause and spread to a possible cure. As a warrior, Eric practiced and trained for combat daily, so that the zeds that took his best friend would not cause more grief. He was the only member of the Fools that actively sought out combat missions, and his actions at the Battle of Wabash Bridge made him an instant legend amongst the survivors.
Peace
Andrew's remains were eventually recovered and laid to rest by the surviving Fools. Their next improv performance was dedicated to his memory.
T.Rex
Few people were happier than Ryan to have reached some measure of safety, after all that he and his friends had been through. Whatever the cost, he was content knowing they had food, water, and at least one floor of separation from the ground, at least for now. He'd had enough adventure for a while, and was content to spend time with Jenny trying to pretend they had a normal dating life.
Some time after the Fools settled in, search parties found a team of professors and graduate students holed up in one of the propulsion labs a few miles from campus. A good number of them were from the Aeronautics department, and Ryan quickly joined their ranks as a junior engineer. Córdova wasted no time assigning the group work on a top secret project.
A project codenamed "DZ"...
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