Zombie Apocalypse Initial Premise

[Emrys]

A nasty variant would be to have the players stat themselves up and then hand "themselves" over to the player to their left to actually play.

Imagine all the "But I wouldn't do that" "Yes you would" fun that would ensue ...

[Daylen]

Well there is this http://www.scribd.com/doc/56487535/Ghoul-Land. It was intended for another system but should be adaptable to CoC. Note: ghouls in the intended system are basically zombies in the modern way as first depicted by The Last Man on Earth.

[AnaWE]

How about they play some kind of military unit (not average, I know, but maybe make them ordinary/young soldiers?).

They go on a mission recuing some villagers that are forced to work for a drug lord in central america or something like that.

Begin the game in media res and have them kill a bunch of the drug lord's mooks.

Then, bang, dead ennemies and allies become Zombies! Make SAN roll to be able to "kill" your former CO!!!

Maybe they have to team up with the bad guys and villagers now?

They also might need to stop the "Zombie infection" from spreading to more populated areas.

Don't forget to have them investigate what the cause of all this is.

[Debauchery]

How about just telling them that you are running a game in the modern era. You could just tell them the starting city. From there, they can create their characters as they wish.

I would do something along the lines of one of the players, with a credible link, is contacted by someone with a science background; he wishes to meet them at the zoo. Whilst at the zoo, players observe unusual behaviour from the animals who appear uneasy. Many people seem to be suffering flu like symptoms. They find their contact murdered, his body dumped into one of the large carnivore pens...however, strangely, the animals within keep their distance and have retreated to the back of the enclosure.

That could keep them guessing! The premise is based on the 'zombie state' being the final stage of what appears to be a flu like virus. The science/medical background of the murder victim may offer clues to a facility/program where mutation has taken place on a bio-weapon. You could have shady government agencies plaguing the investigators until the situation goes full-blown zombie!

[Max_Writer]

Thanks for the continued feedback. Here's my newest idea on how it could work:

Starts with meteorite falling in graveyard or possible bioweapon test by foreign power in nearby town. Investigators are sent to investigate.

Alien or biological virus (probably alien) that starts, when it is first released on meteorite’s crash, as an airborne virus that lives for several minutes and moves quickly to encompass roughly a one-square-mile area. All humans (sapiens) in this area die within a few minutes, usually too quick to even call for aid. Virus within human bodies (that caused their deaths) mutates at this point, making it no longer airborne. It powers and raises the bodies and then creates aggression against non-zombies in the people in order to further spread. The virus is now spread by bite or blood, fluids, or saliva entering the bloodstreams of others. Bites, if not immediately fatal, fester quickly and spread, resulting in death in less than a week. Amputating the bit area might save the victim.

The virus, though not self-aware, is able to control the dead body to the extent of trying to spread itself. It is somehow also able to stave off rigor mortis and power the body as well, acting as the bodies new nervous system.

Virus continues its mutations. First zombies created by airborne virus are fairly slow, but those zombies created by being bit or the like tend to be faster and more in control. They can sprint. They are a bit smarter. The initial zombies are shamblers but those that they infect end up as runners.

It should be noted that some in the area of the initial airborne infection sometimes survive due to their environment (disinfected or the like) or situation (those on oxygen or completely cut off from the outside world are safe) or even physical condition (certain physical affects (being drunk, already diseased, or something - unsure what yet - think Andromeda Strain). The airborne virus only has a lifespan of a few minutes or so, after which it dies and becomes inert.

At end of first scenario, the investigators are greeted by seeing meteors falling in the distance and reports of a “massive meteor shower” across the western hemisphere as the planet passes through a “debris field” of some kind. The shower continues for over 24 hours, peppering the entire planet.