"Virtuous Circle" is the fifteenth mission of Season 1.
Morale at Abel is low. There's only one thing for it: games. Raid the local hobby stores for something to keep the residents' minds occupied.
Cast[]
Crew[]
- Writer: Naomi Alderman
- Director: Matt Wieteska
- Sound Designer: Mark Pittam
- Series Created By: Naomi Alderman
Scenes[]
Head To The Toy Store
Sam greets you with good news: Abel's been doing particularly well recently. The Doctor reminds Sam that happier people have healthier immune systems, which brings him to the reason for today's run: gathering recreation supplies.
Look For Core Rules
You're within sight of the toy store, and Sam is excited to see lots of video games on display. The Doctor is skeptical until she sees that the store stocks pen and paper roleplaying games. She reminisces about roleplaying with Paula, then asks you to head down the street to try to find the original rulebooks for the game.
Look For Paint
You arrive at the other store, and the Doctor demands the 4th edition rulebook, rather than the 3rd. This prompts Sam to interject: roleplaying games are for nerds. The Doctor teases Sam in response about his cosplaying background. He then spots figurines for the game, which he asks you to grab before heading off to find paint.
In Search Of Oil Paint
At Phillips Craft Store, Sam guides you through selecting the correct paints. The Doctor is worried about a particular shade of paint being linked to cancer, though, so Sam asks you to leave that one behind, before realising that the paints you're picking up aren't long-lasting enough. Sam asks you to head to a different store to look for better paint.
Fancy Underpants
The Doctor worries that you're only collecting supplies that a few people will enjoy. As they discuss this, Sam becomes excited about the possibility of costumes. However, the discussion is cut short as Sam spots zoms on the scanner and asks you to head home instead.
Transcript[]
SAM YAO: Good news, Runner Five! Abel Township’s been doing pretty damn well, lately. You might have noticed that zombie attacks are right down, people aren’t crying so much, the children have less scurvy, and there have been more conversations about the weather, and fewer about the inevitable demise of the human race. Pretty good, right?
MAXINE MYERS: It’s a virtuous circle, you know. Happier people have better immune systems.
SAM YAO: Right! Which is where you come in, Runner Five. We have a special mission for you, today. We’ve fitted you out with a headcam, because this should be a low-risk mission. We’re still testing that thing out. We’ve heard that the big toy store on Possum Place is untouched. We need you to go out there and get us… well, fun stuff!
MAXINE MYERS: Any particular fun stuff?
SAM YAO: I feel we can trust Runner Five’s judgement on this. Fun stuff, Runner Five! The funner, the better.
MAXINE MYERS: While remembering to watch out for the zombies.
SAM YAO: And maybe Runner Five can even make the zombies fun! Pretend like it’s… well, some kind of game!
MAXINE MYERS: Don’t be ridiculous.
SAM YAO: Yeah, yeah, sorry. Okay. Runner Five, ready? Set? Go!
[gate siren, gates raising, gunshots]
SAM YAO: Okay, there’s the toy store at the end of the road. Aw, man! Look at the displays in the window! Chipotle Labs games, Data Spire games, the new tie-in for Neroy, the Ronald Vault movie! Well, I say “new”, I mean, “new” six months ago, before the apocalypse.
MAXINE MYERS: I know this makes me sound lame, but I don’t know if I’ve played any of those things.
SAM YAO: That’s because you spent all your time saving lives and stuff! Not on important things like playing video -
MAXINE MYERS: Wait! They have the new Croatic module! Evening of the Shambling Ones? Oh my god, I thought that never arrived from the States before the apocalypse!
SAM YAO: What?
MAXINE MYERS: Croatic! Best set of modules ever for Darkness and Demons, the roleplaying game? The best roleplaying game ever!
SAM YAO: You… roleplay?
MAXINE MYERS: Paula got me into it. I thought we talked about this. That conversation we had about when the magical parasite infected her spine…
SAM YAO: I thought that was a story about a really weird day at the hospital.
MAXINE MYERS: And I had to sacrifice a goat to the god Loki to save her…
SAM YAO: I did wonder about that, given your stance on alternative medicine.
MAXINE MYERS: You’re an idiot. Runner Five, pick up that module right away, and… damn! Do they not have the original Darkness and Demons game pack?
SAM YAO: Can’t we just work with what we’ve got?
MAXINE MYERS: No, we need to roll up new characters. Runner Five, grab Croatic, Evening of the Shambling Ones. I can’t believe they have it! Oh… and head straight on, you should come to a store where they’ll definitely stock the original rule books.
MAXINE MYERS: Okay, there, look - a Sea Wolf building, the little gaming store on the ground floor? Yeah, they should have it. You’re looking for the Darkness Demons rule book, fourth edition. That’s very important - not the third edition, that one doesn’t have the additional rules for handling mind-controlled warlock-driven hordes.
SAM YAO: Okay. Up til now, I thought you might be joking, but this is… really scary.
MAXINE MYERS: Are you telling me you’ve never dabbled with roleplaying games?
SAM YAO: Obviously not! They’re for nerds!
MAXINE MYERS: Oh, unlike video games.
SAM YAO: They’re mainstream.
MAXINE MYERS: Superhero comics!
SAM YAO: Everybody likes Batman, and Superman, and… Aquaman…
MAXINE MYERS: Cosplay?
SAM YAO: I told you, that was one time only. And just because my girlfriend liked Aquaman!
MAXINE MYERS: Mmhmm… Oh, okay, good, Runner Five, that’s the right rule book. Just pick that up, and -
SAM YAO: Wait, wait, look, look! They have the figurines, look! Ashlaq the Snow God, Varta the Warlock of Pale Mountain, oh oh oh! Reginald the Magnificent!
MAXINE MYERS: Yeah, you’ve never played roleplaying games? Okay, get the figurines too, Runner Five, and head -
SAM YAO: But, but! If we have the figurines, we need paint. Go to, mmm… head down, um, head down Deisegerrold Lane, and there should be a store there.
MAXINE MYERS: Which you’ve never been into…
SAM YAO: Oh, shut up.
SAM YAO: There, there! Phillip’s Craft Store, with the special paints. There. Get lots of white, you always need more of that than you think.
[bell jingles as Runner Five opens the door]
MAXINE MYERS: For the dry brush work, right?
SAM YAO: I think I actually love you. No, no, no, not that paint, Runner Five, that’s only for plastic, it flakes off pewter.
MAXINE MYERS: Wait, doesn’t that…
SAM YAO: Yes, yes, the red! All the shades you can find.
MAXINE MYERS: Wait, but doesn’t one of those… [sighs] I’m pretty sure I read somewhere that one of the ingredients in Crucible Carmine has been linked to cancer in rats?
SAM YAO: Maxine.
MAXINE MYERS: No, I read it in a medical journal.
SAM YAO: Maxine, you do know where we are, right? Middle of the zombie apocalypse? You’re wondering about whether something causes cancer in rats?
MAXINE MYERS: No hospitals, all the more reason to stay healthy.
SAM YAO: Yeah, okay - grab all the red except Crucible Carmine, and then… hmm… wait, are those acrylic paints?
MAXINE MYERS: Ooh, those don’t last as long.
SAM YAO: Yeah, it wears off. We need oil paint, or enamel. To the other craft store!
MAXINE MYERS: Do you think it’s possible that we’ve sent Runner Five on a rec run for something that is a kind of um… niche interest?
SAM YAO: Hey, if you like roleplaying games, and I like roleplaying games…
[zombies groaning in the distance]
MAXINE MYERS: I’m pretty sure we could get Runner 8 on board with this…
SAM YAO: Yeah, and Jack and Eugene, you know, those guys that do the radio show? Wait… wait! Do you think we could find… costumes? Oh, I’ve always wanted a Perplexor costume!
[zombies groaning nearby]
MAXINE MYERS: With all the exclamation marks? Mm… wouldn’t suit you. Not with your, uh… look. [gasps] Do you see that?
SAM YAO: Oh. Right, uh, yeah, um… Runner Five? Looks like there are some zombies after you. I, uh…
MAXINE MYERS: Looks like those exclamation mark underpants will have to wait. [whispers] Sorry, Sam.
SAM YAO: Yeah. Runner Five - best work ever! Come on home, now.
Letter[]
FIVE!
Okay, you are officially my FAVOURITE person in the entire township. Thank you so, so, SO much for grabbing us all of those paints and brushes, and all of those Demons and Darkness playbooks! I know they weren't technically "essentials", but there's only so many times you can re-read the township's only copy of "Order of the Phoenix" without starting to go a little stir crazy.
Maxine's gunning to run a session of "Evening of the Shambling Ones" some time this week, and promises that her game'll be super beginner friendly, which is great because I've never really played Demons and Darkness before. Jack and Eugene are both in, and Jody seemed curious so she might be in as well. You'd be more than welcome to join us too (only fair considering you, you know, salvaged all of this stuff for us), but I know it might not be your cup of tea, so there's no pressure at all.
Here's the character sheet Maxine helped me draw up, in case you do fancy joining us!
I'd promise that this is the nerdiest I'm going to get, but at this point, I think we both know THAT’s not true.
All the best,
Sam
P.S. THANK YOU AGAIN!
Supplies[]
The following supplies can be found in this mission.
(List may be incomplete.)
9mm Ammo
Axe
Bandages
Baseball Bat
Batteries
Beach ball
Board game
Book
Bottled Water
Box of Lightbulbs
Cricket bat
Mobile Phone
Pain Meds
Power Cable
Radio
Sports Bra
Teddy bear
Tinned Food
Tool Box
Toy car
Trousers
Underwear
USB Key
Other Languages[]
This mission is also available in Spanish, Korean, Japanese, and French.
| Language | Title | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish | Círculo vicioso | Vicious Circle |
| Korean | 선순환 | Virtuous Circle |
| Japanese | 悪循環 | Vicious Circle |
| French | Cercle vertueux | Virtuous Circle |
Trivia[]
- "Virtuous Circle" was originally the fourteenth mission of Season 1 before the order was changed in Spring 2015.[1]
References[]
- ↑ Zombies, Run! Official Blog: Back to the Future: Season 1
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