OUTBREAK: ZERO is a semi post-apocalyptic pandemic roleplay set in the fictional city of Lethford, USA. Current season: Winter, 20/21.
March 2020. The world is in pandemonium as one month ago, GHNv-20 was confirmed, five months after the beginning of norovirus season. The number of the infected are in the higher hundred thousands, and the death toll is at an estimated 250,000, with about seventy percent of the rest of the population experiencing mild to moderate illnesses connected to the S. pyogenes bacteria.
The fear of the unknown has caused mass hysteria and panic.
In an attempt to provide a semblance of safety and control, military personnel patrol the streets, even here in Lethford City, and the police force is trying to keep up with the rising street violence, assault, and theft.
Welcome to OUTBREAK: zero. Will you survive?
HAYANA
SITE OWNER + HEAD ADMINISTRATOR
Hi! I'm Haya. I'm pretty much your girl for everything! If you have any questions regarding our plot, membergroups, etc. don't hesitate to ask me. I'm also in charge of coding, graphics, anything skin related, and advertising/affiliates.
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ADDI
ADMINISTRATOR
Hey! I'm Addi. Hit me up if you need help with anything. I'm always for plotting so don't be shy. I like coffee, booze, and working out. I'm back from a long hiatus the dead so if you need anything, best ask the others until I get back into the groove of things!
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FINNLEY
GLOBAL MODERATOR
Hi hello! My name is Finnley, or Finn, call whichever and I'll be there for you (yes like the FRIENDS theme song). I am in charge of the claims and helping with miscellaneous things. Let me know if you have any questions!
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OPEN MODERATOR POSITION
outbreak
/ˈaʊtbreɪk/ zero /ˈzɪərəʊ/
a sudden occurrence of something unwelcome, such as war or disease. number, no quantity or number; nought; the figure 0.
CITY ALLOWS HOME RAIDS IN RESPONSE TO RISE IN INFECTIONS
The chief of police, Anderson, and Mayor Locke have announced a combined effort between local law enforcement and the military to enforce lockdown regulations more efficiently.
It has been decided that due to frequent breaking of the city’s rules officers will be allowed to enter homes if suspicious activity has been reported to authorities or if officers deem the situation appropriate. These home raids will be lawful without warrants needed to be issued for officers to enter citizen’s homes.
Anderson appeals to citizens to stay at home, quarantine themselves if necessary, and not have illegal meetings, gatherings, or parties in their private homes.
'It’s not our job to disturb or invade people’s private lives and space. However, we are there to enforce the rules that the Government makes, and if those rules are made to ensure public safety and therefore save lives we will make sure to handle any violations against those rules very strictly.'
Mayor Locke told Lethford Daily 'If we think there are large groups of people gathering where they shouldn’t be, then police and military will have to intervene. Police will enter homes and break up any gatherings if lockdown rules are broken.'
Chief Anderson predicts more riots and warns about those being sparked by heavy-handed law enforcement. The more rules and regulations citizens are given the more unrest it could cause. Civil unrest could boil over in the city in the near future, with the beginning of the Christmas season very likely to push people over the edge. The trigger this time could be the harsher restrictions and enforcement of rules as well as the punishment. Those who have never been involved in crime could suddenly become emboldened to take part in the disobedience.
He said: 'We're sitting on a time bomb here. We're getting very near the stage where you could see a considerable explosion of frustration and energy. Things are very on the edge in a lot of communities and it wouldn't take very much to spark off unrest, riots, damage.'
As always, citizens are encouraged to wash their hands, wear face coverings, and keep the social distancing guidelines top of mind when they must leave their homes. Curfew is still in effect as well as the scheduled power outages.
City officials are urging Lethford citizens to forego traditional Halloween activities and to instead celebrate at home with their families.
As the city enters the month of October, reports of new infection cases have hit a plateau. The doctors and scientists who have been hard at work in order to find a viable treatment, and hopefully a vaccine, are hopeful that this means the city has hit a turning point in their efforts. However, city officials continue to urge social distancing - as such, the Lethford P.D. has issued a city-wide alert on their official webpage.
”As we move into the holiday seasons, it saddens us to report that due to the pandemic, we are maintaining the city-wide curfew and enforcing the rule to keep groups to less than ten. We strongly discourage any sort of parties, and will be increasing our patrols in order to ensure that everyone has a safe month.”
There have also been reports of individuals dressed as first responders causing disorder around the city, and as such the official decision was made just last week to not allow trick or treating this year. The mayor stated in a press conference announcing the decisions that it was not an easy one to make - but for the health and safety of all of Lethford’s citizens and the police officers who keep the order in such troubling times, it was a necessary decision.
The Chief of Police stated the goal this year was to ensure that the police, and other emergency response units, could do their jobs as efficiently as possible. He also noted local authorities are empowered to restrict or prohibit Halloween activities if needed to minimize the spread of GHnV-20. Under the current climate, many city officials have endorsed the “discontinuation” of Halloween for the year of 2020.
Mayor Locke suggests to choose to participate in "low risk" Halloween activities close to home with their families, such as carving pumpkins, making and putting up decorations, or doing an at-home scavenger hunt. And as always, to please wash your hands, wear a mask, and practice social distancing.
LETHFORD IS FACING INTERNET AND CELL CONNECTIVITY ISSUES
Lethford City’s main telecommunications company LetCom Inc. experiences system failure due to increased usage.
Due to the highly increased usage of both WiFi and data, Lethford’s main telecommunications company and provider LetCom Inc. is struggling to keep their systems running smoothly. A recent crash and failure in their systems have caused a complete blackout in the city. The city-wide power was able to be restored shortly after but both cell phone functions and WiFi could not be retrieved until the next day.
Additionally, this year’s summer heat is making things even more difficult as the company’s computers are overheating, especially during the scheduled power outages. While LetCom Inc. isn’t completely affected by the power outages after curfew they are forced to turn off all unnecessary supplies and the government deemed the air conditioning to be part of it.
Citizens have experienced heavy internet and cell coverage deficits for the last couple of days, making it harder to communicate and work from home. Numerous complaints have flooded in about connectivity issues, including desperate calls to 911 being made.
Lethford City's Police Department posted a statement on their official homepage urging citizens to refrain from making such calls and to keep the lines clear for emergencies. Citizens should also expect high fines to be issued if they call for non-emergencies.
The president of LetCom Inc. explained during an online press conference, that the company is trying its best to find a quick and sufficient solution to those issues so that citizens of Lethford City can continue to enjoy the best connections. However, for the time being, LetCom Inc. wants to make sure essential workers and businesses will have priority regarding both cellular and radio networks.
Citizens are advised to keep their cell phone, data, and WiFi usage to the minimum and should not panic if network connectivity is not available. Major Locke has suggested installing fixed emergency phones throughout the city but plans have not been made yet.
As always, citizens are encouraged to wash their hands, wear face coverings, and keep the social distancing guidelines top of mind when they must leave their homes. Curfew is still in effect as well as the scheduled power outages. Please avoid drinking any bottled water manufactured by Crystal Nero. If you see any suspicious behavior or activity do not hesitate to contact local law enforcement.
Lethford City's most popular bottled water brand 'Crystal Nero' found out to be the main reason for spike in new infections.
After a sudden rise in new infections, the United Health Organization (UHO) put it as a top priority to find out what caused these infections, investigating several individuals and tracing their recent contacts and activities.
The UHO tested dozens of bottled water samples as it seemed to be a common factor with all individuals tested.
Bottled water manufactured by the city’s largest brand Crystal Nero, sold in most Lethford City stores and supermarkets, and used in countless bars and restaurants, has been discovered to be contaminated with the GHNv-20 virus. Following the result of the investigation, the UHO has immediately issued a warning over contaminated water.
Citizens are advised to remove all bottles with the expiration date 08/20/21 out of their homes. The removal should be handled with care and proper hygiene is a must. Please make sure to wear gloves when handling the bottle, wash your hands, and sanitize afterward. All bottles should be placed in front of homes as the government will send specialists for disposal.
Mayor Locke reassures citizens that the city has taken care of the matter and is currently handling the removal of all Crystal Nero products sold and used. The city will refund purchases to all citizens and hand out free, imported water to all households.
Citizens who have consumed contaminated water are advised to stay at home and quarantine themselves for at least two weeks and avoid all social contacts. If symptoms of GHNv-20 occur please call 154-836-2635.
Within only two weeks the number of infected jumped to almost 700,000 cases despite the strict lockdown and curfew rules. At least 270,000 deaths have been counted with an unknown number related to the contaminated water issue.
Lethford left in ruins and shattered spirits after raids happened across downtown. Mayor Locke speaks out.
Lethford was plunged into confusion and chaos over the weekend as what appeared to be random raids across the downtown area took place. The biggest areas effected were City Hall, Lethford General Hospital, and the local police station. There are numerous casualties and even more injured.
Mayor Locke in a press conference, from his home office, released that there was substantial damage done to those areas and that they will be revisiting plans to rebuild the areas effected as soon as possible. He also stated that City Hall will be limited to the first floor only while repairs are underway on the other floors. City officials are encouraging people to use the online portal as much as possible until they are able to get back up to regular operations.
The biggest area feeling the strain from the raids is the hospital which is overfilled with injured civilians, short on supplies, and worried that the increased number of people in need might lead to further exposure to GHNv-20. Lethford General Hospital asks that anyone seeking treatment to try and use other resources before coming there. A full list of recommended care centers have been added to the hospital’s website home page.
The police chief reassured that their SWAT teams, police officers, and military back up were able to handle the situation at the police station. He had no further comments on the matter at this time. Though they would not allow news crews in to see the damage done to the station.
With many people effected by the recent events, the City of Lethford is looking into what caused these events and will be doing a full follow up at a later day with their findings. They are partnering with the military to see what they can do to add security to areas that had less before, hoping to lessen the number of violent acts across the city.
As always, citizens are encourage to wash their hands, wear face coverings, and keep the social distancing guidelines top of mind when they must leave their homes. Curfew is still in effect as well as the scheduled power outages.
Mayor and United Metro Energy officials plan for defensive maneuver in the managing of power grid outages
Metro United Energy CEO met with Mayor Locke today before announcing their plan to carry out scheduled planned outages through the city. There was also reports of at least three unidentified military personnel who were also in attendance at the meeting. CEO of Metro United Energy, Alan Patrickson had this to say about the announcement, "To support our customers, the good people of Lethford City, as well as to prevent larger outages from occurring in the future Metro United Energy has devised a structured planned outage time for the city. We believe initiating this will give our crews time to perform the critical work that's needed in emergency situations such as the one we find ourselves in." Patrickson goes on to say that those who will be impacted by these essential outages will be notified ahead of time. Some tips to prepare for this scheduled outage are as followed:
- Keep a safe distance from crew members. If you see our crew members in your neighbourhood, please do not approach them and stay at least six feet away for your safety and theirs. If crew members need to get in touch with you, they will attempt a call, knock on your door, or leave a note.
- Shut off or disconnect all sensitive electronic equipment before the outage to prevent loss of data or damage.
- Review the instructions on any electronic gates and be familiar with how to operate and open them manually.
- Please alert your security company of the outage beforehand. The outage will affect your alarm systems as well as landline phones.
Patrickson assured that the safety of customers, workforce and public remain their utmost concern during this difficult time. Mayor Locke also addressed the announcement saying, "We realize this is an inconvenience but this is something we must do to keep our city safe, prepared and capable to handle further surges in our power grid. Now is the time we must all work together, helping those who we can and bracing ourselves for what's to come. This will not last forever, we ask for your patience for a little while longer."
If you have any questions or concerns about this scheduled outage you may contact Metro United Energy at 1-800-273-8255.