D20 Modern: Zombies in a Hospital

[nothri]

I'm looking for tips for running a zombie plague in a hospital. Without talking about the details of the campaign, there is a creepy group of cultists (think the worst aspects of Jonestown, Branch Davidians, and Scientology) who have gotten their hands on a "zombie gas" that causes the dead to rise. A series of explosions go off in my local city, and the PCs are among those in a major hospital (perhaps caught in the explosion, perhaps visiting loved ones, but most certainly NOT affected by the gas). The dead are starting to rise, the cultists are hidden in the upper floors with a bigger canisters of zombie compound ready to go off, and the PCs are caught in the middle. For reasons that have to do with the campaign background that I was going to explain until I realized it was becoming a huge essay no one is able to get out of the hospital. So, game on!

I could use some advice on running a survival horror type dungeon crawl. The PCs aren't going to have access to any weapons or armaments at first (how would you justify carrying a shot gun into a hospital?) but might be able to improvise. Any tips on running a horror game in general and a zombie outbreak in particular are MOST WELCOME. My specific questions:

1. What kind of security is a hospital likely to have and where are they likely to be found?

2. Where is the "annoucement room" for the hospital likely to be?

3. How would you handle the zombie plague? I'm considering adding a random number of zombies to a given room as more time passes. Thoughts?

[The Glyphstone]

You might have to explain why no one can get out of the hospital, because that's kind of important.

[ksbsnowowl]

Depending upon which state you live in or are setting this hospital in, many states have fairly easy qualifications for Concealed Carry Permits. So, some of the characters might be able to have a weapon with them (though most hospitals do not allow CCW on their premises; however, ignoring those signs isn't a crime in some states).

My local hospital has the guard station near the main public entrance. The guards would have handguns (most likely .40 cal Glocks if they are off-duty cops, or .38 special revolvers if not cops). Very unlikely they would have anything beyond that. Probably about five guards on duty for a moderate-sized hospital; more at shift change.

The academic hospital I work at is a fairly large "campus," and actually has their own police department with squad cars and everything. Just depends on the hospital set-up. I imagine they probably have shotguns in their cars.

The ER waiting area would be on the first floor. Surgical waiting area would be on the second or higher floor.

Most hospitals have magnetic card access to many areas. When I went to visit my cousin's new baby, getting into the maternity ward was like trying to get into Fort Knox. Intercom system to have the nurses let you through the doors. Depending upon who is around the PC's, and who the zombies are, they might be able to retreat to an area behind a magnetic lock.

Given the above, you are unlikely to have zombies randomly roaming all over the hospital, as they won't be able to get through the security doors.

[Malroth]

Older hospitals don't have as tight security as newer ones, so it becomes possible for the zombies to get to areas that would be marked off limits to civilians once all the alarms are going off anyway. Plus a few well placed murders by the cultists on different floors could get the zombie cascade working well enough to actually be a credible threat.

[ksbsnowowl]

Good point.

[Arbane]

Are the zombies contagious, or is it just than anyone who dies gets back up and starts killing?

[ksbsnowowl]

Are the zombies contagious, or is it just than anyone who dies gets back up and starts killing?

He's probably using the Viral Deathspawn template from d20 Apocalypse. Basically, you get bit, you will die of an infection, and then turn. Or you die from being mauled, and you turn.

[Nepenthe]

Why should there be any zombies in the hospital? All of the corpses would be safely locked away in drawers in the morgue, barring maybe one or two freshly deceased persons in hospice or ICU. I understand the necessity for certain genre conventions, but your players may ask.

Edit: Ninja'd. Kinda. It still seems like it'd be fairly easy to contain though.

[DigoDragon]

From personal experience, 70% of hospital security involves maglock doors that require a swipe card to access. The rest just have regular locks. Security cameras cover the important rooms and the main traffic'd halls.
All hospitals should have one or more generators in case the grid power goes down.

All the important medications and equipment tend to be kept locked in cabinets. However, if you wander a bit you'll find some of it out in carts to be taken to patients. Also, cleaning supplies. Lots of that lying around in accessable cabinets and closets.
Oxygen is pretty easy to get ahold off and most patient rooms have oxygen valves that are not locked down.

Yeah, be careful when there's a lot of flowing oxygen. Breathing too much in can make you a bit loopy. :smalltongue:

[Amidus Drexel]

All the important medications and equipment tend to be kept locked in cabinets. However, if you wander a bit you'll find some of it out in carts to be taken to patients. Also, cleaning supplies. Lots of that lying around in accessable cabinets and closets.
Oxygen is pretty easy to get ahold off and most patient rooms have oxygen valves that are not locked down.

Yeah, be careful when there's a lot of flowing oxygen. Breathing too much in can make you a bit loopy. :smalltongue:

Also, you should be careful lighting fires when there's a lot of oxygen around. The pressurized stuff will explode, but even if it's just flowing in the air, flames will be a lot bigger than normal.

[Karoht]

Due to how explicit I started to describe some of this stuff, I want to make it absolutely clear that I'm only detailing this for game purposes only. In no way am I suggesting Ambulances to be easy/vulnerable targets or to have easy access to controlled substances, especially as it relates to criminal activities. The following is merely estimates based on experience I have with Ambulances and friends who work in EMS, it should not be construed in any way shape or form as medical advice or anything else.
Due to the sensitive nature of the following information, it is under a spoiler cut.


Ambulances tend to have meds, and they are in unlocked and easily searchable cabinets and drawers, most of the time. If they can make it to where the Ambulances are parked, there will be a variety of supplies in each of them. On the odd chance they are locked, these will be pretty easy to break, as the locks holding drawers and cabinets are usually small mechanisms, similar to the locks on file cabinets. The lack of security on these supplies is due to the necessity of rapid access in an emergency.

Ambulances are typically parked in a secure underground parking level. Sometimes a hospital will have it's own maintenance bay

As for what drugs and equipment are in there?
Some small amount/s of anti-biotics. Typically for warding off infection while they transport patients with very obvious open wounds.
Epinepherine (Epi-pens) and anti-histamines for stabilizing alergic reactions.
Anti-septics along with clean equipment (gloves and such, face masks)
Oxygen bottles (small ones) and intubation kits, along with related tubing, along with basic IV equipment.
There will be pain killers, typically very very small doses of morphine and other related opioids. The doses are typically pre-portioned, and are very small, just enough to get a patient out of severe pain and down to a more managable level, or to reduce the impact of shock. For example, when I broke my leg, due to the positioning I was pretty much unmoveable due to shock. One small (.3 milligrams I think) dose of morphine later they were able to secure my leg enough to get me onto a gurney and transport me to hospital. The pain was still there but it took away the shock enough that I was moveable and safe for transport.

[Slipperychicken]

2. Where is the "annoucement room" for the hospital likely to be?


I imagine a PA system's micrpophone would be located either wherever the administrative offices are, or near the secretaries' desk. If in the administrative portion, probably on a separate, designated office floor if the place is big enough.