(Timberreach, Redhaven)
Timbercrest is a small, middle-class gated neighborhood nestled in the foothills of Timberreach. It was designed as a quiet residential enclave before the fall: curving streets, uniform but comfortable homes, a few small parks, and private garages.
After the Blood Plague arrived, the gated perimeter and relative isolation made it safer than most surrounding blocks. Survivors live in scattered homes, keeping doors locked and eyes open. Cooperation exists—but it’s mostly ad hoc: neighbors nod, share a warning, or pass along supplies occasionally. Full organization or governance has not formed.
Population: ~20 survivors
Homes: 12 single-family houses
Perimeter: Low security gate, fencing along partial borders, makeshift barricades at entrances
Resources: Limited; one central water source from a nearby stream, small garden plots, a shared tool shed
Threat Level: Low to medium (occasional common infected at the edges, rare Skill Retainers hunting in foothills)
This is a starting area—safe enough to explore, but not completely secure. Perfect for slice-of-life survival gameplay with tension.
Timbercrest Drive: main street, semi-circular, connecting the main gate to cul-de-sacs
12 homes of 2–3 bedrooms each, medium-sized yards
Garages converted into small storage or safe rooms
One small park/playground in the center
Fencing around the perimeter with a single operational gate
Chain-link fence reinforced with scrap wood at weak points
Barricaded gate using old cars and cinderblocks
Watch points: one small elevated deck overlooking the entrance
Alarm: a simple tin-can tripwire setup
Central Tool Shed: communal tools, gardening equipment, repair items
Community Garden: vegetables and herbs, mostly maintained by 3 households
Water Pump Area: gravity-fed stream with rudimentary filtration
Meeting Spot: old gazebo in the small park, rarely used for anything beyond shouting warnings
Neighbors mostly mind their own business
Occasional patrols by two or three people to check for wandering infected
Gossip and small favors are common, but no formal hierarchy
Supply runs outside Timbercrest are risky, often performed solo or in pairs
Morale is fragile; disputes flare over food, garden space, or perceived hoarding
Key Tension: Timbercrest is a soft community. Everyone survives by luck, cooperation is informal, and there’s no official defense protocol if a threat escalates.
Central gathering point
Benches and small swing set remain
Used for drying laundry, tending plants, or shouting alerts
Locked with a combination of padlock and barricade
Stores axes, shovels, rope, gardening tools, crowbars, and a small stash of firearms
Key characters often hold the key
Concrete basin with gravity-fed stream
A few buckets and jerrycans line the edges
Small plank bridge allows access without wet shoes
Vary in upkeep; some have barricaded windows and reinforced doors
Others are barely maintained, abandoned for days at a time
Garages used as storage or temporary safe rooms
Here’s a functional cast you can drop in, including motivations, specialties, and social roles:
Marla Jensen, 45, Gardener / Medic — Maternal, cautious, tends the community garden.
Harold “Hal” Kim, 37, Carpenter / Barricade Expert — Pragmatic, builds and repairs fences, grumbles a lot.
Selina Torres, 28, Scout / Runner — Quiet, observant, often volunteers for supply runs.
Gregory “Greg” Lowe, 50, Former Teacher — Talkative, organizes informal reading/storytime for kids, spreads morale.
Sofia Delgado, 32, Cook / Forager — Makes meals from garden and scavenged ingredients.
Jared Fields, 40, Mechanic / Vehicle Repair — Maintains abandoned cars and generators, grumpy and paranoid.
Anya Petrov, 22, Hunter / Tracker — Expert with crossbow, tends traps outside Timbercrest.
Leo Brooks, 36, Security Watch — Keeps lookout from deck, cautious and alert, often lonely.
Rachel Nunez, 30, Scout Assistant — Helps Selina on runs, easily nervous but dependable.
Dmitri Vass, 42, Craftsman / Fixer — Repairs furniture, radios, and fences; reclusive but skilled.
Tina Caldwell, 26, Nurse / Healer — Minimal supplies, improvises, timid but competent.
Eli Morgan, 35, Guard / Patrol — Weapon-savvy, volunteers for night patrols, stubborn and reliable.
Katrina Zhao, 29, Engineer / Tinkerer — Small generator projects, water filters, and plumbing.
Omar Reed, 48, Historian / Storyteller — Keeps journals of Timbercrest events, occasionally gives warnings.
Hannah Price, 34, Childcare / Cook — Shares cooking duties, looks after kids when others run errands.
Niko Salazar, 31, Runner / Messenger — Quick, lightly armed, often the first to spot wandering infected.
Dana Keane, 38, Negotiator / Morale — Tries to keep disputes down, keeps track of ration fairness.
Evan Li, 27, Scout / Forager — Works with Selina and Rachel, dependable but impulsive.
Margot Flynn, 41, Veteran / Arms Trainer — Ex-military, gives basic combat tips, low trust in others.
Tobias “Toby” Grant, 25, Apprentice / General Labor — Learns from others, handles small repairs, obedient, eager to help.
NPCs have overlapping roles, which allows flexible gameplay. You can assign patrols, medics, foragers, and morale leaders for players to interact with. Some may be unreliable or self-interested to encourage tension.
Security
Single gate is the weak point
Night patrols prevent surprise Common Infected attacks
Fences and barricades can slow but not stop Skill Retainers
Supplies
Shared garden produces minimal food
Water from the stream is limited; filtration is a must
Tools and weapons stored in shed are finite
Social
Cooperation is fragile
Disputes flare over rations, garden plots, or supplies
Players can help form real community bonds
Encounters
Wandering Common Infected at the periphery
Rare Skill Retainers hunting in Timberreach foothills
Environmental hazards: fallen trees, landslides from hills, wildlife
Morning: checking fences, tending gardens, watching kids
Afternoon: scavenging nearby Timberreach blocks, minor patrols
Evening: cooking, sharing stories, watching for movement in foothills
Occasional tension: noise triggers wandering infected, or arguments flare
Players experience the slow grind of survival without constant horde attacks, but threats are real and escalating.