Zombie Mall

Zombie Mall
copyright 2023 Derek Stoelting

High Concept: Dawn of the Dead meets Stranger Things

The Pitch: a two page (?) handout Zombie Masters can use to create a mall for use in their AFMBE games. The handout includes the mall map, guide to the shops in the mall, and notes on how to use this product with your game.

"The mall?" asks Maddie

"The mall. The mall has it all," replies David.

- Moonlighting

Even since Dawn of the Dead, gamers have dreamt of invading a mall, clearing it of opponents, and using it for a base of operations in a post-apocalypse setting. This small handout provides you everything you need to fulfill those dreams.

As presented, GMs can use the mall map provided (still in development) and roll on the Mall Directory table to determine which type of stores are present and where they are located. The stores are not named by brand. This allows for the GM to cater the game to the locale and time period in which the game is set. Instead, a generic description of the type of store is listed. For those GMs with a different style of mall in mind, this handout can be used to randomly generate the store types of that mall. For example, an outdoor, outlet mall will have a completely different layout, but many types of stores will be the same. 

Each area has a die type associated with it. Those are the number of random zombies or other opponents in that area. For GMs not certain of the type of opponent, roll 1d6. On a 1-4, there are zombies. On a 5, raiders. On a 6, teenagers up to no good who may or may not be willing to fight the player characters. 

Some areas of the mall are static and do not have a random chance of occurring. Those areas are the back hallways, stair wells, elevators for patrons of the mall, food court seating area, service elevators for employees and delivery personnel, the parking lot, the parking garage, and escalators. There is also the promenade space of the mall. These areas can have their own number of opponents waiting for the player characters or present different opportunities to interact with the scenery.

Unless there is power available in the mall, the various elevators and the escalators will not function. Interior elevators will be very dark if there is no light source. Elevators have two entrances and both are accessible in a power outage. The first is a roof access. Depending on state law, these may be required to be locked shut or not. If you don’t know your state law, roll a d6. On a 1-2, it is unlocked and will open. On a 3-4, it is unlocked, but will not open without a struggle. Maybe the door is rusted shut or perhaps there is a dead body laying on top of it. One a 5-6, the hatch is locked shut from the outside and either a key or bolt cutter is needed to open the hatch. 

The second entrance is the door. In the event of a power outage, there are ways to open the door. The first is the use of the fireman’s call box. Using this requires a special key that is not likely to be found near the elevator. The other is a small pen-sized hole providing access to a release lever. If tripped, this lever unlocks the doors. The doors do not open on their own and the player characters will need to push them open. 

The back hallways of the mall connect to the various stores. They may also connect to the patron bathroom areas, mall offices, security office

Before you scold me for one of the sections with 14 locations, you can buy 14 sided dice and you can type roll 1d14 into your Google search bar and it will provide a result.

Random Items in the Concourse
1. Planter
2. Bench or Seating Area
3. Trash Can
4. Empty Kiosk
5. Dead Body
6. Fountain

Mall Directory

Department-Anchor Stores
d20

1) Low End Department Store
2) Mid-Tier Department Store
3) High End Department Store
4) Sporting Goods

Roll 1d6, on a result of 1 or 2, the anchor store connects to a parking garage.

Clothing
d6 

1) Women’s General Clothing 1
2) Women’s General Clothing 2
3) Women’s General Clothing 3
4) Women’s Business Clothing 1
5) Women’s Business Clothing 2
6) Young Women’s Clothing 1
7) Young Women’s Clothing 2
8) Teen Girls Clothing 1
9) Teen Girls Clothing 2
10) Men’s General Clothing 1
11) Men’s General Clothing 2
12) Young Men’s Clothing 1
13) Young Men’s Clothing 2
14) Men’s Business Clothing
15) Little Kids Clothing
16) Blue Jeans
17) Alternative
18) T-Shirts
19) Underwear / Lingerie
20) Pop Culture

Clothing Accessories
d6

1) Tennis Shoes 1
2) Tennis Shoes 2
3) Dress Shoes
4) Women’s Dress Shoes
5) Kid Shoes
6) Hats
7) General Jewelry Store 1
8) General Jewelry Store 2
9) General Jewelry Store 3
10) Watches
11) Purses and handbags
12) Young kid jewelry and ear piercings

Electronics and Entertainment
d4

1) Movie Theatre
2) Comedy Club
3) Book Store 1
4) Book Store 2
5) Music Store
6) Electronic Media
7) Cell Phone Cases
8) Comics
9) Toys
10) Video Games
11) Make-a-Toy
12) Pop Culture
13) Cell Phone Repair
14) Board Games

Food Court
d4

1) Sushi
2) Chinese
3) Cold Sub Sandwiches
4) Hot Sandwiches
5) Chicken
6) Candy
7) Italian
8) Gyros and Falafel
9) Fast food burgers
10) Shakes
11) Pretzels
12) Cookies
13) Snacks
14) Coffee

Other
d8

1) Arcade
2) Carousel
3) Conference Center
4) Cosmetics
5) Halloween Store
6) Hair Salon
7) Pets
8) Pharmacy
9) Rest / Seating area
10) Sporting Goods, smaller than the anchor store
11) Tobacco / CBD
12) Vitamins

Mall Management
d4

1) Mall Offices
2) Security Offices
3) Bathrooms

Restaurants
d10

1) Steak
2) Sushi
3) Burgers
4) Italian
5) Mexican
6) Large franchise with too many food choices