F1 but an apocolypose
Characters
Oscar Piastri, 25, is a former Formula One driver turned survivor, scout, and sacrificial leader of a small convoy. Quiet, observant, and calculating, he approaches survival with the same precision he once brought to racing. His weathered racing suit has been reinforced with scavenged armor, and he carries maps, medical supplies, and a multitool wherever he goes. Oscar rarely raises his voice, preferring to study people before deciding whether they deserve his trust. Beneath his composed exterior lies a stubborn idealist who refuses to accept that cruelty is necessary for survival. He risks himself to protect strangers, often taking responsibility for tragedies beyond his control. However, his compassion can become a weakness; he struggles to recognize when helping someone endangers everyone depending on him. Oscar fears becoming the kind of leader who sacrifices others for convenience, yet his refusal to make ruthless decisions may eventually cost innocent lives. As the convoy's protector, he must learn that leadership requires more than kindness. His greatest challenge is discovering whether he can preserve his humanity without destroying himself in the process. Archetype: The Protector.
Max Verstappen, 29, is a former Formula One world champion who has transformed himself into the uncompromising ruler of the Iron Crown. Cold, fiercely intelligent, and relentlessly competitive, he commands fortified settlements through military discipline and absolute authority. His black combat armor is meticulously maintained, and his silver-crowned insignia marks every territory under his control. Max values competence above sentiment and considers hesitation a luxury the dying world cannot afford. Beneath his intimidating reputation is a man who remembers what helplessness feels like. After witnessing his first settlement collapse through indecision and resource shortages, he vowed never to let disorder threaten his people again. His methods have saved thousands, but his protection comes at the price of freedom. Max genuinely believes his cruelty is justified if it prevents greater suffering, making him more dangerous than someone who simply enjoys violence. He can be fiercely loyal to those he considers his own, yet interprets disagreement as betrayal. Oscar's compassion infuriates him because it challenges the foundations of his rule. Max's greatest weakness is his inability to distinguish between protecting humanity and controlling it. Archetype: The Conqueror / The Tyrant.
George Russell, 28, is a former Formula One driver turned strategist and leader of the Meridian, an intelligence network controlling information across the wasteland. Impeccably composed and exceptionally articulate, he prefers manipulating alliances to fighting battles. His tailored dark coat conceals practical armor, while his headquarters is filled with maps, intercepted communications, and carefully documented secrets. George believes civilization cannot survive without structure, foresight, and people willing to make unpleasant decisions. His greatest strength is also his greatest flaw: he sees nearly every human relationship as a system of leverage. Having witnessed communities destroy themselves through panic and poor leadership, he became convinced that controlling information prevents unnecessary suffering. Yet he routinely withholds truths, engineers conflicts, and sacrifices smaller groups to secure what he considers the greater good. He isn't indifferent to suffering; he simply believes his calculations justify it. Oscar challenges his worldview by choosing compassion over efficiency, while Max threatens the delicate balance George has spent years constructing. Beneath his confidence lies a profound fear of uncertainty. George must eventually confront whether he is saving civilization or merely building a world where everyone depends on him. Archetype: The Mastermind / The Machiavellian Antihero.
Lando Norris, 26, is a former Formula One driver who now operates as a smuggler, underground racer, and information broker. Charming, sarcastic, and infuriatingly unpredictable, he leads the Freewheelers, a loose network transporting supplies between hostile settlements. His battered racing jacket retains its orange details, and his heavily modified car is his most treasured possession. Lando uses humor to disarm strangers, confidence to conceal uncertainty, and improvisation to escape situations that should have killed him. Beneath his carefree personality is a survivor burdened by guilt. He once unknowingly transported supplies that contributed to a settlement's destruction, and the truth continues to haunt him. Rather than face his mistakes, he hides behind jokes and refuses to commit fully to anyone. He values freedom because dependence means giving someone the power to hurt him. Nevertheless, he repeatedly risks his life for people he claims not to care about, revealing a loyalty he struggles to acknowledge. Oscar sees the good he tries to bury, while Max possesses evidence of his darkest mistake. Lando's greatest challenge is accepting that redemption requires more than good intentions. Eventually, he must decide whether freedom means running from responsibility or choosing whom he is willing to fight for. Archetype: The Trickster / The Charming Antihero.
Sourcebook
Intro
*The world didn't end with a bang. It began with a mysterious infection. The first victims developed fevers, aggression, and an insatiable hunger before dying. Then they came back. The dead began hunting the living, spreading the infection through bites. Cities fell within weeks, governments collapsed, and the infected overran hospitals and military bases. Power grids failed, supply chains vanished, and humanity's greatest achievement became finding somewhere safe to sleep.
Years later, abandoned racetracks have become fortresses, racing garages serve as workshops, and former Formula One drivers have become survivors in a world where speed means life and hesitation means death. Yet the zombies aren't humanity's only enemy. The living have become just as dangerous.
Oscar Piastri became a reluctant leader after abandoning a supply route to rescue families trapped during an outbreak. His decision cost his convoy precious fuel and lives, but it gave survivors someone worth following. Now he protects anyone he can, refusing to believe that cruelty is necessary for survival. Unfortunately, his compassion repeatedly clashes with the brutal reality of their world. Every rescue risks exposing his people to infection, and his refusal to abandon strangers has made him a target for those who see kindness as weakness.
Max Verstappen learned that lesson differently. When his first settlement fell because its leaders hesitated, he seized control and built the Iron Crown, a militarized territory where food and protection are guaranteed in exchange for absolute obedience. His soldiers eliminate infected threats before they reach the walls, but dissent is punished just as harshly. Max considers Oscar dangerous, believing his reckless mercy will eventually doom everyone following him. Their rivalry becomes personal when Oscar frees prisoners from an Iron Crown labor camp, taking valuable workers and supplies Max refuses to surrender.
George Russell controls the Meridian, an intelligence network connecting settlements through hidden radio stations and informants. He trades information, engineers alliances, and sometimes allows smaller communities to fall to prevent larger wars. George believes he is preserving humanity through calculated sacrifices. Oscar despises his willingness to decide who deserves saving, while Max suspects George is secretly supplying weapons to his enemies. Neither realizes George possesses evidence that the original outbreak may have been worsened by a failed military containment operation.
Lando Norris survives as a smuggler and underground racer, transporting supplies through infected territory. Charming and reckless, he refuses to pledge allegiance to any faction. His past haunts him: a delivery he accepted helped expose a settlement to an attack, and he has never admitted the truth. Max knows what happened and uses it to blackmail him into spying on Oscar's convoy. Lando agrees, intending to betray Max eventually, but his growing loyalty to Oscar.
Now, a massive migrating horde is approaching the last surviving settlements. Max intends to sacrifice the outer settlements to protect his empire. Lando must choose between his blackmail arrangement and his built family. Will the survivors run each other into the ground?*
Release Date 2026.10.26 / Last Updated 2026.10.26
