Re: Roman Empire Zombie Survival
 

I'd be inclined to set it around the same time as the Barbarian Conspiracy, where the diocese was under siege. Of course, that might lean too medieval for you.

Re: Roman Empire Zombie Survival
 

I think that I would much rather be Picts fighting against Roman zombies. The trade networks of the Romans Empire would have allowed the spread of a zombie contagion through its territories. Groups like the Picts would have to deal with Roman zombies marching through their territory in search of human flesh.

Re: Roman Empire Zombie Survival
 

Some zombie considerations:

1. How do they fight? A zombie that always All-Out Attacks is less dangerous in small numbers, but very dangerous in hordes. A zombie that can Dodge, and even Retreat, is very dangerous, but feels less like a classic zombie.
2. How hard to kill? It can be good to offset Injury Tolerance (Unliving) with Fragile (Unnatural) so they're tough to seriously injure, but don't require HPx-5 to go down.

Re: Roman Empire Zombie Survival
 

Have Cauldron Born be classic zombies, need to destroy the head to kill, infectious, etc. Have infected zombies created by Cauldron Born or other infected zombies be weaker and rot at a normal rate so they cease to be a threat after a week or so. So a few Cauldron Born created by really nasty ritual and they roam around causing local outbreaks that can usually be put down but then another one comes by and it starts again. Thus gives the PCs a reason to go out adventuring, looking for the Cauldron Born to stop the outbreaks.

Re: Roman Empire Zombie Survival
 

While the actual fate of the Legio IX is debatable, it might be an interesting view to see it march north to reclaim ...Valencia, I think?...vanish...and return in marching order as zombies a couple of years later.