Lily Ritter is a non-playable character and the overarching protagonist in State of Decay and the DLC Breakdown.
She is one of the first survivors the player encounters, as she is the one who initially contacts them over the radio. Lily directs Marcus, Maya, and Ed to join her at the game's first home site, the Church of the Ascension.
She stayed at the Church of the Ascension alongside Sam, Alan, and Pastor Will, as well as her father, Thomas Ritter, and brother, Jacob Ritter, before they went missing.
As the community's radio operator, Lily serves as "mission control," notifying and reminding players of new missions while occasionally offering advice.
Backstory[]
Lily was diagnosed with Lupus at the age of 9, shortly after her mother passed away. This deeply affected her father, Thomas Ritter, who fell into depression, placing a heavy burden on her brother, Jacob Ritter. When Jacob turned eighteen, he decided to move to the city, leading to a major falling out with Thomas. The two remained estranged for years until Jacob returned home shortly before the outbreak. After the virus spread, Lily, Thomas, and Jacob took shelter at the Church of the Ascension.
Lily is the first person to contact the survivors via radio, albeit accidentally, while attempting to reach her father, Thomas Ritter, who had died at the Ranger Station. After learning about their situation, she offers them shelter—on the condition that "Your friend (Ed) doesn't look too dicey."
Notes[]
- Lily is the only character in State of Decay who cannot be killed by any means. However, she can become sick, and since she is stationed in the Radio Room instead of the Medical Area, she will remain sick for extended periods, or even permanently.
- A billboard in Lifeline can be found with the words, "Give a spleen, save a life", and a picture of Lily.
- Lily makes an appearance in State of Decay 2 as a member of "The Network", an unseen group of survivors that can provide supply drops and other services to your community via the radio.
- Several survivors from the first game have been confirmed to have made it out of Trumbull Valley alive. Lily Ritter returns as a key character in the sequel, alongside Sasquatch from Lifeline. With the release of the Heartland DLC, both Ray Santos and Mickey Wilkerson also reappear alive.
- In a radio transmission by Kamilla "Kami" Báez, Lily Ritter was initially reported dead from an unspecified disease. However, a later broadcast confirmed she survived.
