Feeding Time Is Politics (Zoo Mafia TTRPG)

Feeding Time Is Politics (Zoo Mafia TTRPG)

February 7, 2026

How Keeper Routines Shape the Zoo — and How Crews Turn Them Into Power

In Zoo Mafia, our noir animal mafia tabletop RPG set in a 1920s crime zoo, power doesn’t just come from territory, muscle, or reputation.

It comes from knowing when the bucket hits the ground.

Keepers think feeding time is routine.
Animals know feeding time is leverage.

Who eats first.
Who eats last.
Who gets supplements.
Who gets “special monitoring.”

These aren’t just care decisions.

They are political pressure points—waiting to be exploited.

The Keeper Schedule Is the Real Boss

Every zoo runs on routine:

Feeding cycles
Cleaning rotations
Medical checks
Enrichment activities
Transfer windows
Exhibit closures

From the outside, this looks like structure.
From the inside, it’s predictable vulnerability.

Crews that map routines gain:

Safe movement windows
Built-in distractions
Smuggling timing
Territory denial tools

In Zoo Mafia, information about keeper schedules is often more valuable than contraband.

Feeding Time = Power Redistribution

Food isn’t just survival.
It’s influence.

If one enclosure gets fed late three days in a row:

Tempers rise
Deals get made
Fights become inevitable

If one group gets “extra enrichment food”:

Someone’s informing
Someone’s being rewarded
Someone’s about to get betrayed

Smart crews don’t just steal food.

They redirect it.

Maintenance Is Territory Warfare

Cleaning days are gold mines.

Pens get emptied.
Gates get opened.
Tools get left out.
Barriers get moved.

For a few hours, the zoo stops being stable.

That’s when power shifts.

During maintenance:

Stashes get planted
Evidence gets erased
Routes temporarily open
Rivals get trapped out of position

In this indie tabletop RPG, maintenance is battlefield disguised as housekeeping.

Running Daytime Zoo Mafia Adventures

Night is freedom.
Day is survival.

Daytime jobs should feel like:

Slow tension
Watching and waiting
Moving only when expected
Acting normal instead of acting clever

During the day, stealth isn’t optional.

It’s oxygen.

Why Daytime Is So Dangerous

At night:

Humans are gone
Noise is normal
Movement is expected

During the day:

Humans are everywhere
Cameras are watched live
Behavior is compared to “normal”

The greatest danger isn’t being caught committing a crime.

It’s being seen acting wrong.

Core Rule of Daytime Play

If a human can point and say:

“That animal is behaving strangely.”

You’re already losing.

Daytime Adventure Options

1. The Feeding Window Job

The crew must move goods or information during feeding chaos.

Challenges:

Crowds gathering
Keepers watching closely
Other animals competing for attention

Success comes from blending into feeding behavior.

2. The Maintenance Gap

An exhibit is partially opened for cleaning.

Opportunity:
Temporary access to normally sealed areas.

Risk:
Staff presence is high—even if barriers are down.

3. The Vet Transport Moment

An animal is moved in a crate or cart.

Perfect cover… if the crew doesn’t draw attention.

4. The Enrichment Distraction

Keepers deploy puzzles, food hunts, or toy drops.

This creates:

Noise
Movement
Keeper distraction
Camera overload

Ideal for subtle movement.

Daytime Stealth: What Actually Works

✔ Acting Predictable

The best stealth is boring behavior.

Sleep.
Groom.
Pace.
Sit.
Watch.

✔ Using Humans as Cover

Crowds block sight lines.
School tours create noise.
Photography groups create flash chaos.

Humans are obstacles—but also camouflage.

✔ Indirect Movement

Push things with environment.
Use gravity.
Use water runoff.
Use other animals’ reactions.

If it looks accidental, it’s invisible.

GM Advice: Daytime Is Pressure, Not Combat

Day adventures shouldn’t feel like:
“Don’t get caught or you fail.”

They should feel like:
“Every extra second increases the risk.”

Use:

Time pressure
Near misses
Close calls
Interruptions

Let tension build, not explode.

Player Advice: Patience Wins Daylight Jobs

The most dangerous instinct players have is:

“We should do something now.”

Daytime success often means:
Wait.
Watch.
Then act—once.

The Real Secret of Feeding Time

If you are a fan of Zoo Mafia and want to be notified when we go live on Kickstarter make sure you head over to the follow page to get notified. If you want to be on the newsletter to get all the details as we release them you can sign up here.

The zoo runs on routine.

Who controls routine…
controls survival.

And in Zoo Mafia, survival is the only currency that never loses value.

Thanks for reading. Until Next Time, Stay Nerdy!!

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