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Red Death Earth Information

Chimera Infection Crisis/The Red Death



When the first stand of a unique microbial lifeform, CHIMERA-I, was first found in rural parts of Eurasia in the early 2010s few could have predicted that ten years later it would bring about the greatest crisis in human history. CHIMERA-I is a bacterial lifeform that shows elements quite virus like in nature due to its use of other cells for reproduction, attacking cells and using them to reproduce by effectively taking them over with replicated clones that would then infiltrate clumps of other cells using the original host and spreading further. The parasitic nature of CHIMERA-I fascinated the scientific community but there was concern that if it ever evolved into a more dangerous state it would become a rapid vector for disease. Additionally there was no clear origin for it, CHIMERA-I was found in random samples in animals, scattered isolated water sources and some plants. In later study there was no conclusive origin blamed on countless things from government bioweapon research to accusations of alien incursion.

But the fact remains that CHIMERA-I was mostly unimportant to the public until the late 2020s when more variations of CHIMERA-I began to surface this time demonstrating rapid evolution with adverse effects such as animals acting irrationally and plant life dying showing signs of CHIMERA-I activity. Public health warnings were made about the disease which was followed by isolated reports of violent incidents occurring around the world. A string of violent attacks and murders all linked to assailants demonstrating sickly behavior before breaking out into violence. By the time these incidents were connected to CHIMERA-I being present in the body it was too late to raise the alarm before more severe strains of CHIMERA-I began to have more overt effects followed by a mass outbreak of CHIMERA-I infection.

By the time the threat was realized millions across the world were infected with CHIMERA-I and began to rampage infecting others creating hordes of infected who broke out into violence. Governments around the world attempted to respond but the disruptions in trade, communication networks and general organization meant the crisis rapidly spiraled out of control. Soon global civilization began to break down causing survivors to become scattered and stateless. The Red Death has become the deadliest disease in human history.


Effects of CHIMERA-1

CHIMERA-I cells enter the body of a lifeform and overwhelm the immune system and begin replacing all cell activity via reproduction. On a larger scale when CHIMERA-I cells enter the body of a living being chiefly humans and animals they enter the nervous system and brain attacking the cells disrupting critical brain activity. This attack causes several mental health and loss of control before the CHIMERA-I cells completely take over the brain at this point they begin replacing brain activity with their own actions creating complex systems of manipulation allowing their host to move and remain active even post-mortem effectively taking over the host completely and using the host to hunt down new potential hosts.

CHIMERA-I infection can occur from direct ingestion, contact with bodily fluids and eventually if the host has been infected long enough via the air allowing for rapid transference between infected individuals.

Symptoms are tracked via stages.

Stage 1: Initial Infection

In a living host initial infection will be noticed based off the amount of CHIMERA-I cells present in the system. CHIMERA-I reproduced rapidly but a small amount will need considerable time to pass through the system. During this time infected individuals will show signs of intense sickness such as a high fever and sweating, coughing, vomiting and swelling in certain regions of the body. Once the infection begins traveling into the nervous system and brain is when the infected individual will begin showing signs of violence this stage is signified by the symptom of blood red eyes. As brain activity is disrupted by CHIMERA cells the host starts to react with rapid loss of cognitive and physical ability the body will begin to experience violent spasms and twitching, host will then lose the ability to speak coherent sentences usually only able to scream or babble at this point the host is a danger to others as their bodily fluids will contain high numbers of CHIMERA-I and as they lose control over their motor function they will begin to experience CHIMERA take over chasing and attacking others.

Disturbing as it is to say the host is very much still alive at this point some more resilient hosts can manage to fight off the influence of CHIMERA as infected have been observed stopping themselves from attacking loved ones temporarily, some infected individuals have also been observed committing suicide to stop the process but ultimately they are still incredibly dangerous and beyond curing. Hosts will continue in this stage for however long their body lasts physically, CHIMERA hosts will run constantly remaining on the move as long as their physical condition will last CHIMERA does not prioritize any survival processes or biological functions. CHIMERA hosts have heightened physical activity their bodies no longer possessing natural limiters and have demonstrated the ability for limited tool use if capable able to grab objects to use as weapons. CHIMERA hosts do not eat, sleep and defecate at random depending on what was present before they eventually collapse.

Stage 2: Brain Loss

After a host collapses and expires this is not the end of CHIMERA infection. Deceased hosts will lose all original brain activity and functions but CHIMERA will continue to reproduce and mutate within their body. After a certain point the CHIMERA cells will begin replicating physical functions and cause the host to reanimate. Reanimated hosts can be an infected individual who expired or a dead body exposed to CHIMERA infection meaning that even the dead are a threat if exposed to CHIMERA-I. Reanimated hosts show no signs of higher brain function beyond limited movement usually quite awkward in nature due to riger mortis and the new CHIMERA controlled brain and nervous system only having control over the most basic parts of the body and virtually all bodily functions have stopped. They become aggressive walking corpses capable only of spreading infection via violent attacks and exposure.

While slow in movement and easily evaded reanimated CHIMERA hosts are incredibly dangerous they can move as long as there is something to control from the nervous system death via trauma is impossible as they do not feel pain nor react to any physical stimulus. They are highly durable and can only be stopped via destruction of the body, rendering it completely immobile or the brain is individually destroyed or separated from the nervous system. While not unstoppable it requires strength and tools to kill a reanimated CHIMERA host.

Stage 3: Evolution & Pseudo-Awareness

The latter stages of infection has only been observed long after the initial outbreak and collapse. But CHIMERA has demonstrated an ability to evolve even while present in a host. Long term infected individuals that have been observed develop undergoing physical changes. Early signs of such changes is loss of stiffness and awkwardness in physical movements regaining a more natural movement even embracing alternative forms of movement such as moving on all fours or climbing. Heightened brain activity has shown a level of complexity not seen in earlier stages such as sharper senses like hearing, smell, sight and even very, very limited communication such as howling calls, hand signs and babbling to communicate with other infected. As these changes occur further physical mutations have been observed variations of infected individuals such as extended limbs for better running speeds and combat ability, sharpened teeth and growth of new muscles stronger and more capable of sustaining themselves against violent activity. This is a first stage where infected individuals have been observed intentionally feeding for energy and sustenance.

Infected will also demonstrate the first signs of self-preservation hiding from attackers and evading obvious threats, assisting fellow infected in tasks and even coordinating to some level. But this heightened intelligence does not mean a lessened danger these infected individuals are incredibly dangerous and show just as much violent tendencies as earlier stages.

Though it should be noted that advanced levels of infection have only been observed in nervous systems that show a compatibility with CHIMERA. Many animals infected with the virus simply die after initial infection or preform erratic movement only select species like Canids, Felines, Apes, Birds, Elephants, Whales and scattered reports of reptiles and some birds have been observed experiencing infectious reanimation. Additionally the CHIMERA infection does not always lead to violent spreading some hosts will immediately expire and not reanimate if exposed such as small children and infants.

Surviving CHIMERA-I

CHIMERA-I is incredibly dangerous and has near instant effects on hosts. But one weakness of the disease is that signs of it are obvious and there are many ways to counteract and survive CHIMERA-I. First and foremost is the fact that air exposed CHIMERA-I dies off quickly and can only survive within host environments thus when around infected individuals who may breathe out CHIMERA cells the risk of infection via air contact is low and only in close proximity and a sufficient air filtration system such as a mask can prevent infection via air contact. Additionally CHIMERA-I cells present in bodies of liquid such as water and blood will develop a red-black color as the cell begins to reproduce making infected water obvious and CHIMERA-I cells are extremely vulnerable to high temperatures, boiling water will remove CHIMERA cells and render it safe, sufficiently cooked meat will remove any CHIMERA present provided the host was in the first stage only.

While there has been no vaccine or treatment against CHIMERA created there has been reports of survivors that indicate survival from initial infection is possible. Immediately treatment of an exposure via limb removal, blood draining and vomit have reportedly helped exposed survivors survive though a quarantine period is recommended for any exposed regardless of how quickly treatment is administered. There is also the possibility of immune individuals, scattered reports of immunity have propped up but sometimes it is used to take advantage of others or claim cult followings with no verifiable proof.

Survivors of The Red Death: North America


North America was spared from the initial tide of CHIMERA infection due to the disease's appearance in Europe. Alarms were raised in the government's of the United States, Canada and Mexico on measures to be taken against the immense danger posed by CHIMERA. However politicians were hesitant to take immediate actions to prevent CHIMERA's spread due to reports of human rights abuses in nations where the infection was already popping up and public backlash in the face of strict restrictions after a recent pandemic created a heightened period of political tensions. Other experts argued there was no need for draconian measures due to the obvious nature of CHIMERA infection and that disease individuals could be quickly sorted out and dealt with by federal health agencies before any widespread outbreaks could occur. There were however some measures taken, supplies were stockpiled and resources were allocated to deal with a potential crisis with emergency in the United States state governors were encouraged to activate their national guards and rally police forces in preparation for emergency mass citizen unrest. Canada and Mexico discreetly activated their armed forces beginning maneuvers that placed them within operational distance of large cities.

Due to a lack of lock down on international trade and travel, several patient zeroes began to appear in North America. Many of these individuals are apprehended before a large scale outbreak could occur but contamination led to indirect exposure for many first responders alongside incidents of public backlash against the treatment of CHIMERA infected victims and additional protest came from slow CHIMERA screening processes during travel and trade this allowed exposed materials and latent infected individual passing through security. This led to several larger scale outbreaks and incidents that rapidly escalated the situation as the ability of CHIMERA to spread rapidly became more apparent to officials. It was thought that even if there was an outbreak mass private ownership of firearms and North America's considerable military and security resources could stamp out any outbreak before it spiraled out of control but this illusion was soon broken.

Mass panic caused evacuation attempts in areas where reports and rumors of CHIMERA outbreaks to choke up road networks around the country. The sheer amount of fleeing citizens abandoning their homes while those who attempted to protect their property locked down leading to outbreaks of violence, refusal to work and slowed down all forms of transportation to a standstill. Government forces both military and civilian were overwhelmed with reports and emergency situations making chain of command confused and nearly impossible to manage. The US government eventually resorted to ordering all foreign deployed forces around the globe to withdraw in an attempt to muster the full might of the military against the threat. This outraged foreign allies who called Americans traitors and demanded troops remain but were unable to do much more than send empty complaints as US troops returned home.

For a small period a coordinated military campaign by the US, Canadian and Mexican armed forces managed to defeat larger outbreaks but martial law was needed and citizens began to resist these efforts. Riots, rebellions, crime waves and continued outbreaks ravaged the military effort and soon there was mass loss of morale. Police and Soldiers abandoned their posts by the thousands daily draining numbers all while the number of Infected began to grow. A major outbreak in Washington DC caused the federal government to go dark as countless politicians were killed, the President and Vice President went missing to this day few know whether the President escaped and is sealed inside a bunker or deceased if there even is one anymore. Canada underwent a similar incident losing much of their leadership including the Prime Minister. Unexpectedly Mexico due in part to the sheer amount of firearms and citizens more prepared for social unrest was able to retain some order, Mexican military forces and volunteer militias of citizens and even allied cartel shooters patrol the Mexican border for infected as well as ironically American refugees who tend to be violently pushed back.

Southern Canada was devastated by outbreaks but there were reports that CHIMERA hosts fared poorly in cold weather making outbreaks in northern Canada and Alaska less severe. This caused a mass wave of refugees heading north who ended up running into infected regions while many broke through what awaited them was a frozen wilderness lacking infrastructure. It is unknown really how well they are fairing, some rumors even persist that Anchorage has become the capital of the United States of America but most regard this as overly optimistic.

While remnants exist in the United States and Canada government authority is mostly out of the window. Those left behind fend for themselves as they struggle to make do with limited resources creating tensions among survivor pockets. These differing bands come in many forms with distinctive outlooks for the future as they try to survive to see tomorrow.

North American Survivor Bands:

Blue Zones

During the days of push back against the mass outbreak there was a coordinated attempt to create a series of safe zones where surviving refugees could be concentrated and temporarily live until the surrounding area was retaken. In the US, Canada and Mexico these efforts saw some limited success in various cities and rural areas where bloody clearing campaigns were fought against scores of infected going building by building, room by room to ensure not a single infected remained and then clearing out the area around the zone with air strikes and artillery bombardment sacrificing precious infrastructure in the name of safety long enough for work crews to establish checkpoints and large walls to hold back infected and clean up crews exhausted themselves cleaning every inch until no trace of CHIMERA-I could be found. These clear areas were declared evacuation zones and refugees were encouraged to enter a blue zone via checkpoints with rigorous inspections and health checks to ensure no infected people got in. The military maintained a zero tolerance policy for entering the Blue Zone and they had strict laws and regulations with expected work hours, rationed food supplies and law expectations breaking of zone policy could see imprisonment or worse for the offenders. For a time the blue zones represented a hope for a return of normalcy but as time passed it was realized that there was no hope of leaving any time soon.

Many Blue Zones eventually fell apart either overwhelmed by an CHIMERA outbreak, descending into anarchy and those within them scattering outside to find new safe havens but some remained. Surviving Blue Zones were often the result of either cooperation between staff and occupants relaxing strict protocols and allowing for some small forms of local government and management to be agreed upon normalizing relations. Others became outright dictatorships with the staff becoming overseers who used threat of violence to keep occupants in line maintaining discipline by rewarding security forces with extra rations, better housing and other rewards for their service these pocket empires tend to be filled with criminal groups and smugglers who operate in the shadows maintaining black markets and running illegal businesses usually with the permission of the staff to ensure stability at every level. Other Blue Zones have played host to successful revolts and rebellions with new groups taking over the responsibility of oversight but they tend to find themselves under the same pressures as the previous staff to maintain stability resorting to alternative or sometimes even worse methods to keep the zone alive.

Nomads

Perhaps the most common form of survivor is Nomads, usually they are small groups or even lone individuals who wander the unclaimed wilderness either unable to find a safe place to ride out the Red Death or unwilling to settle in one area for one reason or another. Nomads, while they tend to be an infrequent sight are known to pass through areas every so often be they families, close allies or just loners searching for something to find. Nomads have a rather mixed reputation for some; they provide an opportunity for news, trade and can be good allies who might be willing to lend their aid for the promise of some reward. For others, Nomads are dangerous, freely wandering into infected land they bring the risk of the killer plague wherever they wander and will often resort to brutal violence at the blink of an eye. For some opportunists Nomads may even be prey, targeting Nomads to loot or capturing them as prisoners is the unfortunate fate of many travelers before they reach their destination.

Nomads are often lacking much in the way of resources, traveling with whatever they can scavenge and carry on their packs limits what they can effectively cart around save for the rare caravan which can manage to get a vehicle up and running up until they run out of fuel or batteries. But where there is scarcity there is ingenuity and many Nomads who have managed to survive this long have developed systems for traveling protecting themselves from any threats they might encounter on the road.

Bandits

Bandits sometimes referred too as marauders among other titles are similar to Nomads being wandering survivors that remain on the move constantly but where Nomads are typically those searching for refuge and family, Bandits often have a more violent purpose. Desperation creates those willing to sacrifice their morals for one reason or another to get what they want or simply require an outlet for sustained violence against anything they encounter. Bandits are scavengers, thieves and killers who typically travel in large groups moving between locations getting any supplies they can gather or steal before moving on to a new location. There is no real organization or hierarchy to these groups beyond having a leadership who commands just enough authority to keep up a certain level of coordination. Sometimes this comes from bandits being former military or paramilitary forces who have gone rogue, the followers of charismatic leaders or simply a group of survivors who snapped one day and only recognize a handful of their fellows as human anymore.

Bandits are hated amongst the survivor community; their crimes are infamous even during such a desperate time as the Red Death and most organized group kill any known Bandits on sight. But even though they have their place in this lost society, Bandits often have to live in territories that are hotbeds for the infected which puts them in a constant battle against the infected which drains both sides of numbers. Some factions take advantage of this willingness to fight herding bandit armies toward areas of high infected concentration potentially clearing out the area or ridding the world of a few bandits without the need for wasting ammunition.

Bunkers

Bunkers is a slang term for those who went into hiding during the initial reports of CHIMERA outbreaks. Many wealthy and private individuals who had the means of building or buying hidden long term shelters wasted no time hunkering down hoping to ride out the apocalypse for as long as their supplies lasted. But few could have predicted the sheer length of time they would be sealed inside bunkers and fortified homes. No experts thought that CHIMERA would be so overwhelming as to cause a sharp decline in civilization. Years passed, mental strength was tested and supplies ran thin; many bunkers were abandoned or those within them withered away. Some less fortunate were broken into by infected or armed bandits who slaughtered the occupants but there were some that have managed to open up to the outside world safely. Some offer temporary shelter in exchange for critical supplies, some even become part of surviving communities building out from within them. But there are some that are still sealed and approaching them can be dangerous so much time hidden away from the world creates paranoia and distrust, making many Bunkers dangerous to approach.

Settlements

Settlements are similar to Blue Zones, safe areas forged by coordinated efforts to clear out infected and secure them against infiltration but unlike the Blue Zones they were not established by the military but by coordinated groups of survivors banding together and strategically clearing out an area and fortifying it. Settlements are scattered all throughout North America and can rapidly group should they be successful enough to draw the eye of Nomads looking for a place to live. However life in a settlement is far from entirely peaceful; they rely on collecting materials from the outside, often involving dangerous missions to scavenge for supplies in infected and occupied areas. And often being around so many other people with a lack of technology and facilities to rely on makes them vulnerable to CHIMERA outbreaks in addition to crime and black markets forming in the absence of effective means to keep order. Settlements are often lawless beyond the means of the group to keep the law and Settlements may also develop wildly different ideological views and outlooks on the future. Bickering, infighting are practically daily occurrences in any sufficiently large Settlement but most dwellers are simply concerned for the safety of their loved ones within.

Warlords

Warlordism is a symptom of any disrupted civilization. Rogue military units, abandoned armories being plundered and supplies taken even without the means to maintain expansive military equipment there are sufficient weapons scattered around the world to fight decades of wars without the need to produce new ammunition and other weaponry. This has created an environment for Warlords to rise up. Similar to Bandits and Settlements what defines a Warlord is a level of coordination and military organization far beyond the organization of simple marauder bands and survivor communes. Warlords typically have a dream, a vision for the future in a world gone mad taking advantage of society's collapse to build a society of their own. They gather followers training them with military discipline and well supplied along with securing means to keep up morale and loyalty. Sometimes it is the simple promise of safety in numbers and reliable food, other times it is the potential to hold power in a world where so much was stripped away. For some Warlords are opportunists and criminals, greedy men and women who take advantage of others using violence to establish pocket empires. For others they are a necessary evil, a force willing to fight against the CHIMERA tide where so many others would rather turn and flee. But many Warlords while culling infected where they march on the warpath often find themselves embroiled in lengthy wars against other Warlords, Bandit armies and Insurgencies a tragic showcase that even in the end times humanity cannot join together.

Cults

Faith can be a helpful mental reassurance in times of trial, many survivors still cling to faith in their chosen religion while some shun the idea others find small hopes in prayer and salvation. But there are those more sinister who take advantage of those who search for something to believe in and turn their ear to manipulation and control. CHIMERA's existence and the collapse of society drove countless thousands to their limit and in this crisis of faith many prophets, messiahs and martyrs have appeared to spread new faiths and religious beliefs. Cults have arisen all across North America, the majority of them descended from Christian faiths but other more radical and unorthodox beliefs have appeared. Some cults were founded with a genuine vision for unity and faith in a time of crisis but many have descended into mad beliefs for control and manipulation as a way to take advantage of others and gain a useful army of followers. Cults typically stay in their own private communities where they try to gain new membership by luring strays into their circle with appeals to safety, food and even offers of pleasures and entertainment not found anymore. Other cults might be more subtle infiltrating larger groups and existing in the shadows of the safe area preaching in secret. Some cults are harmless simply alternative religious groups but others are quite dangerous falling to zealotry, insane rituals and sick practices immoral even in a world gone mad.

A common thought among survivors is when faced between choosing a cult and a horde of CHIMERA. Best to pull up your sleeves and embrace the nearest infected.

Survivor Economy

It is fairly obvious to anyone that in the current state civilization paper money and digital currency is practically worthless. In the early days there was some small hope that money would have its uses again so it was stockpiled and carefully guarded but as the situation decline money became less and less valued until it reached the point that most survivors wouldn't give a stack of thousands of dollars a second glance beyond using it as fuel for fire or toilet paper. Survivors prefer to look to more practical materials when exchanging valuables, in Blue Zones this is usually through the exchange of extra rationing passes in the wilderness and settlements these exchanges are negotiated via trade. Clothes, Food, Ammunition, Batteries, Fuel, Medicine and even entertainment all have their differing values based off needs and survivors willing to trade their wares will often rely on dedicated traders to handle the items they wish to part with safely or will simply make signs showing what they're willing to part with. As a survivor one must be prepared to carry extra items they're willing to part with for a potential trade without at the same time sacrificing their own safety. The balancing act between needed trade while avoiding being weighed down by hoarding is an everyday struggle.

Curiously one especially valued item for trade is physical media like books, magazines and comics. While electronic devices still show up from time to time and parts for machines are critical for many survivors there is the acknowledgement that things will eventually break down. Thus more long lasting physical materials are highly valued as entertainment for survivors especially children who need to be kept occupied during down time. Pornography and Illicit materials are surprisingly valuable as so much of it was moved to digital services it can often shock less experienced survivors what people are willing to part with in exchange for a magazine or enjoyable novel.

Less savory trades are also common, drugs are a valuable item for trade, usually simpler plant based drugs like cannabis as chemically produced drugs are nearly impossible to create now. Salvaged cigarettes and cigar packs along with alcohol are practically as good as gold to survivors which is why even those who abstain will carry some with them as a means to trade for high value items. Human trading is also a common resort prostitution is common in large settlements and some militant groups, cults and even blue zones practice human trafficking to some degree needing bodies for their work forces. Children are especially valued as orphans can be raised into loyal followers and sometimes parents attempting to fill the void of lost children will be willing to part with nearly anything they have if it means being able to care for a child again. Such trades are highly frowned upon by most but in such times all options are on the table in the name of survival.

SPECIES PROFILE: PRAETOR

Praetors are the descendants of domesticated, genetically and magically enhanced tyrannosaurs that were bred during the reign of the Draconic Empire called Tyrants. Tyrants were biological weapons that would be dropped onto planets to work as powerful attack dogs against armies of foes. After the collapse of the Draconic empire surviving Tyrants on Teer'mam interbred with wild Tyrannosaurs and continued to adapt to life on the subcontinent of Lifa for twenty million years until ten million years ago, when Lifa collided with the rest of Penn, allowing them to expand their range significantly.

The Praetors are the largest land predator on all of Teer'mam (outside of dragons), and they are known for their resistance to magic, and their ability to sniff out magic. Their body is covered in a carapace of scutes that are incredibly hard and tough, blades have been broken on them, usually only dwarven metal or divine bronze can break it, however, the underbelly is much softer. Some Praetors have the ability to ignite their mouths on fire with an extremely radioactive napalm-plasma, and through exhalations can send that flame up to 5 meters.

There are three subspecies of Praetor and they are as followed:

The Green Praetor-These Praetors grow up to 13 meters and weigh in at 8 tons, they are primarily ambush predators, they have proportionately larger feet than most Tyrannosaurs which helps them move on uneven ground and pursuing prey within the jungles of Lifa.
The Red Praetor-These are a much smaller species of Praetor, only growing up to 5 meters and 3 tons, they are found in the corridor wastes, and have fierce competition with the other apex predator of the region: The Dust Devils.
The Black Praetor-The largest of the Praetors, at 15 meters and 10 tons, they are the apex predators of the northern most region of Penn, usually found on the eastern side of the Yardsen River, though their range has been expanding outwards, some have even made their way to Lifa and sometimes interbreed with Green Praetors making what are called Malachite Praetors.
Malachite Praetors-The Malachite Praetors are closer to the size of Black praetors but with the features of the Green Praetor that make them adapted for jungle hunting. These animals are rare, but can be found in either packs of Black or Green Praetors, unlike most hybrid animals, Malachite Praetors can in fact breed with Green Praetors.