It goes by many names: “The Crisis,” “The Dark Years,” “The Walking Plague,” as well as newer and more “hip” Titles such as “World War Z” or “Z War One.” I personally dislike this last moniker as it implies an inevitable “Z War Two.” For me, it will always be “The Zombie War,” and while many may protest the scientific accuracy of the word sombre, they will be hard-pressed to discover a more globally accepted term for the creatures that almost caused our extinction.
-Max Brooks
-Max Brooks
Mubunte, Democratic Republic of the Congo
February 1978
The insignificant town nestled on a forested mountainside could almost be considered peaceful, perhaps dreamy. Electricity, automobiles, and other newfangled inventions were slow to infiltrate. Far from the anarchy and chaos in Kinshasa, it had existed on the Kasai river for as long as anyone could remember. However idyllic it may have seemed, the tranquility would not last. Ironically, this little village in "the middle of nowhere" would become the center of a conflagration that would take the entire World with it.
It was a warm night, much warmer than usual for the time of year. A layer of smog from the rampant deforestation clouded Mubunte in an ominous cloak. Rumors of a new plague had slowly started to surface among the elders, something that the loggers were starting to call living death.
Three days later, Noon
A man sporting huge gashes on his leg was shambling down the dirt road that parted the town. Alive with commotion, the street hawkers and passerby barely paused to stare at the strange spectacle -- until it caught its first victim.
Two years later, the village of Mubunte was completely erased from living memory.
Paris, French Republic
April 2015
The Seine was awash with flames, burned wreckage from the multitude of ships attempting to escape. Thousands of corpses choked the muddy waters, reflecting back the conflagration in the dark sky - stars hidden by ash rising into the sky. The first city in the West to experience a major outbreak; the footage of the apocalyptic scene scored priority by almost all news agencies. It would not be the last.
General Information
Welcome to Humanity's Last Hope: a World War Z - esque role play, in which you can choose a modern country (ie, China) and guide it through the zombie war to salvation, or destruction. I would recommend reading the book World War Z, it's a gripping read, that accurately portrays how modern nations would react to a real, honest-to-goodness, Zombie Plague.
Solanum
Unfortunately, extensive research has yet to find an isolated example of Solanum in nature. Water, air, and soil in all ecosystems, from all parts of the world, have turned up negative, as have their accompanying flora and fauna. At the time of this writing, the search continues.
2. Symptoms
The timetable below outlines the process of an infected human (give or take several hours, depending on the individual).
Hour 1: Pain and discoloration (brown-purple) of the infected area. Immediate clotting of the wound (provided the infection came from a wound).
Hour 5: Fever (99–103 degrees F), chills, slight dementia, vomiting, acute pain in the joints.
Hour 8: Numbing of extremities and infected area, increased fever (103–106 degrees F), increased dementia, loss of muscular coordination.
Hour 11: Paralysis in the lower body, overall numbness, slowed heart rate.
Hour 16: Coma.
Hour 20: Heart stoppage. Zero brain activity.
Hour 23: Reanimation.
3. Transference
Solanum is 100 percent communicable and 100 percent fatal. Fortunately for the human race, the virus is neither waterborne nor airborne. Humans have never been known to contract the virus from elements in nature. Infection can occur only through direct fluidic contact. A zombie bite, although by far the most recognizable means of transference, is by no means the only one. Humans have been infected by brushing their open wounds against those of a zombie or by being splattered by its remains after an explosion. Ingestion of infected flesh (provided the person has no open mouth sores), however, results in permanent death rather than infection. Infected flesh has proven to be highly toxic.
No information—historical, experimental, or otherwise—has surfaced regarding the results of sexual relations with an undead specimen, but as previously noted, the nature of Solanum suggests a high danger of infection. Warning against such an act would be useless, as the only people deranged enough to try would be unconcerned for their own safety. Many have argued that, given the congealed nature of undead bodily fluids, the chances of infection from a non-bite contact should be low. However, it must be remembered that even one organism is enough to begin the cycle.
4. Cross-species Infection
Solanum is fatal to all living creatures, regardless of size, species, or ecosystem. Reanimation, however, takes place only in humans. Studies have shown that Solanum infecting a non-human brain will die within hours of the death of its host, making the carcass safe to handle. Infected animals expire before the virus can replicate throughout their bodies. Infection from insect bites such as from mosquitoes can also be discounted. Experiments have proven that all parasitic insects can sense and will reject an infected host 100 percent of the time.
The zombie survival guide : complete protection from the living dead
5. Treatment
Once a human is infected, little can be done to save him or her. Because Solanum is a virus and not a bacteria, antibiotics have no effect. Immunization, the only way to combat a virus, is equally useless, as even the most minute dosage will lead to a full-blown infection. Genetic research is under way. Goals range from stronger human antibodies to resistant cell structure to a counter-virus designed to identify and destroy Solanum. This and other, more radical treatments are still in the earliest stages, with no foreseeable success in the near future. Battlefield experiences have led to the immediate severing of the infected limb (provided this is the location of the bite), but such treatments are dubious at best, with less than a 10 percent success rate. Chances are, the infected human was doomed from the moment the virus entered his or her system. Should the infected human choose suicide, he should remember that the brain must be eliminated first. Cases have been recorded in which recently infected subjects, deceased by means other than the virus, will nonetheless reanimate. Such cases usually occur when the subject expires after the fifth hour of infection. Regardless, any person killed after being bitten or otherwise infected by the undead should be immediately disposed of. (See “Disposal.”)
6. Reanimating The Already Deceased
It has been suggested that fresh human corpses could reanimate if Solanum were introduced after their demise. This is a fallacy. Zombies ignore necrotic flesh and therefore could not transfer the virus. Experiments conducted during and after World War II have proven that injecting Solanum into a cadaver would be futile because a stagnant bloodstream could not transport the virus to the brain. Injection directly into a dead brain would be equally useless, as the expired cells could not respond to the virus. Solanum does not create life—it alters it.
-The Zombie Survival Guide
General Premise
Rules
1. Realism. Every country is going to experience losses- please don't metagame gigantic fences around all of your major cities. I'll be using events and other OP power to make sure this doesn't happen.
2. Post-length. Please have at least two paragraphs with four lines.
3. Flaming. If you have a problem, please discuss it civilly on the OOC. We don't want moderator intervention.
Application
Short and easy! Yay!
- Code: Select all
[b]Nation[/b]:
[b]Leader[/b]:
[b]Goals[/b]:
[b]Current History[/b]: (Basically, how your nation has been responding to the threat of Solanum so far. Please keep in mind the infection map (that isn't quite finished yet.)
[b]Description of Economy[/b]: (How it has suffered, what infrastructure is still alive, etc.)
[b]IMPORTANT! RP EXAMPLE - (Since the app won't have a whole lot of writing in it, please make sure to put in your best example of RP work here.):[/b]
Taken Nations
Japan - Sabara
United Kingdom - Kingdom of Glitter
Sweden - Inesea
Israel - Peace Loving Warlords
Zimbabwe - G-Tech Corporation
United States - Terminus Alphas
Ireland - Reatra
Russia - New Greek Republic
Canada - Norwegian Vinland
Switzerland - Conglomerate of Iron
Germany - Republic of Cristo
Mexico - Baja California y Sonora
Israel - Peace Loving Warlords
China - Senkaku
Iceland - Danish Confederacy
Afghanistan Fascist Republic of Bermuda
OPEN NATIONS THAT WE NEED:
Australia
Indonesia
India
Iran
Germany
Canada
South Africa
Mexico
Brazil
South Korea
Co-OPs:
Kingdom of Glitter
Good to see you again Glitter!
Would you mind the position of Co-op?
