The disease. Green flu, or as commonly called 'the Infection.' It spread like wildfire, and with no cure let alone one possibly being created to stop it. It was just too fast. It was the fictional zombie apocalypse in the cheesy horror flick made real. But rather than being undead, they are living humans who have been Infected by the Green Flu virus, causing massively increased aggression and loss of many higher brain functions such as speech and self-preservation. Ground Zero for the infectious and virulent virus was in Pennsylvania, but there is little hope of recovering any data pertaining to the matter from the hospital that treated Patient Zero. Supposedly, depending on who's speaking, the green flu epidemic was airborne, and others claimed it spread through being bitten or scratched by the infected. A few even claim the disease was found in livestock. Few humans were immune to the green flu; still carrying the virus but showing no symptoms. Normally, once a person became infected, the person would display rabies-like symptoms while rapidly losing higher brain functions and becoming increasingly hostile, attacking those still uninfected with the disease. This led people to think that green flu was a sister strain of the rabies disease. But whether it was or wasn't still remains unknown and highly speculated. The time it takes for an individual person to turn into one of the infected seems to vary from person to person, ranging from four days to a matter of seconds. But the disease itself also causes rapid mutations in some host bodies, while leaving others as mere rabid humans. Thankfully, these special infected as they are called are rare, though more common than one would like to believe.
The CEDA (Civil Emergency and Defense Agency) was involved in responding to the the Green Flu epidemic. They created advertisements alerting the public about the disease, tried to evacuate citizens from highly infected areas, and even researched the disease though to no avail. All of these were eventually overrun with the infected. Eventually, CEDA disappeared, becoming either infected themselves or abandoning the public. Most presume only the higher-ups did the latter, leaving all the rest of the organization to the former.
In the case of Common and Uncommon Infected, as they have come to be called, observed aggressiveness manifests itself primarily in the form of frenzied physical blows and kicks. Bite attacks are of a secondary nature and may even be incidentally delivered. The Infected primarily attacks uninfected humans who have attracted attention through noise, movement and displaying bright lights. It is unknown whether other sensory stimuli such as smell or color variation trigger attack responses. Common Infected are also frequently observed displaying mutual aggressiveness towards one another. However, these attacks are not shown when the Infected finds an uninfected human, they focusing on the uninfected to kill their target. The Infection might also have changed their physiology. Some infected suffer instant fatal tissue damage, and dismemberment from moderate blunt force, yet they can still jump down from heights of approximately 20 feet with perfect physical coordination and without harm. They have no fine motor control and their gross motor control functions are heavily degraded, thus rendering them incapable of picking up objects and operating simple mechanisms such as door handles, though this is contributed mostly to the loss of higher brain functions. When passive and unstimulated, Common Infected lean against a support (such as a wall), sit, lie recumbent or stagger aimlessly in short uncoordinated steps. Many will vomit profusely or display visual signs of being unwell (e.g. slumped over cradling the head). Uncommon and Common Infected tend to be less inert in their passive state since they are invariably observed to be in a standing posture. When active and stimulated,both Common and Uncommon Infected undergo a rapid transformation during which their speed of movement is rapid, their gait is highly coordinated and focal direction unerring. Uncommon Infected display the same behavioral qualities with the exception that they appear to be more sensitive to external stimuli and are thus more easily aroused and provoked. While they seem capable of ignoring pain, they can still be killed easily, with Uncommon Infected only marginally more difficult to kill, due to gear such as hazmat suits or riot gear. Even clowns wearing squeaky shoes are a part of this classification, as the squeaking of the shoes will attract more of the Infected. All Infected are capable of climbing ladders and scaling objects, as well as breaking down weak walls and doors, though fortified doors they have no ability to bring down. However, while individually they are easy to kill, in massive groups they can easily overwhelm a small group of survivors. These massively numbered groups of infected are referred to as hordes. Usually, a horde is attracted by the sounding of loud and/or high pitched noises or bright lights.
The Infected appear to lack a sense of self preservation, as they will actively charge into flames, explosions, jump off from high buildings, and charge against the superior forces of those uninfected and their weapons.They are often seen engaging in bizarre activities (e.g. vomiting, attacking inanimate objects, fighting each other, showing that the sickness may still be affecting them even in this state, even perhaps killing them rather than keeping them as Infected) when unaware of the uninfected, but begin to rush at the uninfected the very moment they see them. Very rarely, an Infected can be seen facing a wall and making mumbling noises, as if talking to itself. Many believe the virus has affected the brain to the point of when only the most basic of instincts is still retained.The Infected are not known to feed or drink, however, they can still survive, and it is possible that the Infection has removed the mental ability to perform these necessary life functions. This may indicate that the Infected may eventually die of starvation or dehydration, and possibly even exposure to the elements as the Infected do not seem to seek shelter in conditions that non-Infected would. Also evident possibly from the loss of higher brain function is an ability to completely ignore pain and damage (including dismemberment) when in the known presence of the uninfected. If shot from a distance, they have been noted to hold their wounds and cry out, obviously affected in some way, though whether perhaps it is just out of surprise or actual pain is unknown.If nothing else, they seem to have some grasp of their current situation, or at least how they feel; generally, idle Infected act physically ill, holding their heads and vomiting as they shuffle around slowly. Occasionally, if you watch one long enough, one of the Infected who is holding their head may begin to writhe in pain, or they may simply lie down and sometimes die without being shot or punched, suggesting that the virus is deadlier than it seems. It is also possible that after Infection, they have a limited life span, just like how people infected with rabies have a limited lifespan if left untreated. It could also be through brain hemorrhaging, as Infected appear to bleed out the ears and eyes. This would also explain why they hold their heads in pain some of the time.
The Special Infected are hosts of the Infection that have been heavily mutated by the Infection, giving them "special abilities." In rare cases, individuals show extensive physical and mental changes after infection. In such situations, these Special Infected are physically stronger than Common Infected and have experienced some sort of side-effect or mutation that results in a unique ability. The symptomatic mutations are very distinct per Special Infected type, indicating a person-to-person variation in reaction to infection. There are an infinite number of speculations that can be made about the exact cause of mutations for the Special Infected. Each generally has a unique ability that one person cannot face alone, making them the true teamwork testers.They are not attracted by car alarms or loud noise and have a higher degree of intelligence than Common Infected, being able to run away if required and setting up ambushes. They are also more aggressive than the Common Infected, as they will actively attack Survivors rather than passively sitting in a stupor until disturbed. Below is a list of the known Special Infected.
[b]
The Smoker[/b] has been heavily mutated by a strain of the Infection and frequently makes high-pitched rasping and coughing noises that can alert Survivors of its presence. Though it resembles most Common Infected, it is taller, more durable, and its skin has become covered in growths that cause little spurts of green smoke and blood to ooze out when shot. It is said that the smoke it expels gives off a putrid smell, but it is otherwise harmless. The left side of its face is bloated and appears to be covered by a large tumor.The Smoker is an Infected with a long, whip-like tongue. The Smoker's tongue can be launched out of its mouth at high speeds, and when it reaches one of the Survivors, it automatically wraps around the target's body and drags him/her back towards the Smoker. If any obstacles block the victim from being dragged to the Smoker, he will choke his target instead. The Smoker claws at an ensnared Survivor when they are dragged all the way back to him, while at the same time the Survivor takes damage from the tongue constricting them if an obstacle obstructs them from being dragged to the Smoker. If a Survivor isn't dragged all the way back to a Smoker due to an obstruction (eg. a Horde surrounding the Survivor), the Survivor will only suffer potential strangulation from the tongue's squeeze. When killed, a Smoker leaves a haze of dark green smoke, obscuring the vision of the Survivors and causing them to cough if they stand in it. Some have suggested that the mutated "tongue" could actually be intestines. Occasionally, when killing the Smoker, hundreds of feet of "tongue" will spew from its mouth, supporting the intestines theory. A second theory is that the Smoker had cancer (probably tongue or throat) before becoming infected. This is supported by the fact that cancer occurs when a cell or group of cells mutate to the point the hayflick limit breaks, so the cells don't stop reproducing. Since there are cancerous growths all over the Smoker's face and upper torso, this may be true. Smoker mutations in regard to cloud of smoke they emit upon death may occur as a result to someone who is/was a heavy smoker. Higher levels of cancer or tar in the victim's lungs could inhibit complete exhalation and fill the respiratory track with â??smoke.â? Higher concentrations of the â??smokeâ? in the body may facilitate further mutations.
[b]The Hunter[/b] is the least visibly mutated Special Infected and superficially resembles a Common Infected. However, many Hunters seem to be fond of wearing hoodies and various kinds of workout clothing. It has yet to be explained how the Hunter's mutations onset, whether it be genetic, biochemical, or a Hunter-specific strain of the virus, but the mutations seem to be gender-linked as only male Hunters have been observed, similar to how only female Witches have been seen. The Hunter's reaction to the Infection has granted him an increase in lower-body strength. While not creating massive muscle growth like the Tank, this added strength has given the Hunter the ability to repeatedly jump and pounce from long distances and rapidly scale the sides of buildings with ease as well as toughen it's legs in order to withstand the great distances and heights it can achieve. Decreased pain response visible in all sufferers of the Infection also results in the Hunter not suffering from perpetual lactic acid buildup from muscle overexertion or impact damage after experiencing a large fall. At the same time, there seems to be some sort of muscle delay after an initial attack (post-attack recharge) where the Hunter is not able to move as swiftly. One of the most notable physical observations is that the Hunter lacks eyes. Whether this is self-inflicted, a byproduct of the Infection, or both is unknown. What remains of his eyes emit the white reflective glow displayed by Common Infected in the dark; although this effect may be light reflecting off the blood constantly leaking from his eye sockets. The extent of damage to the Hunter's sight suggests his other senses are far more developed than those of typical Infected, allowing him to hunt with far greater efficiency. It is possible that the screeching noises he makes and the growling are his own echolocation method. He might also use scent to tell the Survivors apart from Infected. As with the other Special Infected, he is not distracted by such high frequency noises as Pipe bombs or car alarms going off. Hunters also appear to be the only Infected with a self-defense reflex: when shot at a distance and knowing it cannot pounce, the Hunter will sometimes jump away into safety. Hunter Mutations may occur due to interactions with elevated levels of lactic acid in the muscles and bloodstreamâ??a result of heavy exercise (presumably from a continuous exercise-heavy lifestyle, such as parkour; fleeing from an Infected Horde is rather heavy exercise, but this alone would produce a large number of Hunters).
[b]The Jockey[/b] is quite unfortunate in that his infection has caused the him to develop a large amount of muscle mass on his upper back and neck, making him hop around in a spider monkey-like motion. His fingers and toes have increased in length, adding to his baboon-like profile. His lips, and the skin surrounding them, have deteriorated away, giving him a more skeletal look at the mouth area. This could possibly be due to him chewing and biting away at his lips because of mania, or possibly even clawing at his mouth due to the same reason. His hands are curved downward like a praying mantis, the arms are sticking out straight, and they have a coat of what appears to be blood. The hands are always twitching and shaking (the right one twitching notably more often than the left), and he doesn't stop laughing until death. He has a gibbering vocalization, and cackles hysterically while riding a Survivor. The Jockey is a Special Infected that has animal-like characteristics. The Jockey can use his ropey frame to jump long distances at a time, and about 15-20 feet when leaping upward. Though it can not jump as far as the Hunter, it does not have the need to crouch to charge up the ability. When the Jockey lands on a Survivor's head, he grabs onto them. He claws at the Survivor with his free hand while leaning in a direction to cause the Survivor to stumble. Again, the clawing does not do as much damage as the Hunter does. Jockey Mutations may have resulted from someone who was confined to a wheel chair. The obvious regenerative properties (mutations and growths) of the Infection could indicate a restoration of spinal cord function, giving the infected person the ability to walk again. This would explain the hunchback appearance and the emotional mania. A separate speculation suggests that the Jockey's mutations may be comparable to the Hunter's, paired with some form of dementia that either was already present or developed as a result of viral brain damage.
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The Tank[/b] is an exclusively male Special Infected who has experienced the most extensive physical mutations of any other class of Special Infected. The most obvious trait is its extreme hypertrophy, or abnormally increased muscle mass. It can be assumed its bones have become stronger too otherwise the Tank's skeleton would have collapsed under the weight of its own body. Despite its enormous bulk, the Tank is incredibly fast and agile, able to keep up with even a healthy Survivor. This abnormal muscular growth is most obvious in its arms and upper body and less pronounced around the Tank's waist, hips, and legs. Though the Tank's legs are capable of supporting its static weight (such as when the Tank mounts a rock throwing attack), the Tank's disproportionate anatomy forces it to knuckle-walk like a gorilla, resulting in the Tank's wrists becoming swollen. The Tank's body is covered with numerous scars and lesions from previous fights. The Tank's jaw at first glance seems to be missing, but upon closer inspection it is shown to be enveloped within its thick neck muscles. The Tank has also suffered either heavy brain damage or a rabies-like cerebral infection, resulting in the Tank being in a constant state of unbridled rage, even more so than most other Infected, and its response is to attack any human survivor on sight. Once the Tank has fixed a target, nothing short of death can stop him; bullets and explosives will not make him flinch, fire only slows him down (unless playing campaign in Left 4 Dead), and the sound of pipe bombs and car alarms won't distract him (though in the Left 4 Dead intro, it is a car alarm that alerts a Tank). The Tank will even smash down doors, knock away obstacles, and plow through entire crowds of Infected just to bare down on an unlucky Survivor it has chosen as a target. Tank Mutations are possibly related to body building supplements. Abnormally high levels of Creatine, Human Growth Hormone, and anabolic steroids (possibly produced naturally from some damage by the infection) could interact with the virus to promote tumor-like growth of muscle cells. If left uncontrolled, muscle mass would increase exponentially to the point where complex muscle movements are lost or limited and only basic movements (shuffling, climbing, thrashing, slow throwing, etc.) are possible.
[b]The Charger[/b] is a large Infected, close to the Tank in height and about half as wide. Unlike the Tank, the Charger's legs are capable of supporting all of its weight, and thus stands mostly upright. His hairless skin is a deep greenish-gray in color, perhaps secreting pus. The Charger's mutations appear similar to the Tank's mutations in terms of increased muscle mass, though more asymmetrical. Most notably, the Charger's right arm and shoulder have grown to a massive size and had increased in thickness, resulting his right hand becoming a swollen lump with stubby fingers. His left arm, inversely, has atrophied to the point of being useless (possibly from his body breaking it down to add bulk to his right arm), hanging limply to the Charger's side and flapping around like a T-Rex arm with every movement. His legs are less visibly affected by mutation, with only his left leg gaining any sort of extra bulk (to the point of ripping whatever pants he is wearing) while the right leg's proportions remain normal. The leg mutations are possibly to balance the Charger, equalizing the weight distribution throughout the body. Due to the Charger's preferred method of attack, it always appears to have sustained multiple injuries, especially on his right armâ??prolonged times of bashing and slamming into walls has made the flesh of the Charger's right arm thick with calluses, scabs, and scars. The right half of his face is also visibly damaged, his cranium possessing a massive dent, and half his face torn off, revealing his skull and jawbone. His nose is completely removed, and his dangling left arm shows signs of necrosis. Most likely a result of his constant charging, the Charger also lacks teeth.The Charger is a Special Infected that knocks down any Survivors in its way. The Charger's main purpose is to separate a group of Survivors who are tightly joined by grabbing one and crashing into the rest of the group, sending them flying through the air. Surprisingly faster than one would expect of its encumbersome mass, this increase in speed leads to a slow stop and impossible in turning left and right. Charger Mutations are similar to the Tank and could mean that the Charger is a hybrid version of the Tank. Some steroids are used as an anti-inflammatory remedy for a rash or growth on one side of the body. An abnormal interaction with a localized and smaller concentration of steroids could have created the Charger. It might also be a reaction similar to gigantism (where excessive amounts of growth hormone is released, resulting in thickened bones and asymmetrical body structures), given that the Charger's facial features and overall body shape is similar to that of someone with gigantism.
[b]The Boomer[/b] is an extremely bloated Special Infected. The Boomer usually has clothing stained with sweat and puke and stretched to the breaking point around the Boomer's enormous gut.The Boomer has undergone extreme external and internal mutations by some adverse reaction to the Infection. The most notable observation of the Boomer is its extremely bloated belly, most likely caused by its stomach (and possibly most, if not all of its gastrointestinal system) being hijacked by the infection to overproduce bile in massive quantities. The sheer tension on its skin and organs has resulted in a breakdown of the epidermal and dermal layers, causing the skin to become thin and fragile. In some places the skin has even ruptured, exposing some of the bile-filled internal organs. This enormous buildup of internal pressure makes the Boomer quite vulnerable to any outside agitation, as even the slightest gunshot wound or melee shove will result in the Boomer to violently explode, sending blood and bile everywhere - hence its name. Other physical mutations observed include massive boil-like growths that appeared upon its skin and face. Whether this is due to overproduction of bile is unknown. Similar to the other Special Infected, it is not distracted by high frequency noises. When idle, the Boomer makes loud burping and gurgling noises which change to loud groans when it sees a Survivor. Its mutation has caused it to produce vast quantities of bile which it attempts to vomit on the Survivors temporarily blinding them and summoning a small Horde. Though fragile and slow, the Boomers can be dangerous to a Survivor team whose health or combat abilities are compromised.The Boomer's bile has a unique chemical binding effect with infected and/or non-infected flesh which produces an extracellular stimulus. This chemical stimulus induces a pheromone-like attraction from nearby common infected which causes them to swarm and attack the bile-saturated source. The exact nature as to why this induces a negative response is unknown but the response is non-discriminatory between infected and non-infected flesh (i.e. using a Boomer bile vial on the Tank triggers the same violent response against the Tank). It should be noted that typically common infected have been known to exhibit an extremely basic form of logic (hence their ability to recognize non-infected). The bile-flesh response seems to trump this logic, which could mean that the stimulus is extremely intoxicating for the common infected. Boomer Mutations probably relate to abnormally-high levels of fatty tissue or cholesterol in the bloodstream, which would also explain the large amounts of bile they produce. Bile is created to aid in the breakdown of lipids (fat). The human body's natural bile production would have been assimilated as part of the Infection's mutation. This would explain why, when Boomers burst, their torsos appear to be largely hollow. The space previously occupied by fatty tissue had been broken down and converted into a single, enormous sac for containing and producing bile.
[b]The Spitter[/b] itself's lower jaw, cheeks, nose and lips seem to have become noticeably eroded, suggesting she may not be entirely resistant to the acid she is continuously coughing up. It appears that all around her mouth, the skin has disappeared, as well as the jaw become unhinged, the flesh separating nearly to her ears. Also, just above her breast and on the top of her stomach are two red sores, most likely eroded spots from where the acid drips down from her mouth. Her proportions are awkward and stretched, including the sagging breasts, elongated neck and bloated stomach, which are most likely used to accommodate and produce the fluids. Her elongated neck may also give her the advantage of being able to spit acid at long distances. Her baggy skin and stumbling gait could be caused by the virus or even the acid itself eating away at her connective tissues. The big toe on her right foot has shifted to the side of the foot like the thumb of a hand. While running, a trail of acid can be seen dripping from the Spitter's mouth. This can be used to track the Spitter, although it disappears shortly after she walks away from it.The Spitter's mutations enable her to spit out a ball of mutated stomach acid which, upon hitting the ground, spreads out into a large pool. Through mutation of the Infection, the Spitter has developed the ability to project an extremely corrosive ball of acid from her mouth in a mortar-like fashion. This projectile will collide with a ceiling or wall and drop down to the nearest solid walkable surface, and upon contact will spread into a large puddle of acid that increases in damage over time. It's possible, from the way the acid is spat, that the Spitter encases it in a thin sort of membrane or bolus (likely in her body or throat/mouth) which is either dissolved by the acid or breaks on impact. It is evident that the infection has caused the spitter to suffer from mega esophagus, or her stomach has eroded all organs found in her neck. This could be the cause of her hacking and gurgling, as acid could be in her lungs. From how heavily the Spitter secretes the acid, it seems that she cannot stop producing at will, and must excrete it from her body in such fashion (as salivating it) to prevent herself filling up and rupturing with acid, similar to the Boomer. Spitter Mutations may have resulted in infecting a human subject with a helicobacter pylori infection (bacterial ulcer). Cells previously infected by the bacterial agent may have been consumed by the virus and caused it to mutate. Another take suggests that the mutations might be similar to the Boomer, except the hormone gastrin (responsible for making stomach acid) is hijacked, resulting in Spitters being able to create large amounts of acid. The Spitter's sagging skin and awkward walk may be caused by the acid leaking into other bodily cavities and breaking down tissues. It can also be noted that the Spitter's skin glows a luminous green when alive, yet when killed, her skin becomes a normal pink color. This could be due to all the acid being spontaneously released from her body upon death.
[b]The Witch[/b] has a typical physique of an extremely thin young woman with pale skin, sunken glowing red eyes, and a bloody mouth full of sharp teeth.She is strangely always clad in the remains of a tattered tank top or t-shirt and a pair of panties, and she does not wear any shoes. Her choice of attire when compared to other Infected could indicate a raised body temperature such as a fever, which could also explain the sluggishness, constant signs of distress, irritability, and sensitivity to light and sound. Her most distinctive features are the twelve-inch-long, bloodstained claws her fingers have grown into. Her knees and feet are often stained with dirt and blood. It is also unknown whether or not the Witch is extremely thin because of the Infection (weight loss due to starvation) or if this was her body shape before the infection took place. Despite her petite figure, the Witch has incredible strength and stamina, enabling her to incapacitate or instantly kill Survivors in one hit, although the Witch is the only Infected to display an initially passive response to the presence of Survivors. She is highly sensitive to light and the close presence of uninfected humans. Shining a flashlight on a Witch or approaching too closely will "startle" her and trigger an attack. Hitting her with a bullet has the same result. She is totally unresponsive to Infected and the passage of nearby bullets. When alert to the presence of an uninfected human or flashlight, she will look in the human's direction and make a low warning growl: this signals an incipient attack. If the human backs off, switches the light off or moves quickly out of her presence, she will fairly soon settle back into a passive state. But if the threat persists, she will launch an attack directed at the human who "startled" her at great speed, singling out the person who provoked the attack. She is able to incapacitate her victim instantly whereupon she frenziedly slashes that person with her clawed hands, only stopping if either she or the victim die. If an attack is successful and she is still alive, she will run off sobbing out of sight. She will display the same behavior if her attack is frustrated (e.g. the victim is able to outrun her), again she will give up and run away. Killing a Witch is not always required, since survivors can often sneak around her or wait until she wanders away from their intended path. However if she is immobile because it is dark and it is not possible to go around her, the only option is to work out a plan to kill her. Witch Mutations seem related to an abnormal mental state which could indicate a predisposed mental disorder, like Autism, ADHD, Serotonin imbalance in the brain, etc. Neurotransmitter imbalances are theorized to be a cause of Clinical Depression. She is known to cry when not aware of the Survivors, although the reasoning behind it is unknown. It's likely she is incredibly depressed - a symptom that could accompany her loss of sanity or that the virus has not taken full control and she knows she is a monster and is depressed due to this fact and when a survivor is to close or turns a flashlight on etc. the effects of the virus infecting her brain start to take over and cause her to rage out of control however briefly.
Now, in a world gone to ****, you must face all of this and more against the Infected. You are somehow immune to the disease, or perhaps you're just a Carrier. You'll be starting off in Newport, South Carolina. It's three weeks after Patient Zero. the green flu has infected everyone you ever knew, some have been forced to kill their own families in order to survive. You have managed to make it so far, and have met up with other survivors. You are in the Mason West Memorial High School, hoping that it was a safe evacuation point, if only to find it has been overrun and long since evacuated. The next evacuation point is located at the city hall, nine blocks away. What awaits you? Can you make it?
Alrighty folks, here's the sign-up:
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Occupation:
Gear: (what do you have on your person? The only limitation is how much your bag can carry)
Back story: (here is where you explain how you've survived the infected's relentless assault, up until meeting with the others at the school)
