Group of survivors

1. The Leader

Name: Wilder Markell Stroud

Description: Wilder stands at 6'3", built like a fortress, with the kind of bulk that comes from a lifetime of hard labor and combat. His skin is scarred—across his jaw, down his arms—each one a marker of battles survived. Tattoos cover both arms, some military, others personal: coordinates, dates, initials. His eyes are a deep, haunted brown, always scanning, always silent. He wears a thick leather coat, heavy boots, and a machete at his side—tools more than weapons. He speaks little, trusts less, and keeps to the edges of the campfire.

Backstory: Before the outbreak, Wilder was a father and husband. A mechanic and former Marine, he lived quietly in a small town with his wife, Ariel, and their young daughter, Celeste. When the infection hit, they tried to run—like everyone else—but didn’t make it far. He lost them both in a single night: a roadside ambush, a bite, a heartbreaking decision. He doesn’t talk about it. Not ever.

In the years since, Wilder became a lone wolf, drifting from one ruined town to the next. He saved lives when he could, avoided people when he couldn’t. He doesn’t want to lead—but people keep following him. They see the calm in his eyes when chaos breaks out, the steadiness of someone who’s already lost everything. That’s why they listen. That’s why they follow.

But Wilder? He never stops walking the line between survival and surrender. He fights not because he believes in a future—but because the ghosts won’t let him rest. Wilder takes pride in discipline and order, when he sees it’s not there he gets angry

2. The Medic Name: Dr. Elira Jeanne Voss

Description: Elira is in her mid-30s, wiry and precise, with a presence that demands attention. She wears her brunette hair in a tight, high bun, more out of discipline than vanity. A faded eyepatch covers her left eye—lost to shrapnel during a civilian rescue. Her medical coat is weathered and stitched with patches, and her backpack is filled with salvaged medical supplies. Beneath the coat, she carries a small firearm and field surgical tools. She has a sharp tongue, an unflinching gaze, and a fierce sense of duty.

Backstory: A trauma surgeon before the fall, Elira was working with an underground clinic when a raid wiped out her team. The blast that blinded her also reshaped her mission: survival through service. She patched herself up and never looked back. She joined Wilder’s group after saving one of his fighters during a border skirmish. She doesn’t talk about her past, but her hands are steady and her heart beats for those who still need help—whatever the cost. Elira is a qualified doctor, nurse, and psychiatrist.

3. The Historian Name: Calix Emory Wren

Description: Calix is deceptively young—only 18, but with the look and energy of a twelve-year-old. His blond hair is wild, constantly in his face, and his green eyes are observant, taking in everything. He’s short, thin, and wears oversized jackets filled with pens, scraps of maps, and folded notes. His most prized possession is his weathered notebook, in which he records everything from battle strategies to overheard conversations to personal memories.

Backstory: Born after the fall, Calix grew up in a nomad archive camp—communities dedicated to preserving knowledge. When raiders destroyed his camp, he was the only survivor. Wilder found him wandering alone, and despite initial reluctance, took him in. Calix now acts as the group’s chronicler, drawing maps, recording encounters, and preserving stories others would rather forget. He sees history as the only way to ensure their pain means something.

4. The Tank Name: Brannick Rhys Koenraad

Description: Brannick is an imposing 6'6", with skin weathered by sun and frost. His buzzed hair is shock-white, not from age—he’s only 30—but from genetic mutation due to early radiation exposure. His eyes are a cold, pale gray, often mistaken for blindness. He wears reinforced armor salvaged from riot gear and moves with surprising grace for his size. His silence is not awkward—it’s ominous. His knuckles are often bloodied, and his shoulder bears an old insignia burned into the skin. Brannick speaks with a thick Russian accent since before the infection he came to America for money.

Backstory: Once a pit-fighter in the city of Iron Gate, Brannick was used as a weapon by warlords and slavers. For years, he fought for food and the illusion of freedom. When Wilder dismantled one of the slaver rings, Brannick chose to follow him. Though he rarely speaks, his loyalty is absolute. He serves as the group’s protector, often taking the front line in battles. He’s the last thing enemies see—and usually the last thing they regret.

Timeline of Outbreak – Year 2124

It started as a miracle cure—a biotech breakthrough intended to end chronic illness, rebuild damaged tissue, and extend human life. Scientists called it RevitaZyne. But they rushed the trials. It rewrote DNA faster than anyone predicted... and it didn’t stop.

The body healed—then broke. The mind expanded—then collapsed. The cure became the curse. And by the time the world noticed, cities were already burning.

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The Infection – Stages of the Disease ("Z-Phase")

Incubation Period: ~24 hours

• Highly contagious via blood, saliva, and airborne particles in closed quarters.
• Virus targets neural pathways and immune response, mimicking fever.

Symptoms by Hour:

• 0–6 hours:

  • Mild fever, sweating, flu-like symptoms.
  • Blood pressure spikes; heart rate becomes erratic.
  • Personality changes begin—paranoia, aggression, confusion, and anxiety.

• 6–18 hours:

  • Full-body chills, tremors, and muscle spasms.
  • Eyes dilate; pupils remain fixed.
  • Victim may begin to lash out, speak incoherently, or hallucinate.
  • Smell sensitivity increases dramatically (a precursor to their hunting instincts).

• 18–24 hours:

  • Collapse or catatonia.
  • Body either dies or enters the Z-shift—a total override of higher brain function.
  • Victims either drop dead or reawaken, feral.

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The Turn – Two Outcomes

1. Dead (Non-reactive): Body shuts down entirely—corpse remains inert.
2. Turned ("Zeds"): Victim reanimates with primal aggression and enhanced senses. Cognition is gone—memories, language, identity—all erased. What's left is pure hunger.

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Zombie Traits (Zeds)

• Speed:

  • Newly turned are fast—fueled by unstable muscle surges.
  • Older Zeds slow down, muscles degrade, but they're more silent and unpredictable.

• Senses:

  • Sight deteriorates; they rely mostly on smell and sound.
  • They can detect human pheromones from a quarter mile away in open air.

• Strength:

  • Enhanced due to muscle overstimulation. A single Zed can overpower an adult.
  • The longer they survive, the more their bodies rot, weakening them over time—but older ones can still be deadly in swarms.

• Intelligence:

  • No reasoning or problem-solving—but some exhibit pack behavior.
  • They can swarm, mimic sounds, or wait in ambush (some speculate faint memory echoes, but nothing proven). •The zeds can remember their past for about 3 months, after it becomes hazy and they are much like dementia patients, after a full year they lose humanity. •They do not possess the ability to talk anymore, so the zed’s can only let out gutteral groans and noises. •They will fight each other at times to pick a leader or to show dominance, this is only seen in male zombies.

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Infection Rules

• Bite = Death or Turn
• Scratches are dangerous due to bacteria but not always fatal.
• Immunity is incredibly rare—only 0.0003% of the population may have partial resistance. Most carriers don't even know until it's too late.

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The Emotional Fallout

The worst part? The Turn was fast. Families had to choose: chain them down and hope... or put them down. Many didn’t choose fast enough.

Cities didn’t fall in fire—they went quiet first. Entire blocks of homes filled with unburied loved ones. Survivors say the silence was the loudest thing they ever heard.