Realistic or Modern The Dust: The Parasite's Outbreak Lore Thread

[Peacemaker .45]

• The Parasite Overview Preface
• The Dust (Spores)
• Infection Forms
• Walker Forms Overview
• Roamer Forms
• Misc. Walker Forms
• Spore Producers
• Combat Forms
• Tank Forms
• The Central Intelligence
• The Civil Wars Overview
• The Nahanni National Park and Preserve and the "Pale Faced Demons"

• 
  The Parasite Overview
  
  The parasite is heavily inspired by The Flood from the Halo series. As such, a lot of the parasite's characteristics take inspiration from the series. There is a backstory to them that will eventually be brought into it, but that is later down the line in the RP's plot. As for the parasite, there are multiple kinds of forms that the parasite takes, with each form being dependent on the Outbreak Stage it is in. I'm no artist, so unfortunately I won't have any pictures to provide with descriptions of the various forms the parasite will take, so all I can provide are words.
  
• 
  The Dust (Spores)
  
  The spores, also known as Dust, were the beginning to it all. The Dust was receovered from the core of the asteroid that slammed into Earth. Mysteriously, the core hosuing the Dust seemed to be be a small hall of intelligent making with manufactured metalic walls and supports holding the chamber that housed the Dust. (More will be learned about this in the future.) As for the Dust, it was found to have medicinal abilities where it would either aid the immune system in destroying invading bacteria and viruses, or it would alter the genetics of an individual that it would ultiumately cure one of whatever illness they suffered. It was found to have an almost perfect success rate with many of the world's most deadly diseases. As such, widespread use of the Dust followed. The dust itself looks similar to a more finely grained sawdust. It has a bitter taste when consumed on its own. It is light and very easily disturbed, making it very easy to cause it to become airborne. Very little wind or breeze is needed to cause it to become airborne.
  
  
• 
  Infection Forms
  
  Once the Parasite progresses enough, it will dedicate biomass aside to create a small form known as an "infection form." This small creature doesn't necessarily have any singular shape it normally takes. But there are consistent features amongst all infection forms. They are normally the size of a 25-30 pound dog, with a body simlar to that of a diamond shape, with hard armor on its backside. The rear of the creature possessed no tail or appendages. It's head was remarkably similar to that of the Anomalocaris, with two eyes protruding upwards with human-like eyes on the top capable of looking around independetly in 360 degree views, and two frontal appendages used to wrap around bone. Between the frontal appendages was a mouthpart with circular saw-like bone that moves back and forth to cut a small hole in bone. This is used to create a hole for which the last part of the mouthpart, a neural "tongue" that reaches through the hole and connects with either the brain or spinalcord. From there, the Infection form will began to bind itself with the neural central nervous system of the victim. Once connected, the infection form releases specialized spores into the body that begin to rapidly turn the victim into a Walker Form. During this time, however, the infection form, due to direct neural connection, can control the victim, and the victim may be in varying levels of consciousness during this. The process isn't instantaneous, normally taking anywhere between 3-17 hours, depending various conditions. The infection form normally consists of 4-6 tentacle-like "legs" of various sizes (depending on the biomaterial they were made with). Each "leg" has hooks on the end, used for impaling in a victim and anchoring themselves to them. They additionally have two "arms" that have two finger-like structures that have large claws used to rip away at flesh. The normal coloration for an infection form is green, tan, or red, depending on the biomass used to create them.
  
• 
  Walker Forms Overview
  
  Walker Forms are the most active and dangerous form the Parasite can take because of how it can specialize itself for various roles and environments. Following Infection via an Infection Form, the victim undergoes a dramatic physical transformation. Depending on where the infection form rips through the victim to attach itself to the host's CNS, there may be a large hole that the Infection form nessles its body into, with the tentacle legs wrapped around it. (Normally, this is done in the chest, however attachments to the back, neck, or even wrapped around the head of the victim are not uncommon.) There is some degree of consciousness that the victim will have during the entirety of their infection via infection forms, though this normally diminishes over time. Walker forms can perform a variety of functions. They can be mindless foot soldiers that bite any uninfected and spread the specialized spores from the infection form to the victim, or they can be capable of tasks such as weilding and operating firearms, knives, other weapons (albeit their use is clumsy and inaccurate), to even, on rare occasions prior to the mass EMP's set off, use vehicles. These uses were, howevver, clumsy and poor. But Walker forms are not meant to be proficient with them, as they were used more for shock troop warfare tactics than actual proficiency. Walker forms all have a pale tan-green skin tone with wrinkles, and where armor exists, a rough texture that can be shades of red or brown.
  
• 
  Roamer Forms
  
  Roamer Forms are the most common of the Walker Forms. These are the Walker Forms created upon heavy spore inhalation or intake or Infection Form infection. Because of this, there are some Roamer Forms that do not have Infection Forms in them, as they were able to breathe in a heavy amount of spores in a highly concentrated area. They walk aimlessly through the world, often trying to find more survivors to bite and infect. Roamer Forms don't devour a victim once they bite one, but they will restrain the victim and kill them in ways that preserve the body for use. Normally, they try to tackle and strangle a victim while biting into them. There isn't a set time on how long a bite needs to be in order to effectively spread the specialized spores for conversion. It is believed that the most effective bite to spread the amount of spores required is somewhere around 10-20 seconds. Other bires for shorter durations may not inject enough spores into the victim's body to do a fast transition.
  
• 
  Misc. Walker Forms
  
  Walker forms were also used as the laborers of the Parasite. Some forms were designated to collect biomass from surrounding areas to incorporate it into the Parasite's creation of Central Intelligences and the creation of the network of tentacles connecting them. Some Walker forms mutate and would become mobile incubation centers that create large amounts of infection forms that would rip out of the Walker form on a battlefield and overwhelm human forces. These were typically made from damage Walker forms that could no longer serve as combat soldiers. These Carrier Walker Forms consisted of two reinforced legs to support the added weight, with the entire abdoment ballooned out where the infection forms were incubating. Arms were no longer present, but longer, whisker-like hair lines the bloated abdomen of the Carrier Form to sense if something has brushed against it, signalling the Infection Forms to emerge from the Carrier and attack protential hosts. The Parasite has more forms it can take, but these are due to the environmental adaptations they may have due to the environment they are in. It is possible there are more forms that are yet to be discovered.
  
  It should be noted that the creation of specialized infection spores that rapidly change the host are only created once the outbreak begins when Infection Forms and Walker Forms are created.
  
• 
  Spore Producers
  
  Spore Producers are a rare Walker form. Normally, groups of Spore Producers get together in areas of high concentration of humans or low ventilation (tunnels or buildings) in groups sizes that vary due to the environment they're in. Once together, the Spore Producers sit or lay on the group, and exhale high concentrations of the specialized conversion spores. The body begins to make them at high quantities, and as a result, the air will become yellow as the spore clouds infect the area. Spore Producers are made from heavily damaged, but still functional Walker forms. Depending on the condition and age of the Spore Producer, if someone were to stumbled upon them, they may or may not attack the survivor.
  
• 
  Combat Forms
  
  An agile, intelligent, and incredibly dangerous Walker Form is known as the Combat Form. This Walker form specializes in combat. A thin, but resilient armor grows around the skin of a Combat Form. on the back, an armored "sack" exists for an infection form to hide in. While both hands remain functional, the left arm will grow off the wrist another sort of hand, but this one with three 3 foot long fingers that stay curled up. Upon close combat with a potential host, the longe fingers will open, grabbing the victim and wrapping them around them, rendering the victim unable to move. From here the Combat form either bites and infects the victim, or if an infection form is in the sack, holds the victim still so the infection form can attach and take over the new host. The process is very fast, and once the infection form is attached to the victim, the combat form will let go and resume fighting. Combat forms are capable of using weapons andd vehicles. But as mentioned before, their use is inaccurate and clumsy. The Combat Form is the most dangerous form that the Parasite takes, and they are often used as shock troops or in large battles where there is a large, armed resistance fighting them. Combat Forms are the next step in evolution for the Roamer Form. Due to the specialized armor, the time it takes to create Combat Forms from Walker is long, though how long is not known.
  
• 
  Tank Forms
  
  Tank Forms are the rarest Walker Form, and only are created once the outbreak is on the verge of creating a fully developed Central Intelligence. Tank forms are grotesque in appearance. While the process to create a Tank Form is unknown, it is believed that multiple Walkers are fused together to create the towering, armored beast that stands anywhere between 9 to 14 feet tall. Because of the nature it is believed they are created, there could be multiple Walkers within the body of the Tank forms. The external appearance of tank forces will typically have the bones and faces of the various entities used to create it in it's external appearance. One of the creature's arms is larger than the other, and its hand is one long piece with sharp and jagged bones for "claws," often used to cut through material, while the other arm's hand is one with digits. It is believed that Tank forms work as a sort of mobile proto-central intelligence, as battlefield strategy seems more coordinated and intelligent. Small arms fire is able to take out out, but it is found to be difficult due to the nature of the armor on them. The most curious feature of the Tank Form is the bioluminescent appendages that protrude from the head. It is not currently known what these appendages do.
  
• 
  The Central Intelligence
  
  Little is known about the Central Intelligence, as it was not directly observed, but it’s influence was noticeable. The biomass that was salvaged by the Parasite is used to build the Central Intelligence. It is believed that once the Infection reaches reaches a critical point, and enough biomass has been obtained to create it, the Central Intelligence is born. Once the outbreak on earth had almost certainly taken over large areas of the Earth, it was noted prior to nuclear weapons being deployed, the parasite had shown incredible intelligence in battle, from planning to execution. They were far more intelligent and coordinated, and it is believed that the Central Intelligence was why. Due to this onslaught with seemingly no way to stop the Parasite, the nuclear governments made a calculated decision to nuke every area of critical infection and large biomass in an attempt to destroy the Central Intelligence, weaken and slow the Parasite, and buy them time to come up with plans on what to do next.
  
  While it is unknown what the Central Intelligence looks like, it is believed that they have complex webs of tentacles, both above and unground, that connect them to various regions under the Parasite’s control. But direct links following these tentacles have yielded no answers.
  
• 
  The Civil Wars Overview
  
  Prior to the outbreak, the European World was in the midst of a Civil War. After decades of boiling tensions politically, organized groups armed themselves and began to push back against governments. These groups, believing the survival of their own people was at stake, began to fight with ferocity and passion that took every government by surprise. These groups were not new, however. They were interconnected, secretive, and underground. In the years prior to the outbreak of war, groups began to smuggle weapons and gear around to countries that had laws that restricted the ownership of firearms and tactical military gear. And they waited until things finally kicked off. And when they did kick off, for both sides, it was all or nothing; the ones controlling the government believing the time was now to finally put the enemy down for good, while the rebels believed the fate of their people rested on their battle, and victory was the only option, as any other outcome would be full blown extinction of them and their kind.
  
  Soon, cities became ground zero for intense close quarters combat. The governments used their military in full power trying to defeat the rebels. But, unbeknownst to many of the governments, within their own militaries and law enforcement where rebels waiting for their moment to attack. And when they did, infighting within the militaries severely undermined the efforts by the governments to control this rebellion. For many cities, the battles would be compared to other famous ones, like the Battle of Stalingrad, Battle of Hue or the Second Battle of Fallujah. The casualties piled up, both combatants and civilians alike.
  
  But even with the ferocity and passion that the rebels fought for, governments were dirty, and didn’t think twice when civilians were in the vicinity of battles. Soon, cities would become bombed, destroyed to oblivion all in the name of squashing this rebellion. In the process, civilians did find themselves in the crossfire far too often. And the governments at times would outright massacre any civilians who they believe aligned with the enemy. Their goal was total victory, and the outright destruction of their foe.
  
  This isn’t to say the rebels were without their share of offenses. The rebels had a very particular ideology, and in the areas captured and controlled by rebels, they enforced it. While they did not want to kill innocent people, and generally went at great lengths to try and avoid this, there were killings of those whom opposed them and their ideology, whether they were combatants or civilians. Because of the reality of this situation, civilians in occupied areas didn’t always accept their new occupiers, and some would try to fight against the rebels, while others embraced them with open arms. Because of the problems that the ones who chose to fight them caused, the rebels to devote soldiers and resources into these locations in order to stop these uprisings. It became a seemingly two front war for the rebels, and this hampered their progress. As a result, anyone part of any group trying to take out the rebels, or anyone believed to be aligned with them, in occupied areas was immediately arrested and put on trial, and if found guilty, executed. Generally speaking, almost 99% were found guilty and executed. The governments often funded these uprisings, and smuggled them weapons and gear within controlled areas in order to destroy their enemy from the inside. The viewed destroying the enemy from the inside as the ideal way of dissolving what little control the rebels had of their respective territories the idea way to weaken their foe.
  
  Because of these uprisings in rebel controlled territory, the government forces began to push back on the rebel’s advances, reclaiming old territory. But these gains were only temporary, as rebel forces made several strong pushes that obliterated the enemy line, pushing them closer and closer to control of their country. From North America to Europe, rebel forces were almost certainly poised for victory. Offensive after offensive, the rebels pushed and gained ground, and the governments were at the mercy of the ones who fought with a deep passion, not for a paycheck. Numerous European countries fell to the rebels in late 2043. With their countries controlled, soldiers were sent to other countries to aid in the fight. Victory seemed to be on the brink in Europe, and in both Canada and the United States, the rebels were making steady gains, but victory was still seen as a far ways out. But, these victories would not be seen, as the parasite would emerge and begin its outbreak. Any hope of victory for any side was destroyed because of the parasite.
  
• 
  The Nahanni National Park and Preserve and the “Pale Faced Demons” of the Nahanni
  
  The Nahanni National Park and Preserve in the Northwest Territories in Canada is home to one of the most remote places on the Earth, with a mysterious past. The Nahanni River Valley, known as the "Valley of Headless Men" is full of stories of murders with unsual circumstances, and tales of "Pale Faced Demons" that stalk the forests at night. Very little is known about these "Pale Faced Demons," or whether or not they exist officially to the public. Highly classified government documents do, however, acknowledge the existence of these creatures. And, upon recovery of the contents of the core of the asteroid, these "Pale Faced Demons" attacked the recovery crews as they tried to open it up and study it. Black Ops Canadian Special Forces were dispatched to fight the creatures and secure the impact zone. The Demons attacked constantly and made recovery of the core difficult, and it was forced to be hastily airlifted out. During this recovery, several soldiers were abducted by the creatures and never seen again. After recovery of the core, rumors of creature sightings were spread around the area where the undergound base was that contained the asteroid's core and the dust. While it isn't known, it is believed in highly classified government that in prehistory, the "Pale Faced Demons" derived from a previously unknown group of Indo-Aryans during the Indo-Aryan Invasions around 2000 BC that somehow migrated to the North American continent and settled in the Nahanni River Valley, where they lived in seclusion in the Nahanni River Valley in the cave systems. Even the Indigenous tribes knew little to nothing about them, aside from the Naha Tribe, which the Indo-Aryans had an unknown agreement with. Ultimately, something happened with this agreement, and an event happened where the Indo-Aryans are believed to have become corrupted and turned into the Pale Faced Demons known today, and the Naha Tribe completely disappeared. However, very little is known about what happened because to the entire disappearance of the Naha Tribe. Whatever oral stories they had about them was lost with when the tribe disappeared.
  
  As mentioned earlier, the Canadian Government, however, did know about the existence of these “Demons,” even prior to recovery of the asteroid's core. In 1972, then Prime Minister of Canada, Pierre Trudeau, along with an explorer named Jean Poirel, on an expedition in the future park to evaluate it. Poirel had made four previous expeditions, and during it, mapping over 240 cave systems in the South Nahanni River Valley. After this last expedition, Trudeau made the Nahanni into a National Park, and barred anyone from exploring the caves in the park unless given explicit written permission by the Canadian Government.
  
  But the truth behind this expedition, and previous ones, is far more than what the official story said. In reality, the final expedition with Pierre Trudeau was to evaluate the discovery of an alien artifact, and the wider discovery of the Nahanni Pale Faced Demons. All expeditions by Poirel were actually part of a black ops expedition to find out more about the park while investigating the mysterious disappearances. During the course of these black ops, they discovered a complex cave system that was fiercely defended by the Pale Faced Demons. During these expeditions, there was a discovery of a device far within a cave system that was heavily guarded by the Demons. The device is believed to be extraterrestrial in nature. In circumstances that are unclear due to the ferocious fight and ensuing chaos, the Black Ops forces were able to extract the device, despite heavy loses. The Demons in subsequent years would scour the land trying to find the location of the device they had stolen from them by the Canadian Government. After retrieval of the object, Pierre Trudeau authorized the construction of a secret underground military and research base that would study this object and the secrets of the park, as well as the Demons themselves.
  

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