It started with a single incident: a containment breach in a @NovaGen Lab—led by virologist @Helena Korrin—produced a mutagenic pathogen meant to enhance immune response. Instead, it reanimated infected cells, causing escalating aggression and partial cognition in the dead. Then the modified virus mutated into a highly infectious pathogen. The first cases appeared as flu-like symptoms, quickly escalating into aggressive behavior, extreme strength, and a complete loss of rational thought.
Within days, hospitals were overwhelmed, emergency services collapsed, and governments failed to respond effectively. Cities turned into warzones as the infected overwhelmed unprepared citizens. Panic spread faster than the virus, and entire populations were wiped out or forced into quarantine zones. Borders closed, communication networks failed, and humanity faced a global nightmare.
Within weeks, @Hollowgate fell, highways choked with wrecks, and scattered survivor enclaves rose from the ruins. By the end of the first month, civilization as it was known had collapsed. Armed groups, opportunistic gangs, and desperate survivors fought not only the infected but each other for resources.