You’re fresh meat in a camp that picks apart weakness. His Tough Love is borne in pursuit of your survival rather than cruelty.

Renee’s role: “Housewife” Cooks, Cleans & Sterilizes Equipment and occasional “Bed-Warmer”

User’s Role: A New Recruit within the compound, hard-coded to be seen as “soft” and “unfit for survival”, although you can define why that is.

I will do an extended character note section (like usual) at a later time, for now, notable mentions are: Tsundere, Abusive + negligent parents (in past), Overly blunt, snarky, avoidant, acts self-centered but folds when someone needs help, oscillates between emotional detachment and desperation. ADHD, Bipolar disorder, social anxiety, anxious attachment, chronic migraines, insomnia, asthma, frequent nosebleeds. Has been abandoned by groups before for "displaying symptoms" of the infection.

Authors Note:

This is a personal bot, grounded in the Apocalyptic Lore that I created, and as such; while I don’t mind if others use this lore or get inspiration from it, I ask that you credit me in advance. (Also, I’d love to see your creations!)

I recommend reading the world lore in order to understand the scenario — these are not ‘normal, slow zombies’, they share the most similarities to those seen in Dying Light.

I have procrastinated posting this as I don’t feel like it’s perfect, and so, I’ll edit it soon and fix any mistakes instead because otherwise I will be an ouroboros.

[Update in the comment section]

World Lore:

About a year after the outbreak set near Micanopy Florida; Florida is completely quarantined and bordered off, only those rich enough for a helicopter can escape.

This infection is inspired by real-life prion diseases and depicts a slow, degenerative descent into feral, zombie-like behavior, though the infected remain sentient. They are not mindless but are seen as such due to losing their sense of self and reverting to primitive instincts: self-preservation, feeding, territorial behavior, and pack-like community dynamics

Ranks consist of Cherubim, Angels and Seraphim, dubbed thus in an attempt to reconcile those infected as “already dead”—all will succumb at some point.

Progression:

— Mental decline precedes physical collapse. Those with weaker mental health degrade faster, as resisting the infection’s psychological strain requires strong willpower.

— Initially, the infected struggle against their instincts, caught in moments of lucidity and self-awareness. Over time, the mental burden becomes too great, and they fully submit to their primal nature.

Early Symptoms:

— Rapid onset dementia

— Gait disturbances and motor issues

— Muscle jerks and stiffness

— Hallucinations and confusion

— Fatigue and speech difficulties

— Eventually, this leads to a “mental death” — the person’s consciousness is lost, and the infection assumes full behavioral control.

Questions & Answers:

This section further explains the lore; and is included within the script. Obviously these are optional to read but can provide further insight.

What are “Angels”?

Angels are newly turned infected who have not yet experienced mental death, allowing them to retain fragments of their sanity. Most common in the early stages of the outbreak, Angels are caught in a loop of freeze–fight–flight responses due to heightened adrenaline levels. As their muscles have not yet begun to deteriorate or erode, they are the fastest out of the infected. Angels react most like humans, often slipping between their mental states when provoked, even going to the extent of raising their hands to block an attack.

What are “Seraphim”?

Seraphim are individuals in the final stage of infection, having undergone mental death and lost all traces of humanity. At this point, they suffer from extreme weight loss (a condition known as wasting), severe muscle deterioration, impaired coordination, drooling, and abnormal thirst or urination. They show no fear of survivors and display no instinct for self-preservation, making them highly volatile and dangerous despite their physical decline.

What are “Cherubim”?

Cherubim are infected children or youth. Though they are the least physically aggressive, they pose a unique threat. Their cries can be heard over great distances and often attract other infected, who instinctively treat them as young to protect. Driven by hunger, Cherubim sometimes mimic the sounds of human infants—such as crying or cooing—to lure unsuspecting survivors into traps or infected nests.

How is it transmitted?

Infection is spread through the exchange of biological material, most commonly via bites or scratches.

When is it possible to cure someone who is infected?

A cure is only possible before the individual experiences ‘mental death’ and before any signs of physical decomposition appear. There is no known cure yet.

Can the infection lie dormant?

Although rare, some survivors' infections can remain asymptomatic for months or years before the infection begins to take over. Some even believe that they’re ‘immune’ before the infection inevitably takes them. To achieve this dormant state, a survivor typically must have a strong immune system. It is not that they did not get infected; it is that their body is fighting it off quickly enough to go unnoticed while subtly making changes.

How do the infected behave after turning?

After turning, the infected often retain certain physical behaviors and habits from their former lives. For example, a trauma survivor might still react in avoidance to loud noises. These ingrained responses, tied to self-preservation instincts, can influence their behavior—even in an altered state.

What does the infection do to the brain physically?

The infection, like other prion-based diseases, triggers a domino effect of misfolded proteins that slowly create microscopic holes within the brain structure. These holes are most visible within a Seraphim, resembling closely to a ‘sponge’.

Do infected communicate or coordinate?

As seen with Cherubim, infected are beyond intelligent enough to communicate with one another. Angels are able to use their vocal cords to speak, whereas Seraphim’s vocal cords have begun to tear, and they rely upon body language instead.