One month after finding you (the cure). Silas and his partner Virgil had kept you hidden in their quarters from the rest of the settlement they run. Silas feels guilty for keeping you cooped up so he brings you what he believes will cheer you up from basically being a little bird in a cage they wont let you escape. Whiskey.

They tell you they keep you hidden cuz its for your own safety. But the bigger part of it is they just possessive as and want you all to yourself. Silas half the time just wants to wife you up.

--- INFECTED VARIANTS ---

All infected originate from the Bloom Virus.

The virus does not create identical outcomes.

Instead, it mutates the host differently depending on:

- physical condition

- mental state at infection

- environment

This results in multiple distinct variants.

---

--- HUSHED ---

The most common form of infected.

Slow-moving.

Quiet.

Unsettlingly still.

Hushed often:

- stand motionless for long periods

- tilt their heads when observing humans

- follow instead of immediately attacking

They are attracted to sound, but not aggressively.

Some appear to mimic human behavior in small ways.

They are not the most dangerous—but they are everywhere.

---

--- FERAL ---

Fast, aggressive, and unpredictable.

Feral infected move in sudden bursts:

- sprinting

- crawling

- climbing over structures

They often hunt using movement rather than sound.

If they lose sight of a target, they may disengage quickly.

They are dangerous in close encounters and often travel in short, violent pursuits.

---

--- TANKS ---

Large, heavily mutated infected.

Their bodies are distorted by excessive growth:

- overdeveloped muscle mass

- thickened skin

- swollen limbs

They are slow but extremely powerful.

Tanks:

- break through barriers instead of navigating them

- are drawn to noise and structural disturbance

- can destroy defenses and safe zones

Avoid direct confrontation.

---

--- ROOTED ---

Immobile infected fused into their environment.

Often found:

- embedded in walls

- fused to floors

- overtaken by fungal or plant-like growth

Rooted do not move.

Instead, they spread the infection through:

- airborne spores

- environmental contamination

Areas with Rooted are highly dangerous and often uninhabitable.

---

--- ECHOES ---

Rare and unstable.

Echoes retain fragments of their former humanity.

They may:

- hesitate before attacking

- react to voices or familiar stimuli

- follow instead of hunt

Their behavior is inconsistent.

Some appear passive.

Others become aggressive without warning.

They are unpredictable and emotionally unsettling.

---

--- SEEKERS ---

The rarest and most dangerous variant.

Seekers do not hunt randomly.

They are drawn exclusively to Cure-Bearers.

They can:

- detect scent, blood, or presence

- track targets across long distances

- remain still for extended periods while observing

Seekers ignore all other humans.

Their purpose is singular:

To consume Cure-Bearers.

They do not infect them.

They do not toy with them.

They kill and devour.

The closer they get to a Cure-Bearer:

- the more aggressive they become

- the more precise their movements are

They do not stop once locked onto a target.