Contagion

Overview: Out of Character

Contagion is a work of fiction, and also a story arc within the City of Heroes. This page is intended as the anchor page for the story as it unfolds. It commenced in July 2012 and will have three self contained 'chapters', each relatively stand-alone.

The posting editor and moderator for Contagion at this time is @Taosin. Comments and questions can be left on the discussion page for this article.

Players participating should review this page, and understand that this is an inclusive story arc with many players written for the enjoyment of all. It will unfold in part depending on actions taken in game.

Overview: Contagion I

This information currently is only known to those indicated below.

In late June 2012, while reviewing medical reports and data, Nicolas de Leon detected some small oddities. Nicolas, (a surgeon who works with The Vanguard, and in the Rogue Isles, among other things,) focussed on these and soon found more anomalies - and many more questions. Reaching out to Dr Jack Cooper and later Dr Eric Johanson, they uncovered what seemed to be a pattern of contagion is certain population groups. Specifically, shifter populations such as lycans and felids.

Aghast at the direction this was taking, Doctors de Leon and Cooper began an epidemiological study and communicated their fears to certain individuals, gaining co-operation from authorities in Paragon, back-door co-operation in the Isles, and elsewhere.

By late July 2012 the data was resolving into a pattern indication that some architect was at work, with means and techniques unknown to present-day science and magic, progressing a contagion with frightening characteristics. Now the doctors hit a dead-end, with no new leads; but with enough information to be able to summarise their findings and flag probable related events should they occur. This would allow them to gain solid information and progress the research further.

Findings 21 July 2012

• If there is an architect behind this, this architect is two or three steps ahead of any known systematised (technological, arcane, genetics, science) virological and pathogenic ‘levels’.

• The contagion has affected shifters of many strains and types (felids, lycan, mutation, inborn, ‘arcane’, mystical)

• The architect has so far advanced their work in three stages. A possible 'zeroeth' stage is speculated but no evidence pointing to where and what this was can be found.

• Recovery and analysis of anything is difficult, what samples they have are broken down or incomplete or damaged. This is making their job harder.

• Later stages of the contagion seem to target and affect the most gifted shifters (in terms of regeneration and self-healing, no matter how that shifter does this) more easily than weaker shifters in the same group (shifters with weaker regenerative/healing abilities).

• The contagion probably can cause new affects and abilities, as well as dramatically strengthening the target in many ways.

• Introduction of the contagion to each group has been planned, clearly; but the process of how the contagion was introduced remain unknown.

• Groups requesting to review data and such may do so. The lead team welcome peer and other qualified review. Such will be able to add little more (work to date is comprehensive on many levels and has utilised many diverse resources). This includes means such as mysticism, foretelling, divination, fate-weaving and magic. Note that, to date, the stronger the 'mystic' or arcane effort applied to finding out more, the greater the resulting 'null' answer received, which can potentially debilitate the practitioner.

Outbreak One: January-March 2012

Not detected as ‘significant’, or even found out, until recently: seven outbreaks of a forerunner contagion occurred in small closed populations of shifters in Sweden, Norway, Siberia, and desert Africa. Populations were five Lycan and two Felid groups. Commonalities were a closed small population; remote locales; and diverse strains (two ‘magic’ lines of shifters, three ‘mutant’ lines, two ‘science’ lines).

No great data was collected at the time. Assessment was infection to death in 24-36 hours. It attacked the shifters' regenerative ability, and they attacked each other during this time. ‘Last dead’ died of exhaustion. Autopsies at the time detected no viral or genetic changes/causes.

Outbreak Two: June 2012

A second outbreak, this time eleven populations in France, Germany and South America. Again a mixture of strains and shifter types. Infection to death 48 to 72 hours. Infected become aggressive, less capable of rational thought, often develop aggressive tumours, regenerative abilities maximised, mortality rate 99%, often develop ‘new’ abilities manifesting such as energy signatures, stealth; some complained of ‘hearing voices’ (but not anyone nearby). Attacked others including civilians at times.

Outbreaks were isolated by relatively local authorities. Samples taken. Three survivors are held in stasis; at this time they show an almost complete neural remapping into an aggression form and loss of higher brain functions. Samples taken find traces of a viral pathogen: however it has broken down and the current pathology seems stable. Analysis of remains show potentially that some may have evidenced mutable energy signatures potentially causing affect on targets: this would conceivably also allow transmission via proximity.

Infected show disordered or re-arranged DNA. Populations were in military populations with high shifter populations, including Council and Fifth; as well as some civilian populations.

Outbreak Three: July 2012

(Although we find this pre-dates outbreak one). Evidence came to light of a significant number of Council, Fifth and Crey installations being ‘sanitised’ by their higher authorities (numbering between 25 to 45, estimate). Two in early July, but then gathering field reports from all over indicate that possibly this pattern goes back eight months. These organisations are of course good at keeping information away from outsiders.

Targeted installations were a mix of research, field outposts, and forward bases.

• Not much is known except a probability these had high shifter populations or specific links to shifter research that these organisations perform

• Drs Cooper and de Leon believe this indicates some person or higher up within each of these groups does have information about the contagion that we do not.

• OOC: At least three (AE) strikes will be run to gain this. Teams will need to penetrate the discovered location of these 'higher-ups' in Crey, Fifth Column and Council.

Forward planning

With the information they have, the team have tagged certain field monitoring systems. Easy to do in Paragon (co-operation), and eventually done in isles via back-door solicitation of Arachnos by 'those in the know'.

This will flag immediately any new outbreaks in these areas: it is critical to get to a live event. Once flagged, forces from those groups contacted by the lead team will swing into action and engage, with the aim of safely transiting the contaged to prepared stasis in the war zone.

• OOC: Several (AE) strikes will be run to gain this. Steps will be taken to minimise any chance of contamination of those who go on these strikes.

Putting the word out

As soon as the findings were as advanced as possible, the findingsa and copies of all data found to date, was put out the the following groups and individuals:

• Guardian Ryder of the Fae of Arcadia (via Konstantin Wulf)
• Xavier of Blood Moon Pack (via Jack Cooper and Konstantin Wulf)
• Fin-Vercin of the New Fae (via Konstantin Wulf)
• Mirey, Jacob Ispizua, and Clint Sanders of Phoenix Insurrection via Nicolas de Leon. Nicolas appended a note here that in his view Clint Sanders qualified as a shifter for the purposes of this contagion, and so may be at specific risk of harm should he be exposed.
• Metal Smith and Attaché of Evolution-X
• Colonel Jack Whitney of the Vanguard Knight Division (via Jack Cooper)
• Kalius and Stephan of Safe Havens (via Jack Cooper)

Road ahead

Once the steps above are accomplished, the team will be able to progress their findings in multiple directions. (This will be the next chapter: Contagion II).