TOTAL ANARCHY, THE DOWN FALL

PRE LORE

TIMELINE

MR. LOVE’S LUMINESCENT BLUE FIELD

[2019-2020] The government is working on a new biological weapon in the form of flora. This is due to a rising concern of territorial expansion, democracy disputes, and growing tensions between the United States, North Korea, and Russia. The United States claims it will be working on a new, non-lethal tactic to help subdue enemies for troops stationed overseas near the high level threat countries. This pleases all political parties and their consumers, although information released to the press stays vague and mostly undocumented in the public light. The next presidential election is beginning to take place, and people soon forget about this so called non-lethal war tactic. Journalists, however, persist in asking if the military plans to use another form of biological weapons, like mustard gas. The military general, Isbrand Nikolai, under court order appears to deny these allegations.
The plant begins as a Foxglove plant with genetic modifications in the laboratory before being fully planted in a sealed off greenhouse. The greenhouse, known as FOX CAVE, is located in Astoria, Oregon offset to the Columbia River. Miles away from any settlement, it is believed to be a safe holding area for the testing to take place.
[2021] Azolla Indicum, also known as Blue Foxglove, has been created successfully after two-hundred and forty-five attempts. The “Blue Fox” grows at a rapid pace once planted in the greenhouse soil, taking only two to three weeks to fully grow and bloom into a mature plant. The rate of breeding is fast if unmonitored, currently it remains under control.
FOX CAVE negligence leads to slight water pollution into the Columbia River, the employees in charge of the mishap are fired. No one else outside of the laboratory and overseers are alerted to this issue, as the chief overseer claims that the pollution would be “too diluted to cause any harm” to the surrounding area. There are reports months later after a storm in the area that the greenhouse tents and glass were destroyed, only destroying part of the Blue Fox inventory. No further action is taken to test or search the surrounding areas for any containment breaches. FOX CAVE’s chief scientists find out while studying the genetic material and mutation of Blue Fox that the plant exhibits wildly erratic growth behavior, and mutates too rapidly to be properly studied. The plant has genetic material that leans towards organ failure, upper respiratory complications, and blindness. While this is good news, the chief scientists conclude that this strain is still too erratic, and must be regrown to exhibit slower growth properties. The entire known stock of Blue Fox is promptly destroyed at the end of the year, to make way for new strain testing.
[2023] Man with a few acres of land in Portland, Oregon shows up in the local newspapers as MR.LOVE. He is advertising his fields of new ‘glowing’ flowers, the locals flock to his fields for a small entry fee to see the new plant. Mr. Love claims to have grown the plant himself, no one is sure where it came from, and no one can be certain he is telling the truth. Botanist take notice and begin to study the plant from a distance, noting that Mr.Love’s “Luminescent Blue Field” may in fact be host to a very invasive plant species. This information however, does not reach most large news outlets and is taken with a grain of salt and hesitation. Mr. Love has reached newsource outlets outside of Oregon, and his attraction has been rated number one in “Most Beautiful Sights” magazine. Images and videos of his fields have flooded social media, and popular influencers are traveling to get pictures with the iridescent, “glowing” flowers. Many people gather at dusk to dawn to visit the fields, as this is the time of day when the “glow” is most prominent, a shimmering cerulean to indigo color. The flower is described to “allure” those who look at it with its beauty. At the same time, a rise in what is believed to be Influenza in some surrounding communities goes unnoticed.
Mr. Love begins to sell seeds to popular manufacturers and plant nurseries, the plant now known as Glossy Starling, in reference to the African bird, begins to hit shelves in communities across the United States, Canada, and multiple European countries. It is not until the flower reaches shelves that military general, Nikolai, is made aware of the potential spread of what was known as Blue Fox. He orders overseers at FOX CAVE to seize or destroy Mr. Love’s land and inventory of all Glossy Starlings he owns. Mr. Love refuses and threatens to have the overseers prosecuted in court for wanting to overturn his private lands. Infant and elderly mortality rates are currently spiking in multiple states across the U.S.A, the reason is believed to be acute Influenza, especially attacking the respiratory system.
[2024] Mr.Love loses his case in court against the United States Federal Government and Military. His fields are seized and destroyed for harboring ‘potentially deadly material’, and once public records of the hearing are released, journalists begin to take botanist criticisms more seriously and seek out further information.
[2024, Summer] Statements across multiple platforms now warn against buying the plant known as Glossy Starling, as it may cause serious health complications to those who are over-exposed to it. Warning labels are now required to be placed on the plants sold in stores, however, not all stores willingly comply with this law and fall negligent to warn its consumers. Sales for Glossy Sterling are still incredibly high. There is a serious rise in “common cold” cases at an odd time of the year, most communities attribute this to a rise in pollen and dust. The thick white-ish blue pollen is later found out to come from the Glossy Sterling flower, and is tested in multiple labs to conclude that it is in fact, extremely poisonous while airborne.
[2025] Infectious rashes are now beginning to string up alongside “common cold” and Influenza cases, globally, and further medical diagnosis is concluding that this is a new outbreak of an unidentified virus. No continent is left unaffected by some population of infected persons, quarantine begins and multiple recalls for the Glossy Sterling take place. More symptoms include insomnia, grogginess, sore throats and upset stomachs, coughing, loss of short term memory, and heightened aggression and frustration. It is hard to clearly diagnose the new outbreak against other common illnesses, the rash is the only true identifier. Rashes occur in reddish white splotches across the body and can be small to entirely consuming multiple parts of the body. Rashes itch, burn, and cause tearing of the skin and inflammation. Other patients are described to exhibit early onset partial blindness, and a milky color to their eyes.
Meanwhile, the government’s case with Mr.Love is dug up by more news sources and journalists, who are now holding the military accountable for their ‘secret testing’. General Nikolai is pressured to begin attending court hearings under the accusation that he led the creation of a biological weapon. The hearings are pushed back almost every time he is set to appear on behalf of the military. Almost all Glossy Sterling found in domesticated areas are ordered to be destroyed immediately, however, it is noted that the plant has reached the wilderness, and if encountered, should be avoided at all costs.

TOTAL ANARCHY, THE DOWNFALL

What’s now known simply as “The Infection” has spread worldwide, and there are no accounts of uncharted territory that has not been invaded by the Glossy Sterling and the spores it produces into the air. Masks are required and constant quarantine checks are never more than a few miles apart from one another. Infected people in some parts of the world are still being treated on, bodies that are donated are being experimented on to try and find an answer to the cure. However, all answers are quickly pointing to a bleak and dismal future. Not only have most humans come down with some symptoms of the disease, but accounts of animals, particularly domestic dogs, are acting extremely strange. Walking in circles, dizziness, swaying, and heightened aggression - all the seeming signs of rabies. This makes countries who had seemingly rid of the disease entirely extremely nervous and a widespread panic of putting down ill animals begins to take place.

THE RETURN OF RABIES

The disease no longer seems to be airborne, as finding the Glossy Sterling plant is now rare, however the disease has cross transferred. Stale water has now become susceptible to containmention of the infection, and moving water has certain risks as well. Cross species infection has spread across the world, and mostly large herbivorous animals fall victim to the disease, dying the fastest from it. Carnivorous animals seem to harbor symptoms much longer, for weeks to months before dying of infection. Omnivores and humans seem to be a toss up between the two, birds, fish, and smaller mammals being the least susceptible. While most scientists have stopped trying and many civilizations have fallen within the short span of a year, more information continues to be spread from person to person. Water contamination can be seen by an iridescent shimmer across the top of the water, and a bioluminescent algae that shows at night or in dark areas. The algae is described to be alluring and extremely attractive if looked at for too long, looking straight at the algae while testing water is a bad idea. Drinking the bad water seems to quicken the effects of infection and the rate at which symptoms show up, far faster than encountering any Glossy Sterling spores.
Symptoms of infection have now increased and the disease is beginning to evolve and cause more effects of what seems like a parasite controlling the host behavior and brain. Symptoms of insanity, insomnia, restlessness, and hallucinations occur frequently. Sensitivity to light, blindness or partial blindness, light colored eyes (white, silver, or icy blues) are considered signs of infection, but not a guarantee. Glossy, iridescent saliva is common in infected individuals, as well as white or very pale flesh. Mange and vitiligo seem to be common in partnership with the disease, but this is no guarantee. Loss of weight but a gain in appetite are tell tell signs of infection, as well as a swayed or zig-zag walking pattern. Sudden “Shakes”, which can be described as seizures, are rare but almost always directly linked to the disease.
Coming in contact with infected does not seem to be contagious, unless blood or saliva is transferred into the bloodstream of the non-infection, but the infected are incredibly aggressive in some stages and will kill on sight. Some carry traces of the disease on the outsides of their bodies, avoiding them at all costs is the highest probability for survival. The infected like to hunt primarily at night as they are sensitive to light. The infected are consistently described as ‘zombie like’ in their nature, approach with caution. Killing an infected should be done without mouth to body or blood contact, for the highest chance of survival.
It has become easy to recognize being infected while also being in denial. Dependent on the health of the individual, they may suffer for days, or weeks, to months and progressively get worse. Not all infected show all signs and symptoms, and may only show a few. No known animals are invisible carriers of the disease.

THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT

The infected now roam along the earth without fear of a higher predator. Civilization has fallen and military no longer have quarantine or ‘safe zones’ that are commonly known. Humans are said to still be in existence but they seem to be rare to find. Once domesticated animals such as dogs, cats, domesticated livestock seem the most resilient to the infection, as they had some time to develop an immunity much faster than their wild counterparts, however, most of them have fallen feral and untamed.
The world has been reclaimed by nature, most buildings and cities are no longer distinct or recognizable. Most human settlements are abandoned and deteriorating. A highly feral hybrid dog breed has spread out across the pacific Northwest, dominating most of the west coast of the United States. The breed is said to have originated from the indigenous people of British Columbia and spread out down into the states. This breed seems to be the most resilient out of all to the disease, and can manage to live, hunt, and have offspring in this tainted world. This does not mean they do not also fall victim to the infection if not careful.