[b]The Disease: [/b] [u]Description:[/u] Highly contagious the disease is spread through either direct contact or, in advance cases the disease has become airborne through respiratory droplets. Characteristics of the disease are swellings of the body, particularly the lymph nodes of the armpits and groins, fever, vomiting, and in advanced cases coma or death. The incubation period of the disease is 2-5 days, with the elderly, young or immune-compromised it is much more rapid. As the disease evolved over the course of three years it developed three strains, like it had in the past: ‘Classic’—Swellings of the lymph nodes, the bacteria secretes a toxin that ‘Septicemic’—A progression of the classic disease, as the bacteria infects the blood toxins are secreted that causes clotting. Tissue death due to clotting and cutting off circulation is very common in this form of the disease. Often this is the most fatal. ‘Pneumonic’—The bacteria infects the lungs causing hemorrhaging in the lungs, cough and fever. [u]Symptoms:[/u] *Painful, discolored swellings of the lymph nodes of the armpits and groin area. *Fever *Nausea *Vomiting *Hemorrhaging in the skin and internal organs *Headache *Weakness *Necrosis of soft tissues of hands, feet, arms and legs *Cough [u]History:[/u] A genetically modified sample of [i]Yersina pestis[/i] was created on Eden Island in 2010, kept hidden from the public until it’s outbreak in early 2014, the sample was to be used as biological warfare, planned years earlier. It was released into the public after an accidental transfer onto a scientist on leave. It was never meant to leave Eden Island until it was contained and the American people could be vaccinated. Currently there are no records of a successful vaccine being produced in the four yearlong project. By June of 2014 1/3 of the earth’s population had been wiped out as it spread continent to continent. The CDC was unable to contain and isolate those infected. As of December 2014 the CDC ceased to exist. By October of 2015 most of the world’s population had died. Several tsunamis, earthquakes and other natural disasters aided in the death toll. In December of 2015 the plague, as it was penned in the New York Times back in 2014, reached its climax. By February of the following year it had died down but still remained an active threat to the remaining humans. --- [b]Setting:[/b] [u]Time:[/u] Mid-February of 2017; New York City, New York. [u]Tribes:[/u] Within the region of New York there are many small tribes scattered across the land in their claims. Settling around sources of water they scrape out their living by returning to simple technology and hunting as well as gathering and scavenging. [u]Religion:[/u] *“New Age”: Founded in 2014, just after the outbreak, by a charismatic man by the name of Nathaniel Winters, the New Age religion started as a safe haven for those who felt betrayed by their god. As they looked for a new God, Nathaniel spoke of his visions of the sun telling him where to go, how to live and what to believe. Many tribes have converted to this new age religion. Nathaniel Winters was killed in a small tribe war in March of 2016. [u]Aspects of religion:[/u] *Sacrifices of goods—plants, animals, and valuables to the sun god. More frequently human sacrifices are occurring as there are shortages of animals. *Worshiping of the sun—following the movement of the sun through the sky, those that believe in the sun god pray for a new dawn of when they will once again rise and reclaim their old lives. *Holidays—the solstices are observed and human and animal sacrifices are highly common on these days. Other minor holidays observed are spin-offs of pre-plague holidays, centered around the sun. Other modern religions such as Islam, Christianity and Judaism also survive and are practiced.