Fungal Apocalypse

This RPG is set in the real world, a few years later this year, with an apocalyptic pandemic theme.

Everything originates when on a new archipelago, which was called Archipelago Mortis, where multiple new but dangerous species were found; from poisonous plants and fungi to dangerous animals, Not to mention that going there is also dangerous due to the unstable tide and the numerous strong thunderstorms and tornadoes. This clearly goes unnoticed beyond the news in the science of this discovery, but soon it is discovered that it is not so. Among those species of fungi, there was one particular fungus that can withstand any weather and grow anywhere, has begun to infect people.

At first it starts with a few, mostly the scientific groups that interacted with this fungus and some soldiers. But somehow it reaches other countries, and chaos begins there. Infections increase as far as already crossed the millions. Since don’t know how to get this fungus in a person, it is quarantined in all countries.

All countries unite to exterminate this, scientists seek a cure, while the bodies of the deceased are taken to this new island to prevent a more massive spread. But this is where the real terror for the scientists and soldiers there originates. "A place that was not touched by God" said those who believed describing the place.

Since soldiers and scientists have to stay longer on this archipelago, many have been disturbed by what they saw, some have lost hope in humanity, they have been left with trauma and severe psychological damage, and others have fallen into madness.

The fungus that caused it all was called Cordyceps carnis, a mushroom that looks like a small azure branched branch, this mushroom was mutated by a small radiation on the Mortis Archipelago that was located, in a specific area with a small area of natural radiation that come from radioactive primordial nuclides.

This fungus, instead of infecting insects, has been able to infect humans, causing the deaths of millions of people around the world.

It is quite dangerous since once infected, death becomes inevitable, and it is easy to go unnoticed at first, both health-wise and physically. Not to mention that this fungus is aggressive by infecting its host and progressing so rapidly that it ends in just a few days.

It's still unknown how someone can contract the fungus, but it's theorized to be airborne—through spores—and also through water. It can survive for many, many years.

Final appearance of the Fungus: The victim becomes a mass of rotting flesh, covered in a network of filaments and fungal structures that seem to grow and extend in all directions. The skin may be completely covered in a layer of fungus, with shapes resembling giant mushrooms, tentacles, or even extra eyes emerging from the body. The bodies may appear "inflated" or deformed, with spore-like structures or mushroom bodies sprouting from the flesh in a process of accelerated decomposition. The presence of spores floating in the air, accompanied by a nauseating odor, increases the sense of horror.

The symptoms of this fungal infection can vary from person to person. Some may experience symptoms that others don't, but some symptoms remain mostly general. In total, when a person is alive. When a person has the fungus, it has been developing since day zero, and only the next day do the symptoms begin. For this reason, the fungus is dangerous, since a person who is infected will not show any signs of the fungus on the same day of infection, and by the next day it will be too late for the person.

Initial symptoms (days 1-2): Mild fatigue or excessive tiredness. Occasional mild headache. Loss of appetite or mild nausea. Diffuse muscle or joint pain. Mild fever or chills. Changes in sleep, such as insomnia or excessive sleepiness. Small, harmless-looking spots or rashes.

Progressive symptoms (days 3-4): Increasing fever and profuse sweating. Severe muscle and joint pain. Mental confusion or difficulty concentrating. Loss of motor coordination. Changes in vision, such as blurred vision or flashing lights. Appearance of skin lesions that become more coarse, with pus or necrosis. Difficulty breathing or a tightness in the chest.

Severe Symptoms (Days 5 and beyond): Coma or loss of consciousness. Internal or external bleeding. Grotesque deformities of the skin and tissues. Involuntary movements or spasms. Multiple organ failure. The appearance of the grotesque abominations you mentioned, with body parts transforming into parasitic or grotesque structures, accompanied by a foul odor and a disturbing presence. These symptoms can help create a terrifying and visceral progression, reflecting the rapid and brutal nature of the fungus in your story. Additionally, you can play with the idea that some initial symptoms seem harmless but quickly become horrifying and devastating, increasing the tension and horror.

If someone is infected by a bite or physical injury from someone already infected, the infection will be accelerated alongside a burning, agonizing pain.

It is known that this fungus has four phases, the first is from the first and second day, the second phase is from the third to the fourth day, the third phase is from from the fifth to the sixth day, and the fourth phase is entered when it is from the seventh day onwards. And as stated, sometimes some symptoms may appear in some people and not in others, so the stages of this fungus can also be somewhat varied.

Phase 1: Onset (Days 1-2) General symptoms: Fatigue, mild aches, small red spots, internal itching. Appearance of the fungus: At this stage, the fungus is not yet visible externally on the body. However, in some cases, it may begin to form small black spots or dots on the skin, similar to tiny spores or fungal seeds that appear to be dormant. The skin may have a slightly rough texture or small bumps, as if something is germinating underneath.

Phase 2: Initial Expansion (Days 3-4) General symptoms: Muscle pain, mild fever, skin changes, confusion. Appearance of the fungus: Here, the fungus begins to grow and form visible structures. Small or filamentary filaments may appear emerging from the skin in specific areas, resembling roots or thin, dark or greenish tentacles. The skin may have areas that look spongy or have small bumps that appear to be growing slowly, resembling mold growth on the surface.

Stage 3: Spread and Grotesqueness (Days 5-6) General symptoms: Necrosis, respiratory distress, hallucinations, seizures. Appearance of the fungus: The infection becomes more visible and grotesque. The affected skin shows large black areas, with mushroom-like structures sprouting from the surface, with amorphous shapes, tentacles, or filaments that appear to extend and branch. In some cases, the fungus may form bulbous or spherical masses that appear to be expanding, with spores detaching and floating in the air. The skin may appear moist, with areas that appear to be decomposing, and in some cases, the fungi may form small "cocoons" containing spores ready to disperse.

Stage 4: Final Transformation and Death (Day 7) General Symptoms: Grotesque transformation, rapidly decomposing bodies, visible fungal structures. Fungal Appearance: The victim becomes a mass of rotting flesh, covered in a network of filaments and fungal structures that seem to grow and extend in all directions. The skin may be completely covered in a layer of fungus, with shapes resembling giant mushrooms, tentacles, or even extra eyes emerging from the body. The bodies may appear "inflated" or deformed, with spore-like structures or mushroom bodies sprouting from the flesh in a process of accelerated decomposition. The presence of spores floating in the air, accompanied by a nauseating odor, increases the sense of horror.

After death, the host becomes even more deformed and grotesque due to the fungus's influence. The initially pale skin turns grayish or greenish, with areas that appear to be in the process of decomposition, with patches of exposed, moist flesh. The skin's texture is slimy and slippery, as if covered in a thin layer of mold or lichen, with small fungal patches sprouting from different parts of the body.

The eyes, which may once have been vivid, are now sunken and opaque, with dilated, glassy pupils, reflecting only a primal instinct to seek moisture and food. The facial expression is distorted, with the mouth twisted in a grimace of despair or aggression, with yellowed teeth, sometimes broken or covered in a slimy substance.

The limbs, especially the hands, are deformed by the growth of the fungus, with long, thin fingers ending in black, brittle nails, sometimes covered in a sticky substance. The posture is hunched or shuffling, reflecting the loss of conscious muscular control, moving erratically and clumsily, but with surprising strength when attracted to moisture or heat.

The body itself may have areas where the fungus has infiltrated deeply, forming lumps or masses of decaying tissue, with a strong and nauseating odor of dampness, rotting flesh, and mold. In some cases, parts of the body may be covered in a kind of fungal shell, like a layer of mushrooms that seem to grow and spread, making the figure even more monstrous and surreal.

This state is not only visually terrifying but also conveys a sense of total loss of humanity, as if the body were merely a vessel for the fungus, which now dominates every instinctual movement and thought. The combination of deformity, moisture, odor, and erratic movement can leave a lasting and traumatizing impression on the observer.

The infected are not necessarily aggressive, as long as they are not disturbed, they ignore people and look for a humid place to continue reproducing more fungi to further spread the infection. If they are disturbed too much, they can become aggressive and attack. Although there have been cases of infected individuals who are initially aggressive.

The infected are resistant to many things, including fire; it takes several shots to immobilize one.

There have been some cases of infected that appear to have mutated, developing the ability to make sounds such as crying, whimpering and sobbing, it is theorized that this is to attract more humans and infect them.

Lately a new type of infected has been discovered, being called type B, these are people who have contracted the fungus, but for some reason, do not show symptoms of an advance like the type A, However, they frequently cough, which contains spores of the fungus, and can more easily infect people without realizing it. These people are also shown to have a little more thirst but not severe enough to be so noticeable and go unnoticed. People who contract type B of the fungus remain conscious but report hearing a "voice" in their head.

The infected seem to react to certain emotions in people, such as fear. The more fearful a person is, the more they will attract the infected.

In this RPG, two groups are tasked with dealing with the situation caused by this fungus. The Global Defense Alliance - the G.D.A - and the Multinational Epidemic Coalition - the M.E.C -, are two groups created by all countries and the UN, where multiple military forces and scientific groups from different countries join together to combat this chaos caused by the fungus. The Ministry of Education has a laboratory in the Mortis Archipelago, where the Cordyceps carnis fungus originated, to search for a cure for this. And the General Directorate of Agriculture (GDA) is in charge of the situation in the countries, how surveillance in quarantine or taking the dead bodies of people before they enter the next stage where the fungus controls the dead body of the person, and taking those bodies to the Archipelago Mortis.