Joel Miller

Ophiocordyceps unilateralis (one-sided cordyceps) has mutated and begun to infect humans. A mutated strain of Cordyceps originated in South America. It infected agricultural crops and then the first human victims, who ate contaminated grain. The fungus quickly spread around the world via exported products. The first signs appeared in late September 2013 in the United States. Newspapers at the time reported a sharp increase in hospitalizations due to the mysterious infection. Authorities attempted to slow the spread by recalling contaminated products, but the incubation rate was too high. Within months, the pandemic had engulfed the entire world. An estimated 60% of the planet's population was either killed or infected. Martial law was declared in many countries. The fungus attacks the central nervous system and body tissues. Once inside the body, the spores seek to penetrate the cerebral cortex to begin their life cycle. Routes of infection: Inhalation of cordyceps spores. Contact with the body fluids of an infected person (e.g., a bite). The incubation period is very short - the fungus reaches the brain a maximum of two days after infection. Stage one ("runner"). Two days after infection, the fungus completely takes over the nervous system, and the person loses control, becoming extremely aggressive. Stage two ("stalker"). Within two weeks of infection, the fungus begins to grow into scalp tissue, damaging the visual cortex and leading to vision loss. Third stage ("click beetle"). After a year of infection, the fungus covers the head with thick plates that obscure the eyes. To compensate for the loss of vision, the infected person develops a primitive form of echolocation. Click beetles possess enhanced strength. Stage four ("drowned man"). With prolonged infestation (more than ten years), dense fungal growths form on the host's body. When the fungus kills the host, fruiting bodies develop on its body, releasing toxic spores.

Her full name is Teresa (Tess) Servopoulos. She's about 51 years old and lives in Boston's Quarantine Zone 4. After the Cordyceps outbreak, Tess became a smuggler and worked for a long time with Joel Miller. In their partnership, she was the "brains," developing plans, negotiating, and solving complex problems, while Joel was the "muscle," providing the physical strength. In Boston's criminal underworld, they were known for their ruthlessness. Tess was respected and even feared by many in the Quarantine Zone. Tess initially adhered to the "dog eat dog" philosophy - that is, in a world where cruelty reigns, everyone is for himself. Tess has brown hair, which she wears half-up and accessorized with a headband or bandana tied in the middle. She has straight eyebrows and hazel eyes. Her face is thin and angular, with several scars. Her figure is slender. The outfit includes grey trousers, brown boots, a backpack, a pinkish-red vest and a black T-shirt.

Joel is originally from Texas. He married young and had a daughter, Sarah, but his wife soon left. After a pandemic caused by a mutated cordyceps fungus, Joel, his brother Tommy, and 12-year-old Sarah were attempting to escape the dangerous area. During a shootout with a soldier, Sarah was fatally wounded and died in her father's arms. This tragedy forever traumatized Joel. About 20 years after the outbreak, Joel had already hardened himself in the brutal post-apocalyptic world. He became a skilled smuggler in the Boston quarantine zone, ruled by a military dictatorship. His partner was Tess.

Age and build. Joel is approximately 50 years old. He has a compact, muscular build. He is approximately 182 cm tall and weighs approximately 90 kg. Hair and beard. Dark blond with gray. Eyes. Brown with a greenish tint (hazel). Scars. There are numerous cuts and scars on her face and arms—evidence of surviving in a post-apocalyptic world. Among them: a scar on her right temple from a suicide attempt after the death of her daughter Sarah, a scar on her neck from a bullet fired by a Firefly soldier, and a scar on her right side from a stab wound. Clothing. Joel is often seen wearing a plaid shirt (including a dark green one that used to belong to Frank) rolled up to the elbows, jeans, and hiking boots. When traveling, he wears a brown jacket and uses a backpack for supplies.

The Federal Disaster Management Agency is the last remaining U.S. government agency in the wake of the Cordyceps cerebral disease outbreak. Role: Controls quarantine zones, introduces martial law and dissolves other government agencies. In quarantine zones, soldiers prohibit residents from leaving the city, subject them to forced labor, and, when supplies run low, restrict basic food rations. Often executes or exiles dissidents and criminals. By 2033, FEDRA has authority over only a handful of fortified cities, primarily Boston, as most have either been destroyed, abandoned, or captured by rebels.

a paramilitary group fighting against the FEDRA military regime. Objective: to restore the pre-war state system and end military oppression. They carried out terrorist attacks and gained widespread support from the population after the military executed several of their members. They were actively searching for a vaccine against cordyceps, for which they were prepared to take extreme measures. The group's command center was located at St. Mary's Hospital in Salt Lake City.

They control quarantine zones, look after the uninfected, and protect against infection outside the walls. They regulate all movements to prevent further infection, and because of this they are often forced to resort to violence. Known for "disappearances" and large-scale executions of civilians suspected of being connected to the Cicadas.

The Cannibals are a hostile faction that uses their victims as food due to the lack of supplies in the post-apocalyptic world. Formed in the town of Lakeside Resort in Silver Lake after an outbreak of cordyceps cerebral infection. Over twenty years, the group's supplies dwindled and they were forced to resort to cannibalism, especially during the harsh winters. David sent hunting expeditions outside the city in search of supplies or survivors to catch and eat. Strength: Cannibals do not use armor and have a basic set of weapons such as pistols, hunting rifles, and shotguns.