The following is subject to change without notice.The AfflictedOne of the post-WGP effects is the possibility of turning into an “afflicted” AKA a “crazie”. These humans show almost no sign of alteration on distance, but close up you feel and see a clear difference:
Their mouths are usually hanging open, breathing extremely slowly when simply walking around. The reason for this is unknown. They walk upright and talks to themselves. They may scream randomly and may whisper alike. The reason for this is because of the loss of thought. These “crazies”, having exchanged both simple and advanced parts of their brain for more brutality and agility, lost the ability to think “inside their head”. They therefore, literally, speak their mind. What they say, or “think”, can be extremely hard on people to hear. It’s everything from them talking about their misery to how they cut up their children and family with knives for stealing their canned food.
Another thing that is worth noting is their desire for human-created food. At least the current generation of afflicted preserves the need for their “usual” food and drinks, posing a serious threat to people carrying food. This fact is true for all of them in their search for nutrition. Some may have lived off leaves or garbage, eating that, while some may have lived of crops. These crop-eaters are usually found, dead, in contaminated farms. The cause of death usually being ingestion of radioactive wheat and alike.
The actually threat that the afflicted pose is their violent nature. They are, basically, modern-stone age people with AD-HD and hatred towards different people. You can sometimes walk past them, but if you smell of something or look odd they may randomly attack you. Especially vehicles seem to anger the afflicted. Particularly driving ones. More specifically driving ones with un-afflicted humans, carrying guns and food. Because of the vast amount of afflicted in San Fierro, Las Venturas and Los Santos it is highly discouraged to enter or even near the area. While the afflicted show sign of simple autism (prefer to stay in known places), they can, and often will, leave the cities. An example of such is Bayside above San Fierro where the afflicted often leave, looking for food.
The VirusThe virus is a PGM. A Primitive Genetic Mutation. Or, rather, that is how it starts. It later turns into what some scientists call a Complex Genetic Augmentation, whose name is yet to be agreed upon, seeing as the virus is basically all new. Most people use the acronym CGA or simple “The Virus” when talking about it.
The CGA is mutated cancer. It’s non-lethal, but alters the mind drastically. It trades imagination, insight, feelings and several more brain functions for brutality, mental agility, survival skills and other things such as increased aggressiveness. It also removes a vast amount of body fat, yet not to an anorexic extent, in exchange for larger muscles. As body fat increases, it’s drained, and muscles increase. Extreme metabolism some may call it.
The CGA is not contagious in the sense. Only through blood transfusion. The way to get inflicted is through reaching WGP (read other post) and not finding a cure in time. While, technically, it’s still possible to get partly cured once you lose all functions it has been tested.
The Virus also alters the functionality of the respiratory system. While not in motion, the afflicted barely even breathes. While in motion, simply walking, it breathes only slightly more. What is really interesting is the extreme, hyper-ventilation way of breathing when engaging in combat or running. Any person may simulate this way of breathing by continuously breathing through their nose and mouth at the highest possible speed. After doing this for a few minutes, the average person usually feels briefly dizzy. This effect seems non-existent with the afflicted.
The FutureFuture mutations of the virus may appear, bringing in all new issues about survival. Most people do not consider these issues until they actually happen, but most fear of the mutations. The following scheme was created by several, now mostly deceased, scientists working after the disaster:
I:Current Virus, Complex Genetic Augmentation (CGA)
II:Mutating Virus, Complex Re-Genetic Augmentation (CRGA)
II-1:
Loss of hair, loss of skin pigment
Less resistant to heat (EG sun, flames), more agile.
II-2:
Hunching over, loss of skin pigment
Slower, larger muscles, more resistant to EG heat, frost etc.
III:Mutated Virus, Complex Genetic and Physical Alteration (CGPA)
III-1:
If II-1: Loss of muscle and general body mass, loss of excess parts (EG pinky toe)
Extreme agility
III-2:
If II-2: On all four legs, loss of excess parts,
Much slower (crawling), massive muscle mass, very resistant to elements
IV:Aftermath of Mutated Virus, Complex Genetic Multi-Mutated Physical Alterations and Augmentations (CGM2P2A)
IV-1:
If III-1: Hollow bones, loss of excess ribs, lower stature (shrinkage), loss of excess organs (genital, kidney etc.)
Extreme agility, ability to “float” (fall with less speed)
IV-2:
If III-2: Loss eyes, ears, expanding nostrils, body mass increasing
Extreme strength, extreme mass, extremely slow, extremely resistant.
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This "scheme" only provides insight in two out of many possibilities, but it creates a fine image of the cruelties that the afflicted may go through. One does not want to lose his pinky toe!
Thanks for reading!