SP03: Doom

SP3 is a viral infection that spreads as a depression and if preventative or restorative action isn't given within a immediate timeframe, the victim will turn into a lurch zombie, and become thrall to the worldtree for the period of their decay.

These thralls can become vassals for spreading the infection across the Worldtree exclusion zone, and the emergent nature of this infection has proved it's infamous nature amongst locals.

Hunting Methods

Of those previous victims that still have functioning limbs and the ability to move, they will be driven to travel the land, and drawn to the sweet scent of the living. They have been observed to exhibit various different types of behaviour, from breathing into peoples mouthes, biting, and attempting to rip people apart.

It is unsure if the worldtree is directly causing the zombies to act or react, or if the infection causes the zombies to act due to certain needs that the zombie is deprived of because of the infection. Some have observed the zombies attempting to drag bodies closer to the tree, which would be evidence towards the worldtree having control, but these reports are unverified.

Mitigation & Avoidance

Due to the nature of the levels of decay, and that the infection can be seen to affect not only humans, but other humanoid species with functioning respitory systems, there are alot of shapes and forms the creature can take thus making identification difficult to near impossible, but there is a small but non-exhaustive list of signs touted by locals as a start.

Firstly, one should identify how the possible infected is walking, due to the infection's nature anybody who is infected with the disease with develop a lopsided limp or unnatural movement. These zombies may also be seen to twitch or jutter repeatedly.

Another key symptom of the zombification can be of creatures that seem to still move despite lacking limbs or functional organs. If the creature is spotted lacking core pieces of their anatomy but unbothered by such, you may be dealing with a zombie.