Strain 2.0

# **The Reaver Strain, Strain 2.0.**

## **Summery**

A Reaver is the name given to individuals who are infected with the Andromosis-Virus Strain 2.0. It should be noted that nearly all Reavers start off as infected of the Strain 1.0. However, some individuals bitten by infected can be afflicted directly with the Reaver Strain right off the bat, though this is considered rare.

## **About Strain and Race**

The 2.0. Strain of the Andromosis-Virus, or often referred to as Reavers; is the secondary evolution stage of the base Strain 1.0. of the Virus. The Virus shifts from Strain 1.0. to Strain 2.0. when the inter-cellular, Virus filled cysts shrink in size. This seemingly gives most movement and thought control back to its host as a result, however symptoms can and still progress. This reason alone is why it is believed that strain 2.0. of the Andromosis-Virus is simply just the Virus progressing and evolving. Hence why most individual’s who are Reavers where once just simple infected of Strain 1.0. and show all of the normal symptoms of the Virus.

## **Region**

Afflicted Reavers can be encountered in every part of the world. However, it is highly improbable that a Reaver is Afflicted rather then trueborn overall.

Trueborn Reavers are normally born directly afflicted with the Strain 2.0. are typical for only some parts of the known world.

**Large Reaver Populace. Trueborn Reavers are common:**

* South of Africa
* Central Africa
* South Middle East
* Southern North America
* Mexico

**Average Reaver Populace. Trueborn Reavers are very rare:**

* North of Africa
* North of Middle East
* South of Europe
* India
* North of North America
* South America

**Little Reavers Populace:**

* Central and Northern Europe
* Russia
* Eastern Asia
* Australia

## **Types of Reavers**

* **Afflicted:** A human that was infected by Strain 1.0. who survived long enough for the Strain to mutate into The Reaver Strain, hence being ‘blessed’ and/or ‘cursed’ by the Two-Faced God.
* **Trueborn:** A Trueborn are born afflicted and infected by the Reaver Strain. In turn they attend to be stronger as they have more time to take in their abilities.

## **Symptoms**

A variety of behavioral abnormalities still remain with these symptoms and though memory often improve they seem to not remember their past selves at lest not fully.

**Here is a list of symptoms of the 2.0. Strain:**

* Memory deficits that progress into nervousness, anxiety and restlessness
* Diminished fear responses
* Increased sensitivity to sound and light
* Difficulty breathing
* Voice changes
* Dementia, faded memory improves in this strain
* Psychotic behavior
* Intellectual function, seemingly returns to normal
* Well more likely attack uninfected persons, though they have the ability to hold back if they try

## **Physical Appearance**

Those infected with the Andromosis-Virus Strain 2.0., take these physical traits. Reavers tend to have annoyingly high-pitched or whiny laughs similar to the noises Hyenas make. They attend to chew or gnaw on bits of leather or wood showing their jaw strength. Reavers take on a ashen and morbidly pale skin tone that often show faint lace of delicate gray veins and can be frequently dotted with dozens of raised marks caused by ritual scarring. Their hair normally take on varying shades of silver and deep black. Reavers eyes attend to get much darker with the pupils remaining large and the iris’s become a jet black color, with the whites of the eyes getting more of a gray in tone. Another new development is that Reavers attend to have a second pair of very translucent eyelids, more likely a mutation that happens overtime meant to protect their sensitive eyes from both sand and strong sun light. If the secondary pair is closed, the Reavers vision will become slightly cloudy.

They also at this point normally have grown out their especially strong, black nails that are uses as claws. Because of this also growing on their toes they attend to rarely wear shoes. Their feet, as a result have more leathery thick ‘pads’ on the bottom of their feet.

## **Characteristics**

Those infected with Strain 2.0 of the Andromosis-Virus will show the same characteristics as every individual infected with Strain 1.0. The only difference is in the intellectual ability to control their natural need to attack uninfected if they wish, as well as a few appearance changes. Intellectual abilities return to nearly the same as how they where before infection, though symptoms resulting in memory loss might cause the infected not to remember people or things from their post-infected lives.

Like other Strains of the AndromosisVirus they will infect eat parts of non-infected to sustain themselves. They are also more active at night as well, though they can walk in daylight.

Other characteristics include; denser bones, skin being thicker and tougher, bodies healing faster than even Strain 3.0.. The only way to kill them is by massive and serious trauma to to the skull to the point of brain damage. However, their senses are still identical to that of non-infected humans accept for their eyesight; They only see in night-vision, meaning during the day they are practically blind.

## **Behavior Traits**

* **Children of the Two-Faced God:** Their god being a symbol of shapeshifing, they can easily shift their moods and minds. Unless bound somehow or trained from birth, they can always turn on whoever claims to be their leader or master, or even their ally if the moment is favourable. They associated themselves with the reversal of normal activities. Like their androgynous god, their perception of gender is fluid.
* **Defilers of Tomb:** Reavers consider the dead and their remains as tools and playthings, having no respect or pity for them. They excel in necromancy, sometimes tormenting their victims by denying then even the peace of the afterlife.

## **Psychology**

Revers are highly driven by instincts and as such are vicious by the standers of uninfected. They are often controlled by their instincts, to the point of even pouncing upon one another in fits of rage, ripping away at one another with their claws in attempts to dismember eachother. They are wildly unpredictable much of the time, but when they become focused on something, that focus does not and until their curiosity has been satiated or something else catches their eye.

Despite this however, they seem to group up in communities that are in many ways similar to one large family. Everyone provided for and laziness is not tolerated what-so-ever. Relationships such as marriages are not normal but they have developed a looser concept of it.

They dislike outsiders, and view most uninfected as potential food and would more likely lure and attack them. Outsiders are watched and trailed when they come close to their dwellings and likely hunted if it is nightfall.

They have a predatory nature that drives them to view all outsiders as potential food or even entertainment. They look at uninfected as prey and will engage in cannibalization of enemies outside their established group.

## **Aging and Lifespan**

**Chart**

 **Elder** | Once one is over the age of 70 they are considered an Elder

## **Reproduction**

Reaver mating rituals are often described as a violent and passionate affair. Males will fight to the death or until one submits in order to gain the right to mate with a female. Such combats are vicious and bloody and if the loser does live, they are often maimed and shunned from the clan as a whole. When a male takes a female as their mate, their relationship is often passionate and loving, though sometimes rather rough, as both partners give in to their passion.

It should be noted that marriages however are not normal but they have developed a looser concept of it.

Like normal un-infected humans, Reavers born infected are still considered mature at sixteen year of age. Reavers have a lifespan of around 90+ years, though most of their members live far shorter lives due to the harshness of the environment and other Reavers in general. If they have children the average is two to four children, Reaver women are considered extremely protective mothers.

## **Society**

**Social Structure**

Reavers normally live in small clans that gather in loosely organized group. The social organizations of these groups are not complex and individual families within a clan pretty much live as they please, so long as they do their part. Within these clans the eldest generation is normally the ruling body who is in-charge of settling all issues. The oldest and most experienced Reaver in a collection of groups form a council of sorts that may settle any disputes between group as well as making decisions on external issues.

Reavers live in a variety of locations mostly consisting of ruins of the Old World to even some towns or cities. Those living in the latter are usually only single groups that can reach up to 10-20 individuals that temporarily use the town as a hunting ground although larger cities may contain larger populations for a bit longer, and might contain a Clan which can consist of two or three groups. Normally however, the Reavers make their home in ruins.

Reaver Clans are normally an egalitarian society, both males and females can be found filling many of the same roles. They understand the value of tools and weapons, which they use from time to time, but monetary wealth is a foreign concept. Those their are very few Reavers who engage in some form of trade usually do so through bartering furs and stolen goods. Among their own kind, however the only status that they truly recognize is age.

While hunting is a popular sport among Reavers, some larger clans have been know to capture and keep slaves only long enough to serve as food when other sources are hard to find. They treat their slaves as nothing more then live stalk. Due to their instinctual drive most Reaver clans are threats to anyone who wonders into their hunting grounds.

Reaver clans for the most part, approach other groups or clans with caution. There is always the threat of a Clan, or elements of it, trying to steal another clans, food or even home. This is how some clans are formed or expand. Although some might have good relations with one another, it is usually from a distance. This is beneficial to those whom fear explosions of Reaver populations in some areas, because once a clan reaches a size too large to support, it splits apart and spreads out in search of fresher hunting grounds. This often brings them into conflict with other clans and thus in-fighting helps to dye down their population.

## **Family Life**

Reavers have a strong yet unique sense of family. Both male and female Reavers do not only have one mate for life. In fact they may have up to several at any one time with children coming from these numerous relationship. This creates quite an extended family situation where the eldest are considered the heads of the group. A single family group are commonly made up of 15 to 20 members with anywhere from two to five elders per group.

Pregnancy for Reavers generally lasts for 34 to 37 week, when twins are born the pregnancy often only lasts 29 to 33 weeks. Childcare is handled by all of the females within the group and children become independent after about seven to eight years. Children engage in games of hunting small animals so to hone their skills for when they become adults.

Males have little to do with the children although they will defend their family group to the death. The females are responsible for taking the children on their early hunts and teaching them how to survive. When the children become older, they may take part in hunts with the males although they are still treated much like children until they finally reach adulthood. Thiss transformation iss marked by succeeding in a private hunt and returning to the Clan with a kill of equal or greater inherent strength and/ or skill as the hunter.

## **Everyday Life**

The life Reaver can vary greatly depending on each individual, their family group and Clan. Animalistic nature, they attend to spend their lives hunting, reproducing and expanding their territories. They sleep during the day and wake shortly before nightfall. Hunting parties gather and then head out in search of prey to bring back to the rest of the clan to feed or otherwise enjoy. Those tasked with communicating with out groups or clans will perform their duties in regards to trade or other needed communication.

## **Religion**

Multiple small societies worship the Two-faced God within the continent of Africa and within the middle east. These societies members refer to themselves as Hebbal Sag, Only the chosen few among their members if any are infected though drinking the blood on an infected. They are then held until if at all the strain develops into the Reaver Strain. If or when this occurs they slowly become the local leader of the cult being one of few true Reavers within. Worshippers become ‘Reavers’ by using zoomorphic helmets and masks burring dark rites and orgies that refer to the dirty habits, trickiness, and nastiness of their totem animal.

Human sacrifice is a common practice among the Hebbal Sag, and it is considered especially preferable to being a unsuspecting victim to the alter, betraying their trust. Switching gender roles and imitating animal behaviour is the usual part of the rituals. The alternating androgynous consequently appears as an ideal in-between in the ritual domain. During the initiation, the role of the hyena mask is often to transform the neophyte into a complete being, integrating his male principles with female ones.

Most Reavers however, outside of Africa or the southern parts of the middle east attend to worship gods with strong ties to bestial nature.

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