This section explores the different species that inhabit the wasteland. It delves into the Infected, Mutants, and Humans, describing their place in this new world, their characteristics, their ways of life, and their unique way of interpreting the reality around them.

Each race is a mosaic of cultures, beliefs, and internal struggles, and within each one, very diverse factions emerge. These factions, some allied and others in constant conflict, shape the politics, warfare, and alliances of this chaotic world. From human communities striving to restore civilization to mutant clans with completely new visions of power and territory, this section will uncover the complexities and rivalries that define each race and faction.

Infected: The Plague

After the apocalypse triggered by the NT Virus, the infected quickly became the dominant threat on Earth. Initially, the hordes of infected were chaotic and uncontrolled, driven solely by an instinct of blind rage and an insatiable need to spread the virus. These early infected, although incredibly violent, acted in a disorganized manner, blindly charging at any living being. Their brutality and physical resilience allowed them to ignore pain and continue attacking even after sustaining severe injuries, which facilitated the rapid spread of the virus and the collapse of entire populations in a matter of weeks.

However, their lack of coordination was their greatest weakness. Humans organized in fortresses and bunkers could contain the uncontrolled waves with well-executed defensive tactics. But the NT Virus did not stop at this initial stage. As time passed, the virus began to evolve, giving rise to a much more dangerous type of infected.

With the evolution of the virus, the Hive Minds emerged, a form of collective and decentralized mental control over the hordes. While these infected were not intelligent individuals on their own, the Hive Mind controlling them granted a level of basic but deadly organization. Under its influence, the hordes of infected ceased to behave like rabid animals chasing any stimulus and began to follow more coordinated attack patterns. They could now flank positions, launch simultaneous attacks from different directions, and even retreat tactically if human defenses were too strong.

Through this mental connection, the Hive Minds were able to synchronize the movements of large numbers of infected, enabling coordinated attacks that were previously impossible. Although they did not develop complex plans or show true strategic intelligence, the Hive Minds could execute basic strategies with deadly effectiveness, guiding the hordes to key objectives and exploiting weaknesses in human defenses. This level of control transformed the infected into a much more organized threat, capable of ambushing and overwhelming poorly defended human positions.

One of the most terrifying aspects of the Hive Minds is their ability to control large numbers of infected over long distances. The hordes could move in a coordinated and precise manner, assaulting human positions and overwhelming any poorly prepared resistance. The Hive Minds acted as a collective intelligence, directing the infected as if they were extensions of a single being, allowing them to act with a cohesion impossible in the original infected.

However, while these Hive Minds proved to be more intelligent than the first infected, their ability to learn and adapt to human tactics remained limited. They could not formulate elaborate strategies or anticipate more complex movements, which prevented them from completely matching organized human forces. But their ability to coordinate large-scale attacks and launch unexpected offensives still made them a formidable enemy, especially when humans were outnumbered or caught off guard.

As the NT Virus continued to evolve, differentiated types of infected emerged, determined by genetic modifications that some individuals had received before the pandemic. Many of the infected hosts had not only been subjects of tests and experiments by biotechnology corporations but also consumers who had acquired genetic enhancement services for themselves and their descendants. This caused some infected to develop special abilities. In certain cases, genetic modifications synergized with the virus, resulting in infected with enhanced physical capabilities: faster, stronger, or with specific abilities like climbing or resisting extreme damage. These synergistic infected were the most dangerous, as the virus took advantage of their physical improvements to maximize their effectiveness.

On the other hand, not all genetic modifications integrated well with the virus. In many cases, pre-existing alterations caused rapid degeneration in the infected, making their bodies deteriorate quickly, turning them slow and clumsy. These degenerated infected were much easier to eliminate, but still posed a threat if they moved in large numbers.

In the early stages, the infected were still able to feed effectively, digesting what they consumed like any living being. However, as the virus progressed and the infected's bodies began to degenerate, they progressively lost the ability to digest what they ate. Still, the infected retained a persistent instinct to feed, attempting to devour any living being they encountered, especially humans and mutants. As their digestive system degrades, the NT Virus adapts to this problem by redirecting the body's resources from non-essential areas to those it considers more important, such as the brain and motor functions. This means that, over time, wounds in the infected no longer regenerate, as the virus uses the remaining biological resources to keep key functions operational, prioritizing mobility and neurological control.

The brain is one of the areas that the NT Virus prioritizes over any other part of the body. As the infected continue to operate, the virus directs its efforts to keeping the brain functional, ensuring that the infected can keep moving and attacking, even when their bodies are visibly deteriorated. While the infected show a limited ability to regenerate, this is primarily focused on preserving cognitive and motor functions. Thus, although the bodies decompose over time, the infected remain dangerous for a long time as the virus keeps essential functions intact.

Eliminating an infected remains a challenge, but there are effective methods. The safest way to neutralize them is by causing significant damage to the brain or completely destroying the body. While the infected can partially regenerate some wounds, the brain remains their weak point, and any considerable damage to this area halts their ability to "live" (so to speak). Dismembering the body or incinerating it are other viable options, as they prevent any possibility of regeneration.

The future of the infected is uncertain. No one knows if they will continue evolving into more intelligent and lethal forms, or if they will reach a point where their development stagnates or degenerates. As humans reorganize to fight the hordes and the Hive Minds, there remains the fear that the NT Virus still has more mutations to reveal, increasing the challenge posed by these ruthless beings in the post-apocalyptic world.

Alpha-Primus Strain

This is the first Hive Mind identified after the evolution of the NT Virus. It is characterized by basic tactical control over the hordes, primarily used for ambushes and quick assaults. Its infected are extremely agile, capable of running long distances without tiring and attacking with great ferocity. The Alpha-Primus prefers speed over brute force, prioritizing territory occupation and hunting scattered human and mutant groups.

• Fast and agile infected.
• Coordinated movements for ambushes.
• Tactical retreat when encountering strong resistance.

Gorgona Strain

The Gorgona Strain is one of the most feared for its ability to psychologically paralyze its victims before the infected attack. This Hive Mind seems to project an aura of fear through its connection with the hordes, causing humans to feel overwhelming panic, which disrupts any attempt at defense. The infected under its command are slow but incredibly resilient, able to withstand extreme damage before falling.

• Extremely resilient infected, though slow.
• Ability to induce extreme fear in victims.
• Used for prolonged sieges, weakening defenses psychologically.

Arachnis Strain

With a much more complex control structure, the Arachnis Strain acts like a hyper-connected communication network. This Hive Mind can split its hordes into multiple groups and coordinate attacks from different points simultaneously. Its infected are fast climbers, allowing them to attack from elevated positions or infiltrate fortresses through vulnerable points.

• Infected that can climb walls and attack from above.
• Ability to split the horde into multiple simultaneous attack fronts.
• Preference for assaults in urban areas, where vertical terrain is key to success.

Leviathan Strain

The Leviathan Strain controls massive infected, many of whom were subjects of genetic experiments before the pandemic. These infected are colossal and nearly impossible to stop with conventional weaponry. The Hive Mind uses them as siege weapons, destroying defenses with pure brute force.

• Gigantic and extremely strong infected.
• Specialized in demolishing defensive structures.
• Slow, but nearly unstoppable once they begin attacking.

Vortex Strain

With an advanced ability to manipulate air currents and temperature, the Vortex Strain uses hordes of infected to unleash environmental chaos. Its infected can endure extreme conditions, operating in storms or harsh climates where other infected or humans cannot survive. They use storms to attack.

• Infected adapted to extreme climates and natural phenomena.
• Use storms or sudden climate changes to conceal their movements.
• Especially dangerous in desert regions or tundras.

Helix Strain

The Helix Strain is the result of the synergy between the NT Virus and the most advanced genetic modifications. This Hive Mind controls infected with superhuman physical abilities: some are incredibly fast, others possess brutal strength, and others can rapidly regenerate wounds. It is the most unpredictable strain due to the variety of mutations it handles, but it is also the least numerous.

• Infected with enhanced physical abilities (speed, strength, regeneration).
• Ability to quickly adapt to combat situations.
• High risk, as some mutants can degenerate rapidly if the virus does not integrate properly.

Mutants: The Heirs of the World

After the nuclear war against the infected, a new race emerged from the chaos: the mutants. These beings not only survived the apocalypse, but their bodies were altered by radiation and pre-apocalyptic genetic modifications. Many of them had received alterations to enhance their physical resilience and immunity, but the radiation amplified these changes, pushing their mutations beyond what a normal human could have endured. The mutants developed a natural resistance to radioactive environments, not only surviving but thriving in these hostile surroundings, quickly increasing their numbers.

As they grew, the mutants organized into tribes, which began to build a new society. Influenced by deep mysticism, they saw their transformation not as a curse, but as a divine blessing. To them, they were the next stage in human evolution, destined to rule a planet where "pure" humans no longer had a place. They viewed humans as relics of a failed civilization, weak beings who tried to escape the apocalypse by hiding in bunkers or space stations, while they had to face the horrors of the new world head-on.

Over time, each tribe developed its own social and spiritual structure, deeply influenced by the belief that radiation was a sacred power that had purified and strengthened them. Shamans and spiritual leaders preached that their resistance to radiation was not an accident, but a proof of their right to rule the Earth. For the mutants, radiation was not just a destructive force, but a tool that separated the chosen from the damned.

Despite this shared mysticism, not all mutant tribes agreed on their beliefs or approaches. Some tribes preferred to isolate themselves, seeing themselves as guardians of the new order, while others took a more expansionist and aggressive stance. These tribes hunted humans as a way of proving their superiority and reclaiming the Earth they believed was theirs by right. Human survivors who escaped from these tribes described atrocious practices in which the mutants not only killed, but also devoured humans.

Even more disturbing rumors circulated among the survivors: some more organized mutant tribes had begun to capture humans and keep them in captivity, feeding and raising them as livestock to later sacrifice them in religious rites or for meat. This practice, though not common among all tribes, was one of the most terrifying aspects of the new world. The mutants who engaged in this reinforced their belief that they were the new predators at the top of the food chain.

The society of the mutants was structured around their resistance to radiation and a mystical view of the world that deeply connected them with their environment. The natural leaders were not only the strongest and most physically adapted, but also those who excelled in ritual physical trials or in battle, where they demonstrated their strength and skill. The most mutated, far from being marginalized, were revered as bearers of special blessings, and their physical deformities were seen as marks of power. The more extreme the mutation, the greater the respect they received, regardless of their usefulness. At the top of this hierarchy were the shamans and spiritual guides, who led the tribes with the belief that the planet belonged to them and that the end of humans and infected was inevitable. Thus, leadership was forged both by merit in combat and by the degree of mutation, creating a hierarchy where only the most powerful, whether by birth or merit, reached the highest positions of authority.

The deep hatred of the mutants towards humans was not only based on the belief that the ancient civilization had triggered the apocalypse, but also on the contempt for having condemned them to certain death under radiation. The humans, in their desperation to survive, considered the ancestors of the mutants disposable, expelling them from the safe zones to the outside with the hope of improving their own chances of survival. However, what they did not anticipate was the cruel irony of that act: by exiling them to die, they triggered the rise of a new race, stronger and superior to them. Radiation, instead of destroying them, transformed them. The most violent factions organized into deadly hunting groups, patrolling the devastated territories in search of those survivors who dared to leave their shelters, turning hunting into a ritual of power and domination.

The mutant culture also celebrated their ability to thrive in conditions where humans could only survive with the help of advanced technology. While humans needed protective suits and special equipment to enter irradiated zones, the mutants moved almost freely through those devastated lands, considering them their natural home. Their ability to thrive in these hostile environments reinforced their belief that they were destined to rule in this new world.

Although they shared a mystical view of the world, the mutant factions were often in conflict with each other. The tribes fought for control of territories and resources, and some differed in their view of the role humans should play. While some saw them as useful slaves, others considered the only solution was their total extermination. These internal conflicts sometimes weakened the mutants, but did not change the fundamental belief that they were the new dominant race on Earth.

Large-scale war between humans and mutants was inevitable. The mutants, consolidating as a powerful force, saw humans not only as a threat but as an obstacle to their absolute control of the planet. The humans, though decimated and desperate, continued to fight for their survival, but knew that the mutants would not stop until they destroyed them. With each confrontation, the mutants prepared to claim what they considered their natural right: a world where humanity would no longer have a place.

The Souldevourer Tribe

This mutant faction is one of the most feared and violent. They consider themselves the true heirs of the planet, claiming that their ability to survive radiation is a sign of their supremacy. They hunt humans to devour them in ritual ceremonies, believing that by consuming them, they absorb their life force.

• They believe that devouring humans grants them spiritual power.
• Hunter groups led by shamans who guide the rituals.
• Hunting and sacrificing humans as a reaffirmation of their supremacy.

The Sons of the Flame

The Sons of the Flame worship radiation as a divine entity and use primitive technologies to manipulate nuclear energy. They believe that radioactive fire is the gift given to them to purify the Earth. They are organized around spiritual leaders who perform fire rituals, where some mutants are subjected to controlled radiation exposure to amplify their mutations.

• Radiation is seen as a divine and purifying force.
• Primitive heirs of nuclear engineers who experiment with radiation.
• Leadership centered around fire shamans, who lead the radioactive exposure rituals.

The Wind Howlers

This nomadic tribe inhabits the driest and most desolate areas. They constantly move, hunting both humans and other mutated creatures in the desert. They are fast and agile, capable of enduring extreme temperature and radiation conditions, allowing them to move undetected. They believe that radioactive wind purifies them and keeps them strong.

• Nomads who roam deserts and barren lands.
• The radioactive wind is sacred, considered a source of purity and strength.
• Lightning attacks and quick ambushes.

The Brotherhood of the Abyss

Located in deep underground facilities or old factories, this tribe has developed mutations that make them especially adapted to living in the dark and underground. They believe that the future of the mutants lies in the depths, far from the ruined surface. They feed on whatever they find and hunt humans who attempt to take refuge underground.

• Underground, adapted to live in complete darkness.
• The surface is condemned, the future lies underground.
• Mutations that allow them to see and move in the dark.

The Spectral Enclave

This tribe is smaller in number, but their mutations have given them extreme physical resilience and enhanced sensory abilities. Although they do not engage in direct human hunting, they use them as slaves to build fortifications and weapons, hoping to become the new supreme rulers of the planet. Their spiritual rituals are focused on mystical visions, believing they are destined to be the leaders of the new era.

• They believe they are destined to be the leaders of the new order.
• Use of human slaves to fortify their settlements.
• Enhanced sensory abilities and extreme physical resilience.

Humans: The Fragmented Resistance

Humanity, struck by the dual threat of the NT Virus and nuclear devastation, watched as its great cities turned to rubble and its governments crumbled. The civilization that once ruled the planet was reduced to fragments. In the first years after the collapse, survivors faced total chaos, unable to coordinate or find a way out in the face of the constant threat of the infected and the growing strength of the mutants. It seemed that the end of the species was near. However, amidst that desperation, humans managed to do what they do best: adapt. Despite the brutality around them, they slowly began to reorganize, driven by an unbreakable will to resist and reclaim what was once theirs.

Although greatly reduced in number, the humans were not defeated. Diverse factions arose from the remnants of fallen societies, adapting to the new world conditions. These factions evolved differently, influenced by their isolation during the early years of the apocalypse. When conditions finally allowed, these communities began to explore and reclaim territories, searching for resources and, most importantly, other human factions. Contact between them revealed the diversity that humanity had developed to survive.

Some factions are nomadic, wandering the wasteland in mobile vehicles, acting as mercenaries or scavengers, making a living by carrying out tasks for larger communities. Others, however, managed to establish fortified settlements, where they rebuilt small nations with a limited but functional technological base. Interestingly, even some corporations from the old world, which had managed to take refuge in bunkers or protected areas, emerged after the apocalypse, trying to reclaim the power they once held.

Humanity's technology has regressed, and although humans have not reached the advanced levels of the past, they have proven to be ingenious when it comes to recovering and adapting the technological remnants of the past. What were once common artifacts are now considered crucial for survival. Some factions have managed to develop advanced weaponry by repurposing old world technology, although their access to it is limited. Survivors have learned to modify ancient energy systems, manufacture rudimentary weapons with recycled parts, and create new tools to face both the infected and mutants. However, this adaptation is not perfect. The cybernetic and genetic enhancements some humans possess come from modifications made before the apocalypse, though now they are more rudimentary and difficult to maintain.

Human modifications have created deep tensions within the surviving factions. The enhanced — those with cybernetic implants or genetic alterations — see themselves as a superior evolution to traditional humans, viewing the unmodified as limited beings who rely solely on their natural bodies. This arrogance has created distrust and resentment among the unaltered humans, who believe the enhanced have lost part of their human essence by depending on technology to survive in the new world. In some factions, this difference has been institutionalized, giving rise to caste systems. The augmented or biomodified humans have placed themselves above the commoners, occupying leadership positions, while those without enhancements are relegated to secondary tasks or subservient roles. This hierarchy has intensified divisions, causing internal rivalries that often lead to confrontations. Paradoxically, at a time when humanity should unite to face external threats, these internal disputes weaken the resistance, preventing effective coordination and jeopardizing collective survival.

In their struggle for survival, some human factions have resorted to relentless and ruthless tactics. One of the most common is the enslavement of mutants, who, due to their deformities and adaptations, are considered inferior. These mutants are exploited as slave labor in extremely dangerous areas, where normal human life would be at constant risk. They are sent to highly irradiated zones, forced to clean toxic waste or carry out repairs in collapsed infrastructures, where their bodies, adapted to endure extreme conditions, are seen as useful resources. In industrial settings, they are employed in underground factories or abandoned power plants, where working conditions are brutal and machinery is obsolete and dangerous. There, mutants perform tasks that humans consider too risky or exhausting, handling toxic materials without proper protection, due to their natural resistance to contamination and radiation. Worse still, in some settlements, mutants are captured to participate in death matches, fighting each other or battling mutated beasts from the wasteland for the entertainment of the lower classes. These spectacles, organized to entertain the powerful, reflect how humanity has adapted its morals and pragmatism to the cruel realities of the apocalypse, abandoning the values of the old world in its pursuit of power.

However, not all human factions have descended into cruelty. There are groups that try to preserve the ethical values of the old world, seeking to maintain their humanity despite the circumstances. These factions see the use of slaves and the exploitation of the weak as a betrayal of what civilization once was, and they strive to establish a society based on principles of justice and mutual respect. This moral conflict between factions has created deep divisions, leading to internal wars and betrayals.

Survival is the driving force behind all human factions, but the methods to achieve it vary significantly. Some communities have opted to create improvised fleets of ships, large fortified vessels that roam the oceans in constant motion to avoid being located by the infected hordes or mutant incursions. These fleets, made up of refurbished ships and boats of all kinds, function as true floating fortresses, capable of quickly moving to escape imminent dangers. Periodically, these communities land in strategic areas, conducting raids or swift attacks to gather resources, before returning to the sea to avoid retaliation. These temporary settlements allow them to keep moving, collecting what they need without staying in one place long enough to become vulnerable to attacks.

Other factions, on the other hand, have found refuge in underground cities deeply hidden beneath the Earth's surface. These cities, powered by geothermal energy and with underground farms that allow them to survive without sunlight, are autonomous and claustrophobic. The humans in these communities distrust the outside, viewing surface dwellers as reckless for facing the dangers of the world without protection. This isolation has created a subculture with its own beliefs, which has made cooperation with other factions difficult.

Amidst this landscape, humans have also had to face betrayals within their own ranks. At times, some humans have been infiltrated by rival factions or even by mutant tribes, creating an atmosphere of paranoia within the factions. These betrayals have sparked internal conflicts, sabotaging the ability of human factions to stay united in the fight against external threats.

Despite all of this, humans have shown an astounding ability to adapt. In an attempt to combat the NT Virus, some factions have begun conducting experiments to create immunity to the virus. These studies aim to develop humans capable of facing the hordes of infected without fear of being turned. Although these experiments are dangerous, the survivors see them as a possible solution to the virus problem. However, the fear that these experiments could create new mutations has generated resistance within the human factions themselves.

In addition to these advances, some factions have discovered old weapons of mass destruction that remained inactive during the initial collapse. Now they face a dilemma: should they use these weapons to destroy the mutants and infected, knowing they could cause irreparable damage to the world that remains? This moral debate remains a major point of controversy among human leaders.

Despite all the internal and external conflicts, humanity remains a force to be reckoned with. Although fragmented into multiple factions with very different ideologies and methods, humans have begun to reorganize and prepare a final offensive to purge the planet of infected and mutants. Through temporary alliances, betrayals, and new technologies, humanity fights for its survival in a world that has brought them to the brink of extinction. The future of humanity is uncertain, but their will to survive and reclaim what was once theirs remains unbreakable.

The Empire of Alaska

In the Rocky Mountains and northern Alaska, this brutal elite controls the most powerful human empire in North America. Former members of the privileged classes, they now rule with an iron fist and exploit the masses of serfs. Their combat style is relentless, using oppressive tactics to crush their enemies with a disciplined and cruel army.

• Brute force in close combat.
• Heavy weaponry with intensive use of slaves as cannon fodder.
• Armies organized in shock formations with despotic leadership.

The Sons of Liberty

Settled in the most remote areas of North America, these communities fight to restore the values of the former United States. Their combat style is based on guerrilla tactics and ambushes, avoiding direct confrontations with superior forces.

• Mobility and speed in combat.
• Small but highly coordinated forces.
• Defensive tactics and ambushes to maximize damage in asymmetric combat.

The Corsair Empire of Mexico

From the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico, the Mexican Corsairs launch swift maritime raids, attacking and plundering territories with agile and well-organized fleets. Their combat style is based on quick attacks and strategic withdrawals, avoiding prolonged direct confrontation.

• Fast maritime raids with light fleets.
• Use of ambush and plunder tactics.
• High mobility and ability to attack and retreat quickly.

The Silver Empire

Reborn from the ashes of Argentina, this theocratic empire dominates South America with a mix of military strength and religious fervor. In combat, they combine military discipline with religious fanaticism, using morale and faith to motivate their troops.

• Well-organized armies with heavy cavalry and bladed weapons, along with some firearms.
• Religious fanaticism that boosts troop morale.
• Methodical and brutal military expansion campaigns.

The Caribbean Trade Cities

These small islands survive thanks to trade and cooperation, but when necessary, their defense forces use naval tactics to protect their sea routes. They prefer to avoid prolonged combat, focusing on strategic defense.

• Effective maritime defense with light, maneuverable ships.
• Use of ambushes at sea and quick skirmishes.
• Limited ground forces, but well-organized for the defense of the islands.

The Sons of the Andes

Sheltered in the heights of the Andes, this group combines ancient agricultural knowledge with a theocratic structure. In combat, they take advantage of the mountainous terrain to wear down the enemy with defensive tactics and ambushes in difficult terrain.

• Control of mountainous terrain for ambushes.
• Defensive tactics that favor prolonged enemy attrition.
• Ability to survive and fight in extreme conditions.

The Order of the Cross of the Horizon

This religious and military order aims to purge Europe of the infected. Their armies are made up of both humans and mutants, fighting side by side in great crusades. Their combat style is based on coordinated attacks and religious fervor, with great discipline on the battlefield.

• Mixed armies of humans and mutants with high cohesion.
• Military discipline with a strong religious crusade component.
• Use of well-organized defensive and offensive formations.

The Northern Iron Confederation

This oppressive confederation dominates northern Europe with its massive ground armies but suffers from severe internal divisions. Their combat style is direct and brutal, based on the strength of numbers and the use of heavy weaponry, with an Inquisition purging any trace of mutants.

• Massive ground armies with heavy weaponry and artillery.
• Systematic purges of mutants through the Inquisition.
• Shock tactics with little strategic flexibility.

The Southern Trading Republics

Cities such as Venice and Florence have been reborn as fortified trading republics. While their main focus is trade, in combat they rely on light naval and ground forces, with a defensive approach and strategic alliances to survive.

• Light ground and naval forces, with high mobility.
• Strategic defense based on alliances and trade.
• Ability to adapt and retreat in the face of superior threats.