Zombie Discussion

Alright, I'm going to be putting together a topic about the common traits between the zombies. Such as my general idea of the disease/infection/cause of the zombification, which would give insight to the physical attributes.

I'll be covering their:
Sound
Speed
Decolorization
Habits
Pros
Cons
etc

This topic, I would like to have discussing any ideas/things you would like to see the zombies have/do.
After this topic has a good amount of ideas generated, I'll make the information topic following up on these ideas. We can add to both at any time we like, but I would like this topic to be a more "ask for anything," type of topic.

Alright, here is what I am thinking. Keep in mind that you do not become a zombie until about three minutes after you die.


How you get the infection:

The virus is transmitted through saliva and blood. If you are bitten (thus getting saliva into the wound being created by the bite) you will become infected. If blood of the infected comes in contact with an open wound, you will become infected. Also, getting infected saliva/blood into your mouth will infect you (due to the fact that the inside of your mouth is a mucous membrane and can absorb the infection).




What happens when you get the infection:

Two things can happen.

The first relates around a serious wound (one that would kill someone quite easily) such as the severing of a major artery, damage to the brain, crushed windpipe, drowning, you get the drift. If someone receives the infection via a bite, or such, then dies either from it, or another means, like that mentioned above, they rise as a zombie in just under three minutes.

The second is a minor wound from a bite, giving the person an infection. This type of wound could be a bite to the arm, leg, side, absorption of blood/saliva through a mucous membrane, etc. This would give out a list of symptoms, and even if the wound is dressed, the newly infected person will die within 12 hours.
*YOU CAN RECOVER FROM GETTING BLOOD/SALIVA INTO YOUR MOUTH/EYES*
All you need to do is VERY QUICKLY rinse and sterilize the affected area. Much the same as chemicals in a laboratory, if you get some in your eye, you must wash it out immediately, same with into your stomach. If you swallow infected blood/saliva, the best way to combat it is to force vomit, and clean your mouth.

The list of symptoms before death are as follows:
Immediate: No Signs. The Virus is multiplying and spreading.
2 Hours: Sore Throat, slight discolorization (spots, graying) of area that was infected (inside cheeks/back of throat if in mouth, on tissue around wound where bitten)
6 Hours: Extremely Feverish, coughing up blood, kidneys/liver begin to fail, painful urination, aching joints, decolorization of skin and mucous (green/yellow tinge) expanding from wound, loss of feeling in extremities and area surrounding wound.
6-12 Hours: Varies from person to person. Delirium sets in backed by severe hallucinations. Subject becomes violent quickly. All previous symptoms getting more severe. Nerve endings dying more rapidly resulting in: unnoticed wounds, feeling of starvation even after eating enough to be full, etc. Increasing loss of bodily functions.
12 Hours: Infected subject dies. Full skin discolorization, more heavily tinted saliva/mucus.

Three Minutes Pass.

The List of symptoms after death are as follows:
Immediate: Deceased infected person reanimates. Fueled by basic instincts, such as to eat, and slight hunting ability. Ashen skin (full discolorization), glazed eyes. Slow movement speed (unaware of surroundings). Blind but great hearing.
2 Hours: Becomes more aware of surroundings. Sense of sight increases, hearing gets better, sense of smell shows up. With sight comes the ability for the undead to shuffle quickly when fueled by hunger.
6 Hours: Sense of sight is slightly worse than that of a living human (including in the dark). Sense of hearing is equivalent to two times the ability of a living human. Sense of smell is dull, yet has a distinct ability to recognize living human blood. Undead seem to need to flock together.
6-12 Hours: Senses continually get better. Sight during the day is equal to that of a human, but has surpassed them during the night. Hearing is three times that of a living human. Smell developes a specific need for living human blood. Once on the scent of blood, the undead have the ability to go into a frenzy, being able to run at speeds similar (if not faster) than that of a living human.
12 Hours: Senses seem to be at a standstill.




Sounds the infected make:

Involuntary grunts and moans due to exertion of a numb body. These can vary depending on the wounds on the undead. Such as gurgling if they have a buildup of blood/saliva in their throat.

When sparked by a bloodlust due to the smell of blood, they will scream in a wanting way, which alerts other undead.




How the infected move:

Slow, almost as if lost in the beginning stages. They can move faster when they recognize a food source. However, when bloodlust ignites, they can sprint as fast, if not faster, than the average human.

In the beginning stages they tend to travel alone. As time undead progresses, they start to group up and form what would appear to be groups of ten or more.




How they react to things:

Sound: Typically attracted by the largest sound. If someone drops a pencil, they will move to that, but if a gunshot is heard at the same time, or soon after, they will go towards the louder one.
Smell: The only real smell differences they appear to have is that of undead blood and that of living blood. They will always go after the smell of living blood, no matter what is happening for sounds.
Fire: Fire relatively quickly dispatches the undead, do to how it deteriorates the brain and muscles quickly.
Weapons: Blows to the body from anything will stumble/cripple the undead, however they will not stop trying to get to their destination.




How to kill them:

Remove the head or destroy the brain.




What the virus seems to be:

Not sure yet, but it appears to be a mutated form of Rabies (due to green tinge and method of spreading). Also appears to have a form of leprosy due to the deadening of nerves and influenza for symptoms and such. Not sure, but it’s like a combination of many well known things.









Comments?

I don't think that their sight should be very good, they should be more primal and base their hunting on smell and hearing. Just seems more traditional.

Orange wrote:

I don't think that their sight should be very good, they should be more primal and base their hunting on smell and hearing. Just seems more traditional.

Alright, seems fair.

So, from that, then, we could probably have them see badly (depending almost entirely on their hearing and smell) during the day. At night, however, they have okay eyesight. Worse than a humans but not enough difference to warrant traveling during the night.

Looks good so far. I feel as though I had something to input when I clicked reply but have since forgotten... So, well done!

OH! Zombies produce and pump a lot more blood than a typical human. When the virus infects them, since it doesn't turn them into a zombie until after they die, they are losing a lot of blood typically (big wounds etc). To compensate for this severe loss of blood, the infection causes the heart to work faster at pumping the blood (also to compensate for missing limbs) as well as replenish the missing/constantly losing blood supply.

Due to this, wounds on zombies tend to produce a lot more blood, which can make battles pretty bloody. Also due to this increase in blood flow, you can typically tell where a zombie might be injured internally because it turns purple etc very quickly.