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1''A Storytelling Game of Biological Horror.''
2
3'''Pathogen: The Infected''' is a fan gameline for the ''TabletopGame/{{New World of Darkness}}'' setting, detailing the (mis)adventures of "the Infected," normal people infected with TheVirus that grant them {{Lovecraftian Superpower}}s. The theme of the game is, obviously, BodyHorror.
4
5The Infected are organized by ''Vector'', the mode through which they became infected; ''Symptom'', how the infection manifests itself in their body; and ''Wing'', their factional affiliation.
6
7'''Vectors:'''
8* ''Airborne'' -- Infected through the air by a sneeze or in a crowded place.
9* ''Bitten'' -- Infected through the bite of a strange bug or wild animal.
10* ''Endoparasite'' -- Infected through a worm or some other creature burrowing into their body.
11* ''Infused'' -- Infected through an organ transplant or blood transfusion.
12* ''Unborn'' -- Infected through the womb from their mother.
13
14'''Symptoms:'''
15* ''Dermis'' -- The Infected's skin develops a rash and an affinity for water.
16* ''Fever'' -- The Infected's body temperature rises and they can no longer stand cold.
17* ''Insomnia'' -- The Infected has trouble sleeping, and are plagued by nightmares when they do.
18* ''Paedomorphosis'' -- The Infected "regresses" in age and retains child-like behaviors.
19
20'''Wings:'''
21* ''[[ReligionOfEvil Annunaki]]'' -- Infected who claim descent from ancient gods and worship {{Eldritch Abomination}}s.
22* ''[[EvilFeelsGood Cambions]]'' -- Infected who revel in their new state, particularly bodily transformation and human predation.
23* ''[[SocialDarwinist Jagda]]'' -- Infected who believe they are the next stage of human evolution.
24* ''[[{{Cyborg}} Neonates]]'' -- Infected who believe that the future lies in technology and transhumanism.
25* ''[[VampireRefugee Protectors]]'' -- Infected who seek to protect normal people from the predations of other Infected.
26* ''Stemmers'' -- A term for Infected who are not part of any Wing, many of which are unaware of what exactly is going on.
27
28The official website can be found here: https://sites.google.com/site/pathogendump/. Other copies of the draft can be found on [[http://www.scribd.com/doc/30259994/Pathogen Scribd]] and [[https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B4E22DL0XscIOGMwMmM3NDgtMDFlNy00NmQ1LWE4N2ItNDkzMTFjMTNmMmQ5&hl=en Google Docs]]. The [[WordOfGod author, Adam Thaxton, has stated]] that he is no longer working on the material [[SeriesHiatus at this time]].
29
30A topic here on Website/TVTropes to refine and finish this work can be found [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=r87xez4op0o7yo2e98djtopn&page=1 here]]. There is also [[http://pathogen-the-infected.wikidot.com/ a wiki]].
31----
32!!Tropes featured include:
33* BlessedWithSuck: Infected individuals can have various advantages over mere mortals if they don't mind constant torture caused by the virus, such as having quite serious problems with skin, having permanent fever, being nearly unable to sleep or [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking turning into children]].
34* BodyHorror: Something unknown has got into your body, and you don't know how to force it out. It causes severe problems with health, yet it is not interested in killing you. You have to live with this infection not knowing what else it can do with you. Futhermore, as its power increases, more and more strange, horryfing creatures (themselves plagued with {{Body Horror}}) will try to get you (not for a cup of tea, if you wonder). And the only benefits you get are [[LovecraftianSuperpower Lovecraftian Superpowers]].
35* CharmPerson: Evolution (level 3) power "Pheromone Discharge". Might just be a Pathogen's tool for seeking new hosts.
36%%* {{Cyborg}}: Neonates
37%%* EvilFeelsGood: Cambions
38* HealingFactor: Regenerate is a Subversion which, on the highest level, not only allows the Infected to rapidly regrow their own, and others', flesh, but also near-instantly grow a new body from the remains of their old one when they die.
39* HealingHands: Regenerators are capable of healing others as well as themselves, however, doing so is more difficult.
40%%* HorrorHunger: Player characters can suffer from it.
41* HyperactiveMetabolism: Infected have to eat triple as much as a normal person, lest they slowly Decay into a zombie-like state.
42* ImAHumanitarian: For player characters, this is one of the ways to restore ATP (not a nice one, through). ATP Zombies, on the other hand, need ATP just to continue living, and if there is a tasty human nearby, they will not hesitate to attack the poor sod.
43* LovecraftianSuperpower: When the game lists ''Film/TheThing1982'', ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' and ''VideoGame/ParasiteEve'' as inspiration sources, you can only imagine what kind of superpowers the protagonists have. Especially Incorporation. Mixing your flesh with inanimate objects in a [[BodyHorror rather gruesome fashion]] can't be called a healthy activity by any stretch of the sane imagination.
44* {{Mana}}: ATP. However, it's not magical ([[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane or is it?]]), and [[HealthFood comes from eating food]]. A lot of food.
45%%* OurZombiesAreDifferent: ATP Zombies, one of the results of infection.
46%%* ReligionOfEvil: The Annunaki
47* ShockAndAwe: Bioelectricity is capable of many things, from powering electrical devices[[note]]A few dots in Incorporation would be handy, too[[/note]] to causing rapid necrosis to shooting bolts of bio-electricity.
48%%* SocialDarwinist: The Jagda
49* SpiderSense: Evolution (level 2) power named, unsurprisingly, "Danger Sense". Described in-game as an amplified set of "prey instincts".
50* SuperStrength: Vigor, one of the powers available to Infected. It works by pushing the limits of muscle capacity a little bit higher.
51%%* VampireRefugee: Protectors
52* TheVirus: A particularly mysterious one. Nobody knows from where it came and what it's capable of. Popular theories include infection from space, government experiment and [[EldritchAbomination ancient bestial gods]].

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