Chernaruswasanunimpressivenationlivingafteraharshtippingpointinglobalpolitics.

A
memberoftheUSSRuntillate1991,Chernarushadbeenaslowlygrowingindustrialstate
thathaddenfallenintohardtimespostsovietblock.Pooreconomicconditionshadledtoa
civilwarin2009.TheconflictbetweenthenativegovernmenttheChernarusDefenceForce
(CDF)andtheChernarusRedStarMovement(ChDKZ,Chedaki)draggedinanumberof
outsidepowerstostemtheviolence,bothfromtheEastandtheWest.

ThewarendedafterabombinginMoscow,allegedlycarriedaboutbytheNationalPartyof
Chernarus(NAPA),whichcreatedanescalatedpresencebytheRussiantaskforcealready
presentinChernarusastheyfoughttostabilizetheareaagainsttheguerrillaforcesofNAPA
andgreaterChernarus.ThisheightenedpresencemadetheUnitedNations(UN)and
AmericanforcesintheareacomeatoddswiththeRussianstrategyandthinlyveiledgoalsof
conquest.Withthebulkofmilitaryforcespresenttostymiethedissidentforces,Chernarus
warwasendedwithbluntforcewithalotofquestionsyettobeanswered.

Theendofthewarinearly2010hadmadeChernarustosufferandwhenthebulkofthe
outsidemilitarypresencewithdrew,Chernarushadsustainedconsiderabledamagetoits
infrastructureandpoliticalgeography.WithlingeringProRussiansupportandawarinessto
antigovernmentsentiment,thefutureoftheyoungcountrywasuncertainandthepeople
weretiredandbattered.

InthewaningdaysofApril,2016,murmursofquarantinewereheardonEasternEuropean
newschannels,signsofaviralinfectioninBelarus,Ukraine,andpartsofLatvia.Reportsof
strangebehavior,fitsofviolence,andriotingweresoontofollow,andthestorygainedsteam
mostlybecausetherewasnoapparentcause,atleastnotonthesurface.

ByJune,theviolencehadspreadtomuchofEasternEurope,Russian,andintosectionsof
theMiddleEast.Likeaflame,thisviolencespread,anditwassoonassociatedwiththis
fledglingviralinfection.Adiseasethatseemedtofollowthisaggression,gore,and
outrage.Thewordwasonthetipofeveryonestongue,butnoonewantedtobelievethatthe
worldwassufferingsomekindofmalevolentplague.Thegoalwassetbycivilizedsocietyon
containment,outreach,andtreatment.Butsoonenoughitwasevidentthattreatmentand
medicalcarehadnolastingeffectonthevirus.

InSeptemberof2016,therewashardlyacountryintheworldwithoutsomesignoftherapidly
changingtimes.ContainmenthadfailedineasternEurope,andacoalitionhadbeenformed
withthewhatwasleftoftheEastandtheWest.Effortshadbeenmadeinadestructive
campaigninthediseaseravagedEuropeancountryside,firebombing,shelling,andchemical
warfaredonetosimplyexterminatethosethatwerewalking,shambling,andmurdering
anyonetheysaw.Thesecampaignswereminimallyeffectiveandtheinfectionhadspreadfar
tothehornofAfrica,allabouttheMiddleEast,andintoChina,andfartotheAtlanticin
Europe.

Whenthenewyearrolledaround,theworldwasbereftofhope.Deadordiseasedhuman
beingshadtakenthegreatercontinentalbulkofEurope,Asia,andAfrica.Desperatebombing
runshadleftthelandsofEuropeandAsiaflamescarredandruined,useofatomicweapons
oncoastalports,airports,andanyavenuesoftravelininfectedhotspotshadbeenshown
withlessandlessrestraint,makingtheonceverdantandpicturesquelandsofEurasiaa
wastelandfitonlyforthedead.Africahadbeenlargelyabandoned,withthenativeswrought
withsuspicion,war,andfearastheyfoughtagainstinfection,theirpeers,andothertribes,the
citieshadfallenmonthsago.

May,2017.InfectionandviolencehadshownsignsinQuebec,Brazil,andChile.Northand
SouthAmericawereinadesperatebidtoentrenchandprotectagainsttheinfitalrampagesof
thedisease.MostislandsinAsia,Africa,andEuropehadfallen,andtheworldlookedtobe
standingonthetipofasword,readytofalluponthesharpedgeofthisdegenerating,foul
disease.

Chernaruswaslucky.Strangelysparedbymostoftheaggressive,rampagingbombings,the
poorinfrastructurehadleftthecountryawasteofmunitionsandeffortforwhathadbeenleft
withcivilization.Whilemostofitsneighborshadstruggledandfallentothedisease,the
sturdy,andtroddenuponpeopleofChernarusfoughtandusedwhatwasleftofthemilitary
hardwareintheircountry,andwereuniqueinthelackofattentiongiventheirwaybythe
civilizedworldandtheinfected.Whilecasualtiesandthosedyingtoinfectionweremassive,
survivorsandlocalswereabletoeekoutalivinginthesimplecountry.

ThestrangelyfortunatepositionofChernarushadmadeitabeaconforsurvivors,desperate
people,fleeingthedisease,violence,anddestructivebombingflockedtoChernarusfora
smallreprievefromthehellscapethatthecountrysidehadturnedinto.Thecountryitselfhad
becomeastopoverfortheholdoutUN/NATOforcesinTurkeyandthesteadfastandresilient
forcesofGreaterMoscow,bothofwhichhadestablishedandheavilyprotectedtheir
territories,turningciviliansandoutsiderstoChernarusitself.

Chernarushadfastbecomehosttoallmannerofrefugee,survivor,andtravelersfromthe
tarnishedworld,travelacrosstheoceanwasnearlyimpossibleandforthosenotwillingto
bravethedangeroussuspicionofAfricaortravelacrossthedesolatewastesofAsiatogetto
thebastioncityofSeoulinKorea.ThishadraisedallmannerofcontentioninChernarusand
SouthZagoriawasnoexception.