a last hope...
The great walled “bunker city” of Salus stands as one of the lone sentinels of life in a ravaged world. What was previously a military research base is now an impenetrable compound against the elements and any threats from within. Upon the onset of the Weeping, the humans of Salus sealed themselves into bunkers, and for centuries, nobody has seen them surface.
The city of Salus is built around what used to be a self-sustaining military base that is nestled in the barren cold countryside of what was once Sweden. Despite the world coming to a stop, Salus is sustained by the oil fields it sits atop, which have enough stores to fuel the city for another century if it comes to it–and with the way the Weeping has spread, that fate may not be so far off.
The military organization that runs the city is known as codename BETA-A64L1, an offshoot of the Swedish military focused on research that, with the onset of the Weeping, was able to mobilize quickly enough in order to keep themselves and the residents of the city alive...for the most part. Weepers roam the streets in the outer sectors of the city in great numbers. When it came to evacuations underground, those deemed secondary to finding a cure were left behind.
Salus is mazelike, a disorienting labyrinth to the untrained eye, with seemingly endless, barren streets. The city was extended outwards away from the central military compound as its population expanded, forming three distinct sectors.
THE WEEPING
man's tragedy, dog's enlightenment
For years, a worldwide war ravaged Earth as we knew it. Nobody knows who is to blame, but as the war neared conclusion, a gaseous pathogen was released, perhaps some sort of chemical weapon. What was simply called the “weapon” or the “sickness” in the early days of its arrival was believed to be a failed experiment that was never to reach the battlefield. In short, if the weapon was released, it would not stop. But as war goes, it’s impossible to trust human judgment; for some reason or another, the weapon was released. The gaseous creation of unknown origin infected the laboratory, first, leading to what was tactfully dubbed “insanity”. The “insanity” most notably included traits of fierce bloodlust and a loss of cognitive function, along with its characteristic symptom of unbearably irritated mucous glands, which led to the infected furiously grabbing at their faces–they appeared to be…weeping?. It was transmitted like a disease, and it is thought to be one by Salus researchers–although it is unknown if the pathogen is organic or technological in origin. The gas did not take effect immediately - there were no signs of the ailment, only a sudden snap some days later. And the insanity spread, just as promised, throughout armies. And so it continued. A ceasefire was called as thousands began to lose their minds and tear out the throats of their companions, even going so far as to consume bits of their own flesh when isolated from other humans. Worst of all, the newly coined Weepers were damn near unkillable. They were stronger, faster, more deadly.
Henceforth began the Weeping - humanity’s greatest tragedy. Life as they knew it winked out in a heartbeat.
Humanity ran. They fled to what shelter they could find, but often, the insanity snaked in with them - and the civilizations that did survive only did so by keeping everybody else out. There are no signs of the illness until it takes hold a few days after infection, barring some erratic behavior in the final hours. The lucky survivors live in small, bunker-like civilizations such as Salus, hidden away in hermetically sealed bunkers underground, never to breach the surface lest the risk infection.
It is believed that there may be more bunker cities out there, but the residents of Salus have yet to locate another. Thus, as far as it is known, Salus is the only remnant of life untouched by the Weeping–only making it more imperative that it is protected at all costs.
The dogs of Salus are both vectors of the Weeping and what may be the key to surviving it–somehow, they’re not affected in the same way. It made them smarter, with human-like intelligence, and sentient. Researchers do not know how they are seemingly immune to the madness, but they do know it is of great scientific importance. In order to keep the humans of Salus safe, the only interaction the dogs have with the humans is through specially-trained “handlers” who maintain the non-automated parts of the facility behind sealed walls.
Sector one
Military personel only
The first sector of the city of Salus used to be reserved for military research functions, leaving it full of empty barracks, warehouses, and hastily-left scientific facilities. The first sector was the first to mobilize against the Weeping, and under its ground lie the bunkers that contain what may very well be the remnants of the human race. Most notably, the first sector of Salus houses what the dogs refer to simply as the Compound. What used to be the heart of the research facilities of Salus is now the center of operations for the Canine Forces and is where the dogs are housed and trained. It is a well-maintained structure teeming with dogs of all sorts–coming and going, training, and even fighting.
It is never still at the Compound, even in the dead of night the rustling of paws on concrete can be heard. In the compound, one is never truly alone.
The compound is a tiered structure, with the third level being off limits to all but the High Command–and behind airlocked doors, the human leadership. The second floor is the home of the lab, research sector, and the elite regiments. The humans of BETA never directly interact with the dogs unless strictly necessary, and when they do, full hazmat gear and decontamination protocols must occur to keep the Weeping from being spread from the dogs to their human counterparts. The bottom floor is where the day-to-day life happens for the BETA canine population. The basement houses power control centers, surveillance centers, a human common room, and an electronics center.
The arena occupies the center of the bottom above-ground level; here, trials and indoor mission training may be conducted. All combat and challenges occur in the arena. The quarters encircle the compound on three sides; each kennel includes some to stand, food, water, and a simple cot. On the outskirts of the compound are a series of long, low warehouses that are primarily abandoned, but are known haunts of the unregimented.
Sector Two
residential
Sector Two of Salus used to be built around the city’s civilians. It was once the heart of the city, full of stores, public spaces, and family homes that used to be bustling with life. Now, it lies abandoned, the skeleton of the city it used to be. The second sector is vast, home to massive structures such as the shopping mall that was smashed and looted when the Weeping first broke out, or the prison that was abandoned with its prisoners still locked inside, left alone with one another and the rampant spread of the pathogen.
Perhaps the most notable feature of the second sector is its extensive subway system. What used to be the lifeblood of the city’s transportation is now long dead–a winding, near-impossible maze filled with Weepers that have adapted to the dark, wet conditions of the tunnels over the years and grown…different.
Sector Three
the slums
The third sector of Salus, often referred to as the slums before the Weeping, was all but forgotten when the mayhem broke loose. Its people, tightly packed between narrow and dirty streets, were left to fend for themselves. Few residents of Salus’ third sector managed to escape underground, but instead were left to the mercy of the Weeping and the Swedish military that locked down the city. Despite attempts to eradicate them before humans went entirely aground, Weepers lurk in those narrow streets among the filth and grime of centuries.
The main entrance to and from the city is referred to as the final outpost colloquially among the dogs. It is the last remnant of the militaristic, war-time structures that once surrounded the city. Now, it marks the point of no return for patrols. Leaving civilization and entering the wilderness beyond will certainly lead to death…or will it?