SOLANUM: THE VIRUS
Solanum works by traveling through the bloodstream, from the initial point of entry to the
brain. Through means not yet fully understood, the virus uses the cells of the frontal lobe for replication, destroying them in the process. During this period, all bodily functions cease. By stopping the
heart, the infected subject is rendered "dead." The
brain, however, remains alive but dormant, while the virus mutates its cells into a completely new organ. The most critical trait of this new organ is its independence from
oxygen. By removing the need for this all-important resource, the undead
brain can utilize, but is in no way dependent upon, the complex support mechanism of the human body. Once mutation is complete, this new organ reanimates the body into a form that bears
little resemblance (physiologically speaking) to the original corpse. Some bodily functions remain constant, others operate in a modified capacity, and the remainder shut down completely. This new organism is a
zombie, a member of the living dead.