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Castle Pharmaceuticals

Ahh good old Castle Pharmaceuticals the Global Leader in Medical and Technological Research and Development. They are here to make life for all better.

Castle Pharmaceuticals (also called Castle Pharma, Castle Medical, and Castle Inc.) was founded in 1862 by Dr. Ian Castle and his good friend and colleague Dr. Ryan Maxwell. Originally founded in order to supply medication and medical supplies to Union Hospitals, Castle Pharmaceuticals has since strived to be a world leader in business. After the US Civil War ended Castle Pharmaceuticals built its first factory outside of the US in England. By 1920 Castle Pharmaceuticals had factories and research facilities in Ireland, France, Spain, Switzerland, India, Australia, Canada and Mexico, in addition to their New york, Mayhem City, Atlanta, San Fransisco facilities and the London England facility.

As more was understood about the causes of disease and infections, Castle Pharmaceuticals continued to be a world leader, developing some of the worlds first successful vaccines. It was Dr. Elizabeth Smitherson who discovered the X-Virus in 1925, when she was only 25 years of age, and a new Castle Pharmaceuticals hire, Upon the discovery of the X- Virus, also known as the Pedes Mortis Virus (Walking Death Virus), due to the fact it kills the infected host within a matter of weeks and then causes the dead to reanimate for a period of 2-4 weeks and consume living flesh, before it collapses from deterioration of the body due to rotting away. Castle Pharmaceuticals vowed to increase the amount of research and find a way to eradicate the terrible Virus. It was in 1943 that Dr. Smitherson and her team discovered the Z-Virus a mutated and more virulent strain of the X-Virus, the Z-Virus kills the infected withing a matter of days, and the reanimated corpse will continue to "thrive" for an unknown amount of time.

During the 1940's Castle Pharmaceuticals started producing Weapons, ammunition, vehicles, and equipment for the US Military and their allies. After WWII ended Castle Pharmaceuticals continued the production of non-medical related products, expanding the range of products to include other household goods such as radios, kitchen appliances, furniture, etc... When computers were just starting to emerge, Castle Pharmaceuticals stepped up to begin manufacturing their own computers and parts for other manufacturers to use, thus becoming the truly diverse company they are today.

Today it is estimated that 80% of the homes in the industrialized world have a Castle Pharmaceuticals product in them, and almost all businesses relay on Castle Pharmaceuticals products for their daily operations.



At least this is the public face of Castle Pharmaceuticals. Unknown to most they operate a secret Black Ops Bio-Organic Weapons Division they call White Rook Division.

The White Rook Division of Castle Pharmaceuticals, they are the secret branch of Castle Pharmaceuticals that handles B.O.W.s (Bio-Organic Weapons). They specialize in the research of the Z-Virus (and to a limited extent the lesser X-Virus) and finding a way to make it a viable weapon.

While Castle Pharmaceuticals was founded in 1862 by Dr. Ian Castle and Dr. Ryan Maxwell, the White Rook Division didn't come into existence for another 63 years. White Rook was founded after Dr. Elizabeth Smitherson discovered the Pedes Mortis Virus (called the X-Virus initially), when she was only 25 years of age in 1925. While publicly calling for the eradication of the Pedes Mortis Virus, Castle Pharmaceuticals founded the White Rook Division to study and look for ways to use the virus as a weapon.

Dr. Smitherson was chosen to be the first Director of White Rook. It was under her that White Rooks current structure was formed. Due to her interest in the game of chess, Dr. Smitherson named the new division White Rook, and instituted chess related titles for all White Rook Staff. Dr. Smitherson became the very first Black King, a title still used by the head of the White Rook Division.

In 1943 Dr. Smitherson and her team discovered the Z-Virus, a more virulent version of the Pedes Mortis Virus, which reaminmated the host for a longer period of time and halted most decaying of the hosts body. Unfortunately Dr. Smitherson was infected by one of her test subjects in December of 1945 along with 80% of the staff at the facility, when the subject got loose. It is rumored that the subject was intentionally released by a rival looking to take over White Rook from Dr. Smitherson. A US National Guard unit was called in to eradicate the infected, and unfortunately all but one Guardsman were killed when the facility went up in flames. The survivor was Capt. James Keller.

In January of 1946 Capt. Keller was recruited by White Rook to establish an in house security force. This force in addition to providing security to all Castle Pharmaceutical facilities (both legit and subversive) acts as a clean up crew for any "accidents" that may happen. Capt. Keller named the new security force the Black Knights, keeping with Smithersons chess theme. Ultimately the Black Knights fall under the umbrella of White Rook due to the true nature of their existence, though they are also the only know part of White Rook that is publicly known. Their public image is that of Castle Pharmaceuticals armed security force for their facilities and upper echelon.

All White Rook facilities operate under the cover of another legitimate Castle Pharmaceuticals facility. Most of the White Rook facilities are actually housed underneath the legitimate Castle Pharmaceutical facility and accessed via a secret entrance. In addition most White Rook facilities consist of one main complex and a number of smaller satellite complexes that may be as far as 10 miles away, these smaller complexes are connected tot he main complex via an underground tram system. Each facility is color coded based on the Bishop (the head of the facility) in charge, so a facility run by the Red Bishop would be coded Red, along with any staff (pawns) stationed there, excluding Black Knight personnel. Using the color coding example above if the Red Bishop was assigned to the Omicron Facility, it would then become the Red Omicron facility and the satellite complexes would be referred to as Red Omicron 2, Red Omicron 3, etc... and all personnel would be referred to as Red Pawn Smith (if the personnel member's last name was Smith), if more then one member of the facilities personnel share the same last name the initials for their first and middle names are used, ie Red Pawn J. M. Smith and Red Pawn S. B. Smith.

The current number of facilities and total number of personnel are only known to the Black King and a select few within White Rooks and Castle Pharmaceuticals ranks.



Castle Pharmaceuticals White Rook Division Rank Structure

White Rook Division- The Bio-Weapons Division of Castle Pharmaceuticals, a covert division of the company.

Black King- Head of the White Rook Division, current identity known only to a few.

Blood Queen- The Black Kings right hand, identity only known to the Black King

Bishops- Heads of the Research Facilities, color coded
Black Bishop- Head of the largest and most prestigious White Rook facility
Purple Bishop- A ruthless Bishop willing to do anything to become the
Black Bishop (the Bishop of Death according to her, a title she wants),
and eventually the Black King (a position she ultimately feels should be
hers).

Black Knights- The Mercenary force operated by Castle Pharmaceuticals, that acts as their security and extermination team for any "accidents" or "tests" that get out of hand. The only part of White Rook known to the public. They are believed to be nothing more then an armed security force to protect Castle Pharmaceutical Facilities and upper echelon.

Pawn- Staff of White Rook, these can be Researchers, Maintenance Crews, Animal Handlers, ect... color coded based on the Bishop they work under. Referred to as Pawn , ir Red Pawn Smith or Blue Pawn Johnson

Black Prince- Rumored to be the White Rook Code name for the head of Castle Pharmaceuticals. It is also rumored he is nothing more then a figurehead in the company and that the Black King controls him.



Now some additional background info I use in my campaigns, please not this doesn't include the Lazarus Project from I, Zombie, I am currently working that into my campaigns.

X-Virus (Pedes Mortis Virus)- A virus discovered in 1925 by Dr. Smitherson, this virus is lethal to those infected. Kills the host off within a few weeks of infection, then reanimates them into a mindless beast that consumes the flesh of the living. Due to the way it works it will only reanimate and survive in the host for two weeks after the host expires. White Rook and Castle Pharmaceuticals have destroyed traces of this virus, other then the one that White Rook has in storage.

Z-Virus (Zombie Virus)- A more virulent form of the Pedes Mortis Virus. Developed in 1943 by Dr. Smitherson. The Z-Virus is longer lasting then the Pedes Mortis Virus. Once infected the Z-Virus will kill and reanimate the host withing 24-72 hours or initial infection. The virus then will reanimate the host and will survive in the host until the host has been destroyed, either through natural decay (though the virus slows the rate of decay down) or destruction by any other method.

Dr. Elizabeth Marie Smitherson- Discovered the Pedes Mortis Virus in 1925, also developed the Z-Virus in 1943. Infected by a test subject in 1945, as a result of the infection about 80% of her staff were subsequently infected, along with a National Guard unit were lost either through infection or the fire that destroyed the facility.

Capt. James Adam Keller- The sole survivor of the 1945 incident that killed his entire Guardsman unit and the staff at the White rook Facility. Recruited by White Rook to establish a security force to handle any future incidents. Capt. Keller named the new security force the Black Knights.



A small sampling of White Rook Z-Virus Experiments (White Rook Experiments also includes the standard Zombie template/profile found in ATZ). I have more experiments on my list but still have to draw up the background on them. I may do a later follow up post of just experiments going into more detail on them and possibly include pictures of them if I obtain/make minis to represent the experiments. I have included in the experiment the template/profile to use for the experiment and where to find it. For experiments that don't have any template/profile I will have to either create one or use one that was created by another individual (with their permission of course).

All experiment names are currently the working name unless other wise noted.

Stalkers (official name in my campaign)- A White Rook experiment that has shown limited success. Stalkers where designed to go in and clear out targets from areas where high concentrations of Z-Virus infected may impede Black Knight operations. Initial tests with the Stalkers proved successful, unfortunately it was later discovered that control of the Stalkers gradually diminishes unless they receive regular doses (once every 5-7 days) of a special chemical compound. This compound is administered to a Stalker though its food supply. Stalkers while created utilizing the Z-Virus are not hosts to the virus and cannot infect humans or other creatures with the Z-Virus. Stalkers use the Chupacabra profile found in the Giving Up The Goat Scenario by Two hour Wargames. I am using the Reaper Chronoscope Chupacabra figure for my Stalkers.

Delvers (working name, also referred to as Terror Worms in my Mackinac Island Campaign)- Another White Rook experiment. A Delver is a giant worm that tunnels through the ground looking for food. The Delvers were designed to be released into an area to destabilize the local government, economy, and reduce the population, before an invading force goes in. Unfortunately the Delvers proved to be uncontrollable and difficult to kill once released. Delvers while created utilizing the Z-Virus are not hosts to the virus and cannot infect humans or other creatures with the Z-Virus. Delvers use the BA Worm profile from I, Zombie by Two Hour Wargames. Not sure what figure I will use for this yet, may have to try and sculpt my own figure.

Exterminator (thinking of calling them the Inquisitors instead of Exterminators, since they won't only kill their targets, but also try to capture them alive when ordered to)- White Rooks most successful B.O.W. experiment utilizing the Z-Virus, once given an order by White Rook they will follow the order to completion or until receiving amended orders, upon completion they return to a designated location and await pick up by White Rook or further orders. Exterminators are tough foes with hard thick skin and an even harder and thicker bone structure that allows them to receive massive amounts of damage. Unfortunately for White Rook has discovered that Exterminators can only be created from a small percentage of the Human population, less then 2% of the worlds population are genetically compatible with the surgical and genetic enhancements done before introduction of the Z-Virus to the subjects system. The surgical and genetic enhancements preformed to a subject prior to the introduction of the Z-Virus helps build up the subjects muscle mass, thickens the bone to protect vital organs, and toughens the skin, in addition to allowing White Rook to surgically implant/attach weapon systems to the Exterminators arms/hands as needed. Unlike most humans infected with the Z-Virus Exterminators are not undead, they still breath, need nutrition, and have a functioning circulatory system. Exterminators also have a sterile version of the Z-Virus in their system that will not infect humans or other creatures if exposed. Currently do not have a profile for Exterminators, luckily so far in my campaigns we have yet to run across one, Will have to work out the profile later and post it. Thinking of using the Hasselfree Jotun to represent the Exterminator.

More experiments do exist and may be unveiled at a later date