Dystopic World Guide: CDC and EIS

This article is part of some world building for the futuristic World of Darkness game set in 2052 in a new World of Darkness game that incorporates Demon: the Fallen canon.  You can read about the Zombie Apocalypse over in this article and if you haven't already done so, I'd suggest reading it for context.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) are predominately based in the U.S.A. but they have branches in a number of other countries.  They no longer have government oversight and are instead governed by a Board of Directors who make a point to visit the various facilities to boost morale and prove that they are indeed human.  Naturally there are still rumors and superstition among the more occult minded that the people you see come around are not the real directors.  They are not only in charge of research, elimination and inventions regarding dealing with the Blaker Infection but also provide advice and assistance in dealing with mundane epidemics, diseases, and immunisation programs to keep mundane diseases from finishing the job.

While they have drawn staff from a number of other hunter groups, their members from Task Force: Valkyrie  no longer have any working equipment since going rogue and their original Lucifuge members largely died out and it'll be several more generations before they have any more known members of that group.  New Lucifuge generally work alongside their cells though a few do still seek employment.  The Null Mysteriis, Loyalists of Thule, and even a few Network Zero find it comparatively easy to find dual status here although Network Zero find some of the restrictions here to chafe.

The CDC have a vast administrative body and employ several thousand people worldwide.  The Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) are a group of disease detectives within the CDC who seek out rumors of outbreaks.  These cells are equipped to deal with a range of threats and generally the field operatives need to  have combat, scientific, and investigative training although each operative will have their own specialty.  The operatives tend to favor silenced handguns and archery as they prefer not to draw a horde down on their heads if things go from bad to worse.

All EIS operatives must have no attribute lower than 2.  They must also have Wits 3 and either Strength or Intelligence at 3.  They also must have:

• Crafts 1 (to repair vehicles)
• Investigation 2
• Science 2
• Athletics 2 AND Firearms 1 OR Firearms 2 AND Athletics 1
• Drive 1
• Empathy 2
• Subterfuge 2

The CDC also have a number of undercover operatives whose role it is to keep an eye out for strange cults in the local area or corporate activities that might cause an outbreak.  They also cultivate a number of moles and even more informers.  Sometimes their handlers don't know who they're working for.  This is to reduce the fall out from encounters with the Cheiron Group and other dangerous conspiracies.

All undercover operatives must have no mental or social attribute lower than 2.  They must have Composure 3, Wits 3 and Manipulation 3:

• Investigation 2
• Empathy 2
• Persuasion 2
• Subterfuge 2
• Streetwise 2

The CDC have Tactical Response Teams of their own who are sent into dangerous territories to either extract survivors and key assets or simply neutralise a threat.  Since the CDC prefers aerial assaults and dropping bombs on locations that have been overrun, they will only do this if they are sure there are enough survivors, or at least survivors of enough import, to overcome the risk of losing one of their teams.  These teams are the best of the best though they do tend toward muscle and dedication over anything else.  The brains are redirected to more dangerous EIS operations while combatants who aren't quite good enough get assigned on either security details or cleaning up locations from a safe distance - such as clearing roaming zombies who approach a facility.  The TRT tend to be well-educated as well, though.

Their TRT team members must have no physical attribute lower than 3.  They must also have Wits 3 and Composure 3.

• Investigation 1
• Science 1
• Athletics 2
• Brawl 2
• Firearms 2
• Stealth 2
• Weaponry 2

Finally the CDC has its collection of scientists from a variety of fields, occultists, occult researchers, Fallen controllers (who wield the True Names of certain Low Torment Fallen discovered in the field), cleaners, administrative assistants, managers, system administrators, hackers, cooks, medical personnel, drivers, helicopter pilots, security details, and mechanics.  There's a lot of people to keep this organisation up and going.

So what does the CDC have, exactly, to help them out?  This is basically a Hunter Conspiracy.  What are their Endowments?

I have yet to provide the statistics for their various gadgets and gizmos but here's a few things:

They have augmentations to replace missing limbs (sometimes quick amputations can save a person from infection), special overlay contact lenses that provide data feeds and low-light vision, immunoboosters that slow the rate of infection (doubling the survival time) and blood tests to check for infection.  These aren't Endowments as they're equipment that may be purchased by any character. 

Some of their specially trained agents with psychic potential undergo Teleinformatics Training and are assigned to the EIS.