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Before becoming the blind, hulking foes in The Outlast Trials, the Berserkers were patients in a prison experiment.
In a Murkoff Case File, it’s said that these patients were exposed to a weaponized strain of syphilis. This engineered strain resulted in blindness and dementia. These “zero-sight assets” were then relocated to Los Alamos, where they underwent hormone therapy and limb-lengthening surgery to increase their size, strength, and aggression. They also had steel pins surgically inserted into sensitive skin areas to increase tactile awareness, as their intended purpose was to be used for close-quarters combat in the Communist arena.
It’s reported that some berserkers developed an animosity toward their ruined eyes, picking at them and their sockets to the point of damaging their frontal lobes and self-lobotomizing. To deter this self-mutilation, metal plates were bolted to their faces. This doesn’t prevent their suicidal tendencies, however, as Reagents can hear Berserkers asking for death in the trials.
It also appears their suicidal ideation is contagious, as the Doctor’s Note in the case file encourages staff to avoid conversations with or listening to the Berserkers. Apparently, healthy staff have been found committing self-harm after prolonged exposure to them. Whether or not it is contagious, Reagents should keep their distance from Berserkers, nonetheless.
Want more lore? How about Il Bambino or the Pushers?
