Q&A With Tyrannicide

Hey everyone!
So, I had Tyrannicide Productions hop into my PMs and ask me a few questions, so I thought I'd share them here because the info might interest you all. Thank you to Tyrannicide for the questions, as without him, I wouldn't have had the idea to write this blogpost. Read at your leisure! Here we go:

1. What skills does Liam Webb have and also what is his nationality?

Webb has had a minimal amount of small arms training, mostly revolving around pistols. This training was mostly theoretical, as his field didn't necessitate the use of firearms. Instead, his skillset encompassed extrapolating data from population centers and creating accurate simulations of viral outbreaks. Webb is an American citizen, though the state he's from specifically has not been mentioned yet. He is also a quick reader, able to process information documents quickly and take away the most important points, though not to a photographic degree.

2. What does Liam Webb do as a Epidemiologist and will it help him save Equestria?

As an epidemiologist, Webb is responsible for tracking, monitoring and looking for patterns in disease outbreaks. Think of it like a detective for illnesses. His work at the Foundation was largely working with simulations, though he has been deployed on a few field-ops to find and identify possible infection vectors and avenues for illness to spread. In the case of SCP-2480-2, he was specifically tasked with figuring out how exactly this disease operated. However, it quickly became apparent that the disease in question was not something that could be fixed with antibiotics, nor could it be sterilized effectively. As for the translation of that skillset and his career to working to safeguard Equestria... you're gonna have to read along and find out!

3. Was it Liam's fault that Humanity has been wiped out?

No, the exact cause of the outbreak as well as the sudden surge in SCP-2480 activity was not related to Liam's presence, nor his activity. It's also best not to make any statements on the condition of humanity until we've finished the story!

4. How does the infection spread?

The infection doesn't progress like polio or rabies, or any other disease that targets the nervous system. It's almost instantaneous. Contact with bodily fluids, sometimes even just the infected flesh alone could rapidly cause mental degeneration and subsequent brain-death in victims. This apparent 'death' is anything but, instead, a hijacking of the nervous system and cerebrum to further the own ends of the disease. The disease itself also has shown signs of sapience, formulating plans and adapting to situations in a manner similar to predators. To add to the lethality of the anomalous "virus", the body can undergo extreme and otherwise life-threatening alterations, manipulated on the cell-level to create weapons for the infected host to use in spreading the disease. In some rare cases, the infected do not display any outward symptoms or signs they have been infected, hijacking the entirety of the brain and using the information stored within to integrate into a population and spread the disease covertly.

5. What skills and equipment does an epidemiologist have?

An epidemiologist, depending on their specialization, have different skillsets and approaches to their job. An epidemiologist specialized in infectious diseases, for example, may do fieldwork or clinical work in obtaining various bodily fluids and samples that contain the disease in question. Those samples would be brought back to a laboratory and studied extensively by doctors and scientists. They may also conduct interviews, write reports and communicate with doctors and legislators to create plans of action to clamp down on the spread of the disease. As for equipment, Webb has a comprehensive lab constructed in his facility, and though the medical technology of Equestria is relatively primitive compared to Earth, the lab has the newest equipment and tools for the job. How effective these will be is something to be seen, though Webb himself has overseen a lot of new projects coming from Facility Alpha's Research and Development team.

6. Is Liam good at stealth and close quarters combat?

Stealth? As seen in Chapter 7, Webb knocks a soap dispenser off the wall and alerts the infected in the mess hall. One can infer that he's untrained from that interaction, but I'll also say from the writer's perspective, the guy likely isn't very stealthy. As for CQB, he is also untrained and survived on miracles alone during the Canterlot Incident. Getting stuck with a clipboard for most of your career tends to put you in a bad spot when it comes to martial arts.

7. What is Liam Webb's greatest strength and greatest weakness and why?

Whoo boy. Webb has a very strong logistical sense, good deductive reasoning and a burning desire to unravel mysteries around him. Right now, there are several plot threads that haven't been reintroduced or talked about, but they are leads that he is actively pursuing. Despite his contentious interactions with Celestia, he has also demonstrated a fairly decent grasp of diplomacy, as well as attention to policy and protocol. While he relied heavily upon the construction teams from the Crown to establish Facility Alpha, he also played a substantial role in the design. As for his weaknesses, he's not the prime physical specimen. A tussle with a griffon might end with his guts on the ground. At this point in the story, the biggest glaring weakness Webb has is his himself. His turbulent past and forgotten traumas are exacerbated by the recent horrors he's witnessed, and couple that with a near-crippling case of imposter syndrome and fear of impending cataclysm... well, the man needs a hug.

8. Would Liam Webb not stand a chance against King Sombra and Queen Chrysalis and why?

Sombra is a living shadow, so one can assume that physical confrontation is out-of-the-question. Webb, given enough time to prepare and research an Umbrum, may develop a weapon capable of defeating the shadowy King. Fortunately for him, Sombra has already been defeated. Chrysalis, on the other hand, would absolutely demolish Liam if he didn't have a firearm or ranged weapon. Depending on the speed of the projectile, Chrysalis may be able to pluck whatever ammunition he's throwing at her from the air with her telekinetic grasp, so that detracts from the effectiveness of a bow or crossbow. He'd also have some measure of difficulty in operating a bow, considering the force necessary to throw an arrow down range with both accuracy and desired speed.

9. How did Liam Webb not get infected by the plague?

That is the question, isn't it?

10. How many years or months has Liam Webb been as a epidemiologist?

Webb has been an epidemiologist for the Foundation for three years, on track to complete his masters while working with them. Sadly, that PHD isn't coming in the mail any time soon. Y'know, the world ending and all.

11. Will Liam Webb have strategies and tactics in defeating the SCP monsters?

As mentioned in other chapters, 2480-2 instances seemingly disregard conventional medicine. Despite this fact, there have been breakthroughs in fighting the infection on the microscopic level, they just aren't as effective as they should be. If Webb can synthesize these developments in Equestria, they should help somewhat. Fire has also been a remarkable tool in burning away dens of disease and purging infection vectors, though were the infection to reach Equestria, Celestia may not be on-board with lighting half the country on fire. That being said, she moves a giant fireball around the sky, so there's that. As for other SCPs, Liam is only in-the-know about a select few SCPs, having spent most of his time in Area-14. He would be familiar with containment procedures surrounding those SCPs, but not to the degree wherein he would be able to recall ALL of the details.

Well, that's that! If you stuck around to read, or if you didn't, I appreciate your following and reading my story! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to PM me or leave them in the comments on TBoaP, and I'll see you all later!

Caspian