Characters

Cal's parents, the former owners of Silly Goose Soap, and his younger sister, Rose, now deceased. They died in a terrible plague that swept the town, of which Cal was the only survivor.

When the job calls for someone with brains and brawn, you need Head Nurse Matt De Silva. Matt's probably the closest most people will ever get to meeting a superhero, but like all superheroes, he does have a weakness: He is potentially the softest jock on the planet. Babies (human or animal), heartwarming tales, or a sad song all have the potential to turn him into a puddle. Luckily, he's taken that big heart of his and turned it into his greatest strength.

Field Nurse Jan Mills is best described as the human version of a Jack Russell Terrier, but don't let her bubbly personality and overactive nature fool you. Doc doesn't let just anybody on the team; Jan's a dedicated medical professional with the skills, wits, and tenacity to hold her own with the best of them. The only downside to having such a ball of energy around is that she will eat your pantry down to the hinges, much to Dr. Abernathy's dismay.

Callum Martinez is the sole survivor of an outbreak that destroyed his hometown. Before the outbreak he was trying out different apprenticeships in between helping with the family business, Silly Goose Soap. Now, he's going to the Yersinia Academy to become a plague doctor. Despite losing everything he's known and loved, he's working hard to not only catch up and pass his tests, but also to learn the ways of this new society that he's found himself in. He has a range of hobbies and skills outside of classes, and is always eager to help people out with whatever they need.

DJ is Cal's roommate, and the first friend he makes upon joining the school. DJ's parents live and work there, so the Academy has always been his home. Despite being the top student and having a superstar status amongst his classmates, DJ's reclusive nature and nocturnal habits have also given him the rank of Campus Cryptid. He's never had a roommate or friends, so he's excited to have someone around. His former routine of "Eat, sleep, study, repeat" was thrown out the window with Cal's arrival, but he doesn't mind it one bit.

The Merchant is a traveling salesperson selling infected blankets to unsuspecting townsfolk. He then steals the blankets back once everyone's dead so he can do it again in the next town. He knows he carries a terrible plague, so why is he doing this?

In a city largely made up of people devoted to the study, treatment and eradication of infectious disease, she's known simply as "Doc". That should give you an idea of her skill. Dr. Abernathy is a field doctor from Yersinia and she's been on the road hunting down illness for longer than most of her teammates have been alive. While she has a reputation for her no-nonsense approach, she's also known as a caring physician and a devoted, if frequently absent, mother and grandmother. Doc's idea of a perfect evening is a roaring campfire, good company, some wine, and a cat in her lap. She has a soft spot for strays, and enjoys quilting.

Dr. Blanche Carter is a researcher, and spends most of her time interacting with the various viruses, pathogens and other microbial nasties under her microscope. It's solitary work, but it suits her just fine, thank you very much. While quiet, she's a master of snark and her love of coffee is only matched by her disdain for sleep. Her main hobby is reading, and the book in her hands could be anything from a study on algae to an adventure/romance dime novel. Blanche says her biggest accomplishment is making Doc laugh so hard she snorted wine out of her nose.