Community / Developer diary
By Mark McKinnon · 27 March 2017
Welcome, wasteland warriors. I’m Mark, your guide to the Wastes. Last week I asked which group you wanted to learn about. Just one warrior — Ross Bingham — was bold enough to answer. He had become increasingly concerned about the Desertkin camp south of his cottage compound, so it seems the right time to share a little about these enigmatic nomads. Are they friends or foes? That is for you to decide.
A life apart from modern technology
The Desertkin have turned away from what we might call modern technology in favour of a simpler way of life. In the Wastes, technology is scarce and valuable, and that scarcity can lead to needless bloodshed. By relying on themselves, the Desertkin avoid many conflicts.
Survival is difficult in a land shaped by violent, unpredictable weather and treacherous terrain. A person travelling on foot can vanish without a trace. To endure, the Desertkin have formed a close bond with many of the wild creatures of the sands: together they find food and gain strength in numbers.
They seldom take part in the disputes of other factions unless their own way of life is at risk. It is wise not to provoke them.
Beasts of the Wastes
When the Desertkin ride to battle, the ground trembles beneath them. Many opponents flee if they can, because the sight that follows is enough to fill the heart with fear.
Raised among some of the Wastes’ largest and most dangerous creatures, the Desertkin know how to fight alongside them. Vultox are swift and deadly, able to spit corrosive acid that eats through metal in seconds. Sand lizards can regenerate, cauterising wounds on themselves and others. And the mighty Rhinax — tonnes of muscle and sinew, with a solid skull evolved to send its chosen target flying — is a formidable force on its own.
Put these creatures together with the Desertkin’s skill at coordinating them and riding them into battle, and the result is a force few can stop.
Respect the Desertkin
If you catch sight of the Desertkin, it may already be too late: they appear only when they choose to be seen. Respect their customs and their laws, and you might make it out alive.
I hope this has given you a better understanding of the Desertkin. If you find yourself facing an angry Rhinax, remember: whatever you do, make no sudden movements.