Stripped of humanity by brutal living conditions and their determination to survive no matter the cost, raiders still look human. But beneath that veneer, they're feral.
Motive: Raid and kill for what they want
Environment: Groups of four to six roaming the ruins
Interaction: If a raider believes a just met survivor has food, water, or shelter, or might prove to be a threat immediately or at any later date, they laugh off any suggestion of parley and attack.
Use: The raider encampment has a new leader, a warlord whose presence doubles raider activity.
Rust and Redemption
Motorcycle riding raiders keep their "motor wheels" alive through constant tinkering and repair. The two wheeled machines are modified with spears, spikes, lances, and sometimes guns and flamethrowers. Fell riders wear heavy protective garments made from fur, salvaged clothing, and leather from past targets. Goggles protect their eyes, and bones are sewn through their wild, greasy hair as decoration.
Health: 12
Damage Inflicted: Moderate wound (4 points)
Armor: 1
Movement: Short; long while riding motorcycle
Modifications: Motorcycle repair and modification as level 5; stealth tasks as level 0 due to screaming engines
Combat: Using pikes, spears, or lances welded to the front of their bike, a fell rider typically makes ride-by attacks against foes from just outside short range. A fell rider is one with their bike, always moving to engage and disengage. If knocked from their bike (possibly a minor effect), a fell rider's attacks and Speed defenses are hindered until they regain the seat as their action. Some riders use larger four-wheeled vehicles with open canopies instead of motorcycles. These fell riders have 2 Armor and can attempt a run-down attack on up to three targets that are next to each other and not in a vehicle, inflicting 8 points of damage. Struck targets that fail a Might defense roll descend one step on the damage tracks.
Loot: A fell rider's motorcycle, when repaired, is a useful vehicle with enough gas for miles of travel.
GM Intrusion: The character is caught by a leather strap from a charging fell rider's bike and is pulled behind the vehicle, automatically taking damage each round until they can escape with a hindered Might or Speed roll.
Rust and Redemption
Marauders are raiders who attack with stealth, wrapping themselves in light smothering clothes and targeting survivors after midnight. By day, they act like regular people, part of a survivor community. That's pretense; when time allows, they torture targets to death and take flesh trophies.
Health: 12
Damage Inflicted: Moderate wound (4 points); see Combat
Movement: Short; short when climbing
Modifications: Stealth and deception tasks as level 5
Combat: Marauders use stealth and the night to position themselves before attacking, hoping to make their initial attack with surprise using bladed weapons. Whether they have surprise or not, if they attack before their target's first action, their attacks are eased and inflict a moderate wound (6 points).
Marauders often dose their bladed weapons with poison, so targets must also make a Might defense roll or take 2 points of Speed damage (ignores Armor) each round for three rounds.
GM Intrusion: The surprise attack also stuns the character so they can’t take their next turn or yell out to warn their allies of the attack.
Rust and Redemption
A warlord enjoys supreme authority over other raiders. Brutal rulers, warlords are a living symbol of power and strength where survival is valued above all else.
Warlords caparison themselves in trophies of vanquished enemies—such as gilded skulls or flayed skins. Some wear garish helms designed to intimidate. An impressive weapon, especially something from the before times, is always close at hand. A warlord is rarely encountered without raiders and other lackeys that fight for and serve them.
Motive: Control through fear and brutality
Environment: Usually in the company of five to twenty raiders
Health: 25
Damage Inflicted: Moderate wound (5 points)
Armor: 3
Movement: Short
Modifications: Defends as level 6 due to nearby raiders willing to take no actions other than defend the warlord
Combat: Warlords attack twice each round with bladed or spiked melee weapons or ranged firearms. When possible, they fight from an open canopy vehicle (driven by another raider).
A warlord directly leads the raiders they command, fighting at the forefront but also issuing orders. Underlings deal 1 additional minor wound (1 point) when the warlord can see them and issue commands.
Most warlords have a specific additional advantage they can pull out to win a fight. See the table below.
| d6 | Advantage |
|---|---|
| 1 | Rocket launcher (level 7): long-range weapon inflicts a moderate wound (7 points) on targets in an immediate area (depletion: 1–2 in 1d6) |
| 2 | Fire thrower (level 7): immediate-range weapon inflicts a moderate wound (7 points) on all targets within immediate range (depletion: 1 in 1d10) |
| 3 | Release the beast: Gives the command to "release the beast"; a melted loyal to warlord charges into the fight |
| 4 | Force shield (level 5): Static field blocks all incoming attacks against the warlord for one round (depletion: 1–2 in 1d10) |
| 5 | Power gauntlet: Warlord's power gauntlet grabs foe and automatically deals damage from crushing until foe escapes |
| 6 | Skystrike: Calls in a "skystrike" from a battered wristband; a round later, a missile launched from a before-times satellite strikes nearby, inflicting 10 points of damage on all creatures within a short area who fail a Speed defense roll, and 2 points on those who succeed (depletion: automatic) |
Interaction: Warlords have lackeys and lieutenants that interact with outsiders. They prefer to make pronouncements and threats from on high.
Use: The museum, lab, or other important structure the characters wanted to visit to carry out their mission has fallen under the control of a warlord and a dozen or more raiders.
Loot: A warlord may carry an artifact.
GM Intrusion: The warlord pulls out a second unique warlord advantage and attacks or defends themselves from the character.