Two roving gangs. One is an original of the Waste, and the other has only ridden in recently. Can there be two bands of marauders cruising around Alpha Sector or is it overkill? Well, let’s look at two factions from the Waste is Not Kind and see how we can differentiate these two groups and how they fit into this arid wasteland.
Peyote Posse
- A feral, chemically aided band of marauders.
- The leader called “The Bull” is found among the roaming convoy of raiding vehicles.
- Often their attacks begin with a rain of hallucinogenic smoke bombs.
- They are rumored to be cannibals, but most who are captured by the Posse are never heard from again.
Dust Devils
- A ruthless and nomadic biker gang with chapters throughout the Waste.
- They’re always looking for new members, but the only way out of the gang is death.
- Their motorcycles are their pride and joy, Touch their bikes and pay the price.
- Dust Devils are some of the best mechanics in the Waste.
Those summaries are from the quickstart for the 2nd edition (I promise it’s coming soon), but four bullet points are just a few sparks. Digging past the roving marauder trope (we’ll mine that for ideas in a bit), here’s how I like to view each of these factions.
Peyote Posse
The Peyote Posse are raving lunatics. Comparable to the Smokers from Waterworld or the Reavers from Firefly, they roam the sector destroying most everything in their path and taking whatever they can grab. Their dependence on the mutated and chemically enhanced “cactus juice” has converted all but the strongest-willed members into practical animals. It’s common knowledge in Alpha Sector that if the Peyote Posse is coming you go the other way as fast as you can.
Faction Goals
Unlike other factions, the Bull and his posse have no desire to claim the sector or set themselves up as leaders of the Waste. They are rovers. Always on the look out for their next cache of supplies or next big score. As their numbers grow, they become more bold and set their sights on attacking one of the major settlements like Cross Town or Crater Town. But when their numbers dwindle, they keep to the outskirts preying on travelers and smaller settlements.
If the Bull were to have a goal, in a moment of clarity, it would be to get revenge on the Chemist who experimented and turned him into what he is today, a mutated beast of a man.
Adventure Ideas
Most interactions you might have with the Peyote Posse will be defending against an attack or running away when they show up, but here are a couple of ideas on how you might fit them into a game.
- The Posse is laying siege to Cross Town. Defend the outer walls as they attempt to break in.
- A group of travelers were captured as they carried supplies across the sector. Rescue them before it’s too late.
- They’re the only ones crazy enough to attack a Ghost Pepper base and you need the help getting in.
- You stumble across a potent patch of cactus and poisoned by them. The Posse are the only ones who might know how to deal with it.
- The Bull has found a SteelNet bunker and claimed it for himself, but they can’t get through the locked gate for now. If the Posse got their hands on SteelNet tech, the whole sector would be in danger.
Hooks In
Making the Peyote Posse a bigger part of your game could be as simple as making them the common enemy that keeps showing up. Or you could dig deeper into their history and connection to the Chemist. Perhaps even finding a cure? Here are some hooks that could pull a party into dealing with the Peyote Posse.
- While traversing Alpha Sector in your welded-together pick-up truck, a pack surrounds you but doesn’t attack. Strange. They guide you to their base in the Shardlands, the stretch of broken rocks and mountains in the North. What could have gotten into them?
- While hunting down The Chemist, you cross paths with the Bull who is also tracking him down. Now it’s a race because you have questions that need answering, and the Bull won’t hesitate if he gets the chance first.
- A member of your party may be a survivor of a Peyote Posse attack. Now it’s just a matter of revenge against those who took everything.
- The Peyote Posse supply of cactus juice grows in the Shardlands, but if you could destroy them all, perhaps the sector would be rid of these marauders for good.
Dust Devils
The Dust Devils is the newest faction of the Waste. Since Alpha Sector follows Mad Max as its guiding light, a biker gang just felt right. These are rough and tumble folk, Rev Heads to the max, and absolutely ruthless if you touch their motorcycles. But they follow their own code. The freedom of riding through a broken world and sticking together through it all. Membership in the Dust Devils is for life because leaving is seen as the ultimate betrayal of loyalty. Once you’re in, the Dust Devils will have your back no matter what, and if you turn your back on them, oh boy…
Faction Goals
The Dust Devils see themselves as their own masters. They don’t owe allegiance to anyone but themselves. Rivet Lang, the president, envisions a sector where all people are free and anarchy can reign supreme. It’s definitely better than what she’s seen the Mayor of Cross Town or that coward of an Unnamed Emperor offer up. Beyond fighting “the man”, a growing membership and a steady stream of parts is their main focus.
Adventure Ideas
You’re going to find the Dust Devils wherever there are garages or greasy dives to congregate in. Plus, there are several chapters of the Dust Devils spread throughout the sector, so you’re not always going to be dealing with Rivet and the main gang. Maybe Ironjaw, Torque, or Smog will run their chapter a little differently away from their president’s influence.
- The Dust Devils are looking for some rare parts for something big they’re building and they need some scavengers to dig them up.
- Torque is willing to cut you a deal if you can help him take down his rival Smog, that sneaky grease monkey.
- A stache of SteelNet tech is being offered as a prize for the first person to make it through the Oilfire’s Run. Every other faction has shown up for the race.
- Rivet has usurped the Mayor of Crosstown and controls the city. Anarchy falls, including the Rig. If Rivet isn’t reasoned with the entire sector’s fuel supply will dry up.
- Your beloved vehicle is in desperate need of repairs, but it is beyond your skills to fix. You need a mechanic but you’ll have to make it worth their while.
Hooks In
I imagined that the Dust Devils would fit somewhere between an ally and an enemy. Depending on your interactions, you could gain a lot of favor or even membership in their crew and earn their loyalty. Or they could become enemies willing to hunt you down and seek out revenge wherever you go, making travel more difficult. Maybe they could be directed towards the Unnamed Emperor or other factions growing too powerful in the Waste.
- A valuable turbine part needed to power Bog Town’s water filtration system has been stolen by the Dust Devils. You’ve got to get it back!
- A toll has been established along the main highways and you’ve got to pay up before these bikers will let you pass.
- The Rangers are tracking Dust Devil raiders who they suspect are searching for a hidden cache of Old World tech, and they need locals to gather intel before it falls into the wrong hands.
- You stumble upon a pair of Dust Devil bikes, clean and supped up to the max. Their riders are nowhere to be seen. The keys are still in the ignition…
