Over 200 years after a global nuclear war ravaged the earth, mankind slowly but surely re-emerged from the ashes and started forming communities and even towns that come close to pre-war standards. And yet, bandits, raiders and slavers still terrorise these innocent people, who merely seek to live a peaceful communal life. To keep order in the wastes of Nevada, the Nevada Desert Rangers have been formed. Though only slightly more organised than most local militias, these rangers are without the doubt some of the most excellent fighters out there in the wastes. Their diverse backgrounds might even bring them a certain edge over their adversaries on the battlefield.
Mariya used to be a mere mail woman until one of her jobs got her entangled in regional politics, in which she somehow emerged on top. Making her the de-facto ruler of Nevada, she quickly realised that she needed to assemble a militia of her own, with all the other bigger players in the region driven out. Yet still, Mariya is more than eager to deliver justice on her own with her Boyar assault sniper rifle, a bizarrely contradictory yet highly effective contraption.
Being born into slavery, Russel had to fend for himself from a very early age. Now he joined the Desert Rangers to pay back any slaver scum tenfold. Aside from his extensive combat experience, Russel is also a true survival expert, being able to spend weeks in the wastes far from any sign of civilisation. Don’t ask him too many questions about his missing eye, though. He will play tic-tact-toe on your face with his knife!
Gustavo the Zombie Vaquero is a living testimony of the desolation wrecked upon the world in the wake of the Great War. Owing to extensive exposure to the radioactivity unleashed by the bombs, he lives in a semi-zombified state, where he ages at a much slower rate. He spent the last 200 years wandering the wastes and helping various communities as either a mechanic or a vigilante until he felt it was time to move on. It wasn’t until he met Mariya, who encouraged him to find a longer lasting purpose at a time where Gustavo was about to leave his Vaquero days behind for good.
Vanessa was raised by a monastic order dedicated to save humanity from its own annihilation by safeguarding advanced technology. Ironically, it would be the order’s clinging on archaic ideas that would lead to their own downfall, eventually leaving Vanessa on her own. Joining the Desert Rangers, she hopes to apply the knowledge gained during her time at the order to help those in need. Her being a bookworm does not indicate any lack of combat skills. In fact, she prefers to smash evildoers up close with her power fist, while the pre-war power armour she salvaged from various scrap parts turns her into a walking tank, impervious to most enemy fire.
Best Friendo is a rogue AI taking control of a security drone. He only answers to Mariya and played an instrumental role in the independence of Nevada by hijacking its security drone system. While Best Friendo’s current purpose is to keep a tab on any incoming dangers for the nearby settlements, he can pack quite a punch in combat all on his own, being armed with a Gatling grenade launcher and a .50 MG Big Iron revolver. Should Best Friendo’s body be destroyed in combat, he can transfer his consciousness into another security drone to fight another day.
Born on a pile of dung and armed with an insatiable hunger, Mutt is a ferocious yet dependable companion to the Desert Rangers. His highly sensitive sense of smell has been useful several times around to detect danger from afar and to locate caches of loot to restock supplies.
