Some half-baked ideas submitted for general dialectic inquiry.

Some half-baked ideas submitted for general dialectic inquiry.

In the wastelands of The After, legal ownership of land is contested by people at every opportunity, and those who seek or claim traditional usage, land rights, native title, and related forms of full or partial control are rare… typically one would need to pay a regent, swear an allegiance, or otherwise convince a stronger force to help maintain such claims from raiders and jumpers.

Not everyone has such luxury, unfortunately.

The Raider — There is no real reason to care for civility in this world, it’s every survivor for themselves… you only own what you’ve stayed living long enough to use — and then it’s gone. The souls that lead a sedentary packrat lifestyle don’t have any more claim to civility in their greedily hoarding lifestyle than anyone else… Take what you need, use what you want, and to hell with the rest.

(stock character trope: independent insurgent or rebellious brat)

The Maverick — as antisocial card players and honorless con-artists go, The Maverick is the life of many a party. Always ready for a high-stakes game for a higher value prize, and often the best player to be employed to entertain anyone with the lux to spare. With a wide variety of skills — which could include songs, music, storytelling, acrobatics, juggling and prestidigitation — don’t underestimate the cunning of a lone coyote, the trickster knows many disguises.

(stock character trope: crazy survivalist or mysterious gunman)

The Landsquatter — Many solitary folks just live in any crack they can duck into, taking from the land whatever is not being watched no matter who claims it; others just keep their head in their crack until someone finally claims it. Maybe a small family, gang, or crew will live comfortably just outside the reach of anyone’s direct claims… but there are very few families of jackals out there you can trust have remained well fed enough through the winter, not to poach on the meat of other passing animals… better to keep to your own nest.

(stock character trope: paranoid prepper or creepy hermit)

The Homesteader — Some hardholds have resident souls with a long term claim of ownership to a homestead supporting a small family, gang, or crew. Whether nested inside or outside the walls, sometimes it’s good to have an alliance with the local bigshots, and secure ties with a market of needy souls… sometimes it’s not.

(stock character trope: hardboiled homesteader or lone holdout)