The Wastes

**The Wastes** (also known as **The Warzone**) is the largest region in the American Wasteland. Making up most of the American southwest (including old-world California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, northern Texas, and northwestern Mexico), the region is often characterized by it's long desert highways, stone-laden plains, and rocky mountains.

## Description

### Geography

The Wastes is a very hot and dry location, with sprawling deserts to the southwest, rocky plains and mountains to the north, and dry fields and forests to the east. Flora in the region is primarily made up of cacti and desert flowers, as there is very little fresh water in the area. This lack of vegetation has resulted in a high amount of carnivorous wildlife to make it's home here.

There are several valleys and canyons in the region, such as the Grand Rift.

### Climate

Historically known for it's hot and dry weather, the Wastes have only become more brutal since the nuclear devastation of the world. Low precipitation and long days of constant sun exposure have made the region remarkably torrid, and frequent sandstorms make living in the open desert a challenge. To combat this, many people have grown to wear protective facial protection, such as goggles and scarves.

### Sub-Regions

There are many sub-regions within the Wastes, from the sprawling and hopelessly arid Drylands, to Capital; the USLC's own military state. The following are the widely-recognized sub-regions of the Wastes.

* Craggy Pass
* The Drylands
* The Badlands
* The Blooding Fields
* Vulture Springs
* The War Path
* Capital

## Inhabitants

The inhabitants of the Wastes vary greatly, with human descendants of all kind assimilating in groups with similar motives of their own. Most inhabitants of the Wastes are bandits or raiders of some kind, with some existing in small tribes and others in larger clans and warbands. The cities in the Wastes are often filled with gamblers, brawlers, and peddlers of all kinds, in addition to gangs of violent thugs that make traveling by night very difficult. The Wastes have historically been known for it's abundance of Rustrats and Gasgarglers, though they are far from the only inhabitants of the area.

## Civilization

Like many regions of the American Wasteland, there are many settlements and urban societies in the Wastes. Though just as wild and dangerous as the badlands themselves, the cities of the Wastes are governed and ruled by various factions. A very powerful bandit faction that is known as the Pit Fiends control many of the settlements and cities in the western coast of the region, while the United States Liberty Corps rules the settlements in the east. Many other settlements are found in the Wastes, some not governed by a faction at all. The following is a list of well-known cities and settlements in the Wastes.

* Angel City
* Paradiso
* The Gunfields
* Sin City
* Grand Rift City
* Fort Justice
* Equity
* New Kansas
* Dieselbreath Keep

## Factions

There are many local factions that fight among the deserts and canyons of the Wastes. The most prevalent of them all is the Pit Fiends, who rose to power through their raid on Angel City, which soon became their "arena-capital". Mercenaries, gladiators, and warriors from all over the wasteland gather to fight for grand rewards put up by the ruthless (but typically fair) Pit Fiends. Rewards include food and water, vehicles and gasoline, weapons and bullets, additional manpower, and even land in the gang's turf. However, the people of Angel City know just how vicious the Pit Fiends truly are, as they rake in their blood money from the arenas and human trafficking networks across the wasteland.

The United States Liberty Corps (UNLC) have a large presence in the Wastes, despite being a widespread faction in the American Wasteland. Rising from the remains of the United States Armed Forces following the nuclear war in 1993, the UNLC has become an ultra-nationalist militant group that made a name for themselves "liberating" settlements from rival factions under the guise of "patriotism". While they claim to push towards the reunification of the United States of America, many believe they simply wish to establish an authoritarian military dictatorship in the wasteland.

The Arizona Raiders (or AZ Raiders) are an especially controversial bandit group in the Wastes. Operating out of the Grand Rift, the AZ Raiders send war parties through settlements they come across, indoctrinating the people they meet into their cult-like religion based around a pantheon of deceased old-world musicians (Johnny Cash, Lemmy Kilmister, etc.). Those that do not join their warband are often killed or enslaved.

Finally, the Hellhounds are an extremely violent Hellion warband that scour the wastes in search of people to kill, settlements to burn, and metal to scrap for their cars and weapons. They are renowned for their culture that revolves around heavy metal music; so much so that many great Hellhound warriors craft brutal weapons that double as instruments. The Hellhounds are rarely one to be reasoned with, and all factions are wary of their attacks.

There are countless other smaller factions in the Wastes, including bandit groups, religious orders, and many other syndicates.

## Other Regions in the American Wasteland

* West Rock
* The Midden
* South Bridge
* The Mire
* Seaboard
* Northharbor
* The Expanse
* The Berg