Roadside Trappers

Roadside Trappers are a faction in the novel; *Cataclysm: Definitive Edition* (and the original), the Roadside Trappers are a loosely connected antagonistic faction that are usually small groups, gangs or families in the Independent Towns & Territories that rob travelers and merchants.

## Background:

Roadside Trappers have been active since the cataclysmic event in 2036. Never fully united these gangs and groups were mostly comprised of gypsies, residing in England, before the cataclysmic event.

## Society:

Even though the Roadside Trappers are not a unified faction, the sub-factions will respect other sub-factions's claims to territory and only dispute if absolutely necessary. Roadside Trappers are 90% Catholic and it is an unwritten code to not raid religious buildings and not rob from religious figures on the road.

The spiritual home of the Roadside Trappers is Cornwall and many permanent Roadside Trappers settlements can be found in Cornwall and the South-West, battling Old London to keep their claimed lands free from government control.

Irish Gaelic is taught amongst a majority of the Roadside Trappers, this helps them to talk in private without English-only speakers interrupting them or knowing their plots.

Only the strong survive in the life of a Roadside Trapper and they all follow a clear hierarchy based around family and age.

Roadside Trappers follow the Principles of Purgatory, especially an eye-for-an-eye, and any disrespect to one member of a family, group or gang is disrespect to the entire family, group or gang.

## Structure:

There is no clear structure on Roadside Trappers and their sub-factions, each gang and or group can act totally independent of their Roadside Trapper neighbours and their rules are their own.

## Named Regions, Cities & Towns:

Below are regions, cities and towns under the control of the Roadside Trappers throughout the novel; *Cataclysm: Definitive Edition*.

* Tattered Woods (Partially)
* Black Mountains (Partially)
* Bone Glades (Partially)
* Everpool (Partially)
* Hell's Passage (Partially)
* Orshawe (Partially)
* Red Valley (Partially)
* Shrewsbury Ruins (Partially)

## Named Members:

There are no named Roadside Trappers mentioned within the novel, only an unnamed family of Roadside Trappers appears near the beginning of the story.

## Military:

### **Establishment & Description:**

There are hundreds of thousands of Roadside Trappers across the British Isles however they are not a united faction and have no official army, remaining in small gangs or families. The largest Roadside Trapper groups will go is around 40-60 members, after that the group would splinter off into smaller teams or individual groups.

### **Organisation:**

The Roadside Trappers have no organisation at all, they abide by family rules and the Principles of Purgatory.

### **Equipment:**

Roadside Trappers have a limited supply of weapons and so mostly use melee weapons. Weapons the Night Snakes can be seen using include;

* Machete
* Combat Knife
* Hand Axe
* 22. Air Rifle
* 22. Air Pistol
* Bowie Knife
* Glock-17 Handgun
* Double-Barrel Shotgun
* Javelin

## Relationships:

* Democratic Trade Union = Enemies.
* Old London = Enemies.
* Arch-Tiberius's Horde = Enemies.
* Night Snakes = Neutral.
* Clan Claw = Neutral.
* Skin-Crawlers = Enemies.
* Independent Towns & Territories = Enemies to the areas not under their control.
* McLevar Caravan Guard = Enemies.
* Red Valley Tribes = Enemies, enslaved by the Tribes regularly.
* North Welsh Tribes = No contact, mutual.
* Utopia = No contact, mutual.
* Clan Scouser = Enemies.
* The Pool Crew = Neutral.

## Technology:

Roadside Trappers have access to next-to-no decent technology and rely on stealing technology from other factions depending on their situation.

## Currency:

Roadside Trappers have no form of currency and so barter and trade amongst themselves and others.

## Appearances:

The Roadside Trappers appear in the novel; *Cataclysm: Definitive Edition* (and the original) as the first antagonistic faction the main characters, although the family that try and trick Robert are not named, they are indeed Roadside Trappers, as their failed plot suggests.

## Trivia:

* Roadside Trappers are the first antagonist faction that the main characters come across.
* Roadside Trappers gained their names due to their occupation.
* All Roadside Trappers take drugs so they do not get hungry and barely need to drink water.
* The Night Snakes originally started out as Roadside Trappers before forming into their own faction.
* Majority of Roadside Trappers can trace their heritage back to Irish Gypsy families.
* Some Roadside Trappers speak Irish Gaelic to confuse English-only speakers.