Frontiersmen (Remake)

The **Frontiersmen** are a primitivist cult living in the wilds of western Montana in *Strain Zero*. After expanding west towards the banks of the Missouri, they came into conflict with Delta Force and their network of communities. They serve as the primary antagonists of the *Bloodlines* arc.

## Overview

The Frontiersmen religion, stemming from the Father's teachings, is central to their society and lifestyle. The prophet Ajax is treated as a messiah, with many paintings and wooden carvings made in his image. Members regularly quote his teachings, sometimes as comfort during adversity. Prayer and gatherings are compulsory within the community. Individual expression is strictly regulated, and members are instructed to undergo regular rituals so as to "cleanse" themselves of fear and forbidden thoughts. Central to their society is the belief that zombies are the next stage in human evolution, and that they must purify themselves before passing on to the "half-life" through a ritual referred to as the "Baptism of Fire".

The Frontiersmen live largely ascetic lifestyles: they generally travel on horseback, are largely agrarian, and consider gathering resources from the "Old World" as a taboo; soldiers are exempt from this condition and are allowed to use firearms. They view electricity as taboo dark magic and it is strictly outlawed within their society. Their homes are devoid of any adornments beyond religious icons, and all members wear identical attire. Higher-ranking members, or priests, wear masks echoing animals of the forest, and are strictly forbidden from removing their masks around others. The culture is strongly communal and collectivist.

The Frontiersmen have learned how to camouflage themselves from walkers - and therefore walk amongst them - using a process they call the "Ritual of Smoke": by lining their clothes with charcoal and hanging them above smoking fires, the Frontiersmen can mask their scent for days or weeks, in stark contrast to the traditional "guts method" used by the Pioneers that only lasts for a few hours.

## Post-Apocalypse

### Season 4: Remake

When the global outbreak swept across rural Montana, a chain of campsites in the expansive Helena National Forest became completely cut off from the outside world. The majority of the campers were young children, the rest being camp counselors in their late teens. The campers waited weeks for help to arrive, but none came; forced to fend for themselves, the campers organized under the counselors. With no adult supervision, many of the children went feral and anarchy quickly erupted.

At some point, one of the counselors - a cancer patient - transformed into a darkdweller, which subsequently mauled another counselor named Gabriel Terrance; Gabriel survived, but his face was hideously scarred. He credited his survival to the peace he made with death during the attack and decided to teach his newfound fearlessness to the campers. Donning a mask made of wood, he took the name "Ajax" and quickly amassed a loyal legion of followers, who proclaimed him "The Father" that would build a new society. Thus the Frontiersmen were formed.

Believing Ajax to be a prophet, the Frontiersmen built a society based around primitivism and holding technology in taboo. In accordance to Ajax's teachings, they dedicated themselves to freeing themselves from fear, believing that the absence of fear in their society would ensure their survival and make them more capable warriors. This isolated pocket of peace and calm attracted outsiders that bolstered the group's numbers, and soon they swelled to more than 100 members. Under Ajax's direction, the Frontiersmen reinforced their camps and became capable hunters. Most forsook their birth names and took on simple mononyms such as "Joseph", "Mary" and "Nathan".

Soon, however, Ajax would succumb to an illness and pass away, leaving behind his most trusted followers, the Elders, to lead the Frontiersmen. Most of these Elders decided to continue Ajax's teachings as they had learned them; one of the Elders, named Joseph, espoused a violent interpretation of Ajax's teachings. He believed that the Frontiersmen beliefs should be spread across the world, building a fearless empire in Ajax's name. Joseph was banished from the Frontiersmen capital, Archangel, taking several followers with him; they settled at another camp on the western edge of the forest, close to Wolf Lake, and called themselves the "Rams".

## Notable Members

* Isabella - *de facto* leader
* *Lydia* - co-leader, priestess
* *Nathan* - soldier, priest, former leader
* *Eduard* - war chief
* *Ajax* - founder, former leader
* *Joseph* - former co-leader

## Deaths

* Joseph - shot in the chest by David and devoured by zombies
* Lydia - shot in the neck by Nathan
* Eduard - stabbed in the face by Emma
* Nathan - beheaded by Henry
* 1 unnamed priest - axed to death by Henry
* At least 20 unnamed members

## Killed Victims

* Numerous counts of zombies and unnamed people

## Trivia

* In addition to being the rewritten version of their original incarnation, the Frontiersmen also borrow aspects from the Fear, who similarly sought to rid themselves of fear and established a religion based on that doctrine.