Survivors!
From the character creation screen to a rusty box in an abandoned building out in the Wasteland, you’ve seen the names of the three main Dustland factions—the Marauders, the Murens, and the Tyrants. But who are they? What are their goals? Let’s find out.
Faction Basics
The cataclysm that left the land barren of anything but sand and monsters forced human survivors to team up. People started to organize themselves into groups based on their previous professional skills and specializations. Each group used their experience to survive and achieve their objectives. But now, people join factions not for their ideals, but to survive yet another scorching day, settle into the Shelter, and then pursue their own personal goals.
Core Values and Beliefs
Marauders
Founded by people who, in some unfathomable way, survived the great storm beyond the Shelter. To this day, they guard their secrets.
They know the wasteland better than anyone. Veterans often venture into neighboring regions, bringing back their spoils.
Murens
The personal faction of engineers who built the Shelter. The creators of the 'Ark' know its every corner and immediately gained power and influence when the cataclysm struck.
Now, the engineers themselves rarely leave the Shelter. Instead, they have others do all the work on their behalf. There is always some mystery to their actions and true intentions.
Tyrants
Police officers, port workers, blue collars, firefighters. The working class and those who had physical strength and access to firepower. They quickly banded together into a single faction.
They are marked by their toughness, roughness, and aggression. They control the Shelter’s entire stockpile of weapons.
“I like Tyrants — the horns on their helmets. Well, come on, who doesn't like horns?” — Iskander, Dustland Developer
Primary Goals
The general objective for everyone and every faction is to survive and to figure out what caused the cataclysm. But there seems to be a silent mastermind lurking in the shadows and pulling the strings.
- Marauders : Survival, exploring the wasteland, discovering new territories.
- Murens: Maintaining the Shelter and studying the consequences of the cataclysm.
- Tyrants : Keeping control over the wasteland and claiming back territories.
Allies and Rivals
No one knows who heads the factions. They say their leaders have long gone crazy. But it’s not entirely true—at least not for the Murens. The factions operate independently of one another, but their interests constantly overlap, leading to unexpected alliances or conflicts.
Lesley (the quest giver) belongs to the Tyrant faction but assigns missions to all of the Shelter’s inhabitants. At times, it feels like he's deliberately pitting the factions against each other.
In the Shelter, people are not hostile to each other. In the Dustland, however, everyone is on their own. Even someone from your own faction can be dangerous. Or even someone from your squad. Always keeps you on edge, doesn’t it?
While faction members mostly work alone, they can work together to achieve their Seasonal Goal. It’s a global faction quest that faction members must complete together. As factions’ goals constantly collide, succeeding in your faction’s goal means preventing other factions from completing theirs.
Gameplay Style and Strengths
Recommended Play Style
- Marauders : Stealth. Their armor is quieter, nimbler, and more inconspicuous. They can travel distances faster and remain unnoticed.
- Murens: Resource gathering. They are able to stay in the wasteland longer than others and carry more water to withstand the heat. While they can stay out longer, exploring locations as Murens is more challenging.
- Tyrants : Combat. They are a bit slower, but well armored and equipped. They are more of a fight rather than flight type of guys.
Each faction has its own special set of armour.
Signature Abilities
These features, along with some others, will be added in future updates.
- Marauders : They can sell the loot they bring from the wasteland for more bolts than others.
- Murens: Water, the most valuable resource in the wasteland, is cheaper for them in the Shelter.
- Tyrants : They get a special deal on weapons in the Shelter: a better choice for a smaller price.
Water is the most important resource. Wanderers can gather it in the wasteland or buy it in the Shelter. But there are many other useful consumables, and you can always look for better weapons and armor.
Territorial Control
At the moment, there’s no territorial control in the game, but as the story progresses, we will add this element to the game.
Now, you know who you’re dealing with. So, which faction will you choose?
Keep hydrated and we’ll see you in Dustland!