The Reckoning

To become a Nightbreaker, you must first endure The Reckoning, a rite of passage that tests your mettle, ingenuity, and sheer will to survive. From the moment you pledge yourself to the Nightbreakers, you are stripped of comforts, guided only by one simple directive: “Return at dawn with something that matters.” Armed with little more than your wits and a crude tool of your choosing, you are sent alone into the Wastelands—a barren, desolate expanse littered with the remnants of a bygone world.

Primary Related Location

The Dark Syde

Related Organizations

• The Nightbreakers

The Reckoning isn’t just a test of physical endurance. Out there, it’s not only the harsh elements and the scarcity of resources that threaten you, but also the ever-present dangers of Zombies , rogue scavengers, and shifting ruins that create traps within their crumbling structures. The Nightbreakers believe that survival alone is not enough. To prove your worth, you must bring back something of value—an artifact, a rare resource, or even vital knowledge about a previously unexplored section of the Wastelands. What you choose to return with defines how the faction will first see you: a scavenger, a fighter, a visionary, or something else entirely.

Upon your return, should you survive, the item you present is scrutinized by senior members of the Nightbreakers. They don’t judge solely on its usefulness but also on the cleverness and bravery shown in retrieving it. Those who return empty-handed are offered a choice: try again or walk away forever. Those who succeed are granted the rank of a Newcomer, marking the beginning of their life as a Nightbreaker. Every Nightbreaker bears a mark of their Reckoning—scars, stories, or trophies from that long, lonely day in the Wasteland. Among them, it’s whispered that the Wasteland never forgets, and surviving it once means it will always be watching, waiting for the next Reckoning.

The Reckoning’s Triumph

When the sun rises on the dawn after The Reckoning, and a hopeful recruit returns bearing a token deemed worthy, the Nightbreakers mark the occasion with a rare but raucous celebration. The air, once thick with tension and expectation, now hums with relief and excitement. Fires are stoked higher than usual, casting flickering shadows on the walls of the Nightbreakers’ encampment somewhere on the outskirts of the Dark Syde. The clatter of makeshift instruments mingles with the low, gravelly voices of old warriors singing songs of survival, hardship, and triumph.

At the heart of it all stands the newly accepted Newcomer, who is formally welcomed into the fold. The token they brought back is displayed for all to see—a symbol of their resourcefulness and tenacity. It could be anything: a rare scrap of pre-collapse technology, an ancient weapon, or even an item with a story so clever it earns the respect of the crowd. The object is raised high by a senior Nightbreaker, and with a solemn voice, they declare:

"You have faced the Reckoning and returned. You have shown strength, courage, and cunning. You are now one of us—a Nightbreaker."

What follows is a night of shared stories, laughter, and camaraderie. Elder members recount their own Reckonings, each tale a mix of humor and harrowing danger. Plates of scavenged food are passed around, and even in a world where resources are scarce, the Nightbreakers always make room for one good meal to mark a new beginning. As the fires burn down to embers, the Newcomer is finally handed their Token of the Nightbreakers—a symbol of their new life. Though the celebration is brief, lasting only until dawn’s first light fully breaks, it leaves a lasting mark. The Newcomer wakes the next morning to a quiet encampment, feeling something they didn’t the day before: belonging. They have survived the Wastelands, proven themselves worthy, and earned their place among those who break the night.