The Sons of War, otherwise known as The Sons, or the Bandits, are an anarchistic, renegade empire of bandits located all across the United States. It is unknown when the clan was first founded and who founded it, but it is known that the earliest signs of their raids were sometime in the early 20th century. Over the years, they earned a reputation of being homegrown terrorists, but the Sons considered themselves like the merry men of Robin Hood. In fact, the Sons believe their empire to be descended from this legendary man.
The Sons seem to have a state cult-like religion that worships a being known as the "Firehawk". The bandits have declined every request made by outsiders to explain their religion further. Nowadays, the Sons hide out in their bases; abandoned buildings and warehouses all across the nation. However, with the alien invasions that took place during the 2150s, the Sons came out of their dens and began to prey on the weak and crippled remnants of humanity, only to retreat again to their holes once order was restored. The Sons of War are currently led by Boss Flynt, and his religious leader associate, Incinerator Clayton.
History[]
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A common bandit thug of the Sons of War, bearing standard scrap armor and a scrap firearm.
Culture[]
A Goliath, one of the larger and more dangerous bandits.
The Sons of War are believed by world governments to be lawless thugs and madmen with no true unifying force. They were often written off as "disorganized" and "beneath notice". For a while, this might have been true.
The bandits were excellent at keeping their heads down and not drawing much attention to themselves, choosing to make their homes in the deserted outskirts of American 22nd century metropolises, fighting among themselves. When the warlord known as Flynt arrived on the scene with his "sidekick" Incinerator Clayton, they brought with them a religion that encouraged mindless devotion and fanaticism. In his crusade to unite the bandit clans, Boss Flynt made this religion the glue that held his growing empire together. These acts helped form the Sons of War that America knows today.
The Sons of War, being bandits, enjoy raiding cities and buildings that have things of value. These bandits make use of everything they have, and waste nothing. The Sons loot everything, and they will use absolutely everything they find in some wacky contraption or sell it.
The Sons were very dormant during the times of peace and quiet prior to the Storm and Faceless War. However, when the war and ensuing chaos began, the bandits came out of hiding and began taking control of the ruined, evacuated, and abandoned cities. Here, they captured survivors, looted the cities dry, and simply occupied them. For a time, Washington D.C. itself was the capital of Sons of War territory. It was the city that their leaders, Boss Flynt and Incinerator Clayton, were located. Incinerator Clayton runs a sort of cult-like religion in the Sons, the worship of a deity known as the "Firehawk". Any other attempts to find out about their religion were refused.
The Sons respect strength and strength alone. Warriors that possess a degree of strength, and can prove it through conflict and domination, are the ones that work their way up the food chain of the bandit clans. Each of the Sons are thusly organized based on size, strength, and weapon specialty.
Marauders - A term for the standard fighters or grunts among the bandits. They wear simple body armor often made from salvage and scrap, along with a rudimentary salvaged rifle or firearm. Individually, marauders are usually poor warriors, but the iron fist of their leaders or warlords, combined with their indoctrination into the religion of the Sons ensures their devotion to war, and their tenacity.
Killer Marauder - Only the strongest, smartest, and baddest marauders get to be known as Killer Marauders. As a sign of their bloodlust and skills, they often can be seen wearing painted helmets meant to intimidate, sometimes with a spiky mohawk protruding from the helmet. Killers can be found leading regular marauders or being led by a Nomad.
Psycho - These are bandits that have, usually through intensive drug use, completely lost their minds. Due to their insanity, the Sons often make the psychos wear little armor and a simple but frightening mask that denotes their willingness to die in battle. Psychos are usually used as berserkers and fodder, but some of the Sons revere the psychos as "transcended", and believe they possess the honor of hearing the Firehawk's voice, as well as the honor of dying in glorious combat.
Midget - A second-class bandit that are always stunted, typically weak, and not very intelligent. Still, what midgets lack in strength and brains, they make up for in their viciousness and willingness to prove themselves to the larger members of the Sons. Midgets come in many specializations, like Shotgun midget, Loot Midget, and Psycho Midget. Midgets are somewhat mistreated among the Sons, but they don't really have the agency to care or rebel.
Nomad - Bandits that are exceptionally good at killing and leadership come to be known as nomads. The reason for this being that by the time they accrue such a level of skill and influence, many times they form their own fledgling clans and take to wandering. Nomads are usually larger than other bandits, and they always wear full bulky body armor, and they show almost no skin. Nomads can either wear very concealing hoods, or a skull-like helmet similar to the Killers. Nomads can also either use a large two-handed gun, or a big shield with a handgun (Sometimes these shields will bear spikes upon them. Exceptionally cruel warlords even tie midgets to the front of them for extra protection).
Goliath - Goliaths are an enigma among the Sons, entirely unique to their number. They are exceptionally hulking and brutish bandits. Most of the goliath's body is their upper body, and their legs are rather short. The Sons outfit the goliaths with large metal headpieces to conceal the hideous face underneath, and also presumably to keep the brute under some kind of control. If this helmet is removed, a goliath's true head, a ridiculously small deformed head, becomes exposed. This head pops out of its body with a rather long, fleshy appendage that produces a sort of neck. The goliath then goes into a rage, where it charges forward and can knock literally anything down or aside. Goliaths are believed to be the products of extreme drug therapy on regular Sons bandits, the product of some sick mind to create a kind of super soldier.
Rat - Rats come in many ranks, but they are all basically emaciated and animalistic humans wearing a sort of mask. Burrowing rats are skinny and wear a gas mask, and they often dig underground with their bare hands. Field rats act as troops, with a mask that has large goggle eyes, and body armor. Lab rats are rats with long arms that they use to grab their prey and rip them apart. Rats are used as hunters and infiltrators for the Sons.