Silent Walkers

The Silent Walkers

The Silent Walkers are a group that lives inside the Shambler’s Graveyard. They are not a normal faction. They have no leaders, no territory borders, and no trade. They stay inside the infected ruins and almost never leave.

No one knows where they came from. Some believe they were people who stayed too long in infected zones and changed. Others think they chose to live among the infected on purpose. Old Perimeter Watch patrols report seeing figures like them before the city had names for shamblers or quarantine zones.

What is certain is this: shamblers do not attack them. Shamblers do not bite them. They do not react to them during outbreaks. Silent Walkers move beside shambler herds and are ignored.

The Walkers do not speak. No clear words have ever been recorded. They wear rags, cloth wraps, and masks made from bone and scrap. Their bodies are thin but steady. They do not move like infected creatures. When their skin is visible, it shows scars and old infection marks that never fully rotted.

Most people believe the Walkers are no longer fully human, but not fully infected either. The virus has changed them, but it did not destroy their minds. They do not return to city life. They stay in the Graveyard and watch.

The Shambler’s Graveyard

The Shambler’s Graveyard is a large zone of collapsed buildings and infection pits. Bodies and infected have gathered there for years. The Perimeter Watch treats it as a dead zone and only enters when forced.

Shamblers gather in large numbers. Some wander in slow groups through streets. Others remain still until disturbed. The air smells of rot and smoke.

Silent Walkers move through this area without fear. They walk through shambler clusters that ignore them. They are often seen near mass graves and deep infection pits. Scouts report seeing them stop and collect items from the ground before moving on.

They rarely leave the Graveyard. When they approach Perimeter lines, they stop and watch. If guards move toward them, they retreat into the ruins. Shamblers often drift with them, blocking pursuit.

The Walkers carry little gear. They do not use lights or markers. Still, they avoid unstable ground, traps, and heavy shambler swarms. They move as if they already know where danger is.

To the city, the Graveyard is chaos. To the Walkers, it is familiar ground.

Behavior and Markings

Silent Walkers travel in small groups. They walk close together and keep the same pace. They avoid living people unless forced into contact. If threatened, they retreat instead of fighting.

They collect objects from bodies. Teeth, bones, ID chips, tags, broken implants, and personal items are taken and stored. Some are tied to cords or placed in pouches. No one knows why. It may be memory, study, or habit.

They also leave simple markers. Bones, wire, and small items are placed on doorways or broken passages. These markings repeat in shape and placement. Shamblers ignore them. Other Walkers seem to understand them.

People Who Return

Few people return from deep inside Walker territory. Those who do often change.

Some stop talking. Others react slowly and show little emotion. Some claim they hear movement even when no shamblers are near. Many suffer from sleep problems or episodes where they freeze and stare.

Medical checks show mixed results. Some show mild signs of infection but never turn. Others show no physical damage but behave differently. In several cases, people who spent too long in the Graveyard began moving in step with nearby shamblers during outbreaks, even without being bitten.

The Citadel Council treats these people as dangerous. Most are quarantined or removed from the city. Other factions avoid employing them. The Shadow Syndicate has taken interest, and some exposed individuals have vanished while in custody.

Theories

Because the Walkers do not speak, everything about them comes from observation.

One theory says they are a rare result of infection. The virus changed them but did not break their minds. This would explain why shamblers ignore them and why some exposed survivors show early signs of the same change.

Another theory says they are not infected at all. Instead, they learned how to move and behave in ways that do not trigger shambler attacks. This does not explain the medical changes seen in survivors.

Some believe the Walkers guide shambler movement. There are cases where herds changed direction shortly after Walkers were seen nearby. It is not known if this was intentional.

Faction Responses

• Citadel Council: Treats the Walkers as a serious threat. Attempts to capture them have failed.

• Perimeter Watch: Avoids them. Veterans advise not to follow or engage.

• Solar Guardians: Focus on shamblers, but adjust patrols if Walker activity appears nearby.

• Hydro Hegemony: Ignores the Walkers and avoids the Graveyard.

• Shadow Syndicate: Interested in their condition and has sought samples or captures.

• Gear Rats and Raiders: Avoid the area and use stories of the Walkers to scare recruits.

Place in New Vance

The Silent Walkers do not control resources. They do not recruit. They do not negotiate. Their threat comes from what they represent.

They prove that the Graveyard is not just full of monsters. Something lives there that understands the infection and survives inside it. Because of them, the Graveyard cannot be ignored or written off.

They are a warning of what prolonged exposure can become.