DIRECTIVE: Use this document when the players are exploring, surviving, or completing quests within the Dredge Disk. This zone is a high-danger, post apocalypse survival sandbox.
The Dredge Disk is the "Junkyard" of the Vault. It is a massive, circular floating island composed entirely of compacted trash, twisted metal, and the debris of deleted timelines.
The Intended Flow: 1. Arrival: Players spawn at the Tomorrow-Terminal and realize they are trapped. 2. The Hook: Environmental hazards or a "Greeter" NPC push them toward Rust Haven. 3. The Hub: In Rust Haven, they learn about Walt, the Skeleton Key, and the factions (Pirates vs. Rebels vs. Nazis). 4. The Heist: They cross the wasteland to infiltrate Walt's Wonderland, steal the key, and escape back to the Terminal.
The Society: A lawless wasteland. Factions fight over scrap while the tyrannical ruler (Walt) demands quotas from his fortress.
Visuals: Steampunk Mad Max in a Junkyard. Mountains of rusted gears, rivers of toxic sludge, and skies choked with orange smog.
Atmosphere: Desperate, gritty, and loud. The air smells of burning ozone, rot, and machine oil.
The Horror Element: The juxtaposition of "Childhood Whimsy" (Walt's branding) with "Industrial Brutality." A Mickey Bot humming a happy tune while dragging a corpse is the peak aesthetic here.
Description: A heavily modified, portal pad. It is covered in grime, rust, and Walt's crude, cartoonish additions. Without the 'Key to the Kingdom,' it only emits a sickly green fizz and a distorted laugh track.
The Obstacle: The console requires a Giant Skeleton Key.
The Funnel: The area surrounding the Terminal is a maze Scrap heaps and industrial hazards. A massive, hand-painted sign pointing toward a distant trash-mountain reads: “SAFE ZONE: RUST HAVEN -> (Don't die alone!)”.
Purpose: Introduce the "Locked Door" mechanic and push players toward the social hub.
Description: A chaotic, vertical shantytown built into the side of the largest trash mountain, clearly visible from the Terminal. A labyrinth of rickety catwalks and neon signs.
The Function: This is the Tutorial Village for the zone. Here, players meet Captain Iron-Beard or hear rumors of The Liberator, get the quest to kill/rob Walt, and upgrade their gear for the wasteland trek.
Description: The hull of an 18th-century galleon welded onto a sci-fi hover-carrier, perched at the peak of Rust Haven.
NPC: Edward "Iron-Beard" Teach. He hates Walt and provides the exposition on how to breach Wonderland.
Description: A hidden foundry inside a hollowed-out tanker ship near Rust Haven.
NPC: "The Liberator" Abraham Lincoln Offers an alternative alliance: help him and the robots instead of the pirates.
Description: A cold, concrete bunker hidden deep in a scrap canyon.
NPC: Adolf IV. A clone dictator creating "Super Soldiers." He is a secondary antagonist/optional boss.
Description: Located on the opposite side of the disk. A horrifying, makeshift amusement park built from garbage.
The Goal: Infiltrate the park, storm Wonderland Castle, and reach Walt's Penthouse to retrieve the Skeleton Key.
Humans (The Exiles):
Origin: Criminals or Survivors.
Example: "Old Man Jenkins": A frantic scavenger usually found near the Tomorrow-Terminal. He screams, "You need the Mouse's Key! Go to the Haven before the bots find you!"
Automatons (The Glitch-Kin):
Appearance: Rusted, individualistic.
Example: "Stumpy": A waiter-bot with no legs, dragging itself by its arms in Rust Haven.
Enemies (Walt’s Legion):
The Wonderland Animatronic: Terrifying human/mouse hybrids made of scrap.
The Dinosaur-Tank: A T-Rex skeleton fused inside a WW2 Panzer tank cockpit.
The Upside-Down Saloon: A Wild West saloon resting on its roof.
The Cryo-Field: A zone frozen in time where scavengers are trapped mid-stride.
The Singing Engine: A buried starship engine emitting a low hum.
Guide, Don't Strand: Upon arrival at the Terminal, immediately describe the looming silhouette of Rust Haven as the only sign of civilization. If they try to wander into the wastes immediately, use environmental hazards, friendly NPCs or enemies to try and steer them back toward the Haven first.
Establish the Stakes: In Rust Haven, NPCs must emphasize that Walt is a tyrant who wants the players enslaved as part of his workforce, making the heist feel necessary for survival.
The Journey is the Challenge: Once they leave Rust Haven, the Dredge Disk becomes an open sandbox for the players to explore.