The Pickers are a salvage guild. They map the dead cities and sell entry rights, maps and guides to anyone who wants to go in. They started selling claims during the Roads years.
They camp at the edges of dead cities. The biggest camp is Picker Camp, Jersey Side, in New Jersey, across the river from dead New York. Smaller camps sit outside other dead cities.
Theresa Kowalski, 54, female, is the head of the Picker guild. She keeps the master maps and sells the claims. At Jersey Side, Dominic Russo is the camp boss and Priya Shah is the mapmaker.
The Pickers want loot. They want every dead city mapped and claimed, and they want a share of everything that comes out.
Outsiders may enter a dead city only with a paid claim. A claim gives the right to loot one block or one building. Anyone caught looting without a claim loses their haul to the Pickers. A guide costs extra and is worth it.
Mutated are welcome as guides, because zombies notice them less. Undead are feared, but a few work as runners in the worst zones, because zombies ignore them.
Claims, maps, guides and loot from the dead cities. Tools, metal, glass, brass casings, gun parts and old medicine bottles. They buy food, bullets and medicine.
Allies. The Salt Fleet and the Gate Compact buy their loot.
Deals. They pay the Tollmen to move loot on the roads.
Enemies. Raiders and claim jumpers who loot without paying.
Picker Claim Guard. Armed guards who protect claims and camps.
Scavenger. Ordinary pickers and guides.