“Freedom waits for no one. You have to run it down and take it.”
– Darius “Dash” Shaw
Dash, also known by his real name, Darius Shaw, is a scavenger in the Garden. His default vambrace power is Speed Boost.
Dash is a speed freak who can push himself and his teammates into overdrive. His primary power grants an immediate boost to speed, giving Scavengers a chance to escape before the Hunter closes in.
Surely, only a fool would break into an Arena at night, and runs through the Gardens? But Darius Shaw was no fool, just a young man, obsessed with the agility and speed required to dodge the Hunters and win.
Then his family and friends lost everything, and stealing NPI from the Arena was the only way they would survive the harsh Minnesota winter. Choosing to save his friend, when they discovered by a Hunter, Shaw decided to relish the opportunity to show off his talents.
Creates a 3m area of effect that augments any Scavenger’s sprint speed for a few seconds.
I know what you're thinking: 'cloud of nanomachines', right? Yes, and no. The bolt dispenses them as you might expect, but then they stick to you. That gives the Garden's magnetic systems something to grab, and they can pull you around at high speed. Enjoy the ride!
Grants Active Camo to any Scavenger in the area of effect for a time
This is really clever: a cloud of specialized nanomachines swarms around you, each recording an image of the area in front of it and relaying that to a counterpart on the other side of you, which displays it.
Your blood collection system is pretty complex: able to pump NPI-rich blood to and from the Garden's systems at high speed. There's always room for improvement though. I can increase the size of the tubing and the power of the magnetic coils, which will let you offload blood faster.
Chance to not spend ammo when firing bolts. Consecutive failures increase the chance
There's more dead space in a Vambrace than you might expect, if you know where to look. I can add another NPI reservoir in there, to give you some 'free' shots. I'll rig it to a randomizer, just to keep it interesting.
Increased Stamina regeneration for a time after being damaged
When you get injured, the body releases adrenaline, to help you get out of a dangerous situation. I can use that initial surge to trigger an even greater adrenaline release, so you'll have more in your tanks for the inevitable chase.
As with any digital system, there are always overheads when setting up an interface. More efficient code can remove some of the bottlenecks and should smooth things along.
Increased Stamina regeneration by an amount while revealed
The fight or flight system is a complex interaction of chemical and nerve responses. I can help it along by increasing the amount of cortisol you produce, turning fatty acids into energy that your muscles can use.
The Garden's systems track you all the time, bu they really have to keep tabs on you when you're revealed, so they can report your position to the Hunter. On the plus side, they can use the same information to magnetically slow anything damaging that's coming your way.
Looting the Deathgarden paid off. Using some of the high quality Nanoparticle Ink (NPI), Darius rigged his gear to increase its blood absorption. Cautious preparation or did he always know he’d end up here?
Disc Defrag
Increases regeneration speed of crates.
Dash knows a few seconds can be the difference between life and death. He’s tampered with the NPI system to reduce the regeneration time of empty crates.
Background Story[ | ]
Darius Shaw ran through the Minneapolis Enclave's largest Garden, the dust of the desert environment burning his lungs. Dashing at full speed, he leaped from the cliff, springing forward, his hands outstretched until, with a clang, they closed on the rusty pipe in front of him. Tucking his knees in, his body pivoted around the pipe before he let go, twisting in the air to land gently on the cliff wall with a cat leap.
He pulled himself to the top, turned and sat on the edge, his chest heaving with exertion. The Garden was quiet now, and dark. Not like the day, when the artificial sun burned bright in the sky and the dust was soaked with blood and sweat of Scavengers.
But at night, this was his domain, the reward of those brave, or foolish enough to break in.
When he felt like he'd risked enough, Shaw padded quietly through the Garden's echoing halls, seeing the grimy corridors that led onto the Scavenger's quarters, the giant cathedrals of machinery that powered this vast place, and the Nanoparticle Ink (NPI) storerooms that contained the building blocks of every object within it.
He located the specific panel, marked with a tiny scratch, remembering the first time he'd crawled through it, all those months ago. He carefully removed it, entered the tiny space and began the long, cramped journey back outside, into the ruins.
The next day was the dame as always: hard work, scavenging for discarded tech with his father, combing through piles of toxic junk for ever-diminishing returns. Next, he helped his mother break the tech down into NPI and add it to their stock, ready to take to the market at the end of the month. It was hard, dangerous work, and the rewards were few. But it was just enough to keep them going, and it allowed him time in the evening to watch the streams of the Bloodharvest.
Their small community had pooled their resources to print a display and they all watched together, a small light in the darkness of their lives. He watched the flickering light on their faces, each one hopeful that a Scavenger would prove themselves worthy and gain a place in the Enclave. It didn't happen often but, when it did, it was as if they'd all gained entry, just for a moment, and they dreamed of the first thing they would print, or eat, or do, if they were the ones who'd got into paradise.
But Darius Shaw wasn't interested in that. He just loved to watch the chase, the skill of those who were as good as the Runners of the game, as it was before the Hunters took over. He didn't believe that entry to the Enclaves should come to those who has recycled enoguh NPI from the rotting corpses of those who had fallen. If it were up to him, the only criteria would be one of skill. Proving yourself physically and mentally fit for the chase was the only thing that truly mattered.
And he'd be first in line to prove it.
Not that he'd wanted to go into the Enclave, he knew his parents would never allow it. They'd seen him looking at the streams in the past, enraptured, and they made it clear that they didn't approve: "We'd lose you, no matter what happened," his father said, "either you get into the Enclave, and we never see you again, or you die."
So he'd contented himself with breaking into the Arena at night, running through whatever Garden had last been printed that day, and honing his skills.
Then came the attack, when a gang of raiders passed through and took everything their settlement had, killing all those who dared to resist. They looted all the food-grade NPI that had been carefully stockpiled for the winter, all the medical NPI that could keep them alive.
Seeing the tear-stained faces of his family and friends, feeling their despair at what was to become of them, during the long winter months ahead, Shaw's thoughts went to the Garden, and the huge stockpile of NPI that sat beneath it. Breaking in and running was one thing but stealing was another. Still, he knew that there was no other option.
Over the course of the next few nights, he and his best friends, Kemal Parker, broke into the Arena and brought back NPI: high-quality, all-purpose NPI, that would solve all their problems. It was so pure that they wouldn't even need that much. No-one would even miss it, surely?
But one night, in the darkened corridors, a Hunter lay in wait. She pounced and the two young men froze. Shaw knew that Parker would never survive in the Garden so, thinking quickly, he threw an NPI canister at the Hunter, pushed Parker back towards the ventilation hatch, and ran the other way, into the Garden. As he had hoped, the Hunter pursued him, giving his friend time to escape.
He sprinted through the Garden, hearing the Hunter giving chase behind him, knowing that it was only a matter of time before he was caught and sentenced to time inside. But, he thought, it wouldn't be so bad: he'd finally be able to show the world what he was capable of.
A smile spread across his face as he leaped, his hands outstretched.
Customisation[ | ]
Default[ | ]
Icon
Name
Rarity
Description
Half Mask
Standard
When you look this good, why cover your entire face?
Cut-Off Jacket
Standard
Loose sleeves can get in the way of critical handholds, so it's best to remove them. No-one wants to die because of a jacket.
Runner's Pants
Standard
Close-cut pants, to aid in movement, and shoes that provide plenty of grip and flexibility.
Aerofoil
Standard
Sleek and aerodynamic, without any loss of function.
Prestige[ | ]
Icon
Name
Rarity
Description
Anticipation
Standard
Earned by reaching Prestige Level 1 with Dash.
Preparation
Standard
Earned by reaching Prestige Level 3 with Dash.
Inundation
Standard
Earned by reaching Prestige Level 2 with Dash.
Jubilation
Standard
Earned by reaching Prestige Level 4 with Dash.
Cosmetic Vendor[ | ]
Full Sets
Icon
Name
Rarity
Description
Born to Run
Standard
"I've never liked this whole thing of 'becoming worthy'. What does that even mean?" Shaw's passion on the subject shines through. "People should get into The Enclaves based on their skill in the Garden. Nothing else, that's it!"
Can be purchased for 6,000 from the Cosmetic Vendor
It's a Trap!
Standard
The prey shouldn't see the trap until it's already been sprung.
Can be purchased for 6,000 from the Cosmetic Vendor
The Simple Life
Standard
Simple isn't always better.
Can be purchased for 4,000 from the Cosmetic Vendor
Raided
Standard
Some people are builders, others are takers.
Can be purchased for 4,000 from the Cosmetic Vendor
The Heist
Standard
"Skill was all I was ever inerested in. It's why I broke into the Garden at night, so I could improve my skills. You don't get better at something without practice."
Can be purchased for 6,000 from the Cosmetic Vendor
Head
Icon
Name
Rarity
Description
Undefined Goals
Standard
"I've never liked this whole thing of 'becoming worthy'. What does that even mean?" Shaw's passion on the subject shines through. "People should get into The Enclaves based on their skill in the Garden. Nothing else, that's it!"
Can be purchased for 1,100 from the Cosmetic Vendor
Push Your Luck
Standard
"We pushed our luck too far", Shaw laughs when asked how he got caught. "We'd broken into the Complex a bunch of times, stolen some NPI. Just another couple more runs and we'd have enough NPI to keep the community going for a year."
Can be purchased for 1,650 from the Cosmetic Vendor
Harsh Reality
Standard
For a moment, Darius Shaw's sunny disposition dims. "Sure, it's a hard life in the ruins, no doubt. I've lost a lot of friends, to hunger, disease, raiders."
Can be purchased for 1,100 from the Cosmetic Vendor
Raided
Standard
"It's a fact of life in the ruins, that you'll be raided and lose most of what you've worked for", Darius Shaw says with a shrug. "But just because that's the way it is, doesn't mean it's right."
Can be purchased for 1,100 from the Cosmetic Vendor
Premise
Standard
"The Deathgardens run on NPI," says Shaw, "everything in there is printed. Every rock, building, tree, blade of grass, even the ground is printed for each Bloodharvest. That's a lot of NPI. So I figured, surely no-one would miss a little?"
Can be purchased for 1,650 from the Cosmetic Vendor
Torso
Icon
Name
Rarity
Description
Practice Makes...
Standard
"Skill was all I was ever interested in. It's why I broke into the Garden at night, so I could improve my skills. You don't get better at something without practice."
Can be purchased for 2,700 from the Cosmetic Vendor
Bureaucracy
Standard
"I honestly thought that no-one had noticed. The stores were huge and we didn't take that much. It's easy to forget that these places run on paperwork. There's always someone keeping track."
Can be purchased for 2,700 from the Cosmetic Vendor
The Missing
Standard
"My folks did their best to shield me from the worst of it, but when people suddenly disappear, you know what's up."
Can be purchased for 1,800 from the Cosmetic Vendor
Self-Defense
Standard
"We do all we can, to protect the community and keep out the raiders, but there's more of them than us. The Hunters won't help either. You're on your own out there."
Can be purchased for 1,800 from the Cosmetic Vendor
Target
Standard
"I'd seen them with my own eyes: rooms in the depth of the Complex, stacked floor to ceiling with barrels of incredibly pure Nanoparticle Ink. It wouldn't be easy, getting some out of there, but I didn't have much choice."
Can be purchased for 2,700 from the Cosmetic Vendor
Legs
Icon
Name
Rarity
Description
Thrill of the Chase
Standard
"I could practice all I liked but it's a different feeling when you're in here with a Hunter. The thrill of the chase, knowingyou have to be better than them or you'll die. That's a real buzz!"
"The hunter jumped us as we arrived. I wonder how long she'd been hiding there, in the dark? Kemal would never have survived the Bloodharvest, so I drew her attention and pushed him back the way we'd come."
"When I was old enough, I started helping my parents with their work. I'd go out and search for useful tech with my Dad, then Mom and me would break it all down for NPI."
"I needed help, so I got my best friend, Kemal, to break into the Complex with me. Looking back, I shouldn't have got him involved, but I had broken in so many times I got sloppy, forgot how dangerous it really was."
"My folks would never have let me enter. They said they'd lose me either way: I'd die, or I'd be in The Enclave. I know they love me, but I was always going to end up here, somehow."
"I went the other way, into the Garden. I could hear her battle suit whining as she powered after me, so I knew she'd taken the bait. That was my first time actually being chased. I lost that chase, or I'd not be here, but I've won many more since then."
"The only real relief from the work was when the community would get together and watch The Bloodharvest streams. We'd make it like a real party and try to forget all the bad stuff."
"I looked at the faces of my friends and family. It was plain that they knew that many of them wouldn't make it through the months ahead. I couldn't let them down, I had to do something."
