Runners
Runners are scavengers sent from The Underground to the surface to recover resources from the ruins of the old world.
Following The Collapse, the settlement inside the crater became dependent on materials recovered from the surrounding city. Without a constant supply of scrap, equipment, and technology, the settlement would not be able to maintain its infrastructure or support its population.
Runners perform the dangerous task of retrieving these resources from the surface.
Purpose
The primary role of Runners is to recover materials needed to sustain life inside the Underground.
These resources include tools, machinery, medical supplies, electronic components, and other usable equipment left behind after civilization fell. Salvaged materials are used to repair infrastructure, maintain power systems, and construct new structures within the crater settlement.
Without the work of Runners, the Underground would eventually run out of the resources required to survive.
Recruitment
Runners are selected through a lottery system within the Underground.
Citizens whose names are drawn are assigned to Runner duty and sent to the surface to participate in resource recovery missions. Because of the high mortality rate, many within the settlement consider Runner assignments to be a death sentence.
Despite this, the system continues to operate because the Underground relies heavily on the resources recovered during these expeditions.
Surface Operations
Runners travel through the ruins of the city to search for usable materials.
The surface environment is extremely dangerous. Buildings are unstable, entire streets have collapsed, and large portions of the city are overrun by Forsaken creatures created by the Forsaken Virus.
Because of these conditions, every expedition carries a high risk of failure.
Risk
Many Runners do not return from the surface.
Encounters with the Forsaken, collapsing structures, and environmental hazards make every run unpredictable. Despite the danger, these missions remain necessary for the continued survival of the Underground.
For this reason, the role of a Runner is considered one of the most dangerous responsibilities within the settlement.
Known Runners
Notable individuals who have served as Runners include:
These individuals later become known collectively as the JunkRats.