The Frontera
Outlaws, smugglers, and the freedom of having nothing left to lose
Who the Frontera are
The Frontera are the opportunists, outlaws, smugglers, deserters, and hired guns of the Sangre Territory. They are not a single gang — they are an ecology of overlapping crews and individuals connected by shared trade routes, shared fences, and shared enemies. Some Frontera operate out of hidden desert camps. Others run small towns where the sheriff is on their payroll. Still others move between Settler and Nahi territory as caravan guards, freelance gunmen, or social predators. What unites them is a refusal to recognize anyone else's authority and a willingness to take what they want.
Lore and history
The Frontera as a named faction emerged in the 1850s when refugees from a southern civil conflict drifted north into what would become the Sangre Territory. Most settled into Settler towns or moved on. The ones who stayed — the ones who could not or would not become someone else's citizen — formed the first Frontera crews. Two generations later, the Frontera are no longer refugees. They are a network. Some are romanticized in saloons; some are hunted as monsters. Most are both, depending on who you ask.
How the Frontera read the deck
Frontera don't have a unified deck philosophy. Some treat the cards as proof there is no fate and the only thing that matters is the next draw. Others treat the deck as a god with a sense of humor. A Frontera card-reader is more likely to bet on a weak hand than a strong one — the legendary players are the ones who win pots they should have folded. This shows up mechanically as the Frontera's higher Nerve cap and their access to specific deck-pushing rituals that no other faction can use.
Starting bonuses
Frontera characters begin play with +2 to maximum Nerve (their combat energy stat), +1 to the Crime skill, +1 to the Flee skill, and +15% pay on outlaw jobs. They start in a hidden desert camp called Whispering Stand with basic loadout: a concealed pistol, a beat-up duster, three days of rations, and a $60 stake (slightly more because outlaws need a running start). Their starting reputation is +15 Frontera, -10 Settler, and -5 Nahi. Frontera opening quests are non-linear — instead of a structured quest chain, players are given a list of contacts and a recommendation to start with whichever one's town is closest.
Frontera faction item variants
At Ally standing the Frontera unlock special item variants tuned for high-risk play. The Iron Revolver becomes The Lead-Spitter, dealing +2 damage when a round is won with a Spade hand. The Duster Coat becomes The Scourge-Rag, lowering the next enemy's Draw Count by 1 if you Burn a card. The Concealed Pistol becomes The Last Word, allowing a one-time guaranteed Critical on a duel's first round. Frontera items lean into the faction's "high variance" identity — they reward the kind of player who wants every round to be live.
Why play Frontera
Frontera is the hardest faction to play but produces the most memorable characters. The early game is less guided, the enemies are more numerous, and the towns that will let you walk through the front gate are fewer. But the late game opens up gear and content that no other faction can access, including the deck-altering ritual items that no shaman will sell. Frontera is recommended for players on their second or third character — players who have already learned the territory and want a less hand-held experience.
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