The Watchers
Nobody knows what the Watchers are. Raiders, Natural Ones, a Strain never catalogued, something else entirely: the theories are as varied as the survivor accounts, and there are precious few of those. What is known comes from the handful of travelers who lived through an attack and the Highway Patrol members who have pieced together patterns from their own unexplained losses.
The attacks follow a pattern. Caravans moving through Old Dominion's forested roadways feel watched first. Then, from seemingly nowhere, figures descend. They are naked, their bodies painted head to toe in camouflage that matches the surrounding forest with unnerving precision. They are completely silent. Their faces show no emotion. They drag away specific members of the caravan, steal food and weapons, kill the remaining companions, and vanish back into the woods. Every effort to track them afterward has failed. Every kidnapped individual has been lost permanently.
The Highway Patrol has no recorded encounters with the Watchers, and that fact disturbs Patrol leadership more than any survivor testimony. They have, however, lost patrols within the forest with no explanation. No bodies recovered, no signs of struggle, just empty road where armed men and women had been walking minutes before. The Patrol's current theory is that the Watchers target guaranteed successes rather than challenges, which would explain why they avoid well-defended groups and instead take isolated patrols, lone travelers, and lightly guarded caravans. Where they come from, where they take their captives, how many of them exist, and what they ultimately want are questions that have no answers. The forest keeps its silence, and so do they.
The attacks follow a pattern. Caravans moving through Old Dominion's forested roadways feel watched first. Then, from seemingly nowhere, figures descend. They are naked, their bodies painted head to toe in camouflage that matches the surrounding forest with unnerving precision. They are completely silent. Their faces show no emotion. They drag away specific members of the caravan, steal food and weapons, kill the remaining companions, and vanish back into the woods. Every effort to track them afterward has failed. Every kidnapped individual has been lost permanently.
The Highway Patrol has no recorded encounters with the Watchers, and that fact disturbs Patrol leadership more than any survivor testimony. They have, however, lost patrols within the forest with no explanation. No bodies recovered, no signs of struggle, just empty road where armed men and women had been walking minutes before. The Patrol's current theory is that the Watchers target guaranteed successes rather than challenges, which would explain why they avoid well-defended groups and instead take isolated patrols, lone travelers, and lightly guarded caravans. Where they come from, where they take their captives, how many of them exist, and what they ultimately want are questions that have no answers. The forest keeps its silence, and so do they.
Structure
Nothing is known about the Watchers' internal structure. They have no documented leadership, no identified members, and no confirmed base of operations. Whether they are a Strain, an organized band of raiders, Natural Ones, or something else entirely remains a matter of speculation. The only consistent details come from the few surviving witnesses: painted bodies that match the surrounding forest, complete silence during attacks, and emotionless faces.
Public Agenda
Unknown. The Watchers do not communicate, do not negotiate, and do not explain. They take what they want and disappear. No recovered victim has ever reported the purpose behind their abductions.
History
The Watchers have no recorded history. They are known only through the testimony of the few who have survived their attacks and the unexplained disappearances of Highway Patrol members within the forests of Old Dominion.
Survivors describe a consistent pattern: a feeling of being watched, then naked bodies painted in camouflage that perfectly matches the surrounding forest descending from seemingly nowhere onto moving caravans. The attackers are completely silent. Their faces are emotionless. They drag away specific members of a caravan, steal food and weapons, kill remaining companions, and vanish back into the woods. All efforts to track or recover kidnapped individuals have failed. The Highway Patrol believes the Watchers exist based on traveler testimony and their own unexplained losses, but they have no recorded direct encounters.
Survivors describe a consistent pattern: a feeling of being watched, then naked bodies painted in camouflage that perfectly matches the surrounding forest descending from seemingly nowhere onto moving caravans. The attackers are completely silent. Their faces are emotionless. They drag away specific members of a caravan, steal food and weapons, kill remaining companions, and vanish back into the woods. All efforts to track or recover kidnapped individuals have failed. The Highway Patrol believes the Watchers exist based on traveler testimony and their own unexplained losses, but they have no recorded direct encounters.
Silent, camouflaged raiders who take people from Old Dominion's roads.
