☠️ Reckoners
“The Harvest of Souls is coming, choom. You can pay your tithe now — or we take it from your unconscious body.”
One of several apocalyptic cults that sprang up after the 4th Corporate War. The Reckoners roam the streets preaching the coming Harvest of Souls, recruiting from the homeless, and collecting “donations” — often taken by force. Most are just aggressive panhandlers. Some are genuinely dangerous crazies who want to bring about the End Times with blood and C4.
📋 Overview
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Apocalyptic Cult Gang |
| Territory | Citywide — streets, tent cities, Combat Zone borders |
| Ideology | The Harvest of Souls (End Times) |
| Danger Level | Medium (unpredictable) |
| Recruitment | Homeless, desperate, true believers |
🙏 Ideology
The Reckoners preach that the 4th Corporate War was a harbinger — not the apocalypse itself, but its herald. The true End Times are still coming, and only the faithful will survive the “Harvest of Souls.”
This belief system has two tiers:
- The majority are aggressive street preachers who corner people, demand money (200eb minimum “donations”), and beat anyone who refuses
- The true believers are “serious crazies who want to evoke the End Times right now with blood and C4” — genuine terrorists hiding within the larger group
🏚️ Territory
The Reckoners don’t hold territory in the traditional sense. They roam:
- Tent cities — recruiting from the desperate and homeless
- Combat Zone borders — near the Hot Zone
- Street corners — preaching, demanding donations, cornering passersby
- They go where the vulnerable gather
💰 Operations
| Operation | Details |
|---|---|
| Forced donations | Corner people, demand 200eb+ per person |
| Recruitment | Target homeless and displaced populations |
| Street preaching | The Harvest of Souls is coming |
| Violence | Beat unconscious those who refuse to pay |
| Terrorism | A dangerous minority wants to accelerate the End Times with explosives |
🎲 GM Resources
Using the Reckoners
As Random Encounter: A group of strangely dressed cultists blocking the road, demanding payment. Most encounters resolve with intimidation or a fight — but one of them might have a vest of C4 under those robes.
As Atmosphere: The Reckoners are part of Night City’s fabric of desperation — a reminder that the War broke something fundamental in people. Encountering their street preaching adds texture to exploration scenes.
As Escalation: One of the “serious crazies” decides a specific target (building, corp, neighborhood) is the key to triggering the Harvest. Suddenly the Reckoners aren’t just panhandlers — they’re a bomb threat.
Stat Blocks
- Followers: Use Boosters; replace Rippers with Big Knucks and VH Pistols with Heavy Pistols; add Light Melee Weapon
- Leaders: Use Road Gangers (remove Crossbow)
Adventure Hooks
- A Reckoner cell has acquired actual military explosives. Find them before they use them
- A contact’s family member has been recruited into the cult. Extract them
- The Reckoners are blocking a critical street and refuse to move. Diplomacy or violence — but one of them has a detonator
- Someone is funding the Reckoners. Why would anyone bankroll an apocalyptic cult?
🔗 Related Topics
(Sources: CRB p.309; Tales of the Red: Streetstories “Staying Vigilant”)