Judges
The Wasteland is quite full of dedicated facions, organizations, and cults. Each wanting to carve their own place out of the ashes. Many simply mind their own business and try to stay out of the way of others. Some try to influence the weak minded and make them stronger through their own beliefs and ideals. Others simply iradicate anyone that would stand in their way.
The Judges fit the latter description, taking religous faith to a whole new extreme. They believe in the words of their High Inquisitor, their Lord. The rest is a bit sketchy from the data collected within the Plateau region. It is said that they come from Grainway, led by a woman who never leaves their stronghold. They believe that the Shiva Virus is a plague that was created by God to cleanse humanity of sin. They exist solely to finish the job. They will kill anyone who isn't virtuous to save the world for those that are worthy. They also believe that mutants and clones are inherently evil beings, making them unworthy to live.
Not all Judges are over the top though and some may actually exchange words before they pull out their Shinsplinter. Judge Elliot Mann is one of these types. He is given credit for founding Mumford and is currently rebuilding the church there while drawing in fellow Judges to embrace his new paradise. He was led there by a falling star which burned his flesh. He stayed and prayed for three days and nights. Judge Elliot Mann witnessed many unusual things during this time and beyond, such as the demons that came from the sky riding dragons that spewed pods upon the ground. By the sixth day, they climbed aboard their dragons and left behind the pods which they were using as a place to live during their stay.
Elsewhere, the Judges have a much more sinister reputation. They are slowly moving on towns like Depot 66, Watchtower, Lower Toro Valley, Coppermine, and Mowbray. They have already completely overrun Pinkston. Some investigation has discovered that they are currently taking over the Mowbray Basin in an effort to dig up ancient Relics of Enlightenment that hold great importance to their religion. These relics are the remains of the Annointed and must be returned to holy ground.
They have tried to find these relics in Pinkston using the citizens as slave labor, telling them that they must repent for their sins and that the Judge faith is the only true path to purity and enlightenment. It all began in Pinkston when one day a Judge called the 'Messenger' showed up and talked about the Judges. He left with some townsfolk, but that was only the beginning. A few days later, the Judge army attacked in the middle of the night and killed a bunch of townsfolk. A day later, a recruiter arrived and said that those who were killed were unworthy of forgiveness and that anyone that came with him would be taught to follow the righteous path and anyone who stayed behind would be killed. The following day after the recruiter showed up, the Judges returned and slaughtered the rest of the people in Pinkston that couldn't escape. The people that made it out alive have fled to several locations within Mowbray Basin, fearful that the Judges may still get them.
Not all of the Judges agreed with the attack of Pinkston, fleeing into the tunnels near the Mowbray Basin Refugee Town south of Pinkston. They have been declared Apostate, or one who rejects the faith. There was also an incident where their sons broke the taboo of their faith and the punishments were too much for them to witness. They stood up to the Harbinger and were cast out. They feel bad for the blood on their hands from what they did in Pinkston and Coppermine. This has led them to try to retrieve the relics with more peaceful methods to restore their honor with the rest of the Judges.
In short, it ain't easy being a Judge, when the life of another is in your hands and the punishment for betraying your faith can be quite brutal. It may be best for those of less than pure souls to avoid the Judges altogether, yet their unyielding faith has a very strong pull on the lesser minded and the spiritually enlightened. Maybe in the future, we can truly live together, but until then, the Judges remain a serious threat to life in the Grand Canyon Province.
