In todays Cyberpunk 2077 and Cyberpunk lore video we are diving into Nomads, subcultures of the Nomads, the badlands the Nomad code, their lore and how they operate.
After the cataclysmic event of the Collapse, Nomads became more prevalent with 20 million people living the highly mobile lifestyle. In 2020 that number has settled at around 7 million Nomads, who have developed a vibrant culture whilst becoming a domineering force in the Cyberpunk age. Although portrayed by media as murderers thieves and raiders are simply highly mobile groups that are resilient, efficient and adapt to the open roads of this dystopia.
The nomads are a group who is constantly on the move, and have always been on the move. Whether it’s from their humble beginnings moving by horseback or foot, to the new era of Nomads who revolve around a much more motorized method of locomotion, Nomads move to wherever there is opportunity, food and work as a collective pack.
The nomads play a vital part in the infrastructure of America in the 2020s. They are integral in construction jobs and development of the nation which cements their pivotal position in the world of Cyberpunk among-st the other factions, people and corporations.
Nomads who are well armed are also involved in cargo transport and new age shipping which is looking to be a major aspect of Cyberpunk red as well as 2077 throughout the Badlands.
These nomadic cargo services also deliver information where hard-copies are needed and out of the eyes of skilled netrunners looking to obtain it, and of course in illegal goods as smugglers.
Nomads also value and respect family and have something called the Nomad code. This is how the nomads should behave and their prioritization of honor in the way they operate.
The nomad code goes as follows. Protect and respect your clan and above all your family. Your word is your bond. Share with your clanfolk. Respect the privacy and property of your clan. Never cause trouble for your clan. Take only a fair wage for a days work.
Before we get into the specific Nation, we first have to look at the Nomadic cultures.
First we have the Agripacks. This is a culture which are descendants of hard working migrant laborers of the past who toiled and suffered via poor living conditions and slave wages, and were very much so discriminated against. As the land was stripped of of resources via environmental conditions, the agripacks who were already fairly mobile had to change the way they lived.
Next we have the native Americans or Indians. In the cyberpunk world they have a long dark history of persecution and have been mistreated by the federal government time and time again. In the reservations in the Northern US they were mainly on farms, and light industry weathering a tumultuous quality of life. The dustbowls heavily affected the native americans in the south and southwest, but the biggest impact was to the warrior tribes of the plains of the great basin.
Next we have Gypsies or Romany, who have very deep roots in America as well as facing some of the same degree of backlash as almost all the other nomadic cultures. Gypsies generally make their living as artists and thieves, although some more prolific Gypsies work as fixers and middlemen. Post collapse the gypsies had easy access to information and with governmental and police forces being fragmented, this allowed them to thrive.
Next we have Carnies. Although perceived similarly to the Gypsies, the carnies are circus people who make their livings at carnivals or circuses which were a mainstay of regular American living. These sub cultures, were hit hard by some of the technological evolutions in the world as new electronics could create experiences vastly superior to circus acts and by the early 90s old carnivals had mostly died off. Larger circuses were still viable, but they were family owned and operated and it started to revolve more around this than business. In response to the changing times and tastes of the Cyberpunk world, circuces travelled with exotic animals, weird cyber freaks, sex shows and chemically-induced entertainment.
Finally we have the bikers, who carry the most negative connotation when it comes to Nomad sub cultures. Before the collapse the biker nomads were on the fringe of society and were mainly made up of blue collar workres who had become frustrated in their lives. They chose to rebel as societal outsiders though they remain loyal to their brotherhood and families. There were several large biker organizations in north America before the collapse including the Pagans, the bandits, and the outlaws. There were also some smaller ones like the iron cross the gypsy jokers and the plague bringers. They are often involved in smuggling and drug distribution and their groups started to grow over time as they became more well known.
