"Out here, you ain't just what you do – you’re who you stand with."
– Sheriff Dale Foster, Rust Creek

In QuestWorlds, keywords define who your character is, what they know, and what they can do. While Origin Keywords reflect where a character comes from and Occupational Keywords define their skills and profession, Community Keywords represent relationships, affiliations, and the larger groups that shape a character’s life.

Not every character has a Community Keyword – some are lone drifters, surviving without ties to any faction or movement. But for those who do, their connections can offer resources, support, or conflicts that drive their stories forward. These keywords can complement an Origin Keyword or even replace it, depending on the character’s history.

What Are Community Keywords?

Community Keywords represent formal or informal affiliations – anything from underground resistance groups to secretive societies, criminal syndicates, or shadowy power brokers. They define who a character is connected to, what values they hold, and who has their back (or is out for their blood).

Having a Community Keyword doesn’t just grant mechanical benefits – it also serves as a roleplaying tool, defining how the character interacts with the world.

Some communities provide resources, allies, and influence. Others come with baggage, enemies, and expectations. What a character owes their community – or what they’re running from – can be just as important as what they gain.

Community Keywords in Perseverance

Here are the main Community Keywords in Perseverance. These groups shape the planet’s power struggles, trade networks, and hidden conspiracies.

The Silent Accord

"Some wars are fought with bullets. We prefer ink, whispers, and debts."

The Silent Accord is a clandestine network of diplomats, spies, and fixers who ensure the fragile balance of power on Perseverance remains intact. They operate in the shadows, brokering deals, silencing threats, and preventing full-scale conflict – though always for a price. Whether they are peacekeepers or manipulators depends on who you ask.

As a Silent Accord member, you are a master of negotiation, deception, and backchannel dealings. You might be a fixer settling disputes before they turn bloody, a ghost who erases problems before they become public, or a messenger carrying the weight of unseen agreements. The Accord gives you access to information and influence – but expects absolute discretion and unwavering loyalty.

Breakout Abilities:

• Infiltration Expert – You know how to slip past security, digital or physical.

• Whispered Deals – You can broker agreements others wouldn’t dare attempt.

• Disappear Without a Trace – You know how to vanish when things get too hot.

• Master of Secrets – You always seem to know more than you should.

Flaw:

Web of Lies – The truth is a dangerous thing, and sometimes, even you forget where your loyalties truly lie.

Black Veil Society

"The past isn’t lost. It’s hidden. And we intend to find it."

Black Veil Society is a network of rogue scholars, hackers, and relic hunters obsessed with uncovering the hidden history of Perseverance. They believe the Commonwealth has erased crucial knowledge – perhaps even about the planet’s origins. They work in secret, infiltrating archives, unearthing ruins, and exposing buried truths, though some see them as nothing more than conspiracy theorists or criminals. Some members are idealists, hoping to expose the Commonwealth’s lies, while others are simply treasure hunters looking for ancient tech or pre-Commonwealth artifacts. The Society operates in small cells, never revealing their full network.

As a Black Veil Society member you are driven by curiosity, defiance, or a burning need for the truth. You might be a scholar piecing together ancient texts, a hacker breaking into restricted data cores, or a scavenger unearthing forbidden artifacts. Your work is dangerous – not just because of what you might find, but because of who wants to keep it hidden.

Breakout Abilities:

• Decrypt the Past – You can uncover secrets others want to stay buried.
• Infiltration Expert – You know how to slip past security, digital or physical.
• Eerie Intuition – Sometimes, you just know when something is being kept from you.

Flaw:

Paranoid Obsession – When you see deception everywhere, it becomes hard to know what’s real anymore.

Free Miners’ League

"A man should own the sweat on his back and the gold in his pan."

Free Miners’ League is a coalition of independent miners fighting against corporate exploitation. They push for fair wages, worker-owned mines, and freedom from corporate greed. While some negotiate for better conditions, others take a more direct approach – through strikes, sabotage, or armed resistance.

As a Free Miners’ League member you are part of the fight for worker rights, whether through negotiation, activism, or more aggressive means. You know the mines better than any corporate suit, and you refuse to let them dictate your life. Your fellow miners trust you to stand up when it counts – and so do your enemies.

Breakout Abilities:

• Hard as Bedrock – Long days in the mines have made you tough and resilient.
• Saboteur’s Touch – You know how to make machines fail at just the right time.
• Rally the Workers – You can inspire others to take a stand when it matters most.

Flaw:

Marked as a Threat – The corporations have a long memory, and you’re on their blacklist.

The Dustborn Prophets

"The land speaks to those who listen. And it will not suffer the deaf for long."

The Dustborn Prophets is a mystical sect that believes Perseverance is a living entity that will soon reclaim itself, purging those who exploit its resources. Some Prophets live as hermits, spreading their warnings through whispered tales, while others actively sabotage settlements and machinery, claiming they are accelerating the inevitable cleansing. Their leader, Preacher Solomon Rho, claims to have received visions of the planet’s wrath, though whether he is a prophet or a madman depends on who you ask.

As a Dustborn Prophets member you are either a preacher spreading the word of the planet’s impending reckoning, a zealot actively working to bring about its cleansing, or a mystic seeking hidden truths in Perseverance’s landscapes. Some see you as a mad visionary; others fear your knowledge. Whether you work in the shadows or shout from the mountaintops, your connection to the land – and its secrets – sets you apart.

Breakout Abilities:

• Vision of the Reckoning – You claim to foresee events before they happen, whether through intuition or divine inspiration.
• Survive the Wastes – You know how to live off the land, no matter how inhospitable.
• Fanatic’s Conviction – You can inspire – or terrify – others with your unshakable belief.

Flaw:

Doom-Driven – Your unshakable belief in the planet’s reckoning blinds you to reason, making it difficult to compromise or see alternatives.\

Relic Seekers

"History isn’t lost – it’s waiting to be reclaimed. We just have to be willing to dig deep enough."

Relic Seekers is a loose coalition of explorers, scientists, and mercenaries dedicated to uncovering pre-Commonwealth artifacts and lost technology. Some seek to preserve knowledge, others to profit from it, and a few are simply drawn by the thrill of discovery. They venture into abandoned ruins, forbidden research sites, and deep caves, often facing dangers from natural hazards, rival factions, and things best left buried....

As a Relic Seekers member you are driven by an insatiable hunger for knowledge – or treasure. You might be an academic seeking to uncover the truth behind the planet’s mysteries, a ruin-delver who specializes in retrieving ancient tech, or a former corporate researcher looking for secrets that were never meant to be found. Whether your motivations are noble or selfish, you know one thing: the past holds power, and those who claim it will shape the future.

Breakout Abilities:

• Master of Forgotten Lore – You can decipher ancient texts, schematics, and long-lost knowledge.
• Treasure Hunter’s Instinct – You have a knack for finding valuable artifacts where others see only rubble.
• Field Technician – You can repair or repurpose old-world technology, even under pressure.

Flaw:

Too Deep, Too Far – Some things weren’t meant to be uncovered, but your curiosity – or greed – won’t let you stop.

Smuggler’s Cartel

"Every shipment has a buyer. Every border has a price. And every smuggler knows when to disappear."

Smuggler’s Cartel is a ruthless syndicate that controls the movement of contraband, weapons, and black-market goods across Perseverance. They run smuggling routes through the wilds, bypassing corporate checkpoints and Commonwealth patrols. Some see them as necessary facilitators, ensuring isolated settlements receive goods they’d never otherwise get. Others see them as criminal parasites, profiting off desperation and chaos....

As a Smuggler’s Cartel member, you know how to move things where they don’t belong – and make a profit doing it. Whether you’re a runner skilled in navigating secret paths, a fixer who ensures the right people get the right shipments, or an enforcer protecting high-value cargo, your livelihood depends on secrecy, quick thinking, and a willingness to do whatever it takes. The Cartel rewards success – but failure is rarely forgiven.

Breakout Abilities:

• Ghost on the Trail – You know hidden smuggling routes and how to cross borders undetected.
• Fast Talker – You can talk your way out of trouble, even when caught red-handed.
• Stash Master – You can hide contraband where no one would think to look.

Flaw:

Always Owes Someone – In the smuggling world, favors and debts pile up fast, and you’re never truly free

Glacier's End Exiles

"We weren’t meant to leave. We weren’t meant to survive. But we did."

Glacier's End Exiles is a scattered group of survivors, descendants, and whistleblowers tied to an abandoned Commonwealth research station deep in the frozen wastes. Whatever happened at Glacier’s End was covered up, and those who know the truth have been hunted, exiled, or silenced. The Exiles are obsessed with uncovering why the facility was shut down and what was discovered before it happened. Some believe the Commonwealth experimented on something they shouldn’t have. Others whisper that something unnatural still lurks beneath the ice....

As a Glacier's End Exiles member, you are either a survivor of the original incident, a descendant of those who fled, or someone drawn to the mystery of the station’s fate. You might be trying to expose the Commonwealth’s cover-up, searching for lost knowledge, or ensuring that whatever happened at Glacier’s End never happens again. The frozen wastes offer little refuge, and your past – or your mission – has made you a target.

Breakout Abilities:

• Cold-Hardened Survivor – You have adapted to extreme cold and know how to endure in the frozen wasteland.

• Keeper of Forbidden Knowledge – You know things about Glacier’s End that others would rather stay buried.

• Disappear into the Snow – You can vanish into the ice and tundra, leaving no trace.

Flaw:

Hunted by the Past – The Commonwealth – or something worse – wants to erase every trace of what happened, and that includes you.

Ex-Commonwealth Regiment

"We bled for the Commonwealth. Now we fight for ourselves."

Ex-Commonwealth Regiment is a disbanded or rogue military unit of former Commonwealth soldiers, officers, and war veterans who no longer serve the regime. Some have become guns-for-hire, others outlaws or revolutionaries, and a few still believe they are protecting Perseverance in their own way. Their loyalty is fractured – some seek redemption for past sins, while others believe that only force can bring order to the frontier....

As an Ex-Commonwealth Regiment member, you were once a soldier, but now you fight for a different cause – or maybe just for yourself. You might be a battle-hardened veteran trying to survive in a world that has no place for you, a mercenary selling your skills to the highest bidder, or a true believer still clinging to a sense of duty, even as the Commonwealth abandons you. Either way, you carry the discipline, tactics, and scars of a military past that refuses to let go.

Breakout Abilities:

• Tactical Expertise – You can assess a battlefield and make fast, effective decisions.
• Military Training – You have superior weapons handling, unarmed combat, and survival skills.
• Commanding Presence – People recognize leadership, whether it’s earned or forced.

Flaw:

Haunted by the Past – The things you did, the people you lost – you can never outrun them.

Mining Collective

"The ground don’t care who claims it. But we do."

Mining Collective is a coalition of independent mining outfits that reject corporate dominance, choosing to work for themselves rather than for distant executives. Unlike the Free Miners’ League, which takes a more rebellious stance, the Collective operates as a legitimate force in the industry, managing their own claims, negotiating deals, and defending their resources from both corporate overreach and outlaw interference....

As a Mining Collective member, you are part of an independent workforce that values fair pay, hard work, and autonomy over corporate greed. You might be a mine foreman securing new claims, a negotiator striking deals with traders, or an armed enforcer keeping outsiders from taking what isn't theirs. While the Commonwealth sees you as a stabilizing force, the megacorps see you as an obstacle to be crushed.

Breakout Abilities:

• Claim Jumper’s Eye – You can spot valuable mineral deposits with uncanny accuracy.
• Industrial Know-How – You understand mining equipment, explosives, and how to keep operations running.
• Strength in Numbers – You can rally fellow miners to defend what’s theirs, whether through legal battles or armed resistance.

Flaw:

Enemy of the Megacorps – The mining corporations see your kind as a nuisance – or a threat to be eliminated.

Black Market Syndicate

"There’s no such thing as ‘off-limits’ – only prices that haven’t been met yet."

Black Market Syndicate is a loose but extensive underground network that facilitates the buying, selling, and moving of illicit goods. Unlike the Smuggler’s Cartel, which controls specific routes, the Syndicate operates in decentralized cells, ensuring that if one node falls, the rest survive. If something is banned, restricted, or too dangerous to sell in public, the Syndicate has a way to get it into the right hands – for a price....

As a Black Market Syndicate member, you are a facilitator of illegal trade, whether as a black-market merchant, a skilled forger, or a broker of information. You might run a hidden operation selling stolen tech, be an arms dealer supplying mercenaries, or work behind the scenes, ensuring that criminal enterprises stay well-stocked. The Syndicate doesn’t tolerate failure – if you mess up, you’re as disposable as the goods you move.

Breakout Abilities:

• Underground Connections – You always know someone who can get what’s needed, no questions asked.
• Fake Credentials – You can forge documents, identification, or clearance papers with expert precision.
• Hidden Supply Chains – You understand smuggling routes, hidden stashes, and how to avoid detection.

Flaw:

No Honor Among Thieves – Trust is fleeting in the black-market world, and betrayal is always a possibility.

Outlaw Brotherhood

"We ain’t outlaws ‘cause we like it. We’re outlaws ‘cause we got no other choice."

Outlaw Brotherhood is a loose network of gunslingers, bandits, and fugitives who have been cast out by society. Some were forced into the life, others chose it, but all of them live by the same truth – on Perseverance, the law is just another weapon, and those without it must make their own. Whether they are robbers, mercenaries, or folk heroes depends on who’s telling the story....

As an Outlaw Brotherhood member, you live outside the law, but you are never truly alone. Whether you run with a gang, ride solo, or act as a hired gun, you know that your word and your reputation are the only things keeping you from a bullet in the back. Some in the Brotherhood seek redemption, others revenge, but all understand the one rule that matters – never betray your own.

Breakout Abilities:

• Fastest Gun in the Wastes – Your quick draw is the only thing faster than your enemies’ regrets.
• Reputation is Everything – You can command respect, whether through fear or legend.
• Know When to Ride, Know When to Fight – You have a talent for slipping out of impossible situations.

Flaw:

Wanted Dead or Alive – The law, bounty hunters, or old rivals are always just one step behind you.

Conclusion: Choosing Your Allies, Defining Your Path

Community Keywords in Perseverance offer more than just affiliations – they provide story hooks, social connections, and conflicts that shape your character’s journey. Whether you are part of a shadowy conspiracy, a revolutionary movement, a black-market syndicate, or a forgotten exile, your community can be both your greatest strength and your biggest liability.

These keywords allow characters to explore the politics, survival struggles, and hidden battles of the setting, forcing them to navigate alliances, rivalries, and moral dilemmas. Do you stand by your faction, or do you forge your own path? Is your loyalty unshakable, or will you betray them when the stakes are high?

On Perseverance, who you stand with might just decide whether you live or die.

"You want to make it out here? Then pick a side. Or hope no one makes that choice for you."
– Gideon Rusk, Commonwealth Rangers