Alf Hancock, a common Wastrel.
Fionnula Scales, a common Wastrellette.
Wastrels, or Wastrellettes, are Wellies who have reacted badly to bad batches of one of the three currently available flavours of Joy, causing them to be permanently unable to take it. They are the first enemy the player encounters in the Garden District.
Because of their allergy they are socially banned and shunned, being unable to get to the other areas and getting brutally attacked by Wellies and Bobbies alike, and as such, they attack players who look like Wellies and get suspicious of high-on-joy people. They live on the outside of Wellington Wells.
Wastrels aren't as paranoid as their non-allergic cousins and if the player stays away from joy and fine clothing they will be left alone the most part. A Wastrel high on a hallucinogen or one that is rabid from an encounter with the plague (only in Lud's Holm), may still attack the player. While a Wastrel can usually be easily killed using a medium-grade weapon like a pipe or shovel, they can be a lot harder to deal with if they attack as a group. Their weapons include fists, rocks, a branch, or a Double Knocker. Bleeding can be caused if they use a Pointy Stick. Killing Wastrels for items is not generally lucrative as the items they usually carry are low quality.
There are things however that will make a Wastrel suspicious. These are:
- Attacking another NPC where they can see it
- Breaking into and looting coin boxes from the phone booths
- Walking around in a Fine Suit
- Trespassing or stealing from a house if they can see the player doing it
Wastrels may approach a player and be looking for items including bandages and food. Wastrels who have been given items will occasionally give the player a gift in return. Reading specific skill books can increase the value of the item the player receives. After 10 PM, the majority of Wastrels will disappear from the streets. Wastrel bobbies keep the curfew and patrol the roads and paths. They will return at 7 AM.
Plagued Wastrels
Wastrels that have the Plague will have a red swarm above their heads. There are multiple stages of the plague. The early stage will cause the Wastrel to wander around in a zombie-state. Wastrels who have had the plague longer will become more aggressive until they reach the final stage in which they collapse to the ground. Players who have been attacked by a plagued Wastrel, or have touched the body of one, can become infected. The deceased Wastrel will no longer have the red swarm above their head, but will instead have Histoplasma Mushrooms growing on their skin.
Gallery
Trivia
- Wastrels are apparently the result of consuming defective Joy.