Mod:DUST Survival Simulator/Zion National Park

Zion National Park is a location in DUST Survival Simulator.

Background
By 2282, Zion wildlife was decimated by weather conditions and Spore Carriers, possibly because of NCR exploitation of Vault 22, reintroducing B. mordicana spores in Zion's atmosphere and infecting Zion's occupants.

The Tribes of Zion
Sometime before The Fall, Joshua Graham had brainwashed the Dead Horses and Sorrows, turning them as violent as White Legs and even raiding like them. He had the Sorrows throw Daniel out of Zion for fear of him turning the Sorrows peaceful again.

Sometime afterwards, Daniel was caught by a Sorrows hunting party, and taken to Graham. According to Daniel's notes, Joshua was downright ready to kill him until he learned Daniel had come to warn him of Dead Horse Point being destroyed by those wanting revenge against the now violent Dead Horses. Here it was discovered that Graham had planned to take the tribe out of Zion and effectively abandon the Sorrows. Graham began asking Daniel of what was going on in the Mojave, while Daniel learned of what had been responsible for Zion's devastation.

The Fall of Graham
By 2284, Joshua was slowly dying to the spore infection. Graham arranged for Follows-Chalk to take his place as leader of Dead Horses and Sorrows, presumably to spite Daniel with the latter. In December, Joshua died and his body was buried in The Aerie.

After Graham's Death
Around 5 months after Joshua died, Tribal scouts reported sightings of a deformed and large Spore Carrier, which they referred to as "Wendigo". It was around this time the SM-5 experimental cloud was introduced into Zion, causing weather conditions in the form of a carcinogenic fog that carried the Spore Carrier virus. Helpless against Spore Carriers, lack of food, weather and Wendigo, the remaining tribals fled into the Long Dark through the Pine Creek Tunnel.

Daniel locked the Pine Creek tunnel, preventing the tribals from returning under any circumstances, accidentally condemning them to die at the hands of the Divide tribals. Daniel pursued the Wendigo through Zion valley but was eventually slaughtered by the near-immortal creature.

NCR Expedition's arrival
Sometime after, NCR from the California branch arrived on Zion to attempt to remove The Cloud from there, they were unsuccessful after discovering the threat of Spore Carriers and Wendigo. They occupied The Narrows and started to work on a plan to escape Zion. On an excavation, The NCR found a key to the Pine Creek Tunnel but they did not attempt to go there, with fear of losing their men due to threat of Spore Carriers. The NCR still remains there.

Areas of Interest

 * The Zion Canyon Welcome Booth contains a Makeshift Flamethrower together with small amounts of ammunition and a First Aid Box. A drinkable toilet is situated next to it, as well as a campfire
 * The entrance of Eastern Virgin provides a useable bed, and a bit of food and Dirty Water can be found, including, surprisingly, a Green Gecko Hide.
 * The area in front of Angel Cave holds a bit of food, an easy locked crate with varying weaponry and small amounts of ammunition, as well as a campfire. The inside of Angel Cave keeps lore and comparably large amounts of loot, including food, drink, ammunition and weaponry (like a Flare Gun in good condition) as well as a Workbench, a Reloading Bench, several campfires. Survivors bringing Wonderglue will find enough materials for crafting a single Weapon Repair Kit.
 * An easy locked crate in Eastern Virgin keeps various weaponry and a few rounds of ammunition. Additionally, a few food and drink items may be found.
 * Ranger Substation Peregrine has weapons and ammunition in a locker and an easy locked Ammunition Box
 * Green Gecko Hide and Eggs can be found at the Burial Mounds, as well as Yao Guai Meat and other food
 * An Atomic Cocktail, some food, drink weaponry, ammunition and light armor are available at Vault 22 Dweller's Guard Camp. Also, a Hot Plate can be found in the camp.
 * Devoid of loot, Ghost Den can be ignored
 * The Narrows are occupied by well equipped NCR expeditionary forces, potentially providing for a good amount of loot
 * The Sorrows Camp itself will have some food and drink, and NCR wearing a lootable Radiation Suit. Of note is the pool of water directly above it, only reachable through the caves, which is free of radiation.
 * Sweet Flower Cave provides for a good amount of food, but not much else
 * The Auto-Material Rifle including its Suppressor modification can be found in White Bird Cave, held by an NCR Trooper (alive). It is very likely to be broken, though. The cave also contains useable beds and a bit of food.
 * Moving through the scrub to the right after entering Crossroads Cavern, Survivors will find NCR Troopers (alive) providing for ammunition and other loot, and while this part of the cave will also have some food and drink (and a RadAway), almost nothing but Spore Carriers will be found moving forward.
 * As many other caves in The Narrows, Glass Chime Cave is also held by surviving NCR expeditionary forces, hoarding a good amount of food and drink, including a Trail Mix and one RadAway.
 * A duffle bag in the far the north east close to a makeshift camp has some dirty water and a few chems, while the camp itself seems to be devoid of loot
 * Other than a hard locked gate with some crafting materials like Wonderglue behind it, Ranger Substation Osprey does not seem to be worth the trouble of visiting
 * Atop Zion Ranger Stations roof, a skeletonized body can be found with a tomahawk stuck in its back. Outside and inside the building dead NCR can be found. Inside the building, multiple Spore Carriers will be encountered, with those from the outside able to follow the Survivor in. The station contains crafting materials and a small amount of ammunition, with the dead NCR personnel providing for additional loot, including a Radiation Suit. More importantly, it contains a Flare Gun and more ammunition in an average locked Footlocker, as well as usable beds and a Doctors Bag. Lore can be found on dead NCR and inside of the building as well.
 * A dead NCR Trooper on North Fork Bridge carries lore
 * A good amount of food, a bit of drink, weaponry (including a Flare Gun and a Hunting Rifle together with a Hunting Rifle Custom Action modification) and some ammo can be found inside the General Store. Lore is available behind an easy locked door, as well as a Radiation Suit. An average locked desk in the same backroom does not seem to contain anything of use.
 * Morning Glory Cave contains a large amount of .45 auto ammunition, and, behind an average locked door, a usable bed, a Campfire as well as lore and further loot
 * A Mexican Hunting Rifle in poor condition (including a few rounds of ammo), a Flare Gun and a Hunting Rifle Scope are kept in a Gun Case at Patriarchs' Campground. Other than that, it has no loot of mention.
 * A 9 RAD drinkable toilet is located at Court Fork Overlook
 * Some ammunition and a Mexican Hunting rifle can be found in a very hard locked Gun Case in Ranger Substation Eagle, together with a small amount of food and drink.
 * The Three Marries Canyon has spots of comparably low RAD water (7 RADs), and seems devoid of any life. Several campsites are sprinkled throughout the area, with some containing food, drink, ammo and the occasional chem and Stimpak.
 * The rather huge Three Marries Cavern has some food and drink, ammunition, but more importantly usable beds. An easy locked crate is likely to contain some explosives.
 * Lore can be found in Two Skies Cave, as well as food, drink, some crafting materials, a Bedroll Kit, a Reloading Bench and a usable bed. Also, the water in parts of the cave is free of radiation. And there's a single RadAway on a shelf.
 * North Fork Campground is empty
 * The Aerie contains A Light Shining in Darkness as well as armor, additional weaponry and ammunition.

Tactical Considerations
Zion Canyon is not only home to Spore Carriers but also to a much more dangerous abomination. While contact to the former can be limited by careful observation and maneuvering, the latter will actively seek out and unconditionally attack the Survivor. If the Survivor is without any means of scaring abominations, they almost certainly will be killed by it.

Therefor, Survivors are strongly advised to bring a Flare Gun. Not only does this gun deal a surprising amount of fire damage over time, but it also does not consume ammunition, once loaded.

Food and drink are not scarce, but with game absent and the water available in the canyon often being irradiated to high levels, unprepared Survivors, or those unwilling to explore, might find themselves travelling on their stomachs.

Cave Fungus, which can be found in large amounts, can substantially ease management of radiation taken from swimming and / or drinking.

Sleeping, even for Survivors in possession of a Bedroll Kit seems to not be possible in the open inside of the park. Survivors should prepare accordingly, since while Coffee Beans required for brewing Black Coffee are available, coffee mugs are far and few.

As the Canyon is covered in dense, greenish fog most of the time, avoiding contact with hostiles entirely is almost impossible. Hostiles will need to be dealt with using the supplies and weaponry brought in by the Survivor from the Mojave for the most part, albeit ammunition and weaponry are available in small amounts.

The fog can clear occasionally, and Survivors are urged to take advantage of this.

In addition to the rather flimsy Spore Carriers, robust, well-armed remaining NCR expeditionary forces will be encountered in parts of the canyon, especially The Narrows. While they do provide for a welcome opportunity to replenish on ammunition, especially non .45 auto, and weaponry, they also pose a considerable threat.

These NCR forces seem to have stocked up well on provisions, though, which together with the clean pool of water directly above the Sorrows Camp turns the useable beds in White Birds Cave into an excellent opportunity for recovery.

Exploration should be planned around "cave-hopping" strategy mentioned in one of Butch's diary. Sleep until 10+AM because early morning is worse than nights, then move toward a targeted cave until 6PM. The nights have a risk of Wendigo appearing at certain locations, so outside exploration really should not be done at after 6PM. You can use the time to explore the caves or the immediate surroundings.

If you are certain of not running to a place that has Wendigo, night time is actually better for exploration, because the greenish fog is gone and the vision is clear.

Coffee beans have higher chance to appear in HH containers it seem. So if Survivor want to do a no-sleep run through the Valley it's possible. A no-sleep run is a daytime straight run from the passage straight toward Pine Creek, mostly an action of returning to The Long Dark or The Divide after leaving Hopeville by ladder.