Ridgeback

	Gruesome. Hope the poor bastard was dead before the hive moved in.
- The Narrator, on an infected person

Ridgebacks are a type of hostile creatures in Weird West. They are corpses controlled by a type of semi-intelligent insects,^[1] which turned them into shambling puppets. The noses, eyes, and heads of ridgebacks are covered by large sacks, which appears to be nests of the insect swarms. Ridgebacks can also produce venom as a defense mechanism.^[1]

When the host dies or when threatened, the swarm would burst from ridgebacks seeking new hosts,^[2] especially live humans.^[3] When a new host is found, the swarm would burrow into the flesh and lay eggs inside.^[4] A living person, when infected by the insects, suffers agonizing pain, and the venom secreted by the swarm can cause severe damage to internal organs.^[5] Eventually that person is killed, turned into a new Ridgeback, and continues to propagate the insects to other areas. Doctor Minerva Long has been studying the Ridgebacks and hoping to find an antivenom in order to save those who are infected.^[6]

Combat Tips[]

Ridgebacks are weak against lightning damage, but poison heals them.
The insect swarms coming from ridgebacks are annoying and relentless but they don't do much damage. Instead of running and dodging, focus on killing the ridgebacks.
The swarms are immune to fire.
Sometimes they vomit poison around them, but the poison can also be ignited to burn them.
Areas infested by ridgebacks often have broodnodes, green pulsating nests that explode and release poison when someone is nearby. Care should be taken to void these nodes while fighting ridgebacks.

Trivia[]

During the Protector Journey, when Across Rivers arrives at Boulder Creek, the Narrator mentions the sound of "bugs chewin' through meat". This is when the insects try to burrow into new hosts.