Cactus DenReport
English：Cactus Den · Locations
The only base the Sand Ninjas have — a watchtower on the ridge of Spine Canyon. It is not a settlement and has no shop, only a gang of highwaymen, their leader, and a stash of backpacks, medicine and booze. Walk through the door and the whole faction turns on you.
Wandered far from home, ain'tcha?! — a Sand Ninja greeting a trespasser in the Cactus Den
Cactus Den is the faction headquarters of the Sand Ninjas, a watchtower standing in the middle of Spine Canyon, just northwest of Tengu's Vault. The game files it as a point of interest rather than a settlement — there is no shop here, no bed to rent, just a gang of highwaymen and the loot they have piled up.
Where it is
Spine Canyon is the rocky ridge that separates the Skimsands from the Great Desert, and the dust storms there barely stop. The Cactus Den sits on that ridge; a short way southeast lies Tengu's Vault, the United Cities military prison.
Who lives here
Everyone here is a Sand Ninja, including their leader Sand Ninja Oni.
The Sand Ninjas are a cult of highwaymen who only attack passers-by they believe they can beat. Rising to lieutenant means passing the cult's trials — surviving the badlands alone, for instance — which is why Sand Ninja Jounin are among the very few characters in the game who carry a Splint Kit (their AI never actually uses it).
What is here
There is no counter inside — everything sits in containers. The possible loot falls into four groups:
| Group | Items |
|---|---|
| Backpacks | Trader's Backpack, Medium Backpack, Small Backpack, Scavenger's Basket |
| Medical | Advanced First Aid Kit, Advanced Splint Kit, Standard First Aid Kit, Splint Kit |
| Food and drink | Bread, Dried Meat, Meatwrap, Dustwich, Foodcube, Gohan, Rice Bowl, Chewsticks, Grog, Sake, Cactus Rum, Bloodrum, Water Jug, Empty Grog Can, Empty Rum Bottle, Wooden Bowl |
| Misc | Book, Cup, Pearl Cup, Pearl Urn, Luxury Goods, Hashish, Motor, Sleeping Bag |
No AI Cores, no blueprints, no ancient tech. This is a bandit den, not a ruin.
Why you would come
Almost all of the Cactus Den's value is concentrated in one person.
Sand Ninja Oni is wanted by the Shek Kingdom, the Holy Nation and the United Cities, with a listed bounty of 10,000 Cats. But the United Cities and the Traders Guild share one legal system, so the bounty is counted twice — handing her in actually pays 20,000 Cats. That is one of the richest single targets available in the early-to-mid game.
Taking her out has a second effect: the Sand Ninjas stop raiding the player's outpost. If you would rather not fight, allying with the United Cities or the Traders Guild achieves the same thing.