Velts is a Dust Warrior of some renown, initially found in the Forest Region
"Dust Warrior" can have multiple meanings on 4thewords.
Dust Warriors (Lore)[]
The first usage is within the lore of the game and is something of a job description. Within the lore, this phrase is used generally to describe those who battle against the Dust that has invaded Our Valley and corrupted its creatures. This includes known NPCs, Companions, and others who have come before.
For example, in the first quest of the game, it says:
Meeting Tesven was interesting... I'm not sure what to make of him though. On one hand, he clearly used to be a Dust Warrior. On the other hand, he's been living here for a long time, so he's probably lost his edge. He certainly doesn't act like the other Warriors I've seen on my way here. (Luciola Forest Caretaker)
Not everyone in the Valley is a Dust Warrior; plenty of lore mentions families, farmers, merchants, librarians, shamans and other workers who do not explicitly battle dust. It takes a certain amount of skill, fortitude, bravery, (and some might say foolishness) to become a Dust Warrior.
During the Hunt for the Ancients, Velts leads a series of quests designed to help to train future Dust Warriors.
These should not be confused with the warriors belonging to the 7 Moon Clan, such as Yasri. Those are more aptly described as warriors for the dust. Raina warriors like Droxa might decide to become Dust Warriors, but are not inherently considered as such.
Once players reach the dust region, the lore for Eninir and Zhout include references to previous Dust Warriors who have fallen in battle, but are not quite as gone as one might believe.
Notable Warriors[]
Prominent Dust Warriors include:
Dust Warrior (Player Character)[]
Less generically, the Dust Warrior is the player's character, and the protagonist of the game. They are a Dust Warrior setting out on a journey through the Valley.
Meta[]
Quest and monster lore is written in the first person from the Dust Warrior's perspective, and their image is used alongside the NPCs they speak to in the conversations before and after main quests.
Their name appears as the player's name, and their image appears as whatever the player's avatar currently looks like. This is the same avatar that is used in the forums, and its look is changed in the Wardrobe. Because the wardrobe is found in the "Hero" tab, the Dust Warrior is sometimes colloquially referred to as the hero or main character by players.
Lore[]
In early quest lore, it is established that they trained with the Elders in the forest region before setting out on the path of becoming a Dust Warrior.
The lore for the Tambo gives another hint to their backstory, explaining that their parents "worked with the Caravans". Since Tambo are largely found in the desert, rather than the forest, it is possible that the Dust Warrior moved between the two regions when younger, possibly traveling between them regularly on their parents' Caravans.
Finally, the Villager lore implies that they chose the path of becoming a Dust Warrior after their parents succumbed to the dust. It is unknown what their plans or dreams might have been before that point.
During the first season of the Hunt for the Ancients, the Dust Warrior trains with Velts. Initially, Velts does not have a very high opinion of them:
"Winning a battle against them might set their minds right… and prove to me that you can be trusted." (A Clue to the Past)
"A few battles against the Dust and you think yourself a great warrior?" Velts's laugh is wry, but it ignites a fire deep inside me. I'm almost expecting what she says next. "Let's see what you're really capable of." (Proving Your Worth 1/4)
It is also likely that Velts does not object to our Dust Warrior in particular, but the younger generation in general:
"I hope I'm able to show Velts that the Elders are still teaching proper fighting skills, but I might switch to hoping she doesn't make too much of a fool out of me." (Velts)
"I can tell Velts is still frustrated that the Dust Warriors of today have forgotten so much of the old ways." (Spreading Hope)
However, Velts eventually warms up to the Dust Warrior. She continued to train them throughout the seasons, and teaches them how to adapt to fighting in different regions and terrain. The relationship also evolves on the Dust Warrior's side.
"Velts challenged me to a match, and I spent almost half the time before it thinking that fighting such an old lady would be a horrible thing for me to do." (Velts)
Originally thinking of Velts as a defenseless old woman without much to teach them, the Dust Warrior comes to see her as a mentor.
"Velts is making me prove that I haven’t slacked off by fighting her one last time. "Concentration falters near the end," she said unsheathing a sword. "Prove me wrong, Dust Warrior."" (A Battle of Evolution)
The Dust Warrior makes many other friends along their journey, most notably their companions and others that they help along the way.
Dust Warriors (Players)[]
The final usage of Dust Warrior/Warriors is to collectively refer to the 4thewords players. This is more often seen in News posts and on the forums, though the wiki also uses it in this context. (A good example of this usage on the wiki is the Badges page.)
This usage is also seen during global challenges and events, where Dust Warriors must team up together to fight a certain number of monsters or write a certain number of words.
An example of a community challenge, from the Station Raising Festival
The lore for these kinds of quests and challenges can blur the lines between Dust Warriors (the players), and Dust Warriors (the characters).
"Warriors,
My, um, sincere apologies for the fight. You woke me from my sleep, and before I could clear the dreams from my head, the surrounding circumstances made me mistake your help as an attack. Suffice to say, the thought didn’t make me any happier.
[...]
I will take a few more days to gather my strength before flying out to meet my community once again. I will tell them all about the brave Dust Warriors I have found, those who battle against the Dust. With my friends and family, we will return to your ‘Valley’ in three months time to celebrate the beginning of a new friendship." (News, July 28, 2022)