Led by Mads Schulz, a retired US Marine who was stationed on Auroa in the mid-1990s and decided to start his own community, the Homesteaders broke free from society and oppose humanity’s dependence on industrialization.
The Homesteaders are first and second generation farmers, hunters, and craftspeople who were living on Aroa prior to Skell's purchase of the Island. They're decidedly low-tech, and know the ins and the outs of the islands better than anyone. The Homesteaders were either born on Auroa, or migraded there in the late 90s. Mads Schulz was in the first generation and in times of trouble has become a defacto leader of the group. Other notable Homesteaders are: his wife Maria, her brother Kyle and his partner Layla, SGT Rowan Brown, engineer Joanna Jericho and a runaway ex-Skell lawyer, Emmett Benton. The Homesteaders are trying, first and foremost, to live in peace and in harmony with the island. While mostly armed with old hunting rifles and equipment left over from the U.S. military's presence in the 90s, their conviction compensates for their lack of equipment.
Even as Skell arrived, the Homesteaders believed a 'live and let live' approach could be applied to these newcomers. It even provided opportunities for the Homesteaders, who could trade their hand grown food for advanced medical supplies and clothing. But as Sentinel arrived things took a turn for the worse. Sentinel aggression led Mads Schulz to abandon his farm and retreat to the safety of the cave system Erewhon, with the help of his old friend Rowan Brown. He encouraged others to do the same.
Now, the Homesteaders have found shelter in Erewhon, a cavern that will become The Ghosts’ hideout throughout their adventure for Operation Greenstone. And they later founded and took care of the badly injured Holt.