The Wasteland Landmarks
- Geography: Regional History and Loading Screen Text
The following information is courtesy of the original Mutant Faction writer Adam "Snipehunter" Maxwell.
......Tierra Roja Dam
When a small band of Elders left The Citadel in search of a siteto start a new city, they were set upon by a cataclysmic dust storm. Exhausted, they searched blindly for shelter. It was Avenger Salvador Diaz that spotted a cave mouth in the nearby mountainside above the Tierra Roja Dam. Seeking refuge within, they discovered that the cave held vast underground springs of Blood welling up from the Earth. It was here, at the Temple of Leche Madre (Mother's Milk), that the foundation for Tocado was formed.
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The Rites of Initiation
You stand now outside the gates of The Temple of Leche Madre. THe Spirit of this Changed Land has called out to you and throught it you have chosen your tribe, but your quest to become a Warrior is not complete. Be you a noble Champion, a sage Shaman, a keen-eyed Avenger or a devout Archon, you still must prove yourself worthy to obtain Warrior status. It is called the Rites of Initiation, and your trial shall begin once you are capable of surviving on your own in the Changed Land.
......The Proving Grounds
Younger members of The Tribes often spend time in the area south of the town of Tocado challenging each other to feats of courage and bravery. Many of the town's youth take these challenges very seriously since The Rites of Ascension mark their promotion to the rank of Warrior in The Tribes; to them these challenges are a form of training for the Rites of Ascension.
+History
South of the burgeoning city of Tocado lies the blasted radioactive field of rubble and slag known as the Proving Grounds. Many young, inexperienced Children of the Changed travel to the Proving Grounds where they can gather, test their bravery, and prove themselves to their peers amongst the four Tribes. The youths treat these challenges very seriously, considering them to be a form of training for the Rites of the Ascension; a promotion to the rank of a true Warrior of the Tribes.
Recently the local Tribe leaders have taken the influx of youths into the Proving Grounds, which includes the nearby region around Tierra Roja Dam as well as the sacred Temple of Leche Madre, quite seriously as well. The Tocado council built a small cluster of buildings and repair facilities atop a plateau in the Northern Escarpment, an area where select members of the Four Tribes have the privilege of testing would-be Apprentices in a variety of tasks. Local merchants and venders also inhabit the area, looking to do business with everyone and anyone that has the clink to spare.
A huge crater lake called Blood Lake, filled with the liquefied Blood of the Changed Land, and a wide swath of desert sand dunes dominates the bulk of the Proving Grounds. Along the southern escarpment lies a series of strange rock towers and arch-like formations where a large tribe of Pikes has set up mining operations. Along the western side of the Grounds are the ruins of the town known as Tierra Roja and its accompanying oil fields, still in use by the local Scavs who scrounge for fuel and trade goods. In addition to the local groups of Pikes, Scavs, and selection of Changed creatures, the Humans have encroached into the southern area of the Proving Grounds as well, providing an additional challenge (and danger) for would-be Warriors of the Tribes.
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The Pike Lands
Pikes control the land south of Tierra Roja on the western edge of the Dune Sea. This stretch of badlands is identifiable by the arches and spires of red rock that dot the area. Warriors of the Tribes need to exercise caution in this region as the Pikes have been known to attack anyone that encrouches on their territory.
.......Rally Course
.......Tocado
Founded only a few decades ago, Tocado is a relatively new settlement of The Tribes. In fact, Tocado's newest generation -its third - is only now ascending to a place of belonging in The Tribes. Many of The Tribes' newest warriors come from the town of Tocado, which has now surpassed The Citadel in youthful population.
+History
While The Citadel is the most famous Mutant city, Tocado is growing the most - in both size and influence.
Of the Mutant cities that have thrived, The Citadel was the first and is the most famous – it's the current capital of the Tribes of the Changed, and remains the first bastion of the Mutant struggle for freedom from Humanity. Other Mutant towns are known for their particular emphasis on disciplines: Shamans flock to Omphala; Avengers (known as Sentinels) reside in Borderton and defend sacred Temple Mountain. However, the city that's growing the fastest, both in size and influence – is Tocado.
Now beginning its third generation, Tocado is currently the most popular source of the Tribes' newest warriors. Many return here, fresh from the nearby proving grounds, to exhibit their worth to the leaders, dignitaries, and other inhabitants of the town – especially Archon Davon. As a Prime Archon and governor of Tocado, Archon Davon embodies the principles of the Spirit Tribe. Not only is he a member of the powerful Davon family, a logician, and a theologian of the highest order, but Davon himself is famous for negotiating the Zendig protectorate treaty that makes trade with the Zendigs possible. Mutants who have joined the warrior caste and exhibit potential may find themselves in regular discussions with the Archon.
With its proximity to other locations of Mutant knowledge and spirituality, Tocado is second only to The Citadel in political power - despite its young age. In addition, Tocado's importance is growing due to the ever-increasing influence of its younger generations on the Tribes at large. Many traders and merchants operate out of Tocado, where everything essential to a young warrior is offered – for a price. OCD even operates a facility there for sporting and entertainment purposes.
Simply put, Tocado is the wave of the future for the Mutant race.
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The Tocado Guard Militia
Though Tocado sits in a natural valley that protects it from casual attack, the town of Tocado is also protected by the vigilance and courage of the Tocado Militia. This cadre of Champions patrol the town and nearby area, ensuring that nothing, not even a stray Crawler or Crusher, threatens the populace of Tocado.
Archon Davon
The Prime Archon and governor of Tocado is Samuel Davon, a member of the Davon line, a logician and theologian of the highest order. His wisdom and judgment has been called upon to arbitrate many disputes in the region. He is most famous for negotiating the Zendig protectorate treaty which made trade with the Zendigs possible. He negotiated this treaty at the age of 17, before even gaining warrior status in The Tribes.
Residential District
Though some prefer to live off the main road, many of the citizens of Tocado live in the housing located along the Calle de la Voz. This is the main street that runs through the center of Tocado.
Shaman's Way
To the east of the residential district is the street, Shaman's Way. This is home to many of the master crafters of Tocado. Many of the town's shops can be found here centered around the refinery.
Mantis Way
Located on the north end of town, far away from most of the shops and structures of the other Tribes, is Mantis Way, the home of the Insect Tribe in Tocado. The Avenger's Armorer, Tocado's premier supplier of armor is found at the end of this street.
.......Omphala
The crafting community of Omphala sits high atop a mesa overlooking the ruins of the Old Town region. This small community of Shaman focuses all of its time and attention on perfecting the arts of mastercrafting. The work of the Shaman of Omphala is highly prized by all the Tribes. It is rumored that even the Prime Archon herself maintains a private collection of Omphalan artistry.
+History
Founded years ago, before even the twon of Tocado was established, Omphala started as an offshoot community of the Temple Mountain Monastery founded by Shamans who cgafed at the rigid existance of the Monastery.
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Shaman Montaine
Omphala is governed by the master craftsmen Betrand Montaine. This jovial and oft-times absent minded Shaman is a genius with powerplant and weapon design. His designs are highly valuable to combat racers and warriors fighting in the wastelands.
The Grand Refinery
At the heart of the community of Omphala is the Grand Refinery. Designed years ago by the Prime Shaman of the Earth Tribe, this refinery is a marvel of efficiency and beauty.
......Highway 667 - Western Front
Once a major artery of the world before The Change, Highway 667 now acts as the main route north and south along the western border of the Territories of The Tribes.
+History
Once a major artery of the world before The Change, Highway 667 (Western Front) now acts as the main route north and south along the western border of the Territories of The Tribes. This region is home to the town of Tocado, the Mutant starter town. Tocado is actually a fairly new town, founded only two generations ago. Players starting at this town are the 3rd generation of Tocado citizens, now old enough to go out into the world and choose their own path in life as a member of The Tribes of The Changed. However, before a new warrior is free in this way, they must complete the Rites of Ascension. This is a series of tasks given to them by the Archon of Tocado. Once completed the warrior will have proven to be worthy of the rank of full member of The Tribes, and is treated with the respect such a rank gives them.
The first of these tasks takes place in an old copper mine on the southeast border of this region. Prior to The Change this mine was an active copper mine that fed the local economy. Unfortunately the turmoil caused by The Change left the mine empty and it soon became a home for mutated creatures. Now over a century has passed and the creatures that live there have literally become infused with the copper in the region. Their bones - even their hides - contain massive amounts of copper which can be harvested by mutants who hunt the critters and then reclaim the copper from the corpses.
In the time before The Change, the ruins of Old Town were a bustling metropolis riding high on the crest of a new economic push towards technologies based on demand fabrication systems. When The Change came and this industrial town's work force, almost all itinerant labor, began to undergo the Change, the factory management panicked and shut the entire town's manufacturing quarter down. Without work, the laborers could not get medical attention or basic services. Even simple needs like food and shelter were hard to come by. An economic collapse followed immediately, with riots and chaos riding its wake.
When The Voice brought The Changed peoples of the north to this place, he found it already in ruins. The local government was in complete disarray - many of its members had already undergone The Change. No one was in control. It was a simple thing for The Voice to move in and claim parts of the city for The Changed. Unfortunately, none of the city was ever held for long. Forces of the Fallen Angels and the Biomek Order both were relentless in their pursuit and persecution of The Changed. Soon what little that remained of the city was smashed to rubble by shelling and constant warfare. It was that way even up to The Night of Fire when most of the city was turned to radioactive slag uninhabitable even by the hardiest of The Changed.
Now generations have passed and those parts of the city safe enough for life have become vast fields of rubble picked over by scavengers hoping to find treasures of lost technology or forgotten supplies buried in the smoldering corpse of this once great city. It is amongst these ruins that new mutant warriors must perform the 2nd task of their Rites of Ascension.
The small crafting institute of Omphala sits high atop a mesa overlooking the ruins of the Old Town region. This small community of Shamans focuses all of its time and attention on perfecting the arts of mastercrafting. The work of the Shamans of Omphala is highly prized by all the Tribes. It is rumored that even the Prime Archon herself maintains a private collection of Omphalan artistry.
While Temple Mountain has always been known as a place where crafters go to perfect their art, those whose art is already perfected live in the community of Omphala. Founded years ago, before the town of Tocado was established, Omphala started as an offshoot community of the Temple Mountain Monastery. Omphala was founded by Shamans who chafed at the rigid and austere existence of the Monastery.
Shortly after The Night of Fire, the life went out of the philosophical and almost metaphysical side of The Changed. The people were downtrodden after years of constant war, and now faced a world made harsh and desolate by their enemies. Those few surviving members of The Voice's Cadre, the Shaman Jared and the Archon Marion among them, saw that their people would soon break apart without something to bring them together again. They thought long and hard about how they could reunify their people, but in the end The Changed fractured into four tribes: the Tribe of the Spirit (the Archons), the Tribe of the Earth (the Shamans), the Tribe of The Bear (the Champions), and the Tribe of Insects (the Avengers). In disgust, Jared retired from the community completely. Taking a small cadre of Shamans with him, he headed into the west. For years, nothing more was heard from him.
Then rumors began to circulate that Jared had retired to a secret fortress where he began to write a history of the times The Changed had endured. Soon the 1st volume of The Chronicles of Jared was being smuggled back into the Citadel. The book, and the remaining two volumes that followed, were a revelation for The Changed. Jared's history was not a glorified tale of struggle but a frank assessment of The Changed up to that point. In his chronicles, he lamented the loss of The Voice and chastised the entire culture for abandoning his teachings. Almost overnight a spiritual reform swept The Changed. The Tribes formed a council a few years later overseen by the Prime Archon of the Spirit Tribe. Jared, in his last public appearance, pledged his fealty to this council and revealed the location of his retreat. It is called the monastery of Temple Mountain, it was once a military base before the collapse, but Jared and his Shamans had turned it into a center of mastercrafting and study. At first no one was allowed access but eventually the number of pilgrims traveling the site rivaled the exodus of The Voice when he founded The Citadel. Jared opened the site to The Changed, and ever since it has been a sacred place of study and meditation.
For the town of Tocado, Temple Mountain is more than just an historic site from the past. It is also the site of the last of the 3 tasks that new warriors must complete in order to gain full membership in The Tribes, and a treasure that the Tocado government feels obligated to protect.
The Shaman Jared passed away shortly after he opened Temple Mountain up to the pilgrims of The Tribes. His last request was that the monastery would be kept as he left it, a center for learning the crafting arts and philosophical study. A debate began almost immediately over which of the 4 Tribes would take over custodianship of the site. After 5 years of such argument, no answer was obtained. Still the pilgrims would come to Temple Mountain, but the monks there were not able to maintain the site. It fell into disrepair.
It was then that a pilgrim, an Avenger by the name of Xavier Drogan, came to Temple Mountain. He found the site beset upon by bandits, the monks of the Monastery forced to cater their whims as simple servants or slaves. A righteous anger filled Xavier then and he lashed out, attacking the bandits without thought. Against such a fury, the bandits had no chance. When the battle was done, Drogan swore upon the honor of his house that never again would Temple Mountain be threatened this way. Taking residence in the natural rock bowl within the Sundered Mountain, Xavier Drogan set out to create an elite cadre of soldiers who would guard the monastery and the road leading to it.
Now years later that camp has become the town of Borderton… but still remains the armed and defended home of Drogan's Sentinels who defend Temple Mountain to this very day. Avengers and other Tribesfolk seeking to learn their combat secrets often come to Borderton looking to enter into service for the Sentinels, hoping for the chance to one day be allowed membership within that elite cadre.
+Geography
This region is at the southern most section of the mutant's western border. To the west is a vast range of mountains, the Temple Mountain Range (the Temple Mountain mission takes place within this mountain range). North of this region is the Fetid Bayou, the mountains smooth out in to hills and eventually into the murky water of that swampy region. To the east is the ruin of Old Town, a massive metropolis from before the apocalypse. This set of ruins is so vast that it actually "bridges" between this region and Grand Junction, which takes place just outside the eastern side of these ruins. The region south of this is largely unexplored due to the effects of radiation from the apocalypse. South of this region is a vast field of radioactive waste we like to call "Mexico" but the mutants simple call, "The Vast." It is too far across for even a mutant to travel without fear of death and nothing living ever comes out of it. At night the southern sky glows with a pulsating blue hue, not an aurora but visible evidence that most of the land south is still too radioactive for anyone.
The Bloodsteel Mines map is south of the highway, but northeast of the town of Tocado, nestled within the southern portion of the Temple Mountain Range. The highway would be visible to the north in the horizon but partially obscured by hills and mountains.
The Old Town Map is east of the highway, on the north eastern edge of the highway. The ruins of old town are vast and fill the southern and eastern portions of the horizon from the Old Town map with some mountains visible behind the ruins in the southern sky. The northern sky is dotted with hills and small mountains, signs that the range is starting to meet the ground. The highway would be visible in the western horizon.
From Temple Mountain the western sky is dominated by mountains while the southern and northern skies show some smaller mountains. The highway would be visible to the east from this map.
The Town of Tocado is at the southern edge of the region, nestled in a natural dale in the Barrier Mountains that form the southern part of the Temple Mountain Range. The highway would visible in the northern horizon but only mountains would be visible in the other directions.
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The Settlement of Sanctuary
North of Western Front, in the swamp known as "the Fetid Bayou," is a red rock canyon that leads to the small Zendig community of Sanctuary. They are renowned craftsman and cultivators, known for their brilliant paints & dyes and the incredible bounty of their farms and herds. The tribal council has hopes that one day they will embrace The Change and join the Tribes as a 5th tribe, the 1st new tribe in over 6 generations. Unfortunately in the years that the Settlement of Sanctuary has existed, never once have the Zendigs there shown any interest in joining the Mutant culture.
Omphala
The small crafting community of Omphala sits high atop a mesa overlooking the ruins of the Old Town region. This small community of Shamans focuses all of its time and attention on perfecting the arts of mastercrafting. The work of the Shamans of Omphala is highly prized by all the Tribes. It is rumored that even the Prime Archon herself maintains a private collection of Omphalan artistry.
Borderton
An observant driver may notice the outpost of Borderton hidden within the cracks of the Sundered Mountain in the northeast. Borderton is the base of operations of Drogan's Sentinels, a special cadre of Avengers who have dedicated themselves to the protection of the Temple Mountain Monastery and the pilgrimage route leading to it. Their ways are gruff and secretive, but no other Avenger cadre has served the Tribes as loyally or tenaciously as the Sentinels. Many seek them out as trainers and mentors in the hopes of joining the Sentinels in the future.
Tocado
Highway 667 ends at the gates to the town of Tocado. Founded a little over 2 generations ago, Tocado is the first new mutant settlement completed since The Night That Was Day. In fact, Tocado's newest generation - its third - is only now ascending to a place of belonging in The Tribes. Many of The Tribes' newest warriors come from the town of Tocado, which has now surpassed The Citadel in youthful population.
Pikes
All of The Tribes' territory still suffers a plague of throwbacks, scavengers and bandits. This stretch of 667 is heavily infested with Pikes. These wretched bandits strike at anyone traveling alone and will even attack groups of weaker travelers. New warriors and apprentice craftsmen alike should remain vigilant while traveling Highway 667.
Scavs
Travelers should take care when moving through the ruins of old towns. Bandits and other scavengers crawl over them like rats. These Scavs are bold in large numbers, and may ambush anyone they believe is weaker than they are.
Old Town
The northeast section of this stretch of territory is scattered with the ruins of an old town from before The Change. The town's name is lost in the dust and dirt of its collapse, but even today many valuable treasures have been recovered from the ruins. In fact, Tocado's Archon has dispatched a group of Shamans deep into the ruins of Old Town to reclaim what technology remains from before The Change. Many new warriors have been sent to aid in this reclamation as part of their Rites of Ascension, proving their worth to The Tribes and assuming their rightful position as full members of The Tribes.
Ascension
Keep an eye out for new warriors traveling along Highway 667. They travel from the town of Tocado along this route to complete their Rites of Ascension. Once these Rites are completed, the new warriors are considered full members of the Tribes and are free to pursue the perfection of their gifts and skills.
.......Borderton
Borderton is the armed camp and home of Drogan's Sentinels, defenders of the Mutants' sacred Temple Mountain.
+History
Following The Night of Fire, the Mutants, downtrodden from years of constant war and now with a ruined land, fractured into the four Tribes. One of the remaining survivors of The Voice’s Cadre, Shaman Jared retreated from the Mutant community completely. Accompanied by a select few Shamans, he disappeared into the west. Years later, rumors circulated that he had founded a secret temple to conduct his spiritual studies: Temple Mountain. Shaman Jared’s Chronicles spread throughout the Mutant people, generating a spiritual reawakening on a massive scale. Soon, many of the Changed began to make the pilgrimage to the Temple Mountain area. After Jared died, the four Tribes argued over who would take custodianship, but a decision was never made. Despite the many pilgrims, the site fell into disrepair.
Years later, an Avenger by the name of Xavier Drogan made the pilgrimage to Temple Mountain. He found the site beset upon by bandits, the monks forced to cater to their whims as simple servants or slaves. A righteous anger filled Xavier then and he lashed out, attacking the bandits without thought. Against such a fury, the bandits had no chance. When the battle was over Drogan swore upon the honor of his house that no one would ever again threaten Temple Mountain. Taking residence in the natural rock bowl within Sundered Mountain, Drogan set out to create an elite cadre of soldiers who would guard the monastery and the road leading to it.
Drogan’s camp has become known as the town of Borderton, but still it remains the armed and defended home of Drogan's Sentinels, who defend Temple Mountain to this very day. The Sentinels are an elite group of Avengers, dedicated to protecting the Temple Mountain site and those that make the long pilgrimage to it. Avengers and other Tribesfolk seeking to learn their combat secrets often come to Borderton looking to enter into service for the Sentinels, hoping to gain entry into the elite group. Other young warriors often congregate around the Borderton area, petitioning others for apprenticeships.
.......Auryn's Monument
This bloodsteel monument was erected to commemorate the sacrifice of Avenger Auryn, hero of the Biomek Invasion. Etched into the obelisk itself are what are reported to be the last words she spoke to her cadre before setting out for what whould prove to be the final battle against her hated enemies. It is said that Auryn herself slumbers beneath the monument, sleeping until the time when an enemy force dares to invade the Changed land. At that time, it is said, she will rise again to help expel the intruder.
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Auryn's Blessing
Literally thousands of the Children visit Auryn's Monument each and every year, rubbing their fingers across the plaques that contain her last words. Some have even reported feeling the spirit of Auryn manifest itself within them, granting them courage. This phenomenon has come to be known as Auryn's Blessing.
......Fetid Bayou
Highway 667 takes a turn for the worse as it heads north into the wastelands, crossing through a stinking swamp nicknamed, "The Fetid Bayou" where it intersects with Highway 100 heading east. The bayou is a dangerous place crawling with aggressive wildlife and the locals who have no wish to see The Tribes control this region.
+Summary (Developer's Sheet)
Just north of the town of Tocado, along highway 667 the land turns wet and marshy. Survivors of the holocaust, their homes and towns flooded by the destruction to the east, have taken to the hills and sand bars of the bayou, defending what little dry ground remains to their last breath. This is the fetid bayou, the shattered and flooded remains of west Texas and Oklahoma. It is the home of Paynes – traders in moonshine and other “down home” treats who will shoot anyone that “gets on thar land.”
This region is a combination of environments; swamp and mountain arid. The highway map is entirely swamp, a result of floods caused by the destruction of Louisiana and Arkansas to the east. Missions maps are high in the "mountains" (what used to be mesa tops rising out of the desert, before the flood), and as a result still bear the signature red rock, scars and marks of the region's previous arid ecosystem. The theme for the region is wetlands and it needs to carry a heavy “deliverance” or “southern comfort” feeling in every aspect.
Players entering the region for the 1st time find the factions of the area, the hill folk Paynes and the road running CB'ers, embroiled in a protracted fight for territory. The Paynes have lived here in the swamp since the apocalypse and consider it their land, but the CB'ers have claimed the roads and highways of the pre-apocalypse and so have built an armed camp around the intersection of highway 667, running north and south, and highway 100, running east and west. Both factions seek to hire players to further their cause in this turf war.
Of course, all of this conflicts with the player's primary goal in this region: To discover what happened to the Blood Farm the mutant tribes had set up in the region as a 1st step to building their own presence here in the swamps. Was the farm destroyed? If it was destroyed, was it the Paynes, or was it the CB'ers? Through the course of the tasks and instanced missions of the regions players will begin to discover that there's something larger at work here, something that could be a threat to the Tribes of The Changed. The Blood Farm is destroyed and its plants stolen, apparently by CB'ers who are shipping the plants out into the wasteland. Players won't be able to stop the theft but they will get an opportunity to deal with those responsible and learn that the CB'ers are working as mercenaries for a larger force, the Armies of Justice (though the player will not learn their name in this region) somewhere out in the wastelands.
+History
When the nukes fell and hundreds of small suns burned across the horizon, the realm of the fetid bayou was a dusty desert, dotted with sprawling suburbs and bedroom communities feeding the massive town east of here (the region now called "Grand Junction [mutant region 3], a sign of the resurging south's economic prosperity. Millions died in a flash of light that left their shadows burned forever into the concrete walls of the city. Most of those that didn't die to the bombs met their ends in other ways that night. Some were crushed as earthquakes brought the skyscrapers to the ground, others drowned as the dams and levies of the major rivers burst, flooding the plains and rushing to meet the sea. The sea itself rushed inland as the coast liquefied in the quakes and receded before the briny tide. For a while after the apocalypse this region lay fallow, nothing more than a stinking inland sea, but over time the waters subsided and life returned to the region.
It didn't take long for survivors of the apocalypse to make this place their home after that. The Paynes came first, survivors of the desolation to the east, and claimed the fetid bayou as their own. It reminded them of their home from before the apocalypse and they found living in the bog easier than their competitors. Unfortunately, as generations of Paynes were born to the bog, the waters continued to subside and soon the highway could be driven once again, and a drivable highway is all the CB'ers need to do business.
They came to the Fetid Bayou assuming it was lifeless, devoid of humanity. They quickly realized that the junction of highway 667 heading north and south and highway 100 heading east and west could be a huge boon to their plan to bring back shipping and transport to the world and set up an armed camp right at the crossroads. To the Paynes this was an act of war; the highway and everything else in the bayou was theirs and theirs alone as far as they were concerned.
The first blows of the war were quiet, dealt at night with flashing skinning knives - scores of CB'ers were killed in their sleep. From that point on the CB'ers began a campaign to eradicate the Payne presence in the fetid bayou. It's kind of sad, really, the Paynes make some of the best fuel in the world, the results of generations of moon-shining, and the CB'ers want for nothing... but cheap, reliable, motor fuel. If the two factions could be made to work together the resulting alliance could rival the Human presence in the world.
Of course, that's not such an impossible dream. Recently the Tribes have increased their presence in the region as part of a push to expand the territories of The Changed further into the wastelands. Neither the CB'ers nor the Paynes have an interest in seeing the region falling into Mutant control. Perhaps, in fact, the two factions together are responsible for the recent loss of contact with the Blood Farm established deep in the swamps.
+Geography
This region represents the northwestern-most tip of Mutant territory. North of here the land turns dry once again and eventually bleeds into the radioactive wastelands of the PVP regions. South of here the land turns mountainous around Tocado and the mines and ruins of that area. West of here the Temple Mountain range continues north into the desert. Highway 100 heads east into the northern ruins of Old Town, the region of Grand Junction.
The highway itself is at a low elevation so much of what's visible on the horizon is the ruins of Old Town to the east, the mountains to the west, and the aurora caused by the radiation in the north.
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Paynes
The Fetid Bayou is home to The Paynes, a cantankerous family of locals who have claimed the swamp as their own. They're not the cleanest of folk, and their family tree may be more stalk than branch, but they are a dangerous force to be underestimated only at a Warrior's peril. For those able to tolerate their ways, The Paynes can be lucrative trading partners; they produce a type of fuel from local materials which can be used in a number of industrial processes. It's also an incredibly effective fuel for flamethrowers and other incendiary devices.
CB'er
The CB'ers union has been both a boon and a bane to The Tribes. While these traders and cross-wasteland truckers always offer new opportunities for trade they are just as likely to set upon travelers like common bandits, demanding tolls to pass through their territory or simply just destroying a convoy to steal its equipment and trade goods.
The Battle for the Fetid Bayou
The CB'ers own the "town" of Crossroads. Built out of the ruins of the merger between Highway 667 running north and highway 100 east, this town is really not much more than a fortified supply depot. However, the CB'ers have been using Crossroads as a base in their campaign to remove the Paynes from the region and claim the Fetid Bayou as their own.
Slaughter
There is probably no other town left in the world more appropriately named than the ruins of Slaughter. Though it was once a bedroom community before the Night of Fire, this suburban ruin has since become positively infested by Scavs. It's said that no one who travels to Slaughter returns. Perhaps the Scavs really do slaughter travelers, or perhaps there's something else at work...
Chapel
Located in the hills along Sour Mash Creek, Chapel is the home to The Paynes. Though The Payne family is at war with the CB'ers they still do their best to maintain trade relationships with travelers through this region, who are their only real source of outside goods.
Route 14 East
An ancient roadway, Route 14, stretches west to east across the northern portion of the bayou. This dying road will one day be swallowed by the bayou, unless the CB'ers have a say. They have been actively maintaining the stretch of Route 14 that leads east out of the Bayou.
Wastelands
Highway 667 continues north into the wastelands and out of the territory of The Tribes. The wastelands are a harsh environment where very little can survive without aid. This blasted expanse serves a buffer between The Tribes and their enemies, the bellicose Biomek and the treacherous Humans. Warriors of The Tribes are forbidden from entering the wastelands until after they have been inducted into the Elite Cadre.
Convoys
The CB'ers fight to control this region began with the highway. The CB'ers use the highway and their base at Crossroads as part of a trade route between The Tribes' territory and the rest of the world. Convoys of their Carrier Wave rigs can be seen traveling route 14 eastbound from Crossroads.
.......Crossroads
Crossroads, the CB'er minitown, sits at the center of the highway map amid the ruins of the flying overpass that joins highway 100 to highway 667. From the town you can see very little of the world beyond the fetid bayou. The town itself is a mix of temporary shelters and converted ruins skirted by a newly constructed concrete wall and, outside the wall on the highway, the 'public' truckstop and repair station the CB'ers have set up.
.......Chapel
Along the northern edge of the Fetid bayou is the exit to Chapel, the ancestral home of The Paynes. Located on the banks of Sour Mash Creek, Chapel offers an incredible majestic view of the wasteland aurora to the north and the mountains to the west but to the east and south little is visible beyond the dense jungle swamp of the fetid bayou.
.......Sour Mash Creek
Sour Mash Creek, and the section of bayou this twisting brackish creek empties into, are northeast of the highway region, just east of Chapel. The ruins of Old town to the southeast are more visible on the horizon while the Temple Mountain Range to the west and southwest has grown slightly smaller on the horizon. To the north the wasteland aurora continues to glow. The creek itself winds northeast between a series of hills and empties onto a flood plain covered in a foot deep blanket of brackish brown water. Here along the creek is where the Payne's Secret Still is hidden amongst the mangrove. The Still is the source of the Payne's Bio-diesel and the lifeblood of their community. At night the green flames from the Still can be seen across the swamps as growing green clouds. The Creek is the territory of the Paynes and is heavily patrolled by Payne vehicles and infantry - No one who isn't one of the Paynes has a call to be here.
.......Slaughter Town
Along the western border of the swamp, nestled into the side of a hillock rising out of the water, is the 'town' of Slaughter. This is a sprawling suburban ruin that has been taken over by the Scavs. Visitors to the town are closely monitored and treated with suspicion but the town's "governor" is always looking for a steady hand with keen aim to 'keep the peace.' From the town of slaughter the Temple Mountain range is much closer in the western horizon and the wasteland aurora is huge in the northern sky. From Slaughter very little can be seen south or east past the swamps of the region.
.......Route 14e
Route 14 itself stretches east and west through the northern portion of the highway map. The Route 14e map is accessible through the eastern exit of this highway and continues east out of the swamp into dryer scrubland and urban ruin until it reaches the outskirts of the town of Stinnett, a CB'er stronghold, which are visible here at the edge of this mission map both in the map itself and, further on the horizon, in the skybox to the east.
.......Northern Front
Directly north of this region is the wasteland (Ground Zero, the PvP area of the game). This is accessible via an exit from this map (but only to players eligible for PvP access). All other players will be unable to pass the gates or the gate guards that guard it. However, if one follows route 14 west and then follows route 25 north into the mountains they will come to the 'northern front' exit. The northern front is really little more than a poorly maintained winding mountain highway that runs through canyons and passes in the mountains here. There's little of interest in the canyons but they represent the northern most edge of the mutant territories and many aspiring warriors are assigned to patrol this route to give them early exposure to the border skirmishes that dominate the lives of more experienced warriors. The northern sky positively burns with the glow of the wasteland aurora from this location while the rest of the sky is obscured by the Temple Mountain Range.
......Highway 100 E - Grand Junction
Highway 100 runs east through the ruins of an old city called Grand Junction. Grand Junction was once the largest city in this dusty and dry scrubland desert. The local bikers, 2-bit hoods calling themselves the Riders of the Apocalypse call the town 'The G-Jay.' They have a reputation for being hardened criminals, and for good reason. They've thrived even in the shadow of the Citadel, the capital of the Tribes of the Changed.
+Summary (Developer's Sheet)
The ruins of Austin, Texas, form the backdrop of 'Grand Junction' - the central territory of the Tribes of the Changed. The Tribes have a massive presence here, especially in the south where players will find The Citadel, the Tribes' Capital city. Here in the ruins of Grand Junction Biomek and Human raiders probe Mutant defenses, looking for an opportunity to slip past the patrols and wreak havoc inside Tribal borders.
When players arrive in this region they have no expectations. They have just resolved a major mystery and learned of an enigmatic bandit named 'Justice' who has stolen an embryonic garden from the Bloodfarm in the Fetid Bayou. Beyond this they know nothing, not even what to expect at the Citadel, a major mutant city they have not yet seen.
What they find is both amazing and horrifying. The people of the Citadel know nothing about Justice, instead they embroiled in their own internal struggle as several high-ranking officials are plotting secretly against Prime Archon Arian a Santos, the leader of the Tribes. The player will join this political struggle as an agent for Ariana Santos, secretly gathering information about her enemies and helping her in her personal quest to find another mutant with the gifts of The Voice. She has heard of such a mutant fighting in the wastelands and sends the player to find him in the Borderlands.
Through the course of this search the player will learn more of the Elite Cadre, the secret army within the ranks of the mutants that works against Justice and other threats to protect the culture of the Tribes. They will express to the player their concern about the political intrigue happening in the Citadel and will help the player to discover more of the motives of both the Prime Archon and her enemies.
Players will then discover that the 'new voice' that the Prime Archon is searching for is actually Justice, and that he's convinced Ariana Santos to defect to his cause, potentially leaving the government in turmoil. Only with the help of the Elite Cadre can players foil Justice's plans in an epic battle along the borderlands.
+Environment
This highway is the ruins of an old Texas desert town (Austin) along the Colorado River. The environment was also the sight of 9 different nuclear warhead impacts, two of which were 150+ megaton yield devices, each leaving a crater over two kilometers in diameter that are still lethally radioactive. Massive upheavals have torn up the landscape, sinking some areas and even opening a fissure on the east straight to the sea that is now an inland bay full of sea water. However, most of the ruins remain, though now old and decaying and overgrown with mutant contamination.
+History
In the time before the apocalypse, 'Grand Junction' was the city of Austin Texas, a sprawling metropolis bordering the Colorado River. In the time since now up to the apocalypse Austin grew heavily urbanized, and built out into the surrounding hills and plains. Its size and position relative to the Citadel made it an obvious target for the Human nuclear weapons when the Night of Fire came. Several hundred megatons of nuclear devices detonated on and above the surface of Austin, causing massive earthquakes, leaving portions of the ground radioactive but ultimately not destroying the mutant community in the Citadel that was the attack's target. Over the next few generations the mutants in the Citadel expanded their territories in the aftermath, finding that their changes made them not immune to the radiation, but highly resistant to it. Their plant life flourished in the new environment and the Tribes were able to gain a massive powerbase in the south, emerging as a legitimate nation with power to back its claims.
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The Warrens
Just northwest of the heavily patrolled territory of the Tribes of the Changes, is the entrance to the Scav 'settlement' called The Warren. The Warren is actually *below* the ruins of Grand Junction in a large chamber in its old sewer system. Why the Scavs settled there is a mystery, but it is said that anything can be bought in The Warren, if you're not afraid to deal in the dark.
The Citadel
The Citadel, the first settlement of the Tribes of the Change was built before the Night of Fire by The Voice and his followers. Now, more than 7 generations have lived and died within its walls, protected by the fine workmanship of its craftsmen and the unyielding courage of its Warriors. As the capital of the Tribes, The Citadel has never fallen to any foe, no matter their strength, no matter the circumstances.
The Territories of the Tribes
The Territories of the Tribes spread out from here, the heart of Tribe territory, west to Tocado, and east to the Heart of the World, the mysterious holy site that only members of the Elite Cadre and the Ruling Council of the Tribes are allowed to visit. All, told several thousand square miles of territory are recognized by INC and other neutral parties as belonging to the Tribes. The Humans and Biomeks dispute these claims and constantly raid Tribal territory to stake a claim of their own.
Human Raiders
Though they have not yet attempted a full invasion forces of the Human's army, the FLC, that call themselves 'the Red Brigade' constantly travel Tribal territory in armed squads. The Tribes regularly send patrols out to deal with this threat, but all Warriors are encouraged to lend their strength and weaponry to the cause.
Biomek Invaders
It has been many years since a full Biomek army has stood upon the fields outside the Citadel with the intent to make war. Never the less foolhardy Biomeks constantly travel into Tribal territory. Perhaps this done in some foolhardy attempt to prove their worth to their people, perhaps they simply wish to die fighting, as a solider should. Whatever the reason, The Warriors of the Tribes do not care; they stand ready to send any Biomek invader to the end of their Path.
Echo Canyon
Just on the edge of the Tribes' heavily patrolled territory is the settlement of Echo Canyon. The settlement was founded by extremists who believe that 'hiding in the Citadel' is a weakness tantamount to denying the Tribes rightful place as rulers of this Changed World. Unfortunately, the Warriors of The Citadel often find themselves honor-bound to defend these extremists from bandits and invaders. The site itself is a sacred site for its connection to The Voice - who was assassinated there by Biomek Agents before the Night of Fire.
Wastelands
North of the Citadel is a highway that stretches into the wasteland deserts that mark the no-mans-land between the Biomeks, Humans, and the Tribes of the Changed. The desert is a dangerous place where no there is no law. Warriors on their own will quickly find themselves on an INC transport home if they are not properly prepared.
The Depths
The ruins of Grand Junction's old sewer system sprawl beneath the city. The Scavs and the Riders of the Apocalypse call them 'The Depths' and claim that some horrible beast lives inside. If you can find an entrance you should be careful. They're probably just rumors, but many brave Warriors have delved into The Depths and never returned.
.......Echo Canyon
The initial location where the Voice brought together the Changed for the Great Meeting, Echo Canyon stands in effigy to his subsequent assassination. Home to the Silent Ones, a splinter faction of Archons who have dedicated their lives to its preservation, the turmoil that surrounded that day has lingered through the years. Recognized almost immediately for its social and religious implications, generations of both the Biomek Order and the Hestia Company have hurled themselves at its walls in attempts to wrest control away from their Mutant enemies.
+Summary (Developer's Sheet)
In close proximity to the Citadel, Echo Canyon stands as one of the most important locations to the faith that is the undercurrent of the Tribes of the Changed. The place where the Voice was silenced forever, it is a natural amphitheater that has stood as a place of both religious and mystical significance for generations. The Silent Ones, a group of Archons dedicated to preserving the sanctity of the site, have occupied it ever since and willing give their lives to assure that none but mutants ever step foot on its hollowed ground.
+History
Echo Canyon is the original location where the Voice called together the Changed for the Great Meeting when he intended to show them the way towards peace between the Mutants and Humans. But, a shot from an unidentified assassin silenced the Voice and turned the occasion into one that would forever live in infamy. For many, the idea of peace would forever follow the Voice into shadow, but for some, for the faithful, Echo Canyon still stands as one of the true starting points for the Path that is the Way.
Like all occupied strongholds in the Mutant Territories, Echo Canyon is heavily fortified. Turrets have been psionically grafted onto the standing stones that ring the ampitheater itself. Temporary encampments, that are only temporary due to the fact that it never seemed all that important to build permanent ones, dot the inner courtyard. The place is home to The Silent Ones, a group of Archons dedicated to the task of preserving what they feel is a shrine to all that the Way was meant to be.
It is said that one can still here the final words of the Voice echoing through the endless caverns that are rumored to stretch for miles beneath Echo Canyon. It is also said that the bloodstains that he left when he was assassinated still feed the most powerful embryonic garden that the world has ever known; thus the reason that so many Archons have willingly given their lives to defend it.
Perhaps a more important reason behind the occupation lies in the writings of Jezebel, the rumored Mad Archon of Echo Canyon. It is said that when the Voice was silenced, Jezebel lost her mind, disappearing into the caves that run deep beneath the canyon. Upon emerging what was rumored to be over twenty years later, Jezebel returned to the surface completely blind and driven mad by the isolation. What she did have, though, was a scattered handful of predictions scrawled onto scraps and leaves from subterranean flora. One of them stated that when the garden in Echo Canyon grew silent, the Voice would return to those that are faithful to the One Way; a heady prediction, but a binding one nonetheless that is at the core of the belief of the Silent Ones. For almost all of the Silent Ones, the hope beyond hope is that, in their lifetimes they would see the emergence of such a leader, and be there for him when he returned to show them the Way.
Echo Canyon itself is constantly under attack from a barrage of forces. Both Biomek and Humans descend upon it, looking to uproot the Silent Ones so that they can study the secrets of what they feel is the origination of the current iteration of the Mutant faith. The hope is that once they understand the Mutant beliefs, they would understand how to use those beliefs against them. It has never transpired, however. A day has not passed that the Silent Ones have not manned its walls for the good of all Mutant-kind.
No matter the cost, no matter the odds, the Silent Ones have always occupied Echo Canyon, and as far as they are concerned, always will.
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The Day the Voice was Silenced
With the entirety of the Changed gathered before him, the Voice took to the main overhanging platform of Echo Canyon to address his people about the broken peace between the Humans and his people. The future he envisioned was one of unity, of equality between the races, of tolerance and the unalienable right to life for all creatures. Sadly, his vision of peace was not to be. Part way through his opening speech, a shot range out from one of the high bluffs near the back of the canyon. The idea of peace died with him that day, as faded as the bloodstains that still mar the natural red stone bridge that makes up the main platform.
The Silent Ones
The origination of the Silent Ones dates back to the day of the Great Meeting. According to legend, when the Voice was struck down, some of the Archon order refused to leave his side. As his life ebbed from him, so too did their desire to return to the world that they once knew. When the rest of the Changed pulled behind the walls of the Citadel for protection, the Silent Ones refused, saying that as long as the Voice remained in Echo Canyon, they would as well. They have been there ever since.
A Stir of Echoes
Besides the strategic advantages associated with Echo Canyon, rumors abound that the main reason for the Silent Ones' unwavering dedication to its preservation rests securely in the supernatural. From the embryonic garden that allegedly sprung from the Voice's spilled blood, to his final words that still reverberate through the deep subterranean caverns, to the bloodstained visage that appears on the main platform whenever one of the Archons is destined to die; no matter the source, it would appear that there is certainly more to Echo Canyon than at first meets the proverbial eye.
The Mad Archon
As legend has it, on the day that the Voice was killed, his trusted servant Archon Jezebel was overcome with grief. Disappearing into the caverns beneath Echo Canyon, she emerged a full twenty years later, blind and evidently driven mad from isolation. In her possession was a collection of rabid scrawlings; predictions written with her own blood on the leaves of indigenous subterranean plants. Many of them outlined the coming of the Echo, interpreted by many as the second coming of the Voice. These writings, which have come to be known as the Prophecies of the Mad Archon, are rumored to be preserved in their entirety by the Silent Ones.
.......The Citadel
Built over a century ago, the Citadel was the brainchild of the Voice and Jared, the first Shaman. They collaborated for months on the city plan and in the end their creation could only be made with the combined effort of all the Changed alive at the time.
+Summary (Developer's Sheet)
As the capital of the Tribes of the Changed, the Citadel is the most important settlement there is in the Tribal territories. From this large heavily defensible town the course of the future is dictated by Prime Archon Ariana Santos and the rest of the ruling council. However, they do not hold absolute power and many who live in this town work to forward their own agendas and plots, making the Citadel a nest of political intrigue and secret organizations. Yet, despite this the Citadel is still the crown jewel of the Tribes - a place that is as much work of art as it is impregnable fortress; a fortress that has never fallen to the enemy in over a century of constant warfare.
+History
The Citadel was built in the early years of the conflict between Humanity and the Changed. The Voice led his people south out from under the shadow of the oppressive government. When he arrived at the city we now know as Grand Junction, the locals welcomed him and set aside a place where the Voice and his people could settle for good.
The land was not great, nestled as it was against a wall of stone, but the Changed made the best of it. Using their skills, they shaped the very stone, building a bowl of stone upon which they would build their home. Over the course of the next few years the Citadel began to take shape. It was to be a grand place, an example of what the Changed could do when freed from the needs of violence, but even then the Voice new that the war would find them once again. He built the city utilizing strategies gleaned form history.
A single path would lead from the entrance of the city to the temple at the other end, a path that had to travel through several defended zones in a round-about route, like the castles of Japanese warlords. Outside the main town a second set of perimeter walls created a cleared killing zone an enemy would have to travel through before they could assault the town. He spared no effort, and his people willingly threw themselves at the work to get it done as quickly as possible. Everyone knew it was only a matter of time before the Biomechanized soldiers would come for them.
When they finally did come the fighting was fierce and lasted many days. The Voice himself died in that first battle but the Citadel, his greatest creation, stood exactly as planned. The Biomeks, in their myriad evolutions over the years, have never been able to breech its walls. Even the nuclear attack on the Night of Fire did not affect the Citadel. Some say it can withstand anything, the rest just hope it never has to.
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City of Art, or Impregnable Fortress?
The reason the Citadel took so much effort to construct has a lot to do with the goals of its designers. Meant to be an expression of the creativity and beauty of the Changed, the Citadel also had to be capable of withstanding the attacks of a brutally oppressive government with access to vastly superior weaponry. In the end, Jared and the Voice were forced to use the land itself, shaping it with the combined gifts of the Changed behind them to forge the defenses of the town.
The Ruling Council
The Citadel and all the Territories of the Tribes are governed by the Ruling Council. The Ruling Council is comprised of 4 members: The Prime Archon, Shaman, Avenger, and Commando of the current day. Each tribe follows a different tradition in choosing their Prime, but together the Primes of the four Tribes decide all the major matters for the Tribes of the Changed.
Prime Archon Santos
The current Prime Archon of the Spirit Tribe is Ariana Santos. Prime Archon Santos is known a reformer who seeks to revitalize the Tribes through trade and interaction with the other denizens of the Changed Land, such as the Zendigs. Many of the more conservative elements in the Citadel think her policies put the Tribes at risk needlessly.
.......The Warren
Exactly when the Scavs of the area moved into the giant underground cistern we now call 'The Warren' is a mystery, for the histories of The Tribes make no mention of the event. However, for as long as anyone can remember, the Scavs of the Warren have been an organized threat in the ruins of Grand Junction. Normally they would tolerate no outsiders in their home, but exceptions are sometimes made for those Warriors who have proven themselves worthwhile allies.
+Summary (Developer's Sheet)
The Warren is the only independent town in region 3. This Scav Town is not unlocked for mutant players until after they take missions that introduce them to the Scav Warlord Diego's efforts to destroy the Riders of the Apocalypse (Diego used to be a member, but they kicked him out so he swore revenge). Once unlocked for mutant, players gain access to The Depths instance map from here.
+History
Before the apocalypse, the cistern that came to be known as the Warren was barely ever used. It had been built as a place to store water free from the temperatures and lack of humidity of the surface, but the drought that afflicted Austin never lifted and they never had enough spare water to store here. IT seemed like the place would decay into the forgotten annals of history, but the Night of Fire changed all that. When the city officials got word that the nukes were inbound, they urged citizens to evacuate or seek shelter underground.
Most of the city's population died that night, but a small group survived, living in the forgotten cistern for years, unnoticed and unthreatened. They hunted the sewers for food, took small trips to the surface to scavenge supplies and technology and set out to turn this hole in the ground into a full blown town. The effort never succeeded, but even now, over a century later, a small band of Scavs is still trying to make it work, but the lack of resources forces them to the surface to scavenge supplies more often then not.
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The Depths
The Warren is connected to a series of Old World storm drains that the Scavs call 'The Depths.' They claim a horrifying monster lives in The Depths, though no one has ever emerged from the tunnels alive to bring back proof. Some would say that's proof enough.
Warlords
Scavs are easily cowed and often fall prey to petty warlords that take control of organized Scav settlements using force of arms and shear brutality. The Warren is currently ruled by a mysterious warlord calling himself, 'Diego.' No one knows where this Scav came from, but since taking over the Warren he driven the Scavs to frenzy against the local cycle gang, The Riders of the Apocalypse.
The 'Merc'
Younger Warriors often try to gain access to the Warren in order to meet the 'Merc.' No one knows this grizzled warrior's true name, or even which settlement of the Tribes he hailed from, but his skills in a vehicle are unparalleled. As of yet, he has not taken an apprentice or passed on his skills in any way, but many still seek him out, hoping that they will be worthy of such tutelage.
.......The Depths
Built in a period of prosperity before the Old World fell, The Depths are probably one of the last surviving sewer systems of the Old World. The tunnels here stretch on for miles, though only a small portion is still clear enough to travel. Rumor has it the tunnels are inhabited by horrible creatures, but no one has ever returned to prove, or disprove, the rumors.
+History
When the Tribes of the Change built the citadel here on the southern border of what was Austin, they turned the city into a target. Texas was almost totally independent at the time, practically openly rebelling against government policies concerning the "mutant problem." Many of Texas' citizens were "afflicted" with the strange mutations, including many members of the State Assembly, the Texas Rangers, and the Governor herself. It made it a very likely home for the mutants, and indeed when their community was first created many of Austin's citizens rejoiced and welcomed them with open arms.
That all changed in the few short years leading up the Night of Fire. The national government began to view Texas as a "rogue state" and moved in troops to put down the "mutant rebellion" - this is recorded in Tribal history as the first Biomek invasion. The Battle raged across Austin, turning the once great city in a war zone. Soon the Biomeks were camped outside the Citadel Gates and the first Battle of The Citadel began. Over the following years the Biomek army would again and again try to destroy the Citadel. Finally they settled on raids, killing Texans and mutants alike. In protest of the slaughter of their citizens, he State of Texas seceded from the Union and became the Republic of Texas once again. Less than a year later, the Night of Fire began and 9 separate nuclear detonations shook Austin. Amazingly none of them did sufficient damage to destroy the citadel, its inhabitants, or the remarkably solid sewer system built beneath the city.
The mutants seemed resistant to the radiation, and their plant and animal life even thrived in its presence. So much so, that the small insects and other creatures that made the sewers their homes began to thrive, mutating and growing until they became horrible monsters. The few human survivors of the Night of Fire were driven out of the town into surrounding suburbs - those that became the EILM - or underground into the sewers - those that became the Scavs of The Warren - to escape the radiation. Over the years most of the radiation subsided and people slowly moved back into the ruins to build a new life, but the creatures of the sewers never left...
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The Depths
Built in a period of prosperity before the Old World fell, The Depths are probably one of the last surviving sewer systems of the Old World. The tunnels here stretch on for miles, though only a small portion is still clear enough to travel. Rumor has it the tunnels are inhabited by horrible creatures, but no one has ever returned to prove, or disprove, the rumors.
.......The Borderlands
Though the territory specifically claimed by the Tribes, the Territories of the Tribes, does not actually include the Borderlands, the Tribes have attacked any who try to claim the area for themselves. The Tribes have good reason to want to keep this misbegotten desert devoid of life; if the Human or Biomek forces established a true foothold, they could open an invasion corridor that lead straight to the Citadel.
+Summary (Developer's Sheet)
This map represents a no mans land between the wasteland proper, to the north, and Grand Junction, the home territory of the Mutants. Biomeks have been trying to take this territory for years, but they were beaten back again and again by the mutants, until recently. With the humans out and about once again the mutants have had to divide their forces, which allowed the Biomeks to establish a foothold that they are using to built a permanent base in the region. If they can do this they could secure an invasion route straight from Root to the Citadel.
Missions in this region focus primarily on the conflict between the player factions. Players are given missions to either defend mutant bases or attack Human and Biomek ones. The idea is to make this map something like a primer for the wasteland, and to get players hyped to fight the rival factions.
+History
Nothing is known of this land prior to the Night of Fire. It may have been a suburban community feeding Austin to the south, or it could have been farmland as far as the eye can see. The nuclear detonations and the alien contamination left so little standing we may never know. What little did survive has since been buried beneath the dunes blown in from the north in massive dust storms. Only one true fact is known, the chasm that forms the northern border of this area was formed by the seismic upheaval of the Night of Fire. For many years the Mutants used that chasm as a sort of moat, separating them from most of the chaos to the north and protecting them from their enemies, the Biomeks. However, over the years the Biomeks persistently assaulted the region, finally building and defending a permanent bridge across the chasm a few years ago. Since then they have used this route to send in raids into Tribal territory.
The Avengers of the Citadel built a listening post in the region, to allow them monitor any Biomek activity. Using the intel they gathered the Citadel Militia was able to fend off major attacks for years, but recently the Biomeks have become more persistent, and now the listening post itself may be in danger.
+Loading Screen Text
The Borderlands
Though the territory specifically claimed by the Tribes, the Territories of the Tribes, does not actually include the Borderlands, the Tribes have attacked any who try to claim the area for themselves. The Tribes have good reason to want to keep this misbegotten desert devoid of life; if the Human or Biomek forces established a true foothold, they could open an invasion corridor that lead straight to the Citadel.
.......Waylan's Cave Saloon & Bar
No one remembers exactly when the bar now called Waylan's Cave was built, or even who ran the place first, but it has been under the ownership of the Avenger, Waylan, for years. The cantankerous old Avenger took the bar over when he retired after a full career of fighting in the wastelands. Now, Waylan's Cave has become a neutral territory for those fighting on the borders. Everyone is welcome at Waylan's; just check your weapons at the door.
+Summary (Developer's Sheet)
Waylan's Cave is a wasteland bar. An all-factions-allowed dive bar nestled into the mountains at the southeastern edge of the Borderlands, the no-mans-land between the mutant territories and the wasteland itself. Though the bar technically allows all-factions, it is usually only populated by bandits and the Riders of the Apocalypse, who have adopted the bar as their hang out of choice.
+History
No one knows for sure, but the bar itself was probably here long before the alien ships crashed or the nukes fell. How it survived the apocalypse is a mystery, but Waylan constantly complains about the amount of work the place needed to, "Make it livable."
In truth, Waylan wasn't even the first proprietor. He inherited the bar from an old punk scav named "Shot glass" who was the first person to restore the place after the Night of Fire. He ran the place for 30 years before convincing Waylan to buy the place outright. Of course, Waylan had no idea what he was getting into at the time and it took him literally years to restore the place to its current "glory." (This is to say the place won't fall down when you lean on a wall anymore.)
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The Riders of the Apocalypse
Waylan's is a favorite hangout of the Riders of the Apocalypse, a local motorcycle gang that moved into the Grand Junction region a few years ago. Though the Riders tend to stay out of the Borderlands, they make the trip out to Waylan's any time they have a significant victory to celebrate. They're a rowdy bunch and have been known to start the occasional brawl when the drinking gets out of hand.
Neutral Ground
Waylan's Cave is neutral ground. Waylan will not tolerate any display of politics or anything other than good natured ribbing from opposing warriors. Biomeks, Humans, The Changed, even sundry bandits like the Riders of the Apocalypse, are all welcome at Waylan's equally. Now, Waylan understands the need to let off some steam, so you might still see a brawl or two, but serious conflict will get you forcibly ejected from the joint.
The Organization for Combat Driving
The Arena circuit is maintained by the Organization for Combat Driving, the OCD. The exact location of each of the OCD arenas is a secret, but they are rumored to have several such installations hidden throughout the wasteland to the north of here. There may be some fact to these rumors, many of Waylan's regulars tell stories of seeing OCD convoys moving through the Borderlands.
.......Plato Station
Rumors of a cache of Old World technology hidden in the hills near the Citadel have been circulating for years, but recent sightings of the Army of Justice in the area have lead many to suspect that the rumors may be true. Hidden in the tunnels deep beneath the hills could be a treasure trove of technological wonders from the Old World.
+Summary (Developer's Sheet)
This map is the carefully preserved ruins of an AI computer station built in the decades just before the Night of Fire. Missions on this map include a mission to restore the station to its former glory, only to have to bring it down again to prevent it falling into the hands of Justice's army as well as several missions after that to prevent the technology from falling into Human or Biomek hands.
+History
In the years before the Night of Fire, the human government was aggressively pursuing technological advancement as a way to fight back the alien transformation of the planet. Part of this plan involved the creation of several true Artificial Intelligences. The technology of the time was limited, and each AI was supported by a massive station with redundant power and supplies, capable of surviving for years without external support. The idea was that they could put these purpose built minds to the task of finding a cure for mutation, or a way to expel the aliens. Unfortunately, many of the AI's went mad and had to be shut down.
The few that didn't were only used in extreme circumstance, such as the AI responsible for TemperNet, or its sister AI, the intelligence behind INC. Plato station is one such AI. Plato's job was to find "outside the box" solutions to the alien problem. Solutions that, in a worst case scenario, could be put into place after humanity fell in an effort to restore the earth and bring humanity back from the brink. At first Plato aggressively researched cryogenics and tried to find ways to preserve a small group of experts who could repopulate and restore the species after its destruction, but it didn't work. The cryogenics destroyed the frozen humans and the experiment almost drove Plato mad. Ultimately Plato turned to particle physics and the "time travel" loophole. It figured that if people could be sent back in time they could warn the government about the impending death of humanity, giving the government enough time to work out a more mundane solution on their own. Unfortunately Plato's experiments met with only limited success.
At first, the AI could only sends things back a few minutes and at a great expense of power. Eventually Plato worked out how to send things back further in time, but something about the universe itself would fling the test objects back into the future only a few minutes later. The telemetry these test objects brought back with them indicated that they spent only a few minutes, no more, in the past and that they did not appear that time and place Plato designated. In other words, the process was totally uncontrolled. Plato could send something back, but it could not choose where, or when, and the object or person would return to their own time and place within 5 or 10 minutes no matter what the AI tried. The project continued until the Night of Fire.
When the nukes fell the facility went into lock down mode, trapping everyone inside to live out the rest of their life on the supplies stocked in the station. Plato itself shut down mysteriously a few weeks after the nukes fell, at the command of the INC AI. The station personnel decided to leave him shut down, in the hopes that they could keep the power running and extend their own lives longer without the power draw of the AI's massive processor core. Ultimately they all died of starvation, trapped in a hole in the ground that no one alive remembered. For centuries the facility remained undetected, slowly rotting away into posterity, but now unknown bandits have been spotted in the area, and rumors abound that they are looking for a lost cache of Old World technology...
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Plato Station
Rumors of a cache of Old World technology hidden in the hills near the Citadel have been circulating for years, but recent sightings of the Army of Justice in the area have lead many to suspect that the rumors may be true. Hidden in the tunnels deep beneath the hills could be a treasure trove of technological wonders from the Old World.
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