Saturday, August 22, 2015

New Baja

Old Port Baja was founded in TN 740. It was one of the three largest cities in the Badlands until the second wave of the War of the Alliance when it was destroyed in the now famous Battle of Baja.

Nearly half the population was killed or displaced by the war. Little remains of the once lauded “Jewel of the Badlands”. The survivors of the battle eked out a pitiful existence after the war, beset by rovers and easy prey for anyone to abuse.

In 1917, Kiera deValmont discovered a large cave system below the ruined port city and in an effort to provide shelter for the Baja refugees, a settlement was established underground. With the aid of southern money channeled through the newly established Baja Development Corporation, a community was quickly erected and dubbed New Baja.

In a still controversial decision, Mayor Lloyd Dunn signed the Savannah Regional Defense Pact on 41.SU.18, making New Baja and A.S.T border protectorate.

New Baja is spread out over three large caves and a dozen smaller ones. These are the geological products of the MacAllen network. The first cave was discovered through the entrance of the Centco mine. It remains the main entrance for New Baja.

The Centco gate is a building sized elevator which acts as a customs and immigrations building as well as a terminal for arrivals from the Gamma maglev. Because New Bajan live in such a closed community, ensuring adequate hygiene is essential. COnsequently, there is a standard 1 hour medical quarantine which accompanies the bureaucracy for entering the city. The city officially has one other egress, an old Redjacket hive which was laboriously cleared and enlarged. This is now known as the Red gate and is the main entrance for caravans.

The main concentration of New Baja’s growing population is in Grotte deValmont, the largest cave. 300,000 souls congregate around a central lake of fresh MacAllen water. In addition to the pre-war mining industry which has been revived and polar trade which passes through the Gamma maglev station, New Baja also utilises the smaller caves for fungi farms and fisheries.

Already traumatised by the war and internally divided by the decision to become and AST protectorate, the second cave in the system, named the North cave for its position in relation to grotte deValmont, has become a segregated community of New Bajans who prefer to keep to themselves. Although nearly 80,000 strong, this close-knit community best represent the typical Badlander independance and will to survive. Essentially comprised of the original inhabitants of Port Baja, they have build a floating city in the north cave. As it can only be reached by submarine traveling 30 minutes through the MacAllen network, this enclave of New Baja has been dubbed “Downtown” by New Bajan.

New Baja has invested heavily into underwater research and exploration. A third large cave is not publicly known, even most New Bajan ignore its existence. Baj cave is where this Badlands community is developing its underwater expertise.






Heavy Gear Roleplaying Game

1 comments :

Heavy Josh said...

The controversy extended well beyond Lloyd Dunn.

Bravo on the maps and write-up.


 
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