DT Moderators (![[info]](http://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} devils_towermod) wrote,@ 2007-12-20 19:59:00 |
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| Entry tags: | carrion, mountain lions, river runners, tribes, twin feathers, wolves |
The Wolves were one of the last tribes to form after the virus. Their leader, Brent Richardson (Wolf Skyhorse) escaped from a quarantine camp in his home town of Cheyenne along with his sister and a few other survivors. They made their way north because the rumor around the camp was that the virus had not reached Canada and they were taking in refugees. The journey was long and difficult without a car and chaos everywhere they turned. One of the people who escaped from the camp with them was killed before they managed to reach Sundance.
The first place that they came across when they reached the outskirts of Sundance was farm known as Watershead Hollow. Bobby Caldwell and a few other survivors were holed up on the farm. They discovered that the rumours about Canada were false and that the entire world had been struck by the fatal blow of the virus. Bobby took Brent and the people with him in on the condition that Brent would go into the city to find antibiotics for one of Bobby’s friends that was deathly ill.
Brent accepted and went into the city and find the medicine. He found the medicine but he also found something else. A group of people that called themselves the Mountain Lions was trying to take over the city from a group they called the Shamblers (the Carrion). To say the least Wolf was not impressed by the plans that the power-hungry Mountain Lions had for the city and he barely escaped with the precious medicine.
Upon his return to the farm he shared what he had seen and heard with the others. After a lot of talking they agreed that something had to be done about the Mountain Lions, the city and its resources were just too valuable. A little over a week later Wolf and a group of ten people or so ventured into the city and made their home in the Sundance Kid apartments. However, they weren’t able to do this without a fight. Luckily they took the unprepared Mountain Lions by surprise. The Wolves’ niche was secured. Eventually the Wolves nestled themselves throughout the centre of the city and even into the part of the south side, taking part of the Carrion’s territory. They elected Brent (Wolf) as their leader and that was when he changed his name to Wolf Skyhorse.
Not only did Wolf gain control of the city centre, but the Watershed Hollow farm. Bobby Caldwell promised completely allegiance to the Wolves for protection and the promise of a more secure future. While Bobby runs the farm and oversees almost every aspect of it no major decision is made without Wolf’s opinion on the matter. They work together, controlling the areas largest food supply, and keeping the every power hungry Mountain Lions at bay.
The Wolves have established themselves more or less as peace keepers. They’re a strong enemy against the Mountain Lions and their victory over the central part of the city has won them a lot of respect from the other tribes. Yet, it’s only a matter of time before the fragile dam of peace between the Mountain Lions and The Wolves collapses.
(For more detailed information concerning the creation of The Wolves and their takeover of the city see Wolf’s profile at
wolf_leader)
The Watershed Hollow farm was owned for three generations by the Caldwell family. They grew all sorts of things on their farm and made a decent enough profit to live comfortably and still keep the farm running. When the Vance Copper Mine opened the Caldwells took advantage of the economic boom and opened a little tourism business of their own. On top of still running the farm as usual they started a sightseeing business on their farm. A herd of mustangs passed through their land quite often and they started charging to drive groups of tourists around their property to see the horses. The Caldwells were a small family consisting of Jim and Maryann Caldwell and their two sons Richard and Bobby. Richard, Jim and Maryann all died in the last wave of the virus leaving their 16 year old son Bobby alone on the farm. In the first few months a lot of the farm was looted and Bobby used the majority of his ammunition to ward off thieves.
It all started when Wolf agreed to go into the city to retrieve antibiotics for a sick friend of Bobby‘s. Wolf ventured into the city and narrowly escaped with the medicine, the Mountain Lions having taken over most of the city. Upon Wolf’s return they all agreed that something needed to be done about the city, the Mountain Lions couldn’t possibly have it all.
With the help of Bobby and his friends, Wolf went into the city and after a brief fight with few casualties, established themselves as a tribe and leaders of the city centre. Bobby made a deal with Wolf. If he ran the tribe, played the political face and helped around the farm then he would pledge his farm‘s allegiance to the Wolves.
The Watershed Hollow farm is one of the most valuable ones near Sundance. They produce the majority of the areas food. They are always looking for a hand in the physical labor that the farm demands.
As with many societies in the world around us the Mountain Lions were bred out of wealth and power. The leader of the mountain lions is _________________ and he has led them for the last two years with the help of his best friend Ace of Spades. His family owned the local power plant and had a share of the copper mines and Ace's parents not only owned more than half of the Vance mines but they were also of old money, so when the virus took hold of the world they were left with the power to run the city's electricity. When they first took control of the power grid, certainty of electricity was questionable at best, but so were their morals. Both had been overindulge young men who had never had to be responsible, but they were cocky and told everyone that they were making their control over the power grid known. Now the power is more stable than it was due to the boys actually training some of their group to handle the lines and whatnot, although it is never to be trusted. With their control of the power grind they have risen up, but they are not well liked. The Lions are known for being brutes who use what they have to gain more, rather than working for it, or actually making friends. There is no doubt when a Lion is friendly that they want something; they make not ask for it right away, but they will and that is something to be sure of in an unsure world.
Overall they are likely the most hated and feared of all the tribes. There is no stronger hate though than that between the Lions and the Wolves. Because of the location of the power grid, the Lions have always had to maintain their hold of the Eastern Side of the city, but since the Wolves took the centre from them, they have always been pushing back toward the centre. Unlike most of the other tribes, the Wolves and the Lions have an open hatred for each other and that fact has never been doubted.
Due to their control over the power in Sundance and surrounding area, the upper echelon of the Lions have continued to live a more comfortable life than most, having other do work that keeps them happy. They are likely one of the most intricate groups in the way they function, but no one really wants to leave the Lions as even being on the bottom end of the scale is easier than anything in other groups.
The Twin Feathers control the forested territory to the Northwest of Sundance, right up into the Mountains. Most of their territory is open wilderness, but near the base of the mountains is where most of the group lives. They live in tree houses to protect themselves from some of the local wildlife and they have a chicken cope in the canopy as well where they raise chicken, whom for the most part are only used for their eggs. They grow all of their fruits and vegetables on the southern part of their territory where the ground is most fertile. Thus for the most part they are vegetarians not because they don't like meat, it is just harder for them to raise as they don't really have the area best to do so and they like being as self-sufficient as possible.
Although they do get some power from the Mountain Lions they are an ecologically friendly group who's main goal was to set up a recycling program, so that they could sustain a type of life over a long period of time without depending on others. They produce enough food for themselves, though they do supplement it with that from the Wolves. There main export is wood of course and they are the only real tribe who has mastered building, so they are contracted out by other tribes. Thus this is how they are able to barter with others.
Overall the Twin Feathers are likely the least threatening of all of the groups around Sundance and they are also likely the least who have to worry about others trying to take their territory. There way of life is developed and works, but it has to stay the way it is for it to work and the other tribes around Sundance know exactly how much work the Feathers do everyday, and not many feel the need to take over such chores for what they feel is little return. The Feathers themselves love the fact that what they put in keeps them alive. Nothing is as rewarding to a Feather.
Probably one of the oldest tribes in the area, the origins of the Carrion are virtually unknown to most of the other tribes. Before the Wolves they were the first enemies of the Mountain Lions who immediately tried to seize control of the entire city. A drifter claimed that the group of perceived lunatics called themselves the Carrion, and certainly most would agree that the name suits them. However, the slang name among the tribes for the mysterious sewer dwellers is Shamblers.
By the time the Wolves arrived on the scene the Mountain Lions had pushed the Carrion to the southern edge of the city and more or less into the sewers. The Carrion, as they began to be called in part thanks to their scavenging what could be found from the very scarce and rundown section of the south side of the city, eventually found their way into the sewer tunnels to avoid the other groups in the city. Explorations and mapping of the tunnels that several buildings were found to have large sewer accesses. The South Side Hospital being one of them.
There are all sorts of strange stories that float among local drifters and tribes concerning the hospital and the Carrion that inhabit it. Stories of strange sounds in the night, cannibalism and pale colored lights that hover over the west side of the city are common whispers among the tribes.
The Carrion survive by being undetected. They travel using the sewer tunnels and accesses. All the tribes think the Carrion are nothing more than crazed Shamblers that wander around consumed by madness. The truth about the Carrion remains a mystery to be solved.
Not many of the tribes would even pretend to not know where the River Runners came from. Nor would they themselves even pretend to be anything else. They are the children on transient mine worker who just happened to have been in Sundance when the virus struck. Unlike most they never really knew a home as they were moved around throughout their lives, following the money of seasonal work. Most of the tribe didn't ever spend two semesters in the same schools, never mind a year or two. Due to this fact though the River Runners are likely the only group that look at what they have now and are actually incredibly happy. As none of them had a 'family home' or even a 'home town', the fact that they now own their own house boat as well as a few other boats, as it the case with most, is beyond their wildest dreams. No one in their right mind would ever put down the homes of this gypsy like tribe, unless they knew exactly what they were doing; although they don't go looking for a fight they tend to be found in them more often than not, which is likely why they get along with the Mountain Lions. That friendship in itself is quite amusing considering neither social class would have even acknowledged the other before the virus, but now they have found themselves to be quite similar on their views of how the world around them should operate.
Unlike most tribes, however, the River Runners are almost completely reliant on the bartering system in order to secure food for themselves. Yes, they fish and purify their own water, but they grow absolutely nothing, because for the most part they have no actual territory. The only land that belongs to the tribe is the winter camp, which they could likely harvest, but honestly it's just not what they want to do so instead they trade their services as well as their moonshine for their food. Their services generally include common repairs, basic needlework, and of course ferrying people around the territories as they are the only tribe with trustworthy vessels. Each member of the River Runners usually has a house boat and one or two smaller boats for day to day use. Although most of the house boats are old, they have been gutted of most of their furniture and now are equipped with light weight furniture and a fire pit on the main deck of each ship. As fossil fuels are basically none existent, they use paddle or long poles to propel themselves to where they are heading. They continuously stock the barn during the year so that for the winter months while the river is frozen and their boat must be docked, they can live in the warmth of the beaten up farmhouse. Most might wonder about the security of such a load of food, but the fact is that the farm lies just outside of the Lions' Territory and they look after it as if it were their own, as they do have many uses for the River Runners.
Overall the members of the tribe are happy and outgoing, but if you are daft enough to trust them beyond where you could throw them you deserve what's coming to you. They always take the easiest roots in order to obtain what it is that they want and although they never do anything that is too horrible, they are not beyond taking advantage of a situation in order to obtain what they want. However, if food goes missing one would never point a finger at the River Runners as they have never and likely will never cross that path. Now if the swindle you into giving them more food for less, well that's just a whole other can of worms. The don't just swindle objects though, but carnal pleasures as well. It is rare for any River Runner to have just one lover, thought they may let you think that you are their one and only. The only non-promiscuous members of the group are those that found love within their own ranks, as adjusting to life on land is too much for most loves to withstand, though a few have made the transition.
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