This is keyed to the Colorado entry in the Morrow Project Travel Guide.
Located in the now fertile post war San Luis Valley, a unique arrangement between two symbiotic groups has been working for 120+ years. The Anglo-Hispanic population numbers 6,500+ and their benefactors/protectors number a constant 62. They collectively control the entire valley from Saguache in the north (pop 950) to Antonito in the south (pop 900). They also control the entrance to Bennett Pass at Del Norte in the west (pop 1000) to Fort Garland at the pass through the Eastern Rockies (pop 900). There are four regional Mayors located in the four "Regional Cities" of the SLP (all are locally elected humans). The "Capitol" is located in the rebuilt city of Alamosa (pop. 1500), in the geographic center of the Valley.
A small number of very well maintained vehicles (Low-Boy tractor trailers, a steam shovel, road graders, backhoes, dump trucks, flatbed trucks and a bulldozer) are kept fully operational, but almost always in storage. Nevertheless, transport is almost exclusively by railroad and horse drawn wagon. The trains are five 1930's era 2-8-2 Mikado steam locomotives, formerly from the long defunct Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad. Located, transported, maintained, and repaired by the vampires of the SLP, they are the cornerstone of the success of the Valley. The primary products of the SLP are cattle, corn, potatoes, carrots, apples and wheat. Under the expert tutelage of the Vampire enclave, the human citizens of the SLP also produce various other lesser products for local consumption. There is even a small cotton plot (five acres) for local textile production. Throughout the SLP there are various saw mills, wheel wrights, coopers, blacksmiths, masons, sewage plants, livery stables, cobblers, three slaughterhouses and a foundry for metal working, rolling gun barrels and repair/replacement of train parts.
Origins:How all this all came to be started on the opening day of the War. On War Day, when the bombs detonated over Maryland, 43 year old Michael Garrett, US Army Corps of Engineers (ret) was just starting his second week of orientation at the Peterson Technologies Corporate HQ in downtown Brunswick. Although seriously injured and poisoned by the blast and shockwaves that struck their city, Michael and 91 of his surviving co-workers did not perish from either the attack or the Devil's brew of toxins and fallout from the surrounding strikes in the area. Rather, they were forever changed much like their unfortunate cousins in Claggettsville to the east. (See the children of the night entry for Maryland)
Unknown to anyone (including them, initially), the following conditions manifested. Their skin lost all melanin content, giving them a skin tone of alabaster. Their hair fell out and their features became cadaverous. They developed a thirst for blood and plasma, and found only it could sustain them. They found they could read others surface thoughts. Sunlight would cause severe sun burns within seconds of exposure. Their vision, strength, stamina, and athletic ability quintupled (but only at night). During daylight hours, they became sluggish and listless. They were completely sterile, but for the first few years their condition was quite contagious through blood borne exposure. While not Immortal, their lifetimes would be measured in centuries, not decades. Even though their condition is not remotely supernatural, it was viewed as such by all they met. They were, in fact, a severely altered by product of radiation, pollution and Bio War.
The group overcame whatever hostile group they encountered. Nevertheless, after three years of constant warfare, attrition decreased their numbers to 64. Michael, the strongest and wisest, was made leader of the group. It was his idea to look for a new home in the depopulated west. He also discovered that they could live off of animal blood as easily as human. This allowed them to be shunned as sickly nomads. When the group arrived in mid Colorado in 1994, they identified the San Luis Valley as a possible home. What few locals they encountered were disorganized, scared and hearty. After a few scattered battles, the locals of the valley accepted their fate as food for the abominations. However, something amazing happened. During their travel west, the group dynamic changed dramatically and became more interested in creating than destruction. The group had become "Vegans" (in that they only consume human blood during military operations, otherwise living on animal blood). Together, the San Luis Valley survivors and the Maryland Vampires would work together to build a better future.
Rise of the San Luis Protectorate: The San Luis Valley (SLP) is a fertile area rich with cattle grazing areas as well as extensive tillable fields. Crops were planted almost indiscriminately, cattle were bread with abandon and a vast array of civic works projects was begun. Wells were dug, drainage ditches were created, roads improved, train tracks laid, houses built, sewage treatment established, schools set up, medical stations created and the list went on and on. Construction was performed primarily at night with the Coven acting as technical support and direction. Citizens work hand in hand with the Vampires, although admittedly, the coven usually acted as advisors, only getting directly involved with the trains, training and military affairs. A small number of cattle was set aside to feed the coven, alleviating the need for blood storage in bulk. Literacy in the Protectorate is (since 2029) 100%. Every citizen has the equivalent of a high school education by the age of 18 and most further specialize in agriculture, animal husbandry, engineering, business management, medicine, or trade craft. As word of their prosperity spread, the trickle of immigration swelled. The idea of living with Vampires was initially a big problem, but after seven generations, the citizenry of the Protectorate consider it as natural as sunlight. Life expectancy in the SLP is 62 for men and 66 for women, notwithstanding tragedy, disease and war.
"Governor" (his official title) Garrett sent out teams to survey the surrounding area for salvage, potential enemies and general layout. One such team discovered the abandoned Cumbres and Toltec Railroad museum. The locomotives had been lovingly maintained before the war, and were stored in excellent condition. Getting them to the valley was simply a matter of driving them on existing track all the way to the new capitol at Alamosa. Track outside their area of control was pulled up and used to lay new routs throughout the protectorate. Within 30 years, the entire SLP was outfitted with main lines, spur lines, sidings and loading/unloading stations. Cattle are moved from grazing ground to slaughter house by rail, as are produce and finished goods. Each train has one permanent passenger car for moving citizens from home to work, school or where they are needed. Horse teams are only used for short hauls and field work, or traveling outside the Protectorate. Box cars, cattle cars and produce cars are added and removed as needed. One locomotive (the Toltec Zephyr) is a dedicated passenger carrier and runs the ring of the Protectorate three times daily. The other trains are used as needed.
History of the Valley:
War Day +1: No bombs land in or near San Luis Valley. The closest actual bomb blast is Pueblo, followed by Colorado Springs, et al. Santa Fe was targeted, but the bomb never arrived. Rioting breaks out in the Santa Fe region, though, effectively cutting off contact to the south. Citizens of the valley are concerned with the loss of power and communications, but the region is both agricultural AND poverty-stricken (in 1989); people are used to making due with very little. The locals just hunker-down and wait.
War Day +1 Month: The San Luis Valley is home to several Colorado Counties. Officials from these Counties meet at Alamosa (city), to discuss the situation. Alamosa has always had the best economy in the region, so their County government is perceived as being "the best"; which translates into leadership during the crisis. Refugees from the destruction in the east are starting to cross the mountains, and diseases are starting to spread, taxing the local medical facilities. Refugees from the south are fleeing the violence around Santa Fe--and are also bringing disease and violence with them.
War Day +1 Year: Death and disease are ravaging the small communities of the eastern valley, closest to the mountains. Banditry, violence, and disease lead to a breakdown of authority in the south. Most County governments have either collapsed, or handed their authority over to Alamosa. The "Emergency Council" in Alamosa has combined all surviving State and Local Police Forces, as well as what little National Guard resources there were into a single defense force. The Alamosa government has also called for Valley locals to move closer to Alamosa, where they can be protected.
War Day +2 Years: The Governor in Santa Fe attempts to annex all of the San Luis Valley. Alamosa County now contains the majority of the Valley's population--somewhere around 30,000 people--and the population of Alamosa City is almost 13,000. The Alamosans are able to muster sufficient force to make the Santa Fe invasion withdraw, but casualties are high. This is the first of many failed attempts, over the years, made by the Governor of Santa Fe to annex the Valley.
War Day +3 Years: New waves of disease hit in the spring. The city infrastructure of Alamosa has been stretched to the breaking point. The hoped for stability hasn't appeared. Panic and rioting in Alamosa, many flee the town to try and survive on isolated farm and ranches. A fascist element takes control in Alamosa, and orders anyone who cannot prove residency in the city from before the war to leave. The government in Alamosa cuts the rest of the Valley loose to fend for itself.
War Day +4 Years: Total population of the Valley has dropped to 7,000, mostly along the banks of the Rio Grande River. Only 3,000 live in Alamosa. Everyone is just barely scratching by at subsistence level. Population would continue to slip until the coming of Michael Garret to Alamosa.
War Day +5 Years: Except for a few scattered communes of a couple dozen people, scattered across the Valley, totaling, at most, 5-6 hundred people, Alamosa has the greatest population, at 1,000 folks. It was around this time that Michael Garret and his followers came to the valley. At first they are happy to just begin catching and herding wild cattle & bison for their..."needs", but eventually an "incident" with local humans revealed their presence, and trouble ensued. Although not pacifists, Garret and his people, at first, tried simply relocating. They did this a couple of times, before Garret decided to put an end to it once and for all. During the night, he and his closest lieutenants slipped into the residence of the Warlord who ruled in Alamosa, woke him up, and attempted to hammer out a contract for co-existence with the man. The now-nameless Warlord just couldn't see the light of reason so, as the light of dawn began creeping over the mountains, Garret turned to the Warlords wife and asked the now-famous question "What about you, lady? If you were running things, could you live with this deal?" The Warlord's wife--history remembers her name as "Donya" Lucinda Gutierrez--smiled coldly at her maniac of a husband and answered "sure, I can do that". Before she'd even finished speaking, Garret had ripped her husband's throat out, and he hit the floor, dead. Since that day, Garret and his followers have quietly, peacefully, assumed roles of leadership among the humans. Using their skills and strengths to make a better life for themselves, as well as the "humans" that they see as their "charges", they begin to oversee the re-development of the San Luis valley.
Technology: Project Classification: D, with some elements of C. Good steam locomotive transportation, small-scale steam engines used on-site for mechanical power at the few factories and mills in operation, as well as to power irrigation pumps. Limited electricity in larger towns. Horses, and horse-drawn vehicles are primary modes of personal travel. A small stockpile of pre-war automotive vehicles are kept stored for emergencies and construction. Candles and oil lamps used commonly for illumination. The settled towns have (primitive but functional) sewage treatment plants that produce methane gas, which is then piped around the town for use in heating and illumination; wastewater and "manure" are used in agriculture.
Literacy is a mandatory 100%, as is a basic education to a 10th Grade level. "Adams State College"--renamed "Donya Gutierrez College" after it was re-opened in 2010--is located in Alamosa. Gutierrez College follows the old four year pattern, offering degrees in agriculture, animal husbandry, education, civil engineering, and, in the last 30 years, business management (DGC's knowledge and resources are solidly Tech Level C).
The San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center--aka as just "The Hospital"--continues to operate. However, despite the best efforts and intentions of "Los Maestros" Drs. Addams and Delgoni, the medical technology of The Hospital is Tech Level D. The knowledge of 20th Century Medicine is still available, but the ability to practice most of it is limited.
Military: The SLP has a standing militia of 500 citizen soldiers, broken into 10-50 person companies. They train two days a week, and are armed with bolt action rifles. The rifles are copies of the 1903 Springfield rifle chambered in 30-06. One in eight has a 3x scope. They are made in the village of Mosca at the SLP's solitary weapons plant. Actually a small warehouse with a steam generator, three lathes and some milling machines, they are produced at a rate of four a month. Side arms consist almost entirely of .44 Peacemaker revolvers acquired through trade with Springfield, Colorado. Transport in the SLP is usually by train, but horses are also available. The few motor vehicles available to the SLP are too unreliable to be used in military actions. The SLP also has an Air Force. This consists of one ancient Stearman biplane, used as an occasional recon aircraft and crop duster. It is armed with an equally ancient M60 MG mounted to the top wing, but it has never been used in combat. The Coven amassed an impressive array of pre war military hardware during their travels, but 130 years of attrition, wear and use has dwindled this to personal weapons. Defending the Capitol city is an immobile M60A3 MBT built into a pillbox overlooking the city and a M42 Duster AAA vehicle mounted on a flatbed rail car. One M113A2 APC is located at each of the regional capitols for tactical support and Military defense. Lastly, there are 24 Coven commandos in three eight-person teams: (Alpha, Bravo and Delta), that act as an invasion counterforce. As night fighters, they have no peer. They are each armed with: M25A2 Sniper Rifle (.338 Lapua),H&K MP5SD, Colt P14 pistol with silencer, a compound bow, twelve throwing knives, a vicious razor sharp sword and a piano wire garrote. Specific weapons carried depend on mission profile.
Notable Citizens:
Col. Michael Garrett US Army (ret) (V):"Governor
pro tem": Leader of the San Luis Protectorate from the Capitol
in Alamosa. He is the most powerful of the Vampires, and by far
the wisest. He is responsible for the present state of the
Protectorate. While not one to suffer fools, he is amazingly
patient and slow to anger. Reverently respected and mildly
feared by vampires and humans equally. He owns the one of the
two operational automobiles in the SLP, a near mint condition
Barracuda Blue 1968 Pontiac GTO. Michael lovingly maintains the
vehicle that is only driven on Festival Day (May 23).
David Drake, Samantha Carstairs, Tran Nguyen, Hiryu Nakamura (V):Regional Magistrates of the San Luis Protectorate. All were former lawyers. They hear all court cases, dispense rewards, justice and facilitate area public works projects. They answer directly to Gov. Garrett.
Dr. Susan Addams, Dr. Anthony Delgoni (V):Former Morrow Project surgeons that became vampires and joined the coven. They were members of a MP medical unit that collided with the Coven as it was moving west through Oklahoma. An unfortunate misunderstanding followed by a gunfight left two members of the Coven and all but two of the surgeons dead. They were offered to join the Coven or die. Dr. Delgoni now runs the tiny Medical College in Alamosa. In the last 90 years, he has graduated 93 pre war quality doctors (10 of which are from Santa Fe) and 18 surgeons. Dr. Addams is the on-call Surgeon of the SLP, training area medics, performing physicals, diagnosing illnesses and directing the SLP's pharmacology center. They both have published various books in their fields now used daily in the SLP.
Consuela Augustine Gonzalez (H):17th elected Lt. Governor of the protectorate. She is the highest ranking human in the SLP and as such, reports weekly to the Governor on the state of the SLP. She travels from community to community all week adjudicating disputes, issuing proclamations (what few there are), collects taxes and input from the populous on their needs and problems. She is 37, savvy to lascivious behavior, whip smart and immune to bribes. She is married to Chief Locomotive Engineer Manuel Cordoba Gonzalez. She travels around the SLP in an ancient Harley Davidson with a sidecar. Her driver (a local minister) calls himself "Father Guido" (which the Coven finds hilarious, for no apparent reason).
Albert Burkett (H):Major , C.O. of the SLP Guard. Headquarters is the former First Union Bank on Tremont Avenue in Alamosa. His staff car is the only other operational automobile in the valley; a 1954 Willies Jeep in surprisingly good shape (in that it still runs from time to time).
Juan Villalobos Sanchez de Ramierez (H):Air Marshal of the SLP Air Force, Chief Pilot and Director of Air Operations. As the SLP Air Force consists of one biplane and an eight-person ground crew, this is a silly title, but he is an outstanding pilot. He is also an insufferable, pompous blowhard. Amazingly, his ground crew is fiercely loyal to him and they perform daily miracles keeping that dilapidated wreck in the air. He picked his title himself.
Saul Goldstein VII (H):Chairman of Goldstein Enterprises. This is the only corporation in the SLP. This family run company owns 2 sawmills and a furniture factory just south of Saguache. Their furniture is Old World in construction and quality. As such, it is in high demand everywhere. They transport their wares around the SLP via train.
Relations with neighbors:
The New Mexico "aka Santa Fe" Government:Relations
with this Empire run between warm to pre arctic. They are the
principle trading partner with the SLP, but their envy and greed
occasionally gets the best of them. Trade goods consist
primarily of produce, furniture, and cattle in exchange for
coal, salt and raw materials. The location for exchange is the
southern-most city in the SLP of Antonito. Over the last two
decades, the amount of "custom orders" has increased ten fold.
four times in the last 80 years the Santa Fe Government has
attempted to invade the SLP. Their superior numbers allow quick
initial gains, but at night, they lose troops by the score.
Within 3-4 days, attrition and a disintegrating morale causes
the invaders to rout and flee.
La Hunta:Twice a year, a train load of produce, cattle and goods travel East through the mountains from Fort Garland to La Veta. There, Ballooners, Gypsy truckers, and trade caravans meet to trade goods and information. It is a recognized free trade zone throughout the region. Trains never travel to La Hunta itself as it represents too much open ground without protection.
The Apache Empire:The AE attempted to invade just once 90 years ago. They sent an invasion force of 250 of their best braves to test the defenses and if possible, take over. For three days they ran roughshod over the border areas and swept the small defense forces aside with ease. On the 4th day they set camp in a small border town. The Sentry on the West side of the encampment stormed into camp the next morning irate that he stood watch all night without relief. When he entered the camp he found the entire force dead. Several had their throats ripped out, many were killed execution style and all of the other sentries were beheaded. Several dozen braves were drained of blood. A thorough examination of the camp told him this was accomplished by 24 men. A letter written in blood was impaled in the chest of the war chief, held in place with his own war lance. It said, "Your villainous sacrilege of this sacred place has incurred the wrath of the spirit of Quetzelcoatl. Leave this place and never return or I will visit my wrath upon you and yours in your home lands". While this message in the 20 century would have been laughable, in this time and place, the effect was electrifying. While the Apache Empire trades with the SLP, they do it through intermediaries in Santa Fe.
The Rook Territory:To the north of the SLP is the Rook Territory. This area is largely unexplored by the SLP, as the Rooks are as good day fighters as the SLP Commandoes are night fighters. They mercilessly defend their territory and only wish to be left alone. Occasional scouts and bounty hunters are encountered on the borders, but they respect SLP Borders in reciprocal fashion. The only real interaction started 70 years ago. Twice a year, the Rooks send 25 mercenaries to Saguache where they travel by train to Fort Garland. There, they board the trade train to La Veta, acting as security. Quiet, vicious, anti-social and professional, they protect the train and their charges with their lives, which they sell very expensively. They have a present kill ratio of 38-1. After the trip, they return directly to their territory. What makes these folks tick is an issue of continued speculation.
Life in the SLP:Laws in the SLP are not lax, but far from draconian. All trials are by jury and all defendants are assumed innocent until proven guilty. Gone are the excesses of the 20th century, as the common good, spirit of the law and common sense are the norm in the courtroom. As there is no monetary system in the valley other than standardized barter, guilt of minor offences confers basic punishments like shunning for a day or two, bread and water, or a dirty job like mucking the community horse stalls. Moderate crimes such as assault, fraud, theft or poaching (hunting on a neighbors land) confers sentences on work crews of a week to a year depending on severity and repetition. Particularly heinous crimes like murder, rape, incest, torture or treason are ALWAYS held at the Capitol of Alamosa. Guilt carries one of two punishments: Banishment or Death by Draining (self explanatory) to be performed by the regional Magistrate in which the offence occurred. Overturning authority of this verdict resides solely with the Governor. In 120 years, this has only occurred two times. While this system may seem open to abuse as the Magistrate gets a meal out of the deal, the jury decides on all sentences. The Magistrate serves only to verify truth of prosecution, validity of judicial activities and sentencing oversight. Naturally, with a Vampire on the bench, courtroom procedure and conduct is incredibly civil and polite. Contempt of court penalties can be somewhat on the severe side.
The Vampires:The vampires of the SLP are a surprisingly gregarious lot. They act as teachers, advisors, adjudicators, technical support and four are renowned musicians (having had a century to perfect their craft). They spend much time writing technical manuals, farming almanacs, training guides and practical biology lessons. Aside from those mentioned previously, the remainder of the Vampires resides with the various locals around the SLP. It is considered a great honor to have an esteemed member of the coven live in ones household, and there is no shortage of potential hostels awaiting a vampire border. A handful even has their own domiciles, and one lives a life of total solitude; having spent the last 70+ years trying to find a cure for the Vampire condition. Considering that the average age of the Vampires is 160+, they are veritable fountains of knowledge, wisdom and skill sets. Most are masters of 3 or 4 trades, and are more than willing to share their skills with others.
The Citizenry:Life in the SLP is, considering the time and state of the world elsewhere, very good indeed. There is no starvation, hunger, oppression, forced conscription, coercion or institutionalized oppression. While not paradise, it is a land of opportunity and hope. By day the citizenry run everything, from the markets, trade, Trains, cattle, and all other non judicial activities to the schools, shops, farms and all mercantile activities. For the last 30 years or so, the SLP has operated almost totally independent of the Coven. There has been talk recently amongst the Coven itself about moving West to establish a new community. As of the last yearly Founders day poll, the citizens of the SLP overwhelmingly voted that they feel they are not yet ready to stand alone.
The truth is that if the Vampires were to leave, the SLP would likely be swallowed up by the Santa Fe Government within a decade.
Written by Karl Zohler and used with permission.