Once a major center of commerce and culture in New England, Massachusetts suffered greatly in the war. The colder temperatures have affected the farmland in the central and western parts of the state, forcing many people further south. Today, there are pockets of civilization, and wide stretches of absolutely nothing.
Boston, SS-N-17
Cambridge, SS-18M1
New Bedford, SS-N-17
Springfield, SS-17
Worcester, SS-17
Holyoke, SS-18M1
Fitchburg, SS-N-8
Fall River, SS-17
Watertown Arsenal, SS-N-8
Westover AFB, SS-18M1
Otis AFB, SS-17
Discretionary nuclear targets:
Pilgrim Nuclear Reactor, Plymouth,
SS-N-17
South Weymouth NAS, SS-N-17
Lowell, SS-N-8
Boston today: 150 years after the war, Boston is still a mess. Fully two thirds of the city is in total ruins, and the only part of the city still inhabited is the southwestern suburbs, mostly outside of the I-95 loop. The groups here are roughly divided along ethnic and territorial lines. The five largest groups are listed below.
The "Bostonians": The largest and most powerful group in the Boston area, boasting some 400 citizens. They are centered on the prime farming lands in the Rocky Woods Reservation and the ponds and creeks of the Westwood area. The fields are worked by everyone, though the "rulers" and their families are exempt from physical labor.
Latino clan: Centered in the Dedham area on the southwest side of the city. They have some 75 members now. A peaceful clan, the Latinos are not in conflict with anyone in the area. At one time, however; they were on the verge of being wiped out by a small but motivated group of barbarian raiders from the Weymouth area. One day about five years ago, the raiders were marshalling for another raid when a pair of Blue Undeads wandered into their camp. Both were killed after a short but sharp fight, but fifteen of the raiders eventually died of radiation poisoning. After that, the raiders fragmented and were never a threat to the Latinos again.
Harvard Men: Centered in Wellesley, the "Harvard Men" are the descendants of a dozen surviving university students who took shelter in a house in Wellesley. These men emerged after the war's end to find the city in shambles. They gathered as many surviving students as they could find and settled down to start a community. Although they suffered terribly from bandit raids in the early years, they successfully fought them off and eventually established themselves as a force in the Boston ruins. At this time, they are on bad terms with the Muslims on the Neponset River. They are known for operating a large trade market in their area, open to all comers and offering all manner of salvaged goods. Security is by hired guns but the market is so valuable to everyone that no one dares to cause trouble there, even the Muslims.
The "Breakers": Around the old Rosemary Brook Town Forest Preserve north of Wellesley are the Breakers, a clan of former bandits turned farmers and hunters. They hunt and live in the formerly affluent neighborhood area between the Forest and the Massachusetts Turnpike.
Islamic clan: On both sides of the Neponset River in Norwood is the "New American Nation of Islam", a large clan of religious folk of some 350 men, women, and children. They have cultivated and planted the river valley as well as scavenging the ruins. They were not especially religious until some ten years ago, when their leader discovered partially intact copies of the Koran and other Islamic writings in the ruins of a storefront. Interpreting this as a revelation of the Divine Will of Allah, their leader, who renamed himself Mohammed in honor of the Prophet, built a mosque in clan territory and convinced his entire clan to submit to the Will of Allah. They have begun seeking converts and many people are listening to their message. Their clan's population has swelled to twice its original number in only ten years. They have had some problems with the "Harvard Men", who have forbidden them from proselytizing at the Market and trouble may soon breakout between the Muslims and the Harvard Men.
The New American Nation of Islam and the Plague: Although the Plague (see Plymouth below) has begun to be seen in the Boston area, the Muslims with their dietary habits and other customs have been strangely unaffected. Some interpret this as being blessed by Allah's favor; others interpret this as a sign that the Muslims are the cause of the Plague. Some have even argued that the Muslims may be poisoning the water supplies and should be dealt with. The truth is much more benign. The Muslims are the only group in the Boston area that don�t use rats as a food source this, and very good sanitation and personal hygiene, means there are very few rats (and the Plague carrying fleas that go with them) in their camp. The Muslims in Boston are somewhat clannish and suspicious of non-believers. Any contact with non-Muslims is usually carried on outside of their walled compound. A few Plague infected converts, however, have managed to carry the disease into the camp. The generally good sanitation in the camp has kept it from spreading beyond a few people (the infected and the infected's immediate family). The Muslims have set up a hospital station on the edge of the clan's territory where, with the help of a few wandering Emdees, they have begun ministering to the sick of all groups. While this aid tends towards nothing more then keeping the victim comfortable until he dies, some have survived and many of the survivors have converted to this "new" religion.
Gloucester: Gloucester, located north of Boston, is now one of the strongest and most active port cities in New England. Much of the original central city remains intact and has been strengthened by various forms of fortification. Walls have also been constructed around the downtown area to help protect it from the dangers of hurricanes and tidal waves. The city has a current total population of 2,600 people and the surrounding areas have a population of around 700. Greenhouses, being relatively simple technology are popular and a large amount of winter vegetables and fruit are grown in them. The biggest food supply comes from fishing of various types. The extra from fish harvests is much of what helps to purchase materials from other places. Icelandic trading vessels are common sights in the harbor, as are occasional ships from other nations. Most of the industrial areas of Gloucester have been abandoned long ago and what is left is some light industry mainly in textile areas. The militia force numbers some 350 effectives, and patrols far and wide. Militia outposts have been set up in Newburyport and on Plum Island. There are increasing reports of a large marauder force to the west that might cause trouble soon.
Marblehead: This former historic port is home to some 300 farmers and fishermen. The area that is actually inhabited is small, limited to the narrow peninsula that the town sits on, extending south along the coast to Galloupes Point, where the line of control blurs with the burnt northeastern suburbs of Boston. This is a relatively small area, but it's well-organized and protected.
Plymouth: Once a growing fishing and trading community, a bad outbreak of the Black Plague a month ago has rather speedily massacred the population. There are now only small pockets of people all over the county, with just a few dozen left alive in Plymouth proper. There is little food for the coming winter, and starving people are reduced to eating rats, which is compounding the problem as many of the rodents are carriers of the Black Death. The land north of the city is worthless for farming and their once-efficient fishing fleet now sits rusting and rotting dockside, most of the sailors dead of the disease. The danger is more than local as this outbreak of the Plague has the potential to affect the entire state. Indeed, other communities throughout the former state are beginning to see their first cases of the Plague. A massive die off might open the door for some other group to occupy Massachusetts in the near future.
New Bedford: Though nuked and burnt by a series of fierce fires that left much of the northern half in ruins, this city has recovered nicely in the last century. Home now to some 2,700 people. The large militia/police force is relatively well-armed and trained, boasting about 500 foot soldiers, 30 horse cavalry, and three armored wagons. There is also a "fishery protection force" with four inshore patrol sailboats to patrol Block Island Sound. The University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth has become a Mailman center, with carriers coming from all over New England here to study and prepare for their difficult jobs.
Andover: Currently, the area is dominated by the "Iraqis", a large marauder band who traveled here from upstate New York several years ago. The name is a corruption of the "Iroquois", a local Native American tribe. They have set up sort of a feudal barony, with the Iraqis in their fortified compound, and the peasants toiling to feed them. The surviving locals live in a reign of terror, many have fled the area, but many more have been enslaved. They are now forced to grow food for the Iraqis, but they are allowed to keep a little for themselves. The Iraqis have some 325 effectives in the Andover area, including many hangers-on and wanna-be's they picked up along the way. Their current plan is to secure the local area and then move east to take on Gloucester by next summer. To this end, the Iraqis are actively recruiting men to join them for a promise of a share of the loot.
The LLA: The anti-Iraqi "Lowell Liberation Army" has arisen out of this dire situation, but numbers only some 20 hardcore members and an indeterminate number of supports amongst the oppressed locals. Since Iraqi reprisals are brutal, the LLA commit few acts of open resistance, and they spend most of their time collecting food and keeping alive. They are currently based out of a small farmhouse along the Shawsheen River. They are armed with a miscellany of home-made weapons, including a few crossbows and one rifle.
East Falmouth: Currently, this large town is under a Plague attack, brought here by refugees from Plymouth to the north. The spread-out nature of the scattered settlements on Cape Cod is helping to keep the outbreak controlled, but people are dying by the dozens by the day still. An old pit along Highway 28 has been designated as a dumping ground and mass cremation site for infected bodies to try and localize the germs. An exodus has begun to develop.
Hyannis: Hyannis itself is now a small fishing community struggling to survive by remaining hidden. There are currently no militia troops in the town except a couple dozen young boys, the 25 men of the regular militia all having disappeared while chasing a pair of bandits north of the town. A search later turned up no sign of the men, but did find evidence of a boat landing on the shore. Of special note, the former Kennedy family compound at nearby Hyannis Port is now something of a memorial. The ruins are frequently visited by people from Hyannis, who often leave flowers though they have forgotten why they still do this.
Martha's Vinyard: Still isolated, having long ago learned to make due without supplies from the mainland. The ferries have all been replaced by sailboats, but the islanders generally keep to themselves. The Mailmen from Block Island have a outpost here, and several residents are employed sewing mailbags. The Plague outbreak on the mainland has the people here very worried and they have begun stopping boats from Cape Cod from landing.
The ruins of Springfield:
Nuked extremely hard during the war, the Springfield and Holyoke area is now just a series of eroded rubble mounds along the Connecticut River. South of Springfield is a farming settlement along the river, roughly where the old town of Longmeadow stood. Traders from as far south as Lyme occasionally stop here.The Staties: Across the New Hampshire border along the Connecticut River is a hostile and dangerous semi-barbaric mini-empire built on slavery and oppression. They seem to be the descendents of what was left of a group of State Police officers from the area. They trade slaves with the ARVEN across the border in Vermont and New Hampshire, as a way to forge economic ties.
East Otis: A strong community along a reservoir led by a man named John Blackman, who once was a bodyguard for the Governor in Hartford, Connecticut and is still well-connected with people in that city.
Adams: This largish farming town is now the capitol of "Adams State", a smallish local empire that claims most of the Berkshire Mountains. Adams State is a collection of small villages, individual farms, and one larger town. They have banded together for mutual protection and created a working representative government and voluntary military for the protection of all its citizens. They have little in the way of industry and their main products are crops and game. In the winter months, trapping and hunting in the deep woods keep the residents busy. Large numbers of mutant wolves have been seen the last few winters, occasionally killing the unlucky and the unprepared.
People who have contributed to this entry:
John Raner
Da Kine
Tony Stroppa