Colorado suffered badly during the war. Though heavy nuclear destruction was concentrated on a handful of major cities and military bases in the center of the State, disease and madness quickly scythed through the remaining population. Within a few years, most of the urban areas along the north-south corridor of I-25 on the eastern slopes of the Front Range were deserted; Industry around the State had ground to a halt, and the few survivors had either moved into the high alpine valleys of the Rocky Mountains, where there were still fish and game and the security of isolation, or far out onto the wide open plains of the southeastern corner of the state.
DENVER (State Capitol): SS-N-17 (MIRV: 3x 500 Kt warheads); On Target; Low Air
Burst
ROCKY FLATS NUCLEAR WEAPONS PLANT
(Northwestern Suburbs of Denver): SS-N-17 (MIRV: 3x 500 Kt warheads); On Target; High Air
Burst
ROCKY MOUNTAIN ARSENAL (Northern
Suburbs of Denver): SS-N-8 (Single 2 Mt warhead); Launch Failure, warheads
never arrived
LOWRY AIR FORCE BASE (Aurora, west
of Denver): SS-17 (MIRV: 4x 200 Kt warheads); On Target; Low Air Burst
FORT CARSON ARMY BASE (Southern
Suburbs of Colorado Springs): SS-19 (MIRV: 6x 300 Kt warheads); On Target; Low Air Burst
US AIR FORCE ACADEMY (Northern
Suburbs of Colorado Springs): SS-N-8 (Single 2 Mt warhead); On Target; Low Air Burst
NORAD HQ, CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN
(Southwest of Colorado Springs): SS-18M1 (Single 25 Mt warhead); On Target; Ground Burst
PUEBLO ORDNANCE DEPOT (North
Avondale, east of Pueblo): SS-17 (MIRV: 3x 500 Kt warheads); On Target; Low Air Burst
Situation, pre-war: With the Rocky Mountains running north to south through the western half of the state, and the wide plains of the American Prairie dominating the eastern half, Colorado is both a rugged and a beautiful place. Pre-War winters were not that harsh, while the summers were pleasant, with temperatures hovering in the mid to high seventies. Interstate 70 was the main artery running east to west from Kansas through Colorado into Utah, traveling straight through Denver. Because of this, I-70 was heavily traveled all year round. The towns settled alongside the interstate relied on travelers and tourists. Forestry and mining also contributed to the areas economy. Ski resorts attracted a huge number of tourists from all over the United States, Canada and Europe. Similarly, Interstate 25 was the main artery running north to south from Wyoming to New Mexico. It was along I-25, in the eastern foothills of the Rockies that the major urban centers sprang up--Ft. Collins, Denver, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo. Much of the I-25 urban strip would receive most of the bombs that fell on Colorado.
Situation, the war: When the war broke out, two cities in Colorado were hit heavily by Russian nukes, Denver and Colorado Springs; both were population hubs sprinkled with high-value military targets. The high Rocky Mountains protected many of the small towns and resorts dotting I-70 from the nuclear blasts and, combined with the predominant weather patterns, the fallout was far worse on the eastern side of the mountains than in the west. After the bombs stopped falling, these mountain towns were soon overrun with refugees, suffering from radiation sickness, injuries and the like. In a matter of a few days, all food contained in these towns were consumed. Very real fears of starvation lead those mountain folk with food to hoard what little they did have, doing what ever was necessary to protect their families and supplies, including killing anyone who tried to take away their only means of survival. With the war taking place at the beginning of the winter, food stores running low, and more refugees fleeing the nuked cities seeking aid in the mountain communities, long-term survival prospects looked grim indeed. Over the next few months, the population along I-70 dwindled, as many died from starvation, exposure, wounds, and the constant battle for food and shelter. Many fled the mountains, heading west, hoping that the climate in Utah would be a bit more hospitable--only to find more radiation and sickness, or to be turned away by the Mormons, to die in the desert. Those that remained in the mountains of Colorado continued to fight over what was left of the mountain towns, sending out hunting parties to scour the ruins for any food or useful equipment. These hardy survivors eventually settled into small Territories, coalitions of small towns and surrounding farms and ranches, which they strictly enforced. No trespassing allowed, no hunting, no fishing, nothing. Any outsiders caught were usually killed on sight. Out on the plains things were even worse; the northeast corner of the state suffered heavy fallout – not only from the Colorado blasts, but also from the intense atomic bombing of Cheyenne, WY, to the north. And in southeastern Colorado, various gangs of survivors battled back and forth for the first 25 years after the bombs, until their numbers became too few to continue fighting, and they finally settled down in a few isolated communities.
Situation, post-war: By the time the delayed spring finally arrived, less than two percent of the pre-war population out on the plains was left alive and struggling for each new day of life, while five percent of the pre-war population along the mountain stretch of I-70 remained alive, and those survivors had fortified their homes and were shooting strangers. It was at this time that a large band of survivalists began to make their presence known in the mountains. They seemed to appear out of nowhere, hunting through the abandoned towns and taking what ever goods they fancied, be it vehicles, spare parts, clothing, tools, or live stock that somehow survived the fallout. Of course, as fate would have it, they eventually crossed into "private territory" and were attacked. The survivalists, being heavily-armed and prepared to fight, beat off the attackers with only a few casualties. Thus, the feud between the mountain townsfolk and the survivalist clan began.
Mountain war: For several years the survivalist clan and the townspeople fought over the ruins that dotted the mountains, the townspeople suffered heavy losses during these turbulent times. The survivalists faired quite a bit better. After five long years the fighting finally came to an end. The ruins had been picked clean, territories had been established. Weary from years of nearly continuous hit and run battles, and the hideous loss of life suffered by everyone, both sides finally declared a cease fire so they could come together and hammer out a peace agreement. Oddly enough, it was the survivalists who first approached the townspeople with the offer. They had little to gain from this, as they had secured their own territory and had more than enough food and equipment to last for many years to come. Simply put, they were sick of the loss of life, considering the millions who perished in the initial nuclear exchange and the millions more who died during the long winters after the war ended. Both sides agreed to meet in the township of Georgetown--an old center of County Government--and hammer out not only a cease fire, but also a long term peace treaty. For several months they met on and off, finally coming to an agreement that was mutually beneficial to both groups. This peace has lasted now for the past 145 years.
The War: Nuked by numerous warheads, Denver was blasted out of existence. Three warheads from an SS-N-17 exploded in a triangle pattern over the central and western part of the city and four more warheads from an SS-17 ground impacted on Lowry AFB, to the east. Finally, an SS-N-8 single warhead exploded high above the Rocky Mountain Arsenal. The sub-carried missile targeted on the Rocky Flats Facility failed just after launch and splashed down in the Pacific--but the Denver was already dead. In a microsecond, hundreds of thousands of lives were snuffed out and the city was pretty well rubbled by the firestorms and seismic shocks. The strong winds served to spread the fallout around, blowing most of it in a wide rooster tail extending east-northeast away from the city. In two weeks no one living remained in Denver.
Today: The Greater Denver Metropolitan Area--from Golden in the west to Aurora in the east, and from Westminster in the north to Centennial in the south, is now a rolling irradiated wasteland of gravel, shattered stone and sickly, windswept prairie grass. The Denver Desert is also known for the large number of Maggots living in the sewers and water systems under the nuked city. This is a subterranean world unknown to most surface dwellers, and over the years only a handful of people have ever entered this underworld and come out alive. It is rumors of the many subterranean chambers that survived the old atomic blasts that keep Prospectors and Salvagers sniffing around this dangerous area. The greatest rumor of them all is that a vast store of trade metals--copper, silver, and gold--remains buried somewhere out there, beneath a field of an herb called "Denver Mint".
A concentration of Blue Undead wanders the floor of the Cheery Creek crater, in the southern Denver Desert. The crater is a pockmarked plain of vitrified slag a thousand-feet across. The ruins along the southern edges of the devastation are home to Scraggers and a few dozen assorted Salvagers, hunting through the blasted rubble for pre-war goods and taking pot shots at each other. Cholera, typhus, and plague seem to be annually epidemic here.
Denver International Airport: Home of Denver's largest enclave of normal people. The airport largely survived the war, though it was later abandoned for a time in the years of starvation and plague. For the last century or so, a small trading community of scavengers and traders has existed here, taking advantage of the open spaces between the former runways for small-plot farming. Bold adventurers go out from here into the radioactive wastes in search of treasures, and lead trade expeditions through the wild zones to other enclaves elsewhere.
University of Denver: Before the war, the University of Denver was doing contract work with the US Department of Defense to develop better cryo-sleep tubes for the Snake-eaters. The lab work was done on campus, but the exact location and current condition of the facility is unknown.
Lafayette: This northwestern suburb is now home to the second largest normal settlement. There are about 240 people here, working to fortify the perimeter against attacks from mutants and bandits. They are in weekly contact with the Airport enclave. There are roving bands of marauder scum in these parts and they have attacked the settlement six times already this year. These renegades are not well-armed and mostly unorganized, so they have been easily repulsed by the militia's carefully laid ambushes.
Elizabeth: Rumors of weird things are circulating near Elizabeth, southeast of Denver. The rumors tell that, at a long-abandoned 1950s-era civil evacuation center in this ancient town, a wandering trapper allegedly saw some tall men with powerful rifles coming and going from the old building.
The war: To the south, the area around and including Colorado Springs was hit badly. A single SS-N-8 missile with a 2 megaton warhead destroyed the USAF academy to the north of the city, and six warheads from an SS-19 detonated over Fort Carson. The combined effect of these weapons utterly destroyed the city of Colorado Springs. Those few who managed to survive in the city soon succumbed to their injuries and radiation poisoning.
Today: The Colorado Springs area has been a radiated wasteland of craters and crushed rubble for 150 years. The area is known for large numbers of Stubs and Grunts living and breeding in the valleys and rubble fields. Unwary travelers have little chance of survival in this area and their bleached skeletons dot the roads leading around the Springs.
NORAD: Pounded by a massive ground-penetrating nuke, this former center of US national defense is a now just a glassed-over heap of stone. While no one has ever been able to confirm it, there are persistent rumors of a population of mutants living in the center of the mountain, deep in the surviving bunkers and caverns. Some even say that these are the remains of the original staff of the facility, horribly deformed from generations of inbreeding, who guard a rich treasure trove of pre-war technology and weaponry deep within the mountain.
The ruins of Fort Carson: Blasted during the war. In later years the radioactive craters filled with water--water that, to this day, still glows and illuminates the surrounding area at night with a dim light. So strong is the radiation, that Blue Undead are known to wander the ruins.
The ruins of Pueblo: When the Pueblo Ordnance Depot was nuked, it not only heavily damaged the nearby city of Pueblo, but it also released the millions of liters of weaponized Mustard Gas stored there. As the blast wave of the bomb spread out, it was followed by the heavy fog of the chemical weapon--the net effect was that, to the furthest effects of the bomb, what wasn't killed by the explosion was killed by the Mustard Gas. The Mustard Gas became inert within days of its release, though the ruins of Pueblo remain mildly radioactive to this day. But the kill-off was so total, and so horrific, that the legends of it have kept people from returning, and the ruins have remained abandoned for all these years, generally avoided by travelers and traders alike.
Boulder: Caught in the firestorms of the Denver area nuke strikes, and the following refugee waves, Boulder was mostly destroyed. 150 years later, this ghostly place, once a beautiful city of Starbucks and Audi sedans is a dirty, crumbling haven for mutants and scavengers. Some 200 assorted beings live here now, and violence is cutting into that number every year.
Fort Collins: Fort Collins received heavy fallout from the Cheyenne blasts and was severely depopulated. Today, the city is home to a group of 200 salvagers and hunters, many descendants of a large group of Vietnamese refugees who were willing to trade the increased health risks for the opportunity to stake a claim. They are mostly a grimy sore-covered lot that live a hand to mouth existence and are willing to root around in irradiated city ruins to the south and fight mutants for treasures from the past.
Greeley: Now home to a largish band of slavers and opportunists. They are about 60 strong and are well-armed.
Briggsdale: A small abandoned town out in the wastes of the piedmont. Any wanderers might be surprised at the condition of the nearby Cass Airport. The single runway appears to have been used recently, and has been repaired and resurfaced with gravel several dozen times. This is the meeting place for aircraft from the Free State trading with the Breeders from AREA 27 (see below).
Loveland: 350 determined farmers and ranchers here have turned the town into a fortress against the slaver band from Greeley.
Fort Morgan: A predominantly Amerind community that is always looking for a way to grow. The South Platte River is watched at all times, and traders are funneled into the town to sell their wares.
The Halligan Mystery: Halligan, Colorado is not a pre-war town. It was started some 90 years ago on the south side of the Halligan Reservoir off Highway 287 near the Wyoming border. Over time, the waters of the reservoir attracted people and up until just recently, Halligan boasted 60 residents. Two months ago, a stranger wandered into town. He came from the northeast in the late afternoon, shambling along in tattered clothes and ragged shoes. His skin was ghastly, pale and gray and he lacked any hair on his body. He asked for water, speaking to several people near the reservoir in clear English. About a dozen people eventually saw and talked to the stranger, who seemed normal except for his skin. He said his name was John and he was exploring for "his people". As it was late in the day, the sun began to set. The residents then noticed that John's skin was faintly glowing blue! Terrified, the villagers drove him out of town with threats and rocks, and he was last seen walking back northeast. The encounter was big talk in Halligan for a few days, until people started to get sick and die. Within four days, all twelve people who had come into contact with the stranger were dead. A month later, a trader from Glendevey came through and heard the story. He passed it on to another trader from Fort Collins, who mentioned it in a bar. Also in the bar were a couple of Breeder scouts, from the large AREA 27 Breeder enclave just to the west. Once the story got back to AREA 27, it caused a considerable stir. From the description in the story, they determined that the stranger was a Blue Undead, though one whose intelligence and mental facilities were obviously not destroyed like the rest of them. Excited by this unheard of find, the Breeders quickly organized an expedition. This group is now just leaving their compound, headed east to Halligan to begin their hunt.
John is indeed a Blue Undead, having been caught in the blast of a nuke that pasted Cheyenne back in 1989. Unlike other Blue Undead, however, John did not loose his mind. He was compelled to remain in the vicinity of the nuclear crater, however, as some innate internal desire would not let him leave the center of the radiation. This was a fate worse than death to be sure. Self-aware and retaining his memory, John was condemned to spend the last 150 years wandering around an area about two miles square. Until recently, that is. About a year ago, something happened to John, and the internal thirst for more radiation slowly tapered off. Soon, John found that he could leave the crater area and still live. Elated, he started to venture out from the ruins of Cheyenne, unsure what he was looking for, but knowing that he must leave the crater field. He is currently wandering around the grassy plains near the old town of Nunn, Colorado, enjoying the freedom of movement he never dreamed he would experience again. Obviously, John is a medical marvel, and studying him would surely advance the science of health and evolution by leaps and bounds. The AREA 27 will mostly likely accomplish this by killing him and dissecting his corpse, which is not good for John. If some other group, one more willing to help John as well as study him, were to find him first, that would be great. Perhaps some Science Team...
Pre-war: In 1973 the US government began construction of a top secret genetic research laboratory--designated AREA 27--in the southern range of the Medicine Bow Mountains, in northern Colorado. The facility at that time consisted of 38 one-and-two story structures nestled in a small, remote mountain valley. The government then dug deep into the earth under the valley to construct a multi-leveled research facility, which was finally completed in late fall of 1981. The entire base was built to remain out-of-sight and be self-sufficient.
Mission: AREA 27 delved into all aspects of genetic research. DNA mapping, gene splicing, genetic manipulation, elimination of genetic defects, cloning, regeneration, biological warfare agents, AIDS research, virus and bacterial research. A great deal of the research done at this hidden laboratory was of a beneficial nature, and quietly made its way into the medical community as breakthroughs in new types of drugs and medical treatments. However, at the same time, some of the most lethal biological weapons ever imagined were also created here. The entire staff (researchers, soldiers, maintenance and support) lived well in idyllic communal housing built on the grounds above the facility itself. The base was re-supplied monthly by cargo helicopter, but it was realized that, in the event of a biological accident at the site, a prolonged quarantine was possible so, to that end, a large stockpile food and research materials was kept on-site; enough to allow for the site to be totally isolated under quarantine for a year or more.
The war: When the war exploded, the facility was completely untouched. The entire staff survived unscathed. With the huge stockpiles of food and goods, the facility was ensured survival for at least several years. Due to the fact that there were military targets not that far away which were sure to have been hit, and the bleak, bitter cold of the nuclear autumn that came upon the facility, they decided to hole up and wait until the snow melted before venturing outside of their safe haven. In the meantime, since they had nothing better to do, they went back to work. Their work was the only thing they had left to sustain them now. A vote was taken, and in the end the Scientists decided that there was little hope in scattering to the four corners of the country trying to find loved ones most likely now dead. Scouting parties into the wilds convinced them of the wisdom of staying put.
Evil work: For the last 150 years, these people have been hunting throughout the country for pure, un-mutated, uncontaminated human stock, for the purpose of breeding what they consider to be a "Super-Race". They also capture any mutants they encounter (or just out and out kill them) to study what has caused the mutation in them.
Suppliers: With a lot of their high-tech equipment beginning to wear out, and their supply of replacement parts nearly exhausted, the base was forced to utilize the connections of Gypsy Truckers to obtain what they needed. They also came into agreement with several groups of Slavers, who they enlisted to hunt for pure humans and mutants for them. Through the Slavers, they became aware of the growing Kentucky Free State Empire to the east. A trade agreement was established between both groups. In exchange for medical drugs and vaccinations, the Free State agreed to provide spare parts or total replacements for the equipment used by the staff of AREA 27. They also supplied the Rich Five with their "anagathic" anti-ageing drug. Many of the leaders of the Free State paid entire fortunes to obtain it. The compound grew rich, and more and more high-tech equipment was delivered as payment. An airdrop point has been established near Briggsdale out in eastern Colorado to exchange the goods. Their most directly profitable discovery was a new breed of fast growing fresh water kelp. While inedible, when distilled by a secret process, it creates an unlimited supply of Bio Diesel Fuel.
Glendevey: a small community of ranchers; 20 people living on 6 ranches. All the residents are friendly and open--and exceptionally healthy. They are also secretly operatives for AREA 27.
Gould: a small ranching community of 35 people living on 4 ranches centered on a Trading Post--where biodiesel fuel is available for select Gypsy Truckers. All the residents are friendly and open – and exceptionally healthy. They are also secretly operatives for AREA 27.
Walden: a small farming and ranching town. All the residents are friendly and open--and exceptionally healthy. They are also secretly operatives for AREA 27. The dominant plant being grown is a weed-like bush that produces a fleshy, olive-like seed. The locals claim it is an animal feed-plant, and point to their exceptionally healthy bison herds as proof. The reality is that the oil pressed from the seeds is a secondary source of AREA 27's biodiesel fuel--but the organic waste from this process is fed to the animals.
The people of the land: Those who still call the Rocky Mountains home are a hard working, rugged breed. 150 years of hard winters have taught them that they have to be, as this land is incredibly unforgiving. These mountain folk work from sun up to sun down, from first thaw straight through to the first snow. During this time, they tend small crops, stock wood and fuels, hunt and fish, and care for their small herds of sheep and cattle. This is done in preparation for the upcoming winter. Those who fail to prepare, die. They have become very territorial, and do not look kindly on those who trespass on their land. Anyone caught hunting on their land will usually be attacked and killed. Even with the people being territorial, they know that without outside contact, and trade, they will die out. The various communities trade with one another for food, livestock and other goods. Some of the communities control mines that were in use before the war. They guard their mines constantly, even during the winter months, as the mines have made these communities rich by post holocaust standards. Many of these mines produce gold, and silver, so because of this, gold and silver is accepted as barter or for trade. Most of the communities also harvest the plentiful forests for wood to be used in construction.
Mailmen: Several Mailmen have made this stretch of mountains their home. They travel year round on horseback and are greeted with enthusiasm by all communities. For a fee of food, clothing, and occasionally other goods, they will deliver small packages or messages to the community of your choice. They are also modern day bards, as they convey any news they hear for a hot meal and a place to sleep. Because of the terrain, the mailmen travel in groups of two or three, as an accident, even a minor one, can take a life. It is also for mutual protection from the mountain lions, wolves and other unpleasant creatures that also call the mountains their home.
Georgetown festivals: Twice a year, during late spring (around Easter) and early fall (around the beginning of October) the various communities send out trading parties which meet in the town of Georgetown--an old County Seat--which is neutral to all parties. Here the people meet to trade goods and gossip, where young men and women meet in hopes of finding a potential mate, and where deals and treaties are made. These affairs are loud, fairly wild parties, as the people wish to blow off steam from their hard work, or just are glad to be able to get out and travel after months of being snowed in. During these festive periods, those traders who know the routes into the mountains come with wares from the lowlands. They trade manufactured tools and equipment for the regions renowned ski sleds and snow boards. Raw and refined metals, and wood products, wool and natural hide clothing are also traded. The traders and the locals have made an unusual arrangement. During this period, the locals let the traders know of any special items they need, such as spare parts for snowmobiles, certain types of seed, and so on. The Traders do what ever they can to fill these special orders when they for the next trading festival.
The Rook Territory: A community started around a pre-war survivalist compound started by Mr. Rook, a forward thinking man who was determined that his family was going to survive any nuclear war. This large ranch in the mountains of Colorado was fully-stocked, including several caches hidden in different locations on his land. When the war started, these people were well equipped and properly trained to survive. As mentioned above, the fighting between locals and the Rooks over territory lasted for several years. The townsfolk suffered far worse than this survivalist clan, as the towns folk didn't have access to the weapons, Kevlar armor, and training that the Rooks had. Within a few years of the Bombs and the Long Winter, all the survivors had settled into the best territories, centered on a handful of small towns, in this mountain region, and the ruins of the uninhabited communities had been picked clean. The struggle for simple survival meant that Peace between the survivalists and the townsfolk was inevitable.
Today: From a modest community of 67, the compound has grown to just over 350 men, women and children today. The Rook Territory covers an area roughly rectangular starting from the intersection of Highway 40 and Interstate 70 near the ruins of the old town of Empire, just west of Lawson, running west along I-70 to the ruins of Dillon and Silverthrone at the intersection of Interstate 70 and Highway 9, then going north, up Highway 9 to the ruins of Kremmling, at the intersection of Highways 40 and 9, then east along Highway 40 to the intersection of Highways 40 and 125, near the ruins of Granby, and finally southeast down Highway 40 to the intersection of Highway 40 and I-70, near Empire, completing the rectangle. All the communities that once sat along these mentioned roadways were long ago looted, fought over, and leveled. Only the mentioned locations--Empire, Dillon, Kremmling, and Granby--have Rook Territory manned outposts at them. They also control the Argo mills mining site, just to the southeast of the intersection of I-70 and Highway 125. They patrol this area on a regular basis, usually on horseback. The only time they use their supply of vehicles is if they have had intruders, and wish to show these interlopers that they are not to be trifled with.
Life in the compound: Survival skills are taught from day one, everything needed to live in this new world. Every member of the Rook community is taught how to use many different types of firearms, everything from pistols, rifles, submachine guns, shotguns, and even in some cases, the few grenade launchers possessed by the clan. There is not a single person who cannot use a firearm. Over the years the Rooks have hired out their guns for gold – for hunting purposes, trader convoy escort, and as body guards. On top of this, many of the Rook clan have become bounty hunters over the years, traveling all over Colorado and the surrounding states, bringing criminals, murderers, thieves, rapists, and other scum to justice or death. The Rooks have built quite a reputation for themselves as being not only tough, but highly skilled, dependable and trustworthy.
Evergreen Territory: The "easternmost" of the Territories, centered on the town of Evergreen. It is south, off the I-70, at the junction of State Highway 74 and County Highway 73. The stretch of State Highway 74 that branches off the I-70, going through Bergen Park, then south down to Evergreen, is called the Evergreen Parkway. The folks of Evergreen Territory live mostly in the downtown area and along the Parkway. Evergreen Territory is known for (primitive) steam-powered sawmills and lumber, methanol made from lumber waste, and Elk meat and hides. The population now numbers 234, led by the Evergreen Council; an elected body with 7 Councilors that runs things.
Central City Territory: Due north of the ruins of Idaho Springs, Central City was once the county seat for Gilpin County, and a major gold mining site at the turn of the 20th Century (but the mines were all worked out by the 1920s). Central City Territory is mostly known for the wild hops which grow in the fall--and provide both a source of yeast for baking, as well as the manufacture of beer. "Central City Beer" is known all along the I-70, and is this Territory's biggest trade item. This Territory, and its 312 citizens, has been run by an autocratic "Count" and his "Court" for the last 3 generations--so far the Counts have been both benevolent and concerned for their subjects.
Georgetown Territory: Georgetown was the county seat of Clear Creek County, and a center of Law and Government. A narrow gauge railroad runs between Georgetown (population 320) and nearby Silver Plume (population 110), to the west. Despite many severe riots and fights in the early days, Georgetown has survived, and in the 22nd Century, not only maintains a working railroad, but an operational (small) teaching hospital that boasts real MDs (Medical technology/knowledge = mid-19th Century; Civil War stuff, but with a working knowledge of anti-bacterial and anti-sepsis theory), as well as electricity provided by a small hydroelectric plant, just to the south of town.
The Eisenhower Tunnel: Has long since collapsed, an alternate route on the old Route 6 goes south from the eastern opening of the tunnel, through the town of Keystone, then re-joins I-70 at Dillon. The tunnel is still passable, if only just barely. It is just "dark and dangerous". Traders still use it, but only in heavily armed convoys. And even then, they sometimes get attacked or even never seen again. It is thought that what/whoever lives "under the mountain" actually makes an effort to keep the tunnel clear...to entice Traders in, no doubt.
Keystone Territory: This one-time resort town has survived mostly due to its location on Route 6--the alternate route around the mountains other than the Eisenhower Tunnel--as well as the proximity of the Dillon Reservoir. Keystone is known for its manufacture of skis, snowshoes, and dogsleds--specifically the obviously-named "Keystone Dogsled", which has not only sled rails, but is also designed with small, removable cartwheels, so that the sled can be used in summertime over fairly flat terrain (like overgrown roadways).
Vail Territory: From Bighorn in the east, to West Vail in the west, the Vail Territory runs the length of the Vail Valley. Known for its Artists community, and its ceramics and glass are hot items for trade. The "Hippie" culture of the 70's introduced Holistic Medicines--the terraced gardens of the valley produce a number of medicinal herbs, which the Vail "Alchemists" turn into a variety of useful medicines.
Gypsum-Eagle Territory: The smallest territory, with only a population of 100 people. Still mining gypsum for plaster (though plasterboard is no longer produced here), as well as a variety of plaster products (pots, plates, statuary, etc).
Glenwood Springs Territory: Coming down out of the mountains, this territory has a little more room to spread out. They are mostly Sheep Herders.
Grand Junction Territory: Grand Junction is the home of a thriving trading and farming community, and could be thought of as the western-most "I-70 Territory", though the people here are more open to strangers than the average Territory folks are. It also has the largest population of the Territores with some 500 people. The town is well-organized and defended, mostly due to the strong leadership of a man named Andrew Jackson. Jackson came to Grand Junction a year ago, wandering in off the caravan route alone, and quickly rose to a position of power in the town. His area of expertise was combat and he reorganized and retrained what had been an ineffective militia that had had difficulty keeping pickpockets out of the market. Under Jackson's leadership, however, the militia has become one of the most feared and deadly in the region. Troop strength of the militia is now around 200 effectives with a .50 cal HMG, some homemade mortars, and even a few flamethrowers firing alcohol fuel.
Secret past: Andrew Jackson has a secret. He was born in Oklahoma in 1965, and was once a Project MARS team leader. Four years ago, MARS team CO-4 awoke in east-central Colorado. His team headed for Grand Junction to recon, but was quickly ambushed by a band of marauders called the "Huns" and captured. Jackson escaped and after several failed attempts at rescuing his team, he found their heads impaled on stakes outside the marauder's camp. Enraged, Jackson nearly went mad and, only after 3 years of aimless wandering in the woods, did he snap out of it. Having nothing save the clothes on his back and his K-Bar knife, he made his way to Grand Junction to continue his interrupted mission. Here he has continued to follow the Project's guidelines and has made a considerable difference in the lives of the people of Grand Junction. But, just as soon as he feels the Militia he is training is ready, Jackson is planning on moving against the "Hun" camp at Delta, to the southeast, that has been a thorn in his conscience for the last four years.
Aspen Territory: An island of safety in the remote northwestern mountains, the former ski Mecca of Aspen is home to an isolationist community that has long posted the roads into town as dangerous for strangers and has the armed muscle to back up the threats. Robert Redford's descendents still hold power here.
La Junta: La Junta, east of Pueblo, down SR-50, is a fortified enclave of 1,000 people, a trading center serving caravans moving from the Great Plains to the Rocky Mountains. Struggling to stave off the raiders in the last few years, La Junta is slipping slowly towards martial law and many merchants have left town for good. The La Junta Militia Garrison, some 100 foot soldiers and horsemen, is armed to the teeth with rifles and homemade grenades. Many of these rifles are Cimarron-made--excellent weapons with range and power--from the arms makers in Springfield, to the southeast.
Trinidad: Southwest of La Junta, down the old SR-350, Trinidad is a place frequently hit by marauder raids, recently, and is now home to an outpost of the La Junta militia. 10 Militia veterans, re-enforced with 20 Trinidad locals now maintain several watch posts along the road, as well as horse patrols. These guys are jumpy, and might fire at anything "out of the ordinary".
Lamar: An independent village of 100-or-so farmers, noted for little but its high priced bar and brothel; a favorite spot for traders and wanderers to stop-over after a long trip across the dry plains.
Mother Lode bunker: Recently a new rumor has been spreading across the region. Ten years ago, an old rancher went into the grasslands south of La Junta in search of his runaway horse. At some point, the man found his horse wandering the old grounds of the Pinon Canyon Military Reservation east of the ruins of the tiny town of Simpson, Colorado, on SR-350--halfway between La Junta and Trinidad. There the old rancher supposedly found the "mother load"; a huge cache of M-16 rifles and ammunition in an underground bunker. Unfortunately all he had was his horse, so he could only carry out a few rifles to sell at market in La Junta--bragging the whole time about his lucky find. But, after a few days, before he could return to get the rest of the rifles, he died of a strange wasting illness. From that, to this day, people are still trying to find this "mother lode". At least a dozen expeditions have gone into the area searching for it. Most of the adventurers have returned empty handed and mad. They know it is out there somewhere, but just don't seem to be able to locate it.
Springfield: In this small town in the southeastern corner of Colorado is a unique group of religious arms makers and merchants. At its core, this cult holds to the majority of the Judeo-Christian beliefs common in America at the time of the War, then has incorporated those beliefs with the dogma of the old National Rifle Association, and a quasi-spiritual Way of the Gun; wherein everyone is trained in gun safety and goes around armed. These people worship The Gun, the main tenant of their religion is that Firearms are what truly make Man equal and respected in the eyes of God the Armed. As proof they point to the prevalence of holy symbols (guns) in the ruins of the great cities. Cimmarrons believe that it was the wrath of God the Armed, against the evils of Brady Bill, which caused the great apocalypse in the first place. All the true followers of this Gun Cult were spared due to their possession and readiness with God's Firearms, and began an exodus from the poisoned lands. Led by the great Holy Man himself--Chuck Hestin--their ancestors were saved because of his strength and wisdom, and his unshakable belief that being armed, and properly trained to use a gun, brings one closer to God. There were many casualties along their early path of sorrow, but the trials were a way of weeding out the weak and unworthy. The Cimmarrons pray for the day when the Old Government--the "good ol' N. R. of A.!"--will return to bring the enlightenment of The Gun back to the whole world. Many are hoping that "The Gummint" will be in contact soon. They feel that they have been carrying the torch for a bit too long, and have been sending emissaries out looking for the remains of a past proud and strong government. They feel that the old government was led astray, and has had enough time to re-form. They command and control all of Baca County.
Governance is provided by a group of ten self-styled Wizards and Zealots called the "Cabal". They have named themselves after the ancient names of power, i.e. Master Browning, Mistress Colt, the twins Masters Heckler and Koch, etc. This religious cult is the main supplier of all firearms, and ammo for the western Oklahoma, Texas Panhandle, and southeastern Colorado area. They have maintained this monopoly for over a hundred years and jealously guard their technology. Their main exports at the current time are .44 caliber Peacemakers, .44 caliber 1894c lever-action rifles, twin-barrel shotguns, and some smaller Derringer type weapons.
They do possess the capability to manufacture better weapons, with longer range, and greater accuracy. That they do not export these tends to insure their stranglehold on this niche market. They have had a number of Jihads, or holy wars with what they have deemed infidels, usurping their True Gods.
They have immense respect for and admiration of anyone who knows firearms well or is willing to learn. The apprenticeship program the group uses is somewhat draconian, but in their eyes, necessary. All small children, in addition to learning the "secrets" such as ballistic tables, muzzle-velocities, and other data, spend a great deal of time in the re-loading rooms. This is in part to teach them the necessity of loading correctly, but also to take advantage of their small hands and dexterity. Economically, they are much better off than their neighbors. They will accept almost anything in trade, including services. Their most readily accepted trade material is brass, copper, tin, or good quality steel.
They have heard of the Mother Lode of M16s that was found just to the west recently and have pulled out all stops to find this cache. The town of Springfield is strangely quiet right now, with better than half the capable men off to the west scouring the canyons and valleys for signs of the old rancher's fortune.
NEW!See the San Luis Protectorate on Main Page of the Guide to learn more.
Glenwood Springs: Home to 100 or so marauder nomads armed with bows and rifles. They have many slaves held here, mostly women. They are associated with the Huns.
Delta: While maintaining a winter camp at Delta, the Huns roam eastern Utah and western Colorado in the warmer months, taking women and burning towns at random. They now number near 350 and mostly travel on horseback or in covered wagons. These are the same marauders that attacked Andrew Jackson's MARS Team four years ago (see Grand Junction). Unbeknownst to Jackson, the Huns have grown considerably since he last faced them, and are now quite large and powerful. They will be a serious challenge for him to take on, even under the best of circumstances.
Umcompaghre Mountains: Somewhere in this western Colorado mountain range there is rumored to be a pre-war fishing cabin. The cabin allegedly conceals an underground tunnel which leads to another smaller cabin, and from the second cabin another tunnel descends deep into the Earth to a fabled "underground city".
Box Canyon Camp: In the thick Routt National Forest along the Wyoming border, there was a large ski lodge at Box Canyon campground. This was owned by a wealthy survivalist who had the place specially outfitted to act as a bunker from the 1970s on. Seeking to survive and be happy, rather than expand and conqueror, the man's descendents have lived in the immediate area for generations. Today, the secure complex is known as "Stronghold" and is occupied by twenty people; many of them direct relatives of the wealthy survivalist. They have cleared fields for food and the nearby Lester Creek Reservoir provides them with fish and water. They have a well-stocked armory that includes numerous military small arms and copious amounts of ammunition. Their main goal is to be left alone to grow and prosper. Despite this, wanderers from the Rook Territory have encountered these people and, being as they have a similar "mindset", or "ideology", so to speak--both groups are "survivalists"--there has been some interaction between these people and the Rooks.
People who have contributed to this entry:
John Raner
Chris Van Deelen
Michael Chestnutt
Vince Tognarelli
Karl Zohler