Post by amisi on May 11, 2009 23:03:21 GMT -5
Name of Island: Winchester Island
Size of Island: Large.
Location of Island: 10 miles north of Pecos Town.
Inhabitants: People from East Winchester are normal civilian types, living in the shadow of the marine base Fort Stanley. Not that they mind having a marine base nearby; after all, it's a dangerous age we live in, and such things are needed to stave off... well, the wrong kind of people. And the Winchester islanders know a lot about the wrong kind of people. Much of the labor of East Winchester goes toward the support and upkeep of the Stanley base. The townspeople endure heavy rationing to ensure that the marines get the supplies they need, but since their mild suffering is for the greater good no one seems to mind.
The western shore of the island is a lawless zone. Pirates and other criminals fight freely in the streets, and it's considered an unusually quiet day when there's no one to bury. The businesses here are lucrative, due to the clientele's willingness to throw money around; however, also due to the clientele, living and working in this area is extremely risky. A prominent pirate crew has recently taken over this half of the island.
Town(s)/Village(s)/City or Cities:
East Winchester: A normal small city with a marine base on the shore which feeds directly into the downtown area, the location of most shops and inns. Residences are built further inland, reaching almost to the center of the island. The buildings are all two or three stories with colorful pastel exteriors and sloping roofs. Balconies and large windows are a common fixture, especially in newer buildings. Set along East Winchester's western border is high concrete wall six feet thick. There is one small checkpoint gate guarded by five units from the marine base.
West Winchester: The buildings here are one-story and tend to be ramshackle or at least a little beat up. Little has changed architecturally since the town was originally built because no handyman or architect dares set foot here to repair or update anything. There are a handful of buildings that stand out; some because they look brand new, and others because their design is completely outrageous (the inn shaped like a bottle of rum, for instance). These were built by the carpenters of pirate crews taking up temporary residence on the island. Establishments not owned by pirates tend to have bars over the windows. The most commonly sold commodities are guns from Pecos Town and liquor, though some high-fashion boutiques can be found here and there for discerning lady pirates.
Flora and Fauna: Formerly a forest island, most of the trees here have been cut down to free up land for the cities. A small forest still exists in West Winchester, just before East Winchester's border wall, but the undergrowth is filled with broken glass and other refuse. Weeds are the most common vegetation.
Woodland animals like deer were common once, but they died off due to the radical changes in their environment, including deforestation and overenthusiastic hunters. The surviving nuisance animals, like rodents and bugs, have taken up residence in West Winchester. People from East Winchester commonly keep pet cats, dogs, and birds.
Island History: The first inhabitants of Winchester Island immigrated here because their old town, also called Winchester, was destroyed by pirates. The first settlement consisted of simple houses and businesses on the western shore of the island. Things were peaceful for a long time, but true to the Golden Age of Piracy, trouble found them again. Pirates inexplicably began to visit the budding town in droves; the townspeople were baffled, because there was nothing about Winchester Island that would hold any appeal for pirates.
The pirates claimed to enjoy the fresh air and set about wrecking the town in small ways. There was drunken shouting and singing in the middle of the night whereas it had been quiet before; buildings were damaged; women were frightened to leave the house because the pirates never failed to leer at them. Not wanting to provoke the pirates into causing some real damage, the villagers quietly packed up and abandoned their town to live on the east side of the island, where they started all over again.
They were wealthier and more skilled than they had been during the construction of West Winchester, so the buildings in East Winchester were sturdier and more aesthetically pleasing. The townspeople quickly got settled into their beautiful new homes, but they had some fears that couldn't be be quelled. Twice they had been forced to move by pirates. If they didn't take preventive measures, it would happen again. They quickly set about building a wooden border wall against their old town, which was now overrun by pirates.
Luckily for Winchester, the marines had been scoping out islands in West Blue for sorely needed new base. The mayor immediately began a campaign to call their attention to Winchester, pointing out the strong pirate presence on the opposite side of the island. The marine base was built and the wooden wall was converted to concrete, and it seemed that soon all their troubles would be the past.
However, the pirates weren't easy to run out of town. No matter how many of them the marines arrested or chased away, a week or two later an even larger crew than ever before would find their way to the island. More alarmingly, the pirates seemed to get stronger with each new wave, until at last a crew that couldn't be defeated took over West Winchester. Conflicts between the marines and this troublesome crew are an ongoing problem.
Size of Island: Large.
Location of Island: 10 miles north of Pecos Town.
Inhabitants: People from East Winchester are normal civilian types, living in the shadow of the marine base Fort Stanley. Not that they mind having a marine base nearby; after all, it's a dangerous age we live in, and such things are needed to stave off... well, the wrong kind of people. And the Winchester islanders know a lot about the wrong kind of people. Much of the labor of East Winchester goes toward the support and upkeep of the Stanley base. The townspeople endure heavy rationing to ensure that the marines get the supplies they need, but since their mild suffering is for the greater good no one seems to mind.
The western shore of the island is a lawless zone. Pirates and other criminals fight freely in the streets, and it's considered an unusually quiet day when there's no one to bury. The businesses here are lucrative, due to the clientele's willingness to throw money around; however, also due to the clientele, living and working in this area is extremely risky. A prominent pirate crew has recently taken over this half of the island.
Town(s)/Village(s)/City or Cities:
East Winchester: A normal small city with a marine base on the shore which feeds directly into the downtown area, the location of most shops and inns. Residences are built further inland, reaching almost to the center of the island. The buildings are all two or three stories with colorful pastel exteriors and sloping roofs. Balconies and large windows are a common fixture, especially in newer buildings. Set along East Winchester's western border is high concrete wall six feet thick. There is one small checkpoint gate guarded by five units from the marine base.
West Winchester: The buildings here are one-story and tend to be ramshackle or at least a little beat up. Little has changed architecturally since the town was originally built because no handyman or architect dares set foot here to repair or update anything. There are a handful of buildings that stand out; some because they look brand new, and others because their design is completely outrageous (the inn shaped like a bottle of rum, for instance). These were built by the carpenters of pirate crews taking up temporary residence on the island. Establishments not owned by pirates tend to have bars over the windows. The most commonly sold commodities are guns from Pecos Town and liquor, though some high-fashion boutiques can be found here and there for discerning lady pirates.
Flora and Fauna: Formerly a forest island, most of the trees here have been cut down to free up land for the cities. A small forest still exists in West Winchester, just before East Winchester's border wall, but the undergrowth is filled with broken glass and other refuse. Weeds are the most common vegetation.
Woodland animals like deer were common once, but they died off due to the radical changes in their environment, including deforestation and overenthusiastic hunters. The surviving nuisance animals, like rodents and bugs, have taken up residence in West Winchester. People from East Winchester commonly keep pet cats, dogs, and birds.
Island History: The first inhabitants of Winchester Island immigrated here because their old town, also called Winchester, was destroyed by pirates. The first settlement consisted of simple houses and businesses on the western shore of the island. Things were peaceful for a long time, but true to the Golden Age of Piracy, trouble found them again. Pirates inexplicably began to visit the budding town in droves; the townspeople were baffled, because there was nothing about Winchester Island that would hold any appeal for pirates.
The pirates claimed to enjoy the fresh air and set about wrecking the town in small ways. There was drunken shouting and singing in the middle of the night whereas it had been quiet before; buildings were damaged; women were frightened to leave the house because the pirates never failed to leer at them. Not wanting to provoke the pirates into causing some real damage, the villagers quietly packed up and abandoned their town to live on the east side of the island, where they started all over again.
They were wealthier and more skilled than they had been during the construction of West Winchester, so the buildings in East Winchester were sturdier and more aesthetically pleasing. The townspeople quickly got settled into their beautiful new homes, but they had some fears that couldn't be be quelled. Twice they had been forced to move by pirates. If they didn't take preventive measures, it would happen again. They quickly set about building a wooden border wall against their old town, which was now overrun by pirates.
Luckily for Winchester, the marines had been scoping out islands in West Blue for sorely needed new base. The mayor immediately began a campaign to call their attention to Winchester, pointing out the strong pirate presence on the opposite side of the island. The marine base was built and the wooden wall was converted to concrete, and it seemed that soon all their troubles would be the past.
However, the pirates weren't easy to run out of town. No matter how many of them the marines arrested or chased away, a week or two later an even larger crew than ever before would find their way to the island. More alarmingly, the pirates seemed to get stronger with each new wave, until at last a crew that couldn't be defeated took over West Winchester. Conflicts between the marines and this troublesome crew are an ongoing problem.