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Engine City & Rocket Island
2 years ago
Greetings and salutations, everyone! I'm coming to you today with quite the expansion on Junction City...which, I know, many of you out there are saying "but you've only written a single, introductory story for this setting! Aren't you putting the cart before the horses?" You wouldn't be entirely wrong in thinking this, but I plead extenuating circumstances. Junction City and its surrounding locales have been staking out space, rent-free, in my brain for quite literally over a decade, and now that I've decided to commit at least some of that to paper (so to speak), well, the ideas have only multiplied. Still, it's a better problem to have than no ideas! It's true that I may never get around to writing proper stories for the vast majority of ideas that leap out of my mind, but that's why I take notes - to keep them fresh for if I ever do get the opportunity. It's also why I share! If, possibly, someone out there stumbles onto these journals, all the characters and ideas I've laid out therein and that starts them on their own creative journey - well, that's something you can't put on a price on. ^.^
Just one thing - if you do draw inspiration from me, or if you want to explore these settings through your own art/writing, don't forget to give me a little tip of the cap! A writer always likes to know when she's appreciated. n_n
Without further ado, read on to discover the latest additions to my crazy, wonderful world!
Union Sea – The body of water surrounding Junction City. Certain lanes have been mapped out as completely as possible, and can be used relatively safely to travel between worlds – either to predetermined destinations, based on celestial navigation, or through the use of artificially generated Gates. Straying outside of these lanes is highly dangerous and generally regarded as done only by the extremely brave, or extremely foolish. Estimates are tough to come by, but it’s thought that anywhere from three-quarters to a full ninety percent of all vessels that veer into uncharted waters simply vanish, never to be seen again.
The Boneyard – Colloquial name given to a semi-mythical “junk flotilla” located on the Union Sea. Sketchy tales from men and women frightened halfway to insanity paint a picture of a gargantuan floating junkyard, with representatives from all known classes of sea vessels and plenty of unknown ones. Some sources even claim that a few of the vessels that have found their way into the Boneyard resemble spacecraft rather than seagoing vehicles, but such tales are dismissed as panic-induced delusions. Unbeknownst to the vast majority of Junction City’s citizens, however, the stories are true. The Boneyard does exist, and ships lost in the Union Sea are more or less guaranteed to end up there if they remain afloat, due to the strange properties of the interdimensional oceans. As the city is a land-based nexus point, so too is the Boneyard an ocean-based nexus – and its portals have been known to swallow space vessels on occasion, as well…
Engine City – Not all who are consigned to the Boneyard die. A community of hardy survivors has sprung up, clinging to life on the tenebrous hulks that make up the graveyard. The “hub” of Engine City is centered on the largest wreck present, an empty oil tanker that the ruling council has deemed “neutral territory.” Ships of all sizes and class surround it, everything from aircraft carriers and destroyers to small merchant and fishing boats. Each group of vessels has either been towed to the hub, or in rare cases, moved under its own power, but ships that still have the capability for sailing are a rare commodity in Engine City. These “fleets” are led by captains, who together make up the Captain’s Council, the governing body of a community perpetually on the edge. Engine City will welcome any dregs that wash up on their borders, but only if they can pull their weight – space is at a premium, and freeloaders are not welcome, to put it mildly. No one is a prisoner, and may leave the city at any time. Hardly anyone ever does, however, because even if one could construct or restore a ship to working order, the journey between Engine City and a known sea lane would surely lead to their death, disappearance, or worse…
Rocket Island – The only stable land mass, aside from Junction City itself, in the entirety of the Union Sea. An island in the shape of an equilateral triangle, it rests directly north of the Boneyard and Engine City, with one of its vertexes “pointing” directly at the flotilla. Surrounded by tiny, jagged peaks that are little more than moss-strewn rocks, it is difficult but not impossible to reach the island by sea without damaging your ship. The island plays host to a now-disused military base-cum-research station, for which it is named; Rocket Island. No one is quite sure how it got here, nor where it came from. The island is mostly level and covered with an environment reminiscent of an equatorial rainforest, with an array of feral wildlife to match. A lone, low mountain rises to the west of the triangle’s center, a volcano with low-level activity and an extensive network of tubes carved out underneath it by lava. Snow is possible, if rare, on the island due to the strange, warped weather patterns of the Union Sea. Lush and mostly unspoiled, there is a small tribe living on the island, amongst and around the ruins of the base, which was built near the base of the mountain. Little cross-contamination is present between Engine City and Rocket Island – those of the city believe the tribespeople to be savage, unprincipled, and warlike, while the tribespeople regard the citypeople to be duplicitous, scheming, and invested only in self-benefit. For all of that, however, trade does exist between the two communities, via a small divot of a cove on Rocket Island’s northwest shore, the sole safe landing space.
The Rocketeers – The tribe that makes Rocket Island its home. The core of the tribe is descended from the original men and women of the military base after it was pulled from its home dimension and deposited in the Union Sea. Though many generations have passed, trappings of the original military stylings remain. The leader of the tribe is referred to as “General,” and lower ranks are distributed amongst her higher-ups as she sees fit. Rank insignia survives, though heavily modified. “Uniforms” tend to be, at most, collars, capes and other accoutrements – it is difficult to find a tribesperson wearing more than a scandalously short skirt or what is essentially a bikini top. The tribe seamlessly integrates the remnants of the base’s futuristic technology into their mostly primitive lifestyle – augmenting bows and arrows with high-tech scanning devices, for example, or lighting their daily campfires with portable lighters. Despite the primitive trappings, they are an intelligent people, and for the most part understand how their technology works…though as the computers and notes inside the base deteriorate, that knowledge is being slowly, steadily lost. The general armament is of a deceptively primitive nature – spears and hand axes are the usual choice for close combat, while bows are standard ranged weapon. All are augmented with technology; a thrown spear or swung axe may have a small thruster behind it, while bows are paired with high-tech lenses and scopes to ensure every shot is true. Matriarchal in nature, men are generally relegated to a secondary, submissive class unless they can sufficiently impress the women. Aside from traditional breeding, they replenish their ranks through unlucky souls flung onto their island through randomly appearing interdimensional portals, or those who wash up on their shores. Generally welcoming of these strays, they dislike those who choose to live in Engine City, though that does not prevent them from engaging in civil relations – as long as the citypeople respect their own boundaries, of course…
Just one thing - if you do draw inspiration from me, or if you want to explore these settings through your own art/writing, don't forget to give me a little tip of the cap! A writer always likes to know when she's appreciated. n_n
Without further ado, read on to discover the latest additions to my crazy, wonderful world!
Union Sea – The body of water surrounding Junction City. Certain lanes have been mapped out as completely as possible, and can be used relatively safely to travel between worlds – either to predetermined destinations, based on celestial navigation, or through the use of artificially generated Gates. Straying outside of these lanes is highly dangerous and generally regarded as done only by the extremely brave, or extremely foolish. Estimates are tough to come by, but it’s thought that anywhere from three-quarters to a full ninety percent of all vessels that veer into uncharted waters simply vanish, never to be seen again.
The Boneyard – Colloquial name given to a semi-mythical “junk flotilla” located on the Union Sea. Sketchy tales from men and women frightened halfway to insanity paint a picture of a gargantuan floating junkyard, with representatives from all known classes of sea vessels and plenty of unknown ones. Some sources even claim that a few of the vessels that have found their way into the Boneyard resemble spacecraft rather than seagoing vehicles, but such tales are dismissed as panic-induced delusions. Unbeknownst to the vast majority of Junction City’s citizens, however, the stories are true. The Boneyard does exist, and ships lost in the Union Sea are more or less guaranteed to end up there if they remain afloat, due to the strange properties of the interdimensional oceans. As the city is a land-based nexus point, so too is the Boneyard an ocean-based nexus – and its portals have been known to swallow space vessels on occasion, as well…
Engine City – Not all who are consigned to the Boneyard die. A community of hardy survivors has sprung up, clinging to life on the tenebrous hulks that make up the graveyard. The “hub” of Engine City is centered on the largest wreck present, an empty oil tanker that the ruling council has deemed “neutral territory.” Ships of all sizes and class surround it, everything from aircraft carriers and destroyers to small merchant and fishing boats. Each group of vessels has either been towed to the hub, or in rare cases, moved under its own power, but ships that still have the capability for sailing are a rare commodity in Engine City. These “fleets” are led by captains, who together make up the Captain’s Council, the governing body of a community perpetually on the edge. Engine City will welcome any dregs that wash up on their borders, but only if they can pull their weight – space is at a premium, and freeloaders are not welcome, to put it mildly. No one is a prisoner, and may leave the city at any time. Hardly anyone ever does, however, because even if one could construct or restore a ship to working order, the journey between Engine City and a known sea lane would surely lead to their death, disappearance, or worse…
Rocket Island – The only stable land mass, aside from Junction City itself, in the entirety of the Union Sea. An island in the shape of an equilateral triangle, it rests directly north of the Boneyard and Engine City, with one of its vertexes “pointing” directly at the flotilla. Surrounded by tiny, jagged peaks that are little more than moss-strewn rocks, it is difficult but not impossible to reach the island by sea without damaging your ship. The island plays host to a now-disused military base-cum-research station, for which it is named; Rocket Island. No one is quite sure how it got here, nor where it came from. The island is mostly level and covered with an environment reminiscent of an equatorial rainforest, with an array of feral wildlife to match. A lone, low mountain rises to the west of the triangle’s center, a volcano with low-level activity and an extensive network of tubes carved out underneath it by lava. Snow is possible, if rare, on the island due to the strange, warped weather patterns of the Union Sea. Lush and mostly unspoiled, there is a small tribe living on the island, amongst and around the ruins of the base, which was built near the base of the mountain. Little cross-contamination is present between Engine City and Rocket Island – those of the city believe the tribespeople to be savage, unprincipled, and warlike, while the tribespeople regard the citypeople to be duplicitous, scheming, and invested only in self-benefit. For all of that, however, trade does exist between the two communities, via a small divot of a cove on Rocket Island’s northwest shore, the sole safe landing space.
The Rocketeers – The tribe that makes Rocket Island its home. The core of the tribe is descended from the original men and women of the military base after it was pulled from its home dimension and deposited in the Union Sea. Though many generations have passed, trappings of the original military stylings remain. The leader of the tribe is referred to as “General,” and lower ranks are distributed amongst her higher-ups as she sees fit. Rank insignia survives, though heavily modified. “Uniforms” tend to be, at most, collars, capes and other accoutrements – it is difficult to find a tribesperson wearing more than a scandalously short skirt or what is essentially a bikini top. The tribe seamlessly integrates the remnants of the base’s futuristic technology into their mostly primitive lifestyle – augmenting bows and arrows with high-tech scanning devices, for example, or lighting their daily campfires with portable lighters. Despite the primitive trappings, they are an intelligent people, and for the most part understand how their technology works…though as the computers and notes inside the base deteriorate, that knowledge is being slowly, steadily lost. The general armament is of a deceptively primitive nature – spears and hand axes are the usual choice for close combat, while bows are standard ranged weapon. All are augmented with technology; a thrown spear or swung axe may have a small thruster behind it, while bows are paired with high-tech lenses and scopes to ensure every shot is true. Matriarchal in nature, men are generally relegated to a secondary, submissive class unless they can sufficiently impress the women. Aside from traditional breeding, they replenish their ranks through unlucky souls flung onto their island through randomly appearing interdimensional portals, or those who wash up on their shores. Generally welcoming of these strays, they dislike those who choose to live in Engine City, though that does not prevent them from engaging in civil relations – as long as the citypeople respect their own boundaries, of course…
