The Neighborhoods

ON THE EDGE OF CIVILIZATION

"I heard Robert visited his mother in The Neighborhoods a few years ago. Archons came to make sure his visit had been to his pleasing and offered him a job interview with the Development Department. I wonder how he’s doing there."

— Overheard from Beckettville Citizen

Between The Unspoken Zone and Beckettville are a number of suburban neighborhoods of unknown occupants. Beckettville citizens have been warned of the dangers of these areas and, after a few early-day deaths, have learned its best to stay away. Few citizens still make short visits into the mysterious area to see banished loved ones, but not all return.


The true size of The Neighborhoods are unknown to the public. Due to the repetitive nature of the districts, most adventurers have gotten lost before reaching the end and only their bodies have been recovered within a few blocks of Beckettville.

History of The Neighborhoods

Some details of The Neighborhoods have become shrouded in mystery due to age but stories of Atwood have survived to current times. The Hiram Beckett Company has open explorations into The Neighborhoods to detail any new events or discoveries, adding to an ever-changing history about the area.

Pre-Extinction Event

by Avi Waxman

The Neighborhoods were once a lovely set of suburbs called Atwood. Just outside of a large city, Atwood had a high percentage of young, working families seeking a quiet life and exciting entertainment. A highway running through the center led into the city, offering the neighbors a quick route to high-paying positions in a number of fields, particularly with the business that the entire area had been built around:
The Hiram Beckett Company.


Atwood was a beautiful town with snowy winters and balmy summers, many inhabitants preferring to stay right in town for vacations. Tourism was virtually non-existent and the only chain businesses were those from The Hiram Beckett Company that had seeped into Atwood, keeping a tight-knit, small-town feel.

Post-Extinction Event

No longer known by Atwood, The Neighborhoods have become odd, mangled suburbs haunted by the myths created within Beckettville. The highway that once ran through Atwood has been shattered by the strange landscape, cutting off most of The Neighborhoods from accessing the city. There is very limited entry to The Neighborhoods.

The Hiram Beckett Company highly suggests citizens of Beckettville keep away from The Neighborhoods unless absolutely necessary. HBC holds no responsibility for any aches, pains, maimings, or deaths resulting from an expedition into The Neighborhoods.

The Hiram Beckett Company often sends patrols through The Neighborhoods to collect any visiting citizens struggling to find their way home. A thick mist has started to seep from the ground in recent years that keeps most Beckettville citizens from visiting altogether.

Navigating The Neighborhoods

The once beautiful streets of Atwood have broken down into a bizarre labyrinth of mid-century suburban homes and rusted out vehicles. If a citizen happens to visit The Neighborhoods at the same time as a law enforcement sweep, the citizen is more than welcome to ask for an escort within the first two districts but be aware that escorts will not always be available back.

Districts

Due to the size of The Neighborhoods, certain areas have been sectioned off into specific districts in an attempt to make the area somewhat traversable. It is likely more districts will be added to this list as they're discovered. At the moment, an end has not yet been found.

District A

The inner most ring of The Neighborhoods. Most easily accessed by following along the coast, District A is visible directly across Beckett Lake. District A is the most easily traversable area of The Neighborhoods and is somewhat upkept by the citizens of Beckettville that make small trips in and out of the district. Most homes still look brand-new and have vehicles parked in their driveways.

District B

Although not frequently visited, District B is relatively fit for habitation. The streets are not as clean as District A but they're still drivable and the houses are mostly still protected from the weather with only a few along the outer ring showing signs of dilapidation.

District C

Very few have seen District C. It is much more dilapidated than the closer districts with some homes completely razed to the ground. Any vehicles that are left have been hollowed out of machine parts and left as empty shells jacked up on rocks. The streets have started to rise and crack, steam streaking through the dark, bubbling liquid just below the asphalt.

by Ivan Bandura

Founding Date: ████████

Abandonment Date: ████████

The Neighborhoods have been absorbed by The Hiram Beckett Company and are now considered protected land.

by Emily Armstrong

Population

Although considered to be abandoned, The Neighborhoods are well-known to be full of neighbors. Who, or what, these neighbors are is more of a mystery. Some believe The Neighborhoods are just filled with those banished from Beckettville, others believe those living within are the remnants of the ones who weren’t accepted. Citizens of Beckettville have ventured into The Neighborhoods and returned but can’t recall seeing anyone else in the suburbs; however, they could hear them nearby.

The Neighborhoods Watch

The elite force of Archons chosen to delve into The Neighborhoods for sweeps. Wearing special protective gear and carrying a SaberRifle, they safely escort citizens through the streets and clear out dangerous areas.