Terminal City
City of the Future
Terminal City is the largest city in the Rustbucket, constructed in the middle of Lake Prosperity. At eighty square kilometers, it is the home of five hundred thousand individuals. Once a worldwide center of trade and industry, it had fallen into deep recession prior to The Exodus and Covenant rule.
Demographics
Being one of the few independent ports in the city has drawn a diverse population, and a wide variety of races and species can be found crammed into its narrow streets.
Government
The Terminal City Parliment is the defacto ruler of the city, with members democratically elected from the various districts.
Defences
Terminal Cities military and police services are provided by Terminal City Security Forces. They maintain a presence in the city via the Panopticon. A large military base has been built since the war at Fort Southpoint.
Industry & Trade
Terminal city is largely surround by abandoned industry and farmlands, with small rural communities spread out across its broad plains. Historically, the region mined minerals, crops, cattle, and oil all of these were shipped through Terminal City. While the arrival of the Covenant resulted in the alleviation of world hunger and energy scarcity, the reduction of demand on these goods resulted in an economic collapse of the area. The rule of Covenant Barons hasd aready created a rift between the city and the surrounding regions, amplified by the devastation of the Trinity War.
Infrastructure
The city is independantly powered by the Dynamo District, which uses Covenant power and waste reprocessing to keep the city functional without connection to any sort of grid. These systems are difficult to maintain, with only a specialized few able to keep them running since the Covenant were ordered out of the city after the war.
History
During the Meta uprising, Terminal City stayed out of the action. But in the aftermath it found itself on the border of three of the new Baronies. Terminal City was the trade port of the Bucket, where all could get their goods on the rails or to ships and out to the principalities abroad.
None of the Covenant Barosn were happy about this situation, and in 25 AE what is known as the Trinity War broke out. The explosion that obliterated the Prosperity Peninsula almost took the city with it were it not for the sacrifice of the young superhero Tectonic. What was left was an island, it's rails severed and its population stranded. The water in the lake rose twenty feet that day, Along 'the Dirth' you can still see some of the crumbled buildings sticking out of the water, though the bizarre energy fields prevent anything but the newly built Covenant rails from standing long.
When the war settled out and a fragile peace was formed, Terminal City was right in the middle. It's been rebuilt, but the local populace haven't forgotten the devastation the Covenant delivered, nor the sacrifice of the heroes. As recompense for the suffering at the hands of the Barons, the Covenant Prince of the Center, Albion, declared the city independent with its own local government. The city is a thousand miles from the capital of the Principality, but the treaty seems to have kept the local Barons at bay.
But everyone wants a piece of the city. The city's unique nature as an independent state has made it ripe for corruption, and the city is a haven for criminal syndicates such as The Trust. Anything can be bought or sold here. Rumor has it the resistance has strong presence there, with meta-activity being a consistent part of the evening news. No Covenant troops are allowed to set foot
The local populace tolerates the meta-activity fairly well. The recognize the Police and other civil servants can't carry the burden alone, the city is collapsing and someone needs to hold it up. People appreciate the work the independent metas do and treats them as local heroes. But they also remember the war and the collateral damage supers caused.
Tourism
Prior to the Exodus, Terminal City was attempting to rebrand itself as 'The City of the Future' in order to attract more visitors. It is stil a unique place, and more adventurous visitors come to see the massive structures such as the Aerie or hope to catch a glimpse of metahuman heros in action. Some come to partake in the many vices the underworld can offer, or participate in illicit trades that Covenant interference would prevent.
Geography
Terminal City is a city built on top of a city, up out of the water into the sky. It's eastern side is dominated by the Prosperity Dirth, a disaster area in which any standing structure crumbles after a short while. It's only connected to the mainland by floating rails built of Covenant technology, all other traffic is by dirigible or shipping lanes.
On a clear day, the majestic Scratchback Rim decorates the horizon in every direction.
Cover Art:
Retro Future by Benjamin Carre
Retro Future by Benjamin Carre
Type
Large city
Population
550000
Location under
Included Locations
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
Related Tradition (Primary)
Characters in Location
Related Reports (Primary)
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