Blüdhaven

Located between Gotham City and Atlantic City, this island metropolis is a harsh setting with few redeeming qualities for its citizens. Law enforcement of other cities, and at higher levels, reference Bludhaven as a primary example of What Not To Do.
An anti-mask law was passed in the city in 1990, as part of a harsh crackdown on metahuman activities. Wearing a mask in Bludhaven outside of Halloween or New Year's Eve is a felony. "Mask" is defined under this law to include face paint, theater prosthetics, facial tattoos, veils, helmets, and glasses dark enough to obscure an outside view of the eyes, as well as any kind of mask made from cloth or any other substance, no matter what percentage of the face it covers. Some people have been arrested and charged for wearing eye patches.
The law-abiding part of Bludhaven does not have a theater district. Schools do not put on plays.
A high wall carves off about a third of the island city from the main body. This walled-in section is hillier than the rest of the island, with older buildings crammed more tightly together. This area is called Widow's Peak. Police and rescue services will not go in there. Anyone who wishes to travel into Widow's Peak is required to sign an affidavit to the effect that they understand the risks and accept that quarantine procedure may mean they can not cross back out of the Peak afterward.
Inside the Peak, almost everyone wears some kind of costume, in flagrant defiance of the anti-mask law. The place is run like a Hollywood horror version of a Brazilian favela: different areas are strictly controlled by different criminal organizations, paying tribute to more powerful ones for resources such as electricity and food.
Heroes do not belong here. No one wants to shake Captain America's hand.
Blockbuster rules one of the five most powerful groups, commanding hundreds of smaller gangs.
home of a deep-underworld company that'll fulfill any fantasy, no matter how deviant or unwilling certain participants ... for the right price.

---

Bludhaven, New Jersey replaces the real-world location of Brigantine, NJ, taking up all of Brigantine Island. The real place is about a billion times nicer than our Bludhaven, which is mostly the "Fell's Point" location from Dark Champions as described in _Widows and Orphans_ by Chris Avellone. Information is included here because references will be made to the city from time to time, NOT because we expect our campaign to ever visit directly.

Type

City

Location under

North America

Related Plots

• Launch Code
• Launch Code 6
• Launch Code 7
• Launch Code 8
• Launch Code 9 - the conclusion

Old notes

OOC note: the following is from a prior version we had of bludhaven on a different site. Each part is under review as we decide what to keep, what to revise, and what no longer fits our world building at all.

• Alternate Name or Subtitle
  island city of urban horror


• Connected names in the city's history
  Arcade, possibly real name A. R. Cadenski, got his start here in Widow's Peak. He might have been born here, despite claims that he was born to a very wealthy family. He definitely has strong connections to a nihilistic low-powered metahuman street gang called "The Clownz" who run "Clown Alley". Originally the group was called "Clown Alley" and founded by The Idiot King. When Gotham City's Joker was confirmed dead, they changed their name and declared themselves a Tribute Gang in his honor. But, since they're pretty much "expendable henchmen", they do not actually do much that is impressive. See Widows and Orphans page 63.