Post by thagema on Oct 14, 2006 12:06:20 GMT -5
For those that don't have the Century Station book, here's a brief history of the city.
Century Station is located (this is in my game world, as the exact location is not mentioned in the source book) along the Gulf coast of the United States near the border of Louisiana and Mississippi. Century Station is a district like Washington D.C. Since it has district status, Century Station has different regulations and such.
Some years ago, about 10 at this point in time, the small district was barely surviving. Then a man named Dr. Leopold Sarhoff built a huge, highly advanced cold fusion reactor in Century Station. The power it produced was inexpensive, clean and was pumped out worldwide through satellite stations. Many high tech companies swarmed Century Station, trying to piggyback on the great success of what had become known as the Daedalus Project. It was soon after the great success of Daedalus that the Station was granted district status.
Century Station prospered and many people became wealthy. Then, five years after the fusion reactor was brought on line, an alien called Alpha Prime arrived on Earth with some terrible news. Dr. Sarnhoff was actually an imposter. In reality, he was a wanted alien criminal who had broken an intergalatic law known as the Covenant. The law stated that space-capable cultures couldn't technologically aid other cultures until they had reached space travel on their own. Therefore, the great tech Daedalus brought to Century Station was confiscated, the fusion reactor shutdown and Sarnhoff taken into custody. Alpha Prime remains on Earth in the Station to ensure all technology has been confiscated. This event has led to a very anti-alien culture within the city.
Soon after, the city plunged into a depression. Businesses fled the district as everything they had worked for was attached to Daedalus. Those that could leave did. Those left behind fell into poverty. Some retained their wealth and found ways to continue, but the majority of the citizens lost everything.
At one time in the city, hovercycles and cars could be seen flying through the skies. Now, those items have disappeared except for some of the wealthier people in the city. Most of the tech was confiscated by Alpha Prime.
Crime soon became the biggest industry within the city. And on top of the crime pyramid was a kingpin called Iron Mike. He was so powerful he actually claimed a section of the Station as his own personal kingdom and threatened any law enforcement officials who came to his turf. Wanting to reign in the crime and seeing this as an opportunity to take down a major figure, the city police attempted a daring raid while Iron Mike met with other criminal leaders. The meeting was supposed to be to divide up the city. But, a corrupt cop informed Iron Mike who set a trap for the police. It was terrible. The police weren't ready for the trap. But it got worse.
During the battle, Iron Mike was mortally wounded. When he died, the small nuclear device (an alien design as their was little dangerous fallout from the device) exploded. It seems Iron Mike had the device wired to his heart. Once he died, the device exploded, killing hundreds and wounding thousands. Most of the police force was killed. What followed became known as the Bloody Monday riots.
Once the insanity was reigned in, the mayor was ousted and replaced by the current mayor, Dwayne Zardona. The mayor was supposed to be the puppet of the big businesses, but the U.S. government had some stipulations. The mayor must reduce the crime rate and improve the conditions of the city within five years or the feds would move in and take control, the city would lose it's district status and the national guard would take over for the law enforcement.
Crime has dropped, but not enough. The mayor has made some headway with other programs, but one big obstacle still remains. The current kingpin of crime in the Station is called the Minotaur. No one even knows if he truly exists. He's an urban legend. Some residents of the maximum security prison, Gramercy Island, claim loyalty to the Minotaur, which leads investigators to conclude that he may be real.
Century Station is located (this is in my game world, as the exact location is not mentioned in the source book) along the Gulf coast of the United States near the border of Louisiana and Mississippi. Century Station is a district like Washington D.C. Since it has district status, Century Station has different regulations and such.
Some years ago, about 10 at this point in time, the small district was barely surviving. Then a man named Dr. Leopold Sarhoff built a huge, highly advanced cold fusion reactor in Century Station. The power it produced was inexpensive, clean and was pumped out worldwide through satellite stations. Many high tech companies swarmed Century Station, trying to piggyback on the great success of what had become known as the Daedalus Project. It was soon after the great success of Daedalus that the Station was granted district status.
Century Station prospered and many people became wealthy. Then, five years after the fusion reactor was brought on line, an alien called Alpha Prime arrived on Earth with some terrible news. Dr. Sarnhoff was actually an imposter. In reality, he was a wanted alien criminal who had broken an intergalatic law known as the Covenant. The law stated that space-capable cultures couldn't technologically aid other cultures until they had reached space travel on their own. Therefore, the great tech Daedalus brought to Century Station was confiscated, the fusion reactor shutdown and Sarnhoff taken into custody. Alpha Prime remains on Earth in the Station to ensure all technology has been confiscated. This event has led to a very anti-alien culture within the city.
Soon after, the city plunged into a depression. Businesses fled the district as everything they had worked for was attached to Daedalus. Those that could leave did. Those left behind fell into poverty. Some retained their wealth and found ways to continue, but the majority of the citizens lost everything.
At one time in the city, hovercycles and cars could be seen flying through the skies. Now, those items have disappeared except for some of the wealthier people in the city. Most of the tech was confiscated by Alpha Prime.
Crime soon became the biggest industry within the city. And on top of the crime pyramid was a kingpin called Iron Mike. He was so powerful he actually claimed a section of the Station as his own personal kingdom and threatened any law enforcement officials who came to his turf. Wanting to reign in the crime and seeing this as an opportunity to take down a major figure, the city police attempted a daring raid while Iron Mike met with other criminal leaders. The meeting was supposed to be to divide up the city. But, a corrupt cop informed Iron Mike who set a trap for the police. It was terrible. The police weren't ready for the trap. But it got worse.
During the battle, Iron Mike was mortally wounded. When he died, the small nuclear device (an alien design as their was little dangerous fallout from the device) exploded. It seems Iron Mike had the device wired to his heart. Once he died, the device exploded, killing hundreds and wounding thousands. Most of the police force was killed. What followed became known as the Bloody Monday riots.
Once the insanity was reigned in, the mayor was ousted and replaced by the current mayor, Dwayne Zardona. The mayor was supposed to be the puppet of the big businesses, but the U.S. government had some stipulations. The mayor must reduce the crime rate and improve the conditions of the city within five years or the feds would move in and take control, the city would lose it's district status and the national guard would take over for the law enforcement.
Crime has dropped, but not enough. The mayor has made some headway with other programs, but one big obstacle still remains. The current kingpin of crime in the Station is called the Minotaur. No one even knows if he truly exists. He's an urban legend. Some residents of the maximum security prison, Gramercy Island, claim loyalty to the Minotaur, which leads investigators to conclude that he may be real.
