Drywater

The infant settlement of Drywater, just a few hours walk to the West of New Bravado’s extended territory, has finished its first permanent structures and acquired its first permanent citizens. Queen Jasper, the sickly but politically powerful matriarch of the Antler clan, came to New Bravado to oversee the perilous and brave process of sculpting a homeland from irradiated dirt. With the help of the Longberths, a faction of the San Saba Republic who have historically butted heads with the smaller merchant faction, the scrap of land became a dry port of call only rivaled by Waking Prime.

The culmination of the Junkerpunks’ dreams come true, the new settlement near our town of Bravado is really honoring the choice the players made during our online event, The Certainty of Tides. During the party in the Clutch, the faction known as the Muddy Water Accord rose to prominence in the Junkerpunks and decided to compete with the RRC on equal terms. Their continued success led to being chosen as a victor of the San Saba Cup Murderball prize to earn a seat on the Board for 3 months. Following a significant victory in the boardroom after the backing of Queen Jasper, the Junkepunks and Admiral Sinker Swim earned to right to fund the Drywater Settlement Package.

Survivors competed to complete tasks across the town, from offering Thoughts & Prayers, building fashion furniture, performing feats of mental gymnastics, breaking up ice around the lake, picking up trash and protecting the local wildlife, or even simple manual labor. For every four tasks completed, you could submit a vote towards which of three possible Drywater Upgrades would be established in the town. The Upgrade that won popular support, the REDFIELD BOATEL AND SPA would bring new resources to the town of Bravado, based on which faction was backed as a secondary support for Drywater.

The three options were:

THE CALI*CO-OPERATIVE ARSENAL

Owned and Operated by the dependable Cali*Co Caravan, the *Co-Operative Arsenal will employ the local Junkerpunk population for the purpose of munitions development and production. Located on the scenic ridge that overlooks Drywater, the Arsenal will develop and produce munitions for the defense of the Greater San Saba and her citizens from the threat of zed, raider, or invading body.  Espoused by the Holy Mother Queen Jasper of the Tribes Disparate, the Arsenal is her final attempt at preserving the San Saba as the homeland of her people and their allies.

THE REDFIELD BOATEL AND SPA

This sumptuous lounge and resort will be just one stop down the Oxline from New Bravado and attract personages of affluence from across the Greater Wastes. Local Junkerpunks will make up the staff of the Boatel and Spa and be provided with a living wage, ongoing benefits, and housing. Located on the river, the Boatel and Spa will technically be a mobile living environment permanently docked at Drywater. The kitchens at the Redfield will produce highbrow brews and confections beyond anything the San Saba has seen so far, and are personally endorsed by Felicity Redfield, CEO of the Railroad Conglomerate.

THE IMIX INSTITUTE

The closest GraveTech research facility is located in the Dead Marches, many miles to the distant south, beyond even the Blastlands.  To be placed in the middle of town as a multi-story cathedralex, the Imix Institute would employ and educate the local Junkerpunk population as researchers and volunteers in the ongoing effort to understand and benefit from the Mortis Amaranthine and the Grave Minds that lurk within it.  This project is endorsed by the leaders of the Grave Council, Takheeta Firstborn and Commander Rampart.  Research from this facility would likely produce compelling advances in Grave and Psi- technologies.

The tasks to support Drywater were quickly picked up by those in the RRC, particuarly as Felicity Redfield was in town to promote the new Redfield Boatel & Spa option. Felicity was a bit ruffled after being literally shipped to town in a box from Requiem, but offered compelling reasons of fairness and equality for the Junkerpunk workers in the new town. In addition, she offered a number of job opportunities exploring the depths of Lake Bravado in a new submersible device called The Blackfish.

Other faces came in town as well, to explain in more detail what their Drywater Upgrade would offer to the town. Commander Rampart of the Grave Council offered a disturbing potential future, with the time being right for another Archon incursion in only 10 more months, exactly one year to the date of the emergence of the Monolith. Since the device that allowed the town to oppose the Archons was destroyed in the fight, the Imix Institute would offer potential new weapons to fight back against an imminent threat from beyond death, including perhaps an answer to the threat of the Gravetouched in town.

Finally, the venerable Queen Jasper, Holy Mother, asked the question of what role the town of Drywater would really play into the future with an offer to reshape her legacy with the weapons and research of the Cali*Co Arsenal. Dubbed the “generational trauma gun” by her opponents, the Arsenal would offer military support to keep the Junkerpunk settlement unthreatened by opponents and allow them true neutrality in a dangerous San Saba political network. The Queen also met with her loyal subjects, including the Cervaxi Tribe, the SCAdians while in town to speak about an upcoming event for the Tribes. Visitors from the north in the shape of the Bloodied Wolves from Verdigrift signed a contract and offered protection to the Queen while she was in town, and listened to her call to arms. Her message was dire, even if she was at peace with the choice…

With the success of the RRC’s bid to create a new Boatel & Spa in Drywater, the town of Bravado could soon see new items like Brews, Meals, Culinary devices, or even Gizmos being traded with our fair town in the future… and the future is bright indeed thanks to the efforts of the town in dealing with an unfortunate pollution issue…