The Republic of the Lower Colorado
Boundaries: A great river valley, running along the Colorado from the port city of Yuma on the Gulf of Baja, to the farming community of Blythe. The Kingdom of the Mohave are affiliated as part of the Greater Colorado River Compact - and them up the Gila to the east to the towns of Gila and Maricopa.
Government: An elective Republic, loosely based on old US Empire.
Legal Code: Derived from English Common Law.
Climate: Bwh (arid desert) moderated by annual flooding of the twin rivers (Gila and Colorado) and an annual Monsoon.
Population: 450,000
Economics: Trade, agriculture, herding, manufacturing.
Agriculture: Extensive based on irrigation from the rivers and massive cisterns used to capture water during the spring floods and the late summer monsoon.
Trade: The life-blood of Yuma. Maricopa is also a major jump off point for caravans headed to Paige, Four Corners and Safford.
Religion: Gaiansim, Wiccan, Hucksterism, PRC, Troll, Other.
Standard of Living:
Rural: Better than average, most farmers are yeoman landowners supported by employees and indentured servants.
Urban: High. Yuma has a strong middle class thanks to their mercantile and manufacturing economy, which is spreading to other cities.
Gender Equity: Equal, and essentially non relevant. Race relations are far more important - dealing with Humans, Wendego and Plants in one polity can be challenging.
Armed Forces: Moderately sized, a core of professional solders supported by city militias and clansmen. More than large enough to hold off Aztlan, or Barstow. Supported by an emerging fleet which may one day be able to challenge the Koos on the open Ocean, but for now more than strong enough to defent the Baja sea from any incursions.
Dominant Magical Tradition: Gianism, Sirens, Weathermanges.
History:
In The Beginning, the World Ends:
· Kofa BNL: Dr. Kenneth Lindsay begins the gene splicing experiment “MANIA” to develop an inexhaustible source of food for the planet. +
· Most people of Lake Havasu City die during the collapse, except for a lucky few tourists and resort staff on the upper floors of high-rises that do not collapse during the flood. \
· During the flood a group of eggs are uncovered from their entombment and infected with nanites. These assemblers restructure the long dormant DNA and give rise to pre-historic sea life in Lake Havasu, and in other regions along the Colorado River. \
Wild Times:
· Extensive canal and irrigation works are developed throughout the Lower Colorado region to capture the annual floods coming off of the Rocky Mountains to the Far North creating a group of societies reminiscent of the Nile River, with fortified Cities, Towns and Villages dotting the high-points of the landscape. +
· The foundation of Gianistic Magic in parts of the Lower Colorado. +
· Engineering students who survived the Colorado flood found a culture based on neo-tech ‘weird sciences’ in Havasu City. These students convert several of the hotel towers in to Aquaponic towers. +
· Sacerdocio de los Muertos (Priesthood of the dead) spread throughout the Southwest, a holy order which gives communities defenses against the dead via sacrament, rite and ritual. +
City States:
· An era defined by the evolution of a distinct culture within the Lower Colorado region.
· The Events as described in “The Flower that Ate Brenda”. Death of all citizens of Gila, new home of ‘Trolls’ founded. \
o Notes on Trolls:
o Spawned from original organism, the Mother Tree (killed in The Flower That Ate Brenda)
o Each new Troll entity has the memories of its parents.
o Can somehow ‘absorb’ mammals to create a hybrid entity.
o A Gianist priestess sacrificed herself to the new mother entity at Gila, giving it morality.
o ‘Diana’ eventually returned to Yuma as an envoy from the Troll race.
· True Red-blooded ‘Merican Larry Ray Dole renames himself Lycurgus and establishes the strict Spartan Military Way of Life in Fort Mohave, based very loosely on his obsession with the movie “300”. \
· Initial forays by Barstowians further militarize New Sparta. -
· Yuma develops an extensive dike and canal works to channel and control the annual flood as it is now the new delta region for the Colorado and Gila rivers thanks to the elevation in sea levels. This leads to Yuma transforming into a ‘New Venice’ of the American southwest. +
Barbarian Invasion:
· An era defined by continual invasions of ‘Husks’ mutants from Barstow to the west, and mountain tribes from the East. -
· The Lodge of Sirens and Seasingers is formed in Havasu City, with sister lodges opening in Yuma, Vegas and Paige. Claim the ability to soothe the new prehistoric sea life. +
· Gila sends a cohort of Trolls to help against the barbarian invasion, saving the town from destruction. +
· The undead legions of High Mistress Tram are repulsed outside of Maricopa by a Troll legion. Marks the furthest expansion of the undead(?) host from Tucson. +
Rise of Fort Mohave:
· A group of Scavengers travel to the ruins of Edwards Air Force Base. One, Dale Makowitc returns form the adventure with an infection that makes him resistant to impact trauma and allows him to regenerate wounds at a visibly observable rate. First he kills the current King of Sparta (Lycurgus III), replacing him as leader (The strong shall rule! The rest shall serve to their ability!). Dale soon discovers that the infection can be passed on to his most loyal lieutenants forming the ‘Blood Guard’. -
· King Leopides (grandson of Dale Makowitc) First leads his elite guard to defeat the ‘Wendego’ of Mt Tipton (who ally with the king to cement their new status) and then takes his legion to the heart of Barstow, smashing the army of the Great Khan and sending the Mutant nation into complete disarray as the separate clan heads begin an internal brawl to choose a new Great Kahn. -
· These victories cause King Leopides to decide that it is now time to unify all of the Lower Colorado under one banner: His. -
Warring States Period:
· Scene: Fort Mohave sends an ‘emissary’ to Havisu City to find out what the ‘something’ is that seems to inhabit Lake Havasu.
o Actors: Young fisherman from Havasu
o Jon the Magnificent, one of the sons of Leopides.
o Scientist Heron to run the submersible device.
o A Siren, Purrik Alrin
o The group submerged their device off of the London Bridge ignoring the objections of the Siren. The result was a Plesiosaur attacked the sub, and Jon lost an arm, much to his vexation. +
· Yuma and Blythe form a Mutual Defense Alliance against the threat of the Spartans of Mohave. +
· Blythe Scouts looking for allies find the Aztec Empire to the west; only one scout survives the encounter. -
· Mohave bypasses Havasu City (leave them in their walls. They can do no harm there), captures Parker and Blythe, and soon has Yuma besieged. The siege lasts for months, but eventually the city falls. Leopides declares himself Emperor of the Colorado. -
· SPARTA VICTA! There is a brief 5 year period of peace as Mohave tries to digest the new nation (including Havasu, as they give up after 6 months realizing there is no other choice). Soon culture clash due to the strict Spartan legal code causes simmering resentment and frequent revolts. -
· The Clans of Barstow unify under a new Grad Khan, Ulgreb who finds the new nation to his east irresistible. He declares them a Worthy Opponent, and sends all of the clans to invade. The invasion is stunning in its execution with Blythe and Parker falling within days. Havasu, is once again besieged. The people of Fort Mohave retreat to their bunkers, but the city they have built on the Colorado River is sacked. Yuma is able to withstand the invasion thanks to her new walls behind the lagoon constructed on the order of the Emperor. -
· Emperor Leopides dies while defending Mohave City. -
· Yuma, with the aid of Trolls from Gila, Wendigos from Tipton, and allies from Baja and New Mexicali are able to defeat the Barsowian hoard and kill Ulgreb throwing the Clans into Chaos. +
Foundation of the Republic of Lower Colorado:
· Yuma, as last man standing among the city states of the Lower Colorado, proposes a unified Republic among the allies; representatives from Yuma, Mexicali, Blythe, Gila, Parker, Havasu, Mohave and Isla de la Guardia attend. +
· All the above city states become members of the New Republic EXCEPT for Fort Mohave. +
· Soon after, New Mexicali is conquered by Azteca for violate their ‘agreement’. This proves to be a severe blow to the young republic and tests her ability to maintain unity in the face of this new threat. -
· Final Disposition of the Republic:
o Yuma is the capitol – a prosperous mercantile city sitting at the delta of the Colorado and Gila rivers on the Sea of Baja.
o Havasu City – a hub of technology and learning, supported by their Sirens. Havasu City is basically a tiny patch of land on a peninsula comprised mostly of repurposed resorts leveraging aquaculture, permaculture, and fish farming sitting behind an eastward facing wall of concrete. The siege engines on the 20th floor of the buildings outrange anything anyone else can throw at them.
o Gila – home of the Trolls with an outpost in Maricopa which is a sump off point for patrols down toward Tucson, scavengers exploring Phoenix, and caravans heading toward Paige, Four Corners or Safford.
o Mexicali – captured. Those who escaped ended up in either Yuma or La Paz.
o “Angel Island” is a source of fishing and sea trade, while also acting as a choke point protecting the Sea of Baja from incursions.
o Problems: Fort Mohave is sullen about no longer being in charge. Aztec is a rising, hostile power. Barstow remains. The Koos Trade Empire is rapidly growing causing the Yuma merchants to howl from the loss in profits. The recent Koos seizure of most of Hawai’i has caused significant alarm. Finally, Mexico has a port on the Pacific, as does Costa Rica. No one knows that problems may come from that direction.
Legend – all events are from the perspective of the nation or culture in question:
+ Good
\ Neutral
- Bad