Montrose

Boundaries: Montrose is a small city-state nestled in the Uncompahgre Valley of western Colorado-lands. The valley is ringed by mountains in all directions making it extremely difficult to assail by force. Further, Montrose has set up concrete bunker forts at each pass making the entire region a tough nut to crack. If there is any weakness in the valley or a future point of conflict it might be where the border with Grand Junction north of Delta lies exactly.

Government: Lifetime elected Sheriff with a community board of Trustees.

Legal Code: derived from Old World US standard

Climate: Montrose features a Semi-arid climate, grinding into an Arid climate. It sits on "high desert" lands in the Uncompahgre Valley of Western Colorado. Summers are hot and dry, while winters are fairly cold and dry as well. Rainfall is scarce, averaging roughly 9 inches of precipitation per year, with some years with even lower numbers. Snowfall does occur during the winter, but snow is usually short lived in this region due to the high altitude and abundant sunshine, even in winter months.

Population: ~5,000 (~250 in Montrose city).

Economics: Agriculture and Mining. Minor textiles and light industry. Montrose was a major mining center before The Fall, making it a fairly significant strategic point in the Rockies.

Agriculture: Alpine farming (oats, wheat, barley, hops) brewing.

Trade: Historically, Montrose was situated on the old rail trade routes between Grand Junction and Denver. But Montrose has become rather isolated with the recent troubles in both Denver and Durango, effectively cutting off the routes to the South and West. However, there is still the route out to Alamosa via the Gunnison trail. As a result this is rapidly becoming the road of choice between Deseret and Pueblo. The Drango phenomenon blocks raiders from the Four Corners region (and the Cortez route is easily guarded), leaving only local mountain men and Muties to cause troubles.

Religion: Post Rapture Order of the Redeemer 50%, Latter Day Saints 30%, Order of the Martial Way 10%, Unaffiliated 10%.

Standard of Living:

Gender Equity: Moderate to fair. Women are considered a ‘protected’ class, and discouraged by social pressure from engaging in ‘damn-fool’ professions. But, as they say, there are always black sheep.

Armed Forces: Small, but effective. The people of Montrose have been able to estable a series of fortifications around their borders allowing them to collect tariffs on the trade routes, but also hold off numerically superior forces of raiders. An army could crack the Valley, but no one has felt the need to do so thus far. Not to mention the fact that any army would either have to come over mountains or go through Grand Junction first anyway. Which probably explains why Montrose keeps good relations with Grand Junction and Alamosa.

Dominant Magical Tradition: Miracles

History: Not much to tell really. The Uncompahgre Valley was pretty damned isolated before the fall. Not much has changed since then. From what anyone can tell, when the apocalypse happened Montrosians pretty much shrugged and went on with their business. Some may have even smiled to not have to answer to Denver or the Imperial Seat any longer.

Noteworthy things:

The Gunnison Tunnel.