Accorded neutral ground from all warring factions of the American States, the biggest city west of the colonies, and the greatest of all Free Cities. With both Tesla and Edison in residence, the Junction is also known as the city of light.

Founding The Junction:

In the middle of a merging of rivers that fell between the borders of Northern and Southern States and the Western Territories a collection of islands went unclaimed during the war. People who were tired of the fighting began to settle here, declaring all the islands neutral ground. Following the initial settlers railroads built depots on the island, the quickly growing city was an ideal junction for travel and shipping between the nations, the EIC put in airship and river boat docks for the same reason. The town was unofficially dubbed "The Junction" and it became the main city of trade for both legitimate and illegitimate goods. With access to the railroads and air travel the population boomed and quickly the town ran out of land to build outward, so they started building upwards. Many buildings were reworked to have solid stone foundations to support the heights they would reach. Edison Industries built a great hydro electric generator across the narrow gap between the two islands furthest up the river to sell electricity to the public. Tesla moved to the city and started his own engineering firm and began broadcasting free electricity, garnering The Junction the nickname "Electric-City".

As the population was taking off the people hired a sheriff, who in turn hired a posse of deputies, to protect them and keep order across the islands. When the social classes began dividing themselves into neighborhoods, the Sheriff divided his men into three tiers based on what the neighborhood could afford. The men with the most experience, the Gold Stars, enforced the law in the wealthier neighborhoods for those that could pay the higher costs, and the least experienced, the Copper Stars, looked after the poorer slums, while the Silver Stars filled in the middle class districts. Some companies hired their own security and enforcers to handle private maters within their own buildings while the Shining Stars enforced in the streets. It turned out such gaps in law were easily exploited and smugglers quickly found their home in the shadows of the major factions.

When the hostilities between the Nations had cooled enough to attempt peace talks, it was agreed to happen in The Junction, both sides built embassies on the island. The Republic of Texas and the collected tribes were soon to follow. At the insistence of the Sheriff all were required to sign a non-hostility agreement effective within the city limits. The Railroads, EIC, Tesla, and Edison also signed to gain protection under the contract. Not wanting to be accused of breaking the Peace Treaty all parties have turned from open aggression to subterfuge and espionage.

Geography: To the West is the frontier, reclaimed by the wastes and the Western Territories. To the North and East is the United States, and to the South East is the Confederate States. The Northern border of the Republic of Texas is a few hours by horseback to the South of the city walls.

Post Shockwave:

Areas of The Junction were damaged when the Shockwave caused the aether crystals to pulse. After the dust settled, as a show of strength each faction focused rebuilding their areas of The Junction. Defenses were constructed along the banks to protect its citizens from the dangerous beasts that now roam the wilds. The outer districts of The Junction are protected by high walls and sturdy gates defend the bridges from the outside. The stone walls stand up to 4 stories tall in most areas, reaching as high as 6 in others. The bridges are protected by sturdy gates are constructed of thick steel bound timbers and defended by gun emplacements.

Societal structure and financial class system:

The wealthy tend to live up river and on the 2nd tier, and the further down river and the lower in the city you move you'll find people of decreasing lower class. The furthest down river

Lacking its own means of production, things can be expensive in The Junction. Fortunately there are banks willing to make loans, many times an individual will become an indentured servant when they default on too many loan payments to the banks. The banks will have the individual hauled to debtor's prison which will then hire them out to companies and factories until they can payoff their debts.

**To be expanded**

Locations:

IMPORTANT BUILDINGS:

Edison Towers

This building is actually a pair of towers built on Stone Island and Big Island straddling Rock River. A large paddle wheel between the towers draw power from the river, and a number of wind turbines are situated on bridges connecting the towers, and lightning harvesters on the roofs all provide power to the surrounding neighborhoods without the smoke of the coal generators in the downriver neighborhoods. Whispering Pines and Whispering Oaks enjoy the towers' reliable electricity, and electric street lights during the night.

Traders' Tower (AKA: The Market)

A tall concrete and stone based tower with wood and steel on the upper floors boasts a smaller independent airship dock, the moorings can only handle smaller ships. The lowest floors are an indoor market, it is said that one can buy almost anything there. The higher levels are an inn for the crews of the airships that dock in the scaffolding. The tower is located near the South Docks and can handle the occasional riverboat to off load cargo, the Traders' Tower doesn't have any permanent slips for long term riverboat docking.

The Depot

All of the rail lines into the city regardless of owner share a building. Such a matching resulted in an odd conglomeration of a structure, the Depot is composed of multiple styles, few of which blend with each other. The Depot is located on the outer edge of the Junction, but includes lines from both the aerial trolley and the ultra-light lines to allow easy access to the city.

Baltimore-Ohio Railroad

The section run by the B&O is a Brick and timber exterior, the platforms are covered by awnings. The lightweight rails of B&O allow them to put the gate on the 2^nd story.

Pacific Railroad (overland route – transcontinental railway)

Cut stone walls make up the bulk of the building, glass and steel cover the platforms and tracks.

Texas Industrial

The area of the Depot controlled by is probably the most industrial of the lot of them, consisting of bare steel beams and concrete. The Depot station of connects to the Stockyards to the south via a light rail that runs through the middle of The Junction.

T.E.S.T

The aerial trolley developed by Tesla connects to the upper floors of the Depot. The style of the T.E.S.T. section is open with smooth polished steel and dark wood with no corners or sharp edges.

East India Trading Co.

The East India Trading Co. operates out of the tallest building in The Junction. Multiple mooring towers reach up from the roof. The E.I.T. Co. controls most of the air traffic through The Junction. At the base of the tower are steamboat docks, and the tiny harbor available to the island. From this vantage point the E.I.T. Co. is able to monitor all river traffic in The Junction. Above the towers is the Zephyr Platform, a floating airship dock reserved for the super elite. The Zephyr Platform is large enough to be a neighborhood on it's own, those wealthy enough to afford rooms on the platform are able to keep away from the smoke and grime of the city below.

NATIONAL EMBASSIES:

Union:

The union embassy resembles two buildings stacked on top of one another. A blackened stone ruin stands as the base two stories, and concrete and steel reach up to complete the remaining six stories. The blackened stone also serves as the perimeter to the Union's embassy grounds. The stone foundation is what is left of the original Union Embassy after the Shockwave.

Confederacy:

The Confederate embassy is constructed as a large luxurious plantation house, reaching several stories into the air. An ornate brass gate keeps the colorful garden walk up from the rest of the Junction. Several small outbuildings stand within the embassy walls.

Republic of Texas:

A large concrete building and several garage doors take up the first floor. A wrought iron fence marks the perimeter of their grounds. The lowest level consists of a workshop and the relay station for the light rail that travels the circuit of the city. The Republic has also purchased some land from the Confederacy on the bank to the south of The Junction across from the Republic embassy. This land is used as a combination stockyard and heavy engine interchange.

Expanded Empire of China:

Built mostly of Stone and Steel, the lower levels are made up of businesses and little apartments. From the second tier and up the embassy is constructed of wood and stone, and designed around multiple courtyards. The northern area of the embassy is built to resemble a palace. Opium dens can be found in the surrounding area. The parts of Long Island that the Empire doesn't control are run by the Triads.

Coalition of Tribes:

Realizing they had a stronger negotiating power against the white man if they were together the tribes that survived the Shockwave formed a coalition. They built a compound of small huts and low building along the West Bank, just beyond the islands. The compound is surrounded by a high fence with lots of big open spaces, corrals, and stables. Each tribe has it's own area of the embassy, but they share a peace lodge.

NEIGHBORHOODS:

Industrial Row: The vast majority of the manufacturing of The Junction happens along Industrial Row. In addition to producing products the factories' chimneys pump coal smoke into the air and dump waste into the Black River, giving it it's name.

Mud Ridge: Located on Small Island, downriver of most of The Junction, the ground is almost always muddy and prone to flooding. The B&O railroad cuts between Mud Ridge and the rest of The Junction, it's trains spew smoke every time they pass through. Rope bridges and wooden walkways do their best to keep the pedestrians out of the mud.

The Twists: A tight set of winding alleys between tall roughly constructed buildings. The lower tier of the Twists rarely get direct sunlight and are considered one of the more dangerous areas of the Junction. Many black market deals happen in the Twists. The upper tier of the Twists are still a confusing jumble of bridges and alleyways. The Twists are just down and across the Black River from Industrial Row and get all the pollution washing through their streets when the river over flows.

Undertown: The weight of the city has caused some portions of the islands to sink. Some of the early streets and lower floors of buildings are now below ground or even the water level. Most of these have been patched up and made water tight, others remain flooded. Some abandoned light rail tunnels stretch under the river between Upper and Lower Island. Undertown is home to many vagrants and shady deals.

Whispering Woods: A collection of parks and row houses, all identical and owned by the same property group. The buildings are designed for a middle to upper class clientele and feature businesses, shops and smaller, cheaper apartments on the first tier and row homes surrounding a small park on the second. The buildings are located near Edison towers along Grey Water Stream, where they get reliable electricity from Edison generators. The blocks are named after types of trees, Whispering Oaks, Whispering Pines, Whispering Elms, Whispering Willows, etc. Each block has an identical layout.

Zephyr Platform: Zephyr Platform is an airship dock tethered to the East India Trade Company Tower. There are plenty of amenities for the crews of the merchant ships. The Platform is big enough to be a small neighborhood on it's own.