Short, but a smaller faction in the middle of a few others. 
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[b]Name:[/b] Almont

[b]Territory:[/b] Almont is mostly centered around the old city of Albany, New York, where its loosely-conglomerated "citizens" travel along the Hudson and St-Laurence Rivers to trade with others - most notably, with Quebec and New York. 

[b]History:[/b]

	The ruins of Albany's famed Underground Concourse harbored what citizens were unfortunate enough to be caught outside the safety of a Vault when the Great War came, and from there, slowly grew to become an impromptu trading hub in the New England Wastes. Over time, the ruins of the old towns of Glenmont and Albany emerged into the contemporary town, where its people slowly learned to eek out their existence in this strange new world. For the most part, the quiet little town would slowly grow into a river-based trading hub, exchanging agricultural products, crafts, skins, and the occasional odd manufacture to others throughout the New England Wastes.

	In 2289, a fated dispute between then-Captain Kirk Hathaway and his superiors in the Gunners soonafter found itself miring a split in the notorious mercenary band. With some strong disagreements over payment and reimbursement quickly descending into a full-blown crisis, Hathaway convinced a good number of Gunners along to his line of thinking, and promptly ejected themselves from the Commonwealth's Gunners. There, these newly-formed "Blackjaws" would wander from place to place, before eventually stumbling into the city of Almont, strapped for cash. First hired as elite caravan guards and hunters, they soon were able to entrench themselves into the politics of Almont, first as simple hired security, until their clear expertise over any militiaman or town guard nudged them into a clearly-cut caste above the usual Almont protector. In time, their position was clear, and Kirk - with the aide of his circle in tow - and it seems like all the 'Jaws had to do to get the keys to the city was simply go up and ask. So, ask they did, with words, knives, and of course, with what the mercs knew how to do best. 

	Since 2293, the moderately-sized city has remained under the dead-set control of the Blackjaws and their newfound allies (some more willing than others). And while a fateful accident with a landmine has certainly dashed any lasting hopes of Hathaway remaining as the Chief, it seems that Hathaway has found a new love to keep his time occupied; After all, Galaxy News Network had their regional array in Albany prior to the war, and Kirk [i]does[/i] possess quite the love for music...

[b]Pressing Issues:[/b]

	[i]Blood Feuds, Ancient and Modern:[/i] The current acting "mayor" of Almont has made no secret of his dislike for his former comrades among the Gunners, and the rivalry between the two is only barely kept from escalating into a full-blown war due to the sheer logistical strain it would put upon the two. An opportunity for one to harass the other is seldom ignored, which makes Almont's otherwise lucrative position along the Hudson river a dangerous game for lightly-armed merchants. 

	[i]Disjointed Society:[/i] Aside from the common "unspoken" rules of any civilized center in the Wastes, the establishment in The Rotunda by in large is unbothered by concerns that do not directly affect the Blackjaws, and largely leave the peoples within it to settle all affairs as personal issues. While the trade along the Hudson and its connections to the St-Laurence bring much wealth to and from the city, the lack of a strong central authority on matters such as economics or trade makes any developments to Almont quite slow. 

	[i]Nobody Likes A Bully:[/i] Gunners do not have a stellar reputation as merchants, constructors, or - by any appropriate measure - as amicable people. That a splinter from these mercs have now established themselves in a city does not make their past any less tolerable, and that same reputation means that Almont has a difficult time drafting or negotiating any serious diplomatic endeavors: At least, those that do not involve the business end of an assault rifle...
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