This is a Fallout RP that takes place in October 2288, about 7 years after the events of Fallout New Vegas. The Second Battle of Hoover Dam never happened and the Mojave has experienced radical change yet Vegas still remains a prize for many. Players will be able to control a faction as they seek to eek out a living or carve themselves an empire. As GM I will help move conflicts along and will be introducing certain elements the players can react to. The greatest element of change in the Mojave is [color=1a7b30][u]The Green:[/u][/color] [hider=My Hider] The Green does not refer to a single plant, or type of plant but rather the phenomenon of rapid unexplained plant growth that has been covering swathes of the Mojave. It is a combination of plants both familiar and strange to the people of New Vegas. Whether or not these plants are returning pre-war species or new species is unknown. The exact process of growth is always changing but it follows the general pattern of creepers and vines, followed by mosses and lichen, ferns and grasses and in just a few weeks entire bushes and small saplings. While some of the growth is harmful or toxic there are many edible, medicinal and beautiful specimens as well. Nonetheless unchecked growth of the Green has taken over the community of Westside and driven the people into Freeside and the wider Mojave. While primarily in the Northwest region of the Mojave the Green has recently been seen to “jump” to new areas without any connection to the original growths. Some towns as far south as Novac and Cottonwood Cove have reported unexplained plant growth. At the center of these outbreaks of Green is the fungus Beauveria Mordicana which causes the deadly illness known as "Greenlung" or the "McCarran Cough". Greenlung is a respiratory infection that cannot be transmitted between people and only originates from exposure to spores of Beauveria Mordicana. Nearly always fatal Greenlung begins with a simple cough, then the patient begins to experience shortness of breath. After a few days heavy fevers sap strength from the body and the cough becomes sharp and haggard. Most die within a week or two, either from a closing of the airway or from fever. Some have been known to last as long as six weeks before dying, usually to another disease as the body has become so weakened. Those very fortunate few who have survived an infection of Greenlung forever suffer from shortness of breath and painful migraines that come and go. The map below details the spread of the Green with the bright green areas representing significant "hotspots" of the plant growth and the presence of Beauveria Mordicana. [color=8dc73f]Camp McCarran[/color]: Sometimes referred to as "Fort Garden", Camp McCarran was the at the center of the outbreak of the Green. While the foundations of the Forest had already been set, it wasn't until McCarran bloomed that the Mojave became truly aware of the Green. Very few people have ventured into the camp since it was closed by the NCR. Of those who have entered some return and tell of an unrecognizable jungle full of strange plants and animals. Adventurous individuals sometimes brave the dangers to retrieve certain items or plants of value. But those that don't disappear into the Green often return sick or infected with some kind of parasite. [color=8dc73f]Old Mormon Fort[/color]: Once a fortified hospital for the Followers of the Apocalypse, after the break out of McCarran cough the fort couldn't handle the number of patients it was receiving. The fungus Beauveria Mordicana overwhelmed the staff the Followers were forced to close the hospital. Like McCarran, the walls are sometimes scaled by those dauntless enough, but the danger inside is real. [color=8dc73f]The Brackenwood[/color]: The heart of the Green, the Brackenwood is a dense overgrown forest centered around Vault 22. The Brackenwood is covered in a vast variety of plants both strange and beautiful. So prolific is the plant life here that is has started to affect the weather. Pulling in water vapor from the surrounding region it condenses into clouds which rain upon the Brackenwood further feeding the growth and starting the cycle all over again. A dense mist saturates the inner region and there have been reports of strange animals and unnatural sounds from those who have delved that deep and returned to speak about it. [color=598527]The Grove[/color]: A woodland covering the hills and mountains near the former settlement of Jacobstown. Primarily consisting of aspens, conifers, and sequoias the Grove is home to a large population of unnatural predators. Striking from the shadows and misty undergrowth they've remained unseen, with some people believing it to be a large population of nightstalkers. Since the growth of the Green into the mountains the mutants in Jacobstown haven't been see or heard from. Rumors say they left, pushed out by the growth and continued North. Others claim they were killed or even still live there, now truly isolated from others. [img]https://i.imgur.com/GGo1DKd.jpeg[/img] [/hider] Timeline: [u][b]2281 - 2288 [/b][/u] [hider=My Hider] [u][b]2281[/b][/u] Nov: The 3rd Infantry Battalion is formed under the command of Col. Denver Abernathy and deployed to the Mojave. Dec: NCR troops muster around the Hoover Dam in preparation for the 2nd Battle of Hoover Dam. [u][b]2282 [/b][/u] Jan: The Legion army massed at Fortification Hill retreats without a fight. Over the next few weeks the Legion forces throughout the Mojave pull back to Cottonwood Cove before leaving back East across the Colorado. The Fiends, unaware of the Legion retreat, follow through with their attack on Camp McCarran. They overwhelm the depleted garrison and take control of the airport. General Oliver leads a relief force to liberate the camp, the Fiends are driven back into Westside and the NCR once again is in control of Camp McCarran. General Oliver is hailed as the “Hero of the Mojave” for ending the over seven year long campaign. Feb: The articles of annexation are drafted and presented to Robert House and the Strip families. Col. Cassandra Moore is promoted to Brigadier General for her role in the Mojave campaign. She is reassigned to the Northern frontier and leads NCR troops further into the Oregon territory. March: Riots break out in Freeside over the coming annexation of New Vegas and NCR settlers are attacked by locals. The 3rd Infantry’s B company is deployed to quell the unrest and protect their citizens. Col. Abernathy personally leads the company with a squad of Rangers. In the confusion a firefight breaks out between the Kings and B company. The Kings retreat back into their school, the troopers storm the building killing dozens. Eventually the school was set on fire and the B company formed a perimeter, allowing the building to burn down, killing any who tried to exit or who tried to put out the fire. April: In the aftermath of the riots a strong anti-NCR sentiment begins to build throughout New Vegas, even among some former citizens. Pvt. Bradshaw checks into the Camp McCarran infirmary with a mysterious type of pneumonia. The infection spreads throughout the garrison gaining it the moniker “McCarran Cough”. 3rd Infantry, with support from the remaining rangers in the Mojave launch an assault on the Powder Ganger stronghold at NCRCF. The facility is re-taken and the process of restoring it begins. May: Caravans coming back from Jacobstown report strange plants growing out in the foothills. The mystery illness afflicting Camp McCarran is identified as a fungal infection resulting from Beauveria Mordicana. June: The Followers are contacted to help with the outbreak of Greenlung at Camp McCarran. The infection spreads into the Westside and the suburbs of New Vegas. Camp McCarran is quarantined to prevent further spread. August: Camp McCarran is closed and sealed shut, the remaining sick are locked inside and left to die. The Old Mormon Fort becomes inundated with patients resulting in an outbreak of “Greenlung” in Freeside. General Oliver dies from Greenlung after six weeks of illness. The loss of General Oliver and Camp McCArran along with over two hundred NCR personnel is a devastating blow to the command structure of the NCR military and the morale of the NCR as a whole. Civilian leadership decries the Mojave Campaign as a waste of resources and human lives. September: The Follower’s hospital at Old Mormon Fort is overwhelmed and they are forced to abandon it. Those left inside die within a week. With public support for the military and their mission in the Mojave at an all time low the formal annexation of New Vegas is put on indefinite hiatus. Col. Abernathy is given military governorship of the Mojave as he is the only officer willing to take the position after the death of General Oliver and loss of Camp McCarran. Col. Abernathy moves the headquarters of the military in the Mojave back to Camp Golf. October: Refugees from New Vegas re-settle in the town of Nelson. November: Brianna Van-Graff is elected to the NCR Congress on a platform of anti-corruption. [u][b] 2283 [/b][/u] January: Strange plant life is observed in the alleys and streets of Westside near Vault 3. March: The Great Drought begins, the early planting season is marked by intense heat waves and an utter lack of rainfall throughout California. May: Happy Trails Caravan makes contact with the New Canannites of Utah and a northern trade route in the Mojave is opened. The restoration of the NCRCF is finished and the prison is opened again. Its first prisoners consisted of citizens who had protested against the NCR’s handling of the deadly Greenlung outbreak in the Mojave. June: Months of drought have ruined the planting season, NCR food stores, having been neglected for years, are beginning to fail in feeding the people. July: The Hunger begins, a catastrophic famine that sweeps the entirety of the NCR. It is estimated over five thousand people die in the very first month. August: The Van-Graff Corporate Security Forces are established (CSF). A conglomeration of mercenaries and guards employed by the Van-Graff family company to protect their financial interest and investments. September: Rumors of an abundance of plants and life in the quarantined Camp McCarran is reported by scavengers who enter the ruins. An outbreak of Greenlung breaks out among these scavengers. Most are dead within a week. November: The first wave of NCR refugees fleeing the hunger arrive in the Mojave. They work to rebuild and settle the town of Nipton. President Kimball narrowly wins another term, but discontent with his leadership is growing. December: Col. Abernathy drafts the articles of incorporation(AoI), a legal agreement between the 3rd Infantry and several towns within the Mojave. Guaranteeing protection as long as the towns comply with the laws of the NCR [u][b]2284 [/b][/u] January: After almost a year the death toll of the famine reaches over 100,000. Entire stretches of the NCR state are depopulated and waves of refugees make their way to the frontiers. 3rd Infantry is notified that they will not be receiving support from the NCR so long as the famine continues. A second wave of refugees hit the Mojave, flooding into towns like Goodsprings, Primm and even Sloan. With help from the 3rd Infantry some of them are able to push the deathclaws out of the Quarry. February: Primm and Nipton sign the articles of incorporation. March: Nelson signs the articles of incorporation. April: Raider gangs such as the Vipers, Jackals and the Great Khans use the chaos of the famine to launch raids into the NCR heartland. The violence in California explodes with the hunger riots, where NCR citizens ransack the capitol in an attempt to kill the congress members who have been stockpiling food since the start of the famine. June: General Cassandra Moore leads her brigade south to retake the NCR capitol amidst the hunger riots. With sheer ruthlessness her brigade imposes order and enforces a curfew with lethal punishments for those who disobey. The Van-Graff Company establishes a greater foothold in the Mojave after taking over the former Repconn Headquarters on the southern outskirts of New Vegas. July: An explosion of plant growth in the wasteland near Vegas piques the interest of a group of prospectors, they go out to explore it and are never seen again. August: Creepers and vines completely overtake both Camp McCarran and the Old Mormon Fort. Aside from a few vagrants, none dare to go inside to investigate. November: Four soldiers of the 3rd Infantry on leave in New Vegas are robbed and murdered, their bodies dumped in an alley in Freeside. B Company, led by Col. Abernathy enters Freeside and begins arresting any and everyone they can. Those who resist are shot on the spot. By the end of the month over a dozen Vegas residents are shot dead with another five hung from a makeshift gallows constructed outside the Mormon Fort. The perpetrators of the crime are never found. December: A team of Follower’s Doctors escorted by soldiers of the 3rd Infantry enter the Green near Vault 22 to investigate its origins. They do not return. After pressure from raiders in the region Sloan signs the articles of incorporation. [u][b]2285 [/b][/u] March: The start of the planting season in the NCR is marked by abundant rainfall but the damage of the famine is already done. May: Support for President Kimball reaches an all time low, protests in the Hub for him to resign become violent when the NCR military is deployed to disperse the citizens. July: Rumors of a Legion army on the Colorado sends panic throughout the Mojave and eastern regions of the NCR. The rumors are unfounded and no trace of them can be found. September: A firefight between the Gun Runners and the Van-Graff CSF erupts on the streets of the Hub. The Gun Runners claim they were provoked by the aggression of CSF patrols. CSF official statement vehemently denied these claims and counter them with accusations that the Gun Runners were harassing Van-Graff employees. Congresswoman Brianna Van-Graff criticizes the NCR military for their inability to keep the citizens of the Hub safe. She drafts legislation to formally incorporate the Van-Graff Corporate Security Forces into a standing police force. August: The abundant plant growth in Westside cannot be slowed and the citizens of Westside are slowly pushed into other suburbs or out of the city altogether. September: The first successful harvest in almost three years marks the official end of The Hunger in the NCR. November: The Green around Vault 22 is given the name the Brackenwood. Warning signs are erected to keep people put. [u][b]2286[/b][/u] February: NCR refugees settle in the former Legion camp of Cottonwood Cove. March: Representatives of the Boomers arrive in New Vegas seeking medical aid for a mysterious type of pneumonia and unknown plant growth in their territory. They learn about the Green and find there is no cure. April: Unusual rain storms bring an explosion of plant growth to Western Vegas and the outlying wasteland region. Vegetation becomes so lush that contact with Jacobstown and other homesteads in the area is lost entirely. June: Support for President Kimball reaches an all time low. Calls for him to resign grew throughout the NCR. September: The raider tribe known as the 80’s begin raids on New Reno. General Moore is reassigned to the Nevada region to protect the NCR’s borders. December: Rumors of the Legion return arrive once again in the Mojave. But after reconnaissance there is no evidence to substantiate these rumors. The NCR congress votes to incorporate the Van-Graff Corporate Security Forces into a standing police force. [u][b]2287:[/b][/u] January: The NCRCF experiences a minor riot after citizens arrested by the CSF are sent to the facility. D company of the 3rd Infantry squashes the riot without incident. March: The growth of the Green has utterly transformed the Northwest region of the Mojave. Rain clouds regularly blow out from the Brackenwood to the rest of the wasteland and a permanent mist clings to the most dense sectors of growth. June: An outbreak of Greenlung in Freeside pushes more people out of the city and into the wider wasteland. September: Three platoons of fresh recruits are sent to reinforce the 3rd Infantry Battalion in the Mojave. This is the first relief the 3rd have received in three years. November: Aaron Kimball is ousted after a lengthy legal process and a new President Brianna Van-Graff is elected. She outlines a five year plan for the economic and ecological restoration of the NCR. December: The fighting ring known as the Thorn is abandoned due to toxic vegetation growing within the sewers of New Vegas. Plans are made to re-establish the arena above ground in the city. [u][b]2288[/b][/u] January: President Brianna Van-Graff drafts legislation to limit the amount of land and cattle that can be owned by individuals. This earns her the ire of the Stockmen's Association but increases her support among the citizens of the NCR. March: Trade routes with the Boomers are opened, the Gun Runners seek to be the first to establish formal relations. April: Tensions rise between the Gun Runners and the Van-Graff Company rise as joint raids by CSF and NCR agents shut down several smuggling lanes into the Eastern frontier. September: President Brianna Van-Graff appoints a new ambassador to the Mojave territory. They are dispatched to New Vegas with a personal bodyguard of CSF agents. October 18th: A relief force of Rangers arrives at the south Vegas safehouse and performs a rescue and extraction operation on the surviving members of the Great Khan ambush. The survivors are taken to Fort Gulf where their injuries are assessed before they are discharged for medical care as needed. Several of the more grievously wounded troopers die during the extraction. Colonel Denver orders flags to be flown at half-staff in the Mojave for one week in honor of those killed. October 19th - Don Dominic calls a sit-down of the Three Families to be held at the Ultra Luxe. Dominic, with the support of Marjorie, accuses Swank of breaking key tenets of The Contract. Swank denies all accusations and abruptly leaves the meeting without further elaboration. The NCR Secretary of Energy, Kurt Tannhauser, becomes aware of his son’s grievous wounding in the ambush and recalls him to Shady Sands. Enraged by his son’s near death experience he calls openly for Colonel Denver Abernthy to be relieved of command. October 20: The Trans-Mojave Railroad (TMR) is completed after over two decades of intermittent work. A joint project between the NCR Department of Energy, the Incorporated settlements and various groups out of New Vegas. Three lines are connected, a northern, southern and central line with a central junction (CJ) in the Fremont station in Freeside outside the NCR ghetto. Certain stations are restricted (R) to authorized personnel only. Southern Line: Nipton (T) - Primm Pass - NCRCF (R) - Sloan - Junction 15 - Vegas Gravel Plant - New Vegas Steel & Ironworks Northern Line: Callville Bay (T) - -Crimson Caravan Headquarters - Freeside (CJ) Central Line: Junction 15 - Van-Graff Headquarters - Followers South Vegas Outpost - 188 Trading Post - Hoover Dam (R)(T) The NCR department of Energy formalizes the California Railway Company (CRC) to manage the railroad and work in conjunction with various locals groups to staff and organize the stations. There are only three engines that operate within the Mojave, each one assigned to a single rail-line. October 21st: To recuperate caps spent in purchasing the painting, the Meld commences its first attempts at revenue. Amber volunteers to make crafts, while Charlotte converts the colony's excess rations into restaurant quality dishes. The Meld opens for public dining but fails to gather initial traction. Meals run for six caps; fabric goods for fifteen. After careful deliberation Benny fires the majority of the embassy staff citing their inefficiency and negligent behavior. Under the direction of Marisol Gutiererrez Benny hires several dozen literate Vaulters from the Utah territories. There is a small adjustment period but soon they prove their usefulness. October 25th: Van-Graff CSF agents arrive at the Hoover Dam and Helios One to initiate the changing of the guard. They travel into the Mojave from the newly finished TMR. While tension is high, Colonel Denver eventually orders the commanders of these posts to acquiesce to the demands of president Van-Graff and relinquish control of the facilities. The troops assigned to protect these installations are recalled to Fort Gulf. The Omerta Family begins a buildup of weapons and illicitly purchased military hardware, increasing their production of small arms across their compounds in Outer Vegas. These weapons are secretly shipped to the Strip. Omerta-affiliated thugs across Vegas are noticeably better armed. Iron Forester Mercs begin actively patrolling Omerta controlled areas of Vegas. October 26th: The Happy Trails Caravan makes contact with Vault 48. Concerned about wanton expenditures, Henry, Ace of Clubs assigns siblings Queen Isabel and King Justin Moore of Clubs to assist colonial finances and foreign affairs, respectively. Despite his aloofness, Justin is renowned for deft negotiations around Sac Town. They arrive on the 29th. October 28th: The "Failfest," a local festival that commemorates the day upon which multiple systems across the vault malfunctioned simultaneously. In celebration, all non-vital elements shutdown, leading to a temporary cessation of outside communications. Cutoff from instant messaging regardless, Daniel Floyd takes the opportunity to jokingly, temporarily, declare independence. Fine beverages are purchased for the occasion. October 31st: A mysterious broadcast plays briefly after midnight on a frequency between the Mojave music station and Radio New Vegas. October 30th - Don Dominic Omerta and Marjorie of the White Gloves are married in an overly-elaborate ceremony at the Ultra Luxe. Various underworld figures linked to the Don from across the Southwest attend in a notable gathering of the whos-who of post-war organized crime. The White Gloves and Omerta Families are formerly united by marriage ties. None of the Chairmen attend, nor are they invited. November 1st - A gunfight erupts between several armed groups in Freeside. The brief but violent skirmish results in 18 dead. Rampant fear and speculation regarding further escalation of the Families’ conflict spreads throughout the city. The Heads of the Three Families all publicly deny any involvement and claim this was an unrelated gang conflict. November 2nd: Henry Hinshaw falls ill. Layman doctors concur that the symptoms are caused by terminal cancer. He appoints a successor: the promising Jack of Diamonds Faye Cannon. Tradition dictates that the remaining Aces select a new leader from amongst themselves after the death of a predecessor. Hinshaw's revolutionary decision causes great turmoil. Eve Cannon, Ace of Diamonds and Faye's equally capable younger sister, is the most vocal opponent. November 3rd: A heavy rainstorm washes over New Vegas bringing devastating flooding to the slums that surround the city. Entire neighborhoods are washed away and hundreds are reported missing. Relief efforts by the Followers and NCR’s 3rd Infantry are limited due to a variety of factors. November 4th - The Flooding prompts the Omertas to evacuate several of their safehouses in Outer Vegas. In an unexpected move, Dominic publicly announces that the Omertas and White Gloves will be assisting the people of Outer Vegas and Freeside with relief and recovery efforts. Thousands of caps are spent on hiring laborers and opening Omerta-run shelters and soup kitchens to provide aid. The White Gloves agree to open up their considerable food larders to provide adequate stocks to these locations. The Omertas supply a number of makeshift hospitals in the area with medical chems. The NCR ghetto in Freeside is largely spared from the flooding due to their walls. A rapid response from the embassy prioritizes the citizens there and commandeers command of the TMR to provide relief to the ghetto. This action is criticized by many Vegas residents but their complaints fall on deaf ears. November 5th: Eager to assist the flood relief efforts but too distant for effect, the colony agrees to donate all excess foodstuffs to the Omertas' and White Gloves' food programs. Isabel protests, and her outcry is duly logged and overruled by Floyd. The Queen of Spades helps serve the impoverished and homeless. Choked of their supply, the diner closes and has not since resumed operations. November 6th: Hinshaw passes, leaving behind a fledgling empire of his own creation. He is celebrated as a hero by the entire clan, despite his final testament, maybe genuinely but perhaps in a bid to garner popularity. Portraits and similar artwork adorn his grave and appear throughout the facility. He is sealed in stone under a defunct room on the premises. November 9th: To compensate for revenue loss, Bradley proposes to take up woodworking, and Charlotte recommends pottery. Both initiatives are fully endorsed. Driftwood is gathered from the ruins of destroyed housing to supply Bradley's endeavor. The first furnishings are crude but practical and commercially viable. The Expedition prospects for clay pits, though the Green limits their options. November 10: Refugees from Arizona arrive in Cottonwood Cove. They say a Legion vanguard is sweeping across the territories. There are rumors that the Legion is looking for something but the validity of these claims remains unknown. November 12th: Eve sends an emissary and Faye arrives personally to beseech Floyd's support. In the heated discussion Daniel leverages the tension by detailing visions for a machine parts factory under the control of the Expedition. Neither party makes promises. He expresses neutrality but affirms his broader loyalty, sending them both away with homemade wood and fabric crafts but otherwise empty handed. November 13th: In response to rumors of Legion activity the garrisons along the Colorado River are reinforced and stocked with non-perishables in the event of protracted conflict. November 14th - Legion activity across the Colorado river prompts an unusually unified response from the Three Families, who issue summons to the NCR ambassador for clarification on the situation. [/hider]