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Origin Pre-War Post-War What Outsiders Know The Reality Population Territory and Locations Organization Government, National and Local Justice, Social Control, Punishment Political Factions, Dissent Famous/Infamous Persons Relationships with Other Groups Culture Ethnic Groups, Immigration and Emigration Social Divisions and Castes Religion, Beliefs and Superstition Morality and Values Progress and Failure Family, Age, Sexuality and Gender Education and Language Environment and Agriculture Food Art and Entertainment, Music, Literature, Recreation Fashion and Appearance Urban and Rural Areas, Architecture Equipment and Resources Economy Science, Medicine and Technology Weapons and Military Equipment Communications Vehicles Aircraft Watercraft

 

 

 

    
A Cartel-dominated town in New Mexico, last stop before heading out into the dry plains.

Origin

 

Pre-War

     Several thousand people living here, ordinary American folk. 

 

Post-War

     No actual nuclear blasts struck the valley, but fallout, nuclear winter and civil anarchy all took their toll. Once the Cartel's operations spread east of the Big Rocks, this town became a stop for filling up on fuel, supplies and guards.

 

What Outsiders Know

     If it weren't for the Cartel, this town would be much smaller.

 

The Reality

     As known -- it's not a town of mystery. A well-organized truck stop.

 

Population

     Within the town itself, perhaps 200 persons; in the entire Vegas Valley, about 1000 persons. The rural population lives in a hundred or so haciendas and ranchos. The population density of the valley as a whole is about the same as Mongolia, or Australia; ranches are typically 6 kilometers apart. 

 

Territory and Locations

     It's at about 2000 meters above sea level, in the center of Vegas Valley (about 1500 square kilometers), with the Gallinas River (a tributary of the Pecos) running through it. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains (to the west) and the Spring Mountains (not very imposing, to the east) surround the valley. Not a lot of rain, and most of that July and August, due to rainstorms. Before the Atomic War, several inches of snow would fall from December through March -- rarely now.

     The old Harvey House is a cartel headquarters, adjacent to the old railway yard and the interstate freeway. The fuel depot and truck yard is located along the tracks.

     About a kilometer to the west, across a shallow, dry creekbed, is the central plaza of the old town. It has several old two- and three-story buildings still standing; the Cartel emporio operates in one of them. The most notable structure is the Plaza Hotel (now a casino/bordello/hotel with 36 rooms, owned by Madam Carol). A smaller casino/bordello is operated by a man named Esteban.

     10 kilometers northwest of town is the spectacular Montezuma Castle, built as a hot springs resort in 1882. It's a huge red brick building in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. During the 1980s it was owned by Armand Hammer for use as a college; the Atomic War interrupted those plans. The Temmond clan lives there now.

     Not far from the Castle is Storrie Lake, which provides water for Las Vegas. A low concrete-core earth dam holds back the water.

 

Organization

 

Government, National and Local

     The town is under the control of the Cartel; the jefe is Aaron Townshend.

     The Cartel jefe hires and pays the schoolteacher in town; decides disputes about contracts and land ownership; checks the validity of weights and measures; and hears criminal cases. He could also call out any number of adult men as the militia, if needed; in practice, the Cartel's changos are more than enough military force.

 

Justice, Social Control, Punishment

     The jefe decides all cases, except those involving senior Cartel members (which are referred to Kingman City) . Possible punishments are hanging, banishment, or fines; there is no jail. A common alternative to a monetary fine is either public work, or restorative labor.

     In practice, the jefe only cares about what happens in town, or along the trading road, or to members of the Cartel.

 

Political Factions, Dissent

     The native locals sometimes resent the Cartel's dominance of the Valley. The jefe enforces some arbitrary rules about firearms ownership, which have the effect of leaving the locals without anything more advanced than muzzle-loading rifles.

     The Temmond clan numbers about 40 persons, living at the Montezuma Castle. They consider themselves the "natural leaders" for the Vegas Valley.

 

Famous/Infamous Persons

 

     Doc Holliday owned a saloon here once upon a time.

     Team R54 believes that Esteban is acting as part of a network of agents for the Waste Lords.

     Ben Temmond is head of the Temmond clan.

 

Relationships with Other Groups

     Well, it's all about the Cartel here. The Waste Lords aren't welcome customers, but some trade takes place (just not in Las Vegas). Raiders are basically kept at a distance; any trade with them, or attacks on them, depend on whether a particular group has bothered any Cartel convoys lately.

 

Culture

 

Ethnic Groups, Immigration and Emigration

 

     It's a pretty even split between generic Americans, and immigrants from northern Mexico.

 

Social Divisions and Castes

     Heads of families are very important; unmarried men have little say in decisions. The "richest" people are the owners of large ranches (haciendas); they sometimes act as tiny despots, without much reference to the jefe. The Temmond clan are at the top of this list. 

     Besides any convoy members, there are fifty or so men in town actually employed by the Cartel -- mechanics, soldiers, and other people on the jefe's staff. 

 

Religion, Beliefs and Superstition

     The Komerk-speaking (Spanish) inhabitants are almost all Catholics; some of the others are too, since it gives some social advantages. There is a church and priest in town.

 

Morality and Values

     Respect for the parent's and their siblings; obedience; family unity. Raiders, robbers and highway bandits are barely considered human, and probably don't get judicial trials very often.

     Marrying, or romantic involvement with, Cartel soldiers is not a socially approved act for the natives.

 

Progress and Failure

     Marriage, and offspring, are a goal for men.

 

Family, Age, Sexuality and Gender

     As with most of the modern world, there are notably more men than women in the population. Women and married men are the decision-makers.

 

Education and Language

     The locals are all fluent in Road Talk and Komerk. Literacy in the town is about 50%, but much lower in the farms and villages.

 

Environment and Agriculture

     The valley is mighty dry, and doesn't have any notable irrigation systems. Horse and sheep ranching is spread around the valley.

 

Food

     Heavy on meat and dairy products; generally, kind of "Mexican".

 

Art and Entertainment, Music, Literature, Recreation

 

     The local musical style in the farms is ranchera and norteño; in the town there are one or two banda groups.

 

Fashion and Appearance

     Very typical of the post-apocalyptic southwest. Men have big mustaches, and wear straw "cowboy hats"; adult women wear long dresses. Cartel drivers and soldiers are often armed to the teeth.

 

Urban and Rural Areas, Architecture

     Except for the town itself, there aren't any other communities in the valley. Most of the post-Atomic War buildings are in Pueblo Revival style, with thick masonry walls, flat roofs, and roof beams protruding just below the top of the walls.

 

Equipment and Resources

 

Economy

     The truck stop, stores, and the casinos/bordellos/hotels, are the most important parts of the local economy. In the plaza is an emporio operated by the Cartel.

 

Science, Medicine and Technology

     Outside of the truck stop, hardly any; the area is at an early-nineteenth century level of development.

 

Weapons and Military Equipment

     The locals carry knives and (when mounted) lances. A prosperous man might own a muzzle-loading musket; the head of a family, or a merchant in town, will own a revolver. The big Cartel emporio in the plaza sells muzzle-loading weapons, powder, etc.; and if you're a trucker, especially a Cartel trucker, they might sell more advanced weaponry.

     The Cartel has (at least) a couple of belt-fed machine guns, and Cartel rifles for all of their soldiers. There is either a cannon or mortar present, and usually a scrap tank of some sort.

 

Communications

     The Cartel uses CB radios, a few walkie-talkies, and a simple field telephone system. Otherwise, news moves by mounted couriers, on foot, etc. There is no newspaper nor a printing press closer than Tucumcari. 

     In an emergency, the Cartel might use a motorcyle or courier truck ... but the emergency better be good!

 

Vehicles

     Horse, horse-drawn wagons, and (for the Cartel) trucks, motorbikes, etc.

 

Aircraft

     None.

 

Watercraft

     None.