Junkyard

The home base for the settlement of raiders and scavengers called the Junkers.

Pre-Exodus
Before the Exodus an abandoned mining facility located in Bocca Del Lupo. Rich in metals it might once have grown into a large mining site if not for the unfortunate and difficult to reach location. With the project, and the facility put in hiatus it was intended to be revisited after additional funding to create a more stable and less risky road between Bocca Del Lupo and it's neighbouring land. With the Exodus crashing the party these plans wouldn't see the daylight anytime soon.

Exodus
The Junkyard itself was the brainchild mainly of an older librarian named Meredith along with a criminal who has since changed his name to Rocksalt.

With a lot of unknown forces tainting the lands a lot of people had to be evacuated to quarantine zones, unfortunately not everyone would be as lucky. The core group of the Junkyard hailed from a town which was one of the first to fall prey to the Taint.

Awaiting evacuation from the dangerous lands the people had holed themselves up in the nearest library as it was easy to recognize from the air and a flat roof allowed for easy extraction via helicopter.

Meredith had been tending to the people in the library and as an act of selflessness would stay behind until everyone else had left the vicinity. The promised last two transports never arrived, leaving Meridith behind with mostly elderly folk and people not from the town. Realizing staying in the town was a certain death sentence she guided the group away, trying to find a quarantine zone on their own. On the way she discovered that the prisoners had never even been considered during the evacuation. With too much empathy and an overly motherly personality Meredith had no choice but to release the prisoners and accept them into the rag-tag group, finding that a lot of them actually were decent people and not the heartless murderers everyone thought.

Within a few weeks they found the mines at Bocca del Lupo. Finding shelter, some rations of a wide variety and an installed basic plumbing from the mountain springs it took little convincing to start a camp there.

Post-Exodus
While water and shelter were in abundance the subject of food and other resources became swiftly problematic. The mountains had no crops or even trees to feed the hungry people and while there was a forest just at the foot of the mountain strange things had claimed it as their home. Some scouts never returned from their scavenges while many more returned raving about horrible things or maimed and half-eaten.

Meredith's peaceful approach would take time, which they didn't have. Rocksalt made use of the chaos and need to establish raiding parties. The areas around Bocca Del Lupo and even far beyond would live several years in fear for armed men and women forcefully taking what they needed to survive. First it was mere food or clothes but as time went on Rocksalt ordered everyone to pitch in what way they could. Anything would be brought back to their base just in case it might be useful. This was a tactic both to train people not known with the process but also to keep Meredith and her flock calm.

It was this behaviour that would earn them the nickname 'Junkers' for their greed and penchance to take with them pretty much anything.

Carnage
These ways might never have changed it if wasn't for one event. A giant raid using most of the capable men and women for a haul that would be greater than any previous raids combined. A force of no less than 70 raiders and looters, most of them experienced.

Only 35 would return, 10 of which would later succumb to their wounds in the weeks to come. Their population had dwindled dramatically with more than half their former population now gone. They were weak, small and devastated.

Post-Carnage
Meredith took over after the Carnage and decided that the era of looting had passed. She and 4 other highly educated people made up the Council, a passive and wiser form of leadership than Rocksalt and his abundance of testosterone. They would not leave the path of the scavenger entirely, they still needed outside resources to survive but not in the same way as before. There was no more chaos to take advantage of and if they wished to live in peace and not be hounded by any sort of justice group or figure, changes would have to be made.

Inhabited areas were now off limits to raids and looting, only the abandoned and uninhabited structures would be targeted. The Council would open up the possibility of hired help to the outside, if they figured the aftermath would remain minimum. Be it to acquire something, as muscle or hired help. The Council had, however, no will nor want to choose sides in a world that was slowly stabilizing itself once more.

Their focus now shifted to knowledge and the creation of one of the largest libraries possible containing anything from children's books to university specific books to even large databases stock full of knowledge. This was their token of trade.

They opened up the Junkyard to others and deemed the lower tier of their home hospitable for everyone who wished. They even indulged in charity by helping out or even taking in wanderers whose lives could be endangered by lack of food or exhaustion free of charge.

Under the Council's leadership and hoarding of knowledge they swiftly found ways to make their homes viable. They created a small energy plant running on methane with the extra bonus of pigs which they could eat and even found a way to produce less demanding crops such as potatoes and wild barley.

High Tier
The Higher Tier of the Junkyard is located upon the flattened peaks of the surrounding lower Tier. This area is off limits to anyone who is not a Junker. This area contains the Archives, many homes of Junkers and even the crops. It is passively guarded by the inhabitants. Aside from using violence or not coming through on a deal accessing this area as a non-Junker is a serious offence and can have grave consequences for trespassers.

Archives
The Archives is the home of the Council and houses all of the books, databases and other forms of knowledge or strange artefacts the Junkers get their hands on. Nobody knows the true layout of this enormous library except for the Council. Entrance by Junkers is free be it for casual browsing or curiosity. As of recent the Council, and some Junkers, have taken up teaching the youngest Junkers at this location.

Junkers
The Junkers are a community build and kept together by a mutual trust and understanding. As a result of that they are doing fairly well in this new world.

There is no difference between Junkers be they old or new and the process of becoming one is based purely on trust and judge of character. Getting access to the High Tier would require a trusted member of the Junkers vouching for a possible new inhabitant as well as having lived in the Lower Tier for a little while. As a last test a simple chat is needed with the council before they are accepted as a true Junker.

As a Junker there is a sense of communism present. While there are personal goods, for the good of the town everyone has to chip in. Simply doing your job and not getting into any trouble is good enough to profit from the general town supply of food, clothing, energy or other resources.

Anything extra or personal is achieved by own means be it by finding, trading, gifts or other means.

Jobs
There is no lack of work to be found in the Junkyard and anyone can do their best to support their weight. Be it working the lands, helping out in the energy facility, mining or any other work.

While the following are jobs by no means any more special than the others or any more appreciated they might be perceived as less common.
 * Trackers: Scavengers, lithe on their feet and quick.
 * Techies: Having access to remarkable knowledge the Junkers have made their own brand of bionics. Rather ill-fitting but promising if the body accepts it. Either that or doing one of many often needed repairs in and around the Junkyard from reinforcing fencing to maintaining the servers.
 * Goons: The brawn the Junkyard has to offer. Many are located in the Lower Tier to keep the peace but some are often send out as mercenaries or bodyguards.
 * Traders: Be it on the road or at the local market, charismatic people with an array of goods.

Lower Tier
The Lower Tier is the place that is welcoming to everyone. Violence or weapons (unless their are sheathed or unloaded) are not allowed on the premises. Failing to acknowledge one of the very few rules will result in a punishment ranging from fines, work to even banishment or embargo.

Rocksalt is the visible leader and generally hangs around in the Lower Tier keeping everything in check.

Marketplace
One of the main reasons people come to the Junkyard in person is mainly for the marketplace. While some traders take to the roads others prefer the safety of the Junkyard or simply sell goods too bulky to take to the road.

It is a central hub of everything that can be sold for a price. Outsiders can temporarily set up shop in the Junkyard under a few rules many of which include a small portion of the profits and keeping to the rules.

Energy Facility
A hybrid facility of energy that gains power from various methods. The main power supplies come from water and methane. For outsiders it is possible to work in the Energy Facility in exchange for a trade.

Noticeboard
Upon entrance the first thing visible is a giant noticeboard. This is the easiest way for people to get in contact with the council. Their personal requests are to be written down and stuck on. Every evening the board is cleared (except for rules or tasks for outsiders) and the requests are accepted or declined by the council. The accepted party will be informed shortly and a price will be negotiated.