Highland Hall
Highland Hall sits on the highest point for miles in the Rhode Islands, an old civic center perched above the flooded landscape almost perfectly halfway between Old York and Baytowne. It is neutral ground, and the Fallow Hopes Wardens who manage it have made that neutrality a matter of religious conviction.
Sargent Alan Timore commands the Wardens who patrol the outer edges, keeping the settlement clear of undead and raiders while enforcing a simple rule: whatever grudge you carry, you do not settle it here. Rival groups moving between Old York and Baytowne must pass through Highland Hall, and the temptation to use that forced proximity as an opportunity for violence is constant. The Wardens have repeatedly made clear that the settlement is not open to claims. Disputes must be settled on the parties' own territories, not on this hilltop.
The arrangement works because the alternative is worse. The route between Old York and Baytowne crosses contested water, disputed roads, and territory where undead outnumber the living. Highland Hall provides a waypoint where caravans can rest, resupply, and move on without worrying that the roof over their head belongs to someone with an agenda. That the Fallow Hopes maintain this through force of arms and force of faith is a detail that most travelers accept without comment. A hilltop of peace in a sea of drowned ruins and old grudges is worth the price of a few prayers.
Sargent Alan Timore commands the Wardens who patrol the outer edges, keeping the settlement clear of undead and raiders while enforcing a simple rule: whatever grudge you carry, you do not settle it here. Rival groups moving between Old York and Baytowne must pass through Highland Hall, and the temptation to use that forced proximity as an opportunity for violence is constant. The Wardens have repeatedly made clear that the settlement is not open to claims. Disputes must be settled on the parties' own territories, not on this hilltop.
The arrangement works because the alternative is worse. The route between Old York and Baytowne crosses contested water, disputed roads, and territory where undead outnumber the living. Highland Hall provides a waypoint where caravans can rest, resupply, and move on without worrying that the roof over their head belongs to someone with an agenda. That the Fallow Hopes maintain this through force of arms and force of faith is a detail that most travelers accept without comment. A hilltop of peace in a sea of drowned ruins and old grudges is worth the price of a few prayers.
History
The old civic center on the Rhode Islands was repurposed after the Fall as a neutral waypoint for caravans traveling between Old York and Baytowne. The Cult of the Fallow Hopes established a temple and garrison on the site, and the Wardens have defended its independence ever since.
Highland Hall has become the focus of ongoing conflict between Old York and Baytowne factions, all of whom must pass through on the primary overland route between the two territories. Rival gangs and crews have occasionally attempted to claim the settlement for their own purposes. Each attempt has been met with the same response from the Wardens: the hilltop belongs to no one, or more precisely, it belongs to everyone passing through and therefore to none of them permanently.
The settlement endures as the last neutral ground between two territories that share a long history of mutual contempt. Its position, both geographic and political, makes it indispensable. As long as the route between Old York and Baytowne remains dangerous enough to require a safe waypoint, Highland Hall will continue to matter, and the Wardens will continue to enforce the peace that makes it possible.
Highland Hall has become the focus of ongoing conflict between Old York and Baytowne factions, all of whom must pass through on the primary overland route between the two territories. Rival gangs and crews have occasionally attempted to claim the settlement for their own purposes. Each attempt has been met with the same response from the Wardens: the hilltop belongs to no one, or more precisely, it belongs to everyone passing through and therefore to none of them permanently.
The settlement endures as the last neutral ground between two territories that share a long history of mutual contempt. Its position, both geographic and political, makes it indispensable. As long as the route between Old York and Baytowne remains dangerous enough to require a safe waypoint, Highland Hall will continue to matter, and the Wardens will continue to enforce the peace that makes it possible.
