The Arch
The Arch is a town built on water and necessity. Floating docks, stilts, and bridges lash together a community within Misery Bay, threaded between the skeletal remains of pre-Fall structures that jut from the surface like broken teeth. At its center, a pitted pre-Fall archway rises from the water, coated in bones, talismans, cloth, rope, and charms left by generations of superstitious travelers hoping for a bit of luck. The constant clanking of those offerings in the wind is the closest thing the Arch has to a heartbeat. Small boats pole through the canals between buildings. Sirens sound when the irradiated fog begins to roll through, and anyone caught outside sealed doors when it arrives does not get a second warning.
All waterborne trade in the region must pass through the Arch. When fog rises across the bay, vessels sprint for the town's shallower waters and shelter, making it a mandatory stop for every merchant ship, fishing crew, and smuggler working Misery Bay. Lake's Landing serves as the main strip of floating docks where boats moor for commerce: bars, a general store called A-Co, food vendors, and gambling operations crowd the waterline. Ships docked at Lake's Landing double as mobile storefronts. West of the landing, Lars' Boat Shop sells replacement parts and mechanical curiosities from a house on stilts; most ships that survive eight years in Misery Bay have been rebuilt piece by piece from his stock.
Darwin's Cathedral rises from the waters as a rounded, pitted dome surrounded by floating docks and small buildings dedicated to Darwinist worship and scientific study. Priests preach from the docks to anyone passing within earshot. Inside the hollowed dome, sermons are conducted on a large floating platform. Retrogrades oversee the Cathedral, viewing themselves as the finest examples of evolution. The Floating Forest, a series of ramshackle greenhouses where the Harvesters breed plants capable of surviving the chemical-laden fog, rounds out the town's strange ecosystem. Successful experiments are rumored to vanish into Mon Corporation hands. The Enforcers patrol the waterways and ensure citizens reach shelter before fog descends, though lately they have been asking for a raise the town may not be able to afford. The Maskless, a Retrograde supremacist movement, grows bolder by the month. The Arch endures because it must; the bay gives no one the luxury of stopping.
All waterborne trade in the region must pass through the Arch. When fog rises across the bay, vessels sprint for the town's shallower waters and shelter, making it a mandatory stop for every merchant ship, fishing crew, and smuggler working Misery Bay. Lake's Landing serves as the main strip of floating docks where boats moor for commerce: bars, a general store called A-Co, food vendors, and gambling operations crowd the waterline. Ships docked at Lake's Landing double as mobile storefronts. West of the landing, Lars' Boat Shop sells replacement parts and mechanical curiosities from a house on stilts; most ships that survive eight years in Misery Bay have been rebuilt piece by piece from his stock.
Darwin's Cathedral rises from the waters as a rounded, pitted dome surrounded by floating docks and small buildings dedicated to Darwinist worship and scientific study. Priests preach from the docks to anyone passing within earshot. Inside the hollowed dome, sermons are conducted on a large floating platform. Retrogrades oversee the Cathedral, viewing themselves as the finest examples of evolution. The Floating Forest, a series of ramshackle greenhouses where the Harvesters breed plants capable of surviving the chemical-laden fog, rounds out the town's strange ecosystem. Successful experiments are rumored to vanish into Mon Corporation hands. The Enforcers patrol the waterways and ensure citizens reach shelter before fog descends, though lately they have been asking for a raise the town may not be able to afford. The Maskless, a Retrograde supremacist movement, grows bolder by the month. The Arch endures because it must; the bay gives no one the luxury of stopping.
Demographics
The majority of the Arch's residents are Retrogrades who can withstand the deadly irradiated fog that sweeps the bay. Many walk unmasked, showing rotting skin openly as a point of pride. Baywalkers are present in significant numbers for the waterborne trade. Darwinist priests and intellectuals are drawn to the area as a living laboratory of evolution, centering their worship and study at Darwin's Cathedral. The Maskless, a Retrograde supremacist movement, is gaining aggression and influence within the town. The Crewmen, a trading group, are in growing conflict with the Maskless. The Enforcers, a mercenary guard force, answer to the governing council but have been demanding a raise that the town may not be able to afford.
Government
A small collective council governs the Arch, created out of necessity rather than ambition. The council's primary responsibilities include sounding fog sirens when irradiated weather rolls in and managing the safety systems that keep residents alive. The Enforcers serve as both guards and security, answering to the council and patrolling the waterways to ensure citizens reach sealed shelter before fog descends. The arrangement is functional but strained: the Enforcers are rumored to be demanding higher pay, and the council's authority depends on maintaining the loyalty of the only organized armed force in the settlement.
Defences
The Arch's defenses are environmental and structural rather than military. Airtight buildings sealed against the irradiated fog serve as the primary survival infrastructure; sirens warn residents when the fog begins rolling through, and anyone caught outside sealed doors does not receive a second chance. The Enforcers patrol the waterways, managing security and ensuring citizens reach shelter in time. The shallower waters around the town provide natural protection against larger hostile vessels while remaining navigable for the flat-bottomed boats and small craft that sustain trade. The irradiated fog itself serves as a defensive barrier: any attacking force that cannot withstand lethal radiation levels will suffer casualties before reaching the settlement.
Industry & Trade
All waterborne trade in the region must pass through the Arch. When fog rises across the bay, vessels sprint for the town's shallower waters and shelter, making it a mandatory stop for every merchant, fishing crew, and smuggler working Misery Bay. Lake's Landing serves as the main commercial strip: bars, a general store, food vendors, gambling operations, and ships doubling as mobile storefronts crowd the floating docks. Lars' Boat Shop sells replacement parts and mechanical curiosities from a house on stilts; most ships surviving eight years in the bay have been rebuilt piece by piece from his stock. Darwin's Cathedral draws Darwinist pilgrims and scholars, adding religious tourism to the commercial mix. The Floating Forest, where the Harvesters breed radiation-resistant plant strains, contributes an experimental agricultural economy, though successful experiments are rumored to vanish into Mon Corporation hands.
History
The Arch takes its name from the pre-Fall archway that rises from the water at the town's center, a pitted structure now coated in bones, talismans, cloth, rope, and charms left by generations of travelers. The settlement grew around this landmark as waterborne commerce required a hub within Misery Bay. The town was built from necessity: floating docks, stilts, and bridges lashed together between the skeletal remains of pre-Fall structures. Darwin's Cathedral, a rounded dome rising from the waters, became a major Darwinist holy site and drew intellectuals and priests to the area. The Floating Forest began as an attempt to breed plants capable of surviving the chemical-laden fog, a project that continues under the Harvesters' care. The Enforcers were hired to provide security, and a small council formed to manage the growing settlement. Current tensions between the Maskless and the Crewmen, combined with the Enforcers' demands for higher pay, suggest the political balance that has sustained the Arch may be shifting.
A floating trade hub where the fog kills and the arch grants wishes.
