Church of the Open Hand

At the southernmost tip of the Plunge's dry land, less than twenty yards from where the waterline laps at crumbling pavement, stands a stone fortress that predates the Fall. The Church of the Open Hand takes its name from the seven-foot statue at its entrance: a figure with outstretched open palms, carved in old-world stone, symbolizing both strength and readiness for payment. Behind that statue lies the home base of the Iron Cross, one of Old York's most efficient and feared combat forces.
 

The Fortress

The building itself is a study in pragmatic fortification. Steep roofs and jagged natural stone form the facade, while scrap metal catwalks and gantries connect the main structure to a six-sided fortress that spans nearly two city blocks. The entire compound is walled with salvaged barricades and fencing, and the only street-level entrance passes through the Church's front door. Watchtowers command views of every approach by land and sea, with guards and snipers covering the perimeter at all hours.
 

The Iron Cross

The Iron Cross mercenaries who call the Church home are recognizable by their white armor marked with blood-red crosses. They operate as a professional military company, hiring out their services to anyone who can meet their price. The compound functions as barracks, armory, and staging ground, and rumors persist that the Iron Cross intends to one day overtake all of Old York from this very position.
  The proximity to the waterline means the undead are a constant threat from the ocean side, but the Iron Cross treats that as training rather than danger. The open palms of the statue at the door say everything: the Church is ready for business, and the price is never negotiable.