Hartz

## Hartz Region

Hartz is a region in the south-west of the United Empire. It is characterized by a large sandy desert that includes many sandstone rock formations such as mesas and badlands. It is bordered to the north by the expansive Grand Canyon. The Hartz region is also arbitrarily cut along its southern border by the Great Fence.

The largest city in the region is Maricopa.

### People

There are several different nations that inhabit the Hartz region. The majority of the population are Yanks. The remaining 50% of the population are split between the Manx and Loik people. While there are expansive areas set aside for local indigenous nations to self-govern, their populations remain very low.

Because of its adjacency and proximity to the elemental planes, the region has many elemental crossing points and therefore has a relatively large number of Jinn, estimated to be in the hundreds or thousands. Similarly, the hazards of military experimentation, wars, and 19th century gold mines mean there are many undead in the region. Cults flock to the region to avoid the prying eyes of neighbors, bringing their divines with them, so while the absolute number of divines is thought to be only a few hundred, they feature prominently in local culture and politics. Fey, Cthonites and draconids are somewhat less prominent in the area, while constructs are balanced between a very low population density, and a large number of experimental military facilities.

### History

The Hartz region was inhabited by indigenous groups for millennia. Its unique geography produces uniquely hardy and independent cultures, and has always welcomed refugees and criminals seeking shelter from social oversight or over-reach. The blending of taboos and isolation of the settlements leads to unique cultures cropping up over and over again. The Hartz region was indistinguishable from the Tche-wa region to its south before the establishment of the Great Fence. Hartz-Tche-wa was one of the birth places of the Manx people as they developed in the 16-1700s. The indigenous people were being displaced into the Hartz-Tche-wa area, along with settler refugees and criminals fleeing their own governments or retaliations from the indigenous groups. These people forged a life together to develop into the syncretic Manx culture by 1750.

In 1850, the United Empire invaded the region and signed a treaty that would officially form the Hartz region. They accepted Manx language and culture as essential to the Hartz region, imported over a million Loik people, established the rights of Yanks to settle there, while simultaneously agreeing to and establishing indigenous self-governing regions. A border was drawn through the unmarked desert, and the establishment of the Great Fence began. The rational behind the invasion was the discovery of gold in the region. The United Empire would establish the border and Great Fence to prevent gold from being taken south the Manx state, then use Yank settlers with Loik labourers to mine the gold and move it instead north and east into the United Empire. Divines played a key role in the war, as the United Empire employed them both in battle and to transform the primordial lands to their own devices.

After the gold-rush of the late 1800s, the region saw a general decline. By the 1930s, it became a key area for the United Empire to test experimental technologies. These technologies include daming the Grand Canyon, border surveilence and espionage training, the trinity tests, and the Special Areas Liminal Gate. It continues to be used for secretive or hazardous military testing and training.

### Gameplay

Overall the Hartz region offers all 3 tiers of play. The urban areas of highways an settlements generally present a tier I challenge, whereas the open desert tends toward Tier II. The Great Fence, military installations, and certain other key areas such as cult compounds are Tier III.

Hartz is primarily desert terrain, with significant coverage of urban terrain in the form of settlements, highways and military installations.

#### Locales

Maricopa is the largest city in the region, and is an standard metropolis like any other large city.

Bargina is a large crater whose interior is considered primordial terrain.

Special Areas Liminal Gate is a highly guarded, secretive military research facility.

Humble Lake is a dry salt lake bed and a primordial realm.

#### Factions

The Imperial Army operates in the region as the primary faction. Each indigenous self-governing nation is also a faction that operates in the region. Criminal gangs also operate, as well as a relatively large number of cults. The area's lack of natural resources make its uses limited, but the history of lawlessness and independent nature of the people encourage small tight-nit communities, and many cults have come from elsewhere to find fertile ground to grow relatively unmolested by local government.

Overall, the majority of the area is dominated by the Imperial Army, including the restricted military areas, the Great Fence, most settlements and the land between these places. Only a few select locales are dominated by gangs, cults, indigenous nations, or other minor actors and individuals such as primordials.

#### Challenges

Local law enforcement frequently requires intelligence on cults operating in the area, varying from locating them, identifying their idols or leaders, or taking pictures.