Denver

**Denver,** Colorado, is also known as **The Denver Cube, Puzzlebox,** and **Kowloon II** in the NeoScum universe.

## Description

### Overview

About 25 by 35 miles, the Denver Cube is a huge mass of tightly-packed skyscrapers resembling the Kowloon Walled City. Impenetrable to most vehicles, it is overcrowded and cramped, with general upkeep of its streets and facilities varying depending on the occupying factions' relations with one another. There is a public transit system in the form of a light rail service.

Over the course of its history, Denver has been de- and re-populated a number of times. As it currently stands, Denver is a divided city, with districts controlled by the various factions that occupy the city proper and the surrounding sprawl.

### Outer Denver

Outside of the Cube, the effects of the wars that have defined Denver's history are clearly evident. Close to the cube are mosaics of wealthy suburbs and small hovels, and a large shanty town, all visibly damaged from explosions and abandoned. Further out, there are fewer buildings left intact and more evidence of drone strikes and landmines.

### Matrix

The Denver Matrix network is unique; due to being run entirely by technomancers, it operates differently to standard Matrix networks. Those who wish to access the Denver Matrix must give up all of their personal information, on the understanding that it will remain strictly inaccessible to anyone but the technomancers. Otherwise, Denver is a Matrix blackout zone.

When Zenith took Max to the technomancers and travelled through an unknown section of the Cube, they were both able to see a part of the Matrix that appeared to be operating parallel to the real world, populated by a number of life forms, metahuman and non-.

## Factions

### UCAS

The UCAS, then USA, originally depopulated Denver after the awakening to re-establish it as a military outpost dedicated to the Rocky Mountain Dragon Threat. In 2020, when the UCAS was formed, it allowed refugees, magic users and ghouls to re-settle Denver. By 2027, the UCAS-aligned Lonestar presence had withdrawn from Denver entirely, only to return again in 2047 when dragons once again became a threat. After several years of violence driven by extreme prejudice against magic users, the UCAS called a truce with the other factions of the city, allowing them to remain in the Cube. This held until 2073, when the UCAS pulled resources from the city, destabilising the relative peace and allowing extremist anti-magic militias such as the Denver Templar to radicalise further into the Sons of Denver.

### The Wizard & Adept Brotherhood

The Wizard & Adept Brotherhood is a relatively new faction in the Cube, having formed in 2075, but established itself rapidly in a city with such a high population of magic users, and the WAB now claims control of significant areas of the Cube. The WAB stands against the UCAS, with the ultimate goal of taking over Denver to form an all-magic-user city-state. They have a tense relationship with the magic users of the Temple of the Holy Protector, who look down on both their goals and methods.

An agent of the WAB assassinated Fayglin Morose.

### Technomancers

Denver's Technomancers operate unseen and do not control a particular district, but manage the Matrix network for the entire city. It is unknown if they have an agenda or are aligned with any other faction or outside entity. Their control over the Matrix network does give them significant influence and they are able to use this to call in favours from other factions, if they can be convinced. However, they will not hesitate to punish those who abuse the power that being a network operator gives them.

### Covenant of the Rocky Protector

The Covenant of the Rocky Protector is a post-awakening religion, formed in Denver, who believe that Jesus will return to Earth in the form of a dragon that resides in the Rocky Mountains. Their first temple is located in Denver. They do not control any districts within the city, but have a sizeable following in the Rocky Mountain area.

### Ghouls

The ghouls of Denver live relatively concealed lives, with many taking to the sewers. During the UCAS' first withdrawal in 2027-2047, they were extremely territorial about their homes and caused significant plumbing issues throughout the Cube. After the truce was called in 2053, infrastructure was put in place for them to continue living beneath the city without the disruption to the sewage systems. Currently, the relationship between ghouls and the WAB is strained, leading to a breakdown in sanitation facilities in WAB-controlled areas of Denver.

## Notable Characters

* Fayglin Morose
* Sel
* Barft Vada
* Filt, The Rat Bastard
* The Eater
* Babyface
* 3 Beard

#### References

1. ↑ Behind the Screen, Vol 1, page 14
2. ↑ Behind the Screen Vol 1, page 12
3. ↑ Behind the Screen, Vol 1, page 13
4. ↑ Behind the Screen, Vol 1, page 14
5. ↑ Behind the Screen, Vol 1, page 13
6. ↑ Behind the Screen, Vol 1, page 17